Finding Freedom

Liu Chen woke up in a Tokyo hotel room with his heart racing. Memories of his escape from the Liu family mansion swirled in his mind. The plane journey from China to Japan felt like a distant dream, an illusion.

He rubbed his eyes, fearing that someone would wake him up at any moment and force him to return to the sad destiny he had escaped.

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, painting the room in soft and ethereal tones.

Liu Chen sat on the bed, looking around in confusion. He was in an unfamiliar place, in a distant city, and he finally realized that he had a real opportunity to escape his predetermined fate as a villain. He would no longer have to die at the hands of the protagonist.

He wondered if he could ever overcome the traumas inflicted by his past lives. But for now, the promise of a new beginning in a place where no one knew him was a gift he couldn't afford to waste.

He decided that Tokyo was not a good place to start his new life, even though it was visually appealing, it was too busy for his taste. Liu Chen wanted a quieter place to live, but he postponed that decision because he wanted to go out and explore the city.

Leaving the hotel, his mind filled with blurry images: neon lights flickering at night, bustling streets full of people, skyscrapers rising into the sky. Tokyo was a city that could be whatever he wanted it to be, a place where he could be anonymous.

After a few days of exploring the city and adjusting to his new life, Liu Chen decided it was time to settle more permanently. He wanted a place where he could find peace and refuge. With the fortune he had accumulated throughout his life, he would have no trouble finding a house that suited his needs.

Finally, he found the perfect house in an unnamed city in Japan. It was a small villa of considerable size, with clean and elegant lines. The exterior walls were of a neutral color that blended with the surrounding landscape.

The house's gardens were well-kept, with trees and flowers adding a touch of serenity to the property. A large terrace extended from the back of the house, offering panoramic views of the surroundings. Liu Chen imagined spending hours there, contemplating the mystery of his new life.

Upon entering the house, he was impressed by the spacious and elegant interior spaces. Large windows allowed natural light to flood the rooms, creating a sense of warmth and well-being. The furniture was modern and comfortable, with touches of luxury that reminded him of his life in the Liu mansion.

Although, of course, his current home was considerably smaller compared to the Liu family mansion.

Liu Chen felt as if he were in an entirely new place, far from his old life and the scars he carried with him. He took a deep breath and promised himself that he would do everything he could to find peace in this new chapter of his life.

While snuggled on a comfortable couch, gazing out the window at the mysterious landscape of the unnamed city, he realized that he finally had a chance to write his own destiny. The shadow of his past might haunt him, but he was determined to live a life of his choice, far from the plot that had once tormented him.

In this city, there was no protagonist or heroines to torment and ruin his life. There was no one who could hurt him. In this city, Liu Chen was a complete stranger.

Liu Chen could do everything he had ever wanted but couldn't, he could live life on his own terms, but he didn't know how, besides his hobbies, he didn't know how to live a normal life. For countless years, Liu Chen had been a villain with a destiny etched in stone; his actions were always destined to happen; he had never had free will.

Liu Chen was sitting in the spacious living room of his new home in this unnamed city in Japan. The soft light of the evening sun filtered through the large windows, creating a peaceful and serene scene in the room.

The golden rays of sun caressed his face, and a soft murmur filled the room. That sound, the melody of a piano that had just started playing, filled the house.

The piano was a recent addition, and Liu Chen, despite not being a great fan of the piano initially, had truly come to love playing it. His father in this life was a great pianist and had taught him as a child. When he died, Liu Chen played the piano to remember and honor his late father.

The first chords of the song flowed with a superficial joy, but as he continued to play, the melody plunged into melancholy.

The song resonating in the room was a mixture of joy and sadness, a perfect reflection of the mixed feelings that overwhelmed Liu Chen at that moment. He was grateful for his new life in Japan, far from the novel's plot that had defined his existence in his previous life. He was finally free from the tyranny of the protagonist and the heroines who had destroyed his life.

However, freedom was also bittersweet. He had lost his family, his identity, and had become a fugitive in a city with no name. The song expressed his longing for peace and serenity but also his nostalgia for what he had lost.

While playing the piano, Liu Chen reflected on the meaning of freedom. Was he truly free now, or had he simply exchanged one prison for another? The music flowed from his fingers as he lost himself in thought.

