After Saving My Possessive Best Friend, I Couldn't Escape (GL) - Chapter 33

This is going too far! Repeatedly disrupting her peaceful life with Ye Yu, even if swatting a fly means getting a bit of a mess, they had to be taught a lesson!

The size of the paper in the required high school textbook was perfectly suited to Fang Zhile’s purposes.

For instance, when you spread the pages open on your forearm, it looked like you were taking notes, but you were actually playing on your phone, hidden by the pages.

The size of the book conveniently shielded the brightly lit screen of the phone.

[laugh]: Sister Zhishu, among those people from last time, can you help me get a screenshot of Li Zi?

Zhishu’s WeChat avatar was similar to Ye Yu’s, simple and elegant—an artistic character “Shu”.

[Shu]: One moment.

Zhishu’s reply was slightly more reserved than her voice in person, but it didn’t impede her efficient work ethic. In less than five minutes, a Weibo link was sent over.

[Shu]: The owner of the Weibo account was present that night and took many photos. The Zhou family falls under our client protection, so the relevant company staff have contacted the backend to block Zhou Meize’s photos. The second photo remaining is Li Zi.

[Shu]: [Image]

Zhishu not only sent the link but also an illicit photo of Li Zi, which had clearly been processed and partially pixelated. You could only make out Li Zi’s face. She was utterly entranced, pressed face-to-face with a hot woman who had curves and was wearing minimal clothing, dancing close to her.

Fang Zhile laughed wildly inside but remained poker-faced, tapping her fingers a few times.

[laugh]: [Cat Kneeling Thank You.jpg]

[laugh]: Thank you, Boss’s Wife!

[Shu]: You’re welcome.

Fang Zhile logged onto a certain website and tapped on an all-black avatar on the forum’s private exchange board.

Help me do something.

A reply came back quickly.

Say it.

I’m giving you a photo. The person in the photo is Miss Li of the Li family in Jing City. I need you to spread this photo to every family that has dealings with the Li family, as much as possible.

Worldwide?

No, limited to the upper-class social circle.

Got it.

Fang Zhile put away her phone and listened intently to the lecture. The speed at which she took notes was much faster than before.

After class, the second period was English. Fang Zhile asked the English teacher for permission to leave for half the class.

“You, you need to work harder if your English is weak. Your classmates here have had bilingual education since they were children and hire foreign tutors. Regardless of how many words they remember, their spoken English is at least good,” the English teacher scrutinized the slightly shabby-looking girl. “You make one vocabulary mistake, and you think that’s good enough? And you’re always asking for leave.”

Before Fang Zhile transmigrated, the original owner’s family was poor from childhood, and she spoke English with an accent, which the teacher always disliked.

Fang Zhile didn’t bother asking when she was “always” asking for leave. She cleared her throat a few times and repeated her reason for asking for leave in English.

She used a pure British accent, with pronunciation and intonation learned directly from native speakers, which sounded perfectly authentic.

Fang Zhile’s mind flashed with a memory of dragging Ye Yu to an English club in college where there were a few young British women.

She had already learned Ye Yu’s sexual orientation then, and driven by a matchmaker complex, she often dragged Ye Yu to parties.

Ye Yu, however, inexplicably gave her the cold shoulder many times, and while she wasn’t sure if Ye Yu learned anything, she herself ended up with a British accent.

Whether a British accent or an American accent sounded better was a matter of personal preference, but the British accent was an unbeatable weapon for showing off.

After a fluid speech in English, the English teacher was left wide-eyed.

Fang Zhile waved her hand. “Teacher, may I go now?”

The English teacher said, “Ah… yes.”

After Fang Zhile left, the English teacher watched her retreating figure, still finding it hard to believe. Just a few days ago, she was speaking broken “Chinglish.” How could her accent suddenly shift to Irish after a few days?

Fang Zhile, who had just been “exiled to Ireland,” lifted her trouser leg, exposing her knee for the nurse in the infirmary to apply medicine.

“Oh dear, what happened now?” the nurse’s tone was full of sympathy. “Child, why do you always get into trouble?”

Fang Zhile sighed. “Auntie, I was stabbed. I’m the victim.”

“Of course, I can tell!” the nurse raised her voice, but her hands moved more gently. “You think I’m a doctor for nothing? This was clearly done deliberately. It almost poked the joint of your knee.”

