Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 692 Who is the Traitor?! (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Yukiko Kudo jerked her hand back as if stung, and in her haste, she crashed heavily into the coffee table behind her as she retreated.

With a crisp sound of a glass tipping over, the noise was particularly jarring in the silent space, as if breaking some invisible balance, startling the stagnant air, and shattering the last shred of her sanity.

At that moment, she suddenly realized that her frantic action of catching the cup was exactly the same as when she filmed "Dangerous Female Cop Story" more than a decade ago—in that classic scene that earned her an Oscar nomination, she also caught the villain's dropped gun in the same panic.

How ironic!
The panic and helplessness she felt in real life were even more genuine than her superb acting skills.

At this moment, she is no longer the skilled actress in front of the camera, but a helpless woman struggling in an emotional vortex.

Bai Ye's gaze lingered slowly at the corners of her reddened eyes, where tears clung, like dewdrops trembling on morning petals, fragile and crystalline, as if they might fall and shatter at any moment. He suddenly reached out, his fingertips hovering just an inch from her cheek, as if cautiously probing, or patiently awaiting her response, waiting for her to surrender. "When you cried on the red carpet back then, the whole world wanted to wipe away your tears, and perhaps Mr. Yusaku was among them."

As he spoke, his knuckles curled slightly, and he withdrew his fingers with a restrained urgency, the movement seeming deliberately slow, as if intentionally tormenting her. "But what about after we're married? Will he still be by your side? Will he still wipe away your tears when you're sad?"

He paused here, a brief pause like the calm before a storm, yet filled with a sense of oppression, as if giving Kudo Yukiko time to think, to feel this cruel reality. "No? He's not here, and he won't! His eyes are already filled with his work and so-called 'social obligations'."

"Like today, if it weren't for Conan, do you think he would have played this prank with you? I doubt it."

Yukiko Kudo's body trembled slightly. Byakuya's words were like a sharp dagger, piercing straight into her heart and causing her a dull ache.

She certainly remembered that night—her first Oscar nomination night, which should have been the most dazzling moment of her life, but Yusaku Kudo was absent because he was busy with work.

Alone, she held the defeated trophy and wept silently in the dressing room. At that moment, she was filled with disappointment and loneliness, as if the whole world had abandoned her.

Now, facing Bai Ye's relentless pursuit, her panic and confusion intensified, as if she were adrift in a vast, boundless ocean, a small boat tossed about by raging storms, unsure of where to go or what to do next...

She knew that Bai Ye was deliberately trying to sow discord between her and Yuzaku, but she couldn't deny that she was indeed in an unprecedented predicament.

This was not only because of Byakuya's relentless pressure, but also because, during this period of time, she had indeed discovered some of Kudo Yusaku's erratic behavior.

For example, they often rush out early in the morning, their whereabouts unknown, and when they finally look forward to the other person's return, they are always drunk and unrecognizable.

Moreover, the clothes she wore often smelled of other women's perfume, and there were even strands of hair that didn't belong to her.

But every time she asked the other party for an explanation, the answer she always received was that it was necessary for work-related socializing.

Ha, who would get tainted by other women's scent during work-related social events?
Are these so-called work-related social engagements really legitimate social engagements?

Are you sure he wasn't secretly meeting with other women behind her back?
The thought of these clues she had discovered made her feel so angry she felt like her lungs were about to explode.

Of course, despite her anger, Yukiko Kudo understood that she absolutely could not lose her composure in front of Byakuya at this moment.

Therefore, despite her pain and confusion, she took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down, and attempted to find a glimmer of reason in this chaotic situation.

“Byakuya-kun,” Yukiko Kudo bit her lip, trying to make her voice sound firm, “Yusaku’s absence doesn’t mean anything. Our bond is deep and won’t be ruined by your few words. Please stop this pointless behavior; it’s not good for either of us.”

Bai Ye sighed softly, feigning innocence, "Yukiko, why are you so heartless? I just want you to face your own heart. There may have been beautiful moments between you and Mr. Yusaku, but what about now? Don't you feel the changes between you?"

His voice softened as he tried to guide her in a gentler way.

Yukiko Kudo looked up at Byakuya through teary eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She didn't know what to do. On one hand, there was her long-term relationship, which, despite the cracks, still held vivid memories of their beautiful past. On the other hand, there was Bai Ye's passionate pursuit, whose seemingly sincere feelings left her unsure of what to choose.

"Ta Tata..."

Just as she was hesitating, a familiar set of footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. The footsteps were quick and steady, approaching clearly from afar. Kudo Yukiko immediately recognized them as Kudo Yusaku's unique footstep rhythm. Clearly, he had finished checking the situation and was now preparing to return.

Yukiko Kudo's eyes widened instantly, a surge of panic and fear welling up inside her. She desperately tried to break free from Byakuya's grasp, her eyes filled with terror and confusion.

Bai Ye also keenly caught the sound of footsteps. He frowned slightly, but quickly regained his composure, his face once again displaying that enigmatic, half-smiling expression, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than an insignificant little episode.

Seeing that things had come to this point, and that Bai Ye still showed no sign of letting go, Kudo Yukiko became extremely nervous. She glanced at Bai Ye quickly, her eyes filled with both warning and a hint of pleading, hoping that he would stop and stop pestering her to avoid causing even more trouble.

Damn it, has Bai Ye gone mad?

Yusaku is about to come back, but the other party still won't let go? Is it because they're afraid Yusaku won't notice the 'ambiguity' between the two of them?

