Don't get married if you're reborn.

Chapter 392 On the Road to Freedom (7K)

Things turned out exactly as everyone expected.

Zeng Wenjie stole the show at this conference held by the education department, and much of what he said was reported, quoted, and reprinted by major media outlets, almost all of which were state media!

Zhuang Aimin also read two reports and Zeng Wenjie's speech in his spare time, and couldn't help but marvel at it after reading them.

The writing style isn't exactly flowery, just plain, but it has a strong official report feel to it!

Most articles written within the system are also this simple and unadorned.

It's hard to believe that Zeng Wenjie, a college student, possesses such foresight and insight, and seems to have been working within the system for over ten years.

Fortunately, Zeng Wenjie had enough accolades to back him up, and everyone thought he was an outstanding young man. Although the quality of this manuscript was unbelievable, no one doubted that he had hired a ghostwriter.

Ye Yixuan was greatly impressed after reading it, and even felt that Zeng Wenjie was a scion of a wealthy family in the capital who grew up surrounded by all kinds of important events every day.

This article deeply integrates the current trend of "scientific development concept" and is very popular with major official media.

This is the biggest reason why it caused such a huge sensation.

Amidst this commotion, Zeng Wenjie received a call from Xue Xiangyao, who said that his father, Xue Lu, wanted to invite him to dinner.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Mr. Xue really doesn't offend anyone!"

Zeng Wenjie thought.

He said, "I've been a bit busy these past few days, cooperating with interviews from various official media outlets. Let me finish this busy period!"

This response was clearly a deliberate attempt to leave Xue Lu hanging.

He had already made plans for opening new branches before the Lunar New Year, but Xue Lu suddenly changed his mind, catching him off guard and forcing him to rewrite the entire plan. He was furious.

Although he received a text message from Xue Lu after falling out with Luo Xin, it didn't mean he had forgotten the grudge.

Where can you find a way to please both sides and please everyone?
If it weren't for Xue Xiangyao's initiative to compensate him with two prime commercial properties and a two-year rent-free period, he wouldn't have even considered seeing Xue Lu again.

Zeng Wenjie brought his sketches and a set of cards, intending to meet Zeng Mi.

This state of house arrest will likely continue for another half a month to a month, and waiting for trial is an extremely agonizing experience.

Being placed under house arrest is actually considered a favor; otherwise, they would have been imprisoned long ago.

During the phone call, Zeng Wenjie explained his purpose in bringing the artwork to discuss with Zeng Mi, and then arranged a meeting time, arriving on time.

This dignified and elegant classical beauty looked slightly haggard and had even lost some weight, appearing much thinner than before.

After Zeng Wenjie closed the door, he looked at her with some pity.

Zeng Mi stood there watching him, her expression somewhat unnatural.

It had been many days since they last parted, and their relationship was quite special, so while things were fine online, she found it a little difficult to adjust in real life.

"You've lost weight!" Zeng Wenjie said.

"A little." Zeng Mi smiled helplessly, then squatted down to help him change his shoes.

Zeng Wenjie simply tapped his heel off and took off his shoes, not giving her a chance to touch them. He bent down and helped her up from the ground, asking, "I'm more concerned about your mental state. Are you alright?"

Zeng Mi smiled somewhat desolately and said, "How could it be alright? But I can only comfort myself that this is just the last growing pain before being reborn."

Zeng Wenjie said, "I am really sorry for making you endure so much pressure and pain."

Zeng Mi sighed and said, "I actually expected this day would eventually come, but I didn't expect to make this decision so quickly. All of this is what I deserve, and you don't need to feel sorry for it."

At this moment, she possessed a certain composure similar to Feng Xiao's.

Feng Xiao once said that she never hated her family. The reason she was able to live such an enviable life was all thanks to her parents. She couldn't enjoy that life, but then she blamed her parents for not following the rules of the world, which led to the disintegration of the whole family.

Zeng Wenjie said, "That's true, but you have no choice in the matter."

Zeng Mi sighed, "Actually, it's all my own fault. If I had been strong enough at eighteen and hadn't compromised so easily, perhaps things would have been different?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "You will be different from now on. At least you won't have to live in fear anymore, and you won't be kept in a cage anymore. You can and will be able to pursue the values ​​and freedom you have always longed for."

Zeng Mi smiled and said, "I still have to thank you for saving me. I thought people like them would be ruthless enough, but I didn't expect him to be this ruthless."

