Giving You Dawn and Dusk - Chapter 23

Actually, even without the sender’s hint, Liang Shi could guess.

Russian Roulette is a drinking game. There are six glasses of alcohol, and players take turns rolling a dice. Whatever number is rolled, the player drinks the corresponding numbered glass.

The round ends when you roll a number corresponding to an empty glass.

However, you then have to refill that glass.

If you’re lucky, you might only drink a few glasses.

But if you have bad luck, one person might end up drinking all six glasses.

Liang Shi had seen this game at a post-audition dinner for a film crew. In less than half an hour, over twenty bottles of beer were consumed.

Several female acting students were heavily pressured to drink, and the hands of the directors and producers started to become inappropriately touchy toward the girls.

Liang Shi couldn’t stand it and left the gathering.

She also called the girls’ teachers.

She never found out if those men succeeded, because although she got the role through the audition, she chose to give it up due to the atmosphere of that production.

Even though it was a good script.

Now, judging from the photo, the glasses were not small.

And there were many bottles scattered on the table—strewn about—not just beer, but also some cheap wine.

The number of beer bottles was the highest.

The men and women in the private room looked extremely hyped up.

Liang Shi glanced at the message, confirmed the location, and immediately rushed out.

Just then, Xu Qingya walked out of her room. Seeing Liang Shi’s haste, she couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Liang, where are you going?”

Liang Shi grabbed a pair of comfortable running shoes from the shoe cabinet without looking back. “To find your sister.”

Xu Qingya was stunned. “She’s not back yet?”

“At Huayue International,” Liang Shi said. “She’s trapped with Bai Weiwei.”

“Shit.” Xu Qingya swore, immediately shoving her phone into her pocket. “I’m coming with you.”

“You know Huayue International?” Liang Shi asked.

Xu Qingya casually tied her hair up. “Who in Haizhou doesn’t know it? It’s a notorious money pit. The people who go there are reckless party animals. Sometimes they get too drunk and go crazy, forgetting everything. There was even a murder case there a few years ago.”

“How hasn’t a place like that been shut down?” Liang Shi complained, not realizing that her mind was completely rattled by the photo.

“It won’t be shut down,” Xu Qingya said. “They only provide the venue, not the items. A lot of the rotten people bring their own things bought from the black market. And do you know who backs Huayue International?”

“Who?” Liang Shi asked.

She didn’t realize she had to rely on a fifteen-year-old girl for information.

This, however, indicated that Xu Qingya knew a lot.

She probably knew more than Xu Qingzhu.

Perhaps because Xu Qingya often hung out with some good-for-nothing rich kids, she was familiar with these places.

“The Shen family,” Xu Qingya shrugged. “Who would dare touch Huayue International easily? To touch it is to openly oppose the Shen family.”

Liang Shi didn’t know the background of the Shen family, but clearly, now wasn’t the time to ask.

She quickly suppressed her curiosity. “Let’s find your sister first.”

//

Xu Qingya sat in the car and called Xu Qingzhu several times, but the phone was always off.

Thinking of Bai Weiwei, Liang Shi dug out Zhao Xuning’s contact information from her phone book. Fortunately, she had been clever enough to get Zhao Xuning’s number from the hospital’s information desk, thinking she might need to contact her in an emergency.

And now the emergency had arrived.

She dialed Zhao Xuning, who sounded like she was sleeping, slightly impatient. “Who is it?”

Liang Shi said gently, “It’s Liang Shi.”

Zhao Xuning paused, easing the impatience slightly, but her tone was still not pleasant. “Why are you calling me so late?”

“I’m sorry,” Liang Shi apologized first.

Zhao Xuning was direct. “Get to the point. If there’s nothing, I’m hanging up.”

“There is,” Liang Shi said. “Bai Weiwei is at Huayue International right now.”

“Is she alone?” Zhao Xuning asked. “She goes there often.”

“She’s playing a game with people,” Liang Shi explained. “I don’t know why, but she called Xu Qingzhu there too. Someone just sent me a photo. They’re both drunk.”

“Damn it,” Zhao Xuning cursed under her breath. “Those inhumane bastards.”

“Huh?” Liang Shi had just turned a corner. Zhao Xuning had spoken too softly, and she hadn’t heard her, so she asked, “What did you say?”

