Chapter 52: An Awkward Situation

“I am willing to marry you.” Wu Zhenri declared immediately. Seeing the young lady dressing, he began to dress as well, but he was not disheartened. Instead, his heart brimmed with hope for this cool, charming girl who so resembled Hu Mimi.

“Only fools believe you clients,” the girl said coldly, showing no hope for him, though her heart stirred slightly.

“You should believe me. In a few days, I will come for you and help you quit this life,” Wu Zhenri said tenderly, having neatly put on his clothes.

“Then I’ll be waiting for you,” the girl replied seriously, fixing her gaze on him.

Wu Zhenri walked out of room 108. She saw him off with her eyes and softly said, “I’m sorry.”

Returning to the front desk, the madam greeted him warmly at the door, “Welcome to come again.”

Wu Zhenri said, “I won’t be coming again.” He handed the madam the number 108 card and added, “I didn’t make a deal with the beauty in room 108. Can I get a refund?”

The madam stared at him in disbelief. “How is that possible? If that were true, I’d fire her immediately.”

Wu Zhenri waved his hand in explanation, “It’s not her fault, only mine.”

“Since it’s your fault, why ask for a refund?” the woman at the counter interjected.

“I haven’t finished.” Wu Zhenri frowned. “She insisted on using a condom, but I refused, so I walked away.”

Still unconvinced, the madam led Wu Zhenri back to room 108 to verify.

The girl told the madam, “If a client refuses to wear a condom, I won’t serve them. You know that. What if a client comes with an illness? Are you willing to pay for treatment? Even if you do, it might not be cured. Why should I endure that pain?”

The madam smiled at Wu Zhenri, trying to persuade him, “Just wear the condom. The sensation is the same.”

Wu Zhenri firmly said, “No.”

The madam said, “Then only half the refund.”

Wu Zhenri did not argue. He patted the madam’s hand and motioned for her to leave the room, whispering, “I don’t want a refund. I want to buy out the beauty in room 108. Name your price.”

The madam replied, “It’s not just about price; it depends on whether the girl agrees. I’ll ask her and get back to you.”

Wu Zhenri tugged at the madam’s collar, saying, “No need to ask. I talked to her. She agreed.”

The madam was stunned but quickly composed herself. “So, how much ransom are you willing to pay?”

“She’s the beauty in room 108. I intend to pay 1,080 yuan.”

“No, double that. 2,160 yuan.”

After some bargaining, the madam finally compromised. But it wasn’t willingness that made her relent. Wu Zhenri threatened, “If you refuse, I’ll donate 1,080 yuan to the local police station and have them cause trouble. You won’t get a penny and might face fines ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, or even detention. Doesn’t sound worth it, does it?”

That same day, after leaving, Wu Zhenri returned and paid the madam the full 1,080 yuan.

The madam immediately fired the girl in room 108—a young woman strikingly resembling Hu Mimi.

Wu Zhenri held her hand and learned her name was Bao Furong, a rural girl from a neighboring county. Due to poverty and a penchant for idleness, she had no choice but to sell herself away from family and acquaintances.

Wu Zhenri transferred all the affection he once reserved for Hu Mimi to Bao Furong. Leaving the red-light district, he took her straight to a guesthouse and rented a room for her to stay.

Though Bao Furong had worked as a clandestine prostitute in the red-light district, she was not ashamed but rather confident. In a private room at the guesthouse, when she first became intimate with Wu Zhenri, she did not make it easy for him.

Before shedding her clothes to reveal her snow-white skin, she asked Wu Zhenri to pay a deposit of 1,000 yuan, offering a slew of reasons.

“Now I belong exclusively to you. Like running a franchise, can you do business without investment? Besides, today I’m breaking precedent by discarding the condom. More accurately, I’m giving you my virginity. Though I’ve had experiences with clients from all over, none of them wore condoms, so I never let them touch me. That means I’ve preserved myself, with a wish in my heart—to one day give my body completely to the man who will marry me. Are you that man?”

At this, she deliberately adopted a cold expression. “Since we just met, I can’t fully trust you. Doubting you is only natural, so I require a deposit.”

Wu Zhenri barely listened to her reasons, focusing only on the 1,000-yuan deposit request. He thought it was reasonable; since he was determined to marry Bao Furong, this was a small sum. She hadn’t even mentioned a token—something like a gold necklace would cost several thousand yuan.

Considering this, Wu Zhenri affirmed his intent and pulled ten 100-yuan bills from his wallet, tossing them before her.

Bao Furong took the money, counted it, then placed it in her purse. She looked at Wu Zhenri, who was staring wide-eyed at her body, and said, “There’s another reason I want you to pay this.”

“What reason? I’m doing everything to please you.” Sitting on the bed’s edge, Wu Zhenri reached out indecently.

Bao Furong pushed his hand away. “Don’t be so eager.”

“My reason is cautious. I want you to pay a deposit because I worry that after we’re together, you might just walk away and abandon me like trash.” As she spoke, she began to undress, revealing skin as tender and fresh as a bamboo shoot shedding its sheath in spring, her alluring form captivating beyond measure.

“How could that be? You’re my darling. How could I ever give you up?” Wu Zhenri’s lustful gaze roamed over her body, appreciating every curve and contour. She was perfectly proportioned—plump where she should be, slender where appropriate—exuding endless charm and grace, fully capable of replacing the woman who had once bewitched him, Hu Mimi.

If Wu Zhenri attacked like a ravenous wolf, Bao Furong was like a cunning trap, ensnaring him completely, making it impossible for him to resist.

After their encounter, Wu Zhenri and Bao Furong left the guesthouse together, intending to find a restaurant to enjoy a hearty meal.

Arm in arm, they reached the entrance to a popular food street, where a burly man in his fifties caught sight of them. He was none other than Liu Xiangnan, once the secretary under Wu Xiaofeng, general manager of the construction company in Muxian Town two decades ago.

Liu had long left his job to start his own business and was now chairman of a driving school on the city’s outskirts. A frequent visitor to adult venues, he was also a regular in the city’s red-light district, including the one where Bao Furong worked. He had even shared a moment of happiness in her room, though he hadn’t felt truly happy because Bao Furong always insisted on using a condom, which left him unimpressed and unwilling to return.

What lingered most was his indelible impression of Bao Furong’s beautiful, pointed face—like a gentle yet piercing dagger—once “pricked” him, leaving a sensation both painful and ticklish, impossible to shake.

Such feelings might have faded over time, but seeing Bao Furong again now felt like a fresh reminder.

He was stunned, staring intently, and noticed something new: how was it that Wu Zhenri, the son of General Manager Wu, was involved with a prostitute from the red-light district? The question hung unanswered in his mind.

Fortunately, Wu Zhenri barely recognized him, and Bao Furong, focused on the road and her companion, never glanced around or cared about anything else. They passed Liu Xiangnan without noticing his gaze upon them.

This would later cause trouble when Wu Zhenri took Bao Furong back to his hometown of Muxian Village to introduce her to his prospective in-laws, a deeply awkward situation.

Wu Xiaofeng and Gong Yawen, both still alive, had long disapproved of their son. Wu Zhenri had been betrothed since childhood to Xu Qi, a village girl, through an arranged marriage. How could he, without parental consent, seek out another woman?

Moreover, rumors spread that Bao Furong was a fallen woman who had sold herself in the red-light district. How could this be accepted?

The two elders flatly opposed their son marrying such a woman, believing it would bring shame to the family, disgrace the household, and stain their ancestral hall and family traditions.