Zeng Wenjie felt ashamed. He had arranged the car accident to break down Zeng Mi's already fragile last psychological defenses.

But then he thought that without his intervention, Zeng Mi would have ultimately died in a car accident as well.

In truth, he did indeed redeem Zeng Mi.

This redemption is twofold, both in terms of life and soul.

So, Mr. Zeng, who was not a saint to begin with, became calm and at ease at this moment.

"These are finished cards from the game 'Hero Kill,' which I brought especially for you. Would you like to take a look?" Zeng Wenjie asked, handing over the gift.

Zeng Mi happily accepted the card, unfolded it, and looked at the exquisite cards. A smile bloomed on her face as she asked, "Is the game ready?"

Zeng Wenjie shook his head and said, "The game will still take some time to launch, but it won't be too long."

Zeng Mi said regretfully, "It's a pity I'm afraid I won't be able to play it right away, and all the computers in this room have been taken away."

Zeng Wenjie then asked, "You didn't leave anything behind?"

"It was never mine to begin with, so there's nothing to be nostalgic about, and I left nothing behind," Zeng Mi replied softly, touching the Yu Ji card in her hand.

Once the proceedings are complete, all of Zeng Mi's assets of dubious origin will be seized by the court, and her real estate will be auctioned off.

Zeng Mi was very cooperative from the beginning of the investigation, so she did not suffer much during the interrogation.

"By the way, I've been free lately, so I drew these characters in modern skin."

Zeng Mi stood up, took out a lot of sketches, and handed them all to Zeng Wenjie.

Zeng Wenjie took it and felt that her drawing skills seemed to have improved. The character illustrations on the draft appeared to have more tension.

"Don't worry about starving after you come out. You've already earned a lot of money from your artwork. In addition, I'll help you convert these skins into revenue sharing. As long as people play this game and buy these skins, you'll have a steady stream of income!" Zeng Wenjie said gently as he looked through the artwork.

Hearing these words calmed Zeng Mi, who was filled with fear about a future where she was destined to have nothing.

With income, at least there's no need to worry about starving to death.

Over the years, she has not learned any skills and is quite confused about how she should make a living after losing everything.

Zeng Mi laughed and said, "I've read all your news reports, and I think you're really cool. Look, I even asked someone to buy these newspapers for me!"

She proudly showed Zeng Wenjie a lot of newspapers, all of which contained reports about him.

“You still need to eat properly. Being too thin doesn’t look good. Besides, you won’t be able to eat anything good in a while.” Zeng Wenjie couldn’t help but sigh when he saw how haggard she looked.

"My appetite has improved recently, and it will gradually return to normal. Don't worry, I'm still looking forward to living a free life!" Zeng Mi said.

After talking with Zeng Wenjie for a while, she relieved a lot of her negative emotions and felt much more relaxed.

Since it has already happened and there is nothing that can be changed, let's face it calmly and embrace the new life in the best possible way!
Zeng Wenjie felt Zeng Mi's fingernails gently brushing against the back of his hand, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation, yet also triggering a strange surge of desire.

He turned to look at Zeng Mi, whose face was slightly flushed. She quietly took his hand, revealing a rare and adorable shy girlish demeanor.

The sight of such a charming, mature woman displaying such a youthful demeanor is quite exhilarating; they kill without even needing a knife.

Zeng Mi gently scratched Zeng Wenjie's hand with her fingernails, but didn't say a word.

"Why are you scratching me?" Zeng Wenjie asked, feigning ignorance.

“Do it!” Zeng Mi said succinctly.

Zeng Wenjie was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly. He reached out and pulled her up, holding her slender waist, just like that night. Then he kicked open the bedroom door with a domineering air.

After peeling an egg, it is white, smooth, and very elastic. If the yolk is still runny, the taste is even more perfect.

As Zeng Wenjie peeled Zeng Mi apart bit by bit, he felt as if he were peeling an egg.

She's thirty years old, and can't even be called a girl anymore, but she's incredibly soft and tender, like a marshmallow coated in honey.

One bite, and the sweetness, the smoothness, the stickiness... all sorts of flavors pour into your heart like a floodgate being opened.

Perhaps due to recent emotional suppression and mental anguish, Zeng Mi performed much better than last time, as if she wanted to vent her accumulated negative emotions in this way.

Of course, besides venting, it also contained her longing and affection for this person who was clearly almost a full twelve years younger than her.