Zhao Xuning was annoyed. “Nothing.”

Rustling sounds came from the other end of the phone, presumably her changing clothes.

“Which private room number exactly?” Zhao Xuning asked. “I’m close to Huayue International. I’ll head over first.”

“…”

Liang Shi was stunned and said awkwardly, “I didn’t ask.”

Zhao Xuning: “…?”

On her end of the line, Liang Shi could imagine how Zhao Xuning wanted to curse her—You didn’t even get the private room number before calling me?

Liang Shi cleared her throat. “I’ll call and ask right now.”

She hung up and dialed the number that had sent the photo.

But the number was no longer answering.

At the same time, Zhao Xuning sent a text: 【Send me the photo.】

Liang Shi had Xu Qingya forward the photo to her.

After sending it, Xu Qingya zoomed in on the photo and recognized it almost simultaneously with Zhao Xuning. “That’s 7588.”

Zhao Xuning’s text also came, confirming her guess of 7588.

Liang Shi was surprised. They can recognize that?

“How did you recognize it?” Liang Shi asked.

Xu Qingya turned off her phone screen and placed it back in the storage box. “Every private room in Huayue International has some iconic items or decor. Like rooms one through twelve are based on the Chinese zodiac, each room decorated according to its theme with related elements. The later numbers are random. The symbol for 7588 is a deer. There are deer on the table in the photo, the light projected on the wall is a deer, and there’s a deer ornament in the lower right corner.”

“I see.” Liang Shi was surprised that a private room had so many details.

Even though she wasn’t completely inexperienced, she was astonished.

Anyone who could conceive of this kind of decor was definitely not an ordinary person.

“But, this room…” Xu Qingya frowned and paused.

Liang Shi noticed the change in her tone. “What’s wrong?”

“Drive faster,” Xu Qingya grabbed the handle on the car’s side. “My sister is in danger.”

Liang Shi: “…What do you mean?”

Xu Qingya’s eyes were already red. She closed them, choking out, “After ten o’clock, the scent blockers will wear off for everyone in that room.”

Liang Shi: “?”

“They will enter a heat cycle, and it won’t be a normal heat cycle,” Xu Qingya said. “I only heard rumors about it, but there will be something in the last drink they have before ten…”

She was too embarrassed to say the name of the drug.

So she deliberately avoided it. “After ten o’clock, that room will gradually turn into a paradise of frenzy for Alphas and Omegas. People generally call it the ‘Gentle Haven.'”

“That room is rarely opened, and it usually only operates until ten,” Xu Qingya said.

“Then everything should be fine,” Liang Shi said. “Why make such a big deal about it?”

“But it doesn’t close on Saturday nights,” Xu Qingya breathed a sigh of relief, almost crying in frustration. “Who the hell is this? Are they crazy? To take Xu Qingzhu to a place like that? Damn it, if I find out who it is, I’ll kill them!”

Xu Qingya was agitated. Her voice started trembling in the second half of her outburst.

The teenage girl had never experienced anything so serious. Just thinking about it was terrifying.

She clenched her fists and pleaded, “Sister Liang, can you hurry? If Xu Qingzhu goes through something like this, she will definitely go insane.”

In her desperation, she didn’t even bother to call her “sister.”

“When she’s drunk, her perception is more sensitive. If someone forces her…” Xu Qingya felt suffocated, as if her heart had been brutally punched, and she couldn’t help but cry out, “She has PTSD!”

Liang Shi was affected by the sheer grief in her voice.

She floored the gas pedal. There wasn’t much traffic, and the white Porsche sped down the empty road like a bolt of lightning, leaving only its taillights visible to passersby.

“Don’t panic,” Liang Shi tried to calmly reassure Xu Qingya. “We’ll make it in time. Your sister will be fine.”

“I hope so,” Xu Qingya gritted her teeth. “If I find out who took her there, I’ll smash them.”

Liang Shi: “…”

She’s a fierce sister protector, I see.

Liang Shi suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck.

If Xu Qingya ever found out what the original host had done, she’d probably be the first to rush into the villa with a knife.

And stab her when she wasn’t looking.

Liang Shi shivered, but didn’t ease up on the gas.

The thought that Xu Qingzhu might suffer a PTSD attack made her heart ache.

