Chapter Three: Considering Moving to the Dormitory

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Ino stood there motionless. She heard the door behind her open and then close. Ethan’s footsteps grew more distant.

Once she confirmed he had gone downstairs, Ino quickly locked the door, drew the curtains tightly, and rummaged through the wardrobe for her suitcase, hastily packing the things she planned to take with her. There was no time to grieve, nor the right to do so. After finishing everything, she would have to come up with an excuse to move out.

Once she moved out, she would have to find a job quickly to earn money. First, she needed to repay the support money the Yi family had provided over more than a decade. From then on, they would owe each other nothing.

Lying on the bed, she carefully calculated. From the age of four, when she entered the Yi family, until now at twenty-one, over more than ten years, the expenses for food, clothing, tuition, and so forth from the Yi family must have amounted to at least several hundred thousand yuan, possibly up to a million. The thought of having to repay such a sum gave her a headache and robbed her of sleep. She truly did not know when she would be able to earn that much money.

Early the next morning, Ino got up as usual and prepared breakfast for the family.

Today, Iris Yi unusually came down early and sat at the dining table, glancing at Ino from the corner of her eye with suspicion.

Her intuition told her that things were definitely not that simple. The medicine she had taken last night was strong; most people wouldn’t have been able to endure it. If there was no man involved, she would have had to go to the hospital. But Ino neither went to the hospital nor sought out a man. So where had she been during those missing hours?

Lei Yi came downstairs and didn’t see Joan, who was probably still asleep. Ethan Yi had left for the company early. Only the three of them sat at the table.

Ino kept her head down, eating quietly from her bowl. She felt as though a pair of burning eyes were fixed on her and dared not show any sign of unease, simply focusing on eating.

After breakfast, Ino said to Lei Yi, “Dad, school has been very busy lately. I need to prepare my graduation thesis and also participate in a design competition. I want to move into the dormitory so it will be easier to do research.”

She had been busy with her thesis lately; the design competition was just an excuse to move out.

Lei Yi looked up from his phone and said, “Living at home doesn’t stop you from writing your thesis. The dorm conditions are poor—several people cramped into a small room. It’s no comparison to the comfort of home.”

Ino smiled. “Home is comfortable, but schoolwork is tight and the teachers are strict. I always come home late, and over time, it would affect everyone’s rest. Besides, the design competition is about to start. I really want to seize this opportunity and create some good work.”

“You want to be a designer?”

“Of course. It’s been my dream since I was a child.”

That was true. She had loved designing wedding dresses since she was young and dreamed of becoming an outstanding wedding dress designer.

Seeing her determination, Lei Yi said no more. “Alright, but remember to come home every weekend.”

“Thank you, Dad.” Ino breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Iris sat silently on the sofa, lips pressed tight, watching their conversation. When her gaze fell on Ino’s sleeveless turtleneck, she seemed to ponder something, then suddenly asked, “It’s so hot, why are you wearing a turtleneck? Aren’t you hot?”

Could it be she was hiding something she didn’t want others to see?

Her sharp eyes scanned Ino’s face. Ethan, who was looking down at his phone, looked up at the question and also noticed Ino’s neck.

“Are you feeling unwell, No’er?”

Ino’s neck was covered with kiss marks left by Yan Ze the night before. She couldn’t wipe them off. During the day, she hid them under her hair, but fearing they might be seen, she had to wear a sleeveless turtleneck to cover them. She hadn’t expected Iris to suddenly grab her clothing and not let go. Had she discovered something? Ino instinctively touched her neck. “My throat has been a bit sore these past couple of days, so I wanted to dress warmly.”

She then deliberately coughed twice.

Iris was unconvinced. “If your throat is sore, shouldn’t you be drinking more water?”

“Yes, No’er, go drink some water. Don’t really get sick.” Lei Yi chimed in.

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“Yes.” Ino smiled foolishly. “Dad and sister are right. I’ll go drink water right now.”

She used this as a pretext to go to the kitchen for water but listened attentively to the sounds outside. When she heard that everyone in the dining room had dispersed, she sneaked back, grabbed her bag, and quietly slipped out the door.

Her first stop was the pharmacy to buy emergency contraception. She didn’t want one accident to make her the target of everyone’s blame.

