Chapter One: The Slave Contract

“Beep beep beep… beep beep…”
As the sharp sound of a car horn pierced the air, Xiao Feng suddenly realized he’d been lost in thought, his head hanging low. Without noticing, he had wandered onto the road. A luxurious car, gleaming in a shade of rose gold, was bearing down on him, just a breath away. There was no time to dodge, yet his instincts took over; with lightning speed, he leapt aside, narrowly evading disaster by more than three meters. At the same moment, the car swerved onto the sidewalk.

Screech—
Crash!
The luxury car’s brakes locked up, leaving two black streaks on the pavement as white smoke rose from the tires, the acrid smell of burning rubber suffusing the air. The car slammed into a tree, shattering the trunk of a locust tree as thick as a bowl, snapping it in two. The car finally came to a halt.

Afraid that someone might be hurt, Xiao Feng hurried over. But this was, after all, a luxury car—with safety features to match. Though battered, it had protected its occupant. As the door swung open, a foot in a thick-soled white high-heeled sandal stepped out—revealing a strikingly beautiful foreign woman. She strode out, commanding and furious, and without so much as a word, landed two crisp slaps across Xiao Feng’s face.

Slap! Slap!
“Are you crazy, you pauper? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

She was a Western woman, her Chinese stiff and slightly accented, but at least uncolored by any regional dialects, making her words clear enough. Her hair was a glossy, golden blonde, parted to one side and shimmering with a silky sheen. Her eyebrows were sharp and defined, her eyes deep and penetrating—cold, noble, and intimidating. Her cheeks glowed with health, her lips red and teeth white, like peach blossoms in March, stirring admiration at a glance. She was tall and shapely, with the statuesque figure of a European woman and an alluring elegance. Her skin was fairer than snow, smooth as jade, giving her the air of a lotus blooming unsullied from muddy waters.

She wore a cream silk camisole, low-cut and tight-fitting, paired with slim, snow-white jeans. Her feet were clad in stylish white leather platform sandals, every detail exuding beauty, pride, elegance, regal poise, and an icy dominance.

Knowing he was at fault, Xiao Feng could only clutch his stinging cheek in silent grievance, his voice timid as he asked, “Are… are you alright?”

“Even if I’m fine, my car isn’t. Do you use those dog eyes of yours just for breathing?”

“I’m sorry…”

“My car is probably a write-off. What do you propose we do?”

“How much will I have to compensate you?”

The woman’s reply was pitiless: “In my country, we value fairness. I won’t take advantage of you. Just buy me a new car and pay compensation for my emotional distress. The car is fifteen million, and my damages are the same.”

Xiao Feng nearly wet himself with fright. Thirty million? He’d have to sell both kidneys to afford even three hundred thousand. He could only plead, “I’m sorry, I really don’t have that kind of money.”

“No money? Fine, then we’ll proceed with the legal process. You know what that means.”

Of course Xiao Feng knew. A man like him—no connections, no backing—couldn’t possibly compete with someone rich and influential, even if she was a foreigner. Meekly, he asked, “Is there any other way?”

“No other way—unless we settle it by the rules of my country, my family.”

Xiao Feng felt awkward and helpless. It was humiliating that, in his own country, he might be judged by a foreigner’s family code. But he was powerless—his skills useless, his circumstances dire. Since she mentioned another solution, he hesitated before asking, “What is your way?”

“It’s simple. We sign a contract. Until you pay back the debt, you’re bound to me.”

Xiao Feng was beyond reluctant, but with empty pockets and no other options, he nodded in resignation. “How long would it take me to pay it off?”

“That depends on what skills you have.”

“I know martial arts—I could be a bodyguard. I can drive too—maybe a chauffeur!”

The woman scrutinized him. His hair was cropped short, his brows thick, eyes bright, with an innate kindness about his expression. His complexion was fair, lips red, teeth neat. He was about her height, a bit thin, dressed in a clean light blue tracksuit and white sneakers. The young man looked honest, decent, and handsome—a good face with a gentle disposition.

Under her gaze, Xiao Feng grew embarrassed and lowered his head. The woman, however, grew more assertive and couldn’t help but praise him, “From the way you dodged just now, I can believe you know martial arts. But bodyguard and chauffeur are ordinary jobs. At my company, you could work your whole life and never pay off the debt.”

