Humiliation

Gu Hansheng and I were probably born to clash.

Every time I did something I felt guilty about, he always caught me.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

Things had already come to this. Panicking would do no good.

I turned to Shen Yanchuan and asked in a low voice, "A tie for first... can I still get the full prize money?"

Shen Yanchuan glanced at me, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Do you think we'd care about that little bit of money when we're hosting an event like this? Relax. You and she will each get five million. I voted for you, you know, Xiao Hanhan."

Hearing that, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Five million.

At least we could pay off some of the loan-shark debt and catch our breath. We could figure out the rest later.

All the hesitation, fear, and humiliation had been worth it.

I followed the lights with my gaze to the other side of the stage.

The contestant tied with me for first was Number 18.

She wore a silver-gray feathered gown with barely any fabric to be seen,

the feathers resting lightly against her skin, leaving far more exposed than they covered.

Every step she took seemed to tease the air itself. No wonder she had won so many votes. She really was alluring.

I lowered my eyes, waiting for the host to announce the results so I could take the prize money and leave.

But just as the host raised the microphone, a soft voice rang out quietly:

"Wait."

The entire room fell silent.

I looked up. It was Shen Nian.

She slowly rose to her feet, her smile gentle and gracious. "First place is first place. How can there be a tie? Besides..."

She looked meekly at Gu Hansheng. "Brother Hansheng hasn't cast his vote yet."

People around us began murmuring, and my heart suddenly clenched.

She was clearly targeting me.

Even if she didn't know about my current secret relationship with Gu Hansheng, she had to know that I had once been his "wife" in name.

My fingertips curled slightly, my nails digging into my palms.

Under the stage lights, my smile froze at the corners of my mouth.

There was no attempt to hide the contempt in Shen Nian's clear eyes.

And Gu Hansheng did not speak up for me either.

He merely raised his hand slowly and took the voting device the host handed him.

At that moment, my heart almost stopped.

Gu Hansheng... would he vote for me?

At that moment, I could almost hear my own heartbeat.

The stage lights were so harsh that my eyes ached. The tiny voting device in his palm was like a knife that could decide my fate at any moment.

For the first time, I truly felt how helpless it was to have my fate clenched in someone else's hand.

Gu Hansheng sat in the very center of the audience. A dark suit clothed his tall, straight frame, his shirt collar slightly open to reveal a stretch of lean neck. Every movement carried an unmistakable air of aristocratic reserve.

He lifted his eyes, his gaze slowly passing over me before moving to the girl, Number 18, on the other side.

The girl was perfectly at ease, her eyes bright and her smile seductive. She stepped forward on her own initiative and gave Gu Hansheng a slight bow, her voice sweet and soft. "President Gu, I've long heard of you."

After speaking, she deliberately straightened her back. Her gown could barely be called clothing, just a few feathers lightly covering her chest, her skin faintly visible beneath a thin layer of light and shadow.

Whistles and low chuckles rose from the audience.

And I... could only stand there woodenly, my spine rigid, unable to say a word.

Standing nearby, Shen Yanchuan reminded me quietly, "Say something too. Given your relationship with him, all you have to do is act a little cute. He'll definitely vote for you."

My throat tightened, and an ache welled up in my chest.

Act cute?

His white moonlight, Shen Nian, was sitting right beside him.

And I was just a scantily clad performer twisting my waist here to please other people. What right did I have to act cute with him?

I'd only be inviting humiliation.

His gaze was far too cold. Not driving me off the stage was already an act of mercy.

But when I thought of my family's ten-million debt, I gritted my teeth again.

A little humiliation was nothing... as long as I could help my family get through this, it would all be worth it.

I steeled myself and stepped forward, copying Number 18 as I bowed slightly to him. My voice was faint but firm. "President Gu, please vote for me."

He lazily lifted his eyelids and looked at me quietly through a thin veil of smoke.

"Does my vote matter that much to you?"

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Yes... I really need the first-place prize money."

The corners of his lips lifted slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "And?"

I took a deep breath and bowed again, my voice sinking almost into the dust. "So... please vote for me, President Gu. As long as you're willing to give me your vote, I'll do anything you ask."

The moment those words left my mouth, the audience erupted.

Laughter, jeers, and whispers rose one after another.

"Oh, isn't that the Yu Family's eldest daughter? How did she fall this low?"

"President Gu, she's your ex-wife. Life really is unpredictable."

"If I'd known it was her, I should've cast another vote too. Just to show President Gu some respect."