After completing the formalities, the two of them went upstairs with their room key and entered their room. The room was decorated very warmly, and they could see the street view of Hai City from the window. Li Zhiyan put down her luggage and then said to Sun Zhewen, "Let's rest for a while. We'll get up again at five o'clock in the afternoon."
Sun Zhewen nodded, but he felt a little uneasy. He always felt that Li Zhiyan was a little off today, but he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong.
The two of them lay on the bed. Li Zhiyan hugged Sun Zhewen and soon fell asleep, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. Sun Zhewen tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He looked at the sleeping Li Zhiyan, his heart filled with doubts and worries.
Time passed quickly, and it was five o'clock in the afternoon in the blink of an eye. Li Zhiyan opened her eyes, stretched, and then took out a sexy backless dress from her suitcase and began to change clothes. She put on breast pasties and wore a T-shirt, making her look extraordinarily sexy and charming.
Sun Zhewen looked at her, and his heart grew more uneasy. "Zhiyan, where are you going?"
Li Zhiyan lowered her head and said with some sadness, "Zhewen, you find a place to eat by yourself later. Don't wait for me tonight."
Sun Zhewen frowned. "How can a visit take a whole night?"
Li Zhiyan sighed. "Be a good boy and don't wait for me. If I'm not back tomorrow morning, just go back to work. Don't wait for me."
Sun Zhewen was even more puzzled, "What are you going to do?"
Li Zhiyan raised her head, her eyes filled with a mix of helplessness and determination. "You idiot, do you think this is just a simple visit?"
Sun Zhewen's heart sank. "You're going to beg like this?"
Li Zhiyan nodded, her tone tinged with self-mockery. "Yeah, my body is also a form of capital. The old man is obsessed with my body, so I'll use it as leverage."
Sun Zhewen shook his head, his face turning pale. "No, I can't accept you doing this."
Li Zhiyan walked over and gently took his hand. "Dummy, do you have any other options? If Chairman Wang goes to Jiang City, what about my sister? I've already slept with him once. One time is the same as twice, be a good boy and listen to me."
A flicker of pain and struggle crossed Sun Zhewen's eyes. "We still have other options."
Li Zhiyan released his hand, her tone becoming calm and resolute. "Then tell me what they are! There's no other way. We have no power or influence, so we can only rely on others."
Sun Zhewen fell silent. He knew Li Zhiyan was right. However, he still couldn't accept her actions. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling utterly helpless.
Li Zhiyan looked at him, a trace of tenderness and apology flashing in her eyes. "Zhewen, I know you're hurting, but this is the only way. I don't want to see my sister get into trouble."
Sun Zhewen took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Zhiyan, you must be careful. Tell me if anything happens."
Li Zhiyan nodded, gently hugged him, and then turned and left the room. Sun Zhewen watched her back, his heart filled with complex emotions. He knew this night would be sleepless.
Li Zhiyan walked out of the hotel. Night had fallen, and the neon lights on the street were flashing, but her mood was as heavy as the night. She hailed a taxi, gave an address, and the car slowly drove towards its destination.
In the car, Li Zhiyan's thoughts raced. She recalled the little moments she shared with her sister, remembering her sister's care and affection for her. She was willing to give everything for her sister. But, was the price too high?
The taxi stopped in front of a luxurious villa. Li Zhiyan paid the fare and got out of the car. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and then rang the doorbell. The door opened by itself, and Li Zhiyan swayed her body and walked in, "Darling, you're so impatient."
The next morning, sunlight filtered into the room through the gaps in the curtains, but Sun Zhewen was in no mood to enjoy the beautiful morning light. He picked up his phone and dialed Li Zhiyan's number, but all he heard was the cold, impersonal voice indicating the phone was switched off. His heart sank. He silently packed his things, checked out of the hotel, and drove back to Jiang City County.
All the way, Sun Zhewen couldn't stop thinking about Li Zhiyan. Her face, always carrying a smile, now caused him a pang of pain. He wondered if Li Zhiyan's sacrifice was worth it. Although she was a social butterfly, this kind of sacrifice still made his heart ache. He drove, reminiscing about the little moments of their first encounters.
Li Zhiyan was a lively and cheerful girl, always able to handle all kinds of people with ease in various situations. Her smile was always so bright, as if nothing could make her sad. However, Sun Zhewen knew that her heart wasn't as strong as her appearance. She had many grievances and frustrations, but she never showed them easily.
\n\n
Back in Jiang City County, Sun Zhewen seemed absentminded. He sat in the office, flipping through the documents in his hands for a few pages, but couldn't read a single word. His mind was filled with Li Zhiyan's image, and his mood felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.
\n\n
Time slowly passed. It wasn't until after two in the afternoon that Sun Zhewen's phone finally rang. He quickly picked up his phone and saw a message from Li Zhiyan on WeChat: "It's done, I'm back."
Seeing this message, Sun Zhewen breathed a long sigh of relief, and the stone in his heart finally landed. He immediately replied: "Be safe on the way back."
\n\n
Then, he sent a message to Qingyan: "Your matter should be done."
\n\n
Qingyan quickly replied: "How did you do it?"
\n\n
Sun Zhewen hesitated for a moment and decided to tell her the truth: "It was Zhiyan who used her body in exchange. I don't know who she went to Hai City with, but it must have been a high-ranking official."
Qingyan's reply was clearly shocked: "Oh, that fool, how could she go and do that."
Sun Zhewen recalled the conversation from last night, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions: "I also tried to persuade her. She told me that people like us, without power or influence, could only rely on others. And the only thing she had was her body."
Qingyan's reply was filled with guilt and helplessness: "How am I supposed to face her from now on?"
Sun Zhewen also sighed in his heart. Yes, how indeed?
At this moment, Li Zhiyan had already returned home and was standing in the bathroom, letting the water wash over her body. Her face was covered in tears, and her sobs echoed in the bathroom. She scrubbed her body hard, as if she wanted to wash away all the marks of humiliation. Her inner self was far from as strong as her appearance suggested; she was already covered in wounds.
Li Zhiyan's mind kept flashing back to the scene from last night. The luxurious room, the dim lighting, the air filled with an atmosphere of extravagance. That man, with a smile on his face, but that smile was so hideous in her eyes.
The man walked up to her, reached out and stroked her cheek. Li Zhiyan suppressed the disgust and fear in her heart, barely managing to force a smile. She knew this was something she had to do; she had no way out.
That night, Li Zhiyan endured too much humiliation and pain, but she didn't cry. She told herself to be strong because this was the path she had chosen for herself. However, when she returned home, standing in the bathroom, facing herself in the mirror, she finally broke down. She burst into tears, crying so desperately, so helplessly.