Resorting to the Pole

Not knowing what she could have possibly done to deserve this, Xia Yanxi started to drift to the dark side. Be that as it may, she was still the daughter of Huo Changsheng. The blood in her veins, half of it came from him! 

How could a father treat his daughter in such a way? 

The pain she was feeling then, had increased exponentially since she stepped through the door of the Xia Corp.'s building, rendering her weak without strength to even stand. She was on her knees, feeling helpless. Tears rolled off her cheeks and dripped onto the now dusty, emptied floor of the factory. 

This outcome was a lesson. A lesson that only made her stronger, if not broken. 

After crying for a long time, she returned to her feet. With her tears dried up, she had a final glance at the once glorious Xia Corp.. There and then, she gritted her teeth firmly, swearing to herself, that everything that once belonged to her, would one day be reclaimed! Those who wronged her, family or not, will receive her wrath! 

From that day on, she swore to never associate herself with Huo Changsheng. She was going to put in everything she had to become stronger and better! 

***

After having arrived at the hospital, the doctor came to her, informing her to prepare the payment for the next chemotherapy session. 

To be honest, since the day Mumu had been diagnosed and admitted to the hospital, Huo Changsheng had never once visited Mumu, much less spend a dime to support Mumu's hospital bills. 

As such, Xia Yanxi was only able to make ends meet by working round the clock, and proactively asking for a loan from Lan You. However, as good of a friend she was, there was no way she could put up a thick face and ask for more. However, just with the wages earned from her odd jobs, the next chemotherapy fee would not… could not be covered. 

"Sis, didn't you say father went overseas for a business trip? Hasn't he returned yet? Why hasn't he visited me even once?" Xia Mu asked. The boy was only four years younger. Xia Yanxi, slowly peeling the skin of an apple, could not find the courage to tell him the truth. She feared that with his current condition, he would not be able to accept the fact that he was not Huo Changsheng's biological son. 

Xia Yanxi placed a sliced apple on his weak hand and said, "Oh… so I'm not enough, is that it? Perhaps I should stop coming to visit you too." 

Xia Mu ate the apple and shook his head. 

"Don't jest with me, sis! You know I can't take it well. Sister Yanxi is the only family member I have, besides father, whom I love the most." 

Xia Mu was worried as he noticed that his sister was losing so much weight that it was hard not to notice. 

"Did that little brat Shiyu bully you again? When I'm done with the hospital, I'll be sure to bully her back!" 

Xia Yanxi extended her hand and wiped trails of excess snot from his nose. His eyes were filled with genuine care and love for her. 

"Relax. This sister of yours will never allow that brat to bully her. Focus on yourself now. Get better. I have to go now. I've got something to attend to. I'll come back tomorrow, if that's what you want." 

"Please do!" 

Xia Yanxi got up and gave her little brother a loving hug before leaving the room. 

***

The Red Rose was one of the most luxurious, prestigious, unconventional late night entertainment lounge. Those who could be there were surely those who possessed the means to pay for it. 

Xia Yanxi came to this establishment half a month ago, introduced by one of her friends. All she needed to do was to come in twice a week. If it were not for Mumu, she would never have come to this sort of establishment. 

Fortunately, her friend and the boss of this establishment were close. He promised her that she would not be putting herself up for show, only her art. Though in reality she had been groped and harrased before… 

She came in through the back door, into the make-up room. When she was about to change her clothes, the lead dancer, Meimei, came in, limping on one foot. 

When Meimei saw Xia Yanxi dressing up for her performance, she begged her saying, "Yanxi, please take over my spot as the lead dancer! My leg… some douche got the better of me…" 

Xia Yanxi shook her head, saying, "I… I can't." 

If it were a regular dancer, anything besides pole dancing, she would have agreed. It was not because she was against pole dancing as she had been performing with the other girls as a backup dancer. She was against being the lead dancer as that would attract many unwanted eyes on her. That was the last thing she wanted.