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Lin Tingfeng remained silent, as still as a clay sculpture. He realized that no matter what he said, he couldn't keep her.

He wanted to keep her; he couldn't accept the fact that she was leaving. But right now, his thoughts were in turmoil, so rather than saying anything rash, he decided to remain silent for the time being.

Ye Wenyu glanced at him, and in that instant, every little detail of their time together, from their first meeting to their interactions, flashed through her mind like a montage of scenes from a movie.

Their first meeting at the Lin family garden: he wore a black hoodie, his eyes smiling, yet he didn't reveal his true identity; their second meeting on the Q University campus: he wore a black suit, slowly turning around, leaving her jaw nearly dropping in astonishment; behind him stood a sea of ​​green plane trees; their third meeting at a five-star hotel: he wore a white shirt, sitting at the head table, surrounded by a group of bald, pot-bellied bosses, making him stand out even more. He rescued her from being forced to drink, leading her to his table, and told the guests around him, "I have to drive tonight, no drinking—"; on a stormy night, he carried her, sick on the street; inside the Lin family's hillside villa, he carried her, feverish and incoherent, pacing repeatedly around the room; outside the villa in Jiangnanli, Hangzhou, he told her the villa was named "Lin Ye Ju," signifying that their names were linked, representing their shared home; on the River Cam in Cambridge, England, he confessed his love to her—

She wanted to cry her heart out, she wanted to stay, but at the same time, her mother's words and Cai Wenchuan's words exploded in her ears like thunder. In addition, the images of Lin Tingxuan being locked up in the sanatorium, Lin Tingfeng's wife beating her in the street, and Lin Tingfeng and his wife being affectionate together all appeared in her mind.

Being with him meant facing a dark and terrifying future, like a blind night. She had to plan for herself; she had no other choice.

Therefore, Ye Wenyu composed herself, gritted her teeth, turned around, and strode away.

She went down to the first floor, opened the door of the coffee shop, and a cold wind rushed in, sending a chill through her. The snow outside was heavy, already ten centimeters deep. Ignoring everything else, she plunged headfirst into the snow.

Winter has come, but can spring be far behind? After the heavy snow, there will surely be sunny days. Only by leaving Lin Tingfeng will her life be filled with light and hope.

As Ye Wenyu walked, she suddenly felt happy. She relaxed and stretched out her hand to welcome the snowflakes falling from the sky, twirling in place, and then smiled. The huge weight on her heart finally disappeared.

She is free; she has finally broken free of her cage!

Today is the start of winter vacation. On her way back to school, Ye Wenyu received a text message from her mother saying that she would pick her up and take her home.

A warmth filled her heart, and she quickened her pace. Half an hour later, when Ye Wenyu returned to the girls' dormitory, she found two people waiting for her at the door: her mother and her stepfather, Uncle Wang.

Seeing them, a warm feeling washed over her. Her mother must know that she and Lin Tingfeng had broken up and that she had nowhere to go during the winter break, so she and her stepfather came to pick her up and take her home.

Her mother has always been very good to her. She couldn't take care of her before because she didn't have the ability, but now that she has a little bit of ability, she immediately took her home.

At that moment, snow was falling heavily, and the surroundings were a world of ice and snow. "Mom—" Ye Wenyu smiled brightly, called out to the old woman affectionately, and walked quickly over.

Despite the freezing weather, they actually came to take her home. Home, how warm! She finally had a home, even if it was small, poor, and shabby, it was full of love and warmth.

Zhang Susu smiled kindly and considerately placed a hot water bottle in Ye Wenyu's hand. The warm hot water bottle against her palm made her feel even warmer. The three of them stood together under the eaves of the girls' dormitory gate. Ye Wenyu smiled and complained, "How long have I been waiting here? Why didn't you call me? It's so cold."

A happy new life has begun!

Zhang Susu smiled and said, "I was afraid of delaying your business, so I didn't call you. We've only been here a short time." Ye Wenyu saw that her mother's hands were red from the cold, like carrots, and felt a pang of heartache. She put the hot water bottle back into the old woman's hands.

Zhang Susu declined, saying she didn't feel cold at all.

Uncle Wang saw the mother and daughter politely declining each other's offer, but the man, being more level-headed and rational, immediately said, "Oh dear, stop being so polite. It's snowing heavily. Xiaoyu, we're here to take you home. Go to your dorm and pack your things."

Ye Wenyu nodded. Now that she had broken up with Lin Tingfeng, she naturally didn't want the house he bought for her, or anything inside it; she only had the dormitory room.

However, she had already moved out of the girls' dormitory, and apart from an empty bed, she didn't have any extra belongings.

However, Ye Wenyu still went to the girls' dormitory as a formality to tidy up, packed a few books that she was going to throw away and clothes that she didn't plan to wear anymore, put them all into her suitcase, and then pulled the suitcase out.

The snow fell even heavier, like cotton wool being pulled and torn apart. Icicles had already formed under the eaves. She saw two elderly people rubbing their hands and hunching their shoulders, waiting for her under the dim streetlights not far away.

She smiled, a warmth filling her heart, knowing a new life awaited her.

Uncle Wang came over and took her suitcase. Ye Wenyu then took her mother's hand. Uncle Wang used the Didi Chuxing app to call a car, put Ye Wenyu's suitcase in the trunk, and the family got in. The car started and drove Ye Wenyu to her mother's house.

Two hours later, the three of them arrived home. Uncle Wang was still pulling the suitcase, and Zhang Susu opened the door with her key. She said to Ye Wenyu, "Xiaoyu, I've cleaned the room. It's very clean, and the blankets and sheets are new. I also boiled water before I left. Take a hot shower and go to bed early."

Uncle Wang chuckled beside him, "I went to the supermarket early this morning and bought some snacks and fruit. I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I bought a little of everything."

Ye Wenyu felt a warmth in her heart and politely said to Uncle Wang, "Thank you, Uncle Wang."

She couldn't be polite to her own mother; she just smiled, her eyes red, and looked at her mother who was busy taking care of her.

The door finally opened, and compared to the chill outside, the room felt warm as spring! A blast of warm air rushed out, and Ye Wenyu, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, couldn't help but walk inside, with Zhang Susu and Lao Wang pulling her suitcase behind her.

Ye Wenyu went to the bathroom to take a shower, and Uncle Wang thoughtfully put snacks and fruits in her small room. After everything was arranged, Ye Wenyu took a shower and went to her room to sleep. Seeing the small desk full of snacks and fruits, and the clean and tidy quilt and sheets on the bed, she felt warm inside for a long time.