Chapter 017: Are They Fighting Over Him?
Ye Fuli's condition gradually stabilized.
After school, she didn't say goodbye to Ye Zhen, simply picking up a few books and leaving.
Of course~
Ye Zhen hadn't expected her to say goodbye or anything.
In the original storyline, her character's viciousness and self-destructive behavior had undoubtedly cast a deep psychological shadow over Ye Fuli and bred immense hatred.
After all, Ye Fuli had been reborn.
Even now, reading those comic scenes made Ye Zhen feel uneasy—let alone Ye Fuli, who had lived through them firsthand.
"Sigh, the sins of the original owner—must I be the one to pay for them?"
Taking over someone else's body meant this was inevitable.
To think she could change everything after just a few days together was nothing short of wishful thinking.
Fortunately, Ye Zhen, with her laid-back attitude, remained fairly optimistic… She believed that people were only human. While Ye Fuli's attitude toward her hadn't changed much, with her own efforts, there was still progress!
Hadn't she just tipped her two thousand today?
That was a good thing, right?
Things will only get better from here~
Humming a tune, Ye Zhen packed her backpack and soon walked out of the school gates.
Today's exam results would likely be tallied by tomorrow afternoon, making tonight bound to be a long and restless one.
The moment Ye Zhen arrived home, Mrs. Ye called out to her.
"How did you do on the exam? Not at the bottom again, I hope."
Ye Zhen gave an awkward smile. "I don't think so."
"You always embarrass me at times like this. Ye Zhen, you don't have to be in the top ten or even the top hundred, but you absolutely cannot keep ranking at the bottom. Do you understand? The Ye family's reputation is paramount—more important than your own face!"
Ye Zhen nodded. "Got it. I'll do my best not to embarrass Mom and Dad!"
In the past, hearing such words would have made Ye Zhen slam her bag down and storm off.
But at this very moment, her face was filled with humility and earnestness, her eyes shining brightly—it was hard to scold her.
Mrs. Ye sighed.
She immediately realized her words might have been a bit harsh.
"Your shoes look a bit worn. Why don't you go buy a new pair tomorrow? Haven't you been pestering me about that celebrity-style pair? If you like them, just get them."
Money was Mrs. Ye's go-to method for appeasing others.
Ye Zhen never imagined that getting money from the Ye family could be so effortless.
She hadn't even done anything, had she?
The stack of cash in her hands was easily over ten thousand!
"Thanks, Mom. You're the best~"
Ye Zhen wasn't about to turn down this windfall with any pretense of reluctance.
This was her safety net for when she was inevitably kicked out of the house someday!
After taking the money, she headed straight to the kitchen, determined to secretly prepare a bowl of osmanthus lotus seed soup for Mrs. Ye, based on the preferences she'd seen in the comic.
"I'm not taking this money for nothing. I'll make you something delicious—just wait and see."
Mrs. Ye watched her playful, adorable expression and smiled warmly, though she still said, "You don't know how to cook. Let the maid do it. Be careful not to burn yourself."
"This is easy—I know how to do it~"
…
Half an hour later.
A bowl of osmanthus lotus seed soup, prepared by Ye Zhen herself with the maid's considerable help, was ready.
Ye Zhen carefully carried it to Mrs. Ye, blowing gently on the surface as if to please her before presenting it with both hands. "Here, try some?"
"It looks quite presentable."
Madam Ye took a small taste.
"The flavor is quite good too. Zhenzhen, you're quite the cook."
Though she didn't seem overly enthusiastic, this was actually the first time Ye Zhen had cooked for her. Inside, Ye Zhen was overjoyed.
Once Ye Zhen returned to her study to tackle her homework, Mrs. Ye quickly pulled out her phone. She found the most flattering angle to snap a photo and posted it to her social feed with a boastful caption: "My daughter made this. It's just okay, I guess."
Below, naturally, came a flood of envy and jealousy.
At that moment, a comment from someone labeled "Mrs. Huang" appeared: "Oh my, I've always had high hopes for your Zhenzhen! Thumbs up for Zhenzhen!"
Mrs. Ye stroked her phone, lost in thought as she read the comment.
Lately, the Huang family had been riding high, mainly because they'd secured overseas connections, expanding their business with boundless prospects!
Of course, they still couldn't compare to the Bai family at present.
