Chapter 057: I Get It, I Really Do
After a simple, hastily prepared dinner, the two sat outside the tent enjoying the cool evening air.
The space under the bridge was genuinely cool!
But it was damp and gloomy, quite spooky.
Fortunately, both girls were pretty fearless. Not only were they unafraid, they were actually enjoying it.
"Little sister, you're not planning to stay here long-term, are you?" He Ying asked with concern.
After all, Ye Zhen was a pampered young lady, not exactly the sturdy type.
Living under a bridge was fine for a brief experience, but staying long-term meant her safety couldn't be guaranteed.
Even if Ye Zhen was stubborn enough to insist on playing some wilderness survival game, He Ying couldn't possibly let her savior sleep in a place like this!
"It's fine here,"
Ye Zhen pulled out two boxes of strawberry yogurt and generously offered one to He Ying—it wasn't her money anyway.
He Ying accepted it with deep gratitude. "You ran away from home—you must not have much money or food—yet you're so kind to me."
Then she solemnly added, "When we get back, I'll buy you a whole snack shop to make it up to you."
Inserting the straw.
Slurp slurp~
The strawberry yogurt was truly delicious.
And this brand—He Ying had never seen it before. The more she drank, the more hooked she became.
"This place is nice, but I plan to move on in a couple of days."
Ye Zhen exhaled softly and set down the empty milk carton.
"Summer break is still long. I want to get out and see more."
He Ying gasped. "You plan to backpack around all summer with pots, pans, and a tent?"
"Is that a problem?"
"Well, it's not that it's impossible…"
He Ying sighed helplessly.
She thought to herself, letting Ye Zhen go off on her own was just a matter of time before Ye Fuli found her.
That woman was terrifying when she went off the rails—utterly obsessive. She wouldn't rest until she found her! Fifteen days. Fifteen days at most, and Ye Zhen would be in her clutches.
Forget it.
Considering Ye Zhen was her savior, He Ying resolved to see this through to the end.
"Little sister, you shouldn't wander around aimlessly either. I own two streets in this town and run over a dozen hotels and guesthouses. Pick any one to stay at—all your food, drinks, and entertainment will be charged to my account."
Ye Zhen blinked her eyes, her face radiating an unforced, natural cuteness.
It was precisely that little hamster-like expression that made He Ying's heart melt.
Ahhh!
If only my parents had been more responsible, I should have had such a beautiful little sister too!
What good was all the money she earned? If she had a little sister, she'd spend it all on her!
She could have the prettiest dresses in the world, the most dazzling jewelry, and ideally a little temper too—always coming to her big sister for cuddles and spoiling…
The more she thought about it, the more excited she got, and He Ying's eyes reddened again.
"You… why are you crying again?" Ye Zhen felt this girl was acting rather strange.
"N-no! Sand got in my eye. Ugh, this annoying sand!"
He Ying quickly turned her head away, pretending nothing had happened, and secretly wiped the corner of her eye.
She had this bad habit—tears would well up whenever she got emotional.
Whether she was happy or angry, tears would come!
Ye Zhen gave a little "tsk" and thought to herself, What a peculiar girl.
She didn't take the other person's suggestion entirely to heart.
Dealing with Ye Fuli had taught her one crucial lesson: never trust anyone who crosses your path.
She wasn't some smooth-sailing heroine, but a villainous supporting character burdened with a massive debuff!
How could she survive without being careful?
So Ye Zhen had already quietly decided: later, when the other wasn't paying attention, she'd pack her bags and keep running.
……
……
At that moment.
Ye Fuli sat staring blankly at her computer screen.
On the screen, a blurry surveillance feed played.
In the footage, a petite, fragile figure was seen carrying a suitcase as she boarded a rustic-looking intercity bus.
This was the last trace of Ye Zhen she could find.
Despite finally having a lead on Ye Zhen, she felt somewhat lost.
She had expected herself to spring to her feet, pack her bags, and head straight to that address to track Ye Zhen down. But in reality…
She found herself unable to rise.