The scene of Xu Qingzhu’s PTSD attack that day was still vivid—her screams like a helpless child.

Liang Shi truly couldn’t bear it.

It was hard to park near Huayue International.

But Liang Shi didn’t care. She parked the car right by the entrance and rushed out, running into Zhao Xuning, who had just arrived.

Xu Qingya had already bolted toward the entrance.

But she was blocked by a security guard at the door.

Liang Shi and Zhao Xuning skipped all the steps of polite greeting. They simply exchanged a look and immediately understood each other.

Xu Qingya was already arguing with the security guard at the entrance. “I need to get in and find someone. Time is running out. Damn it, if someone dies, can you afford the compensation? If you don’t let me in, I’m calling the police! I’m reporting this place for prostitution and illegal activities!”

“Miss, how can you say that? We conduct our business legally and never do anything illegal. Why are you making baseless accusations?” A man in a black suit walked over. “If you’re looking for someone, please call the person you’re looking for, or tell us the room number, and we’ll help you find them. But if you cause a scene, don’t blame us for getting physical.”

“You’re the ‘miss,’ your whole family is ‘misses’!” Xu Qingya screamed. “Try to touch me! I’ll report you every single day!”

Liang Shi: “…”

Is this a volatile little sister?

Xu Qingya was already being held by two security guards, unable to move, but she was still struggling. Liang Shi immediately walked over. “Let go of my sister.”

The security guards saw her, immediately let go, and bowed their heads. “Miss Liang.”

Liang Shi: “?”

The original host had enough influence here to be recognized?

She looked like a regular customer.

The man in the black suit also came over, bowing respectfully. “Miss Liang, you haven’t been here in a long time. What brings you here today?”

“I’m here to find my wife,” Liang Shi said. “In room 7588.”

“7588?” The man frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed, smiling. “Room 7588 is very lively tonight. And now… it’s already 10:01. According to the rules, the door to 7588 will not be opened after ten o’clock.”

So, the scent blocker would wear off, and the Alpha and Omega pheromones would mix, exciting the deepest instincts according to the law of pheromone attraction.

Strangers—Alphas and Omegas—would spend a chaotic, unforgettable night here.

Aren’t they afraid of a police raid?

The man said, “The guests in 7588 have already entered their respective rooms. We won’t disturb our clients’ rest.”

“But what if I insist on opening it?” Liang Shi raised an eyebrow, her powerful aura immediately manifesting.

Her long hair was blown back by the wind. Her brown pupils stared intently at the man. Her brow was slightly furrowed, and a mix of emotions flashed across her stunning face, finally settling into a stern glare.

Her eyes were like ice blades, piercing the man. “Are you going to stop me?”

Liang Shi was gambling on the Liang family’s status in Haizhou City.

And on the original host’s spending power here.

The man was startled, then smiled. “I wouldn’t dare stop Miss Liang.”

“It’s just that…”

“There are no ‘buts.'” Zhao Xuning glanced at her watch behind Liang Shi and spoke impatiently. “It’s already 10:03. You have two minutes to take us upstairs. If we miss this time, tomorrow’s media will publish press releases. All those things Huayue International suppressed before? I can make them explode overnight. I know you’re backed by the Shen family, but by any calculation, this is only a subsidiary of the Shen family. I don’t believe the Shen family will go to great lengths to oppose both the Liang and Zhao families just for a subsidiary.”

Zhao Xuning’s voice was clear and cold, unwavering against the sharp wind.

The man’s face changed. The smile on his face froze, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do.

These words were above his pay grade; he could only listen.

“Let’s go,” Zhao Xuning called to Liang Shi. “Upstairs.”

Liang Shi casually glanced at the man’s face, a look that sent a shiver down his spine.

He had seen Miss Liang before. His impression was of the same wild, unrestrained woman. When she came with Miss Cheng, she was always languid, only showing interest when she encountered a particularly attractive Omega. But most of her energy was spent on playing.

She had even come a few times with Miss Cheng after getting married.

He heard she married Haizhou’s top Omega, but every time she came, he’d hear Miss Liang impatiently complain that the one at home was just a pretty vase that could only be looked at, not enjoyed.

And Miss Liang was known for her many tricks. Omegas who spent a night with her often needed days to recover from their injuries.

