I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 83

The atmosphere of the New Year was gradually intensifying. Snow had just fallen during the coldest days of winter, and the days when the snow melted were colder than the days it snowed. Fortunately, the villa’s heating system was excellent, so there was basically no need to wear very heavy clothes as long as one didn’t go out.

Regarding the burglary at Mang Ke’s house, the assistant’s report after calling the police was that nothing had been stolen, but the door lock definitely showed signs of being pried open. Therefore, it was not recommended to continue living in that room.

All of Mang Ke’s belongings were packed up and moved over. Some things that were inconvenient to bring, or that she could live without, were discarded; she could just buy new ones later.

In this way, Mang Ke moved brazenly into Xun Fangyun’s house and settled into the guest room on the second floor.

The guest room had excellent lighting. The bay window that covered half the wall faced south, making the room exceptionally warm whenever the sun was up. The bay window sill was covered with a thick plush blanket, decorated with white and green throw pillows, creating a harmonious contrast with the dark curtains.

Mang Ke placed some of her newly arrived decorations in the corner. She loved buying these little items, as this kind of soft furnishing filled the entire room with a gentle warmth, which she enjoyed very much.

‘Knock, knock, knock—’

The maid knocked on the open door and said to Mang Ke, who was arranging things inside, “Miss Mang Ke, lunch is ready. Please come down to eat.”

Mang Ke turned and smiled: “Thank you, Auntie. I’ll be down as soon as I finish this.”

When Mang Ke finished what she was doing and went downstairs, Xun Fangyun had already been wheeled to the dining table. Seeing Mang Ke coming down the hallway, she looked up and said, “You’re here?”

“Yes.” Mang Ke jogged over to help the maid Auntie serve the dishes, placing the bowls and chopsticks in front of Xun Fangyun. “I’ve bought quite a few things recently. I estimate another wave of deliveries will arrive soon.”

Xun Fangyun took the bowl of rice Mang Ke handed her and asked, “What did you buy?”

“A low stool, blankets, Nordic paintings,” Mang Ke laughed. “And that pair of Pixiu we saw last time. I thought they looked great, so I bought a pair in gold-green. Oh, and also…”

Listening to Mang Ke’s rambling, Xun Fangyun didn’t feel annoyed at all. Instead, she fixed her bright black eyes on her, listening intently.

Only after chattering on for a long time did Mang Ke realize what she was doing. She said, slightly flustered, “Did I talk too much?”

She glanced back at the dining table. All the food had been served, filling the entire table.

“No,” Xun Fangyun told her to sit down. “If you want to buy anything, you can tell me. I can have someone help you pick it out.”

Mang Ke served her a piece of meat and said, “It’s fine. I’ve bought almost everything I need recently. Since you can’t go out right now, shopping online is a good way to stay happy.”

Afterward, Mang Ke looked at the two maids who were still busy and invited them to eat together.

After lunch, Mang Ke pushed Xun Fangyun into the courtyard to soak up the sun. The weather was exceptionally good today. The sky was azure blue, and the sunlight was particularly bright, making it a great day for an outing.

Just as the two were sitting in the courtyard chatting, Mang Ke’s phone, which was on the wooden table, rang. She picked it up, saw it was an unknown number, and answered.

“Hello?”

A man with a local accent said to Mang Ke on the other end of the line, “XX delivery service. I’m at the community gate. We’re not allowed in here. Could you please come out and pick it up?”

Mang Ke knew that delivery services were usually not allowed into the villa area arbitrarily, but typically, they would leave the packages at the designated spot, and the guards would then use a small cart to deliver them door-to-door. Why was she asked to go out and fetch it this time?

However, since the person had already arrived, it seemed impolite to make him come all the way for nothing. Mang Ke asked him to wait for her for a moment and said she would be right there.

Xun Fangyun saw Mang Ke hang up the phone and asked, “Is it a delivery?”

“Yes.” Mang Ke put away her phone and said to Xun Fangyun, “They’re waiting for me at the community gate. I’ll go grab it and be right back. Let’s go inside first.”

Xun Fangyun asked, confused, “Aren’t the community guards supposed to deliver it to the door? Why do they want you to go out?”

Mang Ke didn’t understand either: “I’m not sure, but they’re already here, and it’s not far to the gate. I’ll be quick.”

Pushing Xun Fangyun back into the villa, Mang Ke put on her coat and hat before waving to Xun Fangyun and leaving.

Xun Fangyun sat in her wheelchair, watching her turn and walk away. She thought for a moment, then said to the maid cleaning the living room, “Auntie Li, please ask the driver, Uncle Liu, to follow Xiao Ke to the gate and check. I’m a little worried.”

Auntie Li knew Xun Fangyun wouldn’t ask them to do something without a good reason, so she took out her phone and called the driver, Uncle Liu, telling him to go to the gate.

At this moment, Mang Ke, who was walking toward the gate with her hands in her pockets, was completely unaware. She was pondering what kind of package this was.

Her phone in her pocket was already warm. Mang Ke walked past the fountain and saw the community side gate. The delivery person had arranged to meet her here.

The guard in the security booth nodded and greeted Mang Ke when he saw her. Mang Ke smiled back and walked out. She had been staying here often recently, so she had become familiar with the young guard.

