Chapter 20 Female Lead
After hearing the scraping sound overhead for a while, Bai Chenzhu lost his initial fear. Just as he was wondering if Jiang Ye had abandoned him and run away, a figure appeared on the balcony.
Jiang Ye brought out the ladder and extended it from the balcony to the platform. He also found a rope and had Bai Chenzhu tie it around his waist.
"Slow down." Jiang Ye waited patiently until the two were close enough, then he grabbed Bai Chenzhu's hand and pulled him forcefully toward him.
The force was so great that Bai Chenzhu suddenly felt like a badminton shuttlecock, flying a short distance before hitting Jiang Ye.
"You're much better than I imagined." Jiang Ye helped him up and patted the dust off his clothes.
Panting, Bai Chenzhu, now out of danger, gritted her teeth and said, "I really regret following you now."
"Haha." Jiang Ye laughed gleefully twice, but was punched by Bai Chenzhu and almost laughed himself silly.
Upon entering the room, Bai Chenzhu discovered that it was a newly renovated house that had not yet been occupied. It was empty except for paint buckets, a wooden ladder, tools scattered everywhere, and transparent plastic packaging paper.
"Do you want to rest?" Jiang Ye asked considerately.
Thinking about what had just happened, Bai Chenzhu dared not rest any longer. He licked the remaining candy in his mouth and forced a smile, "No, it's getting dark, let's go up now."
They cautiously and carefully bypassed the stairwell they had just passed and went upstairs from the other end.
This time, we made it to the ninth floor without any problems.
In apartment 901, Building A, Fan Hua Li, Bai Chenzhu rang the doorbell several times in front of the security door.
There was no response from inside the room.
He knocked on the door, not daring to speak too loudly because of the monsters, "Is Zhou Mengmeng here? Your sister sent us to pick you up."
There was no response, nor did they hear any approaching footsteps.
Bai Chenzhu pondered several rounds of speculation before finally knocking on the door again, "Is Zhou Mengmeng here? If she is, just say so. We're your sister's friends..."
As time passed, the relaxation between Jiang Ye's brows gradually faded, and his posture changed from leaning against the wall to standing upright.
Bai Chenzhu had practically rung the doorbell until it broke, but there was no response from inside. He looked at Jiang Ye, a bad feeling creeping into his mind. "Should we go in and check?"
"Get out of the way." Jiang Ye couldn't explain the complex emotions in his heart. He was both looking forward to it and fearing the outcome. He held the baseball bat and gestured at the security door, trying to force his way through.
Bai Chenzhu stared intently at the security door, then grabbed his wrist. "There's a layer of glass on the door, don't try to force it."
He looked around. It was a typical apartment building, with the corridor and the Zhou family's kitchen at a 90-degree angle.
The corridor windows were small, barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways. The Zhou family's kitchen window was open, without security bars, and the two windows were less than two meters apart.
Since Jiang Ye was able to jump over it just now, could he do it this distance too? Bai Chenzhu estimated the probability and thought it was very high. He gestured for Jiang Ye to look at the window, "Go over here."
Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes, displeased with his self-righteousness. "You certainly know how to order people around."
Bai Chenzhu coaxed helplessly, "There's nothing I can do. I can't do anything reckless at this distance. You jumped just like that, you're much better than me."
Jiang Ye, whose hair had been stroked, snorted, tossed the baseball bat into his arms, nimbly leaped onto the windowsill, swung it out, and landed steadily in the kitchen from the ninth floor.
"He actually made it!" Bai Chenzhu watched his movements with bated breath. Only after the man landed safely did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Although he was very handsome, Bai Chenzhu tried his best to suppress the smile in his eyes, but he couldn't. Jiang Ye's actions, however, inexplicably reminded him of monkeys swinging around in the mountains.
The door opened.
Jiang Ye's sinister face appeared at the doorway, his expression grim. "She's not here."
On the living room table was a letter with the three characters 'Zhou Zhuohua' neatly written on it.
Jiang Ye pulled out the letter directly; it was two or three thick pages, densely covered with writing. He read it quickly and then handed it to Bai Chenzhu, who had come over to take a look.
There are many words, but the meaning is very concise.
