Chapter Twenty-Four: As Long as You’re Happy

"Just because of a single strand of hair, you've concluded it was me? Where is your brain?"

Although this hair is very similar to mine, there are countless people in this world with similar hair textures. If someone were determined to frame me, it wouldn't be difficult to get hold of a strand of my hair.

I suddenly remembered something.

"Zhou Zhizi has been in my room."

I don't like others invading my personal space; even the cleaning of my room is done by myself. Aside from her, it’s impossible for anyone else to have taken my hair.

Zhou Chenyan sneered, "You’re so deranged that you'd frame Zhizi just to absolve yourself of guilt. You’re truly hopeless!"

"You’re the one who’s hopeless!"

How could this man in front of me be so stupid that he cannot distinguish right from wrong?

"I don't want to hear your excuses. When exactly did you go into Zhizi’s room and steal her diary?"

My fingers were itching; I wanted to hit him again.

"You are coming with me to look for her right now."

Without listening to a word I said, he dragged me out of the room. I was naturally unwilling, and as I struggled, I knocked into a potted plant placed in the hallway.

It made a loud crashing sound. The pot shattered into pieces, startling the quiet villa.

Mother Zhou rushed out, one of her slippers having fallen off. "What are you two doing? It's the middle of the night; can't you sleep, and can't you let others sleep either?"

Seeing her felt like finding a savior, and I ducked behind her immediately.

"Mom, look at him. I was asleep in my room, and he suddenly burst in, dragged me out to interrogate me, and is now forcing me to go out and look for someone with him, not even letting me change my clothes..."

I was still in my pajamas and quickly unbuttoned the top.

Seeing my disheveled appearance, Mother Zhou looked furious. "Zhou Chenyan! You’ve gone too far. It’s not enough that you’re going out to look for her yourself; you have to come back and torment us too? Just how far are you going to go for that woman? Are you trying to turn this whole family upside down and leave us with no peace?!"

Zhou Chenyan’s face was livid. "Mom, don't listen to her lies. She was the one who took that diary out to frame Zhizi!"

I clutched the corner of Mother Zhou’s clothes and, meeting her gaze, could only offer a bitter smile.

I didn't need to say anything more; Mother Zhou stood up for me herself. "Don't come running to shift the blame every time something happens. Who framed her? Isn't that diary hers? Didn't she admit to having improper feelings for you? When it comes down to it, she’s the one who couldn't control her own heart; she can't blame anyone else!"

"Mom, you’ve been brainwashed by her. Have you forgotten that you used to like Zhizi too?"

Mother Zhou said coldly, "From the moment she developed those feelings for you, the Zhou family was destined to have no place for her."

Zhou Chenyan couldn't get through to her. The mother and son had already argued countless times over Zhou Zhizi. Seeing that he couldn't convince her, he gave up and reached out to grab me.

"You’re coming with me!"

Mother Zhou blocked him. "What exactly do you think you’re doing?"

"Zhizi is missing. The last phone call she made to me was full of self-reproach. I must take her there so Zhizi knows that she isn't the one in the wrong."

"Mu Yan isn't in the wrong either!" Mother Zhou pushed his hand away. "Regardless of who took that diary out, the fact remains that she has feelings for you."

As I listened, something felt off.

Her words sounded as if she had defaulted to the idea that I was the one who produced the diary. This wouldn't do. I wasn't going to take the blame for this.

"Mom, the diary really has nothing to do with me. I didn't even know Zhizi was writing one, nor did I know where it was kept. I’ve never even been into her room; where would I go to find it?" I explained hurriedly.

Zhou Chenyan scoffed, unimpressed. "In this house, you are the only one who targets her. Everything was fine before you came back. If it wasn't you, then who could it be?"

He was still holding that strand of hair in his hand, as if he possessed some damning piece of evidence.

After looking at it, Mother Zhou’s expression remained unchanged. "I won't stop you from looking for Zhou Zhizi, nor could I stop you, but I will not let you take Mu Yan with you."

