Accidentally Sold Myself (Rebirth) - Chapter 32
32: Falling into a Trap
“Well, well, President Shuang, why are you sitting here? Not mingling with the others?” The speaker was an older man, his hair thinning, with a noticeable paunch, clearly a regular at these lavish, indulgent gatherings.
Gu Xi felt the man looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place him. He wasn’t some celebrity, so she shouldn’t have any impression of him.
“No need.” Luo Ningshuang replied coldly, though her tone remained relatively polite.
The man glanced at Gu Xi, noting her attire, which stood out awkwardly at the banquet. He sneered, “I say, President Shuang, did you really have to bring your housemaid to a gathering like this?”
“Director Cheng, you jest. This is my wife, Gu Xi.” Luo Ningshuang said, suppressing the anger in her eyes and forcing a smile.
Director Cheng? Oh! Gu Xi suddenly remembered—this was the notorious corrupt official who would later make headlines. He had been exposed by one of his many mistresses, who, perhaps out of jealousy, reported him. He was found guilty of embezzling billions, and even those close to him were investigated.
Cheng Bin’s mocking expression was undisguised. “President Shuang, what’s the point of two women getting married? Could she possibly be better than Xiao Feng?”
Luo Ningshuang’s anger was now barely contained. She shot back coldly, “Director Cheng, instead of meddling in others’ affairs, you’d do better to mind your own.”
Cheng Bin tightened his grip on his wine glass, startled. “I’ve always been upright and honest. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Why so nervous, Director Cheng? I didn’t say anything, did I?” Luo Ningshuang’s tone carried a hint of mockery, her arms crossed as if watching a monkey show.
“You… forget it. I won’t stoop to arguing with a woman.”
After he walked away, Gu Xi lost her appetite. “Hey, coming to a place like this is just asking for trouble. Why did you even come?”
“Hey? Don’t I have a name? You think I wanted to come? I had no choice. I need to build connections with some of these people. Otherwise, if I go on their shows later and they sabotage me, what then?” Luo Ningshuang sighed.
“You could dig up dirt on them and hold it over their heads.” Gu Xi said, clenching her fists and gesturing toward the crowd.
“That won’t do. Working with these people is too risky. One wrong move, and you’re covered in their filth. Don’t worry, though. Most of them are out for their own gain, but there are always exceptions.” Luo Ningshuang narrowed her eyes, coldly observing the people schmoozing around her.
True enough—corrupt officials might be plentiful, but there were always those who genuinely wanted to serve the public with integrity.
Luo Ningshuang seemed to spot her target. She picked up her wine glass and stood. “Wait here. I’ll be right back, and then we’ll leave.”
Gu Xi nodded, watching as Luo Ningshuang approached a middle-aged man. He looked refined, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and his demeanor was polite and proper as she neared him.
Ding! Jinjiang System Emergency Task: Safely leave the gathering. Reward: 25 Luck Points.
“System, is there some kind of danger?” Gu Xi frowned, her eyes never leaving Luo Ningshuang.
Ding! The system can only vaguely sense something is amiss. Specifics are unknown. Please be cautious, Author Ji.
It seemed Xiao Feng hadn’t invited Luo Ningshuang here just for food and drinks. But with so many people around, how could he make a move?
Soft music began to play, and some guests started dancing. A waiter approached Gu Xi. “Would you like some red wine, miss? This was specially selected by Young Master Xiao from France.”
“No, thank you!” Gu Xi wasn’t foolish enough to drink something offered by a stranger.
The waiter politely nodded and left. Distracted by the interruption, Gu Xi lost sight of Luo Ningshuang.
She stood up and moved toward the crowd. “System, find her! Where is she?”
Ding! Don’t panic, Author Ji. She’s just blocked by others. Look at the 6 o’clock direction and observe carefully.
Following the system’s prompt, Gu Xi spotted Luo Ningshuang chatting with people nearby. Relieved to see her safe, she relaxed.
Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she saw a handsome man with sharp eyes and a mischievous smile. “Hello, Gu Xi.”
“Xiao Feng!” Gu Xi frowned, unsure of his intentions.
“Wow, pretty sharp! You guessed it so quickly!” Xiao Feng shrugged nonchalantly.
“What do you want?”
“To invite you for a dance.” He bowed slightly, extending his hand in a gentlemanly gesture.
A few girls nearby began whispering. “Who’s this? Some country bumpkin? Young Master Xiao is actually inviting her?”
As eyes turned toward Gu Xi, she glared at him and shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t dance.”
“What kind of person is this? So rude!”
“Yeah, how did she even get in here…?”
The surrounding murmurs and pointing made Gu Xi uncomfortable, her heart racing with unease. Then, her hand was gently grasped, and Luo Ningshuang scratched her palm lightly, grounding her.