But today’s Miss Liang carried the aura of a superior, especially that side-glance, which made his spine feel cold. If he hadn’t had some self-control, he might have bent his knees and knelt right there.

The man swallowed and patted his chest after they left.

A security guard asked, “Boss, we’re just letting them in? If Miss Cheng blames us…”

“Miss Cheng didn’t say we couldn’t let them in,” the man said. “Besides, wasn’t this whole setup prepared by Miss Cheng for Miss Liang?”

Otherwise, why go to such lengths to trick Miss Liang’s wife here and then let Miss Liang know which room they were in?

Miss Cheng’s true intention was focused on Miss Liang.

“Aren’t they good friends? How could she scheme against her good friend’s wife?” The security guard scratched his head in confusion.

The man shook his head. “Who knows?”

There were too many twists and turns in these wealthy families. Today they were best friends, tomorrow they were enemies.

There were never eternal friends.

They were friends so long as their interests aligned, and they could quickly split once their positions diverged.

The security guard tried to say more, but the man glared at him. “Why are you asking so many questions? Mind your business.”

//

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Liang Shi, Zhao Xuning, and Xu Qingya took the elevator straight up to the twelfth floor.

Zhao Xuning had been here before, but she disdained associating with that crowd. Even when she entered room 7588, she would at most have a cup of clear sake, and she had never been to 7588 on a Saturday night.

She didn’t know what 7588 looked like after 10 p.m. on a Saturday.

She had only heard it mentioned in passing conversations.

Rumor had it that everyone would be automatically paired up. As soon as it turned ten, the hidden compartments of 7588 would automatically open, extending into individual rooms.

Each room was exquisitely decorated.

Zhao Xuning was accustomed to maintaining her integrity and had always been uninterested in such vulgar matters.

The floor was paved with gilded tiles, and the chandeliers in the corridor were magnificent, even more upscale than the one in Liang Shi’s villa.

It truly was a place of extravagant debauchery.

But they had no desire to appreciate the extravagance.

As soon as they exited the elevator, they headed straight for room 7588, but just as the man had said, the door to 7588 was locked after ten.

No attendant dared to open it.

In fact, the entire corridor was deserted, with no sign of life.

Liang Shi asked Zhao Xuning, “Is there any other way?”

Zhao Xuning was equally frustrated and instinctively snapped, “You come here more often than I do. If you can’t figure it out, how can I?”

Liang Shi: “…”

Zhao Xuning realized her mistake and quickly apologized. “Sorry, I…”

“It’s fine, I understand.” Liang Shi was the calmest one among them. Xu Qingya was frantically trying various ways to open the door, but it was metal and secured with a special lock. It was impossible to pull it open by hand.

While trying to open the door, Xu Qingya kept shouting, “Xu Qingzhu! Xu Qingzhu! Can you hear me? Answer me if you can hear me!”

Her desperate cries echoed down the corridor.

Liang Shi observed the surroundings. It seemed all the attendants on this floor had been instructed to leave.

She thought for a moment, took out her phone, and dialed 911 (the local emergency number, assumed to be equivalent to 110 in the context).

The call was quickly answered. She calmly said, “Hello, I want to report anonymously. Huayue International is suspected of engaging in indecent activities.”

//

Zhao Xuning took out her phone and called her sister. “Sis, I need a favor.”

The person on the other end frowned. “You know Huayue International is backed by the Shen family. No matter how rich our family is, can we compare to the Shen family?”

“Then don’t you know anyone from the Shen family?” Zhao Xuning said, then paused.

Her sister sounded helpless. “Don’t you?”

Zhao Xuning: “…It’s been many years since I contacted them.”

While Liang Shi was reporting to the police, she was also actively trying to contact Liang Xinhe, hoping one of the two methods would work.

Liang Xinhe’s phone remained constantly busy.

She didn’t know who he was talking to.

She sent a text: 【Emergency! Call me back ASAP!】

She didn’t know if Liang Xinhe would see it.

But before Liang Xinhe called back, she received another photo.

In the photo, Xu Qingzhu was lying on a large white bed. The black fitted sweater was tossed to one side of the bed. The sheets were wrinkled.

Xu Qingzhu’s thick, long hair was spread out like seaweed on the white sheets. Her cheeks were flushed an unnatural red. Her beautiful eyes were half-closed, with thick, fine shadows beneath her lower lids. Her lips were a vibrant red, glistening as if they were a newly polished jade with a layer of frost.