Zhou Zhuohua had called Zhou Mengmeng before, telling her to stay home. She sensed something from that call and, afraid of being alone, immediately called her father, who lived in another city. Her father then asked a friend who was going that way to pick up Zhou Mengmeng.
Zhou Zhuohua, who should have died, is still alive, while Zhou Mengmeng, who should have been with Jiang Ye, has disappeared without a trace.
They'd made a wasted trip. Bai Chenzhu frowned, wondering if it was the effect of his own 'butterfly'.
Jiang Ye, who was standing next to him, looked at the letter and suddenly burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Bai Chenzhu asked, puzzled.
Is it something to be happy about to come up empty-handed? They promised Zhou Zhuohua they would bring the person back.
However, those who usually laugh in a frivolous and superficial way are now laughing heartily, laughing freely from the bottom of their hearts.
Jiang Ye excitedly grabbed Bai Chenzhu's shoulders and shook him, "Haven't you noticed? Everything has changed, everything has changed!"
"What?" Bai Chenzhu didn't understand what he was so excited about.
Jiang Ye's eyes shone like stars. "Everything has changed, but everything can be changed!"
If Bai Chenzhu's appearance was merely an accident, and Zhou Zhuohua's infection could be attributed to 'fate', then in Zhou Mengmeng, Jiang Ye finally sensed a glimmer of hope to escape 'fate'.
Perhaps Zhou Zhuohua really can escape this calamity. And he can change everything!
Bai Chenzhu listened, confused, when he was suddenly embraced tightly by the excited Jiang Ye. He held him so tightly that his arms felt like iron chains binding him, and Bai Chenzhu was almost strangled to death.
This guy is a freak, how can he be so strong? Bai Chenzhu struggled twice but couldn't break free. Enraged, her face flushed red, she yelled, "You bastard, let go!"
Enraged, he slammed his forehead into Jiang Ye's, turning both of their foreheads red.
Bai Chenzhu was so dizzy from the impact that golden stars flashed in the darkness before his eyes.
He was the one who bumped into him, yet he lost consciousness first. Jiang Ye let go, but he lost his balance, slipped, and fell. Before falling, he grabbed the tablecloth, tearing down a large piece of furniture.
"Hey!" Although Jiang Ye was also dizzy, his reaction was much faster than Bai Chenzhu's. He quickly grabbed Bai Chenzhu's arm, but was pulled down instead.
The thud landed on the wooden floor; the two men were certainly not light. Bai Chenzhu lay on his back, a large head hitting his chest, causing him a sharp pain.
"hiss."
I should check the almanac before going out today. Bai Chenzhu thought with a hint of despair.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and someone was knocking on the door.
The two exchanged a glance and quickly got up from the ground.
Bai Chenzhu gestured for silence, walked over, and looked through the peephole. He saw a girl in a long-sleeved school uniform standing anxiously in front of the door, knocking on it.
She seemed to be the only one at the door.
Bai Chenzhu cautiously opened the door a crack and looked the girl up and down. "Zhou Mengmeng?"
The girl in front of me had her hair tied in a high ponytail, wore a school uniform, and was youthful and beautiful. Her round eyes widened slightly as she looked at the man in front of her.
He looked aloof and noble in his shirt and black trousers, and his handsome face was as striking as when he had just climbed onto the air conditioner platform.
A man that handsome can't be a bad person. The girl nodded quickly. "Yes, that's me! You were sent by my sister to pick me up, right?"
"Yes, I am your sister's..." Bai Chenzhu was about to say something when a hand landed forcefully on his shoulder, stopping him from continuing.
Bai Chenzhu paused for a moment and released his hand from the door.
Jiang Ye opened the door, and the two of them were completely exposed to the girl.
The girl's expression changed slightly when she saw Jiang Ye appear. She twisted her fingers behind her back, fidgeting with her knuckles.
Although he's good-looking, this guy is definitely not a good person.
Compared to Bai Chenzhu, Jiang Ye's face, though handsome, was extremely aggressive and sharp. Coupled with his shady, mismatched clothes, he was the type of person that girls wouldn't dare to look at on the street and would have to walk around.
"This young lady is quick-witted." Jiang Ye smiled as he looked the naive girl up and down, his stern black eyes seeming to see right through her.
