Chapter 182: Family Ties or Self-Interest?
Old Master Bai arrived with great fanfare, but unfortunately, this was the Ye residence. None of the servants or bodyguards would heed his commands.
For a moment, the scene grew awkward.
The gardener continued tending to the flowers, the maid kept mopping the floor—not a single soul acknowledged Old Master Bai.
"Is this how the Ye family treats guests?" Old Master Bai's face flushed with embarrassment. "Old Ye! Old Ye, where are you?!"
Hearing the commotion at the door, Ye Dad emerged from his room at a leisurely pace.
Seeing the crowd from the Bai family gave him a headache, and he instinctively kept his distance.
"What's the matter?"
"I've come to pick up my grandson, Bai Ruoting."
At Ye Dad's gesture, the Bai family was finally allowed into the living room, where they took their seats and were served tea.
Yep, that's right.
It was the cheapest tea in the house.
Back when Ye Zhen was home, she used to brew this tea for foot soaks.
Now, Ye Zhen had been gone for so long. Who knew if it had gotten damp or gone bad?
But then again, the Bai family had come to cause trouble, not to drink tea.
We have plenty of good tea at home, but serving it to that rotten-hearted family would feel like a waste to Ye Dad.
Ye Dad sighed and said, "Bai Ruoting? He is indeed at our place. But whether he can leave isn't up to me. You'll have to ask my daughter, Ye Fuli."
After all, this brat didn't offend old Ye here—he offended old Ye's daughter!
At the mention of Ye Fuli's name, Old Master Bai couldn't help but snort loudly.
What right did a dying man have to speak?
Of course, Old Master Bai dared not voice this directly. Instead, he said, "Then I'll trouble Old Ye to arrange a call. I'll ask her myself."
"Unfortunately, my daughter is still hospitalized. These matters will have to wait until she's discharged before we can discuss them further."
Ye Dad meant every word.
It was precisely this solemn demeanor that deeply displeased Old Master Bai: "Old Ye, what do you mean? If your daughter stays in the hospital forever, does that mean we'll never discuss this matter?"
His voice boomed, but Ye Dad's was even louder, his face flushed with fury, instantly overpowering the old man's presence.
"Mr. Bai, what's your problem? My daughter hasn't done you any wrong. Why are you cursing her to stay in the hospital forever?"
Seeing the two sides about to erupt into a full-blown argument, the rest of the Bai family stepped in to play peacemakers and ease the tension.
"Alright, everyone, calm down!"
"We're here to resolve conflicts, not create them."
"The Bai and Ye families are old friends. A little issue between the kids shouldn't cause such a rift!"
Ye Dad snorted coldly and sat back down.
As for Old Master Bai, he too patted his chest and let out a heavy grunt.
"Anyway, I won't leave until I see my precious grandson today."
"Fine, stay then! Our Ye family can easily feed a few dozen extra pigs—what's a few more of you? In my opinion, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like."
Ye Dad's words were harsh.
He used to be a gentle, conflict-averse man who would never have defended his family's interests so fiercely.
Now, his daughter Ye Fuli was his Achilles' heel. Touching her was out of the question—even pointing a finger at her was forbidden.
Old Master Bai fixed him with a heavy gaze, about to speak, when a deep, urgent cry erupted from one of the Ye family rooms.
"Grandpa! Grandpa, come save me! Grandpa… ugh ugh…!"
Before Bai Ruoting could cry out again, he was kicked to the ground.
The Bai family members who heard the commotion instantly grew agitated.
Meanwhile, the media reporters invited by Old Master Bai began arriving one after another.
As the situation spiraled out of control, Ye Fu Li's father's expression darkened. He could only signal to Ye Fu Li's bodyguard to escort the person downstairs.
Simultaneously, he hurriedly called Ye Fuli, leaving the decision on how to handle today's incident entirely up to her.
…
At the hospital.
Ye Fuli had already learned of the chaos at the Ye residence from her bodyguard.
She sighed, saying nothing, and got dressed to leave the bed.
"Ye Fuli, where are you going?"
Ye Zhen, sensing her movement, immediately put down her phone and fixed her gaze on her.
That look, that movement—it was just like a highly alert cat.
Ye Fuli chuckled wryly. "You really intend to keep tabs on me 24/7?"
"What else?"
Their eyes locked, and Ye Fuli's smile faded slightly. "You don't need to follow me. I'm just stepping out for a bit. I'll be back soon."
"I don't believe you."
Ye Fuli frowned. "When have I ever broken a promise I made?"
"This time is different."
