CHAPTER 50 NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY
When Ye Zhibai stepped out of the car with her long, youthful legs and set her heels on the familiar ground she had been away from for two whole days, only one word could describe her feelings at that moment:
— “As if a lifetime had passed.”
Oh, but it wasn’t just as if; a lifetime had truly passed!
It was fitting, no doubt about it.
Ye Zhiyun was busy helping the maid find a parking spot. This apartment’s location was unbelievably remote, and finding a place to park was exceptionally challenging.
With nothing else to do, Ye Zhibai stood there, looking a bit foolish, and took in the sight of the place where she had lived for almost ten years.
This two-story apartment building was dilapidated, not situated along a street, not near any shops, not in a commercial area—just standing there, isolated in a dark, remote alley.
Being secluded had its advantages? No car horns blaring from the street? Quiet and peaceful? It sounded good, right?
Nonsense!!
The place was merely shielded by a few high-rise buildings in front, but the incessant honking from the road across the way was still perfectly audible!
Sigh… This run-down apartment was dilapidated, and that was understandable—the building was old, and everything about it exuded a precarious, crumbling aura, as if crows might fly out at any moment.
All of this could be tolerated.
But the worst part…
It never saw the light of day!
Blocked by tall buildings, it never got any sunlight. When Ye Zhibai lived here in her past life, it was always as dark as night, pitch-black, and she didn’t dare turn on the lights.
—Electricity was too expensive.
If there was any advantage or benefit that made Ye Zhibai endure living here for ten years, it was probably just one thing.
The rent was low!
Just over 200 yuan a month, which was even cheaper than a university dormitory, and since Ye Zhibai had to work part-time jobs, living outside was more convenient.
With mixed feelings, Ye Zhibai stood and gave this shabby little building a one-minute salute.
Alright… enough complaining. Today, I’m just here to say goodbye. My apartment… even though it’s shabby, it sheltered me for so long. If it didn’t have any merits, it at least had its hardships. And, upon closer inspection, maybe my apartment isn’t that bad? Maybe it’s not so…
“Wow!! Ye Zhibai! Is this where you used to live? It’s so old and dilapidated!”
Wow!!
Thanks a lot, Guang Yu!
Guang Yu, who had lagged behind to enjoy the car’s air conditioning a bit longer, finally arrived. She tugged at the top of her white over-the-knee socks, which had been rubbed down from her thighs to her calves after being squished against the car door by Ye Zhibai.
Suddenly, Guang Yu felt a heavy blow to the back of her head!
“Waaah!!”
“Don’t ‘waaah,’ Guang Yu, listen to me.”
“?!”
Ye Zhibai just wanted to reason with Guang Yu!
“Guang Yu, don’t talk like that. Sure, compared to the new house, this place is rundown… but it has its own value. Life here was at least convenient, and going out was…”
“Sis? Are you sure this is the place? This apartment is way too shabby, isn’t it? Couldn’t you be mistaken about it from your dream?”
“……”
The car had been parked on the street outside.
Yun’er quickly walked back, looked up at the apartment, and gave this single comment.
Ye Zhibai fell silent, looking down sadly at Guang Yu.
Guang Yu, grimacing and holding her head, cautiously watched Ye Zhibai.
Forget it… apartment.
I don’t think I want to speak for you anymore.
Nothing else to say.
Just hope you get demolished soon.
…………………………..
Ye Zhibai had to lead the way on this trip.
Ignoring Guang Yu for now, who could easily investigate anything she wanted, both Ye Zhiyun and the head maid were entirely unfamiliar with this place and couldn’t navigate it. They thought the environment seemed somewhat dangerous! The head maid had been on high alert since they ascended the creaky stairs, her expression serious. Yun’er was even more so, tightly protecting Ye Zhibai, vigilant of any movement around them.
There’s no need to be so exaggerated!!
It’s just dark here, not a dragon’s lair!
Ye Zhiyun clung to Ye Zhibai’s arm, cautiously asking, “Sister…? Where are you going? I feel like we shouldn’t stay here too long.”
“It’s okay… I feel this place is quite safe.”
“No, I mean the dust here isn’t good for your respiratory system.”
How polite of you!
I’ve been breathing this dust for ten years, and I haven’t been choked to death by it!
Ye Zhibai sighed softly and emotionlessly recited the address, “Qicheng Apartment, second floor, north side, 203, it’s… almost there.”
