Help! Please Take the Heroine Away [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 26.1

Ye Qingyu gently smoothed out Xie Mingyao’s furrowed brows with her fingertips.

“If not me, who were you expecting?” Ye Qingyu looked at her with a faint, ambiguous smile, leisurely removing the glasses from her nose and placing them on the nightstand.

The dim lighting in the room cast half of the young woman’s face in shadow as she sat sideways on the bed. Her deep, ink-black eyes were unfathomable, exuding the dangerous aura of a predator on the hunt.

Xie Mingyao had never seen Ye Qingyu so aggressive and domineering. In her memory, Ye Qingyu was still that silent, easily bullied poor student.

She bit her lower lip hard, refusing to let this inexplicable fear control her. Tipping her chin up slightly, she replied haughtily, “Who I was expecting is none of your business! Why am I here? What were you trying to do to me just now?!”

Ye Qingyu chuckled softly, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned in slightly. Her gaze fixed deeply on Xie Mingyao as she drawled, “Do you really not know why you’re here? I saved you. If it weren’t for me, guess where you’d be right now, maybe in a hospital?”

Xie Mingyao was startled by the sudden proximity of Ye Qingyu’s beautiful face. Up close, she realized that after four years, Ye Qingyu had become even more stunning and captivating than she had been back in school.

Composed, confident, and commanding, all of it was perfectly embodied in her sharp, refined features. The only thing unchanged was that cool, untouchable air of hers, paired with her crisp suit, which left Xie Mingyao momentarily dazed.

So beautiful.

I want to tear her clothes off, hehehe.

The thought flashed through her mind but was quickly suppressed. On the surface, she maintained her arrogant demeanor. However, under Ye Qingyu’s reminder, the memories of what had happened before she passed out drunk came rushing back.

Xie Mingyao’s face instantly paled. She had been handed over to a man named Zhao Mingyuan by her parents and had nearly been assaulted by him.

As a pampered young lady who had grown up spoiled, Xie Mingyao couldn’t accept this reality. Clenching her trembling fingers tightly, she fought to keep her emotions in check and stubbornly retorted, “What nonsense are you spouting? My parents would never do that to me! That man was the one with ulterior motives. Don’t think just because you saved me that I’ll be grateful!”

But her flimsy act was no match for Ye Qingyu, who had spent nearly four years navigating the ruthless world of business. Raising an eyebrow, Ye Qingyu replied coolly, “Do you really not believe it? The Xie family is bankrupt, with creditors closing in. Your parents couldn’t run, so they called you back from abroad and handed you over to Zhao Mingyuan both to divert attention and to signal to the creditors that they weren’t fleeing. They intended to use you to settle part of the debt. By now, they’ve probably already flown overseas.”

Xie Mingyao’s almond-shaped eyes widened in shock, her lips trembling. “That’s impossible.”

“I can take you to see for yourself.” Ye Qingyu straightened up, putting distance between them again as she stood. “It’s late now. We’ll go tomorrow.”

Even after Ye Qingyu left, Xie Mingyao remained in a daze. She curled up pitifully against the headboard, wrapped in the blanket, her long lashes fluttering like those of an injured kitten.

That night, Xie Mingyao didn’t sleep well. After all, the information Ye Qingyu had shared with her was simply too overwhelming.

Her mind was in complete turmoil. She took out her phone and frantically called her parents, but their phones remained switched off. Next, she searched online for news about the Xie family.

The Xie family had been quite influential in the city, so news of their bankruptcy had naturally caused a huge stir. A quick search online yielded countless reports.

Without even needing to visit the company or the mortgaged villa, it was clear that everything Ye Qingyu had said was true. Because of this, Xie Mingyao couldn’t sleep at all.

Tossing and turning, she only managed to drift off as dawn approached.

After she finally fell asleep, Ye Qingyu quietly entered the room again. She sat silently by the bed, gazing at Xie Mingyao, whose brows remained tightly furrowed even in sleep.

“Ah Yao, with the Xie family in ruins and you burdened with massive debts, left with no way out… will you beg me for help?” Ye Qingyu murmured softly, her fingertips gently smoothing out the crease between Xie Mingyao’s brows. Her words were slow, deliberate, each syllable carefully measured.

Bathed in the dim glow of the bedside lamp, the young woman’s expression was inscrutable, a faint, ambiguous smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her looming shadow enveloped the sleeping Xie Mingyao almost entirely.

As morning arrived, sunlight pierced through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting streaks of light onto the floor. On the large bed in the center of the room, the young girl’s eyelashes fluttered restlessly before she finally opened her eyes.

Xie Mingyao blinked wearily as she slowly sat up. She noticed a brand-new set of clothes laid out on the bedside table. Picking them up, she found they were the perfect size and in a style she quite liked. Most importantly, they had already been washed.

Yet Xie Mingyao felt no gratitude. As she dressed, she muttered under her breath, “Don’t think such a small gesture can win me over.”

The system couldn’t help but interject: There’s no one here. You don’t have to keep up the act.

Xie Mingyao chuckled. Oh, System, so what if the female lead has feelings for me? I can’t break character anyway, so there’s no way I’ll end up with her. Why are you so worried?