“Really? No wonder it hurts when I walk,” Fang Zhile moved her leg, earning a slap from the nurse. “Don’t move!”

Fang Zhile sat still. The broken skin area on her knee wasn’t large, but it was inexplicably red and swollen.

“Auntie, it’s just a pen tip, a tiny wound the size of a sesame seed. Why did it swell up?”

Fang Zhile asked. She wasn’t delicate like Lin Daiyu, and Ye Yu wasn’t around.

Fang Zhile wouldn’t have come to the infirmary just for a poke unless the wound was genuinely painful. It had been naggingly bothering her for an entire class. It was bearable, but annoying.

The nurse said indignantly, “You students are so reckless! So what if it’s a pen tip? Does being small mean you can stab people randomly? Does a small wound mean it’s unimportant? The ink inside the pen is dirty. That black mark won’t fade for years!”

“Ah, you’re right. Well said,” Fang Zhile quickly agreed, staying on topic. “But why the swelling?”

The nurse sighed. “It’s probably a slight allergy. Ink irritates the skin when it enters. I’ll give you a tube of ointment. Go back and apply it three times a day. If the swelling doesn’t go down by tomorrow afternoon, remember to come back.”

Fang Zhile nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Auntie.”

The nurse brought the ointment. Seeing Fang Zhile’s obedient look as she packed the ointment, the nurse couldn’t help but advise her. “Students should resolve misunderstandings… If someone is bullying you, you need to talk to a teacher. If you come here again like this, I’ll have to contact your head teacher.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that,” Fang Zhile glanced outside. The infirmary was around the corner on the first floor. A few men in suits had just gone up the nearby stairs. She stuck her head out to watch the commotion.

The nurse was also drawn to look outside and let out a startled “Ah!”

“What are they doing!” the nurse cried out.

Several bodyguards formed a wall behind, and the one in front was pulling Li Zi down the stairs—no, to be precise, dragging her down.

“I won’t go back! I don’t want to be grounded! No!” Li Zi clung to the stair railing. Her hair and clothes were disheveled, and the “peach blossom makeup” she’d applied after skipping morning study hadn’t had time to oxidize naturally, so it was running all over her face with various bodily fluids. At first glance, she looked fit to star in a midnight horror movie.

The bodyguards were well-trained. Without a word, they pried Li Zi’s hands away, lifted her around the waist, carried her down the stairs swiftly, and were gone.

Fang Zhile made a “tsk-tsk” sound, pulled her head back, and gave the nurse a sweet smile.

The nurse asked, “What did you say you didn’t need to do?”

“I said, you don’t need to call the teacher,” Fang Zhile shifted her foot to gauge the pain in her knee, a faint smile on her lips. “Because I usually take revenge right on the spot.”

The nurse: ?? Take revenge? Looking like that? Who are you fooling?

Fang Zhile didn’t bother explaining to the nurse. She walked back awkwardly, under the nurse’s worried gaze.

Then, she ran into Ye Yu, who was intentionally waiting by the stairwell.

Ye Yu had clearly inquired about Fang Zhile’s whereabouts. The moment she saw her, she noticed her awkward, limping walk, and her brows furrowed tightly.

Fang Zhile: … The dust has barely settled, and another wave starts. Forgot to check the calendar before leaving.

Ye Yu took a few steps forward and supported her, her expression displeased. “What happened to you?”

I didn’t see her for one class period. How did she end up limping? She was perfectly fine just now.

Fang Zhile pointed in Li Zi’s direction. “The one who just got dragged away? She poked me with a pen tip when I walked past. Now she’s reaping what she sowed and got hauled off, hahahaha.”

Ye Yu didn’t laugh. She squatted down immediately, trying to pull up Fang Zhile’s trouser leg.

“Hey, don’t, don’t, don’t,” Fang Zhile pulled her waistband and hopped back, like a clumsy, limping bear. “I just put medicine on it. I can’t move. The ointment will rub off on my pants.”

Ye Yu withdrew her hand, her tone devoid of any warmth. “Is it serious?”

“It’s not serious,” Fang Zhile said cheerfully. “It’s just a tiny scratch. Stop looking at me. Look at Li Zi. She’s going to be grounded by her family, oh ho ho ho.”

“Why should I look at them?” Ye Yu cut her off coldly. “What does her being grounded have to do with me? But your knee is injured.”

Fang Zhile’s mouth slowly widened. Sure enough, it’s an old-school melodramatic yuri novel.

