Chapter 104: Escaping Your World (Bonus chapter for reaching 4,100 diamonds)

Fu Juxing had been very busy lately, leaving early and returning late. Regardless of his schedule, however, he would always carve out one day a week to stay home specifically to be with her.

To Lin Wanbai, his presence was a form of disguised torture. He would constantly pull her into his arms, kissing her repeatedly, his overflowing, scorching affection feeling as if he were trying to swallow her whole. He had not changed in the slightest; instead, he had become even more unrestrained in exposing his true nature.

She began to forget what it was she had ever liked about him, or why she had loved him so much that she once felt she could not live without him. She could no longer recall it, yet her heart still ached. It felt as if a knife were permanently lodged in her chest, and even the slightest movement caused agonizing pain.

Life continued in this manner. When Fu Juxing was away, she spent most of her time in the nursery, holding the baby and talking to him. Occasionally, she would go for a walk outside, but the flowers she had planted previously had all withered before they ever bloomed. Aunt Rong had hired a few gardeners to replant them, but with autumn arriving, those flowers would not bloom until next year.

The household staff, with the exception of Aunt Rong and Aunt Liu, were replaced every month, as were the gardeners. If anyone spoke more than ten sentences to Lin Wanbai, they would be dismissed the very next day. More cameras had been installed inside and outside the house; even when Fu Juxing was not home, he watched her every move.

It was a birdcage, and she was the canary, waiting daily for her master to come and tease her.

An obedient child gets candy, and Lin Wanbai was very well-behaved. Ever since Lin Zhaowei passed away, she had abandoned all thoughts of escape, staying quietly at Yunqi. When her health improved, she would wait for him to return every evening and rise early every morning to eat with him and see him off.

Slowly, she began to find her own amusements: reading, painting, playing the piano, or practicing calligraphy. She took photographs—taking pictures of the baby, recording his crying, his laughter, and his sleeping face in her camera. She would have Aunt Rong develop them and compile them into a growth album.

But she was careful not to show too much enthusiasm. Once, while she was playing with the baby, he pounced on her and gnawed on her face. It was the most innocent of interactions, but Fu Juxing happened to walk in and flew into a rage on the spot. He snatched the child up, and Lin Wanbai turned pale with fright, yet she endured it without saying a word. She knew that the more she protested, the angrier he would become; silence was her only hope. Fortunately, Aunt Rong arrived in time to take the child from his grasp.

Fu Juxing had wanted to send the child away to their hometown. Fortunately, Aunt Rong was a long-time servant who had looked after him since childhood, and there was still some sentiment between them. Under her persuasion, the child was allowed to stay. After that incident, Lin Wanbai dared not show the baby too much affection. For days, she barely dared to look at him.

Later, she redirected all her focus onto Fu Juxing. She drew sketches—all of them were of Fu Juxing, and nothing else. She took photographs, and she only took pictures of him.

Life seemed to return to how it was when they were first married. She seemed to accept everything, becoming his only one, clinging to him and leaning on him.

Autumn faded into winter, and the days grew colder. Lin Wanbai learned how to knit, making Fu Juxing a sweater, a pair of gloves, and a scarf. She knitted in secret, not wanting him to know, intending to surprise him for the New Year. She knew the house was filled with cameras and there was no hiding it, so she pretended to be sneaky, keeping him in the dark. Fu Juxing played along, pretending he didn't know.

On New Year's Eve, he seemed to be in a good mood and took her out. They went to the top floor of the tallest hotel in Beicheng for dinner. Both were dressed formally. She wore a long red dress, her makeup vibrant, her eyes bright and sparkling; she was dazzlingly beautiful. Seeing her like this, Fu Juxing’s heart trembled; he did not want anyone else to see her beauty. After a hasty dinner, he brought her back.

Lin Wanbai had drunk a little wine and leaned against him, clutching his arm, saying, "Another year has passed. Fu Juxing, I love you." As she spoke, she tightened her grip on his arm.

