Chapter 9: The Appearance of the Fake Innocent

Their home was in the residential area of the glass factory, an old four-story building, and their house was on the second floor.

As soon as they entered the iron gate of the residential area, someone waved to Bai Zhixi from the second floor.

"Chuchu's mother, you're back, someone has come to your house, a girl has been waiting for you for quite a while, she's sitting at my place."

Wan Chuer looked up to see a middle-aged lady, with short curly hair, wearing a red vest, her face covered in white powder, looking quite lively. After thinking for a moment, she recognized her as their neighbor, Aunt Ma. Aunt Ma was a warm-hearted person.

The residential buildings of the glass factory were open brick buildings, with stairs and corridors on each floor exposed outside, everything was visible up and down. Each floor housed five families, each unit was front and back transparent, with no doors directly opposite, only neighbors on the left and right.

Hearing Aunt Ma's greeting from upstairs, Bai Zhixi smiled and thanked her: "Sister Ma, thank you."

Bai Zhixi and Wan Chuer went upstairs, turning to the second floor, they saw a girl with a long ponytail, dressed in a yellow tracksuit, carrying a backpack, standing in the hallway looking very pure.

When the girl saw Wan Chuer, she flashed a sweet smile, politely first greeting Bai Zhixi: "Aunt Bai, you're back, Chuchu, I've come to see you."

Wan Chuer chuckled twice, having a deep impression of this girl.

Her fake innocent best friend—Zhuo Yao.

If Wan Chuer was a twisted rebellious delinquent girl, then Zhuo Yao was someone universally adored, elegant and excellent, a model student.

How did the model student Zhuo Yao and Wan Chuer become best friends? It turned out that Zhuo Yao's father and Wan Chuer's father were comrades who once served together in the army. When they were children, Mr. Wan brought Wan Chuer to Zhuo Yao's house to play, thus Zhuo Yao got acquainted with Wan Chuer.

Because of Mr. Wan, Wan Chuer naturally felt a bit of closeness towards Zhuo Yao, and coupled with Zhuo Yao being a very socially adept girl, the two became best friends, or rather Wan Chuer regarded Zhuo Yao as a very close friend, confiding in her about everything, even when she refused to listen to anyone else, Zhuo Yao's words could get through to her.

Sometimes even Bai Zhixi had to ask Zhuo Yao to persuade Wan Chuer.

If Zhuo Yao were truly an innocent and kind girl, it would have been fine, but unfortunately, Zhuo Yao harbored selfish intentions. She often gave advice to Wan Chuer, advice that at first sounded beneficial to Wan Chuer, whom she adopted without question, but the result was her life becoming worse and more unbearable.

It could be said that Wan Chuer becoming the person she was today had at least half to do with Zhuo Yao.

Even after leaving Wutong County, Wan Chuer didn't cut off contact with Zhuo Yao, occasionally writing a letter or making a phone call. Jiang Kechu once said that Zhuo Yao had ulterior motives, but at that time, Wan Chuer couldn't tolerate anyone speaking ill of Zhuo Yao, and had several arguments with Jiang Kechu about it.

Not until later, when Wan Chuer escaped to a small city in the south, severed her ties with all her old acquaintances, gradually understanding the complexities of life, each time reflecting on past events, did she compulsively mull over Jiang Kechu's words. She gradually realized Zhuo Yao's evil intentions, realizing more and more that Zhuo Yao was indeed a poisonous fake innocent.

Unfortunately, it was too late, as her mind and body were already riddled with holes, devoid of the motivation for revenge, living day by day like a walking corpse, in the end, throwing herself into a swarm of sharks without hesitation.

Now that she was back, Bai Zhixi was still there, her high school life had not ended, and her life had not yet become unmanageable, it was still in time to change.

This time she wouldn't trust Zhuo Yao easily, and she'd avenge the grudges of her past life!

