Chapter 13 Escape from the Chu Family

Chu Zhiyi sniffled, "Hmm."

"Zhizhi, you're not about to cry from being moved, are you?"

"You're the one who's crying."

"Hehe, see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow."

Chu Zhiyi ended the call, washed her face, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Deep within her peach blossom-like eyes, there wasn't the slightest trace of docility.

There was only endless calm and the resolve to break free from the cage.

The next day.

Dark clouds hung low in the sky, and the weather outside was oppressively hot.

At the dining table, Chu Hui and Mother Chu were discussing bustlingly about going to help Chu Hui with her household registration later and planning to let Chu Hui experience all the things she had missed out on in life.

As for Chu Zhiyi, she ate slowly, like someone on the outside looking in.

When Father Chu left for the company, Chu Zhiyi hurried after him.

"Daddy."

Chu Zhiyi looked around hesitantly, seeming to be on the verge of saying something but stopping herself.

Father Chu stopped and said kindly, "Zhizhi, what's the matter?"

With a pitiful expression, Chu Zhiyi asked, "Daddy, I want to know... Is Ah Hen... and the Zhou family planning to call off the engagement now?"

Father Chu was silent for a moment, and that quiet demeanor made Chu Zhiyi's eyes redden as she forced a shaky voice, "No worries, Daddy. You can tell me anything, I'll accept it."

Father Chu patted her shoulder, "Zhizhi, you know how those people from the Zhou family are, utterly self-serving."

"You're not our biological daughter, they... they don't want you, even Zhou Hen personally called to say he doesn't like you anymore."

Chu Zhiyi looked incredulously, as big tears plopped down, stepping back again and again as though she might fall the next second.

Father Chu showed no pity, that was exactly the effect he wanted.

He wanted Chu Zhiyi to give up on the Zhou family and to realize that the only thing she could rely on was the Chu family.

"Daddy was very angry back then, and had a big argument with the Zhou family. Zhizhi, there are plenty of good men in this world, and Daddy will definitely find you a man even better than Zhou Hen."

Hope shone in Chu Zhiyi's eyes, "Really?"

"Of course, don't you trust Daddy?"

"No, I trust Daddy forever."

Father Chu said with satisfaction, "Zhizhi will always be Daddy's good girl."

Chu Zhiyi seemed to have gathered her emotions as she showed a smile.

"Daddy has to work, I'll be going now."

Chu Zhiyi said obediently, "Daddy, take care."

She watched Father Chu's departing figure, her smile not yet faded, when a mocking voice sounded from behind, "Can't rely on the Zhou family, and now starting to cozy up to Daddy?"

Chu Zhiyi turned around and saw Chu Hui, decked out in designer clothes, looking down on her.

Chu Zhiyi noticed a Bird of Paradise necklace hanging around her neck.

It was the one from that bunch of Gypsophila.

Chu Hui had actually taken it and put it around her neck.

She remained silent, and thinking she was scared, Chu Hui grew even more smug.

Stretching out her foot, with arrogance Chu Hui commanded, "My shoe is dirty, Chu Zhiyi, wipe it for me."

Chu Zhiyi stepped forward and asked, "Do you think I owe you?"

"You don't owe me?" Chu Hui's carefully done makeup twisted with disdain, "You've taken away my position as the Chu family's daughter for twenty-one years, all the fine clothes and jewelry you've had were stolen! Tell me, don't you owe me?!"

"Then take it," Chu Zhiyi said with a meaningful look, "What's yours, nobody can snatch away."

Did Chu Hui really think that being the Chu family's daughter was so easy?

Chu Hui angrily demanded, "Give me, wipe it!"

Chu Zhiyi remained silent.

She took another step forward, her foot landing squarely on the foot that Chu Hui had stretched out.

She pressed down hard enough to almost make Chu Hui scream out in pain.

After stepping on it, Chu Zhiyi stepped back as if nothing had happened, looking innocently, "Sorry, it looks like your shoe isn't actually dirty."

