Chapter 22: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — This Golden Birdcage Was Made Just for You Part 1

Shi Yu turned off her phone and went to the bedroom to pack. In truth, she had very few belongings. So few they wouldn’t even fill a small backpack.

In the wardrobes on both sides, clothes arranged neatly by Jiang Qiuyan hung in rows. From spring to winter, from underwear to coats, the color palettes were vibrant, the kind a girl her age would love.

But she didn’t like bright colors.

Simple black and white was fine. As long as it was cheap, comfortable, and durable.

She’d never had the right to be picky before, wearing whatever was cheapest. Now she had no right to wear what Jiang Qiuyan had prepared either.

Pink and blue. Those were Pei Shuyu’s favorite colors.

When Jiang Qiuyan prepared these, what was she thinking? That an omega was about to move in and would like these? Or was she thinking of Pei Shuyu through her face?

Shi Yu gave a self-deprecating smile and closed the wardrobe.

In her backpack there was only one change of clothes, which she’d bought herself. Other than that, she took nothing from here.

Before leaving, Shi Yu looked toward the security camera in the corner of the living room and gave what she thought was a brilliant smile.

They’d known each other. Jiang Qiuyan had saved her from misery, and she’d been good to her for over half a year. She owed her a proper goodbye.

She took a deep breath, blinked her stinging eyes, and left without a trace of reluctance.

After making her way to the bus station and boarding a coach bound for the countryside, watching the bustling Hai City fade into the distance, Shi Yu finally felt the reality of leaving.

The coach bumped along rough cement roads for over three hours before reaching its destination. Shi Yu got off and walked toward an abandoned chemical factory, but only lingered outside for a few minutes without going in.

Shi Huaixin had asked to meet. She’d agreed, but the location was her choice.

This was where she’d once lived with her mother. As a child, she’d often played at this abandoned factory. She knew the terrain like the back of her hand.

From this vantage point, through the broken windows, she could see ninety percent of the interior. Shi Huaixin had already arrived.

Perhaps being in power for so long had kept him as confident as ever. He’d only brought a single bodyguard.

He probably assumed Shi Yu wouldn’t dare resist.

Shi Yu took out her phone and stared at it for a long time in silence. In the end, she tossed it near the factory grounds.

She came down the slope and slipped onto an even more remote path. Following it all the way forward, she could take a boat out to sea and reach another city.

As long as you paid enough, the skippers of those small fishing boats wouldn’t ask who you were.

Even if Shi Huaixin suspected something, he’d never be able to trace her. Shi Yu looked up at the sky. A cool breeze brushed her cheeks, bringing a long-forgotten sense of lightness and ease.

From now on, she was truly on her own.

Alone but free.

She was just herself. Not anyone’s stand-in. And with no shameful past weighing her down.

Shi Yu, walk forward bravely!

An indescribable feeling swelled in her chest. Her eyes burned and her heart pounded, thump thump thump.

She took a quiet breath and walked forward with firm steps.

The wind grew stronger. The rice seedlings on both sides of the path bent as if welcoming her. Behind her, waves of green swallowed up her tiny figure.

Shi Yu boarded the boat with ease. The captain had lived in the area for over forty years and recognized her at a glance.

“Kiddo, didn’t you go off to enjoy the good life in the city? Why are you heading out to sea?”

Shi Yu gave her a faint smile. “Just wanted to go see the world.”

The captain smiled back, revealing a gleaming gold tooth. “At your age, you should get out more. Broaden your horizons.”

Shi Yu nodded and smiled without a word.

The boat cut across the sea. The salty wind hit her face, and for a moment Shi Yu felt dazed. Then, abruptly, she thought of Jiang Qiuyan.

A strange thought surfaced: Maybe Jiang Qiuyan would come looking for her.

A wave crashed against the boat. Cold seawater splashed onto her, snapping her to attention.

She’d wanted to use Jiang Qiuyan to make Shi Huaixin suffer a little, which was why she’d agreed to meet him. She’d planned to set a trap, but it had all been wishful thinking.

Remembering those petty schemes of hers filled her with shame. It was like being slapped hard across the face; her cheeks burned.

Why would Jiang Qiuyan care about her? She was probably busy planning her wedding to Pei Shuyu.

Thinking of those words, “wedding bells are near,” everything before felt like a fragile bubble. In her dream, Jiang Qiuyan had given her a fairy-tale life. Now the dream was over, and it was time to return to where she belonged.

She should congratulate her on her upcoming marriage and wish her happiness. After all, they’d never see each other again.

Shi Yu closed her eyes. Just then, seawater splashed across her face, masking the tear tracks sliding from its corners.

Four hours later, Shi Yu arrived at a small town in another city.

Though it was in a neighboring province, it was quite far from Hai City. The climate was different too, with clearly defined seasons.

The first thing she did upon arriving was buy a phone. In this day and age, you absolutely couldn’t survive without one. After getting a SIM card, she went to look at the apartment she’d arranged to see. Thinking she might live here for a long time, she didn’t settle for less and rented a standalone house with a courtyard.

Fortunately, it was a small town. Even a standalone house didn’t cost much in rent.

Inside the house were a table and a full-length mirror left by the previous tenant, along with some adorable stickers. Seeing these, Shi Yu thought the person must have been someone who truly loved life.

She needed very little. One or two trips out and she had everything.

Lying on the soft quilt, staring at the jellyfish sticker on the ceiling, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

Life alone was simple and peaceful. Apart from instinctively searching for someone’s embrace every night when she slept, there was nothing she couldn’t adapt to.

After three days of lying around, she finally went out.

She wanted to get familiar with the area and check if there were any college entrance exam prep classes nearby.

