Chapter 11: Leading You Astray—Is That Too Much to Ask?

“I started modeling at twenty-two and followed him at twenty-four, back when his wife was still alive.”

“Later, when his wife passed away, I married into the Zhang family. Over the years, relatives of the Zhang family, or even people from his company, have privately called me a seductress... Do you know how much pressure I’ve endured?”

Chu Feng sighed as he used an alcohol swab to treat Li Xueli’s wound. “If you hadn’t taken that path back then, you might have become a top domestic model by now.”

Hearing this, a deeper pang of bitterness spread within Li Xueli’s heart.

Squinting his eyes, Chu Feng thought to himself, the moment has come.

“Sister Xueli, it’s actually not too late.”

“Hm?”

“You’ve lived for others for so many years; now, you should live well for yourself,” Chu Feng said.

Li Xueli’s pupils contracted slightly upon hearing this.

Indeed, she had always been just a decorative vase for the Zhang family.

In her twenties, when Zhang Fuqiang had dinners or gatherings, he would always bring her along.

She never had to do anything but sit beside him and toast.

Was that really her?

No, it wasn’t.

She still remembered the feeling of superiority when people praised her during live streams—a feeling that remains vivid to this day.

What she truly loved was being the center of attention.

Not being a mere ornamental vase!

However, Chu Feng didn’t continue further.

Some things are best left hinted at rather than fully exposed.

Digging too deep might backfire.

Because Li Xueli was injured, Chu Feng let her sleep on the bed while he took the sofa.

Of course, the main reason was to hide the money stashed inside the sofa.

Li Xueli noticed that Chu Feng’s gaze had softened considerably.

If before she only thought Chu Feng was healthy and strong, now she discovered another side of him—considerate and thoughtful.

“My stepdaughter really has no eye for treasure. If I were ten years younger, I wouldn’t let you escape my grasp,” Li Xueli smiled faintly.

Chu Feng grabbed a blanket and lay down on the sofa.

A few days ago, he had installed a secondhand air conditioner in the rented room, which was more than enough to cool the forty-square-meter space.

Li Xueli got up to use the restroom and took some medicine.

Then she came back to the sofa and looked at Chu Feng sleeping peacefully, smiling softly.

She recalled how Chu Feng had braved the heavy rain to get her medicine from the pharmacy, feeling a surge of warmth in her heart.

She kissed Chu Feng gently on the face and murmured, “Once I recover, I’ll repay you properly and show you how formidable I can be!”

With that, she returned to the bed.

---

Summer rain comes quickly and leaves just as fast.

Like an ancient flower thief sneaking into a lady’s chamber in the dead of night.

Arriving with a fierce storm, departing in haste.

Leaving behind only muddy puddles and a patch of white blossoms.

When Li Xueli rose, she found the sofa moved aside, replaced by a folding bed.

It seemed that Chu Feng truly wanted her to rest well.

He didn’t rush her to do anything.

She suddenly felt respected.

After all, she had long felt like an object.

Used when needed.

Discarded like an old shoe when not.

“Definitely a man’s room,” Li Xueli observed, looking around.

Clothes piled in a basin, unwashed.

Empty drink bottles and cigarette butts scattered faintly on the floor.

She sighed, deciding to tidy up a bit.

Just as she was about to look in the fridge for something to eat, she noticed by the counter a jianbing pancake and a bag of steaming hot sour plum juice.

She suddenly recalled how Zhang Yanran often boasted about Chu Feng, saying he had been doting on her from high school through college, bringing breakfast almost every day back then.

Such sincere behavior, yet Zhang Yanran had described it so frivolously.

Li Xueli felt a pang of sympathy for Chu Feng.

“He left early, probably to work and earn tuition,” Li Xueli said as she ate breakfast, her gaze wandering across the room.

...

Gust drove down the street, drawing many admiring glances.

Chu Feng had learned to drive back in his first year of college.

Ironically, he got his license to rent a car and take Zhang Yanran on countryside outings.

Shi Wenjing yawned, sitting in the passenger seat, looking exhausted.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Chu Feng glanced at her.

Shi Wenjing sighed. “Yeah, I had a fight with my husband. He lost his job again! Always chasing unrealistic dreams. And now he wants a kid. Think about it—I have to work to earn money, give him pocket money, and now a baby too? It’s like he wants me dead.”

“Good thing there’s no child yet,” Chu Feng replied.

Shi Wenjing stretched and suddenly caught a whiff of another woman’s scent on Chu Feng.

Immediately she understood—he must have many women on the side.

Well, it made sense.

Chu Feng was good-looking.

---

And a rich second-generation heir.

A few women, that was normal.

“My husband’s sulking. He went to visit friends at his alma mater and probably won’t be back for three days,” Shi Wenjing said with a seductive smile.

Chu Feng laughed, “Oh? Are you inviting me over?”

“I’ll cook a few dishes, and we can have a drink,” Shi Wenjing batted her eyelashes.

She would never let such a cash cow slip away.

A young, handsome man who spent money freely—so much better than her husband.

“We’re here,” Chu Feng said, arriving at the entrance of a high-end restaurant.

As Shi Wenjing got out, the men and women nearby looked at her enviously.

After all, anyone who could ride in a Gust surely wasn’t short of money.

Cars weren’t yet common for everyone.

So a luxury car was a rare sight.

Inside the restaurant, someone was already waiting.

A slightly overweight, balding middle-aged man.

Upon seeing Shi Wenjing and Chu Feng, he stood up immediately, offering Chu Feng a cigarette.

“You must be Mr. Chu?”

Squinting at the man, Chu Feng lit the cigarette and exhaled slowly.

“Are you the representative from Hotel Street?” Chu Feng asked.

“Wenjing, have them start serving. I’ll have a couple of drinks with Brother Qian, then you can drive us back,” he said.

“No problem,” Shi Wenjing replied happily, eager to take the wheel of Chu Feng’s Gust herself.

Shi Wenjing left, and Chu Feng sat down with Qian Kai.

Chu Feng knew this man.

Qian Kai was also one of his former prison mates, though he had served only seven years.

His crime? Harboring women in his basement to sell.

Though he looked honest, Qian Kai was truly vicious.

Among the women rescued from his place was even his own sister.

For money, he betrayed all family ties.

Shi Wenjing had tried negotiating twice with Qian Kai, but he refused to yield, so Chu Feng had to step in personally.

Qian Kai smiled, “May I ask, Mr. Chu, what’s your intended price?”