Forbidden Land – CH 045

Bai Qiu wasn’t crazy at all. What was the purpose of all this?

Zhang Chao stood there, lost in thought, racking his brains, but he couldn’t figure it out.

Why did Bai Qiu suddenly want to break up? Why did she want him to be with Chen Rong? And why did she repeatedly tell him never to go see the woman singing opera?

Bai Qiu must have met the singing woman.

But was Bai Qiu’s illness really an act?

He really wanted to rush to Bai Qiu’s dorm and find out. But it was late at night; if he dared to disregard the dorm supervisor and force his way into the girls’ dorm, he would definitely attract the police and be arrested for attempted rape.

Although his mind was a complete mess, he hadn’t gone insane yet.

He stood there alone downstairs for over half an hour, oblivious to the strange looks he received from the girls passing by. Among them were several girls from his class and other female classmates he knew. They had initially intended to greet Zhang Chao, but seeing him standing there like a statue, seemingly angry with a murderous expression, they pretended not to recognize him and went upstairs.

One of the girls, perhaps an acquaintance, called the student leader, Wu Yu. About half an hour later, Wu Yu and Lin Yi’ang arrived.

Upon seeing Zhang Chao, Lin Yi’ang quickly stepped forward, pulled him close, and asked with concern, “Brother, what’s wrong?”

Wu Yu said, “Zhang Chao, what are you standing there for?”

Zhang Chao saw Wu Yu. He didn’t usually interact much with this student leader; their acquaintance was far from being intimate. Naturally, he didn’t need to tell him that his girlfriend was breaking up with him. He just gave an awkward laugh. “It’s nothing.”

As soon as Lin Yi’ang saw him laugh, his previous concerned expression vanished, replaced by a furious outburst. “What are you doing standing at the girls’ dormitory entrance if you aren’t doing anything?! Giving me that stinky look—are you some kind of alien or performing some kind of superpower?! Lights out is almost here; you’d better get back to your dorm and rest. Stop messing around!”

Wu Yu watched Lin Yi’ang’s outburst helplessly and could only laugh. “Yeah, Zhang Chao, go back to your dorm and rest. You’ve been sick twice recently, and you aren’t feeling well; it’s better to go back early.”

Zhang Chao smiled gratefully at him and said, “Big Brother, you go back first; I have something to talk to Old Lin about.”

Wu Yu clearly understood the brotherly bond between the two and that there were some things he couldn’t say to him, so he smiled, said goodbye, and went back.

After Wu Yu left, Lin Yi’ang said, “Hey kid, what do you want to say to me? You tell me first, what have you been doing standing here for half an hour?”

Zhang Chao said, “By the way, how did you and Wu Yu know I was standing here?”

At the mention of this, Lin Yi’ang was furious again. “I was just on the forum, and a girl posted: ‘There’s a really creepy guy standing downstairs at the Baisha girls’ dormitory. I don’t know what he was doing, but he’d been standing there for half an hour. I was really scared walking past him. Does anyone want to check him out?'”

Zhang Chao was both shocked and angry. “Damn it, which stinking woman is so bored and has nothing better to do than lick her boots?” He suddenly remembered something, gasped, and said, “No wonder a bunch of women glanced at me at the door and then went upstairs. I hadn’t figured out what was going on; it turns out it was a damn online sightseeing group!”

Lin Yi’ang said, “You’re still my brother, and this time you’ve really embarrassed me. If it weren’t for the girls in our class calling Wu Yu and saying you’d been standing down there, I still wouldn’t have guessed that the creepy guy in that post I saw was you!”

Zhang Chao really wanted to bury that bitch who posted the message alive, but thinking about his frustrations that evening, he punched a nearby tree hard, drawing blood from his knuckles.

Lin Yi’ang looked at him, realizing he couldn’t joke anymore, and asked, “Brother, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Chao lowered his head, sighed heavily, and said, “Bai Qiu wants to break up with me.”

Lin Yi’ang seemed rather dismissive, saying, “Break up then; you have Chen Rong anyway. Brother, I’m not joking; I’m serious.”

Zhang Chao looked at him angrily and said, “What you said is exactly the same as Bai Qiu’s!”

Lin Yi’ang asked in surprise, “What, she also wants you to go after Chen Rong?”

Zhang Chao said, “That’s right!”

Lin Yi’ang thought for a moment and said, “Then let’s do as she says. Starting tomorrow, you go after Chen Rong.”

Zhang Chao said, “Do you even know what you’re saying?!”

Lin Yi’ang said, “You know Bai Qiu’s illness. This illness, well, it’s probably incurable.”

Zhang Chao said, “She’s your cousin!”

Lin Yi’ang said, “Brother, I told you before, although she’s my cousin, we are just ordinary relatives. Compared to her, I’m closer to you. With her illness like this, it’s better to let it go. After all, even if mental illness is cured, it can relapse.”

Zhang Chao snorted coldly and said, “Let me tell you the truth, Bai Qiu isn’t crazy at all!”

“What? Bai Qiu isn’t crazy?” Lin Yi’ang’s face was full of surprise.

Zhang Chao decisively said, “Even if she were crazy, she’s still my girlfriend, and she’ll be my wife in the future. If you’re a brother, never say that again!”

Hearing this, Lin Yi’ang opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Zhang Chao returned to his dormitory, wearily pushing open the door. Looking up, he saw a woman’s garment on his desk.

A red down jacket!

The all-too-familiar red down jacket—Bai Qiu’s red down jacket.

Bai Qiu’s red down jacket—wasn’t she just wearing it? How could it be here?

Has something happened to Bai Qiu?

Zhang Chao was shocked. He quickly called Lin Yi’ang over, pointing at the garment, and said, “Look, Bai Qiu’s clothes! How did they get here? Who put them here? Could something have happened to Bai Qiu?”

Lin Yi’ang didn’t seem very worried. He simply said, “You watched Bai Qiu go upstairs?”

Zhang Chao said, “Of course, and I’ve been standing downstairs ever since. I’ve never seen Bai Qiu come out again.”

Lin Yi’ang asked suspiciously, “Then how did the clothes end up here?”

Zhang Chao sighed, “Damn it, something must have happened to Bai Qiu.”

Lin Yi’ang said, “It’s almost midnight; don’t mess around.”

Zhang Chao said, “No, I have to go find her.”

Lin Yi’ang said, “How are you going to find her? How are you going to get to the girls’ dormitory?”

Zhang Chao took out his phone and reluctantly dialed Bai Qiu’s cell phone and dormitory number, but naturally, neither went through.

Seeing him like this, Lin Yi’ang said, “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to the student leader and ask him to find other girls to check on her. Is that alright? You stay in the dormitory.”

Lin Yi’ang walked out of Room 123, and Zhang Chao followed. Lin Yi’ang pushed him back, saying, “You aren’t allowed to come out; I’m afraid you’ll have another fit.” Saying this, he closed the door and went to Room 125.

Five minutes later, Lin Yi’ang returned, saying, “The student leader went to Room 216 with some girls. Bai Qiu is there; she’s fine, you don’t need to worry.”

Zhang Chao breathed a sigh of relief, but holding the red down jacket, he asked, puzzled, “Then, who could it be, and why would they leave Bai Qiu’s clothes here?”

Lin Yi’ang said, “Alright, don’t think about it anymore. Let’s stop here for now. You should get some rest. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

With that, he walked out.