Though the money from Jiang Qiuyan and Pei Yiyi was enough for her to lounge comfortably for the rest of her life, a young omega with nothing to do all day would definitely attract gossip.

With her brain, she wasn’t delusional enough to aim for a top university. With enough effort, she could probably get into an ordinary undergrad program…

Or maybe not.

Shi Yu sensibly dismissed the idea.

But as long as she could study somewhere, that was enough. She had no particular obsession with schools. Going to university was just about enriching her experience and broadening her horizons.

Maybe someday she could become someone like Jiang Qiuyan, effortlessly handling everything.

Shi Yu didn’t force herself to forget Jiang Qiuyan. She let her remain in her memory naturally. After all, she was the only person who’d been kind to her in all these years. Being special was only understandable.

The prep school was quite far. Shi Yu was drenched in sweat from the sun. Just as she was wiping her brow, a popsicle suddenly appeared beside her.

She turned to look. Standing in front of her was a tall woman with strikingly beautiful features. There was no scent of pheromones about her, so she must be a beta.

“Not eating? Fine then.”

Before the beta could pull the popsicle back, Shi Yu reached out and took it.

“Thank you.”

The beta stared at her for a good ten seconds, then flashed a knowing smile.

“Student?”

“Emmm, I don’t know if I count as a student yet, but I’m here to sign up for classes.”

Shi Yu wasn’t great at talking to people, but since the other person was a beta and looked nice, she let down some of her guard.

“Which subjects?”

“All of them.”

The beta raised an eyebrow and looked her over once more. “Alright then. I’ll take you to sign up. Make sure you pick Teacher Chu Yuan for math. She’s the star of the place.”

Shi Yu made a mental note and specifically told the registration teacher she wanted Chu Yuan for math. The teacher glanced at the beta beside her and, with a helpless expression, added the note.

After paying, the registration teacher added her on WeChat, sent her the class schedule, reminded her not to be late tomorrow, and left.

Shi Yu carefully noted the times and headed home with the textbooks she’d splurged on. The beta followed behind her, walking out together.

“Are you a student here too? What’s your name?”

The beta stepped closer and took the books from her arms. “I’m Chu Yuan.”

Her voice was laced with laughter. Shi Yu’s steps faltered. Watching that tall, slender back, she realized she’d been had.

Shi Yu caught up in a few steps. “I can carry them myself.”

Chu Yuan glanced back at her. “With those skinny arms and legs, wouldn’t a stack of books like that break your back?”

Shi Yu thought to herself that she wasn’t that weak, but Chu Yuan didn’t give her a chance, walking straight to the roadside and hailing a taxi.

“Where do you live?”

Shi Yu gave the address. Chu Yuan’s eyes shifted slightly, and she got in the car with her.

“My house is in that direction too,” Chu Yuan said, staring into her eyes.

Shi Yu said “oh” and turned her face to the side, watching the scenery blur past the window, imagining what her life would look like from here on.

Chu Yuan looked down at the books in her arms and smiled for no apparent reason.

When they arrived, Shi Yu discovered that Chu Yuan didn’t just live nearby. She lived right next door, separated only by a single wall, a towering flower-covered trellis.

Chu Yuan carried the books in for her and lingered at the doorway, refusing to leave.

Shi Yu: “?”

“I carried all these books home for you in this heat and you’re not going to invite me in for tea?”

Shi Yu hesitated. “I don’t have tea at home.”

Chu Yuan was silent for a few seconds. “Plain water is fine.”

“Then come in.” Shi Yu stepped aside to let her in.

Chu Yuan sat down and found Shi Yu’s home strikingly different from her own. Beyond the cute decorations, it was a bit too empty.

Even for someone living alone, it was too bare.

Shi Yu came out with a glass of water and a row of Shuangwaiwai drinks cradled in her arms.

“Here, have this instead.”

Chu Yuan looked at her jade-like little face and felt her spirits lift even more. Drinking these at her age, how cute.

Chu Yuan tore open the packaging, pulled out a bottle, poked a straw in, and handed it to her. Shi Yu blinked in surprise, then took it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. After all, you’re the one treating me.”

For the next five minutes, neither said a word. They sat quietly on the sofa, drinking their Shuangwaiwai.

Since it was her first visit, Chu Yuan didn’t stay long. She got up to leave after finishing. At the door, she said: “Remember to come to class on time tomorrow. The teacher will take good care of you.”

Shi Yu nodded.

Chu Yuan flashed that smile Shi Yu couldn’t decipher again, turned, waved her hand at her with big, sweeping motions, and walked off with an easy, carefree stride.

Shi Yu thought: Maybe I can become friends with her.

That night, in a high-end residential complex in Hai City, an alpha stood before a floor-to-ceiling window holding a can of beer.

Her face was haggard, her eyes bloodshot, her gloomy expression somewhat terrifying.

Shi Huaixin had been caught, but he refused to admit he’d ever seen Shi Yu. How could a living person just vanish into thin air?

The phone rang. Jiang Qiuyan answered with hope in her eyes, only for the light to fade the moment she heard the voice on the other end.

“Don’t bother me with Pei Corporation news anymore. Just make them disappear as planned.”

Lu Tong quickly agreed and only breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the click of the call ending.

Jiang Qiuyan now was like the Grim Reaper incarnate. One glance could chill you to the bone. Fortunately, Secretary Jiang was around to share the brunt of it, otherwise she really couldn’t have survived.

But had Secretary Jiang found Miss Shi Yu?

The moment Jiang Qiunian received the news, she booked a flight to Jincheng. By the next morning, she stood before Shi Yu.

Shi Yu looked at her, puzzled. “Miss Jiang, what are you doing here?”

“Came to find you.” Jiang Qiunian gazed at her with what she thought were soulful eyes.

“To find me? Why?” Shi Yu couldn’t understand at all.