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

As Chen Xiaodie's parents drove away from the mountain village, their wheels kicked up dust as they rolled over the gravel road.

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling huddled in the back seat, their tattered clothes covering their wounds.

The mountain shadows outside the car window gradually receded into the distance, changing from dense forests to scattered hills, and finally to patches of yellow earth.

Sun Xiaoyan leaned against the window, staring blankly at the telephone poles flashing past outside.

Liu Meiling shrank to the other side, clutching the hem of her clothes, her head down and saying nothing.

Chen Xiaodie turned her head from the passenger seat, glanced at them, and then reached out to grasp Sun Xiaoyan's cold hand.

"My dad said I can work in my family's company warehouse first, and there's a dormitory to stay in," Chen Xiaodie said softly. "Once you've recovered from your injuries, we can slowly look for other jobs."

Sun Xiaoyan didn't speak, she just nodded.

Liu Meiling looked up at Chen Xiaodie, forced a smile, and said, "Thank you."

Chen Xiaodie shook her head: "No need to thank me, you saved me too."

The car fell silent.

Chen Xiaodie's mother sat in the driver's seat, glanced at the two girls in the rearview mirror, sighed, and said nothing.

The car drove for more than three hours, passing through several county towns, and finally entered the outskirts of the provincial capital.

High-rise buildings are gradually increasing, and the streets are becoming more lively.

Sun Xiaoyan looked out the window at the bustling crowds and traffic, feeling dazed.

These people are all living their own lives, and no one knows what they've been through.

The car turned into a narrow alley and stopped in front of an old building.

The building is an old-fashioned cement building from the 1980s or 90s, with mottled exterior walls. Downstairs, there are piles of cardboard boxes and several workers are unloading goods.

Chen Xiaodie's father turned off the engine and said, "We're here. Let's go up and take a look."

Chen Xiaodie's mother got out of the car and opened the back door: "Come on, get out."

Sun Xiaoyan and Liu Meiling exchanged a glance and slowly got out of the car.

My legs feel a little weak; I don't know if it's because I've been in the car for too long or something else.

Chen Xiaodie's father led the three of them upstairs. The stairwell lights were broken, making it dimly lit.

On the second floor, to the right, there was an iron door. He took out his key, opened it, and pushed open an empty storage room.

The room wasn't big, only about ten square meters.

Two iron bunk beds were placed against the wall, an old table was in the middle, there was a faucet in the corner, and several old newspapers were spread on the cement floor.

"The conditions are basic," Chen Xiaodie's father said, "but they're clean and habitable. The warehouse is downstairs; I'll take you there to complete the paperwork tomorrow."

Chen Xiaodie's mother handed over two sets of clean work clothes, blue and neatly folded: "Change into these first, and I'll take the dirty clothes to wash."

Sun Xiaoyan took the clothes, and the touch of the fabric on her fingertips brought tears to her eyes.

She had forgotten how long it had been since she wore new clothes.

"Then I'll cook first," Chen Xiaodie's mother said. "You can use the kitchen on the first floor. Change your clothes and come down to eat."

Chen Xiaodie led her parents out the door and closed it behind them.

The room quieted down.

Sun Xiaoyan stood by the bed, her work clothes still in her hands.

Liu Meiling had already walked to the tap, turned on the water, and splashed a handful of water on her face.

"Hurry up and change," Liu Meiling said, "We're going to eat soon."

Sun Xiaoyan hummed in agreement and began to unbutton her clothes.

My hands were shaking a bit, and it took me several tries to unbutton it.

He took off his coat, revealing tattered underwear stained with dried blood.

She turned around, her back to Liu Meiling, and slowly took off her underwear.

His back was covered in scabs, and the fabric was stuck to his skin.

She pulled, and gasped in pain.

"Don't move." Chen Xiaodie returned at some point and stood at the door, holding a basin of hot water in her hands.

She put down the basin, walked over, and said softly, "I'll help you."

Sun Xiaoyan didn't speak, and stood with her head down.

Chen Xiaodie reached out and gently pinched the part where the fabric and skin were stuck together, tearing it apart little by little.

The movements were very gentle, but with each tear, Sun Xiaoyan gasped in pain.

"Just bear with it," Chen Xiaodie said, her voice trembling slightly.

