When He Rou returned, she was alone.
She couldn’t quite understand why Luo Yun didn’t go back with her.
And she even said something that baffled her.
“Work hard in school.”
‘Was she possessed? Or had she lost her mind?’
‘Oh well, strange as it was, at least things would be a bit better for me from now on.’
‘After all, without her torment, I’ll be alone again.’
He Rou actually felt somewhat unaccustomed to it.
‘I’ve really been trained into obedience.’
Sitting on the plane back, He Rou kept looking out the window.
Before leaving, Luo Yun had given her a phone.
She also helped her register a bank card, a phone number, and many other things she didn’t understand.
So… at least she now had some guarantee for entertainment and communication.
However, she couldn’t contact anyone else on her own—she could only communicate one-way with Luo Yun.
But to be honest, that restriction was as good as none.
Someone like her—how could she possibly meet strangers?
And contacting Luo Yun?
Even more impossible.
When you encounter someone as terrifying as her, running away is the best policy.
Why would anyone humiliate themselves by getting close?
That said, whenever He Rou thought about how good Luo Yun’s mother had been to her, she couldn’t help but worry about her.
If she really could leave one day, as long as there wasn’t any major problem, she probably still wouldn’t go.
Thinking that, He Rou felt like an idiot.
But… would she really not leave?
Projecting her gratitude to Luo Yun’s mother onto Luo Yun,
handing everything over to her,
but with the way Luo Yun treated her, He Rou really didn’t know how much longer she could endure.
He Rou thought about many things.
From the past to the present, from reality to dreams, from here all the way to Hailin City.
She fell asleep.
When she got off the plane, no one came to pick her up.
She had to take a taxi home.
And she also needed to buy a bicycle.
After all, she wasn’t a young lady.
Even though she could go to school and attend classes, it didn’t mean someone would drive her every day.
“A bicycle…”
He Rou mused.
She remembered that Cheng Ruo also rode a bicycle to school every day.
She wanted to ask her if she ever got tired or what she did when it rained.
School started the day after tomorrow.
Strangely, she had been enrolled in the school for almost half a year, yet the total number of days she had attended was only two.
How ridiculous.
He Rou laughed at herself.
She had never been serious about school.
But this time was different.
She had to study, take exams, and change herself.
At least she needed to give herself something to look forward to in the future.
After He Rou got a taxi, she sat inside, thinking the whole way about how she would live alone.
School started tomorrow—way too rushed.
And she still hadn’t bought a bicycle…
Right, she hadn’t bought the most important thing.
Even though He Rou had been in this city for a long time, she had spent most of it in the villa and rarely went out, so she still wasn’t familiar with the area.
Asking a stranger was also a way to train herself.
He Rou didn’t know how much mental encouragement she gave herself before she could speak up to ask.
“Sir… do you know where there’s a bicycle shop?”
“Little girl, this kind of weather isn’t good for outdoor activities, you know.”
The factory had just closed, and a large number of workers had been laid off.
The pollution hadn’t fully spread yet.
This city still had many problems.
The driver was right—if you even went out for a light jog in this weather, you’d easily end up with pneumonia or a respiratory infection.
But He Rou had no choice. She needed to go to school.
“Sir… I have to go to school, so…”
“Uh… your family lives there, but you still go to school on your own?”
“I’m not part of that family…”
“Oh, oh, got it. Uh… add some money for me, I’ll make a detour to a shop I know. Their bicycles are all good stuff—imported from abroad, top brands, you can pick whatever you want. With my face, I can get you a discount.”
“Wow, thank you, sir!”
A smile returned to He Rou’s face.
She hadn’t expected to meet such a good driver.
…
“Sir, is this right?”
The 90% discount was really tempting to He Rou.
A thirteen-nation joint-manufactured nanoscale parts, assembled in the USA, shipped by plane, original price $19,999, acquaintance (driver) price $1,999.
After buying the bike and returning to the villa, He Rou spent a long, long time finally assembling it.
Then she discovered a big problem.
It didn’t look quite like the one shown in the store.
Not to mention the fading logos on the bike…
Why did the seat cover peel off with just a slight tug?
He Rou stared dumbfounded at the bicycle.
She seemed to realize she had been scammed.
The money Luo Yun gave her wasn’t much to begin with.
This almost made He Rou want to jump headfirst from the second-floor stairs to her death.
But she didn’t dare, because it would hurt a lot.
With no other choice—having never been taken advantage of by society before—He Rou had to swallow her resentment.
Even though she had been cheated… at least it could still ride.
And it didn’t feel bad.
Even if the seat was a bit sticky, the chain a bit loose, the pedals hard to push, and the handlebars slightly crooked.
Those probably weren’t problems, right?
Thinking that, He Rou pushed the bike outside.
“Phew…”
After doing everything, He Rou didn’t know what to do next.
There was no one else in the house—only her.
She suddenly felt a bit unaccustomed to it.
“He Rou’s room… did I not clean it before I left?”
Thinking of that, with nothing else to do, He Rou went upstairs and came to that door.
The door was still half-open, just like when she had left.
She could see most of the things inside the room.
She had slept there for a long time, and Luo Yun often ordered her to tidy it up.
So cleaning the room was done quickly.
Many of her personal items were put into the storage cabinet.
With nothing to do again, and Luo Yun not around, she lay down on the soft bed.
Back when she was used as a body pillow, she had always loved this soft bed.
It was very comfortable—she didn’t know what material it was made of…
Gradually, she grew sleepier and sleepier, without even changing her clothes or taking a bath.
She had spent the whole day just riding transportation for a long time.
Then she came back and assembled the bicycle by herself.
Her waist was already killing her.
She was also very tired all over.
As the villa’s housekeeper and maid, taking a rest on her master’s bed was obviously not good.
That night, she had a nightmare.
She dreamed that Luo Yun chopped off one of her feet, wrapped her entire body in iron chains,
and then held her in her arms, whispering… words of love.
Truly terrifying.