Chapter Seventy-Four: A Fiery Video

Liu Yunfei changed into a fresh pair of trousers and walked downstairs. The others had already finished eating, and as he descended, another burst of laughter erupted from the living room. Only Bettia, her face flushed, gazed at him with a silent reproach that seemed to accuse him wordlessly. Liu Yunfei thought to himself, clearly, you've never done such a thing before—your expression alone gives it away. Anyone could see we have a secret; how clumsy.

Since dinner was over, Bettia and Henry had no further reason to linger and stood to bid their farewells, returning to their hotel. Liu Yunfei shook hands with Bettia last; instead of letting go, he led her to the door himself, opening the car door for her. As she was about to get in, he whispered, "Remember to come learn how to smile from me."

Sitting in the back of the Mercedes as it glided away, Bettia turned to look out the window at his still-handsome face, which wore a guileless, reassuring smile. She felt she could rely on him, yet recalling his earlier conduct, she couldn't help but quietly curse him as a scoundrel, the corners of her lips involuntarily curling into a smile. Heavens, have I fallen for this rogue? Why does the thought of his shameless antics make me want to laugh? He really is too much—actually making me use my feet for that. Why didn’t I even think of refusing him at the time? Could it be I’ve truly fallen for him?

Liu Yunfei went to bed first, dozing off for a while. He woke in the middle of the night, unable to sleep again, his mind replaying the moment at dinner when Bettia had teased him. He’d been restraining himself for days, and now, in the long, lonely night, desire simmered within him. Of course, he could practice the breathing technique Master Gao had taught him to suppress his urges, but unless truly necessary, he refused to use it—he felt forced restraint was not the answer. Besides, with so many beautiful women around, was he really expected to rely on self-control alone? That just wasn't fair, he brooded.

But regardless of how many women there were, the key was that not a single one was in his room tonight. Tossing and turning, unable to sleep, he considered flying over to the hotel to find Bettia. But when he checked the time, he realized the best way to win over a woman like her was to play it cool; she despised men who were too forward, especially those who pursued relentlessly. So he decided against it. What to do instead? Go online, perhaps. It was probably just after 8 p.m. in China now—maybe Fatty Yu was online.

He turned on his computer and logged into QQ. His screen name was "Rogue Fei"—a name inspired by Xiao Wei’s girlfriend, Zhang Juan, during a playful scolding. Liu Yunfei had thought it suited him perfectly: fearless, except for cultured rogues.

No sooner had "Rogue Fei" logged on than someone messaged him. He clicked it open—a simple "Hello." The username was "Lonely Tonight?" Not a classmate, not a friend, not a relative—who was it? He didn’t recall adding this person.

"Hello, who is this?" Liu Yunfei replied, checking the user’s QQ profile: "Explicit videos, reasonable rates." Then it clicked—he’d added her ages ago while bored in a chatroom.

"Lonely Tonight?" messaged again: "If I remember right, you said you were in Saudi Arabia last time. Are you still there?"

"No, I’m in Italy now," Liu Yunfei answered politely, not really interested in chatting, and scanned his friends list—no one he actually wanted to talk to was online.

"You must have traveled a lot then?" "Lonely Tonight?" seemed determined to converse.

"Yeah, sort of. New York, Paris, Stockholm, and Marrakesh," Liu Yunfei replied, thinking he might just log off soon.

But the next message caught him off guard: "Then you must be rich. Want to see me? I’m still a virgin."

Liu Yunfei was, after all, a man. He wasn’t so noble as to resist curiosity—he’d never seen a real virgin before, and his own desires were already flaring. The price was only fifty yuan. He transferred the money immediately via his bank card.

While waiting for the bank page to load, Liu Yunfei asked, "How’s business? How much can you make in a day?"

"I don’t know, today’s my first time."

"Really? But I’ve had you on my list for at least a month. You haven’t found a single willing customer until now?" Liu Yunfei would sooner believe in ghosts than take her at her word—clearly, she just wanted to make it sound more exciting.

"No, back then I was short on cash and heard this could make money. The day I added you, I’d just made up my mind to try it."

