Chapter 091: What in This Home Could Possibly Hold Her Back?
Candy canes.
This item was far from unfamiliar to Ye Zhen.
Staring at the bundle of colorful candy canes, she even felt a twinge of guilt.
That day, she had used the excuse, "I want a candy cane," to fool Ye Fuli and dash away from her like the wind.
Now, seeing these, she knew Ye Fuli had been here.
Ye Fuli had been here, which meant she hadn't given up on her yet.
"Seeing a beautiful toy ruined and feeling reluctant to throw it away—I can understand that," Ye Zhen thought to herself, unable to suppress a smile. "Who would've thought, Feng Aotian, that you're still so sentimental."
But as she laughed, tears began to fall.
Why won't he let her go?
Must she witness her die as miserably as in the previous life before her vengeance is complete?
Ye Fuli, don't push it too far.
Otherwise, you'll witness it firsthand—a caged bird smashing itself against the bars until death, its bloodstained feathers scattering across the floor.
"Huh? Little sister, why are you crying? Quick, quick, bring some tissues… Hey, I'm talking to you, blondie!"
He Ying frantically wiped away her tears.
Huang Li stood beside her, hands clutching the tissue box, not daring to move an inch.
Of course, he felt resentful inside.
They'd only just met—why was she bossing him around so brazenly?
"Nothing," Ye Zhen sniffed. "I was just thinking that if Ye Fuli saw me like this, she'd probably just say, 'You deserve it.'"
He Ying's expression visibly stiffened.
What was the deal with these two?
A telepathic connection?
How could she guess exactly what I was thinking?
……
…
In the underground garage.
Ye Fuli casually tossed the access card back to Ye Dad.
"Thanks."
The lack of sincerity in her thanks left Ye Dad feeling somewhat awkward.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Ye Fuli, I heard you haven't moved into the house we gave you?"
Through the car door, Ye Fuli glanced at him.
She studied her father's expression.
The image of this middle-aged man in her memory hadn't been this warm and considerate.
In her memories, he was always away on business trips or attending meetings.
He never lifted a finger for household matters, leaving everything to his wife.
Only when his daughter made mistakes would he put on a stern face, quickly take the moral high ground, and deliver lengthy lectures to assert his position as the head of the household.
It seemed Ye Zhen had changed him, making him willing to spare some attention for the family and learn to say things beyond grand principles.
How surprising.
Ye Fuli quickly shifted her gaze and said indifferently, "I have plenty of places to stay. No need to trouble yourself."
"But it's still Zhenzhen's kind offer," Ye Dad added. "If you don't like that place, we can find another. I have a villa in Baishan…"
Ye Fuli shook her head and smiled. "Chairman Ye, please spare yourself the effort to please me. Anything you do for me is unnecessary and will yield no positive outcome. Let's not waste each other's time and emotions."
The truth was laid bare.
They had to face reality.
Regarding Ye Fuli's origins, Ye Dad had already verified the truth through multiple channels, though he hadn't made it public yet.
For him, the feeling wasn't that of finding his biological daughter, but rather gaining another daughter.
Ye Fuli's excellence wasn't something he'd only recently discovered.
He had always sponsored her, though not under the guise of a father.
Now, he wanted to do something for Ye Fuli as her father…
Why is it so difficult?
Ye Dad sighed.
Memories flooded back, leaving him with mixed feelings.
This summer break had been exhausting.
Both daughters had caused him nothing but worry.
"Ye Fuli, are you blaming me as your father?"
Ye Fuli corrected him sternly, "You're Ye Zhen's father, not mine! You've raised her all these years, but you've never raised me for a single day."
Ye Dad frowned, looking at her. "Switching your identities with Zhenzhen was just a mistake. No one did it on purpose! Ye Fuli, you're such a smart girl. Why can't you understand this?"
The word "mistake" stabbed Ye Fuli's heart like a knife.
She thought of Ye Zhen, still lying in her hospital bed.
She thought of her own hastily concluded past life.
She had always considered herself clever. Since her rebirth, she had believed she controlled the entire world, holding the strings above everyone's heads, ensuring no more mistakes would ever happen.
But what was the truth?
The truth was, she too had made a mistake.
Every mistake was like a nail driven deep into a plank.
Even if the nail is pulled out, the hollow remains.
And what's more, Ye Fuli had already paid with her life to confirm that she neither liked nor belonged in that family.
The experiences of her past life had already left her heart scarred beyond repair.
Given another chance, she could never go back.
Of course, Ye Zhen would soon leave that home too.
She would take Ye Zhen with her, forever escaping it all.
"A mistake is a mistake. Even if unintentional, it has already caused terrible consequences."
"But you should give your biological parents a chance to make amends…"
"You can choose to make amends, but I can choose to refuse."
"Ye Fuli! You… you have our blood running through your veins! You haven't even lived with us yet—why refuse so outright? Is this fair to us?"
By this point, Ye Dad's voice was trembling.
He had convinced himself to restrain his temper, but seeing his own daughter so utterly unyielding, he could no longer hold back.
Must she push her birth parents so far away?
Temper tantrums should know their limits.
Couldn't she be as obedient and sensible as Zhenzhen?
"Chairman Ye, spare me the blood ties nonsense," Ye Fuli cut him off firmly. "If you wish to retain my respect, stop using that to blackmail me. Treat Ye Zhen properly."
She said no more.
Ye Fuli didn't get into his car. Instead, she turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Soon, Ye Dad watched as she drove a black Bentley out of the garage exit on the other side.
Father Ye stood frozen for a long moment.
He pressed his hand weakly to his forehead, feeling as if a large piece of his heart had been torn away.
Without him, without the Ye family, Ye Fuli was already living quite well!
So what, if anything, could possibly keep her tied to this family?
Buzz buzz buzz—
His phone had been buzzing for who knew how long.
Exhausted, he pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen.
The caller was the child's mother.
The moment the call connected, Mrs. Ye launched into a torrent of words about her future plans.
"I've already hired a tutor for Ye Fuli. She needs to learn the etiquette and rules of high society. Of course, her identity should remain undisclosed for now—I want to test her! If she's obedient and sensible, everything will be fine. But if she disobeys…"
These words made Ye Dad chuckle.
At first, it was a silent chuckle.
But soon, it grew into an exaggerated laugh.
On the other end of the line, Mrs. Ye frowned upon hearing his laughter.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at your stupidity."
He emphasized the word "stupidity" with deliberate force, then slammed the phone down before she could unleash a torrent of curses.
He'd had enough of this family.
He could already envision the future mess it would become.
He made up his mind: the day Ye Zhen was discharged from the hospital, he would divorce this madwoman.