Help! Please Take the Heroine Away [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 27.1

Ye Qingyu let out a cold laugh after hearing this. “How foolish. But yes, I am indeed going to bully you.”

Xie Mingyao looked up as the door of a private car swung open. A young woman dressed like a high-society lady stepped out quickly. Xie Mingyao stared blankly at this unfamiliar face.

“Mingyao-jie, I can’t believe it’s really you!” Zhou Ruohan, clutching her handbag, rushed forward and wrapped Xie Mingyao in a tight embrace.

Back in their school days, Zhou Ruohan had been the most formidable follower strong, even trained in martial arts. This hug nearly squeezed the life out of Xie Mingyao.

Struggling, Xie Mingyao patted Zhou Ruohan until she finally freed her poor, fragile body from the other’s grip. She scrutinized Zhou Ruohan up and down. “Who are you?”

The young woman before her wore a fitted, dusty pink spaghetti-strap minidress, her chestnut hair loosely tied at the back. Paired with matching studded high heels, she exuded elegance with a youthful charm.

Xie Mingyao had no recollection of this person at all.

Zhou Ruohan’s face fell, her expression turning pitiful as she gazed at Xie Mingyao. “Mingyao-jie, you really don’t remember me? It’s me, Zhou Ruohan. We spent three years together in high school.”

“Zhou Ruohan?” Xie Mingyao was stunned.

A bright, albeit slightly silly, smile spread across Zhou Ruohan’s face. “Mingyao-jie, I can’t believe you still remember my name after four years!”

“You’ve changed so much, I didn’t recognize you at first,” Xie Mingyao admitted sheepishly.

Zhou Ruohan glanced down at her outfit and shrugged. “Well, what can I do? I’m married now. Can’t dress like I did back in school anymore.”

During their school days, Zhou Ruohan had worn the uniform but styled herself like a rebellious punk nothing like the refined lady standing before her now. No one would have recognized her.

She must be living a comfortable life now, Xie Mingyao mused inwardly. Maybe she could temporarily rely on Zhou Ruohan’s enthusiasm for some help.

But after Zhou Ruohan’s mother had rejected her earlier, Xie Mingyao’s pride made it hard to ask outright.

Fortunately, Zhou Ruohan seemed to read her mind. She pulled Xie Mingyao toward the car. “Mingyao-jie, I’ve heard about your family’s situation. You don’t have a place to stay, right? Come stay at my place for now.”

At this point, Xie Mingyao couldn’t care less about pride. She got into the car without hesitation, ready to follow Zhou Ruohan home.

Inside the car, Zhou Ruohan happily retrieved a drink from the mini fridge and handed it to Xie Mingyao. “Mingyao-jie, you never contacted me all these years you were abroad. I was so heartbroken.”

After being out in the heat for so long, the cool air from the car’s AC was pure bliss. Xie Mingyao twisted open the bottle cap and gulped down half the drink before catching her breath. She fumbled for an excuse. “When I first got abroad, everything was so unfamiliar, and I lost my phone, so…”

What a lie. In the original novel, the protagonist had never considered these three as real friends, why would she bother contacting people she looked down on? By the time she returned to the country, Zhou Ruohan had already been dragged into trouble because of her and was struggling to keep herself afloat. There had been no chance for help back then.

But now, things were different. Ye Qingyu showed no intention of settling scores with Zhou Ruohan or Tang Yan. In fact, she even had business dealings with Zhou Ruohan’s husband’s family. Naturally, no one would dare target Zhou Ruohan’s in-laws or the Zhou family now.

Zhou Ruohan didn’t suspect a thing and replied cheerfully, “No problem, no problem! Since we’ve run into each other, I’m just so happy.”

Zhou Ruohan was genuinely good to Xie Mingyao. The moment they stepped into her home, she had the servants prepare a room on the second floor close to her own bedroom, instructed them to air out the bedding, and even brought out brand-new clothes she had bought but never worn for Xie Mingyao to wear first.