"So even if that was your first attempt, it’s been a month. You haven’t done it once?"

"You didn’t message me that day and logged off. I thought you looked down on me, so I hesitated and left too."

Nothing is easy, Liu Yunfei thought. The first time always comes with a painful struggle. "So why are you back tonight?"

"Because I’ve run into trouble again and need money—more urgently than last time."

Liu Yunfei shook his head. So many girls fall just to buy something fancy, losing themselves in the process. He stopped caring. The transfer was complete—he’d paid, so he might as well take a look.

"Check your account. Once you see the money, start the video," Liu Yunfei said, a bit embarrassed to be so eager, and to be honest, he almost hoped she was a scammer and not really doing this.

Soon the girl replied with an "OK" emoji and, true to her word, started the video chat. The moment the camera clicked on, Liu Yunfei felt the fifty yuan was well spent. The girl had a nice figure, the camera pointed at her chest, clad in a purple lace bra; her skin was smooth and pale, the full curves of her breasts inviting to the touch. Though she didn’t stand, he could see her flat stomach. Liu Yunfei’s lower half instantly stood at attention.

"Stand up," Liu Yunfei commanded. Since he’d paid, he intended to make these twenty minutes count.

The girl obeyed, revealing a cute pair of beige panties. For some reason, Liu Yunfei suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, and the feeling only grew stronger. He thought, I haven’t watched these kinds of videos before—why does this seem familiar?

"Sit down and bring your chest close to the camera."

She did as instructed. It was her! There was a mole on the left curve of her chest—this was the girl who lived on the third floor of the building opposite his! The one he’d spied on before. Liu Yunfei quickly checked her location. Even without an IP, QQ showed her city as Huangjiang!

A wave of sorrow washed over Liu Yunfei. Was there no such thing as a good girl anymore? Why did girls now surrender their dignity for money and luxury? No, no, maybe it wasn’t her—Huangjiang wasn’t enough to prove it. He clung to that hope.

"Let me see your face," he asked.

The girl replied at once, "No can do. In this business, we never show our faces."

So you have no shame, Liu Yunfei thought. "How much to see your face? I’ll pay more." He was eager to be certain, though he could fly home right now, but it wasn’t worth the trip just for this.

"I really am new at this. I’m embarrassed to show my face. How about I take off my bra instead?" she insisted.

But by now, Liu Yunfei’s desire had faded; he just wanted confirmation. Though he’d never spoken to her, he’d always thought she was a pure, innocent girl.

"Fine, I’ll transfer you five hundred yuan more. I just want to see your face."

The girl hesitated—five hundred yuan was enough for ten sessions, enough to cover a day of her father’s medical expenses. Gritting her teeth, she agreed. "Okay!"

After Liu Yunfei completed the transfer, he finally saw her beautiful, delicate features—like rose petals. He sighed softly and closed the video chat without a word.

The girl seemed to sense something. "Do you think I’m despicable?"

Liu Yunfei wanted to say yes, but pity held him back. He simply replied, "There are many ways to earn money. Even if you can’t make much, there’s no need to do this for money or for nice clothes. Do you realize you’ve already broken the law?"

"I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I don’t want to do this either. My father is sick and I need a lot of money." At her computer, the girl could no longer hold back her tears.

But there were too many scammers online for Liu Yunfei to believe her. In fact, it only made him dislike her more. "It’s bad enough to sell your body for money, but to curse your own father as an excuse? I’m deleting you—here’s my parting gift: shameless!"

Liu Yunfei was furious. In that moment, all the beautiful fantasies he’d had of the angelic girl next door were shattered, as if his favorite childhood toy had been smashed beyond repair. Out of nowhere, he suddenly thought of Park Minji—Minji was the best. She was strong, stubborn, and confident. In the concrete jungle of New York, she carved out her own niche, always optimistic and determined, working hard with her own two hands. Life was tough, but she pressed on, never selling her soul or dreams for money or vanity, even if she couldn’t afford designer brands. That’s the kind of woman one should marry, even if she nags a little.

P.S.: Dear readers, if you have recommendations, send as many votes as you like—ten, eight, it’s never too many; even one or two is appreciated.