Chapter 47: So That’s It
Translator: Tim Editor: Tehrn/Carolin
Yun Bing had been irritated for days. She’d tried to find Ye Mo, but hadn’t seen him in a long time. Although he hadn't attended her classes regularly, she usually saw him at the library. Recently, however, he’d vanished.
She’d initially thought Ye Mo’s disappearance would bring her peace, but the assault on Zheng Wenqiao and her classmate, an assault she felt connected to, weighed heavily on her. She wanted to question Ye Mo, but his previous behavior—his hostile attitude and near-drowning threat—had left her shaken. "That bastard!" she thought. His arrogance made her suspect he’d not only looked at her but possibly touched her as well. This enraged her, making her consider leaving Ning Hai and returning to Beijing.
Contemplating her departure, Yun Bing felt a sense of relief, realizing she should have left sooner. Upon returning home, instead of cooking, she immediately began packing.
After packing, she cleaned her apartment and discovered an SD card. The 8GB card, found in a corner, puzzled her; she didn’t recall using SD cards. She then remembered the smashed camera she'd found the day after Ye Mo left. Everything inside had seemed broken, so she hadn’t investigated thoroughly.
Finding the card, she immediately suspected it belonged to the camera, the one she’d been unable to locate amidst the post-incident chaos. It was exactly what she'd been searching for, hidden in plain sight; she wouldn’t have found it without cleaning.
Yun Bing inserted the card into her laptop. A single video file appeared. She opened it, revealing an image and voices.
“Young Master Qiao, I’m ready.” It was her classmate, the one who’d drugged her.
“Start when I get to her. Film it clearly, capturing every detail, especially her moans. I want it all! I don’t believe she’ll resist after this.” Zheng Wenqiao was visible on screen.
Watching the video, Yun Bing trembled with rage and humiliation. She realized she’d been drugged with an aphrodisiac; the video showed her disrobing herself. The potency of the drug was evident in her flushed face and lustful expression.
Just as Yun Bing despaired, the door on screen burst open. A masked Ye Mo entered. Seeing this, she felt a surge of relief and understanding.
“Friend, what do you want? If it’s money, we don’t need any trouble; let you have your fun after we’re done. This is a high-quality woman…” Zheng Wenqiao spoke cautiously, pulling his clothes back on.
“Human scum…” Ye Mo said, kicking Zheng Wenqiao.
The following footage was blurry, showing her classmate fighting Ye Mo. The video then cut to black.
The limited footage gave Yun Bing a clear picture. Ye Mo had followed her abductors, rescued her at her apartment, and subdued her attackers. She wasn't entirely sure how he counteracted the drug's effects, but she knew he hadn’t physically harmed her.
“No wonder those two ended up mentally disabled and discarded in the square. It was Ye Mo!” Yun Bing stood, realizing she’d wrongly accused her savior. “If not for Ye Mo…” she shuddered, unable to imagine the alternative—perhaps suicide. Zheng Wenqiao’s cruelty was terrifying, and she couldn't understand why she’d become his target.
Yun Bing realized she needed to contact Ye Mo immediately. He'd saved her life, and she'd repaid him with injustice. Shame washed over her; she needed to apologize and thank him.
“Why didn’t Ye Mo tell me?” she pondered. She’d only briefly regained consciousness that day and likely Ye Mo hadn't noticed. Or perhaps he'd feared the implications of involving the vice mayor’s son, worried about the mental strain on her or potential repercussions for himself.
Besides, given her feelings at the time, would she even have believed him? “Thank you, Ye Mo.” He didn't seem so hateful anymore.
Her changed perception altered her view of Ye Mo. While she'd previously considered him despicable, she now found him handsome.
“No, I must apologize in person,” she decided. He’d saved her life, and some debts couldn’t be repaid even in death. Suicide would only tarnish her reputation. "How can I find him? I haven't seen him in ages… I'll ask around in class tomorrow."
…
In English class, the students were stunned when the usually cold Yun Bing inquired about Ye Mo’s whereabouts.
After class, she remained, asking from the podium, “Ye Mo hasn’t been around lately. Does anyone know where he is? Can anyone contact him?”
Silence. A long silence.
Finally, a student responded, “Ye Mo is closest with Shi Xiu, but Shi Xiu hasn’t been around either… Su Mei also knows Ye Mo; I saw them talking at the library.”
After Yun Bing left, the classroom buzzed. Ye Mo knew a stunning woman who’d visited him repeatedly; now, even the formidable Yun Bing was seeking him. He was clearly a remarkable figure.
Su Mei, a university celebrity and Yun Bing's student, knew her.
Hearing Yun Bing's question, Su Mei was surprised but quickly composed herself. “Mrs. Yun, Ye Mo is a wicked man. Don’t waste your anger on him; even my cousin nearly fell prey to his schemes. He’s a master of disguise.”
Yun Bing was taken aback. "Why would I be angry? I want to express my gratitude," she thought, but didn't rebuke Su Mei. After all, that was Su Mei's perspective, and hadn't she herself been among Ye Mo's detractors?
“Su Mei, I need to reach Ye Mo urgently,” Yun Bing explained.
“Urgent? Mrs. Yun seems desperate,” Su Mei mused, recalling Yun Bing’s previous attempt to slap Ye Mo. Subconsciously glancing at Yun Bing’s stomach, she wondered, “Wasn’t Ye Mo impotent? Did he ‘solve’ that problem too?”
Unaware of Su Mei’s thoughts, Yun Bing anxiously asked, “Do you know where he is?” Su Mei shook her head. “I don’t, but my cousin Su Jingwen might. Why not ask her?”