Of course, Xu Zifan didn't think this was the end; his life had only just begun.
He sold his old house and bought a large two-bedroom apartment in a lakeside location perfect for retirement. It was 180 square meters with two bedrooms and two living rooms, each room was spacious, and it was already furnished and ready to move in. He moved in with his parents, and he also bought a comfortable RV to take his parents on trips to relax.
After such an unpleasant incident, it was hard not to feel down at home or when visiting relatives and friends. Travel is the best way to cheer yourself up and forget all your troubles. Xu's parents had only been to Beijing once in their lives, but this time Xu Zifan took them to see all the beautiful sights in China. During this time, Xu Zifan also wrote better software, which sold a million copies. Only then could Xu's parents truly relax and enjoy themselves, transforming from someone who was reluctant to spend money to someone who truly enjoys life.
Xu Zifan frequently posts family photos on Weibo, and his followers see his updates every two or three days, which has become a habit—they check the page daily to see if he's posted anything new. Wherever Xu Zifan goes, he shares beautiful scenery, comfortable accommodations, and delicious local food. Before leaving, he also posts travel tips and advice for those who want to go.
Some haters made sarcastic remarks about Xu Zifan, but he neither flaunted his wealth nor sponged off his parents. He earned money easily through his own abilities, took his parents on trips, and kindly shared his experiences with netizens. He was full of positive energy, which made many people happy and liked him more and more.
Xu Zifan has become a unique internet celebrity. He doesn't make money from it; he's simply sharing his life story. The first group of people inspired by him were computer science students. They all said that as long as they work hard, they could become like Xu Zifan—not wealthy, but living a comfortable and carefree life. With such a self-taught example, programmers and students in this field are filled with fighting spirit and work extremely hard.
During his travels, Xu Zifan met many people with his parents and gradually broadened his horizons. Photos shared by Xu Zifan show that they are becoming increasingly stylish and poised, truly improving for the better. Everyone praises Xu Zifan as a filial son, incredibly good to his parents, and his parents reciprocate in kind—a true example of family love.
A year has passed, and Wu Xuefei, serving her sentence outside of prison, still feels like she's in a dream when she sees the news online. It's as if Xu Zifan's doting affection for her was just yesterday. But now she's been sentenced to twenty-five years, while Xu Zifan has become better and better, becoming someone she both finds unfamiliar and longs for. If she hadn't lied to Xu Zifan, and had really married him and had a child, wouldn't she be the one traveling and enjoying life now?
Wu Xuefei's child was sent to an orphanage, and she was officially imprisoned in a women's prison. She received a "warm welcome" upon entering; she was a nationally known celebrity, and everyone recognized her. Even though they were all women, and even though the inmates were criminals, they looked down on Wu Xuefei for swindling honest men out of their money and then engaging in marriage and emotional fraud. Naturally, they treated Wu Xuefei well.
On her first day in prison, Wu Xuefei was bruised and battered, and didn't get a single bite to eat. She complained, but it was no use; instead, she was severely beaten afterward. She was terrified. She had never imagined prison could be so terrible. Most other inmates served their sentences normally, so why was she the target of everyone's attacks? Listening to the words they hurled at her as they beat her, she understood: they all despised and loathed her, and that's why they wanted to teach her a lesson.
If she had known the consequences would be so severe when she lied, she would never have lied. She regrets it, she really regrets it!
Wu Xuefei had been incarcerated for only a few days and was already having nightmares every day, regretting her past self so much that she wanted to beat her to death. Wu Lidong, who had already served a year, wished he could be reborn. Like Wu Xuefei, he was also bullied by the people in prison. Men are ruthless when they bully others, and their fists are harder. In that year, Wu Lidong broke his ribs twice, had four teeth knocked out, and has a scar on the back of his head. Even now, he still has to be careful and bow and scrape to everyone, otherwise he might be beaten up in the middle of the night.
At this point, Xu Zifan took his parents home. The two elders were getting on in years, and although they traveled at a slow pace, avoiding crowds and rushing, it was still tiring for them in their sixties. So Xu Zifan took them home to rest, and they could leave whenever they wanted; after all, he was now a freelancer with no constraints.
When Xu Zifan returned, he naturally went to see his two "old friends," after all, they had lived under the same roof for several months.
Wu Xuefei was overjoyed when she learned that Xu Zifan was coming to visit her in prison. She made a point of grooming herself before meeting him. Xu Zifan still had his gentle smile, which put Wu Xuefei at ease. She knew that Xu Zifan had liked her for over ten years; how could he forget her so easily? He certainly wouldn't want her to suffer.
