Initially, she refused. Having grown up in a relatively privileged family, the idea of such humiliation was intolerable. But if she didn’t comply, others would jump at the chance. There would be others to take her place. With her family on the verge of collapse and her parents begging her on their knees, it was as if they were pushing her into the fire pit.
Her mother even tried to persuade her, saying, “A woman sleeping with one man or many—it’s all the same. Who would ever know? After you get married, as long as you act well, your husband will be completely fooled.”
With even her mother saying such things, what choice did she have?
Perhaps her heart had died. She eventually gave in and slept with the businessman. From then on, her resources improved, her opportunities multiplied, and she became numb to it all. Over time, she transitioned from a rising starlet to one of the entertainment industry’s most sought-after figures.
But it seemed that fate was punishing her for not respecting herself. Recently, she had noticed something was wrong “down there.” Initially, she dismissed it as a minor gynecological issue. However, when the symptoms worsened and she did some online research, she realized she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease!
Her world collapsed. Anderson Tina even thought of ending her life.
She couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about this. If the news got out, she would be finished.
Fear consumed her. Recently, she had been so depressed that filming crying scenes left her genuinely hysterical, unable to stop sobbing.
Even the director asked her if the pressure was getting to her.
Nancy watched her cry and felt a headache brewing.
“Nancy, I might as well just die! There’s no cure, and if this gets exposed, where would I hide my face?”
“Stop talking nonsense! Who said there’s no cure?”
“It’s useless. I’ve looked it up. This disease is incurable. It can’t be eradicated! For the rest of my life, the label of ‘sexually transmitted disease’ will hang over me, impossible to remove. With a body like this, how can I continue acting? It’s pointless! Sooner or later, I’ll collapse physically and mentally, becoming a shadow of my former self!”
Nancy frowned. “Enough! Stop saying all this hopeless nonsense. It’s not the end of the world! If Modern medicine can’t cure it, isn’t there always traditional medicine? I have a friend who’s an incredibly skilled practitioner. I’ll take you to her!”
“Traditional medicine?” Anderson Tina shook her head. “How could medicine treat this kind of illness? I’ve researched it, and even Modern medicine doesn’t guarantee a cure. Besides, if news of this gets out, I’ll be…”
“Don’t worry! My friend is very skilled and highly ethical. She’d never disclose anything.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust her. I just think that people are inherently self-serving. If she exposes my condition, it would attract countless patients to her, and with my fame, it would make her reputation skyrocket!”
Nancy sighed. “Don’t worry—she’s already famous without you!”
With that, Nancy dragged her along. Fortunately, Anderson Tina had no filming scheduled for the afternoon and could take a break.
The car drove to the foot of a mountain. Anderson Tina stared at it uncertainly. This mountain wasn’t far from the city center. Perhaps due to its unsuitability for development or its longstanding tea cultivation, the area had remained unchanged for years. Even as real estate soared in the city, the mountain stayed the same. Only some houses at the foot of the mountain had been turned into restaurants. The mountain itself was covered in tea fields as far as the eye could see.
Anderson Tina had filmed here before and was somewhat familiar with the area.
“Nancy, is this doctor reliable?”
“Don’t worry. If I say she’s reliable, she is!” Nancy dragged her forward.
Anderson Tina initially worried about being recognized. To her surprise, before anyone could react to her presence, she was already shocked by the long queue. Hundreds of people were lined up along the mountain path, stretching out of sight. Yet no one seemed impatient. People were chatting, laughing, playing cards on small tables, eating instant noodles, or even cooking hot pot. The most unusual sight was a group in an RV, eating and drinking while waiting in line.
How did they even drive an RV up here?
Suddenly, an elderly man looked at her, startling Anderson Tina, who thought he was about to ask for her autograph. Instead, he clicked his tongue and shook his head.