She was lying in an extremely seductive posture. Her socks had been removed, revealing slender, pale ankles, and her flawless toes also had an improper red flush.

She was wearing a white spaghetti-strap tank top on top and black tight pants on the bottom, which tightly hugged her long, thin legs.

Her lower abdomen was vaguely visible.

In this moment, in this photo, Xu Qingzhu perfectly blended beauty and detachment.

No one in the world could resist Xu Qingzhu like this.

Just looking at her could cause a nosebleed.

Liang Shi gritted her teeth and cursed, “Beast.”

She immediately redialed the number, but no one answered.

Another text message quickly followed: 【I told you, if you arrive any later, the one on the roulette wheel might not be wine, but your wife.】

Liang Shi pressed the screen, typing quickly: 【Who are you? Let my wife go.】

She also started calling her “wife.”

The other party’s text came again: 【The drug in 7588 is no joke, oh. Don’t you believe me? Look at what her hand is doing?】

Another photo followed.

Xu Qingzhu’s hand was reaching toward her heart.

A place of hidden softness.

Her expression was becoming increasingly hazy.

Damn.

The other party: 【How’s that? It must be hard not to be able to enjoy such a beautiful scene, right?】

Liang Shi frantically tried to call her again, still no answer.

Liang Shi felt like the other party was a hunter, slowly leading her into a pre-arranged trap.

But she had no choice but to follow, because Xu Qingzhu was the chip on the table.

For the first time, Liang Shi felt an anger she couldn’t suppress.

Another text message.

【If you still can’t get in, she’s going to belong to someone else, oh.】

Liang Shi quickly replied: 【You can have anything you want, just don’t touch her.】

The other party: 【Really? But I don’t want anything, though.】

Liang Shi: …

You are so asking for a punch.

Liang Shi really wanted to hit something right now.

She had just thought Xu Qingya was a bit volatile. Now she felt like she had become a second Xu Qingya.

If she found out who the sender was, she’d smash that bastard too.

Another photo arrived.

The photo was no longer just Xu Qingzhu. A short, stout woman had climbed onto Xu Qingzhu’s bed, creating a stark visual contrast.

The woman was pressing down on Xu Qingzhu’s arm, and Xu Qingzhu’s expression had changed, no longer as hazy as before.

The proximity of the stranger likely raised her guard, causing her to struggle.

The text message was sent again.

【I heard she has PTSD. I’ve never seen it before.】

【What’s it like when PTSD flares up? Is it scary? Does she kill people?】

【Our little Miss hasn’t tasted such a delicious Omega in her life. Tonight is definitely a feast.】

Even through the screen, these messages conveyed a disgusting, repulsive stench.

To the sender, Xu Qingzhu was not a person, but a dish of food, a dish to be enjoyed at will.

And the tone was so provoking.

Liang Shi played along: 【You fing try to trigger Xu Qingzhu’s PTSD!】

【PTSD doesn’t kill people, but I fing will.】

She was truly furious.

Liang Shi, who was usually well-mannered enough not to swear, felt she couldn’t express her rage without them.

When a person reaches a point of infuriating speechlessness, they feel they cannot speak without obscenities.

Only these national essences could convey her feelings.

The other party: 【Oh? I’m looking forward to it.】

【But you better hurry, or your wife will be slept with by someone else, oh.】

【Do you have a mirror near you? Take a look at the top of your head. Is it turning green (meaning being cheated on)?】

【Tsk tsk, you must be furious now, wanting to know who I am, right?】

Liang Shi: “…”

What an idiot.

She knew the other party was trying to provoke her. Such a clumsy tactic was easy to spot.

But what the sender said was too much and easily stirred up people’s emotions.

Liang Shi decided to block the texts, but before she did, she saw another one come in, and her hand paused.

【Only five minutes left. The drug’s effect on Xu Qingzhu will reach its peak soon, oh.】

Liang Shi: “…”

Oh, my ass.

Quickly, another one.

【If your timing is perfect, you might even see your wife pleasuring someone else, oh.】

Two seconds later, another one.

【Finally, it’s your turn.】

Liang Shi: ?

Liang Shi didn’t know how many people the original host had offended. With her former personality, if she were from an ordinary family, she would have been beaten up eight hundred times by now.

