The Auction

When the bidder in booth six secured Luo Yao for eight million, the crowd below erupted in excitement. The hostesses on the stage wore expressions of disbelief, having expected the final bid to be no more than five or six million. Yet, booth six had added an additional fifteen hundred thousand. Was this merely a thrill seeker’s whim, a reckless bidding spree?

Although the motivations of the big spender in booth six remained a mystery, one thing was clear: the auctioneer’s commission would reflect the higher bid. Meanwhile, Luo Yao, confined in his cage, struggled to comprehend his situation. He had a vague understanding of being auctioned off, but the final price of eight million was unsettling. Surrounded by women who seemed to be mostly middle-aged or elderly, his discomfort grew.

****

The commotion subsided, and Luo Yao’s cage was enveloped in a black curtain. A faint movement beneath his feet suggested he was being transported. His thoughts turned to the unseen occupants of booth six, hoping that, as VIPs, they might treat him with some decency.

****

In a chain hotel in Wanhai City, Luo Tingting slumped against the wall, her voice trembling with frustration. ‘Mom, why can’t we go home?’

Luo’s parents leaned against the wall, too exhausted to respond. Recent events had left them reeling. Luo had borrowed heavily from local lending agencies to invest in the booming virtual currency market. But the market crashed, wiping out their savings and loans. Initially, they had managed to hide their predicament from their family, but creditors eventually tracked them down, forcing them into exile.

‘Where’s my brother?’ Luo Tingting asked, her voice shaking as she looked at her parents’ glazed eyes. ‘Mom, Dad, please say something!’

After a long silence, Luo’s mother lit a cigarette, her hands trembling. She had received a message from the creditors: ‘Your son has been sold to cover your debt. The principal is paid, but not the interest. We won’t bother you anymore. But remember, don’t call the police unless you want your daughter to be safe.’

The message ended with a smirking emoji, a veiled threat that hung heavy in the air. Luo’s mother had borrowed only forty million, but with interest, it had ballooned to fifty million. Her life’s savings, invested in virtual currency, were gone. They were trapped, unable to repay the debt without selling their home.

Luo’s mother couldn’t help but feel guilty. As a woman, she hadn’t been able to protect her family. She knew Luo Yao’s fate, a harsh reality in a society driven by capital. A young man sold to settle debts—a fate that even young girls understood.

****

‘Mom, where’s my brother?’ Luo Tingting’s voice quivered, her eyes wide with fear as she reached out to shake her mother. ‘Mom, tell me!’

Luo’s mother hesitated, unsure whether to reveal the truth to her daughter. It felt like a cruel sentence, a never-ending torment.

****

In the streets of the city, a group of thugs who had invaded Luo Yao’s home were celebrating. ‘Sister, that kid fetched a good price,’ one of them said, jingling the bank card in her hand. ‘We’ll give fifty million to the boss and keep the rest. Should be enough to spend a lifetime at the pleasure district.’

The leader of the group, clutching the bank card, fantasized about the famous male courtesans at the pleasure district. Her face split into a smirk.

Unknown to them, the actual auction price was far higher. Initially, the auction house had planned to give them only sixty million, but after some consideration, they settled for ten percent of the final bid. The rest of the money disappeared into the shadows, a secret known only to the auction house.

****

Behind the scenes, bidders collected their prizes and paid the corresponding fees. Mu Yaochen, holding a delicate iron chain, stood behind a heavily draped cage. Despite her many ‘trophies’ that evening, this one was her favorite.

Simply holding the chain connected to the cage filled her with a strange joy. During the transaction, the staff had informed her that Luo Yao’s health was deteriorating, and he was running a high fever. Earlier, they had hurried him onto the stage after giving him a single dose of fever medication. Now, he lay in a storage room, his condition uncertain.

Mu Yaochen had already arranged for a private ambulance to meet them at the hospital. As she looked at Luo Yao, sleeping fitfully in the cage, she felt a mix of curiosity and a desire to prove herself. She wanted to show that she was a true woman, capable and worthy of inheriting the Blue Bird Corporation.

Her gaze lingered on Luo Yao, and despite her interest, she decided to have him checked by a doctor to confirm his status. She had her principles, after all. Although he was just a tool for her amusement, the thought of him with other women made her feel sick and irritated. Perhaps it was the dominant instinct of a woman like her, the need to control and possess.

Finally, she admitted to herself that her fascination with Luo Yao had grown into an overwhelming desire to own him completely.

****

Here, I must make a serious declaration. What follows is a tale of the protagonist’s humiliation and suffering. If you cannot accept this, it’s best to stop reading now. If you prefer a more conventional story, you can skip the first volume entirely.