The tower was under lockdown, and Pei Yuzhang had no idea how that person had managed to climb it. A crowd had gathered below, with some people pulling out their phones to take videos or even start livestreams.
Pei Yuzhang hurried downstairs, passing by someone broadcasting live with a glaring title:
"X Brother Livestream: Young Woman Climbs 20 Floors at Lake Bin Park's White Tower! $3000 in tips and I'll go up to track her down!"
The screen was flooded with comments and tip notifications.
The tower seemed close because of the high platform, but it was actually a kilometer away. Running wouldn't be as fast as taking a vehicle. Pei Yuzhang spotted a row of neatly lined-up shared bikes but didn't have time to scan the QR code. Instead, she "borrowed" a motorcycle, mounted it with one swift motion, and sped off.
Pei Yuzhang was an excellent driver, the bike's speed pushed to the limit as she left behind the shouts of the crowd. Her long ponytail fluttered in the wind, her face revealed under the sun, a striking and radiant beauty even as she squinted slightly in the bright light.
Camera flashes were more dazzling than the sunlight, but Pei Yuzhang carefully avoided the crowd and reached the tower. She threw the motorcycle aside and dashed towards the entrance.
She had learned quick climbing techniques, and even for a difficult tower like this, it wasn't a problem once she found a foothold.
But climbing a tower was abnormal. Pei Yuzhang didn't want to become the center of attention, so she sprinted up from inside the tower.
The tower had been abandoned for a long time, serving only as a shell for lighting displays. The inside was in disrepair, with steel bars blocking the way. It was unclear how anyone had gotten up there.
Despite the obstacles, Pei Yuzhang reached the top just in time. The woman was standing on the edge, looking sorrowfully at a few red-billed water birds flying in the distance.
Far below, a lively crowd gathered, only a small portion of them urging her not to jump. Most were drowned out by the noise of spectators eager to witness a spectacle.
The onlookers didn't know why such a young woman would consider suicide. Some were on their phones, making calls or recording videos, trying to be the first to share the news.
Some even started shouting provocatively:
"Jump! Let's see if she dares!"
"Isn't that the actress Chen Lulu? Was she dumped by her sugar daddy?"
The mention of a "sugar daddy" seemed to hit a nerve with the woman, whose expression twisted with pain. She gripped the rusted railing and prepared to leap when a shadow silently approached from behind.
Pei Yuzhang pushed off the railing with both feet, closing the distance at a strange angle. The woman, lost in her despair, didn't even react as Pei Yuzhang grabbed and pulled her back to the ground, sending dust flying everywhere.
Chen Lulu trembled violently.
She still hesitated, but Pei Yuzhang quickly pinned her down, breathing heavily as she scolded her:
"Do you really want to die that badly? The water in Lake Yi is deep. If you jump from twenty floors up, your body will be lost. It won't be like in the movies, where you elegantly drown. No, the water will fill your lungs, nose, mouth—everywhere. It might look clean, but after years of gathering dust and debris, you'll have all sorts of filth inside you.
Drowning isn't peaceful. It's suffocation, and your bloated, dirty corpse will be hard to retrieve. It will cause a lot of trouble for everyone, and the body that gets pulled out will be swollen and rotten, filled with water until your skin splits along the lines—"
Chen Lulu: "…"
Her face was filled with pleading, clearly wishing Pei Yuzhang would stop. Pei Yuzhang released her, ready to continue her grim descriptions, when suddenly the woman threw herself into her arms, sobbing.
Chen Lulu cried pitifully, clinging to her tightly.
Pei Yuzhang froze for a moment, then awkwardly raised her hands.
"I just had a successful show, and a director offered me a role, so I went to a business dinner. We were just chatting and eating, but they— they reported that I have a sugar daddy, wuuu…"
Chen Lulu was a cute, delicate Omega who was a mid-tier actress in this world. Not very famous, but gaining some popularity after a recent show. However, Pei Yuzhang wasn't one to follow celebrities, so even if a top star stood before her, she might not recognize them.
Now, with this Omega clinging to her, Pei Yuzhang didn't know what to do. She wanted to push Chen Lulu away but was afraid she might try to harm herself again. So, she gently pried her out of her embrace and firmly held onto her arm.
Chen Lulu continued to sob and complain, and Pei Yuzhang half-dragged, half-carried her down the tower.
The police had already arrived, and after handing Chen Lulu over to them, she insisted on getting Pei Yuzhang's contact information. Pei Yuzhang had no choice but to give her the number for her alternate identity.
The pretty Omega tearfully thanked her before saying goodbye. Pei Yuzhang smiled and quickly returned to the restaurant, where dessert had already been served. Yu Zhiwan was eating an ice cream cake.
