As the youngest child of the Zhan family, Zhan Beijue and Jiang Nan Fang's last daughter before they decided to "seal the womb," Zhan Jingchun received more pampering than anyone else from a young age.
She was also very accomplished, not only being smart and beautiful but also having a gentle disposition.
Like a beautiful, intelligent, and well-behaved cat, she never went against her parents' wishes and grew up smoothly.
Just like her name, she was pure like flawless white jade, making her very likable.
After her third brother, Zhan Jingchen, and his wife Pei Kexin held their wedding, Zhan Jingchun also celebrated her university graduation.
Her older brothers and sisters had all moved out. Jiang Nan Fang and Zhan Beijue were quite worried that she would also ask to move out.
However, the child was well-behaved and hadn't said much.
While this was a relief to the couple, they also felt they had failed her.
Had they been too overprotective, turning her into a hothouse flower that couldn't withstand the storms of society later on?
Jiang Nan Fang decided to have a good talk with her daughter. She wanted to understand what her daughter was thinking.
Whatever her thoughts, she could share them honestly with Mommy and Daddy, and they could discuss it together.
Zhan Jingchun still had no intention of moving out, but she also yearned for freedom. After thinking for a long time, she said she wanted to go on a trip with her classmates for a few days of field research.
Apart from school-arranged activities, Zhan Jingchun had never gone out alone with her classmates.
Now that she was an adult who had graduated from university, they couldn't keep her by their side forever. Jiang Nan Fang agreed.
She personally arranged a driver, a car, and the itinerary, preparing everything meticulously before leaving.
Yuncheng, located in the southernmost part of China, was not economically developed and its provincial area was small. However, it boasted beautiful scenery and many worthwhile tourist spots.
Their destination this time was a famous tourist attraction in Yuncheng, a gathering place for Dai ethnic villages.
Whether it was the culture, scenery, or local customs, it was all worth exploring.
Upon landing, she immediately felt a landscape very different from Nancheng. Zhan Jingchun was very happy, cutely taking many photos for Jiang Nan Fang and sharing updates daily.
Seeing her having fun and going to safe places with people from the Zhan family, Jiang Nan Fang gradually relaxed.
Little did they know that Zhan Jingchun's fate began to subtly change from that moment on.
It was a rainy day, not heavily raining, but like a pearl curtain hanging between heaven and earth. Looking out from the room, the dense forest was shrouded in mist, accompanied by streaks of rain, making it as beautiful as stepping into a fairyland.
They had been in the local area for four days and planned to move to a different location the next day.
Rarely encountering rain, Zhan Jingchun wanted to seize the opportunity to paint another picture of the rain-soaked village, so she took out her umbrella and left the hotel.
The village was built in a terraced fashion. From the hotel, the path was all downhill.
Winding and stretching, the bluestone path was dappled with raindrops. Zhan Jingchun felt as if she were walking through the words of a poet. Holding her camera, she walked and took pictures, extremely happy. Unknowingly, she had walked over two li.
Arriving in front of a small inn in the middle of the village, the lotus flowers and leaves in the pond looked exceptionally beautiful in the rain. She couldn't help but take a series of photos of the pond.
As she was happily checking her photos, an elderly couple dressed as tourists suddenly called out to her.
"Young lady, excuse me, may I bother you for a moment?"
Zhan Jingchun looked towards the voices. The couple was dressed simply, each carrying a small bag, sharing an umbrella. They looked gentle and kind.
Without much thought, she politely looked at them.
"No problem, what can I help you with?"
The old lady said, "It's like this. We just arrived here for our vacation and plan to stay for a few days. We like this inn and want to check in, but we've almost run out of cash, and neither of us knows how to use a smartphone."
"You're young and must know a lot. Could you help us learn how to use WeChat Pay and link our bank cards?"
In this smart era, many elderly people couldn't keep up and didn't know how to use mobile payments. Zhan Jingchun thought it was a small matter.
"Of course, do you have your bank cards with you?"
"Yes, yes. You're willing to help? Thank you, thank you."
Zhan Jingchun said it was no trouble and walked over to them. The old lady hurried to take her bag down to get things for her.
Halfway through, she looked up at the sky.
"It's raining heavily. It's not convenient to stand here and talk. Don't let your clothes get wet. Why don't we go inside the inn to do it?"
Zhan Jingchun glanced at the inn. It was lit up, and although not large, it seemed quite legitimate.
"Okay, let's go."
After that, she never came out again.
When she woke up, the sky had already cleared.
Her surroundings were hot, stuffy, and her whole body ached.
She tried to stretch her limbs, but as soon as she moved her hands and feet, she realized she was tied up.
She quickly opened her eyes to look, but it was pitch black, and she couldn't see anything.
What was happening?
Having lived a life of luxury and never having been exposed to any outside contamination, she didn't understand what had happened and thought she was dreaming.
She tried to lift her head and bang it down hard, but as soon as she moved, her head felt dizzy, and her heart pounded wildly. It felt as if she had taken some medicine that made her feel unwell, leaving her completely without strength.
What was going on?
Instinctively, she wanted to call out, but before she could open her mouth, she heard two strange men talking outside.
"The last one. After this job, I'm definitely taking a good rest. Damn, this place is too remote. Driving has made my whole body fall apart. Are they here yet? We've been waiting so long. Is this person reliable?"
"They're coming, they're coming. They don't even have a car; they're walking up. How fast do you expect them to be? Don't rush, wait a bit longer."
"Hey, honestly, among this batch, this one is the prettiest. A delicate flower from a big city, her skin is so fair... It's just that these country bumpkins don't know what they have, they don't want her. Damn it, I even want to keep her for myself."
"Get real. Can you afford to keep a pampered young lady like this?"
"Keep her? Once she's in our hands, who cares if she's a young lady or not? She's just a... thing. As long as she doesn't die, who's going to take good care of her?"
"It's not safe to have women like this, unless you keep them from going out. Otherwise, they'll always be targeted. Aren't you afraid of being cuckolded?"
"You're actually right. It's precisely because I know women like this aren't safe that I haven't touched her. Otherwise, would she still be here? It's her misfortune, really. Why did she have to go to such a place for vacation, only to end up here? In this poor and desolate place, she probably won't be pretty for long."
Listening to the two men's conversation, even if she were foolish, Zhan Jingchun realized what was happening.
She had been tricked, most likely sold, and to a very remote place.
Oh my god, how could such a terrible thing happen to her?
As she was thinking, the two men stopped talking.
"They're here, they're here. Is it those two from below?"