"I’m okay. It’s just that I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time to go on QQ. Sorry."

Xiaoying was skeptical: "What could be so busy that you don’t even have time to get online? Are you busy falling in love? By the way, are you married?"

Married, but it was a fake marriage to avoid a certain someone. Liang Anya chuckled bitterly: "Of course not, not everyone is as lucky as you to marry a perfect husband like Mo Zihan."

Xiaoying proudly glanced at her husband, happiness unmistakable, then asked: "Well, you must have a boyfriend!"

"I don’t."

"Almost everyone among us is married, and the rest have partners. Anya, how come you’re still single? You need to step up!" Xiaoying regrettably encouraged.

Liang Anya chuckled bitterly, wondering how Mo Zihan and Xiaoying would react if she told them she didn’t have a boyfriend but did have a daughter over half a year old, and was considered a mistress to someone in A Country.

She took a deep breath and smiled: "Okay then, hurry back and rest. You just gave birth, standing too long isn’t good, Mo Zihan will worry."

"Wait a moment Anya," Xiaoying called out as she was about to leave, "next month there’s a class reunion. Everyone saw me give birth in A Country, so we decided to meet here. You’re already here, you should join!"

"Me?" Anya was surprised and was about to refuse, but Xiaoying grabbed her hand and swayed coquettishly: "It’s been so long since everyone saw you. Don’t you want to see your old classmates and friends? Just the other day, Xiaolei, Ruirui, and Ye Kai were talking in the group, wondering what you’re up to!"

"Yeah, Anya, go. It’s such a rare opportunity." Mo Zihan agreed with his wife.

Liang Anya gave a bitter smile.

Given her current situation, how could she attend a reunion?

But if she spoke too much, she feared triggering Mo Zihan and Xiaoying’s curiosity, so she nodded perfunctorily.

After all, it was just talk, they might not even hold the reunion.

Even if there was a reunion, she could always find a reason not to go.

Xiaoying was thrilled when she agreed: "Then leave me a number, I’ll call you once it’s arranged."

Ever since the fallout with Si Yuheng, she hadn’t had any communication tools at hand. Reluctantly, she gave Xiaoying a number, lest she arouse suspicion by claiming she lacked a phone.

After all, who doesn’t have a phone nowadays?

She gave the number of a phone at Beiming Hall, then watched Mo Zihan and Xiaoying, joyful with their baby, walk away.

Their happy, tight-knit family silhouette let Liang Anya sigh with relief, though her eyes dulled with sadness.

Si Yuheng constantly asked what he did wrong, what more she wanted.

She never answered.

Only now did she finally understand that what she longed for was the sight before her.

Like Xiaoying, openly loved and cared for by her husband.

But that’s something that man could never give her.

****

Several days later, the Huo Family prepared a vehicle.

In the evening, Huo Zhenyang had George personally take her back.

The car moved at a steady pace, nearing the castle, it drove onto Beiming Hall’s private road.

The sides of the road were dense forests, blocking most of the sky, much like Liang Anya’s mood — anxious, uneasy, like returning to a cage yet having no choice.

Suddenly, there was a screech as the tires skidded on the asphalt and stopped.

"What happened, George?" Liang Anya asked.

"Oh, nothing, there was some gravel on the road, it punctured the tire. Miss Liang, take a seat while I change the tire." George opened the door and got out.

Alone in the car, Liang Anya was bored as changing the tire would take some time, so she stepped out too, stretching her legs.

While wandering, she looked up and saw the dense forest beside her, and a thought struck her.

Entering here would lead to Beiming Hall’s private forest, not far ahead should be Fei Han’s cabin.

Fei Han...

Her heart pounded wildly.

Perhaps she could ask Fei Han for help to escape with Xiaoxiao?

After all, Si Yuheng was unaware of Fei Han’s existence, making it easier.

Without thinking, she turned to George: "George, nature calls. I’m going to ease myself."

George didn’t think much of it, just nodded.

Liang Anya walked into the woods, quickly heading west along the paths.

Her feet were swift—

Finally, just like that time, she stood before the familiar cabin.

She pushed open the door, finding it empty, feeling a bit disappointed.

Fei Han probably hadn’t come.

It made sense — this surely wasn’t his permanent residence, just a place for occasional hunting trips. How could she expect him to always be here?

After spacing out for a while, she finally sighed, preparing to leave, when she heard a familiar voice:

"Anya?"

She was startled, turning to find Fei Han standing there, the breeze tousling his light brown hair, sweat gleaming on his forehead, seemed he’d just returned from a nearby mountain climb.

"Why are you here again, is something wrong?" Fei Han gestured her inside, hanging his backpack on the wall.

She hesitated, then made a resolute decision: "I hope you can help my daughter and me leave A Country."

Fei Han paused his motion of hanging the backpack, his eyes flickering, not surprised: "You’ve finally decided to leave him?"

"Yes." She hesitated, her voice growing faint: "I have no friends here, just you as an acquaintance... I understand, this might inconvenience you, and you can refuse me."

Fei Han managed a smile: "I’m a lone wolf, not afraid of trouble."

The smile was tinged with an unspoken loneliness; Liang Anya felt a slight ache, knowing he had banished himself like this after his lover passed away.

"But, if you truly disappear, won’t he be upset?" Fei Han suddenly asked.

Upset? How could that be?

Liang Anya laughed abruptly: "He’ll soon have another favorite. Nowadays, medical technology is advanced; there will be other children in the future. We are just passing passengers in each other’s lives, ones who never left happy memories."

"He must feel something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep you so close, nor would you need to go through so much effort to escape him." Fei Han seemed to be probing her conviction, judging her resolve.

Her lashes flickered, and she rubbed a corner: "You’re overthinking, in short... I want to leave."

"Are you truly sure?"

She took a deep breath: "Yes, I’m sure."

After meeting Mo Zihan and Xiaoying, seeing the happiness of others in person, she was even more determined.

She refused to become Kasey, Amy, or Vivi, to be a mistress in his circle.

She wanted a normal, ordinary life with Xiaoxiao.

Fei Han said casually: "Alright. I can help you leave, and you can leave forever, cleanly, he’ll never find you and your daughter again."

"Really?" Liang Anya’s eyes brightened.