Liu Meiling was already naked, and cold water was flowing from the tap.

She stood directly under the tap, pulled open her collar, and poured water over herself.

Water flowed down her breasts, past her navel, and into her waistband.

She bit her lip and didn't make a sound, but her body was trembling.

Sun Xiaoyan's eyes welled up with tears as she watched, and she also pulled open her clothes and walked over.

Two naked women stood under a tap, rinsing the vine wounds on their bodies with cold water.

The water flowed onto the ground, tinged with a faint blood color.

Chen Xiaodie froze, staring at them, then suddenly turned away to wipe her eyes.

The water was cold, but it actually felt better when it was running over me.

Sun Xiaoyan closed her eyes, letting the water wash away the tears on her face.

After showering, the two changed into their work clothes.

The blue fabric was rough, but clean.

Sun Xiaoyan tugged at the corner of her clothes, feeling a sense of security for the first time while wearing clothes.

"Let's go downstairs for dinner," Chen Xiaodie said.

The three of them went downstairs. The kitchen was in a corner on the first floor, and Chen Xiaodie's mother had already prepared a table full of dishes.

Braised pork belly, scrambled eggs, green vegetables, and a big bowl of soup.

"Sit down and eat quickly," Chen Xiaodie's mother said.

Sun Xiaoyan sat down and picked up her chopsticks.

Her hands were shaking so badly that she dropped food on the table several times while trying to pick it up with her chopsticks.

Liu Meiling, on the other hand, remained calm, eating heartily and picking up large mouthfuls of food.

Chen Xiaodie's mother served everyone a bowl of soup: "Eat slowly, don't rush."

Sun Xiaoyan picked up the bowl; the soup was hot, and the bowl was scalding to the touch.

She took a breath, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

"What's wrong?" Chen Xiaodie asked.

Sun Xiaoyan shook her head: "It's okay, the soup is a little hot."

She lowered her head and continued drinking, tears mixing into the soup.

After finishing their meal, the three of them went upstairs again.

It was already dark, and I could see the neon lights of the provincial capital outside the window—red, green, and yellow—a sea of ​​light.

Sun Xiaoyan sat on the iron-framed bed, staring blankly out the window.

Liu Meiling was sorting through those few tattered clothes, and finally threw them directly into the trash can.

"I don't want those clothes anymore," Liu Meiling said.

Sun Xiaoyan didn't turn around, but simply hummed in agreement.

As night fell, Chen Xiaodie didn't leave. She told her parents that she wanted to stay and keep her two older sisters company.

The three people squeezed onto a metal-framed bed, the bed frame creaking.

Chen Xiaodie took out her phone and showed the photos her parents had secretly taken during the day.

In the photo, Erniu is being escorted into a police car, his hands are handcuffed, and his face shows confusion and anger.

Sun Xiaoyan stared at the screen, remaining silent for a long time.

Liu Meiling took the phone and looked through the photos one by one.

Police entered the village, Erniu was put into a car, and villagers watched.

She flipped to the last page and sneered, "I wonder how long these beasts will be sentenced."

Sun Xiaoyan shrank under the covers, closed her eyes, and curled up like a shrimp.

Liu Meiling put down her phone and shrank under the covers. She reached out and grabbed Sun Xiaoyan's wrist.

Sun Xiaoyan didn't move. Her wrists were ice-cold, but Liu Meiling's grip made her feel a little more at ease.

Chen Xiaodie turned off the light and lay down.

In the darkness, three bodies were huddled together, the bed creaking.

Outside the window, the neon lights of the provincial capital shone, and the tattered curtains could not block out that light.

Light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled shadows on the wall.

Sun Xiaoyan opened her eyes and stared at the flickering light spots on the ceiling.

The sound of Liu Meiling's breathing filled her ears, and Chen Xiaodie was also turning over.

"Go to sleep," Chen Xiaodie said softly.

Sun Xiaoyan didn't speak, and closed her eyes again.

But she couldn't sleep.

My mind is filled with images from the past few days: the old locust tree, the vines, the firelight, the police lights, and the car that drove up in the morning mist at the village entrance.

She didn't know what awaited them.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring.

But at least for now, she is lying on a clean bed with someone by her side.

enough.