Chapter 78: Helping the Prescott Couple
"Alice Cole, I’m telling you, have Brooke York get ready. After I graduate, she’s giving my family’s house back to me. As for this ’debt’ for raising me you keep talking about? All the food your daughter ate, clothes she wore, and things she used in my home have already paid off half of it. Add in the fact that you’re the one who switched us at birth, and we’re perfectly even."
With that, Chloe York picked up her milk tea and walked out, completely ignoring the fuming Alice Cole.
’When dealing with people like her, the simplest approach is the most effective at getting under their skin. A more sophisticated method would have been useless.’
Just as she stepped out of the coffee shop, the voice of the Godly Rich System rang out.
Godly Rich System: [Host, there is a lost couple three hundred meters from your current position. You can go and help them for a reward of one hundred yuan.]
"I’m going to be late for school!"
Godly Rich System: [It’ll be fine, Host! We should be doing good deeds. Helping them find their way won’t take up much of your time.]
Scholar System: [What’s the big idea? One of you keeps my host from studying at night, and now the other is interfering during the day. Am I supposed to just stop issuing tasks altogether?]
The Scholar System was displeased. It usually issued tasks at school or when Chloe York was studying.
But now one system was preventing her from studying, and the other was stopping her from going to school. The Scholar System might as well not exist!
Godly Rich System: [That’s not what I meant at all! I was just saying she could help the lost people first. Once she’s done, she can go to school, right?]
"Alright, stop arguing. I’ll go help them, then head straight to school." ’If we keep arguing, it’ll just waste more time. If I’d just gone to help right away, I’d probably be done by now.’
To avoid attracting any more attention, Chloe York put on a face mask. ’I have a feeling,’ she thought, ’that the people I’m about to help are connected to the main characters again.’
Following the Godly Rich System’s directions, she soon spotted a couple standing by the roadside. They were holding a phone, looking as if they had no idea how to read the map or which way to go.
"Hello, do you need any help?"
Hearing the voice, the couple turned around and saw Chloe York.
Chloe York got a clear look at them as well. ’They look like a married couple, a wealthy and distinguished one at that. Shouldn’t people like them have a chauffeur? How could they possibly be lost?’
The couple looked a little puzzled when they saw her, as if they wanted to ask something but held back. "Hello, young lady. We’re trying to get to Helian Academy."
’I didn’t expect them to be heading to my school. What a coincidence.’
"As it happens, I’m a student at Helian Academy. I can take you there!"
Sure enough, the couple’s faces lit up with joy. They had been worried about troubling a student, but since it was on her way, it was perfect. "Oh, wonderful! Thank you so much!"
"You’re welcome! Follow me. It’s about a ten-minute walk from here."
"Alright, that’s no problem at all."
As they followed Chloe York toward the school, a thought occurred to her, and she asked, "Are you going to Helian Academy for a particular reason? Does your child study there?"
"Yes, our son studies there," the woman explained. "But he never wears the school uniform, so we didn’t realize you were a Helian student as well."
"Oh, I see." ’Helian Academy requires all students to wear uniforms. There’s only one person who doesn’t have to: Ethan Prescott.’
’Wait a minute,’ Chloe York suddenly realized. ’This couple couldn’t possibly be Ethan Prescott’s parents, could they? But his parents are major tycoons who have a chauffeur drive them everywhere. How could they get lost out on the street?’
’Besides, they should be at least somewhat familiar with this area!’
Since she couldn’t remember what Ethan Prescott’s parents looked like, she had no choice but to ask her system for help.
"System, are they Ethan Prescott’s parents?"
Godly Rich System: [One moment, Host. This system needs to check!]
With that, the Godly Rich System fell silent, obviously having gone to investigate.
"Young lady, what’s your name?" Sophia Quinn asked. She had helped them, after all, and they wanted to be able to thank her properly.
It was strange; even though the young lady was wearing a mask, they felt she bore a strong resemblance to Chloe. Her demeanor and the pair of beautiful eyes visible above the mask weren’t quite the same, but her voice was strikingly similar.
But Chloe was so lively and spirited, like a pixie. She wasn’t composed like this girl. Besides, Chloe already knew them.
"It was just a small thing, no need to give my name." Afraid they really were Ethan Prescott’s parents, Chloe York had no intention of revealing her identity.
’I need to call off the engagement. If I tell them my name and they take a liking to me, what if they refuse to annul it? I have no desire to be with Ethan Prescott.’
Sophia Quinn glanced at Arthur Prescott. ’She won’t even tell us her name,’ she thought. ’She seems to be on guard against us.’
Godly Rich System: [Host~]
Chloe York waited for the Godly Rich System to continue, but after that one slightly sheepish call, it went silent.
"Why did you stop talking?"
Scholar System: [Haha! Host, it’s too scared to tell you. That couple is, in fact, Ethan Prescott’s parents.]
Godly Rich System: [Mind your own business.]
The Scholar System scoffed and went offline.
The Godly Rich System’s voice was filled with a rare guilt: [Host, I’m sorry. I had no choice. That’s just how the mission was.]
Chloe York didn’t respond. ’There’s nothing to say,’ she thought. ’This is the world of a novel. It’s probably set up so that only people relevant to the plot appear for me to save.’
’First it was Ethan Prescott’s grandmother, then Adrian Kane. The only exceptions were Evan Shaw and Zoe Roland. And now, it’s Ethan Prescott’s parents.’
They walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the school. "I’ll leave you here. Goodbye!"
With that, Chloe York headed toward her classroom. Her class was in a completely different direction from Ethan Prescott’s, so she wasn’t worried about them seeing her again. When the time came to call off the engagement, Alice Cole would be the one to handle the face-to-face meeting.
"She’s such a good kid. She didn’t leave a name or any way to contact her. That’s what you call doing a good deed without seeking any reward!"
"I agree. I can’t shake the feeling she’s a lot like our Chloe," Arthur Prescott added.
"I feel the same way," Sophia Quinn said with a resigned sigh. "But if that really were Chloe, why would she be so distant? That girl practically considers herself our own daughter." They were both very fond of Chloe York.
They had heard, however, that Chloe wasn’t the York family’s biological daughter—that there had been a mix-up at birth. But they had been away on a business trip and hadn’t yet had a chance to get a clear understanding of the situation.
"Try calling Ethan again. Tell him we’re here."
"Alright!" Sophia Quinn pulled out her phone to call Ethan Prescott. Just as she raised it to her ear, she was shoved hard from behind. She staggered, and her phone flew into the air, tracing a perfect arc before crashing to the ground. The screen went black.
Arthur Prescott quickly steadied Sophia Quinn, and they both turned to look at Brooke York, who had just regained her own footing.
Sophia Quinn frowned. "What do you think you’re doing?"
"I’m in a hurry! Who told you to just stand here making a phone call? Has nothing to do with me!"