The two were separated by glass and had to talk on the phone. As soon as Wu Xuefei picked up the phone, she excitedly said, "Zifan! Zifan, you've finally come to see me! I missed you so much. I suffered so much inside. I really regret it..." Tears streamed down Wu Xuefei's face; this time, her emotions were truly genuine.
She continued, "I'm sorry, I know I was wrong. I really shouldn't have lied to you. You like me so much, I should have cherished you. If I had realized this sooner, we would have been so happy. Zifan, you still love me, right? Please help me, okay? Please help me appeal and plead with the judge, okay? Please write me a letter of forgiveness and try to get my sentence reduced. When I get out, I promise I'll love you well and only be good to you for the rest of my life, Zifan, okay?"
Xu Zifan said two words indifferently, "Not good."
Wu Xuefei was stunned for a moment, only then realizing that Xu Zifan had been watching her with a smile the whole time. She was crying so miserably, but Xu Zifan just watched.
They were really enjoying it; they were clearly watching her make a fool of herself!
She asked incredulously, "Zifan, did you come here to see how pathetic I am? You...you don't love me anymore? You hate me, don't you?"
Xu Zifan shrugged and smiled, "Hate is a very negative emotion. You... I can't find a reason to hate you, so I feel great and happy right now."
Wu Xuefei was stunned; she was now bruised and battered, with wounds on her hands. Was Xu Zifan happy to see her in such a sorry state? Did he no longer need to hate her because she was in such a terrible state? Was that what he meant?
Xu Zifan looked her over and said, "Twenty-five years is a very long time. You've only been inside for less than twenty-five days, right? I can't imagine what you'll be like in twenty-five years. I think I probably won't recognize you then."
A wave of despair washed over Wu Xuefei. In less than twenty-five days, she felt as if she were trapped in purgatory. If she really served twenty-five years in prison, would she still be human? Would she be tortured into a state of being neither human nor ghost?
"Oh, right," Xu Zifan said, as if suddenly remembering something, bringing up things outside, "that Michelin-starred restaurant you most wanted to go to is really excellent. I've been there a few times with my parents, and the taste is unforgettable, leaving a lingering aftertaste. It's definitely a great place to eat. You used to say you wanted to travel around the world, and I thought it was pointless. But this time, I traveled to many places with my parents, and I discovered that beautiful scenery is truly breathtaking. Seeing the real thing is completely different from seeing photos; only those who have experienced it firsthand can understand that feeling. It's a real shame that you never mentioned trying it when you were out there. Who knows what the world will be like in twenty-five years? Maybe you can give it a try then?"
Twenty-five years is like a cycle, and Wu Xuefei can hardly imagine what it will be like when she's released from prison in her fifties. Society will definitely be more developed then; how will she, a prisoner disconnected from society, survive? She has no relatives, no friends. Will she go out and collect garbage? Maybe by then, garbage collection will be done by machines instead of people. She still wants to travel and eat lavish meals? Absolutely impossible; she'll struggle just to survive.
Seeing the change in her expression, Xu Zifan smiled slightly, "You're much quieter than before. It seems life inside suits you well. I just wonder if the other female prisoners are jealous of you because you're so beautiful. Do you think they're jealous of you?"
Wu Xuefei subconsciously raised her hand to touch her face, becoming nervous. Those people always hit her; her face should be alright, right? Are they just jealous of her?
Xu Zifan sighed, "I'm leaving. You just asked me to help you, but I think we have nothing to do with each other anymore, so I won't help you. Besides, the only person you can truly rely on in this world is yourself, and the only one who can help you is yourself. When faced with injustice, the only way to protect yourself is to fight back. Of course, if you can get out, you'll have a new life. Good luck."
Xu Zifan got up and left. His words sounded normal to the police, like a casual word of encouragement. He was encouraging Wu Xuefei to try for a reduced sentence and fight for justice. But Wu Xuefei had been manipulated by Xu Zifan into a state of despair and fear. Her first reaction to his words was that she had to be even more ruthless than those people; only by resisting more fiercely could she protect herself. She wanted to escape. Once she was out, the world would be her oyster; who could catch her then?
Once these two thoughts arose, they spread uncontrollably through every cell of her body, like seeds growing into a towering tree, filling her mind. She was sent back to prison in a daze. Her cellmates, annoyed that she had been visited, kicked her to the ground, right next to the toilet, which reeked. Wu Xuefei gagged, then was kicked again, her resolve hardening.
Xu Zifan had already gone to the men's prison to visit Wu Lidong. Unlike Wu Xuefei, Wu Lidong didn't have any expectations for Xu Zifan. As soon as he saw Xu Zifan, he sneered, "Want to see me make a fool of myself? You'll be disappointed. No matter how miserable I am, I'm not as stupid as you, being played like a fool by a bitch."
