Help! Please Take the Heroine Away [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 15

In the hospital, Ye Qingyu stood anxiously outside the operating room. Before long, a nurse urged her to go pay the fees. Every time this happened, Ye Qingyu felt as though she had been thrown into an ice cellar, the cold making her whole body tremble.

She was freezing and stiff, gradually unable to stand, slowly crouching down to the ground. The bright overhead lights cast her curled-up shadow onto the floor, and her vision blurred in waves.

Money, where could she get so much money?

Footsteps suddenly approached from not far away, distinct in the quiet corridor, but Ye Qingyu didn’t even have the will to look up.

Xie Mingyao spotted Ye Qingyu curled up in a ball from a distance. Even without experiencing it firsthand, she could imagine just how desperate the protagonist must be feeling right now.

Her mother was in the operating room, yet she couldn’t scrape together the money for the fees.

Xie Mingyao stopped beside Ye Qingyu. She had come in a hurry, still wearing her nightgown with only a spare jacket the driver kept in the car thrown over it. On her feet were a pair of cute pink slippers, her long hair cascading like a waterfall down her back.

“Ye Qingyu.”

A familiar voice came from above. Ye Qingyu slowly raised her head, her gaze traveling from the delicate, pale ankles to the light pink hem of the nightgown, and then upward to the girl’s striking, makeup-free face, now staring intently at her.

Her ears were ringing. Ye Qingyu abruptly stood up, disregarding any sense of dignity as she numbly grabbed Xie Mingyao’s hand, her voice hoarse. “Can you lend me some money?”

Xie Mingyao felt a pang seeing the protagonist like this. She wanted to hand over the card immediately and tell her that saving her mother was the priority but she couldn’t.

Ye Qingyu watched Xie Mingyao’s silence, her heart sinking inch by inch, her hands and feet growing cold. Just as she was about to succumb to complete despair, Xie Mingyao suddenly pulled a card from her bag and tossed it at her.

“Money? I’ve got plenty. But, what will you use to pay me back?”

Ye Qingyu didn’t catch the card in time, and it fell to the ground. As she bent to pick it up, she suddenly heard Xie Mingyao’s haughty voice.

Her fingers, just touching the card, paused slightly. She picked it up and looked at Xie Mingyao, her lips parting. “I’ll find a way to pay you back.”

“Ye Qingyu.” Xie Mingyao cut her off, her expression cold, her gaze laced with unmistakable mockery. “It’s not just your mother’s surgery fees this time. She needs a kidney transplant, doesn’t she? The surgery, the post-op care, it all costs money, right?”

Ye Qingyu lowered her lashes, her gaze settling on Xie Mingyao’s slippers.

The feet in those light pink slippers were slender and beautiful, as white as mutton-fat jade, the toes a soft pink. But Ye Qingyu’s attention lingered more on the slippers themselves.

Back when she was working part-time, she had seen someone wearing these slippers come into the store to shop for clothes. Employees at high-end boutiques knew luxury brands inside out, and one had mentioned to her in passing, these cost over ten thousand.

Some people wore slippers this expensive, yet she couldn’t even breathe under the weight of her mother’s dialysis fees, let alone afford a kidney transplant. Without some miracle, she might never save up that much money in her lifetime.

Ye Qingyu tightly clutched the card in her hand, her dark, cold eyes devoid of any light as she murmured softly, “What does Miss Xie want in exchange?”

One was from the heavens, the other from the dirt. The few times Xie Mingyao had saved her had given Ye Qingyu illusions, but now, she suddenly saw things clearly.

Xie Mingyao tilted her head slightly, a bright smile spreading across her face. Her clear almond-shaped eyes, accentuated by the teardrop mole at the corner, shimmered with an alluring charm. “I want you to be my servant and stay away from Zhou Yanfeng from now on.”

The latter was easy enough, but the former Ye Qingyu didn’t think Xie Mingyao would make it simple for her. Yet, with her mother’s life in the other’s hands, she had no choice but to agree.

The pain in her heart surged like an undercurrent in the ocean, suffocating her until she could barely breathe. Her eyes stung, and she pressed her tongue hard against the roof of her mouth to keep the tears from falling.

“Fine,” Ye Qingyu whispered, her thick lashes veiling her damp eyes.

The sound of hurried, disoriented footsteps echoed again as Ye Qingyu gripped the card and stumbled toward the payment window.

Once she was gone, Xie Mingyao didn’t linger. She turned and left the hospital corridor, her system chattering incessantly in her mind.

[What’s wrong with you? Helping the female lead like this, you’re breaking character, you know?]

Xie Mingyao arched an eyebrow, feigning innocence. [If I were breaking character, wouldn’t the main system have judged me and zapped me with an electric shock by now?]

The system was momentarily speechless but still reluctant to concede. [You and the female lead are supposed to be enemies. There’s no way you’d pay her medical bills.]

Xie Mingyao scoffed. [Didn’t you see? I made her my servant. Isn’t that bullying and humiliating her?]

She knew the system was afraid she’d become friends with the female lead, which would derail her role as the villainess. Besides, the female lead had an unshakable moral compass. If they truly became friends, given the female lead’s personality, even if she fell for the male lead, she would never be with him.

