Quenching My Thirst - Chapter 2

You Ling stood frozen, watching the woman’s retreating figure.

She hadn’t expected someone who seemed so unattainable to be so accommodating. Despite being bumped into, the woman had only asked for a photograph and a hair tie.

The photograph was still on her phone, the immortal-like beauty standing out vividly among her collection of painting photos.

Though she’d worked as a companion photographer for three or four years, You Ling had never made it a habit to keep client photos in her album. Even promotional shots were deleted after being posted.

She opened the photo, gazing at the woman’s exquisite profile frozen in time. Her fingertips trembled and tapped the woman’s face on the screen.

This was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

…And the most gentle.

Unsure of her own motives, You Ling ultimately kept the photograph, quietly locking it away in a private album.

By the time she’d gathered her old works, drawing board, and paints and returned to her rented apartment, it was already late.

Zhao Daining tugged at his sleeve, soothing him. “Kids just love this junk food. Let them eat what they want. It’s rare to find a well-behaved child like our Zhangyu these days.”

Hearing You Zhangyu’s name, You Wei’s expression visibly softened. “Hmm, Zhangyu is the most sensible. He never gives me any trouble.”

After saying this, his gaze swept over You Ling, the meaning clear without words.

You Ling clutched the hem of her clothes, the fabric crumpling into a wrinkled ball in her hands.

In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say a word in her defense.

She had always been solitary and gloomy at home, withdrawn and silent. You Wei’s timid demeanor today only fueled his irritation.

But today’s visit wasn’t about scolding her. Glancing disdainfully at the cramped room, he sat down on the sofa with Zhao Daining, then turned to You Ling.

Noticing her overly long bangs, his brow furrowed again.

“What kind of image do you think you’re projecting with hair this long all the time?!”

“Get yourself cleaned up properly tomorrow and go on a blind date with Miss Bai of the Bai Family. No matter what, you have to charm her and make her fall for you. Understand!”

You Ling let out a sigh.

“I don’t like women, and I won’t go on a blind date with her.”

She glanced at Zhao Daining, who was smiling brightly, and the resentment in her heart gradually piled up.

The young man lowered his head and mumbled, “Why don’t you send You Zhangyu instead?”

Hearing this, Zhao Daining’s expression stiffened, and the smile on her lips faded.

She would have liked You Zhangyu to go on the blind date with Miss Bai, but he hadn’t met her and found her too old.

Moreover, Miss Bai was an unconventional woman. She rejected perfectly good men and insisted on being attracted to women.

When the Bai Family announced their intention to find a girl to marry their only daughter, all the elite families in Jiang City were shocked.

The Bai Family was a powerful, old-money clan in Jiang City. After Bai Yiqing took over the Bai Corporation, the company’s business soared, and its stock price rose steadily.

Although Bai Yiqing rarely appeared in public, those who sought to curry favor with the Bai Family knew that the Miss Bai had been pampered by the family since childhood. She was aloof, dignified, and even had a severe case of germophobia, rarely interacting with others.

Yet this aloof “high-mountain flower,” who was so difficult to approach, suddenly announced she was seeking a girl for an arranged marriage.

In an instant, families calculated the potential benefits and began arranging for their daughters to meet Bai Yiqing.

Families without daughters could only beat their chests in frustration and lament their misfortune.

The You Family’s social standing in Jiang City’s elite circles wasn’t particularly high, but upon hearing this news, they became interested. After exhausting every avenue, they finally managed to connect with a distant relative of the Bai Family. Through relentless effort, they secured a chance for Miss You to meet Miss Bai.

This was the Bai Family, after all.

Jiang City’s most powerful and influential family.

If You Ling could marry Bai Yiqing, it would bring immense benefits to the You Corporation.

So, despite Zhao Daining’s deep reluctance, the thought of marrying You Ling off and elevating the You Corporation’s status—making You Zhangyu the undisputed successor—compelled her to suppress her resentment.

Listening to You Ling’s words, Zhao Daining smiled and said, “Lingling, not to be nosy, but this is a golden opportunity. Miss Bai from the Bai Family—if you could really marry into that family, you’d live a life of luxury.”

You Ling pulled at her lips and turned to You Wei. “Dad, do you agree?”

