Chapter 165: You Dare Covet Ye Fuli?
Since arriving in this world, Ye Zhen had certainly lived off others quite a bit, all thanks to her pretty face.
Living off others certainly had its perks.
But if she could build something with her own strength, Ye Zhen wouldn't turn it down.
To this young team before her, Ye Zhen—this wealthy loli—was practically a walking bundle of free money.
If they couldn't even snag such an opportunity, what chance did they have to turn their fortunes around?
Thus, the senior leading the group began sighing heavily, recounting every detail of their team's struggles over the past four years to Ye Zhen.
"This is the game we want to make—an
alternate world
adventure game…"
She carefully placed a sketch in front of Ye Zhen.
"Take a look. Do you think it's feasible?"
Truthfully, after so many setbacks, even she, the founder, was losing confidence.
She wasn't sure if, after hearing their team's story and the tale of the game they wanted to create, Ye Zhen would also say, "You're just dreaming."
Still, she'd rather hear that than let go of this lifeline.
Ye Zhen had actually recognized this sketch as part of the original storyline the moment she saw it. But she couldn't just agree immediately… Wouldn't that seem too rash?
She deliberately adopted a pensive expression, staring at the sketch for a long moment.
The study room fell deathly silent.
Facing Ye Zhen's stunningly beautiful face—one that could easily launch her as an idol—they were so tense they dared not breathe.
After a long while.
Ye Zhen closed their sketchbook.
"I'm planning to start a game company. Would you be willing to bring your work over?"
Hearing this, Liu, the founder, suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes.
Fuluoli agreed!
Good heavens, could such a tremendous opportunity really fall into their laps?
It was unbelievable!
"We'll discuss the specifics of the collaboration with professionals later. You don't need to rush around tomorrow—just wait for my message in the dorm."
Ye Zhen gathered her things and left the study room with an air of leisure.
Even after walking quite a distance, she could still hear the cheers from her team.
Under the dim glow of the streetlamp, Ye Zhen turned back and glanced at the lively scene inside the study room.
She couldn't help but smile to herself.
"Youth is truly wonderful."
Wait, no—wasn't she actually younger than them?
Never mind. Whatever. Youth is truly wonderful!
……
……
The Bai residence.
At this hour, Bai Ruoting simply couldn't sleep.
He couldn't shake the feeling that tonight, his mind was in turmoil, as if he were about to lose something incredibly important.
He stared wide-eyed until dawn.
Irritated, he tossed aside the covers, got out of bed, and went downstairs.
It was breakfast time, yet the dining room was eerily quiet.
He spotted his mother sitting in the living room, wiping away tears.
"What happened?"
"Our development project has been halted! Billions of dollars are tied up in it. Our… our family's cash flow is about to dry up."
By the end, Bai Ruoting's mother broke down in tears.
The Bai family's situation was growing worse by the day. Once they had been evenly matched with the Ye family, but now…
They were on the brink of bankruptcy.
Bai Ruoting's breath caught in his throat. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and he nearly collapsed.
"How could this be?!"
At that moment, a deep, heavy cough echoed from the guest room.
As the pillar of the Bai family, the old patriarch steeled himself, leaning on his cane as he strode out with unwavering steps.
"What have we done to deserve this retribution?" The old man stared intently at Bai Ruoting's face for a long moment. "My dear grandson, tell me—what have we done wrong?"
Over the past year, a hidden force had been relentlessly fueling the numerous crises engulfing the Bai family.
Old Master Bai, seasoned by years, had long sensed something amiss.
Bai Ruoting trembled, his voice low and tremulous. "Grandfather, I…"
"If you had simply obeyed my arrangements back then and happily married Ye Zhen, would the Ye family have targeted us?"
At the mention of that name, Bai Ruoting gritted his teeth.
Yet he found himself powerless to refute it.
"Fine! Even if you dislike her and refuse to marry her! Is Ye Fuli someone you're worthy of even dreaming about?!"
Bai Ruoting looked utterly astonished. "Grandfather, I never pursued her!"
He and she were sworn enemies—how could he possibly pursue her?
"Then tell me what this is?"
The old man flung down a photo ID of Ye Fuli, riddled with dart holes.
The old man's hands trembled with rage.
"You worthless piece of trash! How dare you even think about Ye Fuli? It's precisely because of your unwarranted feelings that our family has suffered so many misfortunes!"
Bai Ruoting's face flushed crimson under the barrage of scolding.
He dared not argue back, thinking only of escaping this place as quickly as possible.