To be honest, his first meeting with her must have been several years later, definitely not now.
The girl at that time was the daughter of the city lord of a certain base, a fair-skinned but cunning sesame dumpling, and a powerful superhuman with both courage and wisdom.
Jiang Ye exposed her clumsy lie: "I've met Zhou Mengmeng; you're not her."
After saying that, he was about to close the door.
The girl reacted faster than him. She quickly raised her hand to block the door, and said in a flustered manner under Jiang Ye's cold gaze, "I didn't mean to lie to you! I saw you climbing the wall just now! You are all very capable people. I am Bai Tao, Zhou Mengmeng's good friend, and I live next door. Zhou Mengmeng was picked up by her father's friend. You are too late."
She repeated her praises again, saying, "I see! You are all amazing people, so could you take me away from here? In exchange, I can give you money, food, anything!"
The girl looked at the two of them with bright, hopeful eyes.
Nothing she said resonated with them; in this world, they were already doing well just to take care of themselves. But… Bai Chenzhu's eyelids twitched. “What did you say your name was?”
The girl thought he was soft-hearted, and seized the opportunity to say, "My surname is Bai, the Tao of peach. Has Mengmeng mentioned me to you? We're very close. I'm in high school and she's in junior high. I often give her a ride when I ride my bike to school..."
Bai Tao, is the girl in front of me Bai Tao?! The 'female protagonist' who received the most attention in the later parts of the novel? The 'official wife' with the deepest feelings for Jiang Ye?
Bai Chenzhu was caught off guard by this sudden meeting. His first reaction was to turn his head to look at Jiang Ye, who was looking at him indifferently, without looking at Bai Tao.
The two looked at each other, and Jiang Ye suddenly grinned, "Oh~ so she's Bai Tao. Didn't you say last time that she liked some martial arts novel? What, you don't know her?"
They've turned the Heavenly Gang upside down!
Having just extracted Jiang Ye's little secret the night before, Bai Chenzhu really wanted to ask in return, "Isn't this your wife?"
But with the girl, who knew nothing about it, present, the question was truly offensive and rude, so Bai Chenzhu could only turn his head away to cover it up, saying, "It's just a coincidence of names."
This is the 'leading lady'!
Bai Chenzhu's gaze darted back and forth between Bai Tao and Jiang Ye. Come to think of it, the male lead is only 20 years old now, so it seems quite normal for his future girlfriend to be a few years younger than him in high school.
But the male lead isn't young anymore; isn't that like an old cow eating young grass? Bai Chenzhu paused, glancing subtly at Jiang Ye: Wait, what if the female lead isn't an adult? Wouldn't that be...
Bai Chenzhu stared intently at Jiang Ye's profile, trying to discern a hint of 'heart flutter' on his face.
"Take off that 'beast' look on your face." But Jiang Ye's attitude was indifferent. He didn't seem to be in love at first sight, and he didn't even seem to have much affection for the girl.
Of course, Bai Tao had tricked him countless times before. Jiang Ye felt terrible thinking about the past. He wasn't a saint; he couldn't help but feel resentful.
Jiang Ye gave a sly smile, leaned against the door frame, and raised his chin. "You just casually say you're coming with us? Aren't you afraid we're bad guys?"
They were trying to scare away Shirato with this dubious malice.
"I trust my judgment." Bai Tao mustered her courage, her eyes filled with the innocent clarity of someone who had never seen the world. "Even if they are bad people, I'll accept it."
"Ha." Jiang Ye didn't believe a word she said, and was practically aggressive. "You're easy to fool, but we're not. Why don't you stay at home? Why do you insist on leaving with us?"
“This…” Bai Tao pinched the loose hem of her school uniform.
Seeing that Jiang Ye was about to close the door without any mercy, she blocked the door again, "Because my mother works at a hotel, she hasn't been home for several days, and I can't get through to her on the phone. I'm so worried, I have to go find her."
"And what about your father?" Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow.
"I...I don't have a father." Bai Tao said through gritted teeth, as if she had just thought of something. "My father died a long time ago. My mother and I depend on each other for survival, so I must find her. I won't bother you. As long as I can leave this neighborhood, I'll go on my own!"
He's lying again. Jiang Ye gritted his teeth.
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