Stolen Freedom

Morning came, and sunlight streamed through the curtains, gently illuminating the room. The warm glow fell across Xin Yi's bed, casting a soft light over her as she stirred. The alarm rang, and, without hesitation, she jumped up, unusually energetic. She stretched her arms with a wide smile, excitement coursing through her. Today was the day of the trip, and her face glowed differently—brighter than usual..

She quickly got out of bed and headed for the shower, humming a cheerful tune. After a quick rinse, she put on the outfit she had carefully laid out the night before. Xin Yi wore a cozy, long-sleeved sweater with thick brown and white stripes, the oversized fit adding to her cute, laid-back look. She paired it with a pair of high-waisted, straight-leg denim jeans that hugged her frame perfectly, casual but stylish, ideal for a long trip. Even with such simple clothes, she looked radiant, her natural beauty enhanced by the excitement on her face.

She did light makeup, just enough to accentuate her features, and grabbed her suitcase before leaving the room, still humming the same tune. Her dark hair with its natural white highlights cascaded down her back, giving her an almost ethereal glow.

With her suitcase in hand, she hummed happily as she entered the kitchen. Hua Li, who was busy packing snacks, looked up.

As she stepped into the kitchen, still brimming with excitement, Hua Li greeted her, already bustling around.

"Hurry up and have breakfast... Have you packed everything? I've also added your favorite snacks," Hua Li said, looking at her daughter with a mix of love and concern.

"Have breakfast while I start the car," Hua Li added, her voice gentle but hurried as she moved towards the door.

Xin Yi smiled, taking in her mother's caring nature, and sat down to eat quickly. Just before leaving, she grabbed her sky-blue Polaroid camera from her bag.

"Mom, look!" she called out, holding the camera up with excitement.

She clicked the button, and a soft whirring sound followed by a polaroid emerging made her beam with joy. She waved the picture in the air until the image started to appear, then turned it to Hua Li, eyes gleaming.

"Mom, this is so nice! After I come back from the trip, I'm going to get this framed," she said, her smile as bright as the morning sun.

Seeing Xin Yi so happy tugged at Hua Li's heartstrings. She thought to herself, "I wish we could both stay this happy forever… I wish."

---

At the school gate, Mei and Lan were already waiting. As soon as they spotted Xin Yi, they waved energetically, their faces lighting up with excitement.

Xin Yi hugged her mother tightly. "Goodbye, Mom!" she said, preparing to head towards her friends.

But Hua Li called out to her, voice shaky, "Xin Yi!"

Xin Yi turned around, and Hua Li suddenly embraced her as if it were the last time. Her hug was tighter, more emotional. She kissed Xin Yi's forehead gently, then placed her hand softly on her cheek, eyes brimming with tears.

"Take care of yourself," Hua Li whispered, her voice trembling.

Xin Yi chuckled softly, wiping her mother's tears. "Oh Mom, you're crying again. I'll take care of myself, don't worry so much!" she reassured her with a bright smile. "You take care of yourself too."

As Xin Yi walked toward her friends, Hua Li stood there, watching her daughter walk away. Her eyes followed Xin Yi with an overwhelming sense of worry, the unease in her heart lingering..

***

I didn't expect your mom would let you come!" Mei said, linking arms with Xin Yi as they walked towards the bus.

"Well, it wasn't easy. I think she's just really worried," Xin Yi replied, glancing back at her mother one last time.."

"Well, guess what? I brought matching pajamas for all three of us," Lan chimed in. "Oh, and I also brought makeup, and..." she paused dramatically, "three tickets to Rio's concert!"

Xin Yi and Mei's eyes widened. "WHAT?!" they shouted together.

Lan grinned, pulling out the tickets and waving them like a prize. "Yup! I got us front-row seats. It's on the fourth day of the trip."

"But... they were sold out," Xin Yi stammered, staring at the tickets in disbelief.

"Girl, you don't know your friend. I've got connections." Lan winked, as if she were some secret agent.

Mei squealed in excitement, but Xin Yi felt a tug of anxiety. "Wait... I didn't tell my mom about the concert. She doesn't know."

"Don't worry," Mei said, linking arms with her. "We'll handle it. It's gonna be fun!"

---

On the bus, the excitement was palpable as students were loading their suitcases and finding seats. Suddenly, a teacher's voice cut through the chaos.

"Alright, girls on the bus! Boys, line up. We're doing a bag check."

One of the boys groaned loudly. "Sir, seriously? We're not hiding anything!"

The teacher shot him a look. "Now that you've said that, we definitely need to check."

The boys groaned even louder as their bags were opened one by one. Sure enough, a couple of cigarette packs and bottles were pulled out. The teacher held them up. "And what's this? Not hiding anything, huh?"

The teacher shook his head in mock disappointment. "Look at how well-behaved the girls are, and then look at you lot!"

The boys, embarrassed, climbed onto the bus after the check, muttering complaints under their breath.

Xin Yi's friends signaled her to sit next to Li Wei. Just as she was making her way toward him, someone shoved in front of her—Xi Feng.

Xi Feng, with her usual smug grin, dropped into the seat next to Li Wei and leaned back, flashing a victorious look. "This spot's mine, Xin Yi."she declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder dramatically.

But Xin Yi, feeling particularly bold today, just raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, "Then sit down. I didn't stop you."

The bus erupted into laughter. Mei and Lan clutched their sides, while even Li Wei chuckled softly.

Xi Feng's face flushed red, and she glared at Xin Yi. "You think you're so funny, don't you?"

Xin Yi didn't bother replying, she just walked to another seat with a triumphant smirk. When she glanced back,

Li Wei caught her eye and smiled warmly, . Xin Yi felt her cheeks heat up slightly but she smiled back, feeling a strange flutter in her stomach.

"Nice one," Mei whispered as Xin Yi sat down.

"She had it coming," Xin Yi whispered back with a grin, but her gaze flickered to Li Wei, who was still watching her.

---

As the bus started moving, Xin Yi settled in, the excitement slowly giving way to worry. She leaned closer to Mei.

"I really think I should've told my mom about the concert," Xin Yi whispered, glancing out the window.

"Stop worrying!" Mei whispered back. "We'll figure it out later. Just enjoy the trip!"

But as the bus rolled down the road, taking her further from home, Xin Yi couldn't help but feel a knot of guilt in her stomach. She watched the scenery fly by, wondering if she was making a mistake.

Meanwhile, back in the parking lot, Hua Li sat in her car. Her hands clenched the steering wheel, her heart heavy.

*There's no turning back now.*

---

Later that day, Hua Li returned home, her face pale with worry. She sat down, took a deep breath, and picked up the phone. Dialing a number, she waited as it rang.

"Hello," a voice on the other end said.

"Hello, it's me," Hua Li whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Xin Yi is on her way to the capital for four days. At the end of the fourth day, you must take her with you… Make sure nothing goes wrong."

There was a pause on the other line, then a voice replied, "Understood. I'll be ready."

Hua Li hung up, letting out a shaky breath. She looked around the empty house, her heart aching.

She biting her lip, her heart heavy with fear. What she didn't know was that her carefully laid plans could be ruined—because **Xin Yi wasn't just going to the capital. She was also going to a concert.**----