An'an Was Back

"Of course," she said firmly. "Back when we were in school, he was always secretly helping you. Whenever you were on cleaning duty, the classroom floor in your assigned area was always clean. He was the one sweeping it."

I froze.

Those youthful days had faded in my memory until they were almost transparent.

That quiet boy always wore black-rimmed glasses and rarely spoke,

I had never really looked at him.

Yet now, recalling those scenes, I suddenly felt a little dazed.

All along, where I had never noticed, he had been quietly watching over me...

"Gu Hansheng..." I murmured, an unexpected pang rising in my heart.

An'an sighed. "You were just too proud back then. You never deigned to look at him."

I shook my head with a bitter smile. "Yes. Back then, I couldn't even be bothered to remember his name."

An'an took a sip of coffee, then asked, "Where are you living now? Surely you're not still living with your parents?"

I didn't want to hide anything from An'an anymore, either.

So I told her everything.

How I had divorced Gu Hansheng, how I had made a deal with him when I was at the end of my rope, and how I was now staying by his side as his contract lover.

After hearing me out, she neither gasped nor showed the slightest contempt.

She simply watched me quietly, a light flickering in her eyes.

"This is straight out of a novel. A domineering CEO's forced love?" Excitement filled her face. "If you two could fall in love all over again after getting divorced, that would count as a happy ending, too."

I paused, then couldn't help laughing.

"Your mind really is... different from everyone else's."

Qin An'an winked smugly. "My best friend really is something! At least fate hasn't crushed you. You can still climb out of the ruins yourself."

Looking at her utterly serious expression, I suddenly felt warmth fill my chest.

In this world, she was probably the only person who could stand by me so unconditionally.

I stirred the coffee in my cup, listening to the clear clinking of ice, but my thoughts had long since flown elsewhere.

Those loan-shark debts were like an invisible hand, slowly tightening around my throat.

Seven days.

Only seven days.

I looked up at Qin An'an across from me, trying to sound as casual as possible. "An'an, have you come across any... ways to make money fast lately?"

She visibly froze, then frowned. "What are you planning? From the sound of it, you need money urgently?"

I nodded, hiding nothing. "Yes. I urgently need a large sum of money. And don't offer to fund me. That's not a long-term solution. If I'm truly left with no other choice, I'll ask you."

She fell silent for a moment, lifted her coffee for a small sip, and a trace of hesitation flashed through her eyes.

"Actually, there really is an event going around the circle lately."

My eyes lit up. "What event?"

Qin An'an set down her cup, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice. "It's a beauty pageant organized by that bunch of rich second-generation kids in Beijing. The prize money is pretty high-five million for first place."

"Five million?" I repeated, hardly able to believe it.

That was practically lifesaving money.

She nodded, but immediately added, "But you know how it is. These contests are called beauty pageants on the surface, but they're really games for the wealthy. You know a lot of the people involved... if you really enter, people will probably talk."

I paused, then burst out laughing.

"What day and age is this? Who still cares about saving a little face?"

Qin An'an looked at me, seemingly wanting to say something more, but in the end, she only sighed. "Hanhan, you've changed."

I smiled, but there was a chill to it.

"I had no choice. Once life has ground you down, even the skin on your face grows calluses."

The light outside the window grew dimmer, and neon lights came on at the street corner.

Qin An'an took out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and handed it to me. "Here's the registration link and the organizer's name. Take a look first. The contest is this weekend, just two days away. There's very little time."

I took her phone and looked at the extravagantly flashy promotional image, my fingertips tightening slightly.

The page read, "Beijing Elite Socialite Selection · Goddess Night," with five million in prize money.

Those words-five million in prize money-were more seductive to me than any words of love.

I leaned back in my chair, the corners of my lips lifting slightly.

"All right. I'll enter."

"Are you sure?" Qin An'an was clearly a little surprised.

"I'm sure."

Qin An'an stared at me blankly, then said softly after a long moment, "Hanhan, you're really... so ruthless that even I'm a little scared."

I smiled and shook my head. "It's not ruthlessness. I have no way back."

With less than a day left until registration closed for that selection event or whatever it was, I headed straight to the registration venue after parting with An'an.

The receptionist wore a perfectly practiced smile. "Contestants registering, please go to the second floor, to the room at the very end."

I carried my bag upstairs.

Thick carpet lined the hallway, swallowing every footstep. A sign on the door read, "Contestant Registration Review."

I raised my hand and knocked.

"Come in."

A languid male voice came from inside, carrying a hint of familiarity.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, then faltered.

How was this a registration office?

The room was lit in dim gold, the curtains half drawn, with several documents and a few unopened bottles of red wine piled on the table,

A sound system stood in the corner, playing soft jazz.

This atmosphere...

It didn't feel like an "official event" at all, but more like some powerful figure's private gathering.

But what surprised me even more was the man sitting on the sofa.