And now, this situation was clearly aimed at the original host.

To take revenge on her, they used Xu Qingzhu as a leverage point.

Moreover, the tone of the last sentence sounded very much like the original host had done something similar before, and the other party was using the same method to retaliate.

Liang Shi was speechless, secretly cursing, How much bad karma did you create!

Liang Shi blocked the messages. Just as she was about to call Liang Xinhe again, an unknown number called.

She answered without hesitation. “Hello.”

“I’m not good,” Zhou Yian’s teasing voice rang out, with a hint of gloom. “How can I be good when I see my darling running around, toiling, and worrying about another woman?”

Liang Shi: “…Did you take Xu Qingzhu and rent out 7588 tonight?”

“How could I?” Zhou Yian chuckled. “I’m not interested in your Omega. But darling, you’re so useless.”

Liang Shi took a deep breath, fighting the urge to swear. “If you called just to say that, I’m hanging up.”

“Hold on,” Zhou Yian clicked her tongue. “My darling is still as impulsive as ever.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Who the hell is your darling?

Is being disgusting addictive?

If she didn’t think she could extract some information from her, Liang Shi would have hung up long ago.

“If you can’t offer a solution, don’t waste my time,” Liang Shi said coldly.

“I can offer a solution, but what’s in it for me?” Zhou Yian laughed, sounding like a snake spitting venom in the dark. “If you agree to spend another night with me, I might consider it, oh.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Oh?

“You sent the text messages, didn’t you?” Liang Shi said firmly. “If you want revenge, come after me. What kind of skill is it to harm an innocent person?”

“What text messages?” Zhou Yian said. “I don’t know.”

Liang Shi scoffed. “Don’t pretend.”

She then hung up the phone.

Relying on Zhou Yian was less reliable than relying on a stray dog on the side of the road.

Now, she could only place all her hope on the Liang family.

At the same time, she silently scolded the System. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be powerful? Now my conquest target might die from a PTSD attack, and you’re just standing by? Use your superpowers! If my conquest target dies, what task can I do? Do you just want me to die?”

The System’s voice was still mechanical and bizarre. “Host, this is something you need to resolve, ne.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Ne?

“She is your conquest target. During this period, you are responsible for her safety. If anything happens, the bad luck value penalty system will punish you. You don’t need to worry, oh.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Oh?

Do people now like to add a modal particle at the end to show their cuteness?

Cute, my ass.

This statement was exactly like saying, “I’m going to kill you, oh. Don’t be afraid of the pain. Just endure it, ne.”

No different from a psycho killer.

The System added, “As products detached from the fourth-dimensional universe, we cannot interfere with matters in the three-dimensional space, oh.”

Liang Shi: “…”

At that moment, Liang Xinhe called her. She quickly answered, getting straight to the point. “Second Brother, I need a favor.”

“What is it?” Liang Xinhe asked.

“Help me open the door to room 7588,” Liang Shi said. “I need to save someone.”

“7588?” Liang Xinhe’s tone was displeased. “You went to that place again?”

Liang Shi sighed. “It’s not me.”

The explanation was too complicated.

She said plainly, “I’ll explain the details later. Just help me first. It’s a matter of life and death.”

Liang Xinhe was silent for a moment. “I’ll try my best, but I can’t guarantee success. You know that Huayue International is backed by the Shen family. It’s difficult for ordinary people to get involved with the Shen family.”

“I know. Thank you, Second Brother. Please hurry.” Liang Shi said urgently.

On the other side, Zhao Xuning was dialing a long-dormant number.

The long beeps sounded like an eternity.

Zhao Xuning thought she wouldn’t answer, but unexpectedly, on the last ring, the call was picked up, followed by endless silence.

There was a light breathing sound on the other end, very slow, as if deliberately subdued.

Zhao Xuning spoke first. She asked softly, “What are you doing?”

A cool, clear voice came through the receiver, tinged with a slight disdain. “You called me just to ask that?”

Zhao Xuning pursed her lips. “No.”

Indirect methods didn’t suit Zhao Xuning.

She let out a slight breath and told the truth. “I need to open the door to room 7588 at Huayue International. Can you help?”

The other end laughed. “Long time no see, Miss Zhao. You’re still so…”

She paused, and her tone became even more indifferent. “Unceremonious.”

