Chapter Eleven: She’s Worth Only Ten Thousand

“Yu Zao, I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want you to come back to work, but Golden Leopard has been acquired by Director Fu.”

“So, you’d better look for other opportunities.”

After receiving her last month’s salary, Yu Zao was practically surrounded by security guards and forced out of the nightclub. Several waitresses, who had long envied and resented her, stepped forward, flashing their phone lights as they photographed her disgrace.

One even shouted loudly, “Yu Zao, don’t you know? Director Fu has announced that anyone who sends him a humiliating photo of you will get ten thousand yuan transferred immediately. Isn’t he generous?”

Buzzing sounds followed as each of them received a private transfer of ten thousand yuan from Fu Shiyong. Even passersby who had seen the gossip online, regardless of age, openly revealed their basest desires, taking photos of her from every angle. Some even went so far as to throw unknown liquids at her.

On her battered phone, a new blog post from Yu Yue’s official website popped up. A nine-grid photo collage showed the “happy family of three” enjoying themselves at Universal Studios. Fu Yiyi held a sign that read “Favorite Fairy Mom” and planted an adorable kiss on “Mom’s” cheek. Next to them, Fu Shiyong wore the same panda headband as Yu Yue. His gaze, so tender it seemed to drip with warmth, never left his fiancée.

On his right sleeve, the conspicuous sapphire cufflink was nowhere to be seen.

The caption read: “Yiyi is our treasure. Anyone who dares to bully my son will suffer a fate worse than death!”

Clap, clap, clap!

After leaving Golden Leopard, Yu Zao planned to talk to the gallery owner. He had previously hinted at having her work as a sales assistant, but she had flatly refused, wary of his lecherous intentions.

Now, after being slapped three times, disoriented and humiliated, the gallery owner quickly took a photo and sent it to Fu Shiyong. Another ten thousand yuan transfer arrived instantly.

“Yu Zao, why did you have to offend Director Fu? Honestly, even if you were scrubbing toilets, no one in Jingbei would hire you.”

“Here’s an idea: since you’re a prostitute anyway, sleep with me, and I’ll give you a thousand yuan for one night.”

He laughed lecherously and lunged forward to strip her.

Thankfully, over the years, Yu Zao had honed her skills in escape. A woman alone, with no one to rely on and her body nearly hollowed out by drugs, had no better option than to run for her life.

Outside, a heavy autumn rain began to fall, chilling the air with every drop. The icy raindrops pelted her as she staggered through the crowd, surrounded by scenes of filial piety, wedded bliss, and family harmony—each one like a poisoned silver needle stabbing into her weary heart.

Having finally shaken off the persistent old lecher, Yu Zao tried to hail a cab back to her rented room. The driver was too busy taking photos of her to send to Fu Shiyong for another ten thousand yuan.

She stumbled out of the vehicle, losing one shoe somewhere along the way. Her left foot pressed into the muddy, uneven asphalt, the delicate skin scraping off layer by layer, mixing blood with filth.

When she finally found the bus stop, the last bus had already left. The subway security guard mistook her for a beggar and refused her entry.

The rain intensified, thunder and lightning flashing across the sky. Her phone soaked through, shutting down.

Terrified, Yu Zao crouched on the wet ground, clutching her thin shoulders, trembling like a homeless stray cat. Each jagged bolt of lightning tore through the thick clouds, prompting her to cover her ears and scream.

Her frail arms wrapped tightly around herself as the penetrating cold invaded from all directions.

“Fu Shiyong, I’m so cold… so cold…”

Perhaps hallucinating, she saw in midair the image of Fu Shiyong cradling their one-month-old Yiyi, rushing anxiously around her as she battled a high fever from mastitis.

The young man repeatedly slapped his own face in self-reproach, his handsome cheeks swollen. Even innocent Fu Yiyi was scolded fiercely.

“You brat, my wife risked her life to give birth to you, and you don’t even appreciate it? Why are you nursing so roughly?”

“Now that my wife has inflammation and a fever, I warn you—you’ll only drink formula from now on!”

Since then, Yu Zao had to secretly breastfeed her son.

Across the street, outside a Michelin five-star restaurant, Fu Shiyong stepped out of his Rolls-Royce holding an umbrella. Yu Yue, holding a gleeful Fu Yiyi, smiled warmly and was gently supported by the man.

“Fu… Shiyong…”

Yu Zao collapsed weakly into a puddle, her hands grasping at empty air. The suffocating emotions inside her chest threatened to explode in complexity.

Fu Shiyong, who was miles away and unlikely to hear her cries, seemed to sense something. His brows furrowed sharply as he glanced back.

Yu Yue quickly linked her arm with his and, along with Fu Yiyi, forcibly pulled him into the restaurant.

The manager personally attended to them with utmost respect.

The future Mrs. Fu whispered authoritatively, “I see a female beggar in the alley opposite. Hurry up and get her out of here. Don’t scare my son—Shiyong won’t be pleased.”

“Yes, Miss Yu, rest assured. I’ll send someone right away.”

“Oh, and from now on, call me Mrs. Fu.”

Her tone was haughty.

The manager forced a smile. “Yes, Mrs. Fu.”

Crash—

A deafening lightning bolt split the sky.

Fu Shiyong, distracted throughout the meal, kept glancing toward the dim alley outside the floor-to-ceiling window. His slender index finger habitually rubbed the cuff of his right sleeve, now adorned with the million-dollar diamond cufflinks Yu Yue had given him.

After Fu Yiyi was fed and taken to the lounge to sleep by the manager, Yu Yue tugged at her carefully chosen silk slip dress, the outline of her snow-white curves perfectly accentuated by the expensive fabric.

“Shiyong, we’re about to get married. You’ve never truly been with me. Why not tonight…”

Just as she was about to straddle him, the man abruptly stood up.

His inscrutable phoenix-like eyes seemed to fix on something—a garbage truck parked by the roadside.

His hand, hanging neatly by his pants, clenched with a crunching sound.

Yu Yue, nearly toppled by Fu Shiyong, showed a fleeting trace of subtle resentment on her otherwise ordinary face.

But she quickly leaned weakly into his embrace, cupping his chin as she tried to kiss him to divert his attention.

“Shiyong, what’s so interesting outside, hmm?”

“Look at me. You promised to love me as much as you loved sister before. You won’t go back on your word, right?”

Her soft, sweet lips slowly approached.

On the garbage truck, the feverish and unconscious Yu Zao was being lifted by several kitchen staff, about to be thrown into the stinking dumpster.