Chapter Seventy-Three

By the time Chu You returned to the rented room after her part-time job, it was already past ten in the evening. She took a quick shower and sat at the desk beside her bed, reading a book, a piece of bread in her mouth and a steaming cup of water by her hand.

A knock on the door shattered the tranquil atmosphere. Chu You, startled like a frightened bird, jerked her head toward the entrance.

The room was small—bathroom and shower combined, a bed, a desk and chair, and a wardrobe, everything pressed close together. From the desk by the bed to the door was barely a few meters.

Ever since Shen Yunduan had arranged for her to study here, sudden noises like this often made Chu You uneasy.

Especially at this late hour.

This kind of freedom, she enjoyed with a trembling heart, as if she might be dragged back into endless humiliation and torment at any moment.

“Who is it?” Chu You stood up, her voice trembling.

Outside, Yi Xiaoyu’s tone was calm. “I’m Zhou’s friend. Chu You, I’d like to talk with you.”

Her face went pale in an instant.

That bastard’s friend had found her? Did that mean Shen Yunduan had already revealed that she had faked her death?

Yi Xiaoyu seemed to sense what Chu You was thinking and continued, “Don’t worry. Zhou doesn’t know you’re here, and of course, he has no idea you’re still alive. He’s still at home, crying his heart out in regret. I came to find you on my own, for no other reason but to have a simple conversation.”

Chu You opened the door. She looked at the man outside, dressed in a suit, with a cool and distant demeanor. Her face was expressionless as she stepped aside and said quietly, “Please come in.”

Yi Xiaoyu glanced at Chu You. She was indeed the young woman he’d seen in the photo on Zhou’s phone—a face even younger and more striking than Yi Yu’s. But she seemed much thinner now, a heavy gloom between her brows, her cold features drained of vitality.

Yi Xiaoyu entered. Chu You moved the chair by the desk to face him, her voice cool but polite. “I’m sorry the place is so small. Please, have a seat.”

In the cramped space, Yi Xiaoyu took the chair, leaving Chu You to sit at the edge of the bed.

He noticed the open book on the desk and asked softly, “It’s the weekend tomorrow—are you still staying up late? You look very tired.”

“I work during the day. Night is the only time I have,” Chu You replied, clearly reluctant to dwell on the subject. After a pause, she asked, “I don’t believe I caught your name…”

“My name is Yi Xiaoyu, a friend of Zhou’s. You probably don’t know me, but I’ve seen your photo on his phone.”

“Mr. Yi,” Chu You said. “You’ve come to see me… is it for his sake?”

Yi Xiaoyu understood that the “he” Chu You spoke of was Zhou. “Yes. To be frank, I came to persuade you to reconcile with him. I was going to tell him you were alive, but then I thought—you must have your reasons for going to such lengths to leave him. You and Zhou’s mother orchestrated this elaborate deception just to escape him, didn’t you? Honestly, I have no right to comment on what happened between you and Zhou. I’m only here as a friend, trying to help him find his feet again. But rest assured, I’ll respect your choice.”

“If that’s all,” Chu You’s gaze dropped to the floor, her tone flat, “then we have nothing to discuss. And I don’t believe you’d truly respect my choice. You’re his friend—you’ll never be able to see things from my perspective. Sooner or later, he’ll find out I’m alive and come here to drag me back. How naïve I was, thinking I could be free—two days, just two days…” She lifted her head with a bitter smile, fighting to keep the tears in her eyes. “I really thought I could have freedom for longer.”

“I think I understand what Zhou is to you,” Yi Xiaoyu said quietly. “But I’m not like him. If, because of me, Zhou tries to force you into anything, I’ll stop him.” He handed her a tissue. “Don’t be afraid—just hear me out. I don’t know what Zhou did to you before, but now, he truly has changed. I’ve never seen him so utterly devoted to anyone. In these days since he thought you were gone, he’s been in agony every day. He—”

Chu You cut him off abruptly, her face expressionless. “Do you know how I ended up with him in the first place?”