“Can you help?” Zhao Xuning was more forceful. “It’s urgent.”

“Is your girlfriend trapped inside?” The other party’s words carried a hint of testing.

Zhao Xuning’s breath hitched, and she quickly denied it. “Just a friend.”

“Then you like her?” the person said.

Zhao Xuning was already agitated. Under the constant questioning, a hint of anger seeped into her voice. “Shen Hui, I haven’t dated since we broke up.”

The person whose full name was spoken paused, then sneered. “What? Do you want me to give you an award for moral integrity, Miss Zhao?”

Zhao Xuning was tired. “Just help, and I’ll owe you one.”

“You owe me a lot already. How will you repay me?” Shen Hui’s tone was slightly aggressive.

Zhao Xuning was at a loss for words, feeling only exhaustion.

The call was suddenly disconnected.

Zhao Xuning sighed and asked Liang Shi, “Do you have any progress on your end?”

Liang Shi shook her head. “My Second Brother went to find someone, but it’s likely a long shot.”

Zhao Xuning frowned, also unable to stop herself from swearing.

“Do you know why Bai Weiwei came here?” Liang Shi asked.

Zhao Xuning shook her head. “I don’t know.”

She and Bai Weiwei weren’t in a relationship where they had to report their whereabouts constantly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city.

The Omega with long brown hair sat up from the bed, got up to grab a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. The deep red liquid reflected the room’s dim yellow light in shimmering streaks, making the room feel empty and lonely.

The latest model phone was quietly placed on the wooden desk.

She sat on a bar stool, casually clipped her long hair up, leaving one playful strand hanging over her chest.

A white silk pajama top clung smoothly to her body, covering all the alluring curves.

After downing a glass of wine, Shen Hui rubbed her temples, finally sighing, and called the person in charge of Huayue International.

“Second Miss,” the voice on the other end was deferential. “Is there something you need?”

“Open the door to room 7588 now,” Shen Hui said flatly.

“Ah, but Miss Cheng is hosting tonight…”

“Do my words not count?” Shen Hui lowered her voice, radiating the authority of a superior. “Go open the door to 7588. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

The other person paused. “Understood.”

Everyone knew that although Huayue International was nominally under the Cheng family, the true controller was the Shen family.

Without the Shen family, who would look up to the Cheng family?

To put it plainly, the Cheng family only held their current status because they were backed by the Shen family.

The person in charge quickly went to follow the order.

//

Zhao Xuning and Liang Shi were still searching in the hotel corridor.

Zhao Xuning suddenly froze, saying darkly, “Huayue International is an enterprise under the Huaguang Group. Contact Cheng Ran.”

Liang Shi was also startled. “It belongs to Cheng Ran’s family?”

Zhao Xuning nodded. “It’s registered under her uncle’s name, so it’s not entirely her family’s.”

The Cheng family had many subsidiaries and was constantly embroiled in internal conflict.

So, the issue couldn’t be explained clearly in a moment.

Zhao Xuning said concisely, “Call and contact…”

“No need,” Liang Shi abruptly interrupted, then sneered. “This whole thing was likely Cheng Ran’s doing.”

Now, everything made sense.

How did the person know her number?

Why, when seeking revenge against her, did they use Xu Qingzhu as the breakthrough point?

Only Cheng Ran could pull this off.

She must have believed their falling out was because of Xu Qingzhu.

“Then what should we do?” Zhao Xuning frowned tightly. “Are we just going to watch them in there…”

She couldn’t finish the sentence.

Everyone knew an Omega’s body was sensitive.

And Xu Qingzhu had PTSD.

If it flared up and she didn’t receive timely help, someone could actually die.

10:09 p.m.

The elevator doors opened. A woman in a white suit appeared at the end of the corridor, walking toward them in eight-centimeter high heels.

She stopped in front of Zhao Xuning and smiled sweetly. “Miss Zhao, long time no see.”

Zhao Xuning skipped the greeting. “Open the door.”

The door’s design was exquisite. It required a hexagonal key to unlock, then facial recognition, and then a fingerprint scan.

Three layers of locks in total.

Liang Shi was about to speak to Zhao Xuning when she received a call from Liang Xinhe.

