The scene switched to the backstage of the underground auction.

Although this was just the backstage, the space was quite large.

And...

"Ding-ling—"

Occasionally, the sound of metal restraints clashing as they moved could be heard.

Furthermore...

"Smack—"

The sound of a whip striking the floor was incessant.

"Hurry up, don't dawdle, the guests are still waiting, don't ruin my business," a slightly overweight woman holding a leather whip shouted at a young girl.

The young girl being shouted at was clearly weak from not having eaten for a long time, but she showed no signs of complaint, only shivering as she drove her exhausted body forward.

At that moment...

"Smack—"

"Ah—"

The sound of the whip hitting and the young girl's screams intertwined.

The overweight woman, now slightly irritated, shouted, "Didn't I tell you to be quick, why are you still dawdling, testing my patience, are you?"

"Yes..."

Although there was a red mark on her back from the recent whipping, the young girl could only apologize and quicken her pace.

Luckily, the overweight woman did not use the whip again, causing the young girl to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, she had no rights here, so the only way to make her life a bit more "comfortable" was to obediently follow orders.

This was the lesson the young girl had learned since coming here.

Suddenly, a man's voice echoed from somewhere.

"Hey, is it really okay to do this?"

The overweight woman turned her gaze towards the source of the voice, and upon recognizing the person, her eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

"This commodity has been sold who knows how many times already, so even if the buyer questions the marks later, we can just shift the blame onto the seller," the overweight woman replied dismissively.

"Well, that's one way to look at it."

"How come? Why are you here today? Really surprising."

"It's nothing, just that a big client came today."

"A big client?"

"That's right, and this big client even asked me to help auction the merchandise."

With that, the man pointed to the Snow.

The overweight woman's eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of Snow.

"What... you mean... that girl... the big client actually wants to auction off this girl."

Others around also exclaimed in disbelief.

The man just smiled smugly.

"That's why I said it's a big client. Moreover, the client mentioned that if they were satisfied this time, there might be a chance for long-term cooperation in the future."

"I see, the way you put it, indeed a big client, even though I haven't seen them in person, it's already clear."

"Isn't that so? By the way, you should probably estimate a price for now, after all, we need a starting price for the auction."

"So that's how it is."

The overweight woman then carefully assessed Snow before speaking after a moment of silence.

"No, I can't estimate it at the moment."

"Is that so?"

The man seemed to have expected this outcome.

"Although it seems impossible to estimate right now, one thing is certain."

The man asked in confusion, addressing the overweight woman who was talking.

"What is it?"

"That this girl is definitely the most competitive product since the store opened."

"Well, I think so too."

The man nodded with a smile.

"By the way, you've landed such a big client, it seems like the bonus this time will definitely be substantial."

"It's alright... but that customer made a request."

"A request?"

"Well, she said we shouldn't put handcuffs and leg irons on her."

"I can understand that, after all, for such a premium product, even a small mark would greatly affect the price."

The man looked surprised upon hearing this.

"You are unexpectedly understanding. I thought you wouldn't agree."

"What are you saying? How long do you think I've been in this business? As long as there's a method that enhances the price, I will do it."

"Is that so? In that case, I'll leave her in your hands."

With that, the man left alone.

"This girl is sure to be the highlight of today."

The overweight woman walked excitedly towards Meixue.

"So, young lady, you'll be the final one to appear, at number 20."

She handed Meixue a round sign with the number 20 on it.

"Okay."

After agreeing, Meixue looked at the overweight woman in front of her and with a smile on her face, she said the enticing words.

"But before that, this princess has some questions to ask you. You better answer obediently."