The Quagmire of Desire: From Gambling Addict and Village Flower to Movie Queen

Jiang Jianjun woke up just as dawn was breaking.

He sat up, glanced at Sun Xiaoyan who was sitting next to him with her eyes open, said nothing, and got out of bed to get dressed.

"Get up, go to the station." His voice was hoarse.

Sun Xiaoyan slowly sat up, her legs feeling a little weak.

In the next bed, Li Guoqing also woke up and nudged Liu Meiling.

"stand up."

The four of them didn't say a word, got dressed, washed up, and went out.

The morning in the small town was a bit chilly, and there weren't many people on the streets.

They went to the police station, went inside, and were greeted by the same plainclothes police officer, Officer A.

"You're here?" Plainclothes officer A glanced at them. "Sit over there and wait a bit. We'll ask you a few more questions today."

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling sat on a bench, while Jiang Jianjun and Li Guoqing stood beside them.

Plainclothes police officer A called them in and asked them some details about Boss Zhou, Brother Chen, and what the other owners in the club had said.

Sun Xiaoyan spoke haltingly, and Liu Meiling added a few words.

After asking the questions, plainclothes officer A said, "Alright, you can go back now. We'll let you know if there are any developments in the case."

"And what about them..." Jiang Jianjun asked.

"It's alright for now, you can go back with him," said plainclothes officer A. "But don't go too far, we might call you back at any time."

"Understood." Jiang Jianjun nodded.

The four people walked out of the police station and returned to the hotel.

The woman at the front desk still had the same expression; she glanced at them but didn't say anything.

Back in room 203, the atmosphere became even more oppressive.

Jiang Jianjun closed the door and looked at Sun Xiaoyan: "That's good now. The police say you're fine and you can leave."

Sun Xiaoyan lowered her head and remained silent.

Liu Meiling suddenly spoke up: "Brother Jianjun, Guoqing, I want to discuss something with you."

Li Guoqing looked at her: "What's wrong?"

"Divorce," Liu Meiling said. "Xiaoyan and I want a divorce from you."

The room fell silent.

Jiang Jianjun paused for a moment, then looked at Sun Xiaoyan: "You think so too?"

Sun Xiaoyan twisted her fingers together, not daring to look up.

"Speak!" Jiang Jianjun roared.

Sun Xiaoyan shuddered, but still didn't say anything.

Liu Meiling spoke up for her, saying, "Yes, Xiaoyan wants a divorce too. We're in this state now; we're too ashamed to go back to the village, and nobody's going to hire us at construction sites. We might as well try our luck on our own. We're already worthless; we don't want to embarrass you anymore."

Li Guoqing's face darkened instantly.

"What did you say?" He took a step forward. "Divorce? You wish!"

"Why not?" Liu Meiling looked up at him. "We're already like this, what do you need us for? To take us back and embarrass us?"

"She's still my wife, even if she's a disgrace!" Li Guoqing slapped her across the face.

Liu Meiling didn't dodge; she took the hit squarely on the face, and it stung painfully.

She covered her face and sneered, "All you do is beat your wife, what else can you do? You're useless in bed, but you're good at hitting people."

Li Guoqing was so angry that his eyes turned red, and he rushed forward to hit him again.

Jiang Jianjun stopped him: "That's enough, what's the use of hitting him?"

He looked at Sun Xiaoyan: "You really want a divorce?"

Sun Xiaoyan's tears fell, but she still dared not speak.

Liu Meiling said, "She wants a divorce, she just doesn't dare to say it. Jianjun, just let her go, and let yourself go too. You two go out to work, find someone clean, have a son, wouldn't that be great?"

"What a load of rubbish!" Li Guoqing roared. "No way! You haven't even had a son yet, and you think you can run away? Dream on!"

Jiang Jianjun looked at Sun Xiaoyan, his voice cold: "You also think that after the divorce, the two of you can make a living in another province?"

Sun Xiaoyan finally raised her head, looked at him, and said in a very soft voice, "I...I don't know...but I really...don't want to go back..."

