Chapter 24

Looking at Qin Zhao from this strange perspective gave Nan Yue an unreal feeling.

Nan Yue's eyes grew hot, and she threw away the baseball bat to hug Qin Zhao. She asked in a low voice by her ear, "Zhao Zhao, how did you get here? How did you only come now?" Her surprise and joy at Qin Zhao's arrival was evident, and there was even a faint hint of coquetry in her tone.

However, the nearly exhausted Qin Zhao did not have time to savor it carefully. Gasping for breath, she said, "Baby, let me get up first, I'm about to fall!"

Only then did Nan Yue suddenly realize that Qin Zhao was still hanging on the wall. She hurriedly released her embrace and reached out to help Qin Zhao up.

Although it was of no use and Qin Zhao had climbed in relying entirely on her lone courage and brute force, Nan Yue still felt quite gratified.

Qin Zhao supported herself with both hands on her knees, panting heavily.

Nan Yue poured her a glass of water and brought it to her lips.

Tonight, Qin Zhao was wearing a set of black sportswear and carried a backpack. It formed a stark contrast with her usual foxy dress, and Nan Yue couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

Stripped of her gorgeous costumes, the more ordinary Qin Zhao possessed a simple yet breathtaking beauty.

Nan Yue had never thought she would feel so stirred by a woman.

But it had happened.

Qin Zhao took the water and said, "Thank you. I'll never climb a wall again. Look at my hands, the skin is all scraped off."

She held out her hands for Nan Yue to see.

Nan Yue took the opportunity to take her hands and gently blew on them, chanting, "Pain pain, go away~"

Qin Zhao couldn't help but laugh. "You sound like you're comforting a puppy."

Nan Yue stopped and complained to herself that Qin Zhao was a killjoy. But she said, "I have never seen anyone call themselves a dog before."

Qin Zhao: "..."

Bingo, she fell for it.

Just as Qin Zhao was feeling vexed, a man's voice came from outside the door, "Miss, is everything okay? Who are you talking to?"

Qin Zhao and Nan Yue looked at each other. Nan Yue made a hushing gesture and said to the man outside, "It's nothing. I'm reading out loud."

Right after she finished speaking, hurried footsteps quickly approached the door. Another deep and authoritative male voice said, "Open the door!"

It was Nan Chenghui!

Nan Yue looked at Qin Zhao anxiously. Qin Zhao quickly stroked her head, then leapt out the window with astounding agility that amazed Nan Yue!

At the same time, the door opened.

An angry Nan Chenghui walked in!

By now, Nan Yue was already sitting calmly at the desk, pretending to hold a book in her hand.

Seeing Nan Chenghui come in, Nan Yue spoke first, "Dad, isn't locking me in this room enough? Now you want to control what books I read too?!"

Her tone was full of grievance and sadness.

Nan Chenghui's mouth twitched. If he hadn't caught a glimpse of Nan Yue holding the book upside down, he might have really believed her.

Nan Chenghui pointed at the book in Nan Yue's hand and said, "Your book is upside down."

Nan Yue's body stiffened. She calmly put the book down on the desk and asked solemnly, "Did you come here for something?"

Nan Chenghui had noticed on the room's monitoring that the cameras were broken. Unable to monitor Nan Yue's movements in real time, he had rushed over.

He had just happened to hear the bodyguard asking about Nan Yue's situation and felt something was fishy, so he opened the door and came in.

He did not answer Nan Yue's question, but swept his sharp eyes around the room. Finally, he fixed his gaze on the mud and dust on the floor by the window!

Nan Yue had changed into clean indoor shoes when she entered the room.

Realizing that these dirty things were likely left by some man... or woman, Nan Chenghui's eyes instantly became fierce!

Following his line of sight, Nan Yue also noticed the mud and her heart thumped. She immediately stood up to block Nan Chenghui's vision and said, "Dad, please respect your daughter. You shouldn't enter my room without my permission."

Fury rose in Nan Chenghui and he questioned, "I can't come in, but other wild men and women can?!" Qin Zhao, shot in the knee: Since when did she become a wild woman?!

Nan Yue explained, "Dad, there's only me in the room."

Nan Chenghui snorted heavily. He pushed Nan Yue, who was blocking his way, aside and shouted, "Get lost! Today I'm going to find that person, let's see how you'll talk your way out of this!"

Nan Yue was nearly pushed to the ground. She staggered back two steps before barely steadying herself.

The pain in her left arm and the humiliation of being treated this way by her father rose in her heart at the same time, almost bringing her to tears.

But thinking that she must not show weakness in front of Nan Chenghui, she looked up and forcefully held back her tears.

Nan Chenghui had been humiliated by Ye Chenxi and was looking for someone to vent his anger on. Nan Yue had hit the barrel of his gun.

He frantically searched Nan Yue's room over and over like a blind wild boar, snorting around and making the already messy room even more of a pigsty!

As Nan Yue's emotions gradually calmed down, she watched the frenzied Nan Chenghui expressionlessly.

The impression her father had left in her heart had completely overturned. She couldn't even find an accurate word to describe the current Nan Chenghui.

Perhaps in the future she could only use vague terms like that man, someone, that madman to refer to Nan Chenghui's collapsed image.

After rummaging through the closet twice, Nan Chenghui still found nothing. He suddenly stopped.

Then he turned to Nan Yue with a creepy smile often seen on ghosts in horror movies, pointed at the window and asked, "Did the person hide outside the window?"

A flash of panic crossed Nan Yue's eyes and was keenly caught by Nan Chenghui. He laughed loudly twice and approached the window.

