The sun gradually slanted westward, casting warm yellow light through thin clouds over the long-abandoned square residence in Qingxi Town. The walls were mottled and peeling, the wooden door hung crookedly open, and several sections of the roof had collapsed. Dark green vines crawled over the corners, leaving an overwhelming sense of desolation everywhere. Yet in these neglected corners, tiny wildflowers sprouted quietly from the cracks in the bricks, along the windowsills, and beside the broken wooden pillars inside the house. White as snow, pale purple as mist, they trembled gently in the wind, delicate and pure, forming a striking, seductive contrast with the dark, shabby room.
Shen Ruoxi sat in the corner near the window, quietly holding a small bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers.
She was extremely small and slender. Her faded light linen dress hung loosely on her, making her shoulders look so fragile they might snap at a gentle touch. She sat quietly, her back straight, yet still appeared timid and soft, like a small beast that had strayed into the deserted house—so innocent that one would hate to speak loudly around her. Her delicate fingers gently pinched the soft stems, and the petals brushed against her fair hand, making her skin appear even more delicate.
Yet no one would have guessed that this harmless, almost fragile girl was waiting here, resolute, for a vulgar, lewd man she detested from the bottom of her heart.
Her fingers stroked the cool petals again and again, her heart racing chaotically.
The pain from being beaten by her parents the day before yesterday still throbbed in her bones, a dull ache surging wave after wave. But only one thought repeated in her mind: if she obediently completed this task, Qin Ruhai would not abandon her.
If she only did this one thing, she could stay by his side.
Thinking that the gentle yet overwhelmingly oppressive man might be watching her from somewhere nearby, she bit her lip and forced down all the fear, shame, disgust, and panic churning inside her.
She could not be afraid. She could not cry. She could not back down.
She had to be good. She had to obey. She had to satisfy him.
The room was silent except for the soft rustle of wind blowing through the wildflowers outside, faint and gentle.
Before long, heavy, clumsy footsteps sounded from outside the gate.
Shen Ruoxi's heart tightened sharply. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the bouquet in her hands shook along with them.
The next moment, the door was roughly pushed open.
Zhao Sanduo stepped inside.
Short and fat, with a thick, stocky build and bulging flesh, his face was pockmarked and ugly. His small eyes narrowed into slits, darting around restlessly, exuding the vulgarity and greasy aura of a lowlife thug. Standing in the cramped, dim room, he occupied nearly half the space, a bulky, overbearing mass of flesh. The contrast between him and the slender, flower-holding Shen Ruoxi was jarring, bringing a strong sense of physical oppression.
The moment he saw Shen Ruoxi huddled in the corner, his eyes lit up, and a lewd grin spread across his face. Dirty jokes rolled off his tongue without the slightest hesitation.
"Not bad, little cousin. You were avoiding me like I was a ghost when I invited you yesterday, but today you're waiting for me in a deserted place like this? So eager. Were you looking forward to this all along?"
He spoke frivolously and obscenely, putting on the air of a seasoned playboy. But inwardly, he was secretly sizing her up, testing and doubting: this girl looked clean, timid, and innocent. She was probably doing this for the first time, just putting on a brave face despite being scared.
Shen Ruoxi's cheeks warmed slightly from his words. She shrank back a little farther into the corner, her voice soft and trembling:
"Cousin, please don't say such things…"
On the surface, she seemed shy and helpless, but inside she was ice-cold and numb.
All this vulgar talk was nothing more than an act she had to put on.
She had to appear weak and obedient, so that the man before her would let his guard down completely.
"Not say such things? Then what should I say?" Zhao Sanduo chuckled, stepping closer, his heavy breath washing over her.
"We made an appointment yesterday, and you came obediently today. You've already made up your mind, haven't you? Stop pretending to be shy."
He continued teasing her with filthy words, still unsure whether she was truly innocent or just acting.
Then Shen Ruoxi lowered her eyelashes, her voice almost inaudible, yet her obedience was unnaturally calm:
"I'm not pretending. I… will listen to whatever you say, Cousin."
That single line of natural, numb obedience completely shattered Zhao Sanduo's assumptions.
He had expected that a girl as innocent-looking as her would be nervous, stiff, and at a loss even if she agreed. But her compliance was too smooth, her cooperation too unhurried—nothing like someone experiencing this for the first time.
In an instant, his belief that she was innocent and inexperienced crumbled completely.
He realized the truth:
She was not shy. She was not pure.
She really was not a virgin.
Once that thought settled, the last shred of restraint in Zhao Sanduo vanished.
If she was not a delicate novice worthy of tenderness, he saw no reason to be gentle.
He was already rude and brutal by nature, and now he completely let himself go, rough and unrestrained. Shen Ruoxi was tiny and fragile; she could not endure his roughness at all. Sharp pain exploded through her body. She trembled uncontrollably, repressed whimpers slipping from her faint breaths. Her fingers dug deep into her palms, and the bouquet in her arms was nearly crushed to pieces.
Yet the smile on her face never faded, not even once.
It was still sweet, soft, and peaceful, even carrying an odd sense of bliss and intoxication.
The more it hurt, the calmer her smile became.
The more she suffered, the holier she felt inside.
The more intense the physical torment, the more certain she became:
she was sacrificing everything for Qin Ruhai.
As long as he saw, as long as he did not abandon her, this pain meant nothing.
She was acting. She was enduring. She was sacrificing. And she was being loyal.
On the surface, she was a bullied, delicate flower. Inside, she was a paranoid, devout follower.
The wildflowers outside swayed gently in the wind, their faint fragrance forming a cruel contrast to the darkness and distortion inside the room.
After a while, everything fell silent.
Zhao Sanduo straightened his clothes slowly, looking down at her with contempt and malice.
"I thought you were so pure. Turns out you really weren't a virgin at all.
You were so skilled and obedient, smiling even while in pain.
How many men have you been with behind people's backs?"
He sneered, his tone full of disdain:
"Pretending to be innocent and pure, but you're actually cheap and loose on the inside."
With that, he tossed out the coldest line of all:
"This never happened. Don't expect me to take responsibility for you."
The door slammed shut, and silence returned to the room.
Shen Ruoxi remained seated, holding the crumpled flowers, her smile peaceful and holy.
She had done it.
Qin Ruhai, hidden in the dark, must have seen everything.
And now… he would not abandon her.
The wildflowers in the wind continued to sway softly,
as if all filth, pain, distortion, and humble sacrifice had never happened.