These bombastic, dramatic lines like “If one strand of my person’s hair is harmed, I’ll make you pay for it” and “What happens to others doesn’t matter, I only care about you” just rolled off the tongue! Li Zi could be grounded, tortured, waterboarded, or even lose her life—it didn’t matter.

But Fang Zhile couldn’t even have a tiny scratch.

Fang Zhile hadn’t processed it yet. Ye Yu thought for a few seconds in frustration, pulled out her phone, and sent a few messages.

“Who are you talking to?” Fang Zhile asked cautiously.

Ye Yu turned the screen toward Fang Zhile. The recipient was Zhou’s mother.

“Do you know about Li Zi’s photos?” Ye Yu asked.

Considering the limited spread within their upper social circles, Fang Zhile thought she should say she didn’t know.

“You probably don’t know, so I’ll tell you,” Ye Yu swiped her finger across the screen, showing the photos one by one to Fang Zhile, without any guilt about betraying Li Zi’s privacy. She said seriously, “They were out fooling around and might have picked up something dirty. You absolutely must stay far away from them if you run into them again.”

Fang Zhile nodded. “Li Zi and Zhou Meize are close. Your aunt must be very angry.”

Ye Yu shook her head. “My aunt wasn’t angry before. She was even asking me which dress looked better, until I told her just now that Li Zi tried to invite me to go out and fool around with them.”

Fang Zhile blinked, curious. “And then?”

Ye Yu tapped the screen a few times, put away her phone, and said calmly, “My aunt is already on her way to the Li family’s house, and she promised me she would make Li Zi’s grounding period double.”

Fang Zhile: … Truly a mother and daughter, despite having no blood relation.

Ye Yu still looked very worried about her knee. Fang Zhile quickly changed the subject.

“I’m really fine here,” Fang Zhile smiled. “Class is starting. Why are you still out here? Hurry back to class.”

Fang Zhile had asked for leave, and now it was time for her to return too.

“My calligraphy work was ruined,” Ye Yu said. “I asked the teacher for leave. I won’t be staying in the dorm or attending class these few days. I’ll be practicing in the calligraphy room.”

“Ruined!?” Fang Zhile jumped three feet high. “Ode to the Luo River Goddess? Who ruined it?”

Ye Yu shook her head, looking unwilling to say more. “I’ve already contacted my family. We’ll wait for the investigation results.”

Fang Zhile’s heart was bleeding with distress. “But you stayed up for ten days and nights writing that, to submit to the competition…”

“Think about it. Who has the key to your dorm? Ask the school to cooperate with the investigation and check the surveillance. They’ll definitely find out,” Fang Zhile was furious. “Bah! Sneaky moves, like rats in a sewer that can’t see the light of day. Disgusting! What kind of people are they!”

Ye Yu didn’t speak, just watched her quietly. This fierce defense of her was a sight she never tired of.

“Why are you looking at me?” Fang Zhile ran a hand through her hair. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” Ye Yu smiled. “We can’t let the school know about this. I have my own plan.”

Fang Zhile was stunned for a moment, then made a gesture of holding her ID card to her chest.

“Alright then. You absolutely must tell me if you need my help. I feel it was those people from Sun Li’s group who did it. I, Fang Zhile, hereby formally accuse the three of them, even without evidence.”

Ye Yu was so amused that her shoulders shook with laughter. It took her a long time to stop. When she stopped, Fang Zhile was looking at her, her eyes gentle. “Are you happier now?”

Ye Yu blinked and said softly, “Happy.”

With someone like Fang Zhile being so good to her, Ye Yu suddenly felt that the world could be very lovely. Therefore, she had to work harder, secure her family’s help, find out the truth about the “photos,” and then she would make everyone who had hurt Fang Zhile pay the price.

Ye Yu had been receiving many messages from her “family” recently. Two of them were from her reserved and arrogant father and mother.

Her father’s tone was usually serious and tinged with impatience, as if everyone displeased him.

He was unhappy that his wife had only borne him one child, and that child, who strongly resembled her grandfather, preferred calligraphy and the arts over business, lacking his own ambitious and defiant demeanor.

Dad: Is there still time to write another one? I can contact the event organizer and delay the submission deadline by a few days.

Her mother’s tone was slightly different from her father’s. It was less impatient and more caustic. She didn’t dislike Ye Yu practicing calligraphy. When she married into the Ye family, she was focused not on Ye Yu’s father but on Elder Ye.