But from a long-term perspective, it was only a matter of time before the Huang family caught up with the Bai family.
"The Huangs have always had strong family values, and that boy Huang Li is a renowned prodigy. He's only a sophomore at our school and has already received invitations from several prestigious universities! He'd be a worthy match for our family."
At this thought, Mrs. Ye's eyes lit up.
An idea took shape in her mind.
She would create opportunities for Ye Zhen and Huang Li to interact, to see if sparks might fly between them.
While the Huang family wasn't her top choice for a marriage alliance, it was certainly worth cultivating.
With that, Mrs. Ye opened Mrs. Huang's contact card, determined to reach out.
……
…
Late at night.
Ye Fuli, clad in black and accompanied by several hired thugs, stood guard outside a renowned entertainment club in the city.
One by one, guests stumbled out of the establishment, utterly drunk.
Ye Fuli kept her eyes fixed on the entrance.
When she spotted Huang Li's signature blonde hair, she waved her hand, signaling her henchmen to move in.
Huang Li was still on the phone with Bai Ruoting.
"I'm telling you, Brother Bai, this is going too far! You actually hired someone to run over Ye Fuli? She's just a girl—it's not worth it…"
"Shut up!" Bai Ruoting was emotionally unstable and extremely irritable. "That bitch Ye Fuli—I want her to wish she were dead!"
Huang Li felt utterly helpless.
But how could he possibly know the psychological trauma Ye Fuli had inflicted on Bai Ruoting?
Now, Bai Ruoting felt fear whenever he saw women, especially young, beautiful ones.
He could no longer be a playboy, enjoying life to the fullest.
"Alright, Brother Bai. What's next? How do you plan to handle this?"
Bai Ruoting sneered coldly, "Before the graduation exams, I'll drive her to a mental breakdown until she comes begging me in tears. Doesn't she have those rotten parents? I've already tracked them down…"
Deep in his phone call, Huang Li didn't notice the burly man approaching from behind, armed with a sack and a club.
Once he stepped into the surveillance blind spot, the burly man sprang into action. He yanked the sack over Huang Li's head, dragged him into an alley, and beat him mercilessly.
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey… Wait, you bastard… Ah!"
Huang Li's phone fell to the ground, landing at Ye Fuli's feet.
The call had already disconnected.
She hadn't heard their conversation, yet an inexplicable sense of foreboding settled in her heart.
After beating him sufficiently, Ye Fuli waved her hand, signaling them to stop.
She crouched down in front of Huang Li and untied the sack.
These men knew exactly where to strike. The blows had landed almost exclusively on Huang Li's buttocks. His vital areas, including his face, were largely untouched.
Huang Li stared at her, his nerves still frayed.
This woman was ruthless!
She didn't waste a word before striking—how could she be a woman?
But why was he finding himself liking her more and more the longer he looked at her…
She was absolutely his ideal type!
Ye Fuli smiled. "Do you know why I hit you?"
Huang Li shook his head, then quickly nodded, raising his hand in a solemn oath: "That driver who hit you? I had nothing to do with him. Bai Ruoting hired him. I even tried to talk him out of it."
"Oh, so you still don't know why I hit you."
Ye Fuli stood up with a cold expression and waved her hand again.
Seeing the sticks about to rain down on him again, Huang Li shouted, "I'm sorry! Whatever it is, I admit my mistake! I surrender! Let's talk it out—don't hit me!"
He was genuinely scared.
While that lunatic Bai Ruoting was terrifying, Ye Fuli wasn't exactly normal either.
He'd be better off staying out of their business…
"From now on, stay away from Ye Zhen. You are forbidden to speak to her or even think about her. Do you understand?"
Ye Fuli's words were delivered with utter seriousness.
"Otherwise, next time, I won't hold back their beatings."
Huang Li was stunned by this statement.
From his male perspective, a girl warning him and threatening to beat him up for another girl's sake must be about jealousy!
Huh… So does Ye Fuli have feelings for him, or does Ye Zhen?
Huang Li quietly lifted his head and glanced at Ye Fuli.
Uh, that look… pure murderous intent. Not exactly romantic feelings…
Then, could it be Ye Zhen?
But Ye Zhen didn't seem likely either!
"Answer me." Ye Fuli picked up a stick and pressed it against his chin. "Got it?"
"Ah, got it! Understood, understood!"