C14 Desperate

"What explanation? That the mark on your neck is just a mosquito bite?" Xiao Jie sneered, curling his lips in disdain. Now, even looking at her felt like it was dirtying his eyes. "Get out."

A tear the size of a pea rolled down Chu Xiaoli's cheek. Her pink lips parted slightly, wanting to say something, but the man's contemptuous gaze was like a thorn, making her heart feel as if it had been bitten by thousands of ants.

She suddenly turned and ran toward the nightclub's entrance. Running in seven-inch heels quickly became a painful ordeal.

Caught off guard, Chu Xiaoli stumbled into a waiter, causing the tray of red wine he was holding to spill everywhere, drenching her. Her blue dress was instantly ruined.

"I'm so sorry... really, I'm sorry, ma'am..." The waiter was flustered, knowing this was the best nightclub in the city, frequented by the wealthy and influential. He couldn't afford to offend anyone here.

Chu Xiaoli had no time to worry about him. She got up awkwardly, only to find the heel of her left shoe had broken. With a bitter smile, she took off her shoes and limped out, her dress stained with red wine.

At that moment, she looked as pitiful as a discarded puppy. Xiao Chen's words echoed in her mind, and she frowned, filled with resentment toward him. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be in this mess.

She took a cab back to her apartment building, only to realize she hadn't brought her purse. Wearing a dress, she didn't have a cent on her.

The driver turned to look at her, annoyed when she couldn't pay. "If you don't have money, don't take a cab. If everyone did this, how would we cab drivers make a living?"

Chu Xiaoli felt embarrassed but still asked, "Could I borrow your phone to call my brother? He'll come and pay you."

"Forget it, just get out. You've had enough bad luck today, and who knows when your brother will show up? I'm not waiting around all day for you while I could be picking up other fares," the driver said, shooing Xiaoli out of the cab like she was a pesky fly, then drove off.

Xiaoli stood there, biting her lip, her eyes brimming with tears of frustration. She couldn't believe it—she was finally home, yet she still faced humiliation.

After a long moment, Xiaoli finally moved her stiff legs and headed upstairs to her small apartment. She found the spare key under the doormat, but just as she was about to unlock the door, a loud crash of a bottle breaking on the ground startled her.

"Who's there?" Xiaoli turned around immediately, seeing a drunken middle-aged man sprawled in front of her neighbor's door. She let out a sigh of relief. "What are you doing here? You scared me half to death! Don't you have a home to go to? Why are you drinking all day long?"

"What did you say?" The man squinted at her, and as the light from the hallway window illuminated her face, his scruffy face broke into a leering grin. "Didn't realize... you're quite the pretty little thing. Come on, have a drink with me... I'll show you a good time."

"I'm not interested," Xiaoli snapped, already annoyed. "Please, just stay away from me."

She turned back to open her door, but suddenly a rough, dark hand grabbed her slender wrist. Startled, Xiaoli dropped her keys, which clattered to the floor.

With a slight tug, the man forced Xiaoli to face him. Unable to match his strength, she was pinned against the door, her thin back pressed tightly against the wood.

The man's coarse hands showed no mercy as he tore at Xiaoli's clothes, his lower body pressing against her legs like a rabid dog.

Chu Xiaoli was not naive and understood what was happening. Her mind went blank as the overwhelming smell of alcohol and the man's sweat made her feel nauseous. As her clothes were being torn away, she struggled helplessly, tears streaming down her face, her eyes filling with despair.

Her hand, hanging limply by her side, fumbled around on the ground until it found a beer bottle. Without a second thought, she grabbed it and swung it with all her might at the man's head. Unfortunately, her aim was off, and the bottle shattered on the floor, leaving only a small cut on the man's skin.

The man's anger flared at her attempt to defend herself. His large hand clamped down on her pale neck, squeezing with a force that made it seem like he intended to strangle her right then and there.