Chapter 199: Any Other Areas You'd Like to Diagnose?
The Bai family's funeral was scheduled for a Friday.
During his lifetime, Old Master Bai had been well-liked, and many people attended his funeral, including numerous bigwigs from both the business and political worlds.
His passing was sudden, leaving no time for a will.
Thus, the sole heir of the Bai family, Bai Ruoting, naturally became the designated successor.
At the funeral, Bai Ruoting wept bitterly.
Several burly men tried to pull him up, but none could budge him.
"Grandfather! How am I supposed to go on without you? I know nothing, I can do nothing—what am I to do? My uncles and elders will bully me—what am I to do?!"
His cries were heartfelt and wrenching.
Those present were at a loss—should they wipe their tears or cover their noses?
Ye Fuli and Ye Zhen, dressed in black lace dresses, followed behind Ye Dad into the hall.
This scene was not unfamiliar to Ye Zhen.
In her previous life, she had spent ten years in a place where death occurred daily, hearing cries far more heart-wrenching than this.
She had little connection to the Bai family patriarch—after all, she had only been in this world for two or three years—so she felt no overwhelming grief.
Thus, her expression remained remarkably composed.
As for Ye Fuli, she had shared quite a bond with the old man—but that belonged entirely to her past life.
His death had been highly suspicious.
But Ye Fuli had no intention of delving deeper into it.
Her capacity for kindness had never been particularly abundant.
Following the crowd forward, she presented the old man with a flower before stepping outside.
Bai Ruoting watched her retreating figure with a heavy gaze.
He knew Ye Fuli could sense this anomaly.
This was an undeniable source of unease for him.
Damn it, that useless thing failed to kill her! To endure such agonizing pain and still survive—what a stubborn will to live.
Bai Ruoting stifled his