4368 The Other Side 337

Shanshan slumped back against the wall, hugging her knees and looking disappointed. "I'm all alone. I feel lonely and uneasy…"

Youyou's heart softened at her helplessness.

Gong Fan tugged at his wrist.

Youyou was aware that he was reminding him not to trust anyone so easily.

Youyou, however, took his hand and said, "Let's take her!"

"…?" Gong Fan was a little shocked by his risk-taking.

Youyou looked at Shanshan and then turned to the boy again. "I feel she might be of some help to us. Besides, that man is one thing, but would you be afraid of such a delicate girl?"

"A girl? Delicate?" Gong Fan couldn't help laughing. "Youyou, you can't judge a book by its cover. You can't judge a person from their appearance alone if they're a threat to you."

"Then by the same token, one has to take risks in life. Neither of us would have come here if we had no sense of adventure! Eh?" The boy was beginning to convince Youyou bit by bit.

"Alright then!" He sighed. That was all he said. He turned away and made no further comment.

Youyou said to Shanshan, "Can you really get us out of here?"

Shanshan stood up excitedly, hope returning to her face. "Are you really willing to take me with you?"

"Uh huh. We can't possibly leave you here alone, can we?"

"Uh huh!"

Shanshan walked to the door and like a nimble butterfly, she beckoned, "Come with me!"

Youyou and Gong Fan exchanged glances. Although they were skeptical, they decided to take a risk.

Shanshan opened the door. No one knew how she did it, but she opened the door silently.

She poked her head out and looked around. Seeing no one, she turned around and waved at Youyou and Gong Fan.

The three of them slipped quietly out of the room.

"Shhh." After a few steps, Shanshan shushed them into silence.

Youyou was wary at once. "What is it?"

"I hear footsteps." Shanshan's hearing was so sharp that she had already arched her body in caution before the two boys even had a clue. Youyou didn't dare make a sound. The two of them held their breath as Gong Fan and looked around warily.

"Upstairs." Shanshan suddenly pointed upstairs and winked at the boy. "I think he's upstairs."

"I don't hear any footsteps."

"Probably on a very high floor! You can't hear him, but I can. He's coming from the left, heading right."

Shanshan wasn't speaking too softly herself. The only reason she had told Youyou and Gong Fan to keep quiet was because she wanted to hear the man's movements.

Youyou felt his blood run cold!

"It's all right. We'll go this way." Shanshan pointed towards a door.

"Where's that?" The boy was still worried about her.

But Shanshan was extremely sensitive and picked up the distrust in his voice. "Are you suspecting me?"

"Uh…"

Youyou saw that his little ploy had been seen through and did not try to explain himself. Instead, he pursed his lips in embarrassment.

"There's a laundry room over there. There's a set of fire escape stairs in the laundry room. It's a special escape route for when there's a fire. It's a secret I discovered. Very few people know about it. The man probably doesn't know either, since it's so hidden."