Chapter 62: Freed at Last

(Friendly reminder: Do not attempt to become a content creator by following the tricks in this book—you’ll definitely fail. The content is purely fictional and meant for entertainment only.)

After Han Jiayi returned to her room, Bai Renzong continued recording material for the game “Aftermath of the Apocalypse.” The beauty of reviewing games is that you don’t need a lengthy playthrough; capturing some segments that showcase the details is enough.

Once he had recorded sufficient footage, he did a quick edit, drafted the script, and realized it was already past midnight. He decided to finish the video the next morning and send it to He Guang for post-production.

However, before dawn the next day, his dreams were interrupted by Han Jiayi and Wang Bei.

“Old Bai, stop sleeping! Get up!” Han Jiayi exclaimed with delight, nudging his shoulder. “Look what I have here!”

“What’s going on? It’s so early...” Bai Renzong muttered, frowning. He turned to glance at her, and was instantly startled awake, sitting up at once.

In Han Jiayi’s hand was a silver medal about the size of a thermos cup, shaped like the D Station’s logo, adorned with phrases like “Treasure of the Site” and “High Energy Ahead.”

“The silver medal for a hundred thousand followers!” Bai Renzong grinned as he took the medal from her. “That was fast!”

“Right? It hasn’t even been a week yet!” Wang Bei said happily. “But now we’re already at two hundred thousand followers.”

Gazing at the silver medal before him, Bai Renzong suddenly felt a deep sense of accomplishment, a surge of motivation welling up within him.

“Great! Riding this wave of enthusiasm, I’ll finish the new episode today!” Bai Renzong declared with determination.

“Congratulations!” Han Jiayi said with a bright smile. “This counts as your first step to success!”

“I heard there’s a gold medal when you hit a million followers!” Wang Bei added excitedly, beaming at Bai Renzong.

“It won’t be long,” Bai Renzong replied confidently. “With tens of thousands of new followers every day, we’ll reach a million in two months.”

“Mm!” Han Jiayi nodded. “Alright, go wash up and have breakfast.”

After freshening up, Bai Renzong sat down in the living room.

“I’m heading out today to get a gym membership,” he announced.

“Because the owner’s wife said you’d put on weight?” Han Jiayi teased, covering her mouth.

“It’s for my health!” Bai Renzong retorted, feigning annoyance. “That way, I can make better videos!”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. A little extra weight on a guy gives a sense of security.” Han Jiayi smiled. “Besides, Xiao Bei and I have errands to run too.”

Bai Renzong nodded. “I shouldn’t be long. I’ll be back before lunch.”

“So will we,” Han Jiayi replied. “But we might not make it in time to cook. How about we meet at Willow Pavilion for lunch?”

“Sounds good,” Bai Renzong agreed after a moment’s thought.

After breakfast, Han Jiayi and Wang Bei set off first. Bai Renzong finished editing the remaining footage, sent the video and audio files to He Guang for post-processing, then headed out himself.

At the gym, Bai Renzong inquired about the boxing classes. He hit it off with the membership manager, and after learning the details of the courses, he decided to sign up.

The gym wasn’t far from home—a ten-minute ride on a shared bike. It specialized in combat sports and even had professional fighters representing the gym. Learning boxing here came with free access to all the gym’s equipment—a win-win.

Of course, the annual membership fee of over three thousand was pricier than average.

After joining, Bai Renzong made his way to Willow Pavilion, where Han Jiayi and Wang Bei were already waiting inside.

“Did you finish your errands?” he asked, sitting beside them, curiosity in his voice.

“We did,” Han Jiayi replied, looking relaxed, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

“What were you up to?” Bai Renzong asked after placing their order with the owner.

“The penalty clause,” Wang Bei sighed. “Jiayi went to terminate her contract with Fantasy World Group today.”

“Was it because of me?” Bai Renzong’s heart skipped a beat.

“Of course not...” Han Jiayi shot him a glare. “I was already in litigation with them before I met you. It’s been over half a year, and the verdict only came recently. I lost the case. To terminate the contract, I have to pay over seven million in penalties.”

Bai Renzong suddenly understood. No wonder she was under so much stress she needed to watch horror movies back then—she’d already been in the middle of a lawsuit...

“So, paying that sum... will it affect you?” Bai Renzong frowned.

“It won’t really affect my daily life—I don’t have big expenses,” Han Jiayi replied after some thought. “But it will have some impact on business. For example, my plan to compete for a second Michelin star next month might fall through. Without funds, I can’t source better ingredients. And if the game studio runs into any emergencies...”

Hearing this, Bai Renzong felt relieved. He shook his head with a smile. “So, how do you feel?”

“To be honest, though it stings to lose that much money...” Han Jiayi pondered, “I actually feel an immense sense of relief. After half a year, the weight on my shoulders is finally gone. From now on, I’m a free woman.”

Of course, Han Jiayi hadn’t told Bai Renzong that she’d had a choice.

She could have stayed tied to Fantasy World Group; as long as she remained obedient, she wouldn’t have to pay the penalty. But that meant a lifetime locked inside the gilded cage that was Fantasy World Group.

So, without hesitation, Han Jiayi chose the second path: pay the penalty and regain her freedom.

She didn’t regret it at all. In fact, she felt unburdened—no longer worried that working with Bai Renzong on videos might drag him into her contractual disputes, and free to forge ahead with him on this journey.

Money lost can be earned again, but freedom is priceless. Now, every breath she took felt sweet and fragrant.

Besides, it wasn’t as if this would ruin her. The studio’s games were still selling, and before the new game entered full development, there was ample funding. She was earning tens of thousands in monthly dividends, and the restaurant was turning a steady profit—enough to sustain itself.

As long as nothing unexpected happened, she faced no financial crisis. It was simply a fresh start.

“Sister Xiao, one daily special,” Bai Renzong ordered, then said lightly, “Don’t worry. Whether it’s a second Michelin star or that seven million, it’ll come back soon.”

“Oh? How reliable!” Wang Bei teased, poking Bai Renzong’s waist. “So what’s your plan?”

“Next month, I’ll help you get that second Michelin star,” Bai Renzong pressed Han Jiayi’s head gently, making her look at him. “I’ll be stricter with you then, so be prepared.”

“You’re not strict enough already?” Han Jiayi pouted in protest.

“I’ve just been calling it as I see it—hardly strict,” Bai Renzong replied, brow furrowed. “But my standards will go up. Can you handle that?”

“Of course... I can!” Han Jiayi replied, her tone unyielding despite her own doubts.

“That’s more like it.” Bai Renzong grinned. “It’s just seven million, right? Give me a year, and I’ll double it for you.”

Han Jiayi shot him a sidelong glance and poked his cheek. “Quit acting cool...”

(Thanks to Myth Gg, Michuel, vxvg, Low-Key Mango Milk Tea, Mo Feng, and “I Said How Old Is Purple Mom iswdr” for their monthly votes. Thanks also to Fantasy Sprite, Book Friend 20170313001246586, Book Friend 20170820170005837, wwH, and Kite in the Smoke for two monthly votes each.)