"Chu Zhiyi... you!"

"Huihui, what's wrong?"

"She told me to help her polish her shoes, but I noticed they weren't dirty, so I didn't do it," Chu Zhiyi said before Chu Hui could open her mouth.

"You clearly stepped on me just now!" Chu Hui angrily said, "Mom, she's lying!"

Mother Chu, with a stern face, said to Chu Zhiyi, "Apologize to Huihui!"

Chu Zhiyi obediently said, "Sorry."

This apology not only failed to gratify Chu Hui, but it made her feel even more stifled!

Chu Zhiyi's apology was clearly meant to disgust her!

Just as Chu Hui was about to compete with Chu Zhiyi, the family driver came in from outside.

"Madam, Miss, the car is ready."

Mother Chu coldly looked at Chu Zhiyi, "Go back to your room now!"

Chu Zhiyi lowered her eyes and turned to walk upstairs.

Chu Hui felt unjustified, but Mother Chu took her hand and said, "It's okay, Chu Zhiyi will have her share to suffer in the future."

"Yes, I know, Mom."

The two of them left hand in hand.

With the homeowners gone, only Chu Zhiyi was left in the house.

Chu Zhiyi waited in her room for half an hour, then headed to the music room.

"Miss Chu, where are you going?"

Someone stopped her.

Chu Zhiyi paused, turned her head to look, and saw it was the housekeeper.

She pointed to the music room, "There's nobody home, I thought I'd play the piano to pass the time, is that okay?"

The housekeeper, wary, wanted to say no, but someone beside her tugged at her, whispering a reminder, "The master just said that Miss Chu will always be his daughter, if she wants to play the piano, let her, as long as she doesn't go outside."

"Even if she's out of favor, she's still a miss. If you offend her and the master comes back, the moment she complains, don't expect to stay here!"

Hearing this, the housekeeper hesitated.

"Miss Chu, you may go and play."

Chu Zhiyi smiled gently, "Thank you."

Chu Zhiyi entered the music room, leaving the door half-open, and began to play the violin standing nearest to the door.

After playing the violin for a while, Chu Zhiyi went on to play the recorder.

The housekeeper watched for a long time, making sure she just wanted to play music, and then stopped paying attention, soon leaving.

When there was no one outside, Chu Zhiyi slowly walked to the sound system, turned it on, selected a piano piece from inside, and adjusted the volume.

"Hungarian Rhapsody" began to play in the music room, and then Chu Zhiyi walked over to the window and opened it.

Few knew that the window facing the rose-covered area had a hole.

That hole was made by Chu Zuo in the past to sneak out to play.

Back then, Chu Zhiyi sat in front of the piano, watching Chu Zuo stealthily slip out, and when the family was at their wits' end, Chu Zuo would nonchalantly run back and point at Chu Zhiyi.

"It was sister who made me go out to play. I didn't want to, it was all her doing!"

In the Chu family, Chu Zhiyi's defenses were always in vain, no matter how she explained, what came back to her was confinement and punishment.

That time, because of Chu Zuo, she was locked up for five days, starving until she was dizzy and blurry-eyed.

Father Chu asked her coldly outside, "Zhizhi, do you admit your mistake?"

Chu Zhiyi, lacking even the strength to cry, bowed her head under the pressure of absolute power and admitted her fault.

...

Chu Zhiyi's thoughts wandered for a moment before she quickly pulled them back.

She didn't think further and simply jumped from the window onto the tree branch.

She had expected to elegantly leap down from the tree.

But the tree was too high, Chu Zhiyi slipped and fell flat on her backside.

Chu Zhiyi: "..."

The fall made her grimace and she almost cried out.

Fortunately, Chu Zhiyi held it in, she stood up using her hands and feet, looked around, and saw no one was there.

Luck was truly on her side!

Without thinking twice, Chu Zhiyi crawled directly out of the Chu household through the hole covered by the roses.