C3 Ann Xin

The speaker was a girl about the same age as Ann Xin, named Xue Lan, who was also her best friend. While Xue Lan was quite attractive, she didn't quite possess Ann Xin's charm. Ann Xin had come here at Xue Lan's invitation.

"Xue Lan, I... I just can't drink anymore. I'm sorry," Ann Xin said, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness as she looked at her close friend.

Hearing this, the young man known as Gu Shao's expression darkened noticeably. He glanced at Xue Lan with displeasure and said, "Xue Lan, I agreed to help your friend as a favor to you. Two or three hundred thousand is nothing more than the cost of a meal to me. But it seems your friend doesn't appreciate the gesture."

"Ann Xin, did you hear that? Just do as Gu Shao says, and money is a minor detail. But if you don't show him respect, he's not likely to lend you the money for nothing, right?"

"I..." Ann Xin was clearly panicked. She needed the money but hadn't expected to resort to such measures.

Seeing Ann Xin's indecision, Gu Shao subtly signaled Xue Lan with a glance.

Understanding his hint, Xue Lan casually slipped a pill into Ann Xin's cup.

"Gu Shao, as you can see, Ann Xin isn't exactly fond of drinking. How about one last drink? If she takes it, can we consider your part of the deal done?" Xue Lan spoke up for Ann Xin with a righteous tone.

Gu Shao looked at Xue Lan and, satisfied, nodded. "Alright. Since Xue Lan has asked, I'll give you this face. One last drink, and I'll proceed with the transfer."

"Ann Xin, did you hear that? Just one more drink. After that, I'll take you home. Getting the money sooner will help you arrange your mother's surgery faster," Xue Lan encouraged Ann Xin.

Thinking of her mother lying in the hospital ward waiting for surgery, Ann Xin gritted her teeth, picked up the cup in front of her, and drank it all at once.

"Ha! Well done," Gu Shao laughed loudly, taking unabashed pleasure in the situation.

"Xue Lan, Mr. Gu, I've had the drink, I..." Ann Xin began, but suddenly her head started to spin, and everything around her became a blur.

In a haze, all she could discern were the sounds of self-satisfied laughter and the sight of grotesque, lecherous faces.

"Haha, Xue Lan, you've really outdone yourself this time. Once I've had my way with your friend here, rest assured, you'll be handsomely rewarded," Gu Fan said, no longer feigning decency as he watched Ann Xin succumb to the drink, his grin spreading.

"Xue Lan, was it you? Did you tamper with the wine?" Ann Xin took a step back, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief as she looked at her best friend.

"Ann Xin, you should feel incredibly lucky. Young Master Gu is the heir to the Xiangshi Group. For someone of his stature to take notice of you, that's a tremendous honor and opportunity. I'm doing you a favor; one day, you'll be grateful," Xue Lan said, smiling.

"Hahaha, she's right. Keep me satisfied, and I assure you, you'll be well compensated," Gu Shao chimed in, standing up and boldly reaching towards Ann Xin's chest.

As the reality of Xue Lan and Young Master Gu's words sank in, Ann Xin was engulfed by despair, finally understanding the depth of the betrayal.

Driven to desperation by the need for money for her mother's urgent surgery, Ann Xin was at her wits' end. It was then that her best friend Xue Lan offered a lifeline, saying she had a friend willing to help and had arranged a meeting for that day.

Ann Xin had taken a half-day off to meet this friend of Xue Lan's. Despite feeling uneasy about meeting at the lavish Supreme Wealthy Class, she had trusted her best friend enough to show up.

Now, to her horror, she realized her best friend had drugged her. As she took in Young Master Gu's smug expression, the dire consequences of her situation became painfully clear.

With a loud "clang," Ann Xin grabbed the wine glass in front of her and smashed it on the coffee table. Holding a piece of the shattered glass to her neck, she made a stand.

"Xue Lan, Mr. Gu, I don't need your money. I'm leaving now, is that okay?" Ann Xin asked, her voice trembling, as she held on to the last shred of hope.

"Ann Xin, stop! Put the glass down!" Xue Lan exclaimed, caught off guard by Ann Xin's defiant gesture.