The car stopped by the river. After a moment of silence, there was a sudden *bang*. Lin Wanbai opened her eyes to see fireworks exploding in the night sky. Fu Juxing held her and asked, "Is it beautiful?"

Lin Wanbai smiled and nodded. "It's beautiful."

"I had them set off just for you."

The fireworks were custom-made, exploding in various patterns in the night sky. Lin Wanbai kept looking up, while Fu Juxing kept looking at her, watching the stars reflected in her eyes. Finally, unable to resist, he leaned over and kissed her lips.

After that, everything else faded away. She was too beautiful today, so beautiful that he only wanted to imprison her within his own world.

...

When Lin Wanbai finished the three-piece set, it was almost the New Year. She had Aunt Rong get her an exquisite box, folded the items neatly inside, and tucked a piece of paper into the scarf before quickly closing the box and hiding it.

On New Year's Eve, Aunt Liu had family and had returned home days ago. Aunt Rong had no family, so she spent the holiday with them. It was the bleakest New Year Lin Wanbai had ever spent; at the dining table, including the baby, there were only four of them. Aunt Rong turned the volume on the television up to make things feel more festive.

Fu Juxing, however, was in high spirits. He declined all invitations from Liang Yusheng, telling him only to spend the holiday with Fu Changjun. Liang Yusheng couldn't move him, so he didn't force the issue. He had heard that the two were getting along well, and he assumed Lin Wanbai had come to terms with things. With Fu Juxing now attentive to the company and everything back on track, Liang Yusheng felt relieved. He was only troubled by Fu Juxing's attitude toward Liang Yukang. After all, they were father and son; how could their relationship be mended? Liang Yukang was calm; he had no great demands, only wanting to see that Fu Juxing was doing well. Even if Fu Juxing refused to acknowledge him, he didn't mind.

For many, this New Year was a difficult one. Most of the Fu family were spending the holiday in prison. Although Fu Yongyi was not in jail, he was faring poorly. Tang Qiong’s lover was a thug with some power; claiming that Tang Qiong had suffered for so many years for him and deserved mental distress compensation, he had caught Fu Yongyi, beaten him savagely, and seized all the assets under his name. He had also broken Fu Yongyi's right hand. On such a grand holiday, he had nowhere to sleep; tattered and ragged, he was forced to fight beggars for a spot on the street.

Fu Yonghui had previously transferred all his money to his mistress, He Sili. After he was imprisoned, that woman never appeared again.

As for Fu Dianyi and Yuan Wei, they had been reported for bribery. A large amount of cash was found in a villa under Fu Dianyi’s name. True to the villa’s name, "The Golden House," it was indeed a golden house; the cash and gold were all there. The couple were implicated together; neither could escape responsibility. Their two children had to be entrusted to Yuan Wei’s relatives, living under someone else’s roof, their lives miserable.

On the other hand, Yuan Yujun and the others were gradually doing better in Macau. Fu Miao had picked herself up, and although Fu Yanchuan’s limbs remained impaired, Yuan Yujun did not give up, searching the world for famous doctors in the hope of making him well again.

Lin Yao had gone to Hong Kong with Li Ting. Zhou Lin had not followed; she stayed in Beicheng to take care of Chen Songyuan. In such a life, they were together in her small apartment, eating dumplings and watching the Spring Festival Gala.

The television began broadcasting the Spring Festival Gala, which slowly unfolded amidst song and dance. Joyful smiles filled everyone’s faces; it was truly a day of family reunion. Even little Sheng-sheng was exceptionally happy, giggling at the slightest tease. The laughter of a child could heal the heart. Lin Wanbai felt a bit happy, too.

They watched television together in the living room, their laughter making the holiday feel a bit more lively. Everything seemed to have settled down.

Fu Juxing had become a celebrity; his life story had become an inspirational tale that people loved to talk about. His love story with Lin Wanbai was also deeply envied.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Wanbai woke up naturally. Fu Juxing was still by her side, though he had been awake for a while, watching her. Lin Wanbai felt a bit shy, covering her face and giggling. Fu Juxing took her wrist, bowed his head, and kissed the back of her hand, saying, "Sleep a little longer if you want. I'll go make breakfast."