No one could guarantee what he might do to me if he couldn't find her while in such a rage. Mother Zhou clearly understood her son well.

Zhou Chenyan’s eyes were dark. "Mu Yan, if you have even a shred of guilt left, come with me to look for her."

"Forget about going with you. I don't want to go out in the middle of the night, but I can help you call the police. Do you need that?"

I had put my phone in the large front pocket of my pajamas when I came out. I took it out, ready to dial.

Zhou Chenyan gritted his teeth, looking at me with an expression of extreme malice. Realizing he couldn't drag me away today, he eventually left in a rage.

Mother Zhou sighed. "You’ve been wronged today."

I lowered my head and said nothing. If she knew I was wronged, she should just agree to our divorce. What was the point of just saying it?

Mother Zhou said earnestly, "You did well this time. That diary was a bomb; it's better that it went off early. If we had waited until later to bring it out, who knows what kind of storm it would have caused."

I was dumbfounded. "It really wasn't me."

Mother Zhou frowned at me for a long moment. "If it wasn't you, then who could it be?"

"What benefit would I get from bringing out the diary? If I were really the one who did it, would I be stupid enough to leave a strand of my own hair as evidence?"

This framing method was far too clumsy.

Mother Zhou thought about it and agreed with my logic. "That makes sense. If it wasn't you, then this is going to be trouble..."

There were only a few people in this house. It wasn't me, and Father and Mother Zhou would never enter Zhou Zhizi’s room. Zhou Chenyan was even less likely.

That left only one person.

Mother Zhou’s expression shifted slightly, and she hurried back to her room. I assumed she was going to consult Father Zhou on a strategy. After all, whether the diary was revealed by me or by Zhou Zhizi herself were two completely different concepts.

Zhou Zhizi had run away from home. She didn't return for three days, and Zhou Chenyan was so frantic looking for her that he didn't come home either.

Mother Zhou was so angry she kept cursing him for being unfilial and bewitched. Father Zhou didn't say much, but his face looked grim as he remained sullen all day.

I was the only one who was enjoying the peace. The two people I disliked most weren't around—how wonderful.

It wasn't until the fourth morning that Zhou Chenyan returned, bringing with him a pale, sickly-looking Zhou Zhizi. She seemed reluctant to enter, having been brought in by force, and she lowered her head as soon as she saw Father and Mother Zhou. Then, seeing me, she flinched as if she were terrified.

I wanted to roll my eyes. *Keep acting, just keep acting.*

Zhou Chenyan looked at me coldly. "She fell into a river by accident while running out that night and needs to be taken care of now. If you can't tolerate her, then I will take her and leave."

*Oh, look at that!* He was planning to elope for love!

Mother Zhou suppressed her anger. "Are you planning to abandon your parents and your wife for this woman, to give up everything?"

"I am not."

"Then what are you doing now? Threatening me?"

"I am merely stating a fact." Zhou Chenyan looked at Zhou Zhizi, his gaze softening. "I cannot abandon her at a time like this."

He looked at me again. "Mu Yan, what do you think?"

Suddenly being called out, I didn't react for a moment. "As long as you're happy."

*Leave quickly, take your true love as far away as possible. Otherwise, if you two stay here any longer, the old couple won't survive.*

Mother Zhou looked at me with sympathy. "Silly child, how can you be so generous..."

Hearing this, my heart sank. Sure enough, the next second I heard Mother Zhou say, "Just for the sake of your wife, I will let you stay."

My lips moved, but seeing Father Zhou standing there without a word, I knew the couple had made their decision. It was useless to say anything more. At the end of the day, he was their son; no matter how angry they were, they wouldn't truly throw him out.

I felt a lump in my throat and didn't want to see these people anymore. Even after I returned to my room, there was no rest, as Zhou Chenyan started knocking on the door. He had the air of someone who wouldn't stop until I opened it.

I stood at the door. "Do you need something?"

Zhou Chenyan grabbed my wrist and turned to walk outside.