But the old man immediately called him back, ordering someone to fetch a thick, sturdy switch.
"Strip down. Carry this on your back to the Ye family. Go apologize to them." The old man commanded. "Think carefully about how you'll apologize! If they don't forgive you, I'd rather beat you to death at their doorstep."
Bai Ruoting's eyes widened in shock.
He never imagined his grandfather, who had always doted on him, could utter such words.
If he really stripped naked, carried this thing on his back, and went to the Ye family to beg forgiveness, wouldn't he become the laughingstock of the entire circle?
He'd never be able to hold his head up again!
"Grandfather, I'd rather die than go… Ah!"
Before he could finish his protest, Grandfather's cane cracked down on his back, sending him into a wail of pain.
When the head of the household lost his temper, who dared to stand in his way?
"Someone, tie him up and take him to the Ye family."
Bai Ruoting struggled frantically, even begging pitifully, but he was still bound and dragged by two burly men into the waiting car outside.
The car slowly started moving, heading toward the Ye family's villa.
Arriving at the Ye residence.
As Bai Ruoting was thrown out of the car, Ye Fuli sat expressionless by the pond in front of the house, fiddling with a colorful piece of paper.
Hearing the commotion at the entrance, she lifted her head slightly and glanced over.
Soon, she lowered her head again, continuing to fiddle with the paper in her hands.
In no time, she folded it into a five-pointed star.
She placed it into the jar.
The star sparkled brightly in the sunlight.
But Ye Fuli had no idea how such a thing could possibly move anyone's heart. Zhao Mengde was definitely deceiving her!
"Ye Fuli, the humiliation I suffered today, I will repay you a hundredfold." Bai Ruoting cursed Ye Fuli furiously in his mind: "May you die a miserable death…"
The next moment, he was shoved violently by the Bai family patriarch and crashed to the ground beside the Ye family's door.
Hearing the commotion outside, Ye's father emerged from the house.
"What's going on? Oh my, Old Master Bai, what are you doing?!"
Ye Dad had long since stepped back from managing the group's affairs and naturally knew nothing of the cruel torment Ye Fuli had inflicted upon the Bai family.
The Bai patriarch declared loudly, "The grudges between these children will be settled today! I, Bai, will show no favoritism toward my own child."
With that, he handed the cane to Ye Fuli.
"Whatever offense he has committed against you and your family, you may punish him as you see fit! But I beg that after today, our two families may be reconciled as before…"
Jiang Nini, watching from the shadows, stared wide-eyed.
Driven by a sudden surge of protectiveness for her beloved, she rushed out.
Yet, meeting Ye Fuli's icy gaze head-on, her legs buckled, and she collapsed back to the ground.
"Miss Ye Fuli, you… you must reconsider."
Her gaze flickered between Ye Fuli and Bai Ruoting, and the nauseating memories from her past life surged back.
The brutal rage she had struggled to suppress threatened to consume all her reason in that moment.
Old Master Bai was gambling—assuming Ye Fuli, being a woman, would hesitate to act out of concern for her reputation.
But he was wrong.
Ye Fuli took the cane from his hand and raised it high.
In the sunlight, her eyes were icy cold, yet the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.
"Since you've left it to me to decide, you'd better… endure it."
Smack—
The crack of the cane sent Bai Ruoting's bloodcurdling screams echoing through the entire villa complex.
The lash tore through his skin, leaving it raw and bleeding!
Old Master Bai froze in shock, clutching his chest as he slowly sank to his knees. His lips trembled, unable to utter a word.
Ye Dad rushed forward, grabbing Ye Fuli's hand and whispering urgently, "Think about Zhenzhen…"
Facing Ye Fuli's icy glare, Ye Dad's heart trembled.
He had no doubt that Ye Fuli truly intended to take the life of this Bai family boy.
Clunk—
The cane fell to the ground.
Ye Fuli stared at her own hand, letting out a silent laugh, yet her eyes reddened.
She turned and walked back into the house, her spirit broken.
But her actions sparked a subtle misunderstanding among the Bai family…
"Could it be… this child actually has feelings for Ruoting?" Old Master Bai thought anxiously. "If she truly does, then let her hit him! Once she's calmed down, she'll surely spare the Bai family."
With that thought, he steeled his resolve and glared at the servants preparing to support Bai Ruoting.
"Leave him be! He brought this on himself. Let him suffer it. We're leaving."
Under Bai Ruoting's horrified gaze, the Bai family swiftly climbed into their car and drove off, leaving him behind…