“How much would you pay me a year?”

“Three thousand a month.”

Xiao Feng was on the verge of tears. “I know it’s my fault, but I…”

“That’s why we need a contract. My name is Grace Dragulas. What’s yours?”

“I’m Xiao Feng.”

So her name was Grace, Dragulas her family name, as was the way with foreigners. Grace’s lips curled into a wicked, reluctant smile. “We have to put it in writing. We value contracts. From now on, you belong to me. Even if you want to die, you can’t—unless I permit it.”

Xiao Feng nodded awkwardly. “Miss Grace, you won’t… kill me before I pay you back, will you?”

“If you truly can’t pay, as you’d say here, I’ll have to ‘kill the chicken to get the eggs.’”

“What does that mean?”

She grinned maliciously. “Simple—sell you for parts.”

“My life is worth less than your car?”

She scoffed, “At least your life isn’t worth much.”

“You humiliate me in my own country—aren’t you afraid—”

“It’s not humiliation. It’s just the truth.”

Xiao Feng’s confidence crumbled. He thought of how, in his twenties, he worked himself to the bone, yet still scraped by on the edge of survival, with nothing to show for it. Just earlier, his girlfriend dumped him, claiming he wasn’t even qualified to be her lackey. Lost in despair, he nearly caused a tragedy. Whether he’d been hit or Grace injured, it would have been disastrous. Thinking it through, maybe staying with Grace wasn’t so bad—at least she might protect him if anything happened. So he clenched his jaw. “Fine, I’ll sign your contract.”

“That’s better. I don’t know about your country, but in mine, once you sign, I’m the master—you’re a slave, a tool that moves.”

“Miss Grace, isn’t this a bit much? You think this is the era when whites enslaved blacks?”

“The rules are for poor people like you. As long as I have money, even as a foreigner, the rules don’t apply to me.”

“You—”

Grace triumphantly fetched her bag from the car, took out a notebook, and wrote out the contract: “During the period Xiao Feng owes Grace Dragulas a debt, he must obey all her commands, including giving his life.”

She handed him the notebook. “Read it. If you have no objections, sign.”

Xiao Feng knew this was the ultimate humiliation, but in this world where the strong prey on the weak, what choice did he have? And he was in the wrong to begin with. Refusing would mean prison. Gritting his teeth, he signed his name.

Grace took the notebook, still not satisfied, and used her pen to blacken Xiao Feng’s fingertip, pressing his fingerprint as a seal.

Xiao Feng was mortified. “Miss Grace, isn’t this basically selling myself?”

“Exactly. Now, if I kill you, it’s no different from smashing a cup—just breaking an object.”

“Miss Grace, you don’t need to keep insulting me. If I ever repay you, will you void the contract?”

Grace nodded. “That’s right, but I doubt you ever will.”

“Why?”

“That much money? The interest alone will be hard for you to cover each day.”

Xiao Feng was filled with regret. He’d been too careless. The prettier the woman, the crueler her heart. But it was too late for regret. He could only voice his resentment. “Why are you so ruthless? Is your family company always this exploitative?”

Grace waved the notebook with smug satisfaction. “Mind your manners when speaking to me. Even if I kill you in your own country, with this contract, nothing would happen to me. But you’ll never see the world again.”

He sighed, “Today really is the worst day of my life. Fine, I accept my fate.”

“Good. Now come with me. Start earning for me and pay back what you owe.”

With that, Grace pulled out her phone and made a call. She spoke rapidly in a foreign language Xiao Feng couldn’t understand. Soon, another luxury car arrived. Grace instructed a sunglasses-wearing foreigner to deal with the crashed vehicle, then pointed to the new car. “Xiao Feng, get in.”

“After you, Miss Grace.”

Once inside, the driver chatted with Grace. “Miss, madam is receiving guests.”

“Who?”

“The one you hate most.”

“He’s proposing again?”

“Yes. This time, he says if you’ll marry him, he’ll give you control of his whole family estate.”

Grace was visibly angry. “As if I care about his money?”

“But miss, his family is—”

“Enough!”

Seeing her upset, Xiao Feng whispered, “Miss Grace, don’t be angry.”

She shot him a glare. “Did I give you permission to speak?”

“I…”

Grace stared at his timid face, and a sly smile crept onto her lips. “Xiao Feng, remember—you’re my slave now…”