When she was kissed, Zeng Mi shed many tears, not for romantic reasons, but simply to release and relieve her emotions.

"The way you cry is truly heartbreaking," Zeng Wenjie couldn't help but comment.

"You've made me cry a lot before!" Zeng Mi laughed through her tears, her tone tinged with reproach.

Zeng Wenjie said, "Do you have any cheongsams at home? I think you look most beautiful in a cheongsam."

Zeng Mi scoffed, indicating her refusal, and said, "Wait for me, and I'll wear it for you. If you don't wait, then don't even think about seeing it later!"

The gentle, warm hand caressed her waist like petting a cat, and Zeng Mi, the cat, seemed to enjoy it and remained docile.

Zeng Wenjie felt that if she didn't wear a cheongsam, but dressed up as a catgirl, it would probably be a super killer move!

“Then don’t break your promise this time,” Zeng Wenjie said.

“I won’t break my promise again, but I’m afraid you’ll be the one to break your promise,” Zeng Mi replied softly.

"I won't."

"It would be best if you didn't, please don't break your promise."

Zeng Wenjie felt that Zeng Mi's online name "Extra Chapter" was very fitting.

From that night on, this woman, as delicate as a lilac, began a completely new chapter in her life, no longer having to leave this world, which was clearly painful yet cherished by countless people, abruptly with endless regrets, remorse, and torment.

Zeng Wenjie is the creator of this side story.

But Zeng Mi would never know these things that had not yet happened. At this moment, she was just walking on a completely new and unknown road with a little sadness, a little melancholy, and a little expectation, waiting to reach the end of freedom.

The classical beauty, her skin flushed, looked even more gentle and charming. Her originally neat and dignified hair became slightly messy, which made her even more breathtakingly beautiful.

After being tormented several times, Zeng Mi begged for mercy and even couldn't help but complain, "Can Feng Xiao really stand you?" The male college student, still full of energy, grinned and moved closer to Zeng Mi, which was a bit shameless and inhuman!
"It's not me who's strong, it's my eighteen-year-old self!"

Zeng Wenjie finally understood the significance of this statement. He hadn't quite grasped it before, but now he regarded it as a classic.

So, Zeng Mi, feeling very satisfied, took out the set of "Hero Kill" cards and drew out the character cards one by one, asking Zeng Wenjie to explain the character skills and the appropriate ways to play.

She said she didn't want to fall too far behind others in skill level when she finally got to play this game.

Zeng Wenjie pulled Zeng Mi onto his lap, held her close, and analyzed the characteristics and skills of each character for her, teaching her some advanced gameplay techniques.

“I think you and Goujian are a good match!” Zeng Mi couldn’t help but laugh.

"What do you mean?" Zeng Wenjie asked. King Goujian of Yue didn't have a good ending.

Zeng Mi said, "In your words, you're just being very cunning. You lay low at first, hiding your true intentions, and then jump out to reap the rewards at the crucial moment."

Zeng Wenjie thought the analogy was quite apt; in this matter, he had indeed played the role of Goujian. Crucially, he reaped considerable rewards, gaining both beautiful women and connections.

Zeng Mi held the card and stretched her upper body forward, then put the card back in the box, thus creating a hip-bending posture.

Zeng Wenjie looked at the taut buttocks sitting on his lap, which presented an exaggerated curve and had an extremely strong visual impact.

He took the opportunity to put his arm around Zeng Mi's slender waist and stand up, hugging her from behind. He said softly, "Sister Zeng Mi, I've already spoken with my senior brother! Besides, you've been very cooperative during the investigation, so you'll receive appropriate care. Our next meeting won't be too long, so you don't need to worry about me not being able to wait for you."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Mi trembled, her nose stung, and she teared up again, overcome with melancholy.

"Furthermore, over the years, you've done enough things against your conscience. No matter what favors he did for you back then, I can say you've already repaid them! So, don't feel guilty about this, and don't blame yourself for it," Zeng Wenjie continued.

Zeng Mi gently wiped away the tears on her face and said helplessly, "You're so clueless, always seeing things so clearly and then explaining them outright. It's so boring! Can't you just let me figure it out myself?"

Zeng Wenjie released her and chuckled, "Alright, alright, I'll definitely be more careful next time!"

Then, he glanced at his watch and said, "It's getting late. Have a smoke with me, and then I'll head back."

He sat down on the sofa, pulled over the ashtray, took out a cigarette, lit it, and handed one to Zeng Mi.