"Xiaolan, please, don't force my hand."

"Damn, you think you can threaten me with suicide? I'm not playing that game. I just wanted to have a little fun with you, but since you're so ungrateful and spoiling my mood, I've decided you're mine today. Guys, strip her down for me."

Gu Jun gestured, and his followers rushed toward Ann Xin.

Seeing no way out, Ann Xin steeled herself and thrust the glass shard at her neck.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed, as if the entire private room had been turned on its head.

Everyone panicked, turning to see the door kicked open and a figure charging in.

Ye Luo, seeing Ann Xin with blood streaming down her neck, felt his world explode. Was he too late?

He raced to her, enveloped her in his arms, wrested the glass from her hand, and quickly checked the wound on her neck.

Thankfully, the glass hadn't pierced a major artery; it was just a superficial cut, not life-threatening.

Ye Luo let out a huge sigh of relief, his mind racing with the horror of what might have been. If he had been just half a minute later, the consequences were unthinkable.

"Ye Luo?" Ann Xin murmured, seeing him and hardly daring to believe it.

"It's okay now, just rest." Ye Luo pressed on her neck, and Ann Xin swiftly passed out.

"Who the hell are you? Who let you in here? Get out, now!" One of the young men snapped to his senses and angrily pointed at Ye Luo, his voice tinged with panic.

"Bang!"

Without hesitation, Ye Luo kicked out, his foot connecting with the man's chest, sending him flying and crashing into the wall.

Ye Luo was familiar with the people in this room. He knew that the instigator was Gu Jun, a rich second-generation heir who had always coveted Ann Xin. After his continuous harassment failed, he conspired to use Ann Xin's close friend, Xue Lan, to get to her.

Xue Lan, having accepted Gu Jun's favors, had callously sold out Ann Xin.

In her previous life, Ann Xin died a tragic death, and none of those present were innocent, especially Gu Jun and Xue Lan. They had driven Ann Xin to suicide, and after witnessing her demise, not a single person called the police or an ambulance. They simply watched her die. Ultimately, it was the club's owner who reported the incident. Ye Luo remembered everything.

Back then, because of Gu Jun's powerful background, Ann Xin's death was ruled a drunken suicide, and everyone at the scene walked free.

Ye Luo spent a long time and paid a high price to get to the bottom of what happened. Of course, she eventually avenged Ann Xin.

But in this life, she wouldn't let the tragedy happen again. Still, the score needed to be settled, and Ye Luo wouldn't let any of them off the hook.

"Quick, take him down! What are you waiting for?" Gu Jun yelled at his followers after one was knocked away by a kick.

The remaining five or six men picked up wine bottles from the coffee table and rushed at Ye Luo, but in a moment, they were all on the ground, clutching their broken limbs—a result of Ye Luo's restraint. If it weren't for holding Ann Xin, Ye Luo would have killed them all.

Only Gu Jun and Xue Lan were left standing, watching in terror at this unexpected challenger.

"Do you know who I am? You dare to touch my people? You're dead."

"Smack!" Ye Luo's slap landed on Gu Jun's face, spinning him around, his mouth filling with the sweetness of blood as teeth came loose.

"You..."

"Slap!" Another backhand, and this time, teeth mixed with blood sprayed out.

"Wuwu, I'm from the Gu family. How dare you hit me?" Gu Jun cried out in fear, his words slurred and indistinct.

"Bang, bang!"

Ye Luo's kicks broke Gu Jun's kneecaps, bringing him to his knees.

"Gu Jun, I swore you would die," Ye Luo said, looking down at him. In her past life, she had paid dearly to kill Gu Jun. But now, simply killing him wasn't enough. She planned to bring down the entire Gu family.

"Are you... Ye Luo?"

Xue Lan's voice trembled as she spoke. Although she was Ann Xin's best friend and knew Ye Luo, she had never been kind to Ann Xin's boyfriend, who had nothing to his name. She had always looked down on him. She never expected to see him here, so formidable, having left Gu Jun in such a state.

"I'm Ann Xin's best friend, please don't hurt me," Xue Lan begged, her voice filled with fear.