Elder Ye was the true, deep-seated foundation of the Ye family. Though he seemed to be retired from business, the real power of the family was still in his hands.

When Elder Ye was young, he was very promiscuous, resulting in too many children and grandchildren—so many that he could hardly remember all their faces.

Ye Yu’s father always considered himself the only son born to the legal wife, believing that the Ye family’s legacy belonged to him legitimately.

But Ye Yu’s mother clearly saw that if Ye Yu hadn’t won Elder Ye’s affection, spending a few years in his care as a child and becoming familiar to him, Ye Yu’s father would have been overthrown by one of his half-siblings long ago.

Ye Yu’s father had been self-important for years, constantly looking down on his half-siblings, and Ye Yu’s mother had secretly handled many issues for him.

But he acted like a self-important fool, completely unaware.

Therefore, as long as the Elder liked Ye Yu and liked calligraphy, Ye Yu could and must focus on her studies and her practice.

Ye Yu replied to both her parents’ messages and then opened the message from Uncle Xue.

Uncle Xue: Find time to return to the old residence. The Elder misses you.

Ye Yu: Okay, I’ll go back tomorrow.

The “Uncle Xue” Ye Yu called was not her actual uncle, but the Elder’s butler, confidant, or rather, the Ye family’s second-in-command, the most respected person besides the Elder himself.

The Elder was a ruthless man, ruthless to the point of psychological abnormality. For instance, he usually disregarded kinship.

The blood ties that ordinary people valued meant nothing to him. Only the brothers who had stayed by his side, progressing from nothing and enduring bloodshed with him, occupied a sacred place in his heart.

Thus, Uncle Xue’s position was second only to the Elder’s, a fact that even the current head of the Ye family, Ye Yu’s father, couldn’t shake.

There were too many grandchildren in the Ye family.

Everyone wanted to show their face and compete for favor with the Elder.

Only by gaining the Elder’s approval could they be considered true Ye family members. So, Ye Yu’s mother, without a flicker of softness, sent Ye Yu to the old residence when Ye Yu was less than two years old and still unsteady on her feet.

The nannies at the old residence were often neglectful, and Ye Yu often felt unwell and immensely lonely.

So, she often secretly ran to the rock garden in the backyard at night to look at the stars.

The old residence was huge, and they weren’t allowed in the backyard.

Little Ye Yu believed that crossing the front yard, reaching the backyard, and climbing that seemingly high rock was an incredibly long and brave journey.

Uncle Xue noticed her during this time. A cute, delicate child, running out in the dead of night to the dark backyard to look at the stars—wasn’t she afraid?

Ye Yu said the stars were beautiful.

Uncle Xue asked if the garden, the pond, and the man-made lake in the front yard of the old residence weren’t beautiful.

Ye Yu still insisted the stars were the most beautiful. She said she wanted to become one of the stars so she wouldn’t be lonely.

Uncle Xue, a man in his middle years, cold-hearted and detached for decades, suddenly felt in that moment that children came in many varieties, and Ye Yu might be the “somewhat cute” kind.

Finding her amusing, he often sought her out in the months that followed, during the gaps in his duty to the Elder.

Sometimes it was during the afternoon nap time; sometimes it was already two or three in the morning.

He would call the sleeping child to wake up without any psychological burden and ask her to keep him company.

The uncle in front of her had white hair and looked tired and lonely. Little Ye Yu yawned, without a single complaint.

She put on her little slippers, brought him the plush rabbit from the cabinet, and said it was the gift she received the year she was born, her birth animal.

She was giving it to her uncle so he wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

For many years after that, Uncle Xue would occasionally remember the little child holding the rabbit.

She opened her sleepy eyes and gave him her most treasured possession, saying that way he wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

Later, the Elder’s confidant constantly visited the child.

The Elder naturally learned about Ye Yu, adopted her into his own small courtyard, and personally taught her calligraphy.

Three years passed in a flash.

“It’s hot outside. Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

When Ye Yu got out of the car, Uncle Xue was already waiting at the door. Uncle Xue held a black, vinyl-coated umbrella with gold lettering over Ye Yu’s head.

They still had to walk through two corridors to reach the house, which would take a few minutes in the sun.

“You girls have delicate skin. You need to take good care of it.”

