When I woke up, it was already six in the evening. Thirsty, I went downstairs for water and noticed a glass already poured on the coffee table.
Wiser now, I ignored it and filled a fresh glass from the water dispenser.
I’d barely taken a sip when my phone rang. As I walked over to answer, my vision blurred. I staggered to the coffee table, vision fading, and saw Lin Yichen’s name on the caller ID before everything went black.
In my last moment of consciousness, panic set in.
Not again… If I die now, will watching another ad bring me back?
When I came to, I instinctively checked my body. Thankfully, I was still whole.
But as I looked around, the unfamiliar hotel décor sent a chill down my spine.
I glanced at myself—my clothes were gone, and I was wrapped only in a sheet.
My eyes widened in horror as I saw Chen Haoyu lying next to me.
I grabbed the blanket and scrambled into the corner.
Chen Haoyu sat up, smiling coldly. “Sorry, Suyin, desperate times call for desperate measures.”
My heart raced. If he was here, Zhao Wenqing and Aunt Mei had to be behind this.
“Is this about money?” I spat. “If you want money, I have more than Wenqing. Let me go and I’ll pay you double.”
He shook his head, eyes glinting. “It’s too late. I won’t betray my employer.”
I clenched my fists, trembling with anger.
Just then, a loud crash sounded at the door.
Chen Haoyu stood, muttering, “Sorry, Miss Liang, but—”
Bang!
The door burst open, and Lin Yichen stormed in, punching Chen Haoyu to the floor.
His forehead was beaded with sweat, eyes red as if he’d been crying.
Seeing him, I finally broke down, my eyes filling with tears.
He rushed to me, pulling me into his arms. “Suyin, I’m so sorry. I’m late.”
Lin Yichen carried me home in his arms.
After the police arrested Chen Haoyu, he confessed everything.
When my father heard what happened, he canceled his business trip.
He found me lying on the sofa next to Lin Yichen, eating cake.
He patted Yichen’s shoulder, then collapsed onto the couch in relief.
“Thank you, Yichen. I don’t know what would have happened to Suyin without you.”
Just then, the door opened again.
“Is my daughter-in-law alright?”
It was Lin Yichen’s mother, her voice ringing out before she even entered.
When she appeared, I was struck by how beautiful she was—elegant and warm, even more stunning than I remembered.
I hadn’t seen her in nearly six years.
Unable to resist her charm, I put down my cake and grinned. “Aunt Lin, I’m fine! See? Still full of energy.”
To prove it, I hopped off the sofa and jumped twice.
She clutched her chest in relief, then hugged me tightly. “Oh, my dear girl, thank goodness you’re safe. You nearly scared me to death.”
We chatted for a while before my father got a call, his face turning grim.
“Aunt Mei just booked a ticket to F Country.”
Lin Yichen immediately stood, and my father grabbed his car keys. I trailed after them, determined not to be left behind.
Lin Yichen tried to stop me. “Go home, Suyin. This isn’t something a young girl should get mixed up in.”
I shook my head. “No way. After everything Aunt Mei did to me, I have to see her brought to justice with my own eyes.”
I clung to Lin Yichen’s arm, pouting until he relented.
The drive to the airport was long, and my father drove like a man possessed. I felt carsick in the backseat.
Lin Yichen noticed and gently pressed my head to his shoulder. “Close your eyes for a bit. It’ll help.”
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the airport.
The police arrived at the same time. As my father spoke with them, he looked back at me, still being steadied by Lin Yichen.
“Yichen, take care of Suyin. I’m going to find them.”
Lin Yichen nodded, helping me toward the waiting area.
The airport was crowded and chaotic. Still dizzy, I sat with Lin Yichen at the entrance.
He handed me water and massaged my temples. “I told you not to come. Now look, you’re carsick.”
I whimpered dramatically, “My head hurts…”
He rolled his eyes but kept massaging.
Neither of us noticed the murderous glare behind us.
“Suyin! Behind you!”
My father’s desperate shout snapped me awake. I opened my eyes to see Zhao Wenqing charging at me with a knife.
Reacting instantly, I shoved Lin Yichen aside. After being hit by a car in my last life, I’d become immune to fear.
As Lin Yichen fell away, Wenqing lunged. I dodged, her curses ringing in my ears.
“Liang Suyin! You stole everything from me! Why do you get to live? Why?!”
She chased me, screaming, as police surrounded us. I managed to reach safety.
Wenqing stopped, stunned by the sight of so many officers. She dropped the knife and sank to her knees, her eyes empty.
The police handcuffed her and led her away.
I finally let out a shaky breath. Lin Yichen rushed to me as I collapsed into his arms.
Watching Wenqing’s defeated figure, I felt a pang of pity.
She was a tragic person—abandoned by her own mother, forced to serve another family for years, and in the end, left with nothing.
I shook my head, then slapped myself. Lin Yichen caught my hand, alarmed. “What are you doing? Don’t hurt yourself.”
After Wenqing and Aunt Mei were arrested, I never heard about them again. I focused on preparing for the college entrance exam.
When results came out, I’d scored over fifty points higher than my last life.
I called Lin Yichen, dancing with excitement, only to hear him sigh.
My heart sank. Did he do badly?
“It’s okay. If you didn’t do well, we can repeat the year together.”
He laughed. “Who said I did badly?”
I realized he was teasing me and hung up in a huff.
My father was so thrilled by my results he didn’t sleep all night. The next morning, he pulled me into his study, speaking in hushed tones.
“Suyin, you did so well this year. I don’t think your talents should be wasted here.”
My heart skipped a beat. Was he sending me abroad?
“I’ve already arranged for you to study overseas—at the best university in M Country…”
He rambled on, but my mind was spinning. Would I be separated from Lin Yichen again?
“Dad… what about Lin Yichen?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Of course Yichen will go with you.”
After that, I barely heard a word he said.
Going to college with Lin Yichen—that phrase echoed in my mind.
Two months later, Lin Yichen and I stood at the airport, saying goodbye to our families.
As we waited to board, I suddenly remembered Wenqing and Aunt Mei.
“Dad, what happened to Wenqing and Aunt Mei?”
He waved dismissively. “Long gone, paying their dues.”
His tone was light, as if they were nothing to him.
Lin Yichen squeezed my hand.
As the plane took off, Lin Yichen leaned close and whispered, “Miss Liang Suyin, would you like to experience a campus romance with me?”
Watching the ground shrink below us, I nodded enthusiastically, heart full of hope for our new life together.
End
Chapter 05
*