Iris had not gone far. She hid somewhere, secretly watching Ino. When she saw Ino run out of the house, she quietly followed.

Just as she reached the street, a black Rolls-Royce suddenly braked and stopped beside her, blocking Ino’s figure completely. Iris was furious and about to swear, but when she saw the handsome face behind the rolled-down window, she swallowed the curse.

Yan Ze smiled slightly at her. “Isn’t this Miss Iris? Where are you headed? I’ll give you a ride.”

Having admired her idol for a long time, Iris was overjoyed. She didn’t even know where she was going, just wanted to spend more time with him. She randomly named a place and happily climbed into Yan Ze’s car.

She had liked Yan Ze for a long time. He graduated from a prestigious overseas university, handsome and charismatic, and was the heir to the Yan family. To train him, his father handed him a struggling company to manage. Unexpectedly, Yan Ze proved to be a business prodigy. In less than two years, he took the company public, earning his father’s admiration and pride for the family.

Many young girls secretly admired this young and handsome Mr. Yan, and Iris was one of them. Normally, she would never have contact with such a figure, and if not for her father, she wouldn’t have had a chance to talk to him.

Yan Ze started the engine and checked the rearview mirror to see if there were any obstacles, just in time to see Ino leave the pharmacy. Wearing a sleeveless turtleneck and a gray pleated skirt—simple clothes that made her look youthful and vibrant. Youth was such a blessing; even standing in the sun, her face seemed to glow.

Ino went to a trash bin by the roadside, took the emergency contraceptive with water, and tossed the empty box into the bin.

She needed to find a good place to live quickly. Other matters could wait; today, she had to solve her accommodation problem first.

She wanted to rent an affordable small room, preferably near the school.

After looking around, she didn’t like any of the options—either the location was too remote, the price too high, or the landlords were eccentric with strange rules.

Finding a place that suited her taste was truly not easy.

After wandering around, Ino’s legs and feet ached, and her lower abdomen hurt. She sat on a bench to rest, but the pain grew worse.

Her lower abdomen had hurt since last night, but her emotions fluctuated wildly, and she ignored the pain. This morning, she had tried to endure it while cooking and eating at home. Once outside, the mental pressure lifted, and the physical pain intensified.

Holding her stomach, she went to the nearest hospital, unsure which department to see. She described her symptoms to the nurse at the information desk, who suggested she first see gynecology.

Near closing time, there were only a few scattered patients.

Ino did not wait long before it was her turn.

She pushed open the door. Only one female doctor was inside.

The doctor appeared about twenty-six or twenty-seven, wearing clear pink glasses. She had fair skin and long chestnut hair loosely tied into a low ponytail. Her features were unremarkable but gave a comfortable and elegant impression.

“What’s the problem?” The doctor asked without looking up from the computer.

“My... lower abdomen hurts.”

Ino’s voice was soft and shy.

“Describe the pain.”

“It’s a stabbing pain that comes in waves.” Even though it was a female doctor, Ino felt embarrassed.

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“Alright, lie down on the bed inside.”

The doctor still didn’t look up.

For a doctor, this was routine, but for Ino, this was her first ever gynecological exam. Her face flushed deeply.

She obediently lay on the bed. The doctor entered, and Ino turned her head to see the rubber-gloved hands first, then the name tag on her white coat.

“Gynecology, Lin Xi.”

Her name was Lin Xi.

The name was pleasant but somewhat aloof.

Lin Xi’s hands pressed precisely on Ino’s lower abdomen and asked, “Is it here?”

“A bit lower.”

Lin Xi moved her hand down two inches. “Here?”

“A little lower.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

“Have you had sexual intercourse?”

Ino nodded shyly. “Yesterday... I did.”

Lin Xi glanced at Ino’s flushed face and the spot where her hand pressed, immediately understanding. This wasn’t just abdominal pain—it was uterine pain.

“Alright, you can get up now. I’ll prescribe some medication outside.”

She said this while removing her gloves and tossing them into the nearby waste bin, then left.

Ino awkwardly sat up and was about to get off the bed when she suddenly heard Lin Xi outside exclaim.

“What are you doing here?”

Then a man’s laughter came: “I came to pick you up after work. How about that? Tired today?”

It was Yan Ze’s voice.

Ino felt as if struck by lightning. Her foot, just lifted, fell back down, and she sat frozen on the bed.