The moment Ye Yu stepped out of the car, her movements became neat and reserved.

Every word and deed followed protocol, even her breathing seemed fixed at a steady rhythm, not a single mistake.

Yet, her eyes still playfully winked at him in between his instructions. It was the line that always went off-track, very mischievous.

“You,” Uncle Xue couldn’t help but smile. “You never act like an adult.”

“I am a child, though,” Ye Yu said. “I haven’t had my eighteenth birthday yet.”

Uncle Xue calculated the days. “About half a year left. After the New Year and the Qingming Festival, it will be your birthday.”

Eighteen years old. The little toddler who couldn’t even reach his thigh was suddenly eighteen.

“You’ve grown up and become more beautiful,” Uncle Xue looked at her face, sighing with nostalgia. “But let me give you a heads-up. The Elder will definitely be surprised when he sees you. Don’t ask too many questions then.”

Uncle Xue always gave her a few words of advice before seeing her grandfather. Ye Yu was smart from childhood, and her ability to read subtle expressions was masterful. She naturally understood.

Ye Yu squeezed the umbrella handle and poked Uncle Xue’s hand wrapped around the handle. She whispered, “Uncle Xue, is your hand better these years?”

“It’s an old problem,” Uncle Xue said carelessly. “No big deal.”

Ye Yu had seen his hand tremble when she was a child.

It was an uncontrollable tremor.

At the time, she had just learned the word “epilepsy” and thought shaking was epilepsy.

She had run out, shouting for help to save him, causing quite a scene.

Later, she learned that day, Uncle Xue had been carrying out a task for the Elder.

He had overused his wrist in his youth, causing severe wear and tear.

That task was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

His wrist was permanently strained. It was still usable, but very difficult.

Thanks to Ye Yu’s commotion, the story reached the Elder’s ears.

He teased Uncle Xue harshly, then lamented that they were both getting old. Finally, he ordered that such tasks be delegated to younger people, and that Uncle Xue should rest and enjoy his later years.

However, the debts incurred in youth, no matter how much they were compensated for in old age, were only a delay. The wrist would eventually fail.

Ye Yu was quiet for a moment, then intentionally provoked him. “Uncle Xue, your hair is much whiter again.”

“Uncle Xue, you should dye your hair.”

“Uncle Xue, you have to accept old age. Are you restless again?”

Uncle Xue glanced at her and snorted. “Don’t try to provoke me. I’m only fifty. What’s old? Besides, I have premature graying.”

Fifty years old was not very old for a well-maintained man, not even the statutory retirement age. Counting the days, the Elder’s next birthday would be his sixtieth. Both men looked hale and hearty, with no sign of decline.

Uncle Xue and Ye Yu walked closer and closer. Before they even reached the door, they heard laughter booming from inside.

“We’re here,” Uncle Xue put away the umbrella, knocked on the door, and waited for the “come in” before stepping aside for Ye Yu to enter.

Inside was a brightly lit inner room with carved beams and painted pillars, gathering elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

Every decoration was meticulously placed according to feng shui, every item was exquisite, and each one was priceless on its own.

Ye Yu’s eyes brightened, and she laughed. “Grandpa, you’ve mixed the three schools again.”

Ye Wucang was holding a brush filled with deep blue ink, about to start writing. Hearing her, he threw the brush down in a huff and scolded, “What do you mean ‘mixed again’? You really don’t know how to talk.”

“Taoist feng shui, Buddhist scriptures, and your ‘Harmony is Precious’ calligraphy banner—the thought is clearly Confucian. It just looks like three different things,” Ye Yu laughed and walked forward, her hands behind her back, leaning forward to see Ye Wucang’s painting.

Ye Wucang blocked her with his arms, covering the painting, refusing to let her see.

Ye Yu said, “Grandpa, you’re so petty.”

Ye Wucang slowly lowered his arms. He was wearing a Tang suit. As he moved, the silk fabric flowed like water, exuding a compelling nobility.

“No looking at the painting yet,” Ye Wucang walked to a grand armchair and sat down, looking up at Ye Yu. “You sit too…”

He didn’t finish the last word. The “o” sound trailed off, completely silenced at the end.

Ye Wucang looked at Ye Yu’s face, his gaze wide and lost in thought.

Ye Yu, not understanding, tilted her head and moved half a step to the side. As she moved, Ye Wucang’s gaze followed.