The system pondered this and realized her host had a point. It had been overly anxious for no reason. Feeling much better, it dropped the sarcasm. You’re right. So, what’s your next move?

Standing in front of the mirror, Xie Mingyao studied the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Obviously, I won’t believe the truth just yet. I’ll go check out the house and the company, then go find the male lead I’m supposedly head over heels for.

The female lead was so morally upright, she needed to stir the pot a little, or else this would drag on forever. After all, she couldn’t break character.

Hearing this, the system felt even more at ease. This host was truly exceptional, no thoughts of revenge, no plans to exploit the female lead’s feelings to change her fate!

In the dining room, sunlight streamed in waves, filling the space with the aroma of breakfast.

The moment Xie Mingyao came downstairs, she was drawn to the scene. Slippers scuffing against the floor, she headed straight for the dining area, where she spotted Ye Qingyu, clad in an apron, gracefully carrying out a bowl of porridge.

In this warm atmosphere, her usual aloof demeanor seemed gentler, even pleasing to the eye.

It reminded Xie Mingyao of over four years ago, when Ye Qingyu had worked as a maid. Back then, this had been a daily sight.

But unlike the sharp, capable, and striking image from last night, her hair was casually tied back, with a few loose black strands hanging over her brow. The usual severity and aloofness were gone, replaced by a lazy, graceful air of nobility.

“Staring?” Ye Qingyu naturally noticed Xie Mingyao’s daze. After placing the porridge on the table, she glanced over, a faint smile playing on her lips, softening her cool, delicate features.

Xie Mingyao would never admit to being captivated. She pulled out a chair and plopped down, scoffing, “Yeah, I was staring, remembering how you used to serve me as my maid years ago.”

Even though she was more or less aware of her dire situation, she still couldn’t let go of her young mistress’s pride. That haughty little demeanor was truly begging to be teased.

Ye Qingyu’s lips curled slightly as she stepped forward, placing her hands on the back of Xie Mingyao’s chair and leaning down. Her lips brushed against the soft, snow-white curve of Xie Mingyao’s ear as she whispered, “If the young mistress wishes, I can serve you just like I did four years ago.”

Of course, this time, she’d be demanding something else in return.

Xie Mingyao shivered, her earlobes flushing crimson in an instant. She turned her head away from Ye Qingyu’s lips and glared at her. “What are you doing?!”

“Didn’t you ask me to serve you?” Ye Qingyu tilted her head, watching the dusting of pink on Xie Mingyao’s fair cheeks and the panic in her eyes, her tone laden with meaning.

She was too close, her scorching breath brazenly caressing Xie Mingyao’s cheek. Meeting those unsettling, inscrutable eyes, Xie Mingyao leaned further away, feigning composure. “I don’t need your service. Get lost. I’m going to eat.”

Ye Qingyu smiled faintly, her clear, melodious voice softening. “Alright.”

Breakfast consisted of all Xie Mingyao’s old favorites. Internally, she praised Ye Qingyu for remembering her preferences, though she kept her expression neutral.

After the meal, Ye Qingyu set down her chopsticks, wiped her lips, and quietly turned to Xie Mingyao, who had also finished eating. “I’ll take you to the company and your home later.”

Xie Mingyao, who had been savoring the last bites, stiffened at the words.

Deep down, she already believed Ye Qingyu after all, the internet was flooded with news of the Xie family’s bankruptcy, and her parents’ phones were unreachable. But the thought of being accompanied to witness such humiliation was unbearable. She pursed her lips and stubbornly refused. “No need.”

“Your overseas account should be empty by now, and your domestic cards were frozen long ago. Do you even have cash on you?” Ye Qingyu arched a brow.

Xie Mingyao froze, then quickly pulled out her phone to check. Sure enough, her overseas account had been drained, her parents had transferred everything and her domestic cards, tied to the bankrupt Xie family, were all frozen.

In other words, she was penniless. Where would she stay? What would she eat or drink?

In the end, Xie Mingyao climbed into Ye Qingyu’s car, her face alternating between pale and flushed. They first went to the company, only to find it already under new ownership, then to the villa she had lived in before leaving the country now someone else’s property.

Sitting in the car, Xie Mingyao stared despondently at the familiar villa gates.

This place held traces of her life with the female lead.

“Would you like to go in and take a look?” Ye Qingyu had been quietly observing her the entire time, noting her emotions. Mistaking her silence for sadness over no longer being able to live there, she spoke up.

Xie Mingyao shot her a sidelong glance and scoffed, “It’s not your house. You can’t just waltz in whenever you feel like it!”

Even now, Xie Mingyao remained unaware that the once-poor school beauty she had bullied and looked down upon had long since become a renowned tycoon. She still assumed Ye Qingyu was just an ordinary office worker who happened to earn a slightly higher salary.

“Mmm, it is my house,” Ye Qingyu replied breezily.

Xie Mingyao’s face froze in shock, and it took her a long moment to stammer out, “You’re lying.”

Seeing Xie Mingyao stubbornly refusing to believe her, her wide, round eyes were so endearing that Ye Qingyu couldn’t help but want to hug and pet her. Still, she restrained herself.

If she made any sudden moves now, the little kitten would probably puff up in alarm.

Support Help! Please Take the Heroine Away [Quick Transmigration]