Zeng Mi waved her hand, took out her own women's cigarettes to smoke, and said, "I was just thinking of quitting smoking, so I'll take advantage of this time to quit."

She lit a cigarette, took a pleasant puff, and chuckled, resting her chin on her hand.

Zeng Wenjie asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Zeng Mi said, "I laughed at you. You must have been a naughty kid when you were in school. You're so young, but you're already a real heavy smoker! It reminds me of those boys in my school days who always hid in the toilet to smoke."

Zeng Wenjie said, "Hey, I was just young and didn't know any better. I thought it was cool for adults to smoke, so I copied them. As a result, I got addicted and can't quit even if I want to!"

Zeng Mi nodded and said, "That's right. I learned it from watching movies. I always felt that smoking this stuff could relieve my depression."

Zeng Wenjie said, "In reality, it's just deliberate marketing by tobacco companies, linking cigarettes with emotions, making people feel that they should smoke this stuff to relieve their bad mood."

Zeng Mi smiled and said, "Anyway, I won't be so sad in the future, so I'll take this opportunity to quit."

Zeng Wenjie then said, "When you're young, you always want to grow up quickly. But once you're truly an adult, you realize how short and precious your childhood was. Sigh, how could we have known there would be so many troubles after growing up when we were so naive..."

Zeng Mi froze, her gaze fixed intently on Zeng Wenjie.

She thought Zeng Wenjie was deliberately saying these words to her, but she couldn't detect any deliberate intent in his tone and emotion. Instead, she felt that he was speaking from the bottom of his heart.

So, like Feng Xiao, he couldn't quite understand how Zeng Wenjie, who was only nineteen years old, could have such a profound understanding of life.
It's not surprising that such words came from a young person in their twenties who was struggling to find a job.
It's not surprising that this came from a busy, hardworking person in their thirties;
It's not surprising that this came from a forty-year-old middle-aged person who has experienced ups and downs and the ways of the world;
It's strange that it came from someone under nineteen years old!
But these words were spoken in a way that felt completely natural, without any hint of forced sentimentality or awkwardness. Instead, they came from a heartfelt and profound understanding.

Zeng Mi couldn't help but laugh, "If you hadn't acted like an animal just now, I would have doubted whether your age was real!"

Zeng Wenjie smacked his lips, realizing he had been a bit too talkative, and decided to try to say things like that less often in the future.

"Feng Xiao is right, you really are unique!" Zeng Mi commented.

Zeng Wenjie stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and said, "I'm leaving now. If you're still under house arrest before I have time, I'll come see you again. If you feel down, feel free to call me anytime. I'd be happy to hear from you."

Zeng Mi also threw away the cigarette butt that had burned down to the end. She had only taken two puffs, and even thought that if the cigarette burned slowly, Zeng Wenjie could stay with her a little longer.
"Okay, but my phone is being tapped, so it's not very convenient to talk," Zeng Mi said with a helpless smile.

“There are actually many topics you can easily talk about. You're just not used to chatting with people. You've been lonely for too long,” Zeng Wenjie said.

He stood up and walked towards the door, with Zeng Mi following to see him off.

She wanted to squat down to help Zeng Wenjie put on his shoes, but the shoelaces were tied very loosely. He just stuffed his foot in and then rubbed the heels together a couple of times before getting them in. She couldn't help but smile helplessly at the sight.

Boys always wear shoes like this, for convenience and to save time, the uppers of their shoes are often stepped on and deformed.

Zeng Wenjie looked at the classical beauty standing alone to the side, then reached out and pulled her into his arms, giving her a long, lingering kiss that was enough to make one's thoughts pause for a moment.

"Take good care of yourself. If you've lost weight again when we meet next time, I'll deduct your salary!" Zeng Wenjie warned.

"Okay, take care on your journey." Zeng Mi patted his chest with a smile, her expression shy and adorable, just like a lovely young girl.

Zeng Wenjie felt as if she had stabbed him in the back again. Zeng Mi's posture was comparable to that of the young woman Feng when she was biting a rubber band to tie her hair.

After Zeng Mi closed the door, she stood by the window, looking at him just as Zeng Wenjie had looked at her back that day in room 207 of the startup base.

However, Zeng Wenjie did not flee in a disheveled manner; his steps were steady and his back was upright.

Then, as the figure reached the corner, it suddenly raised its right hand without turning its head and waved it lightly.

