"Abe, how old are you? Got a girlfriend yet?"
Inside a massage parlor room in Chengzhong Village, a woman was sprawled lazily on the bed.
Her lips curved into a smirk as her eyes openly scanned Abe Blake, her gaze brimming with mischief.
She even stretched out her hand, giving his thigh a teasing pat.
"Uh, I'm twenty-three, ma'am. I—I don’t have a girlfriend," Abe stammered awkwardly, instinctively backing away, his body hunching with discomfort. Yet his hands didn’t stop working.
He couldn't afford to lose this job; it was his lifeline.
"Twenty-three? Oh, sweetie, that's prime time to let that energy out! Keeping it bottled up isn’t good for your health," her grin widened, her tone full of mockery.
Deep down, Abe could only sigh bitterly. This wasn't the first time he’d been hit on like this by clients. He was used to it by now.
Standing tall and lean at around six-foot-one, with a strong build and ruggedly handsome features, Abe looked like he belonged anywhere but here. But the black sunglasses obscuring his eyes hinted at a painful truth.
He was blind.
Two years ago, Abe had been a promising student in medical school, before Leonard Goldstein—an arrogant heir to a wealthy antiquities empire—had destroyed his future.He stepped forward to stop them, but Leonard Goldstein's men grabbed him.
Leonard sneered, claiming Abe Blake had seen things he shouldn't have, and ordered his men to blind him.
Abe tried reporting him, but Bella Hayes, who was bribed by Leonard's family, testified against Abe, accusing him of blackmail.
Abe was left blind, and his reputation was destroyed. The school immediately expelled him.
Without being offered shelter at Sophie Reed's massage shop, he might not have survived.
"Hey, don't stop now, kid."
The woman seized the chance to touch his thigh again.
Abe had no choice but to massage harder.
"Yes… ah… that feels so good," she moaned, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
"Don't stop!"
To anyone listening outside, her provocative tone might be suspicious, suggesting something improper was happening.
Meanwhile, she kept shouting and groping Abe.
Being a young man full of energy, Abe found it hard not to react to her teasing.
His body betrayed him.
"Ma'am, please don't do this," Abe stammered nervously, retreating.
"Why are you scared, little brother?"
"I'm not lacking money. As long as you please me, you'll benefit, trust me."
She dropped all pretense and threw herself into his arms.
"I… I…"Abe wanted to push her away but held back.
This woman was a regular, generous with her tips every visit.
He couldn’t afford to offend her.
Just then, the door swung open.
In walked Sophie Reed, the shop’s boss. She was in her late twenties and wore a floral dress.
“Sis, Abe is still young. Don’t tease him like that."
“This time’s on the house,” Sophie said, smiling as she stepped in front of Abe protectively.
Caught in the act, the woman looked a bit embarrassed.
“I’ve got to go now,” she mumbled while hurriedly getting dressed. Before leaving, she gave Abe a lingering glance.
“Little brother, I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Sophie,” Abe said with a bitter smile.
“No worries. I was just about to close up anyway,” Sophie replied. She glanced at the time—it was past 11 p.m.
Walking over to the door, she started lowering the shutter. Halfway down, she suddenly held her back and winced.
“Ah!”
“What’s wrong, Sophie?” Abe asked, alarmed at her cry.
“It’s fine, just tweaked my back,” she grimaced, pressing a hand against her lower back. "Lie down on the bed; I'll give your back a massage," Abe said casually.
Sophie obediently lay down.
"Uh, Sophie, I need to lift your skirt a bit," Abe hesitated before explaining.
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
Underneath that skirt, there was nothing else. But considering Abe couldn’t see, she finally agreed.
Abe gently lifted the skirt. His hands rested lightly on her lower back, the skin smooth under his touch.
A faint gasp escaped Sophie.
The heat of his palms seeped into her skin, reigniting emotions she hadn’t felt in a long time.
It had been years since anyone had touched her like this. The faint masculine scent from Abe made her legs involuntarily press tight together.
"Are you okay, Sophie? Does it hurt?" Abe asked, concerned.
"No, no, it’s fine. Keep going," she replied quickly.
His movements grew firmer yet remained precise, and Sophie’s stiff muscles eased up. Relief spread through her body.
Soon enough, her pain turned into an overwhelming sensation, light and almost dizzying.
Soft sighs escaped from her lips.
No wonder women flocked to Abe for massages—it wasn’t just skilled hands; it was almost hypnotic.Sophie Reed was taken aback by Abe Blake’s skills. Her gaze shifted to his well-built physique and sharply defined features, causing a subtle flutter in her chest.
