Chapter 40: Xu Damao’s Audacious Lust Leads to Being Caught In Bed

The night deepened.

Qin Huairu sat on the edge of the bed, her heart aching as she looked at her two sleeping daughters and her son, Banggen, who lay on the bed, still trapped in his state of mental deficiency. Her mind was a chaotic tangle. The lecherous face of Xu Damao and the words he had spoken echoed in her ears like a curse:

"Fifty yuan to buy you for the night."
"Your son only has three days left."

Should she go, or should she not? The thought tore at her soul like two giant hands. To go meant abandoning her last shred of dignity and becoming a woman of ill repute. To stay meant watching her son remain a simpleton for the rest of his life.

She felt a burning hatred. She hated Xu Damao for his shamelessness, but she hated Chen Mo even more for his malice. It was Chen Mo who had forced her into this desperate corner.

Time ticked away, second by second. Outside the window, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the courtyard was pitch black. Qin Huairu suddenly stood up. After a period of agonizing struggle, her eyes were finally replaced by a look of resolute madness. She could not let anything happen to Banggen. He was the root of the Jia family and the hope for her later years. For his sake, let alone selling herself for one night, she would even give her life if necessary. As for dignity—could that be eaten as a meal?

She went to the mirror and looked at her own reflection—haggard, yet still possessing a slender and graceful figure. She took a deep breath and began to unbutton her clothes.

...

In his room, Xu Damao paced back and forth, agitated. Every so often, he would lean toward the window to peer in the direction of the Jia residence. He felt restless and anxious, unsure if Qin Huairu would actually come. He hoped she would, yet he was also somewhat afraid. After all, if this were to get out, it would hardly be a glorious affair. But the moment he thought of her mature and alluring figure, he felt an unbearable itch, as if a cat were clawing at his heart.

"Damn it, I'll go all in!" Xu Damao gritted his teeth, took a bottle of liquor he had long cherished from the cabinet, and poured himself a full glass. He wanted to use the alcohol to bolster his courage.

After draining the glass, he felt a heat surge through his body, and his courage grew. Just then, a light tapping sounded at his door.

"Knock, knock-knock."

The sound was exceptionally clear in the silent night. Xu Damao's heart jumped into his throat.

It was her!

He rushed to the door in three strides, his hands trembling. He pulled the bolt and opened a crack. Standing outside was indeed Qin Huairu. She had changed into clean clothes and combed her hair; in the dim light, her pretty face looked pale, and her eyes held a mix of humiliation and numbness.

Xu Damao could barely keep from drooling. He yanked Qin Huairu inside and quickly locked the door.

"Sister Qin, you... you finally came," Xu Damao’s voice cracked.

Qin Huairu said nothing, standing silently like a soulless puppet.

"Sister Qin, don't worry, I, Xu Damao, keep my word." Xu Damao rubbed his hands together, pulled the fifty yuan he had prepared from his pocket, and shoved it into her hands. "Take the money first."

Clutching the fifty yuan, Qin Huairu felt as if she were holding a red-hot iron. She closed her eyes, and a single tear traced a path down her cheek. Seeing her in this submissive state, Xu Damao felt a surge of heat and, emboldened by the liquor, moved to pounce on her.

However, just as his hand was about to touch her shoulder, a thunderous roar erupted in the courtyard.

"Xu Damao! You bastard! Get out here!"

It was Shazhu's voice!

Xu Damao jumped, and the alcohol immediately lost half its effect. "Sha... Shazhu?" How did he get here?

Qin Huairu was stunned, her eyes flying open in a panic.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Shazhu began to pound on the door violently.

"Xu Damao! You spineless coward! You have the guts to steal a woman but not the guts to open the door? I know Sister Qin is in your room! Let her out! If you dare touch a hair on her head, I’ll kill you today!"

Shazhu's roar shook the entire courtyard. Lights in the various households flickered on one by one.

"What's going on? Is Shazhu having another fit?"
"From the sound of it, it seems Xu Damao did... that... with Qin Huairu?"
"My god, this courtyard is getting more chaotic by the day!"

Xu Damao turned pale with fright. He couldn't fathom how Shazhu had found out. The matter had been handled so discreetly that even the neighborhood gossips hadn't noticed. Little did he know that it was all orchestrated by Chen Mo.

Chen Mo had long anticipated that Qin Huairu would go to Xu Damao, and he knew that with Xu Damao’s character, he would certainly try to take advantage. So, he had deliberately dropped a "hint" to Shazhu. He had casually mentioned to Shazhu while the latter was cleaning the latrine: "Hey, Master He, I think I saw Sister Qin heading toward Xu Damao's place earlier. It's so late, I wonder what she's doing there."

That single sentence was enough for the impulsive fool, Shazhu, to imagine an entire drama.

This was exactly the effect Chen Mo wanted. He wanted not only to ruin Qin Huairu’s reputation but also to drag Xu Damao down with her. Most importantly, he wanted Shazhu, the "knight in shining armor," to catch his "goddess" in the act. For Shazhu, such a blow would be absolutely devastating.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Xu Damao paced the room in a frenzy. Qin Huairu was equally panicked; she never dreamed they would be caught at the door by Shazhu.

"Quick! Hide!" Xu Damao pointed to under the bed. "Get in there, and I'll go out and deal with him!"

Qin Huairu, unable to think of anything else, scrambled on her hands and knees under the bed. Xu Damao straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and, feigning the look of someone just woken from sleep, opened the door.

"He Yuzhu, why the hell are you howling at my door in the middle of the night!" he yelled, masking his fear with aggression.

Shazhu shoved him aside and charged into the room. "Where's Sister Qin? Where did you hide her?" He searched the room like an angry bull.

"Are you crazy?" Xu Damao blocked him. "What Sister Qin? I don't know what you're talking about!"

Just then, the residents of the courtyard gathered around. Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and others frowned as they looked at the farce unfolding before them.

"Shazhu, don't be impulsive! What exactly is going on?" asked Yi Zhonghai.

"Uncle Yi! This bastard Xu Damao tricked Sister Qin into his room to do her harm!" Shazhu shouted with bloodshot eyes.

"You're full of it!" Xu Damao denied it vehemently. "I've been in bed sleeping the whole time! I haven't gone anywhere!"

The two began to argue in front of everyone. Just as everyone thought this would be another unresolved mess, a small figure quietly slipped into Xu Damao’s room.

It was Banggen. He had followed them without anyone noticing. He didn't cry or make a scene; he simply scanned the room with gloomy eyes. Soon, his gaze fixed on the space beneath Xu Damao’s bed. He saw a familiar scrap of floral fabric—a piece of his mother's clothing.

There was no expression on Banggen's face. He simply walked over, crouched down, and with a sudden, sharp tug, dragged the person from under the bed.

"Ah!"

Qin Huairu let out a cry as she tumbled out from beneath the bed in a disheveled heap. Her clothes were messy, her hair was disarrayed, and in her hand, she still clutched the fifty yuan tightly.

The entire courtyard fell into a deathly silence.