While Luo Yu’s face twisted like a bitter gourd and her finger froze in midair, Meizi quietly climbed onto the roof.

“Hey, Luo Yu, Luo Yu.” Meizi’s grin hooked almost to the back of her head. She lightly patted the girl’s stiff shoulder. “This premium candy needs slow digestion. Come on, two more to clear your stomach.”

“I don’t want to eat it. I want to spit it out.”

Luo Yu dropped from the roof at lightspeed, dashed inside, and dove into the kitchen. She wrenched the faucet open.

Drip, drip—two drops, then nothing.

“Huh?” Luo Yu jolted. “Where’s the tap water?”

“Oh, that.” Meizi followed her into the kitchen and patted her shoulder. “I just haven’t paid the water bill for a few months. It happened to get cut today.”

“Damn.” Luo Yu hung her head, very sad and very outplayed. “Was this in your calculations too, Sister Meizi?”

Meizi kept patting her back, consoling her. “Alright, don’t be upset. Look, Xiaojiu’s here too.”

“Sis Luo Yu.” Cat Xiaojiu brought a cup of water and handed it over. “Do you want a drink?”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

Luo Yu took the cup and downed it in one go.

“Why does this water taste a bit weird?” She licked her lips, then waved it off. “Forget it. Xiaojiu, get me a few more cups. I’ll drink till I throw up.”

“Okay.” Cat Xiaojiu nodded obediently, took the cup, and went to fetch more.

Soon she came back with a full cup. Luo Yu drained it and returned the cup, telling her to bring several more. After a few runs back and forth, Luo Yu felt her head growing more and more foggy.

“Sis Luo Yu, do you still want water?” Cat Xiaojiu bumped the cup lightly against Luo Yu’s butt and asked in a small voice.

“Wait.” Luo Yu pushed the cup away, puzzled. She rubbed Cat Xiaojiu’s cheeks. “Where are you getting this water from?”

“Oh. Sis, come with me.” Cat Xiaojiu pointed off to one side with her right hand and headed outside.

What the—

Following her around the crumbling shack, Luo Yu came to the back and saw Meizi dumping canned candy syrup into a big barrel, then stirring it like mad with her own arm.

Luo Yu: “...”

“Meizi-jie.” Cat Xiaojiu ran to her with the cup and pointed back at Luo Yu. “I brought Sis Luo Yu to drink water.”

“Such a good, sensible kid.” Meizi rubbed Cat Xiaojiu’s head in reward. Then she lifted her gaze to Luo Yu, who leaned against the wall, swaying.

Meizi covered her mouth and smiled. “Well now, after that much potion, the effect’s fully absorbed. Even if you want to puke, you won’t.”

“By the newborn dawn...” Luo Yu clutched her waist and pointed at Meizi, cursing. “You actually tricked a clueless little girl and went straight for my soft spot…”

“Hahaha...” Meizi, delighted, strutted toward Luo Yu, who couldn’t stand anymore and duck-sat on the ground, about to pass out. “Still too green to take on your Sister Meizi, aren’t you? Xiao Yu, delicious little Xiao Yu.”

Luo Yu: “😭😭😭”

Meizi lifted the slack-jawed girl’s chin. Then she pulled a hemp rope from her waistband and wound it around Luo Yu, loop after loop. The fussy clothes got stripped off too.

Cat Xiaojiu stood there, stunned. “What’s wrong with Sis Luo Yu? Why isn’t she moving or talking?”

“She probably doesn’t like moving or talking.” Meizi tied the last knot and patiently explained. Then she whooped, excited. “Xiaojiu, your Sis Luo Yu’s about to go deliver herself to have babies.”

Finally, she pulled a big burlap sack over Luo Yu. With a handy little pushcart, she hefted Luo Yu on and set off for the tavern.

Tongue out and buzzing with excitement, she almost broke into a run. Cat Xiaojiu behind her could barely keep up.

She almost crashed into an old man on the road.

Second Uncle Xiong, seeing his old flame Meizi pushing a sack shaped like a person, got a fright. He stared at the soft bare feet sticking out and blurted, “Meizi, who’ve you got trussed up there?”

“Luo Yu. The beautiful girl who went to the Central to study a year ago. You’ve seen her. I’m about to gift her to the Champion’s party.”

“Luo Yu?” Second Uncle Xiong flinched. “Does she agree to that? You just tied her up. Isn’t that a pipeline to—”

“Oh, you’re right. We should ask.” Meizi went to the front of the cart and lightly slapped the sack where Luo Yu’s cheek was. “Luo Yu, you don’t mind if I send you to the Champion’s party for cash, right?”

Luo Yu: “...”

“See? She’s not talking. That’s consent. She’s thrilled inside.” Meizi patted Luo Yu’s butt, pleased with the feel. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. A top-shelf beauty like this is a once-in-a-century sight in our slums. What a pity... Second Uncle Xiong, we’re off. Drop by and look after my business sometime.”

Second Uncle Xiong: “...”

They rushed into the tavern and found the woman in charge of the Champion’s party. After confirming the girl was premium stock, Meizi took the money and headed home with Cat Xiaojiu, very satisfied.

…

By evening, the sedative’s effect ebbed. Luo Yu jolted awake, only to find herself stark naked on a bed big enough for ten. Her face went pitch black.

She tried to struggle. Her hands and feet were tied with rope. She could only duck-sit and push herself up. When she tried to cry for help, a ball gag stopped her mouth.

“Don’t panic... there’s still a chance.”

She started thinking through her escape plan. She twisted and thrashed, up, down, left, right, straining hard, acting like the heavy-armored knight standing guard didn’t exist.

“Mmph mmph—” she growled through the gag. “Once I get out, I’m blowing up this dumb tavern. Every day they prey on clueless girls…”

The heavy-armored knight: “...”

The knight yanked the ball from her mouth and poked her forehead with an index finger. “Prisoner, stop squirming. Lie still and look forward to the future.”

“Who’d look forward to that?!” Luo Yu snapped, then froze at the familiar metal-clad voice. She jerked her head up at the knight. “You’re—?”

“It’s me.” The knight took off her heavy helmet, revealing a familiar, slightly handsome woman’s face. She flipped her hair back. “Cat Ten.”

“No way.” Luo Yu’s panic flipped to joy. “An old friend!”

Even trussed up, she felt like taking off. With her hands tied behind her and stuck in a duck-sit, her mouth couldn’t stop curling up. “Heaven never blocks every road. I, Luo Yu, really am the chosen one. Hahahahaha—”

“Hey!”

Cat Ten flicked her forehead, deadpan. “What are you laughing at?”

“Untie me, catgirl sis.” Luo Yu smoothed her face into a cute smile. “I still have to go home, cook, and look after the kids...”

Cat Ten frowned, rubbed her eyes, then kept her expression iron-flat. “Prisoner, did I say I’d let you go?”

“Why? Didn’t you let me go once?”

“Then was then. Now it’s different.” Cat Ten walked to the wooden table, picked up a totally normal sword-hilt toy, and tossed it onto Luo Yu’s chest. “Tonight the Champion’s coming with Sister Chai. Practice with that. Get in the mood.”

“Crap—this fast?!”