“Eh… this is what was written on the chessboard in your dream?”
“Yes.”
When in doubt, refer to the dream chessboard. That’s how Ye Zhibai dealt with things.
Ye Zhibai calmly looked ahead. She had walked this rusty, iron-floor corridor on the second floor so many times that she could find her way to her apartment with her eyes closed. After turning the last corner, she would be able to see room 203 at the end of the corridor.
At this moment, the head maid suddenly spoke up. “Someone’s there.”
She meant there was noise coming from around the corner. Ye Zhibai heard it too.
No big deal, this was normal. She wasn’t the only one living in the apartment. Judging by the rustling sounds, it might be the tenants of 201 or 202 cleaning or hanging out clothes.
But the head maid had an exceptional ability to discern things by sound. “From the sound… it seems like someone is collecting scrap, there are empty cans and bottles clinking in a bag.”
Oh, collecting scrap.
Collecting scrap is normal, as Old Zhang the Scrap Warrior and Aunt Liu the Scrap Warrior are often active in this area.
So, collecting scrap…
Collecting scrap?
Collecting scrap!!
Damn it!
Ye Zhibai suddenly realized something and, before Ye Zhiyun and the head maid could react, she darted forward to confirm her worries!
“Sister?!”
It was only a few steps to the corner.
Ye Zhibai abruptly stopped at the corner of the corridor and looked towards room 203.
The door to room 203 was wide open, with several burlap sacks placed at the entrance. At this moment, Aunt Liu the Scrap Warrior, known for her rounds in the neighborhood, had just tied up another large sack and was dragging it out of the room. Her face, always looking somewhat mean, was now filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
Aunt Liu’s audacity was well-known in the area.
Ye Zhibai suddenly felt her head buzzing.
Her first reaction was to stop this!
Those aren’t scrap; there are many things I need to keep!
Really? I’m still alive! You can’t just clear out my stuff… um, even if I were dead, you still couldn’t!
Arriving first, Ye Zhibai didn’t hesitate for a moment and quickly walked over, grabbing the other side of the large sack, and spoke up to stop her!
“…These things can’t be taken. Please put them down.”
“Huh?”
Aunt Liu turned her head to see a cold-faced, fairy-like girl.
What’s going on here?
“Who are you, girl?”
“These items are private property. They can’t be taken.”
Ye Zhibai spoke kindly.
But Aunt Liu was known for her temper and was not to be trifled with. Among the neighbors, she was nicknamed the “shrew.”
Aunt Liu not only didn’t loosen her grip on the sack but even exerted more force, trying to pull it towards herself.
“Girl, I’m not stealing. I’m helping to clean up.”
Hey!
Ye Zhibai’s temper flared up. What’s this? You old hag, do you think I can’t fight back?
But… as Ye Zhibai gripped the sack tightly, she realized that her strength was actually inferior…
This is humiliating, comrades!
At this moment, Ye Zhiyun and Guangyu also arrived at the corner.
Ye Zhibai, maintaining the stalemate, issued a calm warning.
“The lease for the previous tenant here hasn’t expired… you can’t clean up now, and even if you do, there’s property management.”
Though the apartment was small, it did have property management. Ye Zhibai understood that Aunt Liu was just trying to take advantage of the situation. At best, she was picking up unwanted items; at worst, she was stealing.
Hearing this, Aunt Liu became agitated!
The power of the shrew erupted!
“You unreasonable girl! What private property? Everyone in the neighborhood knows that the guy who lived here is dead! Hit by a car! The stuff of the dead, isn’t it up for grabs by whoever dares to take it? If you can take it, it’s yours! It’s all scrap! Why give it to property management? Why should they get all the benefits? You’re young and ignorant!”
“……”
Ye Zhibai’s fingers trembled slightly.
But… before her heart could process this disturbance, she heard a clear, firm voice.
“Sister, step back.”
“Huh?”
Next to Ye Zhibai’s hand appeared a pair of slender, delicate hands, also gripping the same side of the sack.
With a swift, skillful pull, Ye Zhiyun managed to separate Aunt Liu from the sack instantly.
Not only that, but Aunt Liu also stumbled several steps backward!
Ye Zhiyun shielded Ye Zhibai and the sack behind her.
The coldness in her eyes was as sharp as a blade, piercing toward the still-unstable Aunt Liu.
Though she hadn’t fully grasped the situation, anything her sister wanted to protect, no one could take.