“I’ve asked around,” Liang Xinhe said. “Someone has already intervened…”

“Yes, someone here is opening it,” Liang Shi said.

“Now can you tell me…” Liang Xinhe wanted to ask, but Liang Shi urgently interrupted. “Second Brother, I need to go. I’ll explain later.”

Finally, she politely added, “Get some sleep soon.”

Liang Xinhe: “…?”

After hanging up, Liang Xinhe was utterly confused about the call.

He felt like Liang Shi was acting abnormal.

When the person in charge opened the door, Liang Shi frowned at the messy private room.

Zhao Xuning had the same reaction.

Liang Shi asked, “Where are the people?”

The person in charge smiled. “They’ve been sent to the rooms.”

“Stop the nonsense and help us find them,” Zhao Xuning said. “Bai Weiwei and Xu Qingzhu.”

The person in charge paused, scanned their faces, and maintained a standard smile. “Certainly.”

Liang Shi felt that everything about this place was weird.

Only someone truly insane could come up with something so monstrous.

A moment later, the wall slowly moved, flattening out into a white corridor.

Both sides were mirrored, making the path seem endless.

“The two of you can find the people you’re looking for by following this path to the end,” the woman pointed to the left. “This is Miss Xu’s room.”

Xu Qingya heard this and immediately bolted down the corridor.

Liang Shi and Zhao Xuning also split up to find people.

Liang Shi had better stamina than Xu Qingya and ran faster.

In a few seconds, she saw a white door and pushed it open directly.

The room looked exactly like the photo she had received, but Xu Qingzhu was alone on the bed.

The quilt covered her upper body, with only her two long legs exposed.

The bed was wrinkled.

At this moment, her phone received another text message.

Still from the unknown number.

【I’m letting your Omega off the hook this time.】

【Consider it a perk for you. You’re welcome.】

The tone was very condescending.

But Liang Shi ignored her.

Xu Qingzhu was clearly disoriented. Her two long legs were tangled together. She was lying on her side, her long hair covering half of her alluring upper body. Her shoulders and arms were exposed outside the quilt. Hearing the door open, she slowly opened her eyes, which were slightly red.

Her body was unbearably hot. Her voice was hoarse, but it still maintained her usual cool, clear tone, with a slight upward lilt at the end. When she called out, it was with a restrained, soft quality that melted into the listener’s ears. She bit her glossy lower lip and hoarsely called out, “Liang… Shi.”

“I’m here.” Liang Shi ran over. Looking at Xu Qingzhu like this, she didn’t know whether to hug her or not.

But Xu Qingzhu actively climbed toward her, resting her head on Liang Shi’s lap.

She was still wearing only the tank top and tight pants. Her exquisite collarbone was exposed, also flushed an unnatural red.

It seemed the person hadn’t touched Xu Qingzhu.

Liang Shi felt a slight relief.

However, anyone could tell that Xu Qingzhu was in a bad state.

Her body was as soft as a snake. Her palms were hot and damp, and she was mumbling something in her mouth.

Liang Shi bent down to listen.

Xu Qingzhu stretched out her slender, soft arms, actually wrapping them around Liang Shi’s neck and, while she was focused, pressing her down onto the bed.

Liang Shi: “…?”

Xu Qingya arrived just then, covering her eyes as she closed the door. “You two continue…”

Liang Shi: “?”

The drug’s effect was still strong in Xu Qingzhu. Her hot, damp hand casually stroked Liang Shi’s cheek.

But she still had a sliver of rationality left. Her hazy eyes were filled with mist, and her hands kept clenching.

Their eyes met.

Xu Qingzhu slowly leaned down. Her glistening lips were inches away. She was constantly gasping for breath, the heat washing over Liang Shi’s face.

The room was filled with the sweet scent of strawberries and wine—Xu Qingzhu’s pheromones spreading out.

Liang Shi felt like she was about to drown in the fragrance of the wine.

She thought, no one could resist Xu Qingzhu in this moment.

But just as Xu Qingzhu’s lips were about to touch hers, she turned her face away.

So the glossy lips only brushed past her ear, but it made her entire ear feel like it was on fire.

Xu Qingzhu missed her mark. She quietly buried her head in Liang Shi’s neck, her cool, clear voice slightly whining in accusation. “You’re mean.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Xu Qingzhu was truly not sober.