What if you run off and jump? Who the hell am I supposed to complain to then?
Ye Zhen had been watching her for so long—she couldn't let it all go to waste now.
Seeing Ye Fuli about to leave, Ye Zhen stubbornly followed her out.
Trailing behind, Ye Fuli felt utterly helpless, yet she still didn't speak up to shoo her away.
The two of them got into a taxi together and headed toward the Ye family's villa district.
……
……
The Ye residence.
Bai Ruoting was brought downstairs.
A confident smile played on his face, but it froze instantly upon seeing the gossip reporters gathered below.
"Grandfather, you… how could you…"
The same frozen expressions spread across the faces of the Bai family members.
Especially Old Master Bai.
How could he have imagined his once handsome grandson would now appear as a disheveled, sunburned figure with hairy arms and legs swaying in the breeze?
Worse still, Bai Ruoting was now tall and burly, resembling a moving rectangular prism, completely devoid of his former refined and gentle demeanor.
Old Master Bai frowned at him, unable to recognize him at all.
"Stop filming! Stop filming!"
Bai Ruoting stormed toward the reporters, furiously shooing them away.
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
He knew his public image had taken a nosedive lately.
But despite his tarnished image, he was still incredibly excited!
After all, he'd discovered that his long-dormant manhood had regained its vigor, allowing him to feel like a real man once more.
At this moment, he felt no resentment toward Ye Zhen—only profound gratitude.
What she had given him to eat wasn't poison at all—it was this miraculous elixir!
Pfft—
A foul stench suddenly wafted from Bai Ruoting's body.
The gossip reporters who had been gathered at the front lines, eagerly watching the spectacle, now covered their noses and scrambled backward several steps.
Bai Ruoting grimaced in agony, clutching his stomach as he sprinted toward the restroom.
"Grandpa, wait for me… I'll be quick!"
Watching this scene, Old Master Bai felt a wave of sorrow wash over him.
He knew this grandson was useless. Not exactly dim-witted, but nowhere near qualified to inherit the family legacy. His character was flawed, and the servants already held little respect for him.
Therefore, he had pinned his hopes on Bai Ruoting's good looks to secure a favorable marriage for the Bai family. He wanted them to marry quickly, produce a great-grandchild, and then nurture that child with meticulous care!
But now…
With Bai Ruoting looking like this, what kind of good match could he possibly secure?
It was over. All over.
"Damn it."
This curse didn't come from anyone in the Bai family, but from Jiang Nini, who was feeding the fish.
She hadn't seen Bai Ruoting in a while, and his handsome, dashing image still lingered in her mind, making her unable to stop thinking about him.
But now, seeing this hairy, rectangular lump, her heart was breaking.
She had sacrificed so much to become Mrs. Bai!
Could it be that all this suffering was just to marry this monstrosity?
Jiang Nini clenched her teeth so hard they nearly shattered, her eyes blazing with hatred so intense it seemed tangible, threatening to devour everyone around her.
Moments later, Ye Fuli and Ye Zhen returned to the Ye residence.
At that moment, Bai Ruoting emerged from the bathroom, clutching his rear end.
Upon seeing Ye Fuli, Bai Ruoting let out a laugh.
Ye Fuli, upon seeing Bai Ruoting, also let out a laugh.
"How dare you laugh at me! You're practically dying, and you still have the nerve to mock me?!" Bai Ruoting, enraged by shame, snapped. "Ye Fuli, if you've got the guts, rip off that bandage covering your face and let everyone see what you look like now!"
"I, Ye Fuli, built the Ye Corporation into what it is today. It wasn't because of this face."
Ye Fuli watched him calmly, letting him rant and rave like a savage.
Unbelievable.
In her previous life, she had nearly married someone like this?
"Instead of worrying about my face and my life, you should worry about yourself." She shifted slightly, turning to address the elderly Mr. Bai: "If you wish to take your grandson away, take him now. We have no objections."
As Old Master Bai watched her hesitantly, Ye Fuli leaned closer, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear. "But do you truly believe this is your grandson? Shouldn't your grandson be a gentlemanly, refined young master?"
These words sent a tremor through Old Master Bai's body.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He understood perfectly what Ye Fuli meant.
Now, Bai Ruoting no longer resembled the Bai Ruoting they knew. Whether to acknowledge him as their grandson was entirely up to the Bai family to decide.
Ye Fuli's smile was radiant.
She narrowed her eyes, sizing up the Bai family members.
She knew that for these powerful families, familial affection never came first.
Interests were what truly mattered.