There was no delivery vehicle outside the side gate. This area was close to the wet market and shopping center, so the maids often used this route. Women carrying shopping baskets were constantly passing by, but there was no sight of a delivery person.

Mang Ke felt strange. Just as she was about to call back to ask where he was, she received a text message from an unknown number.

Unknown Contact: [Come to the corner, I’m waiting for you here]

Mang Ke didn’t think too much of it. She glanced in the direction and walked toward it. Before she reached the corner, she was forcefully pulled back by someone, followed immediately by a group of community security guards rushing out and rounding the corner. Mang Ke was startled!

She heard screams and sounds of struggle from around the corner, after which the driver, Uncle Liu, patted Mang Ke’s shoulder and said, “Miss Mang Ke, don’t worry.”

“Uncle Liu?” Mang Ke knew he was Xun Fangyun’s driver and couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

Uncle Liu didn’t immediately answer Mang Ke but walked around to check the situation. He saw two security guards pinning a struggling man to the ground, while another was shouting into a walkie-talkie.

“A white car just drove off along the north road. Check the surveillance room for the license plate number, and contact the police.”

“Roger that, roger that.”

Later, Mang Ke learned that a white car had been waiting for her at the corner. The man pinned to the ground was holding a towel, which was later tested and found to contain chloroform. If they hadn’t been caught completely off guard, Mang Ke would likely have been drugged and tied up in the car.

Mang Ke was terrified. She didn’t understand why someone with no power or influence would want to kidnap her, and they even knew how to contact her…

Xun Fangyun was wheeled to the police station by the maid. As soon as Mang Ke saw her, she rushed over.

“Yunyun…”

“Mhm.”

Xun Fangyun hugged Mang Ke around the waist, patted her back, and said, “It’s all over now. Uncle Liu told me everything.”

“Why are they targeting me?” Mang Ke asked fearfully. “Was it them at my house, too?”

Xun Fangyun did not answer immediately, but smiled and comforted her: “The investigation is still ongoing. Don’t worry.”

Mang Ke tightly gripped Xun Fangyun’s clothes. She was truly scared. If Xun Fangyun hadn’t told Uncle Liu to follow her today, she might not have seen the sun again.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and Mang Ke’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She wanted to hold onto Xun Fangyun but couldn’t muster any strength.

Seeing Mang Ke in this state, Xun Fangyun reached out and gently pushed her back onto the seat. She unwrapped her own scarf and tightly wrapped it around Mang Ke. Mang Ke could still smell Xun Fangyun’s scent on the scarf—a faint aroma that seemed like a soothing balm, making her less tense.

Xun Fangyun held Mang Ke’s icy hand, using her other hand to gently rub her cheek, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here. I won’t let you be in danger.”

Mang Ke gripped her hand tightly and nodded.

Just as Xun Fangyun was comforting Mang Ke, the police officer investigating the case walked over, glanced at them, and asked, “Who is the victim?”

Mang Ke weakly looked up: “It’s me…”

The officer said to Mang Ke, “Has your family come to pick you up?”

“Yes, they have,” Xun Fangyun spoke up. “I’m here to take her back.”

The officer was a little puzzled: “And you are…?”

Xun Fangyun said calmly, “I am her fiancée.”

Mang Ke: “…”

The young officer saw the hands of Xun Fangyun and Mang Ke tightly clasped together and couldn’t help but say, “Okay, then please come over and sign here.”

Xun Fangyun followed the officer to sign the documents, leaving the rest of the matters to the assistant and Uncle Liu. Only then did Xun Fangyun take Mang Ke back.

When the car drove up, Mang Ke reached out, intending to help Xun Fangyun into the vehicle, but she saw Xun Fangyun give a subtle look, signaling the driver to lift her into the back seat.

Mang Ke found this a little strange. She glanced around and noticed a black sports car parked by the flowerbed not far away. It was parked quietly and seemed out of place; its license plate was local.

Could it be a car belonging to the police station?

Mang Ke was suspicious, but she didn’t linger. She got into the car, and they drove away.

After they left, the black sports car slowly turned its steering wheel and drove in the opposite direction, disappearing into the night…

A noisy dance party was taking place in a high-end apartment building in the city center. A group of young men and women were mingling in the living room, laughing and playing, opening bottle after bottle of wine and splashing it everywhere.

The man sitting in the middle of the leather sofa, arm around a girl, was also having a great time. He massaged the girl’s waist, took a glass of wine from his friend, and smiled exceptionally brightly.

“Brother Tao, I heard you’re getting married?” The young man who handed him the wine sat down next to him and asked, “What’s the story? Getting married without a word. Who is it? Have we met her?”

The man, referred to as Brother Tao, glanced back at him. This was the same person who had tried to give Mang Ke his number at the Xun family’s banquet.

“It’s not finalized yet, but it’s close,” the man leaned in with a light smile. “Once I’m married, I’ll be the future richest person!”

“Don’t joke, Brother Tao. With your family’s situation, being a run-of-the-mill rich second generation is fine, but the richest person? Isn’t the richest person that distant cousin of yours?”

“That’s right,” the man pulled out a cigar and lit it. He took a puff and then handed it to the girl next to him, saying, “Once I marry the daughter of the richest person, won’t I be the next richest person?”