Nan Yue took two steps to block his way and said, "Dad, stop making trouble. There's no one else here. We don't need to take it that far as father and daughter."

This was Nan Yue's final chance for Nan Chenghui. If he chose to continue forward, then without a doubt, their relationship would enter a dead end.

Nan Chenghui clearly also understood Nan Yue's meaning. He lowered his head in thought for a moment, but still pushed Nan Yue aside.

As he walked to the window, he said, "Perhaps from the first time I locked you in this room, our relationship could no longer go back."

If he knew, then why did he do those things?

Nan Yue did not ask aloud, because the Nan Chenghui who had been pretending to be ignorant from the beginning would only make excuses instead of giving her a satisfactory answer.

Nan Yue clenched her fist, then slowly relaxed it.

She closed her eyes and quietly waited for the outcome.

What she was most worried about was not Nan Chenghui discovering Qin Zhao, but... Qin Zhao may have broken her leg!

The scene of Qin Zhao jumping out the window kept replaying in her mind.

If Qin Zhao had not shown suicidal tendencies, she would have thought Qin Zhao's decisive action was a heroic sacrifice...

It was really laughable. Whether Nan Chenghui found her was unimportant. She only hoped Qin Zhao was okay.

Soon, Nan Chenghui's disappointed voice came, "Humph! That person ran pretty fast."

Nan Yue's tense body relaxed a little.

Nan Chenghui walked to the door and said without looking back, "Nan Yue, even if you hate me, I don't regret doing that."

After speaking, bang! He slammed the door shut.

Nan Yue looked at the door, her emotions complicated.

Although she was locked inside now, her heart was free.

From now on, she no longer needed to be bound by familial affection or consider her father's feelings. She could live as she liked.

Moreover, it was he who abandoned her first, right?

Of course, if she could have seen through her father's true face earlier, she would have chosen to stay away from him.

Coming back to her senses, Nan Yue suddenly remembered Qin Zhao was still outside the window!

She hurriedly turned back, only to see Qin Zhao already standing unharmed in the room, looking at her with a smile.

Her eyes seemed to be asking: See how awesome I am?

Nan Yue smiled silently. This person always did things beyond her expectations.

She had the urge to throw herself into Qin Zhao's arms.

So she did just what she thought.

Seeing Nan Yue pounce over, Qin Zhao opened her arms to catch her. Nan Yue quietly hugged Qin Zhao for a while, then whispered in her ear, "What should I do, Zhao Zhao? I don't have a home anymore."

After a long pause, Qin Zhao replied, "Where the heart is content, there is one's homeland. Wherever you are is home. If you are willing, there is also a place for you by my side."

Nan Yue's chaotic breathing gradually calmed down. She tightened her arms around Qin Zhao and said, "Now I finally understand why just thinking of you brings a moment of tranquility to my heart."

"Why is that?" Qin Zhao asked smugly.

But Nan Yue didn't say, lest Qin Zhao became arrogant.

"Figure it out yourself. First let's discuss where you'll stay tonight."

Qin Zhao agreed this was not the time for sweet talk.

The two let go of their embrace.

Nan Yue suggested, "You go home first. I'll be fine here."

"That won't do. Nan Chenghui no longer sees you as an independent person. Why should you do as he wishes and stay?" Qin Zhao objected.

Nan Yue's face grew hot. She glanced at the window and said, "I can't climb over the wall. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't."

"Besides, I can pretend to agree to marry Ye Chenxi. Once Nan Chenghui lets me go out, I'll find a chance to escape."

Qin Zhao raised her eyebrows. "Oh? You've changed how you address him."

Nan Yue said calmly, "I no longer see him as my father."

"Hmm. He's indeed unqualified to be your father. Let's not talk about him for now. You need to come with me tonight." Qin Zhao affirmed.

"But I..."

Qin Zhao patted Nan Yue's shoulder. "Leave the wall climbing to me."

She took some climbing ropes from her bag and walked to the window, saying, "Get on my back, don't be afraid."

Nan Yue swallowed hard and looked Qin Zhao up and down, having a hard time imagining how someone who didn't look very strong could bear her weight.

But she obediently agreed.

Qin Zhao saw Nan Yue's worries and abruptly grabbed her hand, shoving it into her own clothes!

Nan Yue was so shocked she hurriedly covered her mouth with her other hand to stop herself from crying out!

She looked at Qin Zhao as if to ask, what are you doing?

Qin Zhao looked completely self-assured, just smiling without answering.

Nan Yue soon realized why, because she could feel Qin Zhao's abs. Her face instantly turned red to the roots of her hair!

Because they felt so good, she continued feeling them over and over.

Qin Zhao rolled her eyes in silence. This girl was getting too carried away!

After groping for a while, Nan Yue finally realized she was being inappropriate and hurriedly withdrew her hand as if dropping a hot potato!

Qin Zhao laughed. "Reassured now?"

Nan Yue nodded, but her face grew even redder.

No knowing what else she was fantasizing about.

Qin Zhao turned to look out the window and heaved a long sigh, asking, "Are you sure you want to come with me?

Once we leave, there's no coming back.

From now on, you'll be opposed to your father and Ye Chenxi.

You'll face their harshest revenge.

Do you want to...think about it again?"

Without any hesitation, Nan Yue said, "I'll go with you."

"Good!"

...

Before long, the quiet manor was suddenly filled with the barks of dogs and chaotic yelling.

"Come quickly! The young miss has escaped!"

"Go tell the master!"

"You guys, go that way! Hurry and catch them!!"