Chapter 2: The Escape Plan

Zhou Jingnan finally decided to let me go and walked into his study in a perfectly good mood.

As for me, I lay sprawled across the bed like a dried-out corpse whose last drop of vitality had been sucked clean away.

It wasn’t until my best friend messaged me on WeChat to ask how my “entrepreneurship” was going that I managed to type out a dying reply:

“Jiang Yifu’s startup failed before it even got off the ground. I nearly died in bed…”

But the truth was, things weren’t that simple.

Two weeks ago, I discovered that this world was actually the setting of a melodramatic novel.

And I was nothing more than a substitute for Zhou Jingnan’s fiancée.

According to the original plot, the two of them would eventually reconcile. His fiancée would demand that he get rid of me and the baby.

And I would die from massive blood loss on the delivery table at the age of twenty-two.

Judging by the timeline…

I was probably already pregnant.

That was when I truly began to panic.

That night, I sleepwalked again. I quietly climbed out of bed, reached over to check Zhou Jingnan’s breathing, and felt for his pulse.

I let out a disappointed sigh.

“Why are you still breathing…? You’re seriously such a pain.”

My wrist was suddenly caught in a tight grip.

Zhou Jingnan kept his eyes closed, his voice lazy and unhurried.

“Jiang Yifu, you’re getting impatient. You haven’t even worn all your little battle outfits yet. I’m not dying anytime soon.”

Under the cold moonlight, I stared at his face, and my heart ached.

I had to admit that, despite how much I loved money, there had never been a single ounce of falseness in my feelings for this man.

After getting my blood work done, I confirmed that I was pregnant.

But I didn’t tell him the good news.

Two days later, his fiancée, Zhao Wanyi, officially returned to Beijing.

Before Zhou Jingnan went out to meet her, I wrapped my arms around his neck and acted spoiled.

“I’ve prepared a brand-new battle outfit for you. If you come home late… I won’t wear it for you.”

Zhou Jingnan lightly pinched my cheek and chuckled.

“Looks like sooner or later, I’m going to die on top of you.”

I stood there silently, watching his figure disappear into the distance.

The smile on my lips faded completely.

Because in the original story, Jiang Yifu wouldn’t live to a ripe old age.

She would die at the most beautiful time of her life.

For the entire week that followed, Zhou Jingnan never showed up.

He was busy clearing up misunderstandings with his white moonlight, busy falling madly in love all over again.

Even my favorite spot for afternoon tea had been taken by someone else.

Just then, my best friend sent me a message.

“The asshole’s white moonlight is back! I’m packing my bags and getting the hell out of here. You coming?”

I bit my lip and thought for a full three minutes.

I was young. I was beautiful. I had money.

And I was about to have a baby.

Why should I hang myself from a sinking ship named Zhou Jingnan?

“If you’re leaving, I’m leaving too! I’m packing right now!”

I swept all my jewelry into my luggage, grabbed my most expensive handbag, and headed straight for the airport.

But the moment the plane took off, tears began streaming down my face.

I really hated Zhou Jingnan…

I hated him so much that I didn’t want to love him anymore.

Zhou Jingnan stood on the balcony, unconsciously crushing out his cigarette when he remembered that Jiang Yifu hated the smell of smoke.

He opened his phone, feeling strangely unsettled by how unusually quiet his clingy little girl had been today.

He sent her a message:

“Didn’t you say you bought a new battle outfit? Where’s the picture?”

The message failed to send.

A glaring red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.

His heart skipped a beat.

He immediately grabbed his suit jacket and strode outside.

Zhao Wanyi grabbed his arm, crying and pleading with him, but he coldly shook her off and gave the driver a single order.

“Drive faster. Take me to South Garden.”

He called the number pinned at the top of his contacts, but all he heard was an emotionless automated voice.

Suddenly, Zhou Jingnan clutched his chest and broke into a violent coughing fit.

Streetlights streaked across the car window.

Zhou Jingnan lowered his head and looked at his palm.

A smear of bright red blood caught his eye.

He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, forcing himself to hold on.

When he finally arrived at the villa, he asked the butler through a cough that seemed to tear his lungs apart.

“Where is she?”

“Miss Jiang left about three hours ago, sir.”

Zhou Jingnan slowly made his way up to the third floor.

There was no sweet, sticky little voice calling out, “Zhou Jingnan~” like there usually was.

The entire room was swallowed by a vast, terrifying silence.

Zhou Jingnan switched on the lights.

Warm yellow light filled the room, but somehow, it couldn’t chase away the coldness that lingered there.

He opened the drawer of the vanity.

Her cosmetics were still there.

But every piece of valuable jewelry was gone.

He turned toward the closet.

Row after row of luxury handbags remained untouched.

Only one was missing—the most expensive Hermès bag he’d given her for her birthday last year.

Her collection of provocative “battle outfits” was still hanging there too, tags untouched.

A faint smile curved Zhou Jingnan’s lips.

It was a quiet smile, yet somehow more frightening than rage itself.

His phone suddenly vibrated.

It was Fu Tubaai, practically screaming through the phone as if he wanted to smash it to pieces.

“Zhou Jingnan! Where the hell did your woman take Xu San?! I’ve been blocked on WeChat! What the hell did Jiang Yifu poison her mind with this time?!”

Zhou Jingnan stood motionless.

His gaze drifted toward the empty swing in the garden outside.

His voice was cold enough to freeze the air.

“Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

“Your woman ran away with my woman.”

“Jiang Yifu doesn’t need me anymore.”

“And Xu San doesn’t need you anymore.”