But that gaze wasn’t eager or focused. It was like a faint, indistinct smoke, ready to disperse with a breath of wind.

And through that thin mist, the look behind it seemed to be gazing past Ye Yu’s face, at someone else.

“Grandpa,” Ye Yu waited for him to watch for a while before interrupting. She was neither curious nor questioning. “Are you spacing out?”

Ye Wucang’s dark hair near his temples slightly shook with his tremor. His gaze refocused, the mist dissipating, gathering into a deep pool.

“Grandpa is old. I space out sometimes,” Ye Wucang said. “I didn’t frighten Xiaoyu, did I?”

Ye Yu shook her head, sitting on the small stool beside him. “Grandpa isn’t old, and I’m not afraid.”

“That’s true. You’ve never been afraid of anything since you were little,” Ye Wucang smiled softly.

“Tell me,” after a few seconds of silence, Ye Wucang asked directly, “What kind of troublesome matter did you run into this time, calling Uncle Xue?”

Ye Yu smiled sweetly, not answering the question with a question. “How did Grandpa know?”

“Did you two think you could hide it from me?” Ye Wucang tapped his finger on the armrest. “Who else would make Uncle Xue leave this old residence besides you?”

At the mention of Uncle Xue, Ye Yu had no choice but to follow the conversation.

“You,” Ye Yu acted exaggeratedly. “Uncle Xue personally said he wouldn’t leave the old residence because you insisted on practicing vegetarianism and reciting prayers for two whole years, and he had to accompany you.”

Ye Wucang waved his hand. “Nonsense. When did I make him accompany me?”

“Uncle Xue has followed you all his life,” Ye Yu pressed the button to boil water beside her.

“He has to accompany you even if you don’t say it. And even if you told him to go, he’d have to accompany you even more.”

Ye Wucang was dizzy from her convoluted talk of accompanying. He waved his hand. “Enough, enough. You’ve got me all confused.”

Ye Yu knew when to stop and answered Ye Wucang’s initial question. “It was a piece of calligraphy.”

Ye Wucang listened without speaking, his expression attentive. Ye Yu continued.

“Mom and Dad asked me to participate in the Jing City Calligraphy Silver Frost Award competition, writing an Ode to the Luo River Goddess,” Ye Yu lowered her eyes and said softly, “It was almost finished when someone broke into my dorm and spilled ink on it.”

Ye Wucang didn’t speak after hearing this. His face held a depth that only years had carved. The fat around his lips and upper eyelids had receded with age. A righteous face in youth, becoming cold and sharp in old age.

Ye Yu knew the person in front of her was not the playful old man who joked with her.

He was a genuinely cold-blooded, ruthless, true superior.

To single-handedly take over various territories in Jing City in his youth, transforming from a glass-repair apprentice to “Elder Ye,” a man whose cough could shake Jing City, could certainly not be described as benevolent or kind.

“Childish games between students,” Ye Wucang finally spoke after two minutes, his tone calm. “Just a bit over the top. Is that all there is to it?”

The sound of the kettle boiling reached her ears. Ye Yu gently held the insulated kettle handle, making instant tea.

Ye Wucang didn’t allow anyone to teach her the art of tea, saying that the sight of her pouring tea and being humble made him anxious.

But all old people liked their descendants to be attentive. If she couldn’t master the tea ceremony, she could at least make a basic cup of tea.

So, Ye Yu took the opportunity to bring her favorite tea leaves to Ye Wucang’s room. When she saw the teacup was empty, she’d grab a handful of leaves and toss them in, excitedly pouring hot water.

She once even knocked over a floor lamp with a clatter, but she would still bring the cup to Ye Wucang with an expression asking for praise.

Looking at the large cup of “crudely made” tea and the little Ye Yu who made tea-making a chaotic spectacle, Ye Wucang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Now, over ten years later, Ye Yu still didn’t know how to make tea. She wouldn’t kick over a lamp anymore, having grown taller, and she wouldn’t openly ask for praise, having learned to let her expression reflect her thoughts subtly when necessary.

A seemingly refreshing cup of tea was handed to Ye Wucang. Ye Yu humbly accepted the instruction. “You are right. I was overreacting. It was a minor issue. It was careless of me to bother Uncle Xue.”

Looking at the tea, Ye Wucang’s expression softened slightly. Ye Yu’s lowered gaze made him momentarily drift off again.

A few seconds later, Ye Wucang took the teacup and sighed softly. “If you can’t maintain your composure, then no child can.”