He looked out the window and

  saw the sun setting on the horizon. The unnamed city stretched before him, a place of endless possibilities and mysteries to discover. No one here knew his past, and that was a relief. But, at the same time, he didn't know who he was in this new world.

The melody reached its climax, and Liu Chen let the last chords fill the room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The melancholy that the music had evoked in him had turned into a sense of determination. He no longer wanted to be a puppet in the hands of an unknown author.

Finally, he decided that this new life was his chance to write his own story. He got up from the piano and walked to the terrace. The sun had completely set, leaving a starry sky. Liu Chen looked up and felt inspired by the darkness sprinkled with stars. There was an entire world to discover, and he was willing to explore it.

The piano melody continued in his mind, a soundtrack for his determination to find his path in this new life. Despite the ups and downs he had experienced, Liu Chen knew that he now had the opportunity to be the author of his own destiny, far from the constraints of a pre-established plot.

* * * * *

Two months had passed since Liu Chen had settled in his villa in Japan. It had been a time of self-discovery and adjustment to his new life, a life he had forged himself. Each day began in the same way.

The mornings in his villa were calm and serene. At dawn, Liu Chen would wake up, still amazed by the feeling of freedom that enveloped him. He would get out of bed, which he had personally chosen, and look out the window to contemplate the landscape before him. The sun rose with the promise of a new day full of possibilities.

Breakfast was usually a quiet time. Despite his inexperience in the kitchen, Liu Chen had made it a point to prepare his own meals. He was not a talented chef, but he had managed to learn some basic recipes to avoid relying on others. However, most of the time, he ordered takeout. After all, money was the least of his concerns in this life.

After breakfast, Liu Chen usually devoted time to exercise. He had converted one of the rooms into a personal gym, where he did strength exercises. Physical activity provided an escape and a way to stay fit in his new life.

In the afternoon, he would immerse himself in reading. He had accumulated a collection of various books, from novels to cultural and historical books about Japan. Reading had become his primary source of knowledge and entertainment.

Although Liu Chen had read a great deal of books throughout his lifetimes, mainly Chinese books related to the plot, these new books and their content were genuinely interesting to him.

However, despite his efforts to maintain a routine, Liu Chen faced challenges in his new life. Loneliness surrounded him constantly. He had spent his entire life with servants and attendants who took care of domestic chores. Now, those responsibilities fell on his shoulders, and it was no easy task.

Simple tasks like cleaning and cooking became daily challenges. Liu Chen would often get lost in supermarkets, unsure of what ingredients to buy or how to cook a decent meal. His first attempts in the kitchen had resulted in culinary disasters, but as time passed, he began to gradually improve.

The nights were the loneliest time for Liu Chen. He realized how much he had depended on the company of others in his past life. The villa was always quiet, and the rooms were empty and cold. Memories of his family accompanied him every night, whether he wanted them to or not. These memories haunted him every night without fail, serving as a reminder of his past.

Despite the challenges and the loneliness, Liu Chen did not regret his decision to seek an independent life in Japan. He had lived long enough under the weight of a novel's plot and the characters that had marked him. This was his time of freedom and self-discovery.

As the days and weeks passed, Liu Chen strived to adapt to his new life. Incompetence in independent living made him feel vulnerable at times, but it also motivated him to move forward. The villa in Japan was becoming his refuge, a place where he could write his own story and find the peace and happiness he had longed for.

The lonely nights continued, but Liu Chen had found comfort in music. Before going to sleep, he would play the piano he had purchased, and the melancholic melody that flowed from his fingers helped him confront his thoughts and face his challenges. Each note reminded him that he was writing his own story, free from the restrictions of a pre-established plot.

Time continued to pass, and Liu Chen was determined to make the most of his new life, overcoming obstacles and finding his way in an unknown world. Each day was a step toward the freedom and authenticity he had yearned for.

Liu Chen was in the kitchen of his villa in Japan, looking at the dirty dishes and the clutter of utensils. His attempts to keep the house in order and cook had improved, but he still felt overwhelmed by household chores. Loneliness and isolation had begun to wear him down.

"Should I hire a maid to help with domestic tasks?" he wondered.

Finally, he made a decision. He needed help. He needed someone who could take care of household chores and provide companionship on lonely nights. He decided to hire a maid, someone who could relieve his burden and bring a sense of normalcy to his life.