Chapter 189: I'll Bring Ye Zhen Home Soon
The Ye Family Residence.
Ever since Ye Zhen returned to Nancity, Ye Fuli had lost all appetite for food or drink. Day after day, she lay listlessly, either staring blankly into space or feigning sleep.
Seeing her like this, Ye Dad was truly worried.
But from his position, it wasn't appropriate for him to try to persuade Ye Fuli.
After all, this was the young couple's own affair. What could a middle-aged man like him possibly understand?
Moreover, while he claimed he wouldn't oppose the two children's relationship anymore, deep down, he still hadn't fully accepted reality.
Having lived a largely conventional life, Ye Dad remained rather conservative in his thinking.
If he could, he would still hope they could marry and have children like other people's daughters…
Of course, he wouldn't voice that hope aloud anymore.
If the two of them were truly committed to each other, then he would respect and bless their choice.
"Kids, the weather's nice today. Shall we go fishing?"
"Sure."
Ye Fuli clearly had no desire to go fishing, but she agreed to her father's request anyway.
Shortly after leaving, they encountered the Bai family's car.
Old Master Bai and Bai Ruoting had just left a hospital, loaded with bags of medicine that filled the entire car.
Bai Ruoting had been reasonably well-behaved before—at least he never dared to lose his temper with his grandfather.
But ever since returning from the Ye family, he had grown increasingly volatile.
"I don't want to take medicine! I'm not sick, I don't want to take medicine!"
Bai Ruoting yelled loudly.
The smell inside the car grew increasingly unbearable.
Even with all the windows open, the stench was unbearable.
The old man beside him could only cover his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, glaring at him with disgust. "Have you finished causing trouble? Looking like this, no one will ever agree to marry their daughter to you!"
Hearing this, Bai Ruoting gritted his teeth in fury: "What's wrong with me now? So what if I have a bit more leg hair and a stronger stomach than others? Is that really a flaw?"
"Can't you smell the stench coming off you?"
Old Master Bai finally lost all patience, no longer caring about sparing his son's pride.
"Don't you realize you're getting stinkier by the day?"
"Now, every corner of this house reeks of that stench…"
"You might tolerate it, but others certainly can't!"
Just as he spoke, the Bai family car came to a stop.
Traffic was backed up ahead, and it looked like they'd be stuck waiting at least ten minutes.
At that moment.
Bai Ruoting spotted the Ye family car with his sharp eyes, noticing Ye Fuli leaning against the window, resting her eyes.
His expression darkened instantly.
Recalling the torment he had endured, he gritted his teeth, consumed by a desire to tear Ye Fuli apart.
But now, he could do nothing.
Ye Fuli seemed to sense the murderous intent outside the window. She frowned involuntarily and glanced over.
Seeing Bai Ruoting's face, thick with stubble, she sighed and shook her head.
She knew Bai Ruoting's transformation was entirely Ye Zhen's doing.
She had thought Ye Zhen was suddenly filled with kindness, but it turned out she was the devil incarnate.
For someone like Bai Ruoting, becoming this way was undoubtedly more agonizing than death itself.
He had once been supremely confident in his looks. In his previous life, he had used that handsome face to prey on many naive young women.
Back then, the Bai family was immensely wealthy and powerful.
Most of Bai Ruoting's dirty deeds could be covered up with money.
Now, under her relentless suppression, the Bai family stood isolated and helpless. While they might not collapse overnight, they could never regain the glory she had witnessed in her previous life.
"Even if Bai Ruoting still tried to buy his way out of everything, his looks alone wouldn't be enough to deceive girls anymore."
At this thought, Ye Fuli let out a laugh.
Her smile succeeded in provoking Bai Ruoting, who had been watching her intently.
Bai Ruoting grabbed the cup beside him, intending to hurl it at her, but Old Master Bai seized his wrist.
The old man's gaze was piercing as he fixed it on his grandson.
Once their car started moving again, pulling far away from the Ye family's vehicle, Old Master Bai swung his arm wide and delivered a resounding slap across Bai Ruoting's face.
"You good-for-nothing! Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"
"Grandfather! You…"
"What? You want to hit me too?"
Watching Bai Ruoting's arm rise instinctively, the old man sneered coldly.
Filled with both anger and hurt, Bai Ruoting slowly lowered his arm.
He couldn't fathom why his life had become such a disaster.
Yes, all his misfortune had begun the moment he met Ye Fuli…
That damned woman!
Sooner or later, he would kill her.
"No, no! Mr. Bai, the brakes have failed!" The driver's sudden cry of alarm snapped Bai Ruoting out of his fury and back to reality.
They were on a downhill stretch, and the car was accelerating rapidly.
Their car slammed into a roadside utility pole with a thunderous crash.
The sound of shattering windshield glass filled his ears as darkness engulfed Bai Ruoting's vision.
……
…
Late at night.
Ye Fuli, having caught several big fish, returned to the Ye family home with her father.
On the way, they learned about the accident involving the Bai family's vehicle.
"The driver suffered serious injuries. Mr. Bai and his grandson in the backseat were mostly unharmed, but Bai Ruoting hit his head. Word is he's a bit dazed now—just staring blankly at the wall, muttering to himself. No one knows what he's saying."
Ye Fuli paid little attention to Bai Ruoting's news.
To her, no matter how much trouble he caused, he was nothing but a useless fool.
"Dad, I need to go to South City tomorrow," Ye Fuli said, picking up a small piece of fish and chewing it slowly.
"Go ahead! Actually, you should have gone long ago," her father replied.
Ye Fuli paused, then lowered her head.
Having her thoughts exposed made her feel a bit embarrassed.
"I don't have many demands on you," Ye Dad said, ladling her another bowl of soup. "Just one thing—you must promise me."
"Dad, go ahead."
Ye Dad looked at her earnestly and said, "Don't bully Ye Zhen. Listen to her more."
"Alright."
How could someone so close not recognize Ye Zhen's true identity?
Ye Dad had never once mistaken his own daughter.
His care and affection for Ye Zhen were simply expressed through his actions.
Before ending tonight's dinner, Ye Fuli also solemnly made a promise: "Dad, if you're willing to entrust Ye Zhen to me, I'll bring her back as soon as possible and bring her before you."
"Whether she recognizes me or not, I can accept either outcome."
Ye Dad stood up and retrieved an international express package from the nearby liquor cabinet.
Upon opening it, he found a bank card inside.
It was the card he had previously entrusted to He Ying to pass on to Ye Zhen.
He Ying had returned it to him, and now he placed it into Ye Fuli's hands.
"Whether it's Zhenzhen or you, you're both my daughters. This money—if you use it or if Zhenzhen uses it, Dad will accept either."
Looking at the wrinkles at the corners of Ye Dad's eyes, Ye Fuli sighed and clenched the card in her hand.
She felt as though she had waited a lifetime to hear these words.
If only she could have heard them sooner—back in her previous life.