It’s really abominable!
Or perhaps, the other party did it on purpose? Did they want Yusaku to know about their relationship? To leave her with nowhere to escape?
Bai Ye seemed to understand the complex emotions in her eyes, and a meaningful smile slowly appeared on his face. Then, without warning, he lowered his head and lightly pecked her delicate pink lips like a dragonfly skimming the water, before casually taking a few steps back and standing in what appeared to be a normal position.

Kudo Yukiko was both shocked and furious. She glared at him fiercely, her eyes seemingly spitting fire. Then, she hurriedly tidied her slightly disheveled clothes and hair, and quickly took out her powder to touch up her makeup, trying her best to cover up the traces that Bai Ye had just left behind and to make herself look as calm as ever.

However, her rapid, drum-like breathing and her increasingly pale face still betrayed the panic and unease deep within her heart.

A short while later, Kudo Yusaku pushed open the door, returned inside, and closed it behind him, shutting out the chill outside and the annoying stray cat. He turned around, his gaze falling on Kudo Yukiko and Byakuya, who were looking at him curiously. He smiled helplessly and explained, "Nothing serious is happening outside, just a stray cat. It's probably hungry and looking for food nearby."

Bai Ye smiled along and said in a relaxed tone, "It's good that you're alright. It seems we were too sensitive and overly nervous just now."

Yusaku Kudo nodded slightly, then his gaze fell on Yukiko Kudo, whose face was still somewhat pale. His eyes were full of concern. "Yukiko, if you're still not feeling well, don't push yourself. Go and rest."

Bai Ye also feigned concern, saying, "Yes, Ms. Yukiko, your body is your own responsibility. If you're not feeling well, you must not push yourself and make sure to get plenty of rest."

Looking into Yusaku Kudo's sincere and concerned eyes, Yukiko felt a pang of conflict, a mix of emotions swirling within her. She knew that Yusaku was the closest and most trustworthy person in the world to her, and she shouldn't hide anything from him, much less betray him.

However, the harmonious atmosphere had been completely shattered, and the courage she had finally mustered seemed to vanish in an instant. She no longer had the courage to confess again. "Well, I'm fine now. I was just a little tired, but I feel much better now."

She tried to force a natural smile, hoping to reassure Yusaku Kudo, but the smile looked particularly forced against her pale face.

She forced a smile, trying to reassure Yusaku Kudo, but the smile looked so strained on her pale face.

Yusaku Kudo clearly didn't fully believe her, and asked again with concern, "Yukiko, are you really alright?"

Based on their years of tacit understanding, he keenly sensed that Yukiko's unusual behavior today was not merely due to fatigue.

Yukiko Kudo tried to remain calm and make her voice sound steady as she said, "It's really nothing, Yusaku. Don't worry about me. I've just been working too hard lately and I'm a little overworked. I'll be fine after a rest."

She really didn't want Kudo Yuu to worry about this, and even more so, she didn't want this matter to cause unnecessary conflict between him and Byakuya.

Yusaku Kudo nodded, but his gaze lingered on her face for a long time, as if trying to discern the secrets hidden in her heart from the subtle changes in her expression. In the end, he chose to believe Yukiko's words and said with sincere and firm eyes, "If you have anything on your mind, you must tell me. There is nothing that we cannot solve together."

His eyes revealed deep trust, which moved Yukiko Kudo deeply. At the same time, her sense of guilt grew stronger.

"I understand, Yusaku."

Yukiko Kudo managed a weak smile, but the panic in her heart did not completely subside because of this brief interlude.

She still felt extremely uneasy about Bai Ye's existence. At the same time, the thought that she had almost confessed everything to Yusaku made her heart pound with fear.

She knew she had to come up with a solution as soon as possible, otherwise, her peaceful and happy life with Yusaku might be completely shattered by the appearance of Byakuya.

Meanwhile, Bai Ye, watching Kudo Yukiko's worried and uneasy appearance, slightly raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a smug smile that was hard for others to detect.

He knew in his heart that he had successfully stirred up waves in the depths of Yukiko Kudo's heart. Now, he only needed to be patient, wait for the right opportunity, and continue to subtly employ his methods. Sooner or later, Yukiko Kudo, the princess who had once been the center of attention at Teitan Academy, would obediently fall into the carefully woven web of love he had created…

During the time that followed, the three of them were in the same room, and an indescribable, subtle atmosphere filled the air.

Yusaku Kudo tried to start a lighthearted conversation as usual, hoping to break the slightly awkward atmosphere and restore everything to its usual harmony.

However, Yukiko Kudo seemed to have lost her soul, remaining absent-minded throughout. She responded to Yusaku Kudo's words in a very perfunctory manner, often only half-heartedly, and her eyes would occasionally drift away, her thoughts wandering off somewhere else.

Meanwhile, Byakuya sat casually to the side, perfectly echoing Kudo Yusaku's conversation. But unintentionally, he would always glance at Kudo Yukiko, carefully observing her every subtle reaction, a cunning and imperceptible glint of calculation flashing in the depths of his eyes from time to time, as if he were plotting a secret game.

"Yukiko, are you sure you don't need to see a doctor? Or would you like to eat something first?"

As they chatted, Yusaku Kudo seemed to sense that something was off, but he mistakenly assumed it was because Yukiko was unwell and didn't think much of it. He asked Yukiko with concern if she wanted something to eat or drink to ease her discomfort.

"No need, Yusaku. I'm really fine. You and Byakuya can go about your business."

Yukiko Kudo gently shook her head, politely declining his offer.

At this moment, she was upset and desperately needed to be alone to sort out her chaotic thoughts and figure out how to deal with the thorny issue between her and Bai Ye.

So, she made an excuse that she needed to go to the bathroom, and hurriedly got up and left the living room with slightly flustered steps...

(End of this chapter)