Ye Yu listened quietly, neither speaking nor refuting.

“Forget it. Let Uncle Xue go with you. He’s more meticulous,” Ye Wucang took a sip of the tea, set the cup down, his expression unreadable. “It’s hard on you to have taken Grandpa’s words to heart and consistently followed them all these years.”

Ye Yu’s gaze paused imperceptibly. It’s finally here.

The spilled ink was just an excuse.

The truth behind this was more than just a child seeking help from an adult after being bullied.

Ye Yu could have reported the situation to the teacher and let the school handle it, or she could have investigated herself, as there were only a few suspects, and she wasn’t afraid of hitting the wrong person.

Taking it a step further, Ye Yu was just a girl who cried easily when wronged. It would be normal for her to seek comfort from an elder and let others deal with the issue.

But this normalcy, within the Ye family’s old residence, turned into something infinitely more complex, involving countless other factors.

The Ye and Zhou families—one distinguished, one wealthy. “Distinguished” and “Wealthy” seemed similar at first glance; both meant they were rich. But isolating the characters, the gap between “Distinguished” and “Wealthy” became immediately apparent.

The Ye family held power, more than what appeared on the surface.

Ye Yu had lived strictly by the rules during her years at the old residence, and when she left, she was given a firm order.

It was called a “firm order,” but it was simply a casual remark from Ye Wucang.

“The girl’s constitution is weak; she can’t handle the family’s power. Let her be an ordinary person when she goes to school.”

Ye Mu’s expression at the time was quite a sight. She didn’t say a word on the way back and immediately argued with Ye Fu when they got home.

Ye Yu still remembered every detail. “You useless thing! I told you to please the Elder, and now he personally took away your status!” Ye Fu pointed at little Ye Yu, his eyes looking at her like she was trash.

Ye Mu was more composed. She called Ye Yu over, carefully asked her about the details of her life at the old residence, and then fell into contemplation.

Ye Fu rushed over to Ye Yu, grabbed her luggage, and threw it out the door, pointing to the endless night outside.

“Get out. I’ll get your household registration sorted tomorrow and move you out of the Ye family.”

“Don’t be rash,” Ye Mu held his hand. “I don’t think that’s necessarily what he meant. Think about it. Ye Yu was allowed into the Elder’s study and personally taught by him. He probably didn’t mean for you to change her surname and strip her of her status. Maybe he meant exactly what he said?”

After all, they only had Ye Yu. Ye Fu had secretly gotten tests done and found out that he was the reason they couldn’t have more children.

He would never have another biological child. So the couple discussed it, prioritizing their best interests, and temporarily agreed to let Ye Yu attend school as an ordinary child, not letting anyone know she was a Ye family member.

A few months later, during the Lunar New Year, the Ye family received a New Year’s gift from the old residence.

The largest one was addressed to “Ye Yu.”

Only then did Ye Fu and Ye Mu relax.

Later, Ye Yu lived an extremely low-key life. The Zhou family also heard rumors and never revealed Ye Yu’s identity to anyone.

Ye Yu bowed her head respectfully. “I believed those words were correct, so I have consistently acted that way.”

“Doesn’t it make you feel wronged that I don’t let you say you’re my granddaughter?”

Ye Wucang asked.

“I even sent you to a regular school. Besides the Zhou family, whose status matches yours, everyone else is just an ant you could crush under your heel.

But you have to mix with these ants, hide your identity, and not say a word. You must have suffered a lot of bullying.”

“Revealing my identity would be very troublesome,” Ye Yu said slowly and deliberately, her brow furrowing slightly. “I don’t like the life Zhou Meize leads—it’s chaotic, complicated, and noisy.”

“And,” Ye Yu’s frown deepened, “my relationship with Mom and Dad isn’t close. I never attended parties with them when I was little. Hiding my identity or not doesn’t really matter.”

Ye Wucang suddenly spoke, his eyes deep as if he could see through her heart. “Do you mean that even if Grandpa hadn’t asked you to, you wouldn’t have wanted to reveal your identity?”

Ye Wucang’s imposing aura made Ye Yu a little nervous. She self-consciously ran a hand through her hair, and then suddenly realized this was Fang Zhile’s small habit and froze.

Thinking of Fang Zhile, her nervous feelings instantly subsided. Ye Yu’s lips curved slightly, and her eyes curved into a smile.