Wan Chuer was the kind of selfish person who would rather be wronged by everyone in the world, did things entirely based on her own will, even if it meant perishing together with her enemies, she wouldn't hesitate, that's why in her past life, when she fell out with Jiang Kechu, she'd unhesitatingly abort the child in her womb, stabbing another knife in her own heart, just to make Jiang Kechu uncomfortable.

So, the moment she saw Zhuo Yao again, she decided in her heart, she would break this fake innocent, Zhuo Yao, and turn her black!

"Yaoyao, you're here? Why not stay for dinner at Auntie's place today? Have a good chat with Chuchu, I'll make your favorite bamboo shoots with meat." Bai Zhixi beamed warmly at Zhuo Yao.

Bai Zhixi's fondness for Zhuo Yao was obvious. Despite her own difficult situation, she still wanted to keep Zhuo Yao for dinner, and even planned to make meat they wouldn't afford to eat at home once a week, and bamboo shoots were not cheap either.

Wan Chuer did not stop her, Bai Zhixi hadn't eaten meat for a long time, today, let her have some.

Zhuo Yao smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Auntie, you're really good to me."

Hearing this, Wan Chuer felt a shiver of disgust, thinking, "My mom is good to you, but how are you treating my mom?" She followed Bai Zhixi into the house without looking at Zhuo Yao.

Zhuo Yao was slightly surprised. Wan Chuer, although always cold-faced, usually greeted her, why was she ignoring her today?

Soon, Zhuo Yao brushed it off, maybe it was because Wan Chuer got beaten up today, she sneered inwardly, not minding, as she followed Wan Chuer into her room.

"Chuchu, I heard you had another fight with Liu Li and her group today? I was so worried when I heard, so as soon as school ended, I came here without even going home." Zhuo Yao said with concern, "Chuchu, what's going on? Tell me about it."

Wan Chuer sneered, "Haven't you heard about it already?"

Zhuo Yao paused, still sincerely saying, "They exaggerated, I don't believe it, I only believe what you say."

"Hehe, you sure care about me," Wan Chuer retorted sarcastically.

Zhuo Yao, seeming not to notice Wan Chuer's sarcasm, said, "Haven't we been best friends since childhood," making Wan Chuer sound more cynical.

At this, the sounds of Bai Zhixi washing and cutting vegetables came from the kitchen, Wan Chuer curled her lips, pointing to the injury on her face, she said:

"This was caused by Liu Li and Zhang Xiaoyu today, but I didn't let them off easily, I gave Liu Li a good beating today too."

"Ah?" Zhuo Yao gasped, "You really beat Liu Li?"

Wan Chuer nodded coldly.

"Chuchu!" Zhuo Yao chided, reaching out to grab Wan Chuer's hand, which Wan Chuer disdainfully avoided, lowering her gaze as she continued, "Chuchu, don't you remember what I told you before?"

Wan Chuer frowned, what was it she said? Don't fight back and take the beating? That must be the gist.

She raised her hand to stop Zhuo Yao from continuing, "Let's talk in another room." She said, getting up and walking to a side door.

Zhuo Yao was a bit confused, but thought Wan Chuer wanted a more private space to share some secret, so she followed Wan Chuer into that room, and when she saw the furnishings inside, couldn't help but laugh, further convinced of her earlier guess, this was even better.

Inside there were several chairs and some old furniture, looking like a small storage room.

"Chuchu, I didn't know you had a storage room in your room, it's really private here, no one will hear us for sure, hehe," Zhuo Yao said.

Wan Chuer curled her lips, vaguely affirming with a "Hmm." she sat down on one of the chairs.

Zhuo Yao had to sit on the chair opposite Wan Chuer, her back faced with a gray cloth.

Wan Chuer casually pulled a rope on the wall, dangling it on her finger, and without looking at Zhuo Yao, said nonchalantly, "Continue talking."

"Ah? Oh." Zhuo Yao continued, "Didn't I tell you before, don't have direct confrontations with Liu Li and her group..."

Enthusiastic Zhuo Yao was too busy talking to notice the cloth behind her slowly revealing a window, through which Bai Zhixi could be seen bustling in the kitchen.