Lin Wanbai spread her fingers, revealing her smiling eyes. She blinked and said, "Okay."

Fu Juxing pulled back the covers, dressed, washed up briefly, and left. Once he was gone, Lin Wanbai rose, washed her face, wiped away the water, opened the wardrobe, and chose a dress to change into. She took out the hidden gift and placed it in a conspicuous spot.

Then, she opened the window and stood on her tiptoes to look down. It was the second floor, but the ceiling was high, making it equivalent to three stories. Jumping from here should be enough. She brought a chair over, climbed up, and sat facing into the room, one hand holding the frame.

The first day of the New Year was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, shining warmly on her, and the scent of fresh grass drifted to her nose. She looked up toward the sun, trying hard to keep her eyes open, and tears soon began to fall.

She had a beautiful dream last night. She dreamed that their whole family was reunited. She was back by her grandfather’s side, spoiled and loved, living a life without worries.

Her legs swung gently. The wind blew, her skirt danced, and her hair fluttered.

Fu Juxing was in a great mood. He felt as if he had come alive, having a proper life. He had finally obtained the person he wanted, and they would live out the rest of their lives like this. No one would ever disturb them again, and no one would ever be able to snatch her from his hands. In this life, Lin Wanbai could only be his.

He meticulously prepared a sumptuous breakfast and poured a glass of milk, carrying it upstairs. The moment he pushed open the door, his expression froze. Aunt Rong’s voice could be heard vaguely from outside, shouting for "Xiao Bai."

He stood paralyzed. Lin Wanbai was wearing the red dress from New Year's Eve, the vivid color making her skin look exceptionally pale; under the sunlight, she seemed to be glowing. Seeing him enter, she looked as if she had been waiting for him. She looked at him without saying a word, only smiling slightly—a smile so radiant—before falling backward.

Just like that, before his very eyes, she fell from the window. This was the moment she had been waiting for: to have him watch her escape his world, to escape forever.

Everything could end now; everything would be better.

Lin Wanbai saw the sun again. It was right above her. She seemed to see the sun’s smiling face, and she smiled along with it. In that instant, she felt an unprecedented sense of joy.

*Fu Juxing, if it is possible, may we never meet again in the lives to come. I never want to see you again, and I will never love you again.*

Lin Wanbai closed her eyes. It only took a few seconds to fall from her room to the ground, but in her mind, a thousand thoughts raced. The sound of the whistling wind filled her ears, accompanied by screams—that sounded like Aunt Rong. Then, her head slammed into the ground. A violent pain surged through her, and she felt as if her brain were about to explode. A cascade of memories flooded her mind.

She saw herself in middle school, wearing her uniform, sitting in the classroom listening intently. Lin Yao, sitting next to her, suddenly tugged at her clothes and slipped her a note. Lin Yao told her that Fu Juxing wanted to meet her, waiting in the small garden two streets away from the school.

That was the day after she had handed him her love letter. She was so happy. As soon as the bell rang, she went there happily, all by herself. She went full of joy; she had spent a whole week writing that love letter, thinking about it for a week before she finally gave it to him. She had thought it would sink into the sea without a trace, never expecting a response. She was simply too happy.

Back then, she was an innocent young girl, and she didn't see so many bad people in the world. Even if she didn't like Lin Yao sometimes, she still believed she was a good person.

That small garden was located within a residential area and was usually quiet. When Lin Wanbai arrived, she was the only one there. She sat on a stone bench, took out a small mirror, and kept checking her reflection, smoothing her hair and adjusting her dress. Her heart pounded, and she kept thinking about what to say when she saw him, repeatedly warning herself to be reserved—boys liked reserved girls.

But as she thought, her mind drifted. She wondered, after he said he liked her, what way she should kiss him. Should she kiss his cheek, his forehead, or his lips? He was tall, so no