The subordinates handed the food to Xu Yuehuai, and the girls around her looked on with envy, pleading, "We'll be good too, please give us some food."
"I want one too!"
Please!
The man smiled and replied, "Of course, but you'll need to exchange something else."
After saying this, he gestured for his men to step forward, and they were seen holding daggers and bowls.
The girls were at a loss, and they all tried to guess the man's intentions.
The man continued, "You can get food in exchange for your blood."
No!
"I can!"
Take my blood!
Some girls shook their heads violently in refusal, while others nodded hesitantly.
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere permeated the basement. In the dim light, the girls' faces appeared pale and haggard.
The man gave the girls a cold look, then signaled his men to begin their operation.
The men swiftly and deftly slit the wrists of the girls who were willing to donate blood, then placed bowls into the cages and quietly waited for the blood to flow.
The girls' faces showed pain, but they gritted their teeth and silently endured it.
As time went on, the amount of blood in the bowl gradually increased.
The man nodded in satisfaction, then ordered his men to throw the food into the girls' cages.
The appearance of the food immediately caused a scramble among the girls, who eagerly reached out to grab it.
The man watched the girls wolf down their food, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
He turned and left the basement, his men following closely behind. As the cell door closed, the basement fell silent and dark once more.
Seeing the girls who had no food watching others eat with longing eyes, Xu Yuehuai couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
She knew she couldn't just sit idly by, so she stood up and shared her food with the girls who hadn't gotten any.
The girls took the food and immediately began to devour it. Their faces showed satisfaction and gratitude, and they all thanked Xu Yuehuai.
"Thank you!"
Thank you!
Xu Yuehua responded to them with a smile, but her heart was filled with heaviness and sorrow.
After the girls finished eating, they began to whisper among themselves. Although their voices were soft, they were remarkably clear in the quiet basement.
"Does this mean we'll get food if we obey?"
"They just need some of our blood, and we don't know what they're going to do with it."
"If they take our blood every day, we'll either starve or bleed to death!"
"What are these people doing? When will they let us leave?"
...
Xu Yuehuai listened quietly to their conversation. She knew that there was very little she could do, but she still hoped to do her best to help these poor girls.
Suddenly, a girl's voice caught Xu Yuehuai's attention. She looked up and saw that it was the girl whose wrist had been cut.
She sat there with her head down, her face pale, saying nothing.
Xu Yuehuai looked at her and asked softly, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
The girl looked up, tears welling in her eyes. She gently shook her head and said in a trembling voice, "I'm fine, I'm just a little dizzy."
Xu Yuehuai's heart tightened; she knew the girl's condition might be due to excessive blood loss.
She immediately took out a stack of medicinal powder from a hidden seam in her clothes and handed it to the girl, saying, "Put this powder on your hands; it might make you feel better."
The girl gratefully accepted the powder and sprinkled it on the injured area of her wrist; her complexion seemed to improve slightly.
She looked at Xu Yuehuai, her eyes filled with gratitude and respect. She knew that without Xu Yuehuai's help, she might have been struggling painfully in this dark basement.
"Thank you!"
Seeing this, the other girls also asked Xu Yuehuai for the medicine powder.
Xu Yuehuai said she didn't have that much left, and gave them another packet of medicine powder to pass around and distribute.
Then the girls applied some medicine to their wounds, and they finally felt a little better.
As time went by, the girls gradually got to know each other. They began to share their experiences and stories, comforting and encouraging one another.
Xu Yuehuai also joined their conversation, using her own experiences and stories to encourage them to persevere.
However, life in the basement did not become easier despite the girls' mutual support. Every day, they faced the torment of hunger and exhaustion.
The man and his men would regularly come to the basement and take some girls away to donate blood and do other unspeakable things.
Each time the man left, the basement would fall into an atmosphere of madness and despair.
But even in such circumstances, the girls did not give up hope. They knew that only by persevering could they possibly regain their freedom.
So they supported each other and got through one long and difficult day after another.
In the basement, the dim light barely illuminated every corner. The air was thick with the smell of dampness and dust, cold and stifling.
The water stains on the wall are like silent teardrops, silently telling the story of the inhumane treatment here.
On this day, the man came to the dark basement as usual.
"Who among you can dance?" The man's words echoed in the empty basement, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.
His gaze shifted between Xu Yuehuai and the other girls, revealing a critical and indifferent look.
Xu Yuehuai stood up, her eyes resolute and calm. She knew this was her chance to escape this hellish place.
She gently swayed her body, her hands clasped together, fingertips lightly touching, like a butterfly about to take flight. Her dance steps were simple, but every movement was filled with a yearning for freedom and aspirations for the future.
The man watched Xu Yuehuai's dance, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He hadn't expected that this seemingly delicate girl would have such graceful dance moves.
Several other girls nearby also started dancing, but although they could dance too, they weren't as good as Xu Yuehuai.
The man waved his hand, signaling his men to take Xu Yuehuai and the other girls away.
The girls who weren't taken away watched Xu Yuehuai's departing figure, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
Some girls looked on with envy, hoping they could have that opportunity too; others lowered their heads silently, their hearts filled with helplessness and despair.
Xu Yuehuai and the other girls were led into a carriage.
The interior of the carriage was dark and cramped, with a suffocating sense of oppression in the air.
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