Help! Please Take the Heroine Away [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 33

The sound of footsteps was distinctly audible in the quiet garden. Both Xie Mingyao and Zhou Yanfeng heard it and turned to look. When they realized it was Ye Qingyu, Xie Mingyao inexplicably grew flustered, while a trace of malice flashed in Zhou Yanfeng’s eyes.

Xie Mingyao released Zhou Yanfeng, visibly tense, afraid that Ye Qingyu would punish her in that unconventional way if she got angry. Yet, her pride and stubborn refusal to lose face made it impossible for her to explain.

Ye Qingyu stopped in front of the two, her icy gaze sweeping over them before she spoke to Xie Mingyao, “What, missed him that much? Couldn’t even wait before throwing yourself into his arms the moment you saw him? Do you also want to follow him back?”

Xie Mingyao’s lips parted slightly, stunned by Ye Qingyu’s aggressive and cutting words.

Before she could react, Ye Qingyu continued her verbal assault, “Have you forgotten how Zhou Yanfeng treated you before? Scars heal, and the pain fades? Have I not been good to you?”

“Yanfeng already told me, it was his mother who forced me away behind his back. He only found out recently,” Xie Mingyao retorted stubbornly.

Ye Qingyu nearly laughed in disbelief.

The Xie family had been bankrupt for so long, yet the Zhou family, who had been close to them, had never offered a shred of help. Even if Zhou Yanfeng’s mother had acted without his knowledge, if he had truly cared, he wouldn’t have waited until now to seek her out.

If not for the public setting, Ye Qingyu would have been tempted to pick Xie Mingyao up right then and there, punishing her until she cried and admitted her mistake.

Her gaze sharp as a blade, Ye Qingyu turned to Zhou Yanfeng and enunciated each word, “Zhou Yanfeng, whatever issues we have, we’ll settle them between us. If you’re any kind of man, don’t drag A’Yao into this.”

Zhou Yanfeng looked at Ye Qingyu with a complicated expression before finally sneering. Then, turning to Xie Mingyao, he spoke with deep affection, “A’Yao, don’t listen to Ye Qingyu’s nonsense. I’ve truly realized I love you. Will you come with me?”

Xie Mingyao: “…”

You absolute snake. Xie Mingyao cursed Zhou Yanfeng eight hundred times in her heart, not daring to meet Ye Qingyu’s eyes for fear of softening at her expression and breaking character.

No electric shocks. Don’t alert the enemy.

Suppressing the ache in her chest, Xie Mingyao was about to agree when Ye Qingyu lowered her gaze, reached out, and touched her face. Leaning in close, her lips brushed Xie Mingyao’s ear as she whispered, “If you dare agree, I’ll make sure you can’t leave the bed for a week.”

Though the words were spoken softly, Xie Mingyao couldn’t suppress a shiver.

Meeting Ye Qingyu’s calm yet storm-laden eyes, she felt a chill run down her spine, goosebumps rising where those cool fingertips had touched her.

The female lead always made good on her threats.

Xie Mingyao truly couldn’t handle that kind of frequency.

“A’Yao, don’t be afraid of her. I’ll protect you,” Zhou Yanfeng interjected, as if sensing her hesitation.

Xie Mingyao hesitated, glancing between Zhou Yanfeng’s earnest expression and Ye Qingyu’s terrifyingly close, ominous presence.

“Go ahead and try see if he can actually protect you,” Ye Qingyu hissed through gritted teeth.

Xie Mingyao couldn’t help but widen her eyes slightly in surprise, taking a startled step back. Then she saw Ye Qingyu’s expression darken visibly.

The bright moonlight spilled across the earth, draping the Zhou family garden in a silver veil. The same silvery glow reflected off Ye Qingyu’s face, making her already icy features appear even colder and more unapproachable.

Ugh, she really didn’t want to agree. But given the original character’s personality so infatuated with the male lead even knowing his words were lies, she would have been overjoyed and eager to follow him.

“Let’s go.” Ye Qingyu took Xie Mingyao’s hand, trying to pull her away, but the girl seemed rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on Zhou Yanfeng.

Zhou Yanfeng reached out to grab Xie Mingyao as well, but before his hand could touch her, a frosty glint flashed in Ye Qingyu’s eyes. She wrapped an arm around Xie Mingyao’s waist and pulled her firmly into her embrace.

“You!” Xie Mingyao flushed with embarrassment and anger.

Before she could push Ye Qingyu away, the woman suddenly leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Xie Mingyao’s face turned even redder, her almond-shaped eyes glaring furiously at Ye Qingyu. Yet despite her obvious irritation, she bit her lower lip and obediently allowed Ye Qingyu to lead her away.

Zhou Yanfeng watched their retreating figures with a shadowed expression.

The two walked out of the Zhou family garden in silence, the atmosphere stiff and tense as they got into the car.

After a long pause, Ye Qingyu turned her head, her dark eyes fixed intently on Xie Mingyao. “Thinking of running off with him?” she asked, each word deliberate.

Xie Mingyao’s heart skipped a beat under the female lead’s imposing aura.

This version of the female lead was downright irresistible!

Suppressing the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind, Xie Mingyao lifted her chin slightly, refusing to back down. “What’s it to you?” she snapped. “I’ll go with whoever I want.”