Zeng Mi was stunned by the scene, her heart skipped a beat, and she felt incredibly impressed by his handsomeness!
"She really knows how to manipulate people!" Zeng Mi pouted and couldn't help but mutter softly.

Zeng Wenjie was definitely doing it on purpose. He guessed that she would stand here and watch him leave, so he didn't look back the whole way until he was almost out of sight before waving goodbye.

Real men never look back to see the explosion.

She closed the window, and although she was still alone in the room, she felt much better than before.

Zeng Mi no longer felt uneasy today. Her heart gradually calmed down, and she felt that she could face everything that was about to happen with a calm attitude.

In order to regain her freedom, she gave up all the wealth she held in her hands, but fortunately, Zeng Wenjie left her a real fortune.

She will earn money honestly and openly through her own hands and her paintbrush.

Zeng Mi couldn't help but set up her drawing board, thinking about the way Zeng Wenjie spoke while smoking, and sketched it with a pencil.

Before long, a painting of a young man smoking a cigarette, with eyes so deep they seemed to have traveled through time, appeared on the paper.

"Perhaps he had already seen through my life and my fate, so he came to redeem me."

Zeng Mi pondered silently, and then named the painting "Redemption".

She put the painting away, planning to frame it and appreciate it later.

At that moment, a knock sounded on the door.

Zeng Mi walked over and opened the door, where she saw Ye Yixuan standing at the door carrying a bottle of wine.

"Yixuan? What brings you here?" Zeng Mi asked in surprise.

"Can't I come?" Ye Yixuan asked back.

“It’s not that you can’t come, but given your status and my current situation, it might cause some trouble for you to come see me,” Zeng Mi said slowly after thinking for a moment.

Ye Yixuan smiled and said, "As your only close friend, shouldn't I come to see you when you're in the worst situation? What kind of friend would I be if I didn't come!"

Zeng Mi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Since you're not afraid, please come in. We can have a couple of drinks."

Ye Yixuan nodded, walked into the house, and glanced at the slippers on the floor.

Zeng Mi followed her gaze and hurriedly bent down to put away the slippers, then took out a pair of women's slippers for her to change into.

Ye Yixuan said calmly, "Come on, let's have a couple of drinks."

Zeng Mi took out a wine glass and ice beads, poured half a glass of wine into each, gently clinked them together, and then drank them all in one gulp.

"I'm glad you still consider me a friend," Zeng Mi said.

"Why don't I consider you a friend? I've always thought of you as my friend. Although I approached you with ulterior motives before, it was all for your own good," Ye Yixuan said slowly as she poured the wine.

Zeng Mi smiled with a complicated expression. Of course, she knew why Ye Yixuan had become close to her in the first place.

Ye Yixuan said, "What I didn't expect was that I failed, but Zeng Wenjie succeeded? It seems that bringing her to your teahouse for drinks was fate?"

Zeng Mi replied, "Perhaps..."

Ye Yixuan said, "He took all the blame, saying that you were coerced by him. The subsequent judgment will be more favorable to you, and a lighter judgment will also make it easier for us to operate."

Zeng Mi was stunned, and couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"Perhaps he felt that the situation was hopeless, and also because he remembered your past relationship over the years, he made this decision." Ye Yixuan shrugged.

Zeng Mi nodded slightly, feeling relieved after receiving Ye Yixuan's reply.

At least, she won't have to wait too long, and she won't have to worry that the people waiting for her will lose patience because of the long wait.

Ye Yixuan said, "The leniency shown to you was something Zeng Wenjie negotiated with the big boss. Sure enough, you're still a vixen; even at thirty, you're still very popular with boys!"

Zeng Mi glared at her, annoyed, and said, "It's just that you put on too high an attitude, otherwise you would definitely have several times more people pursuing you than I do."

Ye Yixuan smiled and said, "Your story has actually inspired me. I'm planning to get married."

"real or fake?!"

Zeng Mi was taken aback, feeling somewhat surprised.

Ye Yixuan nodded and said, "I'll tell you a secret quietly, but don't tell anyone."

Zeng Mi said, "Go ahead and speak."

Ye Yixuan smiled and revealed the secret.

Zeng Mi's eyes widened. "You're not kidding?!"

She was shocked, her worldview was shattered. Ye Yixuan actually chose to solve the marital problems that were troubling her in this way.

Then, she began to admire Ye Yixuan's courage; she was planning to fool everyone...

(End of this chapter)