Chapter 5: Afraid She Might Jump Off the Building

The butterfly bones with their delicate, graceful lines lingered in his mind. Qin Xiao shook his head slightly. Thinking of the various low-handed tactics this woman had used against Gu Yanyue, the heat dissipated, replaced by a scoff of disdain. "What? Trying to use sex appeal?"

"?"

Gu Lingyi tilted her head and gave him a look as if he were a fool. Ignoring him, she walked over to the wine cabinet to inspect it. Aside from foreign spirits and wines, there wasn't a drop of hard liquor to be found.

"Boring."

She muttered to herself and found an empty seat. The lounge area was quiet, and the conversation from the gambling table could be heard clearly.

"Young Master Qin seems very interested in my dog," Huo Qi said, tapping his fingertips, feeling inexplicably displeased.

The look of astonishment had yet to fade from Qin Yue's eyes. He curled his lips and answered off-topic: "Does Young Master Huo know that a big shot has recently arrived in Jiangcheng?"

"You mean..." Huo Qi’s brows furrowed as he thought of something. "The one from Hucheng?"

Over by the sofa, Qin Xiao pricked up his ears and grumbled, "What are they being so cryptic about?"

Gu Lingyi didn't seem to care. She stared at Yu Liang's mobile screen. The score: 0-9-1. The screen turned gray again.

What kind of skill level was this! Gu Lingyi was speechless, unaware that Yu Liang, sitting on the carpet, had long since drifted off, his senses filled with a faint, lingering fragrance.

The conversation on the other side continued. "That big shot has peculiar tastes; he should like a young lady like this." Qin Yue glanced at the sofa. "Sending her over would be just the thing to get me some face time with him."

"Peculiar tastes?" Huo Qi narrowed his eyes, thinking of Gu Yanyue, who had been suffering from nightmares recently because of Gu Lingyi. He let out a chilling laugh. "What kind of tastes?"

Qin Yue: "Let me think..." He crushed his cigarette butt, the 'hiss' audible. "Bondage, whipping, electric shocks, and also... kicking, suffocation, and violence."

After listing them one by one, he concluded: "The fact that he beats people to death is no secret in our circle. I believe you’ve heard of it."

Huo Qi nodded and said bluntly: "I have heard of it."

Qin Yue: "The last woman died a miserable death. Not only was she covered in wounds, but there was also a shoe stuffed inside her."

Qin Xiao shuddered, and the wine glass in his hand dropped, the caramel-colored liquid splashing onto Yu Liang's phone.

The latter jumped up as if scalded. "What are you doing, Qin Xiao!"

Yu Liang took the opportunity to move to a spot further away from Gu Lingyi and let out a silent sigh of relief.

As the card game neared its end, the people in the lounge area cast their gazes toward Gu Lingyi, who was nonchalantly studying her mobile game.

In the end, they were all just idle rich kids. While they played plenty of games, compared to a true sadist, they were merely amateurs.

Qin Yue was always rigid and serious; the words he spoke were definitely not a joke. As long as he won, Gu Lingyi would certainly be sent away.

Thinking of this, the few people present exchanged silent, knowing glances.

Yet, at this moment, Gu Lingyi put down her phone and walked toward the balcony, looking lost in thought. She didn't use the remote to open the curtains but instead slipped directly behind them. She pried open a crack in the sliding door, and the night wind rushed in, buffeting her body.

She looked as though she had been dealt a devastating blow, her heart filled with despair.

Through the curtains, Qin Xiao watched that lonely, forward-moving figure. He rose with a complex expression, wondering how to comfort her.

Should he say that Huo Qi wouldn't lose, or that his brother wouldn't actually hand her over...

But what difference did it make? Huo Qi treated her like a dog, and his brother treated her like a dog that could be given away.

Qin Xiao suddenly felt a pang of regret. It was he who had suggested to Huo Qi that Gu Lingyi be called over tonight.

He had merely been curious about what was going on with Gu Lingyi that afternoon; he hadn't expected things to develop like this.

Seeing Qin Xiao looking for the curtain remote, Yu Liang said coldly: "You want to comfort her?"

Qin Xiao paused, unsure whether to nod. Yu Liang also knew about Gu Lingyi framing Gu Yanyue. Was he warning him now?

Forget it. Since Gu Lingyi was so vicious, hurting the little princess whom everyone adored, she deserved this. Qin Xiao plopped back onto the sofa and said huffily: "I'm afraid she'll jump!"

Yu Liang glanced toward the phone Gu Lingyi had left on the sofa, his voice flat: "Your brother has already talked about sending her off for face time. There's no guarantee Brother Qi won't have the same idea."

Qin Xiao froze, his heart filled with anxiety. A strange sensation at his side made him look down instinctively; a chiffon shirt was lying there quietly.

"So..." Yu Liang lowered his black lashes, his expression dark: "How do you intend to comfort her?"

No matter who won, her fate was sealed.

Everyone remained silent, waiting for the two at the gambling table to decide the winner.

On the balcony, Gu Lingyi gripped the railing with both hands, leaning half her body over to look at the floor above for the third time, her nose twitching.

Yes, this aroma, this aged vintage. In the apocalypse, it would take ten gemstones just to trade for two ounces of this high-proof white spirit.

Gu Lingyi licked her lips and calculated. In a society ruled by law, stealing a glass of wine...

Her mind was rational, but her body was more honest.

By the time Gu Lingyi came to her senses, she was already hanging outside the wrought-iron railing on the tenth floor.

The layout was similar to the floor below but not identical. Gu Lingyi climbed onto the balcony barefoot. The glass door was wide open, and the curtains swayed in the wind.

Through the gaps in the curtains, she could confirm that there was no one in the room.

Gu Lingyi stepped inside and walked accurately in the darkness toward the solid wood table. A bottle of opened white spirit and an empty two-ounce glass sat there. The aroma was intoxicating, a hundred times richer than what she had smelled downstairs.

A swallowing sound echoed. Gu Lingyi smiled shyly and poured herself a drink with light, steady movements.

It smelled even better...

She picked up the glass and took a small sip. It was smooth and delicate on the palate, with a sweet, refreshing finish as it slid down her throat.

Gu Lingyi narrowed her eyes in pleasure, like a satisfied kitten. She took sip after sip, her movements natural and elegant, as if she were completely at ease in her own home.

Thump.

A dull thud sounded, and Gu Lingyi almost choked.

She had observed earlier that this room, unlike the simple layout downstairs, was more like a bedroom. Outside the mahogany door by the wall should be the main hall, and the sound had come from there.

Emboldened by the alcohol, Gu Lingyi took the bottle and the glass and moved toward the door.

Light spilled from the crack in the door. Gu Lingyi realized it wasn't closed tightly; she nudged it open just enough to hear clearly.

"F-Fu, President Fu..." The person speaking was trembling like chaff. "I didn't know he was your brother... I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong! P-please, please forgive me..."

Thump.

Another sound. Gu Lingyi looked closely. The person kneeling on the floor had been kicked, his head slamming hard against the ground with a muffled thud.

The next second, "Snap!" A rough leather whip tore through clothing.

The man looked wretched, his hands tied behind his back, his upper body bound with hemp rope.

He was a middle-aged man, crawling on the ground, snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Fu, Fu, President Fu! Forgive me..."

"Tsk." A tall young man with a buzz cut looked utterly impatient. "Still trying to crawl!"

As his voice fell, the whip lashed out again. The middle-aged man couldn't help but let out a howl.

"Brother! Big brother!" The man didn't dare to move, trembling with fear. "I-I was wrong! I really know I was wrong."