As the youngest child of the Zhan family, Zhan Bei Jue and Jiang Nan Fang’s last daughter before they decided to have no more children, Zhan Jing Chun received more pampering than anyone else from birth.
She was also very accomplished, not only smart and beautiful but also gentle in demeanor.
Like a pretty, smart, and well-behaved cat, she never went against her parents, growing up smoothly and without a hitch.
Just like her name, she was as pure as flawless white jade, making her very likable.
After her third brother, Zhan Jing Chen, and his wife, Pei Ke Xin, held their wedding, Zhan Jing Chun also celebrated her college graduation ceremony.
Her brothers and sisters had all moved out of the house, and Jiang Nan Fang and Zhan Bei Jue were actually quite worried that she would also request to move out.
However, their daughter was well-behaved and hadn't said much.
While this was a relief to them, they also felt indebted to her.
Were they being too protective, turning her into a flower in a greenhouse, unable to withstand the wind and rain when she entered society?
Jiang Nan Fang decided to have a good talk with her daughter to understand what she truly thought.
Whatever her thoughts, she could express them honestly to her daddy and mummy, and they could discuss it amiably.
Zhan Jing Chun still had no intention of moving out, but she also yearned for freedom. After thinking for a long time, she said she wanted to go on a field trip with her classmates for a few days.
Aside from school-organized activities, Zhan Jing Chun had never gone out alone with her classmates.
Now an adult who had graduated from college, she couldn't be kept by their side forever. Jiang Nan Fang agreed.
She personally arranged a driver, a car, and the itinerary, preparing everything perfectly before leaving.
Yun Cheng, located at the southernmost tip of China, although not economically developed and with a small provincial area, boasted beautiful scenery and many places worth visiting.
Their destination this time was a famous tourist attraction in Yun Cheng, a gathering place of Dai villages.
Whether in terms of culture, scenery, or customs, it was very worth exploring.
Upon landing, she immediately felt a different scenery from Nan Cheng. Zhan Jing Chun was very happy, and she affectionately took many photos for Jiang Nan Fang, sharing her updates daily.
Seeing her having fun and going to places that weren't treacherous, with Zhan’s people accompanying her, Jiang Nan Fang gradually felt at ease.
Who would have known that Zhan Jing Chun's fate would begin to subtly change from that moment on.
That day was rainy, not heavily, but like a pearl curtain hanging between heaven and earth. Looking out from the room, the dense forest was shrouded in mist, accompanied by a light drizzle, so beautiful it seemed like stepping into a fairyland.
They had already been in the local area for four days, and they planned to move to a different location the next day.
Rarely encountering rain, Zhan Jing Chun wanted to seize the opportunity to paint another picture of a rainy village. She opened her umbrella and left the hotel.
The village was built in a terraced style, and from the hotel, it was all downhill.
Winding and undulating, the bluestone path dripped and dripped. She felt as if she were walking through the words of a poet. Zhan Jing Chun held her camera, taking pictures as she walked, incredibly happy. Unconsciously, she had walked over two li.
Arriving in front of a small inn in the middle of the village, the lotus flowers and leaves in the pond looked exceptionally beautiful in the rain. She couldn't help but take a lot of pictures of the pond.
As she was happily checking her photographic results, an elderly couple, dressed as tourists, suddenly called out to her.
“Excuse me, young lady, may I bother you for a moment?”
Zhan Jing Chun looked in the direction of the voices. The couple was dressed simply, each carrying a simple bag, sharing an umbrella. They looked kind and benevolent.
She didn’t think much of it and politely asked them,
“No problem, what can I help you with?”
The old lady said, “It’s like this. We just arrived here for a tour and plan to stay for a few days. We’ve taken a liking to this inn and want to check in, but we’ve run out of cash, and neither of us knows how to use a smartphone.”
“You’re young and surely know a lot. Could you help us learn how to use WeChat Pay and bind our bank cards?”
In the age of intelligence, many elderly people couldn’t keep up and didn’t know how to use mobile payments. Zhan Jing Chun thought it was a minor matter.
“Of course. Did you bring your bank cards?”
“Yes, we did. You’re willing to help? Thank you, thank you.”
Zhan Jing Chun said it was nothing and walked to their side. The old lady quickly took her bag down to get things out for her.
Halfway through, she looked up at the sky.
“It’s raining so heavily, it’s inconvenient to stand here and talk. We don’t want you to get your clothes wet. Why don’t we go inside the inn to sort it out?”
Zhan Jing Chun glanced at the inn. It was lit, and although not large, it seemed quite legitimate.
“Okay, let’s go.”
She never came back out after that.
When she woke up, the sky had cleared.
Her body felt very hot, very stuffy, and aching all over.
She wanted to stretch her limbs, but as soon as she moved her hands and feet, she discovered she was tied up.
She quickly opened her eyes to see, but it was pitch black, and she couldn’t see anything.
What was happening?
Having been accustomed to a life of luxury and untouched by any external pollution, she didn't understand what had happened and thought she was dreaming.
She tried to lift her head and smash it down hard, but as soon as she moved, her head felt dizzy, and her heart pounded erratically. It felt like she had ingested something that made her uncomfortable, leaving her with no strength.
What in the world was going on?
Instinctively, she wanted to call out for help, but before she could even open her mouth, she heard the voices of two strange men talking outside.
“The last one. After this job, I’m definitely taking a good rest. Damn, this place is too remote. Driving here has made my whole body fall apart. Have they arrived yet? We’ve been waiting so long. Is this person reliable?”
“They’re coming, they’re coming. They don’t even have a car; they’re walking. How fast do you expect them to be? Don’t rush, wait a bit longer.”
“Hey, to be honest, among this batch, this one is the prettiest. You can tell she’s a delicate flower from a big city, with such fair skin… It’s just that these country bumpkins don’t know value, and they don’t want her. Damn, I even want to keep her myself.”
“Get real. Can you afford to keep a rich young lady like this?”
“Keep her? Once she’s in our hands, what does it matter if she’s a young lady or not? She’s just a *that* thing. As long as she doesn’t die, who would take good care of her?”
“Having a woman like this isn’t safe either. Unless you don’t let her out, someone will target her sooner or later. Aren’t you afraid she’ll wear a cuckold’s hat?”
“You’re actually right. It’s precisely because I know women like this aren’t safe that I haven’t touched her. Otherwise, would she still be here? It’s her misfortune. Where else could she go but to that godforsaken place for tourism, and now she’s ended up here. In this poor and desolate land, she probably won’t stay pretty for long.”
Listening to the two men’s conversation, Zhan Jing Chun, no matter how foolish, realized what was happening.
She had been tricked, most likely sold, and to a very remote place at that.
My heavens, how could she have encountered such a terrifying thing?
As she was thinking, the two men stopped talking.
“They’re here, they’re here. Is it those two below?”