CHAPTER 108: CHILLED NANCY

"Nancy, it is not that I do not want to help you, but our crew bonuses have been stopped, and performance bonuses are the same."

"You should understand the situation. The losses from the pandemic are so massive that we dare not publicly report them. We are at least fortunate to receive a basic salary. I heard some unlucky individuals have not received a single penny for three months."

"Nancy, stop joking. My mortgage payments for that unfinished building have halted. I do not even have the funds to sue the developer now, so how could I possibly lend you money?"

"Nancy, what a rare guest... My restaurant, damn it, closed down long ago. I am currently job hunting."

"I cannot lend money, but I can offer you my life. I am a tour guide who has not worked in ages. Now buried in debt, I have no idea who to borrow from."

Nancy’s face was etched with worry, her hands painfully massaging her temples.

She had finally swallowed her pride and asked her classmates for loans. As a flight attendant major, half her classmates were either flight attendants or worked in the railways.

On ordinary days, her social media feeds were filled with luxury hotels, designer clothes and handbags, frequent check-ins at famous tourist spots—each portraying a glamorous, high-society image.

But after asking around, she discovered it was all just a facade; they were as penniless as she was.

If it were merely excuses, that would be one thing, but even her close friends, those who knew her intimately and were aware of her private circumstances, could only offer helpless, bitter smiles:

"Don’t even bring it up. Nina got caught last time she went out with a man. 200 dollars a night is so not worth it."

"Don’t even think about borrowing from Lindi. She’s poorer than anyone right now. The hotel owner who used to keep her went bankrupt and is broke. Now she can’t find a new sponsor to take over, and she can’t even pay her mortgage."

"Quinn, don’t be fooled by her always flaunting that shabby BMW. Her sugar daddy ran off. She just started working at a nightclub last month, and what she earns now isn’t enough to cover her previous debts."

"Do you know how corrupt it is? If you don’t offer full services, no one wants you. If you do, after commissions, management fees, and costume charges, you only get 160 dollars a night."

"Damn it, I’m being honest with you, I went for an interview. They said I’d only make half of what Lindi does, and she’s the top earner there, and that’s all she gets."

After making inquiries, Nancy felt increasingly disheartened. The flight attendant profession, though not large, was predominantly female and had always been a melting pot.

Being kept as a mistress or selling one’s body was so common it wasn’t even news anymore. On the contrary, those who remained pure were a rarity.

If you were lucky enough to snag a rich second-generation heir, you could marry him. If unlucky, you had to dive into the world of pleasure. Many of her flight attendant classmates even picked up passengers on planes and rented rooms to sell themselves at their destinations.

What chilled Nancy most was Lindi. Proud as a peacock, she had actually ended up in a nightclub.

You must understand, though this major was niche in school, it was packed with beauties and intensely competitive. Lindi was a school belle whose looks and figure were on par with Nancy’s.

She had already entered the sex industry. Nancy’s head spun, remembering her classmate’s words.

"Prices are generally low now. I heard from other classmates that there are at least twice as many girls in nightclubs as customers. The competition is so fierce some are undercutting prices, leaving even less money for the girls."

"If you want to do it, ask Lindi for help. She currently commands the highest price. If you go, you can definitely get the same rate as her."

Although classmates didn’t discuss these things in group chats, sticking to gossip and boasts, the underground market realities were clear for all to see.

Some classmates even asked Nancy if she had any sponsors to introduce, not minding sharing a bed, imagine how desperate their finances were.

It’s easy to adapt to luxury, but hard to return to simplicity. On the surface, everyone appeared radiant and stylish in designer clothes, but in reality, they were all dirt poor.

Selling one’s body isn’t even easy now. The flight attendant title doesn’t add much to the price, and finding a sponsor is tough. Even school beauties are forced into nightclubs. You can imagine how terrible the economic environment is.

"How could this be!"

Nancy’s scalp tingled with dread. Weren’t five-star nightclubs supposed to charge four to five thousand dollars for a full night? How come the girls only get 160 dollars?

By that calculation, if she sold herself daily, skipping her period, she’d only make a little over 3,000 dollars a month. Even without eating or drinking, she couldn’t pay off her debts in half a year.

Selling herself... that would mean complete ruin, especially since she was a married woman.

Truthfully, Nancy’s situation was somewhat laughable. Relying on her school belle beauty and figure, she had always been arrogant, believing she looked better than others even without makeup.

So she acted haughtily in school, failing to notice that some classmates had started using designer bags early on or had sugar daddies picking them up in cars. She was utterly living in her own world.

If any classmate had bragged to her excessively, or if some wealthy man had made a move, she wouldn’t have ended up marrying that fake rich second-generation, Daniel.

"Big sister!"

When Luis approached, his eyes lit up.

His sister-in-law Nancy had tied up her long, wavy hair, adding a touch of restrained allure. With delicate, light makeup, she looked exceptionally beautiful.

She wore a casual lace short-sleeved top and denim shorts that accentuated her long, captivating legs.

Though she wore no jewelry, her elegance was undeniable. Clearly, her flight attendant training hadn’t been in vain. Sitting there, she was stunningly beautiful, drawing everyone’s attention.

There was no greater beauty in the world. Compared to her mother-in-law’s mature fullness, Nancy was in the prime of her youth—the most beautiful age for a woman, like a flower blooming perfectly.

What a pity that Daniel, that piece of trash, had taken advantage of her.

"Brother-in-law, what would you like to drink?"

Nancy perked up, smiling like an orchid. "I was so drunk last night I forgot how I got back to my room. Luckily, I didn’t vomit, or I would have troubled you."

How could she be sure she hadn’t vomited? Because Nancy either slept naked or only in underwear. She had woken up in the middle of the night parched with thirst.

Vaguely remembering her clothes were still on, but finding them cumbersome and uncomfortable, she had taken off her nightgown and bra, drunk some water, and fallen back into a deep sleep.

She could clearly determine that Luis had not done anything to her nor taken any advantage.

On the contrary, thinking about the glass of water by her bed in the middle of the night filled her heart with warmth the next morning. She hadn’t expected this man to be so considerate despite being so drunk himself. Her jealousy towards her sister surged once again.

"You really didn’t vomit. You couldn’t even walk straight last night, okay? I carried you back to your room."

Luis stated this very calmly.

Nancy’s face flushed slightly. She smiled and said, "That must have been exhausting. I haven’t been dieting lately, and my weight keeps climbing."

"Elder sister, you have a tall figure. A little curves make you look good both front and back. If you were just a stick, it wouldn’t be attractive."

Women always appreciate such compliments. The more she looked at her brother-in-law, the more she liked him, temporarily setting aside her suppressed negative emotions.

"By the way, what did you need from me?"

"I need your cooperation, elder sister. We can perform a double act."

Luis said with a chuckle, "Didn’t you say you were going to buy Mom a car last time? It happens to be her birthday soon, so I want to surprise her. That’s why I need your help today."

"How can I help?"