"It was you? You arranged everything?"

“It’s me! I just told her that if you ran away and got caught, I would take her away from this place. I didn’t expect her to believe me. And you’re an idiot too.”

"Why? Why did you do this? You knew we were trafficked, yet you still acted as an accomplice to evil."

"Hahahaha... Women as lowly as you, you're lucky if anyone wants you. Why even think about running away? Isn't it better to stay here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, three men came out of the courtyard.

The eldest brother stepped forward and put his arm around Atu, grinning with a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Brother, it's all thanks to you that this woman obediently came back. Otherwise, with the fog so thick on the mountain, we don't know how long we would have had to search. Don't worry, we've remembered what we agreed on. This woman stayed at your house for three months. Anyway, she hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy during this time. If she can give your brother a son or daughter, then you can send her back. We're healthy, unlike your brother who's terminally ill and can't wait."

When Atu heard that the illness was terminal, a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

The second brother stepped forward and slapped Zhou Yuting across the face. "You bitch, you dare to run away? Then go and serve Ah Xing first. When you come back, I'll deal with you."

The third brother then brought a rope and tied her hands and feet together.

He put a dog leash over her head and handed it to Atu; "After it's done, don't forget what you said, that you'd give us two hundred yuan after your child is born."

"Don't worry, when have I, Atu, ever lied to anyone?"

Zhou Yuting was dragged to Atu's house like a dog.

It was at Atu's house that she learned why he hated women running away so much.

His mother was also trafficked, and their father died when they were five years old.

They survived thanks to the villagers. The two brothers wondered countless times why their mother didn't take them with her or stay to raise them.

That way they won't have to suffer from others' disdain or endure so much hardship.

Atu's brother had a girlfriend who was a sent-down youth in the town, but in order to return to the city, she accepted a marriage arranged by her parents and married a crippled divorced man.

Ah Xing was also traumatized by a relationship, and from then on, he became depressed and increasingly suicidal.

Later, when he fell ill and there was no cure, Atu began to hate all women.

Especially women who like to run away. He and his brother have run around in the mountains a lot since they were young, so he is very familiar with the mountains.

In villages, whenever a woman who has been trafficked escapes, the villagers usually ask Atu for help in finding her.

He has a refined appearance, which makes it easy for him to gain the trust of women and he can easily trick them into coming back.

Zhou Yuting also lived in a pigsty at Atu's house, and was also completely naked. Atu even tied her limbs to prevent her from hurting Axing.

She couldn't die here even if she wanted to, and living became increasingly painful.

She increasingly regretted why she had become friends with Zhao Meilan back then, even though she didn't like her at first.

If Su Li had believed even a single word of what she said, or even doubted it at all, things wouldn't be like this now.

Her life was completely ruined.

She stayed at Atu's house for half a month, and was tortured to the point of being skin and bones. She couldn't believe she had been rescued until the day the police found her.

Zhou Yuting stayed in the hospital for half a month, and she is still in a daze.

After resting for half a month, Zhou Yuting returned to the house she had previously rented.

She learned from the police that they were able to find her this time because of the information provided by Su Li.

Unexpectedly, in the end, after all the twists and turns, it was still her who helped him.

While Su Li was eating fruit in her spatial dimension, she heard a knock on the door.

She was stunned for a moment when she opened the door and saw Zhou Yuting.

I knew she had been rescued, but I never expected her to look so haggard and thin. The clothes he was wearing were too big, dirty and patched, and his shoes had his toes sticking out.

The Zhou Yuting she first met at the train station was the complete opposite of her, and she had lost all her previous pride and confidence.

"Come in!"

As soon as Zhou Yuting entered, she said to Su Li, "I'm sorry."

Su Li was somewhat puzzled when she heard her apology.

She explained, "I shouldn't have wronged you about what happened before, and I apologize to you."

Su Li waved her hand and said, "Oh, I've long forgotten about those things. Your key is with the captain; you can just go and get it from him."

After saying that, Su Li planned to go into her room. Although Zhou Yuting was pitiful now, she had advised her so many times before, but Zhou Yuting wouldn't listen. It was all her own fault.

"Su Li"

Su Li turned to look at her, but there was no light in her eyes, and she showed no trace of the brightness she had shown when she first met her.

She now exudes an aura of death.

Su Li just looked at her with a puzzled expression, without saying a word.

"I really regret not listening to you back then. Can we still be friends?"

Su Li was not surprised that she would regret it, after all, she had witnessed firsthand how shameless Zhao Meilan was.

If you make friends with someone like that, you should be prepared to be betrayed sooner or later.

"My basic requirement for friends is trust. Once betrayed, we can only be strangers forever."

Hearing this, Zhou Yuting knew that she and Su Li could never be friends again.

Her eyes dimmed, and she felt empty inside.

She wanted to cry but couldn't shed a tear; "It's nothing, I was just asking, don't overthink it."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!