Xu Zifan remained calm and said indifferently, "If your son heard you cursing his mother like that, what would he think?"
Wu Lidong stopped laughing and stared intently at Xu Zifan. Xu Zifan continued, "Do you care about your offspring? Do you want to know about your son? He's so young in an orphanage, I don't even know if he's getting enough to eat and wear, or if he's being bullied. Do you think he'll be ashamed to face others when he grows up and finds out he has parents who are in prison?"
Wu Lidong threw himself against the glass, shouting, "It's you! You're the one who ruined me! You cheated me out of my money! You've left my son without parents!"
"Sit down! Quiet!" The prison guard tapped his baton beside him as a warning.
Wu Lidong, panting, sat back down and said into the phone, "What are you trying to do? Don't touch my son!"
Xu Zifan asked in surprise, "Why would I touch your son? I was just asking how you feel. I was just a little curious because you won't be out for another 24 years. I think you may only have this one child in your life, so I asked a couple of questions."
Twenty-four years! Wu Lidong's heart clenched, and he slowly shook his head as he looked at Xu Zifan. "Don't touch my son."
Xu Zifan didn't mention his son again, but instead looked him up and down and said, "Actually, you're better looking than any celebrity, and you have a good figure too. Even though you're forty, you still have the look of a young heartthrob. In there... does anyone like watching you?"
Wu Lidong was stunned, staring at him in disbelief, "You...you..."
Xu Zifan's gentle smile seemed like a devil to Wu Lidong. He heard him say, "I heard you've been injured several times. I wonder if you'll live to see your son again in 24 years. Sometimes showing weakness is a way to protect yourself. If you make them happy, they won't beat you anymore."
Xu Zifan smiled and said, "Children always need parents to be safe and sound, don't you agree?"
Xu Zifan did not say anything specific.
It seemed he had only come to check on him, said what he needed to say, and then left. Wu Lidong was stunned. He had been inside for a year and had witnessed all the sordid things that happened there. So many men were locked up inside, with nowhere to vent their energy, and some handsome, thin men became their targets. Xu Zifan was threatening him, saying that if he wanted his son to be alright, he should protect himself by giving himself to men.
He shouldn't have been afraid of Xu Zifan's threats, but the thought of how he had been framed and imprisoned step by step sent chills down his spine. Xu Zifan was a terrifying person; he had that intuition, so… he had no choice but to compromise. Wu Lidong gagged several times, as if he had suddenly lost all his energy, his eyes becoming dull and lifeless.
Xu Zifan left the prison and drove home. While waiting at a red light, he glanced at the passenger seat, where a thick psychology book lay. A slight smile played on his lips as he continued driving when the light turned green. What method can make someone in despair even more desperate? It's to find their psychological weaknesses, give them a psychological suggestion, and then, strike them down decisively.
Two weeks later, Wu Xuefei's cheek was slashed in a fight. The wound was deep and long, and could not heal. Her beautiful face was ruined overnight, and she looked like a terrifying demon. Wu Lidong begged and pleaded to join the prison gang leader, but because of his age, he became their plaything and lost all his dignity as a man.
Three months later, a prison riot broke out. Wu Xuefei and Wu Lidong, unable to endure the hardships in prison, attempted to escape. After being caught, their sentences were increased. The inmates who were implicated by them regarded them as the most hated people and tortured them every day.
By this time, Xu Zifan already had a lovely baby, a child conceived through in-vitro fertilization abroad. He hadn't met a girl who stirred his heart, nor did he want to start another family in his parents' later years, so he only kept the baby. This way, he had both elderly parents and a young child, his closest blood relatives. Although his parents, in their sixties, had some reservations, they knew Xu Zifan was happy and let him be, happily helping him care for the child. They lived a very happy and peaceful old age, without a single regret.
Xu Zifan still frequently takes his family on trips. The four of them live a warm and happy life, and all the photos he shares with netizens are overflowing with happiness. He sells two apps every year, with prices increasing year by year, making him a true legend in the industry. Yet, he shows no arrogance, continuing to be an inspirational internet celebrity, radiating positive energy. His popularity rivals that of top-tier male celebrities, attracting countless followers and inspiring countless people, making him an idol for one, two, or even three generations.
He went from being a pitiful, honest man to a national heartthrob—a legend, a role model for everyone. He lived the life they wanted, showing everyone that true winners in life are those who rely on themselves. Earning money through your own efforts, finding happiness through your own efforts, and supporting your family on your own—that's the most fulfilling life.