The sleepless nights, the constant tension, and days without proper nourishment had left her body severely drained.
"I need to eat something. Yes, I need to eat something first."
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang.
Ye Fuli instinctively grabbed a fruit knife nearby and asked with a grim expression, "Who is it?"
"It's me."
Hearing Huang Li's voice, Ye Fuli felt a slight relief wash over her, though she didn't release the knife in her hand.
She stood up and walked toward the door, opening it just a crack to look at the uninvited guest outside.
"Huang Li, what are you doing here?"
Huang Li gasped at the sight of her dark, bruised eyes and bloodshot, slightly terrifying gaze. "Oh my! Senior Ye Fuli, who did this to you?"
Ye Fuli twisted her lips into a grim smile. "Are you here to die?"
Huang Li waved his hands, forcing a smile. "No, no, no. I actually have something important to discuss with you…"
He explained that he hadn't been able to reach Ye Zhen.
He emphasized that he had no ulterior motives toward Ye Zhen, but was genuinely worried something might have happened to her!
"Everyone in our circle knows I've been spending a lot of time with Ye Zhen lately. If anything happened to her, I'd be the prime suspect."
But what Huang Li was really thinking was: I know you two secretly have crushes on me, and you're openly competing and secretly scheming over me. To avoid tipping me off, you even pretend to be best friends all the time!
I get it. I really do get it!
Huang Li believed that with his intelligence, he could easily see through such petty schemes.
He was happy, thoroughly enjoying this bliss of being loved.
But now that Ye Zhen was missing, the situation had become serious.
If Ye Zhen couldn't be found, it was highly likely she'd been kidnapped by Ye Fuli—or worse, killed.
Watching two girls who loved him fall into such dire straits left Huang Li restless and unable to eat or sleep. So he immediately investigated Ye Fuli's home address and rushed over by taxi.
Yet these worries were impossible for him to voice aloud, leaving him no choice but to put on a brave face.
"Senior Ye Fuli! If you're facing any difficulties, you can talk to me. I might not be able to help much, but I can offer some support. Oh, and I've taken a few courses related to psychological counseling. If you need emotional support, feel free to chat with me…"
Huang Li's face radiated sincerity.
In short, the underlying message was clear: Senior, if you must hurt someone, hurt me—this infinitely charming man!
Please don't hurt the other girl who loves me, okay?
As a gentleman, I won't let that happen.
Ye Fuli had no idea what he was imagining, but she suspected he might be seriously ill. She snapped, "Get lost," and slammed the door shut.
Yet Huang Li remained crouched outside her door, refusing to budge.
By the time dusk approached, he was nearly asleep from crouching when he finally heard the door open again behind him.
Ye Fuli emerged wearing a cheap tracksuit, her hair pulled into a messy bun, carrying a faded suitcase.
"You're still here?"
Huang Li yawned and quickly stood up. "I can't leave! Senior Ye Zhen is like my dear… dear sister. She's gone missing now. How could I just ignore it?"
Hearing this, Ye Fuli let out a cold laugh.
She had no intention of engaging with this person. Right now, her mind was filled with Ye Zhen's voice, her face, and her smile. All she wanted was to find Ye Zhen and bring her back.
But with every step she took, Huang Li followed, refusing to budge.
Only when Ye Fuli picked up a brick from the flower bed and glared at him with fierce determination did he finally stomp his foot in a pout, leaving with a look of grievance and glancing back every few steps.
Ye Fuli hailed a taxi, climbed in, and sped away.
Huang Li, who hadn't gone far, promptly hailed a taxi of his own.
"Driver, please follow that car up front! That girl isn't thinking straight right now. I suspect she's going to do something foolish."
The taxi driver heard this and froze.
He immediately stubbed out his cigarette, gripped the steering wheel tightly,
He floored the accelerator.
"Saving a life is better than building seven tiers of a pagoda! Hold on tight, kid."