Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“We’re here.”

“Wake the hell up, all of you! Get up!”

The journey had been a blur of jolts and bumps, with no way to tell day from night. I had tried my best to stay awake, but I couldn’t withstand the combined assault of hunger and cold. Exhausted in both body and mind, I had eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Now, before I could even open my eyes, a kick landed squarely on my body.

“Dammit! Wake up!”

The two of them stopped the vehicle, threw open the doors, and dragged us out.

My hands and feet had long since gone numb from being bound for so long. As they hauled me out with brute force, my legs gave way, and I collapsed heavily onto the ground.

It was dirt.

It had just rained, and the pungent scent of wet earth hit me instantly.

I immediately looked up to survey my surroundings.

Surrounded by mountains, it was a desolate village.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but mountain after mountain.

I bit my lip, tears once again welling up despite my efforts to stay strong.

Suddenly, another kick landed on my waist.

“What are you dawdling for? Get up, you little bitch!”

As the tears fell, I gritted my teeth and struggled to my feet, swaying as I tried to find my balance.

The man was about to continue his verbal and physical abuse when an old man carrying a shoulder pole happened to pass by. The old man poked his head over and greeted him with delight: “Yushuan, you’ve got new stock?”

At the sound of the voice, the man turned around. When he saw the old man, a smile spread across his face. “You bet, Uncle Li. I’ve brought in more new stock for you all.”

Clearly interested, the old man set his shoulder pole aside and stepped closer. “How many Pizi did you get this time?”

The man chuckled and gave the girl in front of him a casual kick. “Eleven Pizi in total, and every single one is top-notch!”

“Ooh! Good, good!” The old man clapped and laughed. “The old bachelors in our village are truly blessed because of you. Yushuan, you and your wife are the great benefactors of our entire village.”

“It’s nothing, really,” the man laughed. “Isn’t it only right to ensure the continuation of the Li Family bloodline in Li Village?”

I trembled with rage as I listened, wishing I could rush forward and hack him to pieces right then and there.

Then, the old man’s smile turned lecherous as he lowered his voice. “Among these Pizi, how many are Yellow Goods, and how many are White Goods?”

“We haven’t inspected them yet. My wife is getting ready; we’ll be checking them shortly.” The man also wore a greasy, lecherous grin as his gaze swept over us. “But from the looks of it, I’d say there are more Yellow Goods in this batch.”

I only learned later that these were all part of their coded slang.

One “Pizi” meant one woman.

“Yellow Goods” referred to virgins.

“White Goods” referred to women who were no longer virgins.

Yellow Goods fetched a higher price than White Goods, and those deemed likely to be fertile were more expensive than the thin, scrawny ones.

“Honey, I’m ready. Bring them in for inspection!” A woman leaned out from a nearby brick house and waved.

The man shoved us along, herding us into the house.

One girl couldn’t take it anymore and broke down in a fit of hysterical sobbing, only to be met with a sharp slap across the face from the man.

Another tried to escape in the chaos, but with her hands and feet bound, she couldn’t take large strides. Before she could get more than a few steps, the man grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back.

Once inside the room, I realized the true horror had only just begun.

The woman stood behind a curtained area where a bed was placed.

She pulled a girl over, stripped off her pants, and reached inside to check if she was “intact.”

Screams soon followed-heart-wrenching cries that made my scalp tingle with fear and cold sweat break out across my nose.

What do I do? What do I do…

I’m next…

It’s almost my turn!

Overwhelming terror and panic choked my throat. I stood frozen, not daring to breathe.

The girl before me came out limping, sobbing until she could barely breathe.

The woman poked her head out from behind the cloth and pointed at me. “You, come here!”

Think of something! He Yanan!

Think of something!

Just as my pants were about to be pulled down, in a moment of desperation, I grabbed her hand.

She froze, caught off guard by my sudden movement.

“Granny, I’m afraid of the pain.” I lowered myself, looking at her with tear-filled eyes.

She snapped out of it, looking a bit impatient. “Just endure it.”

“Granny,” I said hurriedly, “it’s been a long day, and you must be tired. I’m a student; I’ve never done anything improper. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself with an inspection.”

She frowned, about to say something, but suddenly stopped.

Her eyes narrowed.

A weight settled in her hand. Without looking, I knew what it was-a bracelet.

She looked up at me, and I gave her a small smile. “Right, Granny? I’m very well-behaved. I’ve always known what I should and shouldn’t do. You can rest easy.”

After a long silence, I heard her give a muffled “Mhm.”

She waved her hand, signaling for me to leave.

I finally let out a long breath of relief.

My tightly wound nerves relaxed for a brief moment.

I instinctively touched my wrist. This was where I should have been wearing the expensive bracelet my mother gave me for my coming-of-age ceremony.

Now, my right wrist was empty.

I didn’t regret giving up the bracelet.

I had suddenly realized that in my current situation, in order to save my life and keep my limbs intact…

I had to be willing to give things up.

I had to discard the things I had always cherished, the principles I had always upheld, and the pride I had always been so fiercely protective of.

Circumstances were stronger than people.

Only by doing this could I stay alive.

And only by staying alive would there be a way out.