The system still felt something was off but couldn’t find the words to refute her. In the end, it could only mutter, [Just be careful. Don’t forget the role you’re supposed to play.]

With that, it fled in defeat. Xie Mingyao smirked silently.

Ye Qingyu didn’t return that night and took another day off afterward.

As soon as the class bell rang, Wang Yuzhen and her two friends crowded around Xie Mingyao. Wang Yuzhen nudged her discreetly, holding up her phone with exaggerated shock.

“Oh my god, this is just awful! A friend of mine took this photo at the hospital. Mingyao, you really need to be careful.”

Tang Yan and Zhou Ruohan leaned in to look. On the screen was a picture of Ye Qingyu and Zhou Yanfeng. Ye Qingyu sat by the hospital bed while Zhou Yanfeng half-turned to gaze at her, their positions so close it almost looked like he was embracing her.

In the original world, Xie Mingyao had seen countless photos like this even she had been framed in misleading shots, spawning endless rumors. So, when she saw this image, she felt nothing.

“Mingyao, that Ye Qingyu is just despicable! Why don’t I gather some people to teach her a lesson?” Zhou Ruohan gnawed on a candy cigarette, her face twisted in anger.

Wang Yuzhen watched Xie Mingyao eagerly, waiting for her reaction.

Xie Mingyao let out a disdainful laugh, leaning back in her chair with her legs crossed, exuding an air of lazy arrogance. “No need. She’s already agreed to be my servant. From now on, I can torment her however I please. Even if Yanfeng finds out, he won’t be able to stand up for her anymore.”

After all, she had every right to do so.

Tang Yan looked surprised. “What happened?”

Xie Mingyao briefly recounted the events of the previous day. Tang Yan and the others were stunned, though they quickly realized it was worth it spending a little money to eliminate a potential and formidable romantic rival.

Only Wang Yuzhen was seething with resentment, a flash of malice flickering in her eyes.

The wealthy second-generation heir she had her eyes on at school had fallen for Ye Qingyu. His family had already rejected the arranged marriage with Wang Yuzhen, forcing her parents, in pursuit of maximum benefit, to consider marrying her off to a divorced older man. The mere thought of that ugly, middle-aged man who already had a son made Wang Yuzhen sick to her stomach.

All of this was Ye Qingyu’s fault. The heir she had set her sights on was the best marriage prospect in the entire upper-class circle, and their families had already begun preliminary discussions!

Just as Wang Yuzhen was about to say something more, Xie Mingyao’s phone suddenly rang. Seeing the number on the screen, she was taken aback.

It was from the police.

Tang Yan and the others noticed too, staring curiously at Xie Mingyao, who offered no explanation. She answered the call, stood up, and walked out of the classroom.

The person on the other end first introduced themselves, then mentioned the incident the previous day where someone had broken into Ye Qingyu’s home and assaulted them. They added that there was evidence of someone orchestrating the attack from behind the scenes.

The mastermind hadn’t been revealed yet, but they wanted Xie Mingyao and the others to come in for questioning.

After hanging up, Xie Mingyao stood by the railing, momentarily stunned. She asked her system, System, someone was actually behind this? Who could it be?

If she hadn’t been there last night and the situation hadn’t escalated, would they have succeeded?

No, no, Ye Qingyu was the female lead. Even in real danger, she’d find a way to escape unscathed. The male lead might even appear out of nowhere to save her.

The system replied coldly, No spoilers.

Xie Mingyao chuckled but had already drawn her own conclusions. Tucking her phone back into her pocket, she returned to her seat, where three pairs of eager eyes awaited her. She spoke casually.

“We went to Ye Qingyu’s place last night, planning to taunt her. But someone tried to attack us, so we handed them over to the police. The call just now said there’s someone behind it all and wants us to go in for questioning.”

Her gaze swept imperceptibly over the three faces. Tang Yan and Zhou Ruohan reacted normally, but Wang Yuzhen’s pupils constricted sharply.

So it’s her.

Xie Mingyao’s eyes gleamed with amusement. You think just because you won’t tell me, I won’t figure it out? It’s Wang Yuzhen, isn’t it?

The system was frustrated and puzzled. How did you know?

Xie Mingyao smirked mysteriously, dragging out her words. Because…

The system perked up, listening intently.

Xie Mingyao’s eyes sparkled with mischief. I’m not telling you.

The system: …

Tormented by curiosity, the system pressed for answers, but it was useless. Xie Mingyao might seem easygoing, but she was stubborn at her core.

By the time they arrived at the police station, Xie Mingyao had stopped engaging with the system. As she stepped out of the car and approached the entrance, she spotted Ye Qingyu, who hadn’t come alone.

Zhou Yanfeng was with her.

Xie Mingyao’s expression darkened as she stepped forward, her voice icy. “Ye Qingyu, have you forgotten what I told you?”

After speaking, she happily moved to grab Zhou Yanfeng’s arm. “Yanfeng, why are you accompanying her here? Don’t you know I’m your fiancée?”

Zhou Yanfeng recoiled in disgust, sidestepping and leaving Xie Mingyao grasping at air. “I’ve told you before, I’m going to break off the engagement. Stop flaunting that title everywhere.”

Pausing, he turned to Ye Qingyu with urgent concern. “What did she mean just now? What did you promise her?”

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