So, Luo Zhiming discussed with Fang Xiu and decided it was best for her to go home first and come back after the New Year to look for work again. Since Luo Zhiming had to work that day, he didn’t take Fang Xiu to the train station. Fang Xiu went to the city by bus alone, planning to buy a train ticket home. Coincidentally, Fang Xiu ran into Liu Junting while buying her train ticket. Seeing Fang Xiu with her belongings, ready to head home, Liu Junting invited her to eat at a shop near the train station, saying it was to see her off. As they ate, Liu Junting laughed and said to Fang Xiu, "Did you make enough money working at your sister’s place? Going back so early for the New Year?" Fang Xiu shook her head and pursed her lips, "No, my sister doesn’t pay much. I worked for several months and barely saved up a hundred yuan, probably enough to buy a piece of clothing here in the city. That’s why I thought going back home could save some expenses." Hearing Fang Xiu mention she had saved up a hundred yuan, Liu Junting’s mind began to churn. He enthusiastically served her food while thinking of ways to get his hands on that money. As they talked, Liu Junting suddenly told Fang Xiu that he could introduce her to a job that could go until the New Year, earning her fifty yuan a month, and the job wasn’t laborious; it was just selling clothes and included meals. Fang Xiu was immediately interested upon hearing about selling clothes. She loved beautiful clothes, and the monthly salary was quite good. After thinking it over, she agreed. Liu Junting indeed introduced her to a shop where she could work. The conditions in the shop were quite good, and Fang Xiu was very satisfied. She never asked the boss how much she would be paid a month; it was always Liu Junting negotiating with the boss. Seeing that Fang Xiu was good-looking and articulate, the boss agreed to let her work in the shop. In fact, hiring someone was just to have a person watch the outside stall. When someone came to buy something, she would quote the price, but all the money transactions were handled by the boss, not going through Fang Xiu’s hands. Fang Xiu didn’t mind this arrangement, feeling that it was only for a month and it didn’t matter whether she was familiar with the boss. She would leave at a fixed time every day, and come back the next day to start work, barely entering the shop, so she wasn’t very familiar with the boss. At first, Liu Junting treated Fang Xiu quite well. Besides finding her a job, he also bought her several things, and during holidays, he took her around the city. He told Fang Xiu that he was a manager at a trading company, earning more than a hundred yuan a month just from his salary, not including company bonuses. As Fang Xiu went out to eat with Liu Junting and occasionally bought things, she soon fell for him. Liu Junting was good-looking and seemed to treat her well, often buying her small gifts to make her happy. In Fang Xiu’s view, Liu Junting was much better than Luo Zhiming. In the rural area, Luo Zhiming looked passable, and his family background seemed not bad because of his elder brother, but once in the city, Luo Zhiming really didn’t stand out. No money, no skills, and even relying on his wife to solve his issue with women. Comparing the two, Fang Xiu even started planning to divorce Luo Zhiming and to live her life with Liu Junting from then on. Having an affair is a dangerous thing for a woman, and eventually, after Fang Xiu had worked at the clothing store for a few days, one night, Liu Junting invited Fang Xiu over to his place, and she half willingly went along and they ended up sleeping together. To be honest, after the fact, Liu Junting was somewhat surprised. Fang Xiu, a village girl, was quite skilled in bed, not awkward at all, and very compatible with him, to the point where he found her irresistible. Moreover, the reason he got involved with Fang Xiu was firstly, naturally for those things between men and women. Secondly, he thought Fang Pingying was Fang Xiu’s elder sister, and since Fang Pingying could own such a good store in the city, he assumed Fang Xiu must also come from a well-off family. He always saw Fang Xiu dressed well and thought her family was wealthy, so he aimed to latch onto Fang Xiu for some money. After all, Liu Junting was always involved in deceitful affairs, exploiting his looks to scam women. The help he offered Fang Xiu was just in collaboration with the boss to deceive her; in fact, Fang Xiu would never be paid for the work she did in the store, it was all for free, with just her accommodation and food covered, and the boss took no responsibility whatsoever. Fang Xiu and Liu Junting hadn’t been together for many days before Liu Junting borrowed money from her, claiming he opened a store somewhere and the funds were delayed resulting in some debts, and he asked Fang Xiu to lend him the money, promising to pay it all back with interest in a few days. Fang Xiu, truly deceived by Liu Junting, didn’t hesitate at all and gave almost US$ 100 - accumulated from a few months’ work at Fang Pingying’s store and the initial money she took from Luo Zhiming - to Liu Junting. Seeing it was indeed only US$ 100, Liu Junting felt it was a bit less, but as the New Year was approaching and it wasn’t easy for a swindler like him to make money, US$ 100 could tide him over for a while. Once Liu Junting had the money, he never returned to the place he lived. Fang Xiu waited there for many days without seeing him; she later asked around and went to the store where she worked to inquire, only to realize that the store owner wasn’t actually Liu Junting’s friend at all, they were strangers. Naturally, the owner wouldn’t tell the truth, and merely said he thought Fang Xiu was Liu Junting’s wife, and that all previous arrangements were agreed upon. Misfortune never comes singly; that day, because they hadn’t paid the rent, Fang Xiu was kicked out of their residence. Fortunately, Fang Xiu still had a bit of change on her and stayed in a hostel for a few days. During this time, not losing hope, she kept pestering the store owner, asking about Liu Junting’s whereabouts. The store owner, tired of Fang Xiu’s persistence, intentionally had someone else tell Fang Xiu about Liu Junting. The person who told Fang Xiu, seeing that she was a pitiful young girl from the countryside, kindly informed her that Liu Junting was a swindler who specialized in scamming women’s money, and Fang Xiu was probably cheated. This person also told Fang Xiu about the places where Liu Junting often hung out. So today, Fang Xiu was here early waiting, not expecting she would really meet him, but she also didn’t expect to bump into Fang Pingying. Naturally, when she was talking to Fang Pingying, she omitted the part about her relationship with Liu Junting, only mentioning that Liu Junting had cheated her out of her money. Fang Pingying, having been deceived by this man in a past life, knew all too well his tactics; it was certain that Fang Xiu was deceived both emotionally and financially, but she didn’t dare to speak the truth in front of many people. However, as for Fang Xiu, Fang Pingying didn’t plan to intervene; when she left, she had warned her, and back then Fang Xiu had almost argued with her. But Fang Pingying wasn’t willing to just let Liu Junting off; she still remembered the grudge from being deceived by him in her past life. (To be continued. If you work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)