A chocolate-drizzled banana split had been cut in half, with a large scoop of ice cream in the middle. Sprinkled with rainbow cereal and some crushed toppings, it looked delicious.
Since arriving in this world, Pei Yuzhang had encountered all kinds of exquisite food, greatly satisfying a stomach that had never been so well treated.
Good food put people in a good mood, and after running up and down the twenty-story tower to save someone, Pei Yuzhang was quite tired. She had even declined the police officer's offer of a Good Samaritan award, and now she happily sat down.
"By the way," Pei Yuzhang finally decided to dig into the mystery surrounding the protagonist. After a few bites, she casually asked, "I've seen a woman pick you up from work at Yue Rong's entrance a few times. What's your relationship with her?"
She was referring to Liu Huanran.
In the original storyline, Liu Huanran was a scummy Alpha. Unless something urgent came up, she would pick Yu Zhiwan up from work every day without fail, as if she wanted the whole world to know she was close to such a beautiful Omega.
But Yu Zhiwan always seemed polite yet distant towards her at work, showing no signs of affection. And although Liu Huanran was demonstrative, Yu Zhiwan didn't outright reject her, leading to confusion on Pei Yuzhang's part.
Pei Yuzhang was ready to let it go if Yu Zhiwan wasn't comfortable talking about it. However, the Omega simply played with her cup, her tone indifferent as she responded:
"She's my fiancée, arranged by my family. I don't like her." Yu Zhiwan added, "My family has all passed away."
Pei Yuzhang opened her mouth, hesitating as her thoughts raced, but she couldn't quite find the words.
She had intended to comment on how rare it was to hear about arranged marriages these days, but Yu Zhiwan's second statement cut deep, revealing a hidden pain.
Yu Zhiwan's tone seemed calm, but Pei Yuzhang noticed the way her finger pressed down on the cup, the way her long eyelashes trembled slightly.
Pei Yuzhang had never known her parents, growing up with her master and fellow disciples. Though she had no blood relatives, she had found a family in them. But Yu Zhiwan, a blind and disabled young woman, was like a drifting leaf, with no one to rely on.
Perhaps her parents had arranged for Liu Huanran out of concern, hoping to find an Alpha "protector" for their disabled daughter. Or maybe Yu Zhiwan was traditional and didn't want to go against her parents' final wishes, so she tried to accept Liu Huanran despite her feelings.
Pei Yuzhang muttered:
"I'm sorry…"
She realized she had touched a nerve again.
Yu Zhiwan had already regained her composure and shook her head, saying, "It's okay."
After that, Yu Zhiwan became quieter. Pei Yuzhang worried she had upset her, so she tried to lighten the mood by sharing some amusing stories. Yu Zhiwan smiled in response, and as she did, a bit of food stuck to her face.
It was a tiny piece, one Yu Zhiwan didn't notice. Pei Yuzhang pointed it out and handed her a napkin. She intended to let Yu Zhiwan wipe it herself, but the Omega leaned closer, tilting her face towards her with an expression of focused concentration.
The table was narrow, making it easier to talk. Pei Yuzhang and Yu Zhiwan were suddenly very close. She could smell the faint, pleasant scent of white roses on Yu Zhiwan, blending with the aroma of the white tea perfume Pei Yuzhang had used that day. The combination was intoxicating, almost like a potent pheromone.
Pei Yuzhang couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't quite right, but the Omega seemed so innocent, with no sign of shyness or hesitation, that she quickly dismissed the thought.
Carefully wiping away the crumb from Yu Zhiwan's face, Pei Yuzhang made sure not to touch her skin with her fingers.
Yu Zhiwan was a natural beauty, with flawless skin that didn't need makeup. Up close, her complexion was smooth and fair, with no visible pores. After wiping away the crumb, her face was once again radiant, her every move elegant.
Pei Yuzhang felt much better after seeing her smile and took her downstairs. After making sure that Yu Zhiwan didn't need her to see her off, she let her go.
But Pei Yuzhang wasn't entirely at ease. She intended to leave after seeing Yu Zhiwan get into her car, but she noticed that the Omega hadn't brought her car today.
Lake Bin Park had good air quality and special paths for the blind, so maybe she had parked her car outside. Still, Pei Yuzhang couldn't shake her concern and decided to follow her. It turned out to be the right decision.
As a blind person, Yu Zhiwan was naturally sensitive to her surroundings. At first, she was leisurely moving forward in her automatic wheelchair, but she gradually began to pick up speed.
With her years of training, Pei Yuzhang quickly realized that someone was following Yu Zhiwan, trying to act like they had just happened to meet her by chance.