3
Unlike the accumulated wealth of the Shawn,
Xavier, and Zane families, my family, the Xie
family, was a new money family.
My dad caught a lucky break and rose to the
top, joining their social circle.
But that was just the surface.
Many secretly mocked us, calling us nouveau
riche who didn’t belong and would eventually
fall.
I was young and angry, ready to fight back.
My dad stopped me, explaining that we
needed to build relationships with these
families.
So, I endured it.
I pretended to be carefree, trying to fit in. After realizing Shawn and their position, I became their constant shadow.
From elementary school to middle school,
university.
From being ostracized to being accepted. Even with my father’s initial impure motives, I
genuinely considered them my best friends.
Until my father’s investment failure.
They suddenly grew cold and distant.
I gradually understood. Our positions were
unequal.
This time, I didn’t grovel.
I went to school as usual, adapting to life
without them.
Then, I was kidnapped.
I was held captive by people I knew.
I was incredulous, thinking they were joking.
I offered to lend them money.
But they demanded an exorbitant amount.
N
<
I realized they were serious.
My valuables were taken.
I was held for two days without food or water. When I heard them discussing selling me, a
mix of absurdity and panic overwhelmed me. It was like seeing children with knives who
wanted to kill someone.
It was funny, but also terrifying.
The humor vanished when they stripped me
naked and took pictures.
I curled up, cursing and threatening them.
But my bravado was transparent.
One person, Zhou Yuceng, a former friend,
squatted down, sighing.
He smiled and touched me, saying, “Yan Yan,
forgive me.”
“I really liked you, I didn’t want to do this…”
He was interrupted by a scream.
I bit his finger with surprising strength, almost
biting it off.
The group panicked, trying to stop me. The warehouse door opened.
Bright light flooded the room.
A tall figure stood in the doorway, backlit.
It was Zane.