“That premise doesn’t lead to the current result. Without Grandpa, even if I deliberately tried to hide it, I couldn’t. Mom and Dad wouldn’t agree and would think I was abandoning my heritage. They would have dragged me to parties right away, and I would have had to learn how to manage the family business in high school. If not for Grandpa, I wouldn’t have been so determined to hide it, because flies only buzz around meat. Without Grandpa, I’d be old, tough cured meat, and who would bother buzzing around me then?”

This comment amused Ye Wucang greatly. His laughter lasted for a while before stopping.

Ye Wucang pointed at Ye Yu, his eyes returning to their gentle state. He waved his hand. “You little monkey, what do you mean old, tough cured meat? You’re teasing Grandpa again. It’s getting late. Let Uncle Xue take you out for something good to eat. Don’t eat vegetarian food with this old man.”

Without waiting for Ye Yu to insist on eating with him, Ye Wucang pressed the watch on his wrist. The door opened instantly. Uncle Xue, impeccably dressed in a suit, looked in from outside. His voice was deep and laced with a smile as he called her out. “Xiaoyu, come out to eat.”

The last few sentences were spoken too quickly. Ye Yu couldn’t determine Ye Wucang’s true feelings, but she had gotten Uncle Xue’s assistance.

Gaining approval from Ye Wucang was gaining a free pass and a powerful mandate.

No matter who was causing trouble behind her back, no matter how many people these tiny cameras had filmed, or what kind of ugly incidents had occurred… none of them would escape.

Uncle Xue looked refined. Wearing his glasses, he looked like a scholar, like a university professor—elegant and gentle, teaching and nurturing people.

Ye Yu followed Uncle Xue into the car. “Is Grandpa alright eating alone?”

“He likes to be alone,” Uncle Xue smiled, his tone very gentle. “Practicing vegetarianism and chanting prayers all these years has changed his temperament quite a bit. If this were before, and Xiaoyu encountered difficulty, the Elder would certainly make those people suffer.”

Ye Yu wasn’t sure if his temperament had changed, but Ye Wucang was still Ye Wucang: powerful, dangerous, and inscrutable. Rather than seeking revenge for Ye Yu, he was perhaps more interested in seeing Ye Yu grow into the person he wanted her to be without the help of the Ye family—intelligent, steady, and with the ruthless determination to achieve her goals.

“Uncle Xue will also get revenge for me,” Ye Yu smiled, seamlessly changing the subject. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been back.”

“Xiaoyu can come back whenever she wants,” Uncle Xue sat in the passenger seat, glancing into the rearview mirror, his gaze gentle and serene. “But Uncle thinks Xiaoyu probably doesn’t want to come back.”

“Rather than coming back here,” Ye Yu quietly met Uncle Xue’s eyes, “I’d rather Uncle come out to see me.”

Uncle Xue looked at her and smiled, feigning annoyance. “Don’t say that in front of the Elder.”

Ye Yu shook her head. “I didn’t say these things to Grandpa, but Grandpa was a little unhappy when he saw me.”

Uncle Xue: “Oh?”

Ye Yu thought for a moment, touched the side of her face, and recalled. “Grandpa looked at my face as if he was looking through me, at someone else.”

“Uncle Xue, do you know who it is?”

Uncle Xue was quiet for a moment, then whispered, “I know. An… old friend. I’ll tell you later.”

Uncle Xue took Ye Yu out for a meal, and then brought her to a highly secluded apartment, where several people were waiting.

“They’ve checked the surveillance you asked for,” Uncle Xue pointed to one of the people. “You didn’t want to alert the school, so I instructed them to be discreet. No one will find out.”

Ye Yu said thank you, then sat down at the table to review the investigation results.

“These are,” Ye Yu opened the surveillance screenshots. They clearly marked the time and who had entered her dorm and how long they had stayed. “My roommates?”

The time frame started a year ago. Surveillance footage from before that had already been overwritten and couldn’t be retrieved.

The clarity of the footage was high. After meticulous reconstruction, one could even tell if each person was wearing makeup or how many buttons were on their clothes.

She skipped to the end, where an expected person had entered her dorm a few days ago, staying for a long time before leaving.

Flipping through the pages, the information on that person was not a brief single sheet but a thick stack of about two centimeters.

Ye Yu unconsciously straightened her posture, a bead of cold sweat forming on her forehead.