“Sorry, her dance partner is me.”
Ignoring the gossip and Xiao Feng’s predatory gaze, Luo Ningshuang winked playfully at Gu Xi. “Darling, care to dance with me?”
Gu Xi felt dizzy, as if under a spell. Mesmerized by Luo Ningshuang’s playful demeanor, she nodded before her mind caught up. By the time she regained her senses, she was in Luo Ningshuang’s arms, posed for a dance.
“Don’t be nervous. Just follow my lead and the rhythm.”
Luo Ningshuang was an excellent teacher, but Gu Xi was a terrible student. After stepping on her feet several times, Luo Ningshuang, who had been suppressing her laughter, finally grimaced. “Little money-grubber, if you step on me two more times, I won’t be able to drive tonight.”
“No problem, your bodyguard can drive!”
Luo Ningshuang: “…” Exhausted. Feet hurt.
When the dance finally ended, Gu Xi, seeing Luo Ningshuang’s pained expression, felt guilty. “Um, tonight… how about I rub your feet with medicinal wine?”
Luo Ningshuang shot her a look. “Obviously! You’ve trampled me to this state—do you think I’d let you off the hook?”
Gu Xi wanted to retort that she would let her off, but before she could, a wave of weakness hit her, like she was drunk.
Clinging to Luo Ningshuang, she managed to say, “I’ve been drugged.”
Before Luo Ningshuang could react, Gu Xi’s vision went black, and she passed out…
When she woke, she was in an unfamiliar, luxurious room with no windows.
Rubbing her head, she scanned her surroundings. Everything was high-end, except for the lack of windows.
“How did they drug me?”
“Heh, simple. I put drugs in all the food, and the red wine at the banquet was the antidote. Too bad you and Luo Ningshuang didn’t eat.” Xiao Feng said as he entered, clearly having overheard her from outside.
“Where’s Luo Ningshuang? What did you do to her?”
Xiao Feng shook his head, not bothering to hide anything. His expression was oddly excited, though his tone carried a trace of regret. “Still worried about her? Relax, her bodyguard took her away. With so many people at the gathering, we let her go to save the Xiao family’s reputation.”
Good. Gu Xi let out a breath of relief.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Feng sneered. “Looks like you don’t know Luo Ningshuang at all! Worrying about someone like her? Hahaha!”
“Let me tell you why I liked her. She’s just like me—ruthless, willing to do anything to get what she wants. But her methods are cleverer, killing without drawing bl00d, using others to do her dirty work. Me? I can only resort to cheap tricks. Still, I didn’t expect four men couldn’t even handle one woman like you. Tsk tsk!”
Gu Xi frowned and snapped, “Don’t compare Luo Ningshuang to someone like you. You’re not worthy. As for the goons you sent? Just a bunch of useless drunks.”
Xiao Feng didn’t get angry. Patiently, he continued, “I’ve spent so much time and money on her, all because she strung me along. Now that she’s grown wings and wants to ditch me? Not so easy. What I gave her, I’ll take back.”
Gu Xi scoffed. “What you gave her, she repaid with shares. You’re the one who profited. Don’t blame your greed on others.”
“Heh, seems she’s pretty important to you. Let’s see how much you mean to her, then.”
Gu Xi glared at him. “What are you planning?”
Xiao Feng turned to leave. “I’ll trade you for LS Agency. But Luo Ningshuang won’t give up her life’s work for you. Watch the TV over there. I hope you’ll see her true colors and stop defending her.”
Before the door closed, Gu Xi shouted, “I don’t need her to trade LS for me!”
After her outburst, she sat on the bed. Xiao Feng had said a lot, and she wasn’t sure what to believe. But he was right about one thing—she didn’t truly know Luo Ningshuang.
Would Luo Ningshuang give up LS to save her? Probably not. The thought stung, but Gu Xi wasn’t one to sit and wait.
“System, how many people are around?”
Ding! Scanning… Two at the door, two in the hallway, four downstairs, one on the roof. Unknown outside detection range.
“System, if I drank, could I break out?” Last time, she’d easily taken down four men. Could she do it again?
Ding! The system cannot provide a definitive answer. However, the enemy might get desperate and kill Author Ji, resulting in eternal fall into the Dark Abyss.
“What? Why didn’t you mention this before?”
Ding! In low-level planes, Author Ji typically faces no life-threatening danger. Since Author Ji never asked, the system did not explain.
If the system had a body, Gu Xi would’ve stomped it flat. “You didn’t tell me something this important? What if I’d died by accident? Forget it, arguing with a non-human like you is pointless.”
System: “…”
“What’s the Dark Abyss?”
Ding! The Dark Abyss, also known as the Dark Prison, is where souls unable to reincarnate go. There, they hear nothing, see nothing, and drift eternally in darkness until they’re absorbed as energy by the world.