Hu Lan returned to the theater, pretending that nothing was amiss. She accepted the stage costumes Boss Liu gave her and even agreed to accompany Manager Qian for a meal. Boss Liu seemed to have anticipated this; after all, the jewelry and accessories he had gifted her were quite valuable. Not only that, but he kept discussing with Hu Lan the idea of buying another girl of a similar age from a human trafficker, under the pretense of easing her sorrow over losing her daughter. Hu Lan agreed on the surface, but a cold sweat broke out across her back. She feigned docility while secretly observing him, and for several days, she could not sleep a wink.
It wasn't long before she realized that Manager Qian was highly suspicious, and Boss Liu was constantly fawning over him. One day, while the two men were drinking, Hu Lan hid nearby to eavesdrop.
"Manager Qian, please, give me a little more time! My theater isn't going anywhere, is it? Even if I pay you back, it will take some time! Don't push me too far, or you won't get a single cent!"
Chapter 192