While Xie Mingyao was showering at Zhou Ruohan’s place, Ye Qingyu, who was conducting research in the lab, received an immediate report from her assistant.

“Zhou Ruohan, huh.” After hanging up the phone, Ye Qingyu stood by the window, silently gazing outside.

Her long lashes veiled the profound chill in her eyes and the emotions swirling within.

At school, Zhou Ruohan was the one closest to Xie Mingyao unlike Tang Yan, who only fawned over her due to family pressure, or Wang Yuzhen, who used Xie Mingyao as a pawn. She was the only one who truly cared for Xie Mingyao.

Lowering her head, Ye Qingyu unlocked her phone and watched the video her assistant had sent. In it, Zhou Ruohan rushed toward Xie Mingyao with unbridled excitement, hugging her tightly like an enthusiastic husky. They then got into a car, drove to a residential area, and Zhou Ruohan even held Xie Mingyao’s hand as they entered the house…

Though she knew Zhou Ruohan was already married and her feelings for Xie Mingyao weren’t the same as hers, their intimate behavior still made Ye Qingyu jealous. It felt as if invisible threads were winding around her heart, tightening relentlessly.

Was it that Zhou Ruohan or Zhou Yanfeng could have her, but she alone couldn’t?

Jealousy and bitterness flooded her heart, seeping into every crevice, causing a sharp ache. Her grip on the phone tightened slightly as she watched the sky outside gradually darken. The once-peaceful heavens now seemed shrouded in gloom, so oppressive it made it hard to breathe.

Zhou Ruohan’s husband was away on a business trip in another province, leaving her home alone. At first, Xie Mingyao felt somewhat restrained after all, she was no longer the high-and-mighty young miss, and her former follower had now become someone she could hardly reach. This made her uncomfortable. But Zhou Ruohan treated her just as kindly as she had years ago, and Xie Mingyao gradually let go of her unease.

After dinner, Zhou Ruohan asked Xie Mingyao about her plans for the future, a question that left Xie Mingyao at a loss.

Her parents had drained all the money from her overseas accounts, and creditors in City A were eyeing her like vultures. She couldn’t even leave the country now, burdened with debts so massive that, barring a miracle, she’d never be able to repay them in several lifetimes.

Not to mention, the diploma mill she attended abroad was just for show, she hadn’t learned anything useful there. Even if she tried to find a job now, she wouldn’t land anything decent.

Heart aching, Zhou Ruohan took Xie Mingyao’s hand and comforted her, “Mingyao-jie, if it really comes down to it, you can join my husband’s company. I’ll have him offer you a higher salary. As for the debts, our family can negotiate with them to let you pay in installments.”

There wasn’t much more Zhou Ruohan could do after all, the debts weren’t just a few hundred thousand or even millions. Combined, even selling off both the Zhou family’s and her husband’s assets wouldn’t cover them.

Touched, Xie Mingyao looked at Zhou Ruohan with moist eyes. Her own parents had schemed against her, the Zhou family had scorned her, and her former classmates and fair-weather friends had mocked her. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined someone would still treat her so kindly.

“No need. That would burden your family. I’ll find a job myself and talk to them slowly once I have something secured.” Xie Mingyao lowered her head and shook it slowly.

Though willful, she knew Zhou Ruohan was just a wealthy housewife. If she really asked her husband and family for help, it might cause conflicts.

Zhou Ruohan wanted to persuade her further, but Xie Mingyao firmly refused, leaving Zhou Ruohan with no choice but to drop the matter.

Late at night, Xie Mingyao was sound asleep when the glass door between the balcony and the bedroom silently slid open.

Under the bright moonlight, a figure clad in a black suit slowly stepped in from the balcony, carrying a small case in one hand and a pair of high heels in the other.

One step, two steps, three steps, five steps. She reached the bedside.

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