Xia Liu was shocked and roared angrily, "Call the police? You want to save her? Do you even know who she is?"
Zhou Zhibi nodded, a look of reckless determination on her face. "I'm taking her away."
Xia Liu scolded, "Zhibi, how can you be so willful? Your mother did all this for you."
"I don't care about any of that," Zhou Zhibi suddenly screamed. "Everything you and Mom have done—enough. I've had enough. Stop hurting people. I don't want to be the second Miss Zhou anymore."
Gu Qiqi grew more confused, but she sensed that her own situation was somehow tangled up with Zhou Zhibi again.
She clutched her head, worrying inwardly—*No matter what, Zhibi, please don't break down. If you break down, I'm done for.*
"Let's get out of here quickly," Qiqi said, forcing herself to stand and lurching toward Zhou Zhibi to grab her. But Zhou Zhibi whirled around, her eyes bloodshot, glaring at her fiercely. "I hate you too."
She shoved Qiqi hard, sending her crashing into the wall and then tumbling to the ground.
Qiqi lay on the floor, struggling to lift her head, and froze—because in Zhou Zhibi's eyes, she saw hatred.
What kind of chaotic relationship was this?
She wanted to save her, even defying her mother and uncle, yet she said she hated her?
Why hate me? Because of Qin Chen?
But if she hates me, why save me?
What the hell is going on?
Qiqi pressed her face against the damp, cold floor, hoping it would clear her mind. She felt her sanity starting to fray, though she figured it wasn't the drug's doing, but the mess of this bizarre situation.
Zhou Zhibi glanced at her, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes, then turned to Xia Liu. "Mom's already gone. You should leave too, or when the police get here, I can't guarantee they'll let you off."
Xia Liu shot Zhou Zhibi a venomous glare, then cast a regretful look at the girl on the floor. With a resentful snort, she quickly fled the basement, racing up the stairs.
Only the two girls remained in the room. Zhou Zhibi seemed to collapse instantly, squatting on the floor and staring blankly at the wall.
Qiqi lifted her head from her confusion, her eyes watery as she looked at Zhou Zhibi—*Fine, I know she's a woman, it's useless, getting close to Zhou Zhibi won't help, the pain won't lessen...*
She managed to say, "Thank you..."
Zhou Zhibi shook her head. "Don't thank me. I didn't actually call the police."
"Huh?"
"I tricked my mom into leaving. My uncle will probably be back soon. If you don't want to die, come with me now."
"Okay."
Gu Qiqi summoned a surge of strength from somewhere and managed to pull herself up along the wall. Seeing how difficult it was for her to walk, Zhou Zhibi finally reached out and helped her.
The two girls stumbled up the stairs, but suddenly, the sound of police sirens rang out from outside.
Were the police here?
Joy welled up in Qiqi's heart, but Zhou Zhibi's body trembled—she remembered she hadn't called the police. But outside, it seemed like cops had arrived?
Her mind jolted, and her grip on Qiqi loosened. Gu Qiqi lost her balance and tumbled back down the stairs.
Luckily, they hadn't climbed far—just a few steps—but Qiqi still bruised her arms and knees.
Still, in her current state, burning with unbearable heat and discomfort, the pain from the injuries actually eased the wild restlessness inside her.
"Did you call the police?" Zhou Zhibi looked down at her, a hint of red creeping into her eyes.