The car drove for quite a while, gradually moving away from the city center. It slowly entered a dilapidated residential area, where piles of garbage bags were everywhere, emitting a foul stench of rotting waste mixed with damp mildew. Dirty water flowed freely across the ground, and one could even spot several rats darting out from beneath manhole covers.

This was a notorious area for delinquents, rumored to harbor criminals. Ordinary people would never come here. The driver glanced at the well-dressed girl in the backseat, thinking she didn't seem like someone from a poor family—why would she live here?

Before he could ponder further, the sound of a QR code payment notification interrupted his thoughts. "Master, I've transferred the money," the girl said as she opened the car door to get out.

"Ah, okay." The driver looked around and noticed several shady-looking middle-aged men smoking in a nearby shop, their eyes discreetly watching them. Unable to hold back, he spoke up, "Little girl, do you live here?"

Yu Li paused while closing the car door. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much." The driver hesitated, not wanting to overstep. "It's just... a young girl like you should be careful around here. This place isn't safe. If you don't have important business here, you should leave quickly."

Especially with a face like hers—it was like a little white rabbit wandering into a den of wolves.

Hearing this, Yu Li glanced around before nodding at the driver with a faint smile. "Thank you. I understand."

Seeing that she still insisted on staying, the driver sighed inwardly, resigning himself to the thought that everyone has their own fate, and drove off. After some distance, he couldn't resist checking the rearview mirror.

Just as he expected, the middle-aged men he had noticed earlier immediately stubbed out their cigarettes and began approaching the girl the moment his car was gone. Instinctively, the driver hit the brakes, intending to observe the situation—what if something terrible happened?

But suddenly, the girl turned her head and looked back at him. From a distance, their eyes met, and she slowly raised her hand.

Huh?

The driver was taken aback, thinking she might be scared and wanting to leave. He was about to turn the car around when he realized she was actually waving at him, smiling and gesturing for him to leave.

She was telling him not to worry and to go.

Driver: "..."

Kid... are you serious?

Fine. The driver comforted himself—maybe she had lived here long enough to know these people. With one last glance in the rearview mirror, he drove away.

Only after confirming the driver had truly left did Yu Li's smile vanish. Expressionlessly, she looked at the burly men approaching her, calmly pulled out a face mask, and turned to walk in another direction.

"Hey—don't go, beautiful."

With a leering voice, Yu Li was immediately surrounded by the men. The stench of sweat and cheap cigarettes assaulted her senses, but fortunately, the mask made it bearable.

She lifted her eyelids. "Move."

The leader of the group had thinning hair, a greasy face, and yellowed skin on his neck—like a rat that had somehow become human. He wore a crumpled jacket with the collar of a shirt peeking out and ill-fitting dress pants with a faded brand logo. His eyes narrowed as they shamelessly roamed over Yu Li's face. He swallowed hard and licked his lips.

"Pretty girl, you're new here. Looking for someone?"

Damn, she was a real stunner. He had never seen a woman this beautiful—especially those eyes, like a vixen's, captivating and alluring.

The foul stench of alcohol seeped from between his teeth, which still had food remnants stuck in them. As he spoke, he inched closer, his hands twitching with ill intent.

Yu Li glanced at him, her tone icy. "Whether I'm looking for someone is none of your business. But if you don't move, you're just looking for death."

The others burst into laughter at her words. To them, this was just a little rabbit baring its teeth—harmless and amusing.

One of the men, with a full sleeve tattoo, tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his shoe before spitting. "Little girl, this place isn't safe. If you're looking for someone, we can help you out."

He smirked, his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth. "Of course, we’ll need a little... interest in return."

The group of men had Yu Li tightly surrounded, leaving almost no room for escape. Though there were other people nearby, they all turned a blind eye, minding their own business. No one would risk trouble for a stranger. They could only mourn silently for the girl—unlucky enough to be targeted by these thugs.

Yu Li chuckled softly. "Interest? Sure."

Her eyes curved into a gentle smile. "Then let’s go somewhere quiet. I'll give you your... interest."

The men erupted in laughter. "Good, good!"

"You’re really playing along, huh? Done this kind of thing often?"

"Hahaha, don't worry, sweetheart. Give us the right 'interest,' and we’ll help you find whoever you're looking for."

Filthy words poured into Yu Li’s ears, yet her smile remained unchanged, growing even brighter. Beneath her gentle appearance, however, was a bone-chilling coldness.

"Yes," she said softly. "I do this often."

She emphasized the last three words as if making a point.

Watching Yu Li actually follow the men, a few aunts nearby who had been doing handicrafts paused and sighed.

"What’s a nice girl like her doing here? What a shame."

Another aunt chimed in, "You didn’t notice? The moment she got out of the car, those men were eyeing her. Even the driver couldn’t stand it and told her to leave, but she refused."

"Such a tragedy," the aunt clucked her tongue.

Just then, a puzzled voice interrupted. "Aunties, what are you talking about? What tragedy?"

The aunts looked up and smiled upon seeing the newcomer. "Xiao Ya, you're back early today?"

Huang Ya held up a cake. "It’s Hao Lan’s birthday today. I’m heading back early to cook a few extra dishes."

"Oh dear, my memory’s going." The aunt quickly fished out twenty yuan from her pocket. "Auntie doesn’t have much, but take this and buy something nice."

Huang Ya pushed the money back, her plain face breaking into a smile. "No need, Auntie. Keep it for yourself. It’s almost New Year’s—save it for new clothes."

Cheap labor wasn’t worth much. These aunts only earned a few dozen yuan a day from their work, and Huang Ya couldn’t possibly accept their money. Twenty yuan could be several days’ worth of meals for a family.

Seeing the aunt still trying to hand it over, Huang Ya quickly changed the subject. "By the way, who were you talking about earlier? I heard something about a tragedy?"

Knowing the girl’s stubbornness, the aunt sighed inwardly and took the money back. "A very pretty girl came by earlier. Dressed like some rich young lady—no idea why she was here. The moment she got out of the car, those good-for-nothings surrounded her."

She jerked her chin toward a direction. "Look, they haven’t gone far yet. Over there."

Watching their retreating figures, she couldn’t help but click her tongue. "Poor girl. What rotten luck to come here of all places."

The security here was so bad even the police couldn’t handle it, yet that girl had the nerve to come alone.

The aunt rambled on, completely oblivious to Huang Ya’s shocked expression. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the woman’s retreating figure.

No way… that silhouette…

Wasn’t that Yu Li?!