1 Chapter 001 Regaining Freedom_1

Burdened by emotions without bewilderment, she squandered her proud and unyielding spirit, yielding only to Yimo.

—— Long Chengyu.

Y City, also known as Jiangcheng.

It was already winter, and a cold rain fell, making the weather unusually cold. Even for a southern city like Y City, which hardly ever sees snow throughout the year, it couldn't escape the effects of the cold wave.

The afternoon sky in Y City remained somber, as silver particles occasionally streaked across the gray skies, hinting at a looming rain.

Y City West Suburb Second Prison Detention Center.

'Clang clang——'

The heavy sound of a door opening echoed, as if thunder had sliced through the dead silence of the city.

A black figure slowly walked out of the dead city.

It was a woman——

Her waist-length hair, tousled by the cold wind, her figure slender and frail. She seemed to be just over 1.6 meters tall. Her facial features were delicate and exquisite, indifferent and stunning, with a calmness in her black pupils like the undisturbed surface of an ancient well. Her pale face bore a hint of sickness. She wore black leather pants and a light gray long shirt underneath, covered with a black trench coat hoodie...

On her feet were a pair of lightly worn black combat boots, dusted with a trace of dirt, exuding an indescribable air of... desolation? A sense of vicissitude?

She must have been around twenty-five or twenty-six years old...

"A car has already been arranged for you, just up ahead. Shu Yimo, after you get out, you should start over and become a new person. Everything can begin anew, don't lose heart, understand?"

The prison guard escorted the woman out the door and offered encouragement.

Shu Yimo paused her heavy steps and gave a slight bow in response—

"Thank you."

Her hoarse and dry voice carried through the air, unpleasant to hear and somewhat oppressively silent.

She had been in prison here for two years.

In those two years, she had stayed inside, oblivious to the outside world, with no contact with people on the outside, and no one had come to see her.

She was trapped in a city of the dead.

Shu Yimo took a shallow breath and raised her eyes to glance at the somber sky. She reached back to pull up the hoodie and hoisted the black backpack onto her shoulder, striding toward the car in front of her.

'Bang!'

"Miss, where would you like to go?"

As soon as Shu Yimo closed the car door, the driver immediately asked professionally.

"Eastern District, Haitian Villa Area, number eighteen."

"Got it!"

The driver responded and started the car.

The destination Shu Yimo provided was located in the affluent and bustling eastern part of the city, nearly eighty kilometers away from their starting point. Even without traffic, it would take more than an hour, including a stretch on the highway.

The sky grew darker, and perhaps noticing the thinness of Shu Yimo's clothes, the driver kindly turned on the car's heater.

The pain spreading through her body left Shu Yimo feeling weak and tired, and she couldn't help but close her eyes, drifting between wakefulness and sleep...

'Dad, I didn't push her, it wasn't me!'

'Shu Yimo! You wicked woman, if anything happens to Xixi, I will never let you go!'

'Yimo, you've really disappointed me!'

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'I've said that it has nothing to do with Yimo, I fell down the stairs myself... It wasn't her!'

'Shu Yimo, I will never fall in love with you, never, not even in death!'

'Bitch, how can you be so ruthless and malicious!'

'The charge of intentional injury against Shu Yimo stands, sentenced to two years in prison!'

'It's her, treat her well, dare not to take me seriously!'

'Beat her to death, beat her mercilessly!'

A sudden flash of light startled Shu Yimo awake, her forehead covered with a thin layer of sweat, her heartstrings tight from fear and aching slightly.

These events had already happened, and as she thought about them now, there was still terror in her heart, and her palms were sweaty...

It was not until she heard a 'rustling' sound from outside that she finally came to her senses and turned to see that the weather had turned stormy, with pedestrians hurrying on the sidewalk everywhere.

When the car arrived at the entrance of the villa area by evening, Shu Yimo got out and walked directly into the villa area.

The gatekeepers were the same two from two years ago, and showed a hint of surprise at the sight of Shu Yimo, but quickly opened the gate for her-

"Miss, welcome home!"

Their tones were respectful, yet their eyes held a different expression.

Shu Yimo advanced towards the mansion ahead.

The An Family of Y City could be considered as the prominent family of Y City. The patriarch An Yusheng was a well-known entrepreneur, the president of Hengtai Group; his wife, Wang Ruyi, was an experienced psychologist and a professor at B University; the elder child, An Zijie, was the director of Y City's customs office and also a senior figure on the discipline inspection committee; the younger, An Xiaoru, was a manager at Hengtai Group.

The family's halo was enough to give the An Family a distinctive status in Y City.

Shu Yimo ascended the stairs. It was getting late, and the rain outside grew denser. She became damp and cold, and aching hunger made her feel dizzy; she tried to quicken her pace.

However, as she approached the door, the sound of mahjong tiles being shuffled came through, mixed with a familiar female voice-

"The year-end is approaching so quickly, time flies, and another year is almost over. Mom's birthday is right after the New Year. How do you want to celebrate?"

It was the voice of her stepmother, Ye Shang.

"Indeed, Mom, let's have a big celebration this time. A few days ago, Xixi called from abroad, she's been reminiscing about this. She's worked hard over there for the past two years, successfully earning her degree, and said she'll be back in a few days, just in time for the New Year."

As Ye Shang's voice trailed off, An Xiaoru also chuckled.

"Xixi is really becoming more and more outstanding. Ling Jue just called yesterday, he'll be back after settling some business in a few days, and will return with Xixi. Now, I'm just hoping that this time, we can finalize their relationship. But, from his tone, it seems the arrangement with Xixi is also set to be finalized."

The one answering was Wang Sihua, Fan Lingjue's mother...

Shu Yimo suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face turned pale, and her body stiffened all of a sudden...

A stifling pain in her chest nearly prevented her from breathing; her vision turned murky, and her ears echoed with those cold and merciless voices-

'Shu Yimo, I will never fall in love with you, never, not even in death!'

'If anything happens to Xixi, you can expect to go to prison!'

'From his tone, the arrangement with Xixi is also set to be finalized...'

Over those two years, she had endured her shattered heart countless times, mocking her own inability to recover from eight years of lost love, piercing through the indifference of the world. Yet, she couldn't control the heart-wrenching pain that clamored within her.

A terrifying silence enveloped her surroundings, the air filled with a melancholy oppressiveness. And inside, the joyful laughter contrasted starkly with the silence, striking her ears like sharp ice needles, sealing off all her senses...

PS: A new start for the new story, I appreciate everyone who has followed along. I am rolling around begging for your votes and recommendations! An important statement: this story does not pursue historical or real-life accuracy to avoid hurt feelings; anyways, that's how the story starts!

Also, I recommend my recently concluded novel, "History's First Pampered Marriage: The Young Master's Doting Wife." Feel free to enjoy!

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