****
Liu Qianqian's face flushed at Chu Ying's suggestive words, but she shot back playfully, "Mr. Chu, when have I ever disappointed you?"
"You've had me so many times—aren't you ready for a new flavor?"
Chu Ying's grin turned wicked as he tightened his hold. "I'll switch when I'm bored of you. Until then, you're mine."
Liu Qianqian's eyelids flickered, a wave of emptiness washing over her.
She knew the truth. Her relationship with Chu Ying was transactional—his wealth and influence, including help for her grandfather's treatment, in exchange for her body.
It was a deal, nothing more.
Yet, foolishly, she'd started craving his affection.
She laughed at herself bitterly. When had she begun living a life she despised?
Sensing her silence, Chu Ying assumed she was worried about her grandfather. "Relax, I've called in the best experts, including Director Huang. Your grandpa will be fine."
Liu Qianqian nodded mutely.
The door opened, and two figures entered—top hospital experts. Spotting Chu Ying, they bowed obsequiously, grinning like lapdogs. "Mr. Chu!"
Chu Ying was a name that echoed through Shanghai. As the boss of Huahai Bank, he sat at the pinnacle of the city's elite second-generation circle.
He waved them off impatiently. "Get to it. Check the old man. Don't waste my time."
The experts bristled inwardly. As specialists, they were used to respect, not being treated like lackeys. But this was Chu Ying—offending him could cost them their careers.
They approached the bed, examining the old man.
After a thorough check, their faces fell.
Chu Ying's scowl deepened. "I brought you here to treat him, not to gawk. What's the holdup?"
The bespectacled expert spoke hesitantly. "Mr. Chu, the old man's condition is too severe. It's beyond our capabilities."
"We… we're out of options."
Chu Ying's temper flared. "Useless! You call yourselves experts? You're better off hauling bricks at a construction site!"
"Get out, you trash!"
Furious that they couldn't help, Chu Ying berated them without restraint. The experts, humiliated but powerless, slunk out.
Chu Ying turned to Liu Qianqian, softening. "Don't sweat it. I wasn't counting on those losers."
"Director Huang's coming soon. He's a legendary Chinese doctor, cured tons of tough cases. If he weren't in poor health, the hospital wouldn't have let him retire."
Moments later, the door opened again. An unassuming old man in a Zhongshan suit entered, carrying a wooden box—Director Huang.
If Lin Fan were present, he'd recognize him as the old Chinese doctor from the pharmacy.
Chu Ying curbed his arrogance. Director Huang's reputation preceded him, and he'd once saved Chu Ying's father, earning the Chu family's respect.
"Director Huang, you're a miracle worker. You can save this old man, right?" Chu Ying asked, pointing to the bed.
Huang set down his box, calm. "No guarantees until I examine him. Leave me alone to assess his condition."
Chu Ying and Liu Qianqian stepped into the corridor, waiting anxiously.
Liu Qianqian glanced nervously at the ward. She'd heard of Huang's fame. If even he failed, hope was lost.
Chu Ying, confident, reassured her. "Relax. Director Huang's the real deal. He pulled my dad back from the brink."
As they spoke, a figure passed by.
Liu Qianqian frowned. "Bai Shishi?"
Chu Ying's eyes locked onto the girl, a hungry glint flashing. *Damn, what a stunner.*
Both knew Bai Shishi from Shanghai University. Despite her poor background, she was one of the campus's top three beauties, dubbed "Sleeping Beauty." Liu Qianqian paled in comparison.
Bai Shishi's face fell when she saw them. She knew Chu Ying too well—he'd chased her relentlessly since freshman year.
Aware of his playboy reputation, she'd kept her distance. But Chu Ying was persistent, staging grand gestures to win her over. Worse, he intimidated any guy who got close to her, often resorting to violence.
His possessive tyranny isolated Bai Shishi. Male classmates steered clear, and female peers gossiped. Her dormmates even moved out, fearing Chu Ying's influence, leaving her alone.
Liu Qianqian had once been her closest friend, the only one Bai Shishi confided in. But when Liu Qianqian paired up with Chu Ying, she tried pushing Bai Shishi toward him too.
Once, Liu Qianqian had even slipped something into Bai Shishi's drink during a night out. If Bai Shishi hadn't noticed, that night could've ended badly.
The betrayal shattered their friendship.
Seeing them now, Bai Shishi turned to leave, avoiding contact.
Liu Qianqian smirked, arms crossed. "Well, look at our campus beauty. Too good to even say hi to old classmates? So rude."
Bai Shishi ignored her.
Undeterred, Liu Qianqian pressed on, venom in her voice. "Your dad's condition's bad, huh? No money for surgery? Bet he's on his last legs."
"I told you to hook up with Master Chu, but you played pure. Look at you now."
"I'm with Master Chu. He pulled strings to get the best experts, even Director Huang, who's treating my grandpa right now."
"Jealous? Regret turning him down?"
Liu Qianqian's smugness oozed. After failing to pair Bai Shishi with Chu Ying, she'd grown to resent her. Was it because Bai Shishi refused to listen? Or because she hadn't sunk to Liu Qianqian's level?
Either way, humiliating Bai Shishi felt like asserting dominance, masking her own shame as Chu Ying's plaything.
Bai Shishi froze mid-step, her body tensing.