"Don't want to go back?" Jiang Jianjun laughed. "Then where do you want to go? Back to selling yourself? Back to having someone put a collar on you again? Sun Xiaoyan, wake up! Besides us, what other man in this world would want you?"

Sun Xiaoyan's tears flowed freely.

Liu Meiling said, "If nobody wants us, nobody wants us. We'll live on our own. It's better than going back with you and getting beaten every day."

"Forced?" Li Guoqing pointed at her. "Liu Meiling, let me tell you, you want a divorce? No way! You'll never get one! You're mine in life and in death!"

"Then kill me!" Liu Meiling yelled back, "If you kill me, I'll be free!"

Li Guoqing was about to rush forward again, but Jiang Jianjun held him back tightly.

"Alright! Stop arguing!" Jiang Jianjun shouted.

The room fell silent.

Jiang Jianjun looked at Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling and said, word by word, "Divorce? Impossible. Once this case is completely resolved, I'll take Xiaoyan to another province, rent a place near the construction site, and you'll stay put and give me a son. Liu Meiling will be the same."

He looked at Li Guoqing: "Guoqing, go buy some food and we'll talk after we eat."

Li Guoqing glared at Liu Meiling, then turned and left.

Jiang Jianjun followed him out.

Only Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling remained in the room.

Sun Xiaoyan slumped onto the bed, covering her face and crying.

Liu Meiling walked over and sat down next to her, her voice low: "Stop crying, what's the use of crying?"

"Meiling... what... what are we going to do..." Sun Xiaoyan cried, unable to catch her breath.

"What should we do?" Liu Meiling said. "Didn't we just say we'd get a divorce and go to another province?"

"But...they don't agree..."

"If they don't agree, we'll run away," Liu Meiling said. "Once we get to another province, where we don't know anyone, how will they find us?"

Sun Xiaoyan looked up at her: "Run? How can we run? They'll be watching us..."

"There's always a way," Liu Meiling said. "Do you really want to go back with them, be locked in a house, be beaten every day, and bear them a son?"

Sun Xiaoyan shook her head, and tears fell again.

"I don't want to... I don't want to..."

"Then listen to me." Liu Meiling grasped her hand. "Find a chance to run."

Sun Xiaoyan looked at her with fear in her eyes, but finally nodded.

A little while later, Jiang Jianjun and Li Guoqing returned with the food.

The four of them finished their meal in silence.

That evening, Jiang Jianjun said, "You two can sleep in one bed tonight, and Guoqing and I will share one."

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling lay down on the same bed without saying a word.

Jiang Jianjun and Li Guoqing were lying on another bed.

With the lights off, the room was pitch black.

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling stood back to back, neither of them asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Jianjun's very low voice came from the bed next door.

"Guoqing, are you asleep?"

"No." Li Guoqing's voice was also very low.

"It seems these two women really don't want to stay with us anymore," Jiang Jianjun said.

"What should we do then? Just let them escape?"

"Run?" Jiang Jianjun sneered. "No way. Once we get to the construction site, we'll rent a room and lock them up. They're not getting away."

"Lock it up?" Li Guoqing asked. "Can it even be locked up?"

"Why can't they lock us in?" Jiang Jianjun said. "The windows are sealed shut, the door is locked from the outside, and they deliver three meals a day. Once she gets pregnant and gives birth to a son, they'll behave themselves."

Li Guoqing was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

In the darkness, Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling opened their eyes at the same time.

Neither of them moved, but they could both feel the other's body tense.

Jiang Jianjun and Li Guoqing whispered a few more words, then fell silent, followed soon by snoring.

Sun Xiaoyan slowly turned around.

Liu Meiling also turned around.

In the darkness, the two people's eyes met.

There was no light, but they could both see the despair in each other's eyes, and that cold determination.

Sun Xiaoyan opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Liu Meiling shook her head slightly, signaling her not to speak.

Then, Liu Meiling mouthed a single word silently.

"run."