"Do you even realize what time it is? How can you still be sleeping like this? Pretending to be the young miss of the Du family, are you? Even dogs don't sleep as soundly as you do!" The one berating her while placing her hands on her hips was Zhao Xue, a maid in the villa and also a close friend introduced by Shen Ya. Knowing full well what Du Yue had done two years ago, she showed no mercy or kindness.
"I'm sorry… I'm not feeling well…" Du Yue hadn't slept under a blanket all night and had been treated roughly. Her body still burned with pain, caught between icy chills and fiery discomfort.
Seeing how weak and frail Du Yue looked, barely able to speak, Zhao Xue's eyes darted around for a moment before she marched into the bathroom without a word. She returned with a basin of cold water and dumped it directly onto Du Yue's face.
The sudden shock of cold jolted Du Yue awake. Gasping for air, overwhelmed by the freezing sensation, she stared at Zhao Xue in disbelief.
But Zhao Xue showed no remorse. A cold smirk spread across her face. "Why are you staring at me? You were too lazy to wake up, so I helped you. You should be grateful."
She was more like a pigeon whose wings had been clipped, utterly powerless to resist. Clenching her fists tightly, she said nothing, slowly rising to her feet.
"Tch," Zhao Xue sneered as she watched Du Yue standing there lifelessly. She pulled a suit from the wardrobe, intending to shove it into Du Yue's hands but hesitated, finding her too filthy. Instead, she tossed it onto the bed. "Mr. Chen just called. He wants you to deliver this jacket to private room No. 15 at Nevernight City. Get moving now! If you delay, no one will dare bear Mr. Chen's wrath!"
Nevernight City…
Despite the throbbing ache in her body, Du Yue recalled the consequences of defying Chen Ze. In the end, she calmly picked up the suit.
Just as she stepped out of the door, she awkwardly turned back and extended her hand.
Seeing this, Zhao Xue shot her a confused glare. "What do you want?"
"Money… I don't have enough for transportation. Walking there will take too long."
"Oh, please!" Zhao Xue burst into laughter, her whole body shaking as she covered her mouth. Her mocking gaze swept over Du Yue. "Are you kidding me? The once-proud young miss of the Du family asking for money? Weren't you the same person who wouldn't bother bending down to pick up something worth thousands?"
This wasn't Zhao Xue's first encounter with Du Yue. The first time they met, Du Yue had descended from a luxury car, surrounded by an aura of elegance and wealth that captivated everyone's attention. Anyone who saw her couldn't help but marvel at her beauty—even Zhao Xue, standing beside Shen Ya.
But Du Yue paid no heed to anyone. Her gaze was fixed solely on Gu Hengan, strolling ahead. Just as she started to move toward him, the bracelet on her wrist slipped off and fell to the ground.
Du Yue didn't notice, but someone nearby called out, "Your bracelet fell off!"
She glanced down; her high heels were resting right on top of it. For a brief moment, hesitation flickered in her eyes—she was wearing an extremely short skirt, and retrieving the bracelet without losing decorum seemed impossible. After a moment's thought, she chuckled lightly, dismissing the matter entirely. "Forget it."
How noble!
Zhao Xue remembered it vividly because she secretly picked up the bracelet and wore it herself. It was the most expensive thing she'd ever owned, yet the former Du Yue had discarded it without a second thought. Why should fate deal such unfair hands?
Resentment and jealousy gleamed in Zhao Xue's eyes. She wanted to see if today's Du Yue would still lower herself for mere survival.