“I helped you settle your debts and bank loans, A-Yao. And now you think you can just walk away? Do I look that charitable to you?” Ye Qingyu leaned closer, her thumb lightly tracing the crimson teardrop mole beneath Xie Mingyao’s eye.

Xie Mingyao’s heart raced as she instinctively leaned back, trying to escape, but the car window blocked her retreat. “You did that voluntarily,” she retorted.

Noticing Xie Mingyao’s hands hidden behind her back, attempting to stealthily unlock the car door, Ye Qingyu chuckled softly and pressed the central lock button. “No, it wasn’t voluntary.”

Xie Mingyao blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

“Look, the only thing you have to repay me with is yourself,” Ye Qingyu said, raising an eyebrow, her tone laced with mock pity. “A monthly salary of 100,000 yuan against billions in debt? You’ll have to stay by my side for the rest of your life to pay it off, with yourself.”

Her pale pink fingertip trailed downward from the teardrop mole, stopping at the neckline of Xie Mingyao’s dress. Xie Mingyao stiffened, sensing the rising danger, her pulse pounding wildly.

Was the female lead planning to do something in the car?!

Xie Mingyao cursed inwardly at Ye Qingyu’s perversity, yet her heart thumped uncontrollably fast.

Struggling to contain her excitement, she shoved Ye Qingyu away in feigned outrage. “Don’t go too far.”

Ye Qingyu mused that she must have been too gentle before or perhaps hadn’t satisfied Xie Mingyao enough, if the girl still had energy to spare for thoughts of Zhou Yanfeng.

Gazing at Xie Mingyao’s delicate, peach-blossom-like beauty, she smirked. “Hmm? What exactly did I do that was ‘too far’?”

As if she didn’t know!

Xie Mingyao bit her lower lip in frustration and muttered, “You know very well yourself.”

“If I do know, I need you to explain it to me… physically.” Ye Qingyu gazed at her intently.

Xie Mingyao: “…”

Tears streamed down the corners of her eyes uncontrollably as her fair body trembled. True to her word, Ye Qingyu made Xie Mingyao physically demonstrate the meaning of her earlier statement.

When Xie Mingyao woke up the next day, her eyes were swollen. The system, noticing she was awake, immediately started chattering in her mind.

[This is too much, absolutely too much! How could the female lead treat you like that in the car!]

Xie Mingyao lazily yawned, thinking to herself that it had actually been quite thrilling, but she still put on a pitiful expression. [Wuwuwu, System, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at that car the same way again.]

The system wailed along with her: [Waaah! Host, how could you suffer so much? Next world, I’ll definitely pick a better one for you.]

Xie Mingyao: Thanks a lot.

Her stomach growled loudly with hunger. As she sat up in bed, a faint clinking sound reached her ears. A sense of foreboding crept over her, and she looked down to find a beautiful platinum bracelet now adorned her wrist.

The cold chain jingled crisply with her movements.

The system fumed: [The female lead did this! How could she treat you like this?]

Xie Mingyao tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling. Honestly, it wasn’t so bad now she had a legitimate excuse to stay home all day.

When Ye Qingyu entered the room, she found Xie Mingyao curled up motionless under the blankets. Her steps faltered for a moment before she slowly approached the bed.

“Are you hungry?” Ye Qingyu sat by the bed and gently tugged at the covers, her voice soft.

The blanket didn’t budge Xie Mingyao had a firm grip on it, refusing to show even a hint of her face.

Frowning slightly, Ye Qingyu worried Xie Mingyao might suffocate herself. She exerted a bit more force, peeling the girl out from under the covers. Sure enough, Xie Mingyao’s face was flushed red.

Like forcibly pulling a snail out of its shell, Xie Mingyao gave up all pretense and abruptly sat up, glaring at her angrily. “What else do you want from me?!”

She was absolutely furious.

Back when the Xie family was still influential, she had been pampered and fawned over wherever she went. But ever since the family’s downfall, she had been bullied at every turn by those she once looked down on or mistreated.

And now, things had escalated she was even being restrained like this! No matter how pretty the bracelet was, it was unacceptable!

“It’s because A’yao always wants to leave with someone else,” Ye Qingyu murmured, her voice like a chilling gust of wind, though for some reason, it carried a tinge of sorrow and pain.

Xie Mingyao felt a pang of sympathy hearing it, but she couldn’t exactly hug and comfort the other girl. Instead, she scowled. “Are you planning to keep me locked up forever?”

“Of course not.” Ye Qingyu reached out and gently smoothed Xie Mingyao’s disheveled hair, her tone affectionate.

She had offered her whole heart, yet the person before her still insisted on leaving with others. Unable to bring herself to truly harm Xie Mingyao, the only option left was to drive away anyone who dared covet her.

And Zhou Yanfeng was the first on that list.

Xie Mingyao knew nothing of this. Though confined to the house, she ate well and slept soundly. Perhaps as compensation, anything she liked or desired was delivered to her immediately. Even her dislike for certain activities was respected, they happened far less frequently now.

Apart from the lack of freedom, Xie Mingyao thought this life was quite good so good that she wouldn’t mind living it all over again.

Of course, there was one other thing that left her dissatisfied: the days were too bland, too devoid of excitement. Xie Mingyao felt she needed to come up with a way to spice up her nights.

At the break of dawn, when Ye Qingyu called her to get up for breakfast, Xie Mingyao curled up in bed, two teardrops slipping down her cheeks as she murmured, “Yanfeng.”

The air froze instantly.

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