“Abe, I’m feeling a bit sleepy,” Sophie ventured. “I might not go back tonight. How about staying here at the shop?”
“Huh? Oh, sure,” Abe replied, slightly startled. After all, he had been living at the shop every day since he didn’t have a place of his own. Hearing Sophie’s suggestion threw him off for a moment, but he quickly reasoned it was her shop—it was only natural she could stay if she wanted.
Seeing his nod, Sophie’s face lit up with a hint of relief before she suddenly rolled onto her side. “Abe, I’ve been having stomach aches lately. Can you help me press it?”
She wasn’t bluffing—every time her period was about to come, Sophie would suffer from a dull pain in her lower abdomen.
Abe gave a brief nod and carefully placed his hand on Sophie’s smooth, flat stomach. “Here?”
“Lower,” Sophie instructed.
“Here?” Abe asked again.
“Lower still...” Sophie’s instruction paused awkwardly for a brief moment.
Abe hesitated, his hand faltering—it was already close to a much more intimate area. For a second, an evident unease crept over him.
Meanwhile, Sophie felt an intense heat spreading from inside her stomach, her body growing restless. Her gaze landed on Abe, her eyes shimmering with an almost liquid softness.
Out of nowhere, a loud crash came from the entrance.The half-closed rolling shutter was suddenly pulled up with a loud crash.
“Sophie!”
A tall, burly man staggered in, reeking of alcohol.
“Damn, it’s Bruce Grigg!”
Sophie Reed’s heart sank. She quickly stood up and smoothed out her clothes.
“Bruce, it’s pretty late. What brings you here?” she asked cautiously, trying to keep her composure.
“What the hell do you think?”
Bruce snarled, his voice full of barely-contained rage.
“Are you signing the damn demolition contract or not?”
His menacing glare and narrowed, triangular eyes made it clear he wasn’t here for small talk. Sophie’s massage parlor was located in the urban village, a prime spot targeted by a developer eager to turn it into a high-end project. The dirty work of forcing residents to sign unfair contracts to vacate the land had been handed over to Bruce Grigg, the local thug.
But Bruce’s greed was insatiable, and the compensation offered to the original residents was absurdly low. Sophie had no choice but to resist, dragging her feet on signing the contract for weeks. Now, her refusal had brought Bruce storming into her shop.
“Bruce, it’s not that I don’t want to sign. I just can’t with the price you’re offering—it’s far too low,” Sophie explained, trying to reason with him.
“According to the official documents—”
She didn’t get to finish.
“Cut the crap about regulations!” Bruce snapped as he rudely interrupted her. His tone was raw and threatening.
“My word is the only damn rule around here!”"If you don’t sign, I’ll wreck your shop!"
Bruce Grigg kicked over a chair, the loud clatter echoing through the room.
"Sophie, what’s going on?"
Abe Blake couldn’t see, but he could tell something was wrong.
"It’s... it’s nothing," Sophie Reed said, trying to comfort him, though her heart was heavy.
"Mr. Grigg, I wouldn’t dare defy you, but if I lose this shop... how am I supposed to make a living?" She sounded defeated and vulnerable.
Her face still glowed faintly red from the massage Abe had given her earlier, making her look breathtakingly radiant.
Bruce’s eyes darkened with lecherous intent as he stared at her.
"Simple," he sneered. "If you’re mine, you’ll have everything you want!"
Bruce’s tone was loaded with ill intentions. He stripped off his shirt casually, revealing his hairy chest.
"Come on, give me a massage first!"
"Oh... Mr. Grigg, I’m not feeling well. Maybe Abe can help you instead," Sophie replied nervously, unsettled by his behavior.
"Sure," Bruce said indifferently. Abe stepped forward and prepared to start. "You blind fool, who told you to touch me? Get lost!"
Bruce Grigg scowled and shoved Abe Blake to the ground.
Then, he turned toward Sophie Reed with a sinister grin.
"It's you I want to touch me!"
He grabbed Sophie’s arm and forcefully yanked her toward him.
Bruce had been eyeing Sophie for quite some time. Fueled by alcohol, he decided to make his move. As for Abe, he didn’t even consider him a threat.
"Let go of me! Help! Somebody, help!"
Sophie struggled with all her might, but it was no use.
Meanwhile, Abe, who had been pushed aside, lay motionless on the floor. His head had struck a jade Buddha statue placed nearby, leaving him unconscious.
Blood started to flow from the back of his head, seeping into the cracks of the jade Buddha. Suddenly, the statue emitted a hazy glow.
"To the chosen one, I shall grant the path to the great legacy!"