You Wei, meeting her eyes, which reminded him of his late wife, felt a pang of guilt before quickly retorting, “Isn’t it true? In your current state, being noticed by Miss Bai is already a stroke of luck.”

He harbored deep resentment toward his eldest daughter, and his words dripped with contempt, showing no regard for her feelings.

You Ling’s nails dug into her palms, leaving shallow marks.

Finally, she lowered her head to the ground and murmured her refusal, “I won’t go. I don’t like women.”

For over twenty years, You Ling had never had a crush on anyone. She had no interest in men and little interest in women.

Most of the time, she was like a ghost—solitary and brooding, always keeping to herself.

She wasn’t sure about her sexual orientation, but she had long prepared herself to spend her life alone.

Now, with You Wei and Zhao Daining forcing her head down and demanding she go on a blind date with Bai Yiqing, she had to make her position clear.

But You Wei didn’t care whether she liked women or not. He made his decision with finality:

“You’ll go on the blind date tomorrow. Your mother’s belongings are still in your room, aren’t they? If you refuse, I’ll burn it all to the ground.”

Knowing his daughter’s rebellious nature, You Wei guessed she wouldn’t agree to a marriage for the family’s benefit. But surely she wouldn’t refuse for her mother’s belongings.

The man stood up, looking down at her from above.

“Will you go or not?”

Zhao Daining stood beside You Wei, her sharp stiletto heel pointed at her like a dagger, ready to slice her heart to shreds.

You Wei knew exactly what she cared about most, and he used it to threaten her.

He knew she couldn’t possibly refuse when her mother’s belongings were at stake.

In truth, she had no real choice left.

The air hung heavy for a few seconds. Under his unwavering gaze, You Ling finally nodded.

She couldn’t risk her mother’s heirloom. Her only hope was that Miss Bai would reject her during tomorrow’s blind date. After the date, she would return to the You Family to retrieve her mother’s belongings.

Seeing her agreement, You Wei saw no reason to linger in this wretched place.

As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something and asked condescendingly, “Are you going back to your place tonight, or should I send someone to pick you up tomorrow?”

You Ling chose the latter.

After he left, she stared at the cold, congealed instant noodles on the table. A hollow emptiness spread through her body, as if the fullness in her stomach had vanished.

She sat down at the table, picked up her chopsticks, and forced herself to eat the noodles, trying to fill the void within her and ground herself.

You Ling’s stomach was already weak. As she forced down the remaining noodles, the alternating temperatures caused her stomach to churn. Soon, the food surged back up her throat. She rushed to the bathroom and retched for a long time, her hands braced against the sides of the toilet. The bones in her arms pressed against her clothes, revealing the gauntness of her frame.

She was wearing a well-made navy blue dress with a Peter Pan collar, the dark fabric making her skin appear even fairer.

She looked completely different from her usual gloomy demeanor, even seeming somewhat radiant.

At first glance, she appeared the picture of a well-behaved student, utterly pure and innocent.

On her slender wrist was a double-layered silver and mother-of-pearl bracelet that had been showcased at last year’s fashion show.

It was rare for You Wei and the others to spend so much money on her.

Yet as You Ling gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she felt no joy, only the sensation of being a commodified object.

She didn’t even have time to dwell on this before she was hurried into a car by the You Family’s attendants, driven to the location of today’s blind date.

Miss Bai of the Bai Family had naturally chosen a place of wealth and prestige.

The meeting was arranged at a private dining restaurant You Ling had never visited before. But the moment she stepped inside, she was struck by the restaurant’s classic and elegant decor, with its carved beams and painted rafters.

After giving the waiter her newly acquired room number, You Ling was escorted to the second floor.

At the door of the private room, the people who had followed You Ling were stopped by bodyguards, and only she was allowed to enter.

You Ling stood frozen, staring at the door, which was ajar. Her heart pounded with anxiety. She swallowed hard, mentally preparing herself for a while, before finally pushing the door open.

She had already braced herself for the arrogant Miss Bai to insult her during the dinner. After lowering her head and entering the room, You Ling remembered to close the door behind her, clinging to the last shred of dignity.

The silence in the room stretched for a few seconds after she closed the door. Then, a clear, crisp female voice rang out beside her ear.

“Look up.”

Such a familiar phrase.

As You Ling raised her head, she thought vaguely.

It’s so familiar because you’ve met your wife again.

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