Volume 1, Chapter 17: The Banquet at Hongmen

"That’s enough, now that you know, go back and reflect on your own mistakes! Stop running to the police station to lodge complaints at every turn and wasting our time. Someone, escort her out!"

Before the words had even faded, the woman was "invited" out by the officer who had just entered. Sun Qi rose as well, casting a sneer at Gu Nanxiao as he passed by—as if mocking his futile efforts.

The lounge was left empty, save for Gu Nanxiao. He looked out through the window into the courtyard. The woman below walked with a slow, heavy gait, her already slightly hunched back bowed even lower now. She was only thirty-five, after all. Just before she left the premises, she glanced back toward the lounge. A flash of cold light flickered in Gu Nanxiao’s eyes.

***

Mu Yao stood before her wardrobe, scanning every piece of clothing inside. She had so many clothes that the closet was nearly bursting, yet she still did not know what to wear tonight.

The semester was coming to an end. To thank the parents for their support, the school had arranged a dinner for the teachers and parent representatives of each class, with separate private rooms for each grade level. The dinner itself was fine, but the real issue lay with the parents in attendance. The parents of Zhao Zihan and Li Xun were both acting as representatives.

Mu Yao took a deep breath. Even though the weather was sweltering, she chose a pair of long jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Passing by her vanity, she hesitated for a long moment before picking up only a single lipstick.

On the way there, Mu Yao prayed to God countless times. Yet, the moment she pushed open the door, her heart sank. She should have expected it; out of all the classes in the entire grade, Class Four had the most "well-connected" families. And where there were "well-connected" families, no teacher with any seniority wanted to wade into those muddy waters.

Mu Yao took a deep breath and forced a smile. The woman sitting in the center was dressed so exquisitely that, for a moment, Mu Yao felt as if she had walked into a business negotiation.

"Oh, Teacher Mu, what a grand entrance! You’ve kept all of us waiting for so long—it wouldn't be right if you didn’t have a few drinks, would you?"

Before she had even put down her bag, the man nearby began to stir up trouble. It seemed the incident at the police station had truly infuriated him. Some of the parents, unaware of the context, joined in the heckling. Not far away, Wu Xia smiled, trying to steer the topic away, but she was deftly blocked by Li Xun’s father. Beside her, Liu Ting sat with her arms crossed, looking perfectly composed and showing no intention of helping.

Before the food was even fully served, the rotating glass tray was spun so that five bottles of liquor sat squarely in front of Mu Yao. Mu Yao scanned the table in silence. Zhao Zihan’s mother wore a smug smile; Li Xun’s father looked on with gleeful malice; Liu Ting kept her head down, avoiding eye contact; Wu Xia looked worried. The rest were simply waiting for the show.

It was a trap.

Mu Yao forced a smile and reached for a beer on the table.

"Since it’s my class, I’ll join Xiao Yao in a toast to everyone," Wu Xia said as she stood up, reaching to move the liquor away from Mu Yao.

Li Xun’s father flashed a smile—an expression Mu Yao was all too familiar with. She pressed her slender fingers down on the glass tray. "Teacher Wu has just finished her maternity leave; she shouldn't be drinking. Let me toast the parents on behalf of the teachers."

Mu Yao poured herself a drink and downed it in one go. The alcohol burned her throat and scorched her stomach. She paused for a second, fighting to suppress the sudden wave of nausea.

The men at the table were already seasoned drinkers. Mu Yao was forced to down three large glasses before she was allowed to sit. With an empty stomach and so much alcohol, she would have vomited right then and there if not for her strict upbringing. She gritted her teeth, enduring the discomfort as she was made to drink glass after glass under various pretenses.

Before the dinner was even half over, seven or eight empty bottles were already lined up beside her.

By the time she reached the restroom, she could no longer stand straight. She rushed into a stall, clutched the toilet, and threw up violently. Standing at the sink with reddened eyes, she washed her hands over and over again. She looked up at her disheveled reflection in the mirror.

Ever since she had been accepted to university, she asked herself for the first time: Was it worth it? She clearly could have had a better life, so why had she reduced herself to this? Was this really what she wanted?

Everything that had happened recently felt like sharp knives striking the eighteen-year-old version of herself.

The faucet beside her turned on. There were plenty of other sinks, yet for some reason, the person insisted on using the one right next to her. She shifted to the side to give them more space. The faucet to her left clicked off, but the person did not leave.

"Stop scrubbing. Do you not want your hands anymore?"

A familiar voice. Mu Yao looked up quickly. Through the mirror, she saw a familiar face. Why... why couldn't he be the parent representative?

***

Mu Yao tried her best to act normal as she returned to the private room. The dinner was completely drowned in alcohol. She had to visit the restroom two more times before the gathering finally ended.

The parents left one by one. Wu Xia had been worried about Mu Yao, but in the end, her own child took precedence, and she had left toward the end of the meal. In the end, only Liu Ting, Zhao Zihan’s mother, Li Xun’s father, and Mu Yao remained.

Mu Yao was too drunk to move. As for the others, she couldn't understand or guess what their intentions were. Time ticked away. The room was deathly silent, and all eyes were fixed on her.

"Teacher Mu, the first step in entering society is obedience. I hope you can understand that."

The devil’s voice echoed in Mu Yao’s ears. Li Xun’s father left first, followed by Zhao Zihan’s mother. The room was left with only "her own people." Mu Yao curled up and slumped onto the table, not caring about the filth on its surface.

"Do you need me to take you home?"

Mu Yao did not respond; her resistance was clear. Liu Ting sat nearby for a while longer before standing up and leaving. Mu Yao’s half-closed eyes finally felt safe enough to shut.

***

She didn't know how much time had passed. Mu Yao was trapped in a bottomless abyss with no way to save herself.

*Click.* The door to the room opened.

"Are you okay?"

Who was it? Was he here to save her, or... to watch her make a fool of herself? She felt someone pulling at her chair. Mu Yao fought through the nausea and sat up straight. Her pride did not allow her to be so disheveled in front of an outsider. Her vision was blurred, but she struggled to open her eyes wide to see the person in front of her.

"Xiao Yao, let me take you home."

Gao Mingyu picked up the bag Mu Yao had left on the chair and leaned over to help her up. Feeling the warmth on her shoulder, Mu Yao stood up abruptly and walked out of the room. She had to leave this place.

She stumbled down the hotel corridor. She didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't stop.

***

"They won't budge on that side; they want to raise the price. Nanxiao, what do you think we should do? Nanxiao? Gu Nanxiao?!"

Lan Yuan called out several times before Gu Nanxiao finally snapped back to reality. He was worried—Mu Yao had seemed… not quite right earlier. The look she had given him when she left the restroom kept flashing before his eyes.

Gu Nanxiao sighed and picked up the cigarette on the table. "I’m going out for a moment."

The door to the room ahead was pushed open. Mu Yao’s legs gave out, and just as she was about to collapse to the floor, a pair of strong, steady hands appeared before her.