"Don't rush, I haven't finished speaking."
"You, so young and beautiful, yet all you do is work and sleep. How dull!"
"Your monthly salary isn't even enough for me to open a bottle of wine. Why take it so seriously?"
"As a person, you must leverage your strengths. You're so smart, don't you know what yours are?"
"If you just put them to use, I guarantee money will flow in like water. Why torment yourself like this?"
Min'er felt disgusted as his greasy, fat hand held her.
She suppressed her discomfort and tried to pull away.
"Director Zou, everyone is watching. You can talk, but why are you grabbing me?"
Old man Zou looked unconcerned.
"Everyone? Who? You mean them? They won't mind."
As he spoke, he moved his large, greasy mouth towards her face.
"You know, Min'er, I've liked you for a long time…"
Min'er dodged, terrified. "Director Zou, you've had too much to drink. Please don't do this!"
Seeing her flinch away, he thought she was being naive.
Director Zou patiently continued.
"You know I'm the director, right? What do banks lack the most? If you're willing to come with me tonight and have a couple of drinks…"
"Really, you don't have to do anything, just have two drinks. I'll give you a year's salary, how about that?"
The two people standing by the car overheard him and chuckled.
"It's said that even heroes can't resist beauty. It seems our Director Zou is no exception."
Director Zou looked over smugly. "My taste is good, isn't it? She's very beautiful, right?"
"Indeed, she's beautiful. Miss Shen isn't someone just anyone can catch Director Zou's eye. He said you don't have to do anything, just drink two glasses of wine. There's no need to refuse him so rudely."
Min'er pushed Director Zou hard, trying to create distance.
"I'm sorry, my brother is Zhan Bei Jue. I don't lack money. And he doesn't allow me to drink with others."
"Your brother is Zhan Bei Jue? Your surname is Shen, his is Zhan. What kind of siblings are you?"
Min'er explained.
"Cousins! Really, Director Zou knows! If you don't believe me, I'll call him right now!"
At this, Director Zou remembered Zhan Bei Jue's wife interfering with his plans in the private room last time.
She escaped once, would she escape a second time?
Nancheng wasn't solely dominated by the Zhan family. Why should anyone give him face?
"You don't worship the Bodhisattva right in front of you, but you cling to adopted brothers and cousins. Do you have a point?"
"His wife guards you like a thief, afraid her sister will become a mistress. Can't you see that?"
"I'm doing you a favor by taking a liking to you. Stop mentioning him and being ungrateful. I'm not afraid of him even if he's here! Let's go!"
With that, he tightened his grip, dragging Min'er towards the car.
"Today, you're going whether you want to or not. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink!"
If Zhan Bei Jue couldn't scare him, Min'er was truly panicked.
She kicked and struggled, shouting towards the road.
"Let me go! I'm not going! If you keep this up, I'll call the police!"
The other two men, seeing Director Zou getting angry, rushed over to help.
One grabbed Min'er's legs and lifted her up.
The other snatched her phone.
"Go ahead and call the police! See who dares to save you, go ahead and shout!"
Min'er, already frail, was no match for even one man, let alone three.
In an instant, she was shoved into the car.
Along the way, she tried everything, soft and hard, saying a lot.
Hoping Director Zou would let her go.
But the more she spoke, the more emboldened he became. He lit a cigarette and offered it to her lips.
"You really don't want to be involved with me? You despise me?"
"No, how could I…"
"You dare not? Fine, then smoke this cigarette."
"Ah?"
"There's no wine, so I can't make you drink two cups. This will have to do. Smoke it, and I'll let you go after you finish."
Min'er's face flushed with shame.
She had never touched a cigarette in her life.
Let alone in front of several strange men.
Wasn't this asking the impossible?
"I don't know how to smoke."
One of them sneered.
"What's there to know how to do? Just open your mouth, close it, and inhale like drinking water. Is it that difficult?"
"Or are you just being coy and don't actually want to leave?"
"Hahahaha!"
The men burst into laughter.
Director Zou continued to pressure her.
"My brothers are all watching. You've rejected me time and time again. Do you think I have no temper?"
"Shen Min'er, don't be ungrateful. We're almost at the club. If you don't smoke now, once we get inside, it won't just be about smoking."
Thinking of Ke Teng in the private room.
Thinking of all the threats he had made.
Min'er had no choice. Gritting her teeth, with trembling hands, she took the cigarette.
The men quickly took out their phones, turned on the recording mode, and pointed them at her.
Min'er felt both shame and anger. "Don't take pictures. If you film me, I won't smoke!"
"Do you think you have a choice? If you don't smoke, eat it! Swallow it with the embers!"
Director Zou had completely lost patience.
"We have eight hands and feet. Do you think we can't handle one woman?"
"Hurry up! If you push me too far, I won't leave you any room to maneuver!"
Tears of humiliation streamed from her eyes.
Min'er closed her eyes, her hands trembling, and brought the cigarette to her lips.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The harsh taste made her eyes water uncontrollably.
The men laughed heartily, holding their phones as if watching a monkey.
After several puffs, it was unbearable.
Min'er pleaded.
"I've done as you said. Please let me out."
"Alright, stop the car, let her out."
Director Zou actually kept his word and let Min'er out by the roadside.
She didn't know where they had driven to.
The street was pitch black, deserted, not even a streetlamp.
The wide, dark road was terrifying.
Choked by the smoke, Min'er gasped for air after getting out of the car.
However, the more she breathed, the more she felt the smoke seeping into her limbs.
Soon, she began to feel chest tightness, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
Her legs felt like lead, so heavy she couldn't walk.
She wanted to take out her phone and call Jiang Nan Fang.
But her phone was with them.
Although the car hadn't driven away yet.
She didn't have the courage to go back and speak to them.
She desperately pounded her head with her hands, trying to regain her composure, to stay alert, to get away from here quickly.
But she had no control.
Cold sweat dripped down her face. Her mind was clear, but her vision grew increasingly blurred.
She had walked for a long time, yet it felt as if she had barely moved a few steps.
The car remained parked by the roadside, the men watching her leisurely.
"It's indeed good stuff. It's taking effect so quickly."
"Director Zou, could she still be a virgin?"
"So I've heard. Otherwise, why would I have been longing for her for so long? My brothers are lucky today to accompany me in tasting this fresh experience."
"Heh heh. I've never messed around on the main road before. Just thinking about it is exciting."