Delaying any further would only be more dangerous.

Since they had already grown anxious, it meant we were only one last step away from truly escaping.

Lucas looked at me, deep emotions in his eyes.

After a few seconds, he gave a low response: "Okay."

That night, we didn't return to the old urban village again.

We only rushed back to grab our most important identification documents and clothes, then headed straight for the station.

The square in front of the station was forever brightly lit with people coming and going, suitcase wheels rolling on the ground, and the broadcast announcing ticket-checking information over and over.

Standing in the crowd, I suddenly felt a very intense sense of trance.

In my past life, countless times, I had wanted to escape from that villa, that room, and those hands.

But every single time failed.

I thought I would be trapped there for the rest of my life, watching Lucas become more and more silent while I myself became less and less like a human being.

But now, I was truly standing at the intersection of leaving.

Not alone.

Together with Lucas.

At four in the morning, we boarded the first bus heading to the provincial capital.

The city outside the window receded bit by bit, the streetlights stretching into long lines, and a pale dawn began to appear on the horizon.

Lucas sat beside me, his shoulder leaning against mine, and asked in a low voice:

"Are you sleepy?"

I shook my head.

I was actually very tired.

But I couldn't bear to close my eyes.

Because this moment felt too much like a dream.

Too much like the kind of dream where the moment I fell asleep, I would return to that room from my past life.

So I said softly:

"Lucas."

"Yeah?"

"This time, we really escaped, didn't we?"

He turned to look at me, the slightly brightening sky outside the window reflected in his eyes, his voice low but incomparably certain.

"Yes."

"This time, no one can catch us back."

My eyes suddenly grew hot with tears, and I finally leaned my head slowly against the car window.

The morning light rose bit by bit.

It shone on the glass, and it also shone on the backs of our hands placed overlapping each other.

That hand wasn't particularly warm, and it was even slightly cool from a night of traveling, but it rested there steadily, like a path that actually existed, finally extending from the other side of the abyss to beneath my feet.

I knew that life ahead wouldn't be smooth sailing from now on.

We would still be short of money, we would still work hard, and we would stumble forward in a much larger world.

But all is ok.

Because from now on—

I am no longer anyone's canary, no longer anyone's caged plaything, and no longer living by relying on other people's liking, pity, and charity.

I will live for myself.

And I will take Lucas along to live out the way we ourselves want to be.

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The End