Volume 1, Chapter 21: Can You Escape?

"Your lights are on. I'll head up and sit for a while."

Seeing her speechless expression, Fu Yunzhen knew without a doubt that she had no desire to respond to his inquiry. Fine. She refused to reconcile. He would respect her boundaries, but he would also continue to find new ways to win her back.

When Qiao Nian'an heard him offer to come up, she thought of the time; her mother was likely helping her daughter with her homework. If she let him upstairs, he would inevitably discover the child’s existence. If he found out she had borne him a daughter, it would surely alert his mother.

Back then, she had been dragged to a clinic by his mother for a forced abortion. At first, she, too, had believed the pregnancy was terminated. But when four months had passed without a period, she assumed the medical procedure had damaged her health and went to the hospital for a check-up, only to discover she was already five months pregnant! Her belly had grown larger, but she had attributed it to the menstrual irregularities caused by the procedure; she had never once considered the possibility of being pregnant.

When she learned she was five months along, she was both shocked and overjoyed. She had never once wanted to end the pregnancy. It was Fu Yunzhen’s biological mother who had personally dragged her to the operating table and watched as the doctor performed the abortion. She had declared that the heir to the Fu family must be born to a socialite of equal standing, not a fallen heiress. The decision to force the abortion had been Fu Yunzhen’s as well. Her heart had turned to ash that day.

Therefore, she would never let him discover the child now. If they hadn't wanted the baby then, they certainly wouldn't acknowledge her child years later. They might even turn against her daughter. She could not trust that a grandmother who had personally aborted her grandchild would suddenly become kind if she learned that the child had survived. Her only duty was to protect her daughter.

Seeing her silence, Fu Yunzhen assumed she had acquiesced. Just as he was about to exit the car, Qiao Nian'an stopped him. "I don't welcome guests in my home."

Fu Yunzhen paused, looked back at her, and said, "I'm not coming as a guest. I'm going up to get my coat."

"I threw it away."

"Very well," Fu Yunzhen replied. "That coat was custom-made; the jacket alone cost one million. You can pay me back along with the damages to the car."

Qiao Nian'an was speechless. He knew she had no money, yet he piled on the debt—and he still claimed he wanted to reconcile? Was this any way to act?

Her face darkened. "I washed the coat. I'll bring it to the office and return it to you tomorrow." She sounded indignant. "Unlock the door."

Fu Yunzhen obediently hit the central lock. Qiao Nian'an pushed the door open, stepped out, and headed upstairs. Fu Yunzhen didn't follow. He knew she had her reasons for keeping him away; his sudden appearance would likely startle her family. He would pay a formal visit another day. For now, he would see her at the office tomorrow.

Fu Yunzhen lowered the car window and lit a cigarette but didn't smoke it. His slender fingers held the cigarette as he rested his arm on the door, his gaze fixed on the seventh floor. Only when the lights in her room flickered on did he take a deep drag, exhaling slowly as the smoke curled around his face, obscuring half his features. He adjusted his posture, his hand still resting on the window frame, looking effortlessly handsome. From this angle, he was looking straight into her window. She was probably hiding behind the curtains, stealing a glance at him, wasn't she?

Just as he thought this, a graceful silhouette appeared at the window and briskly pulled the curtains shut. The light cast her shadow against them; she hadn't even spared a glance downstairs. Fu Yunzhen was stunned for a moment.

But soon, he reassured himself. "My Nian'an is so safety-conscious. There are so many perverts living in these urban villages; she’s just closing the curtains to prevent any voyeurs from peeking in."

...

Qiao Nian'an turned on the air conditioner in her room before walking out. Her mother, who was tutoring the child, said, "I left your dinner out; it's still warm. Go ahead and eat."

Qiao Nian'an had been busy all day and was famished. Before she could tell her mother what had happened, she downed a large bowl of chicken soup. Her mother told the child to continue with her homework, then sat down across from Qiao Nian'an. "When I came back from dropping the child off at school this morning, the neighbors said a man came into our building and you drove off in his car. Is that true?"

Because this was an urban village, there were few cameras, and those that existed were mostly for show. Evidence was hard to collect, which was why this place was cheap to rent. This two-bedroom apartment with a large balcony was comfortable enough.

Qiao Nian'an paused, her spoon hovering. She looked up at her mother. "Yes..."

"Was it Fu Yunzhen?" her mother asked, staring into her eyes.

Qiao Nian'an didn't hide it. She nodded. "Yes."

"How did he find this place? Is he here to collect debts? Or..." Her mother voiced every fear that crossed her mind.

Qiao Nian'an looked at her mother. "Don't worry. He isn't here for money. He came to pick me up for work. He bought Shen Niwu’s company and made me the legal representative."

Her mother was stunned. "Is that so? He made you the legal representative? Could there be a trap? I’ve been thinking—what the Fu family did back then was truly despicable, dragging you off to abort the child..."

Qiao Nian'an glanced at her daughter, who was busy with her homework. "It's fine. The past is the past; let's not dwell on it. What we need to do now is leave this place. I don't want him to know that I didn't abort the child back then and that I brought her into this world."

"Yes, I’ve been thinking the same thing. If they didn't want the child then, they certainly won't want her now if they find out." Her mother looked worried. "But where can we move? And you just said he bought the company and made you the representative—where can we even go?"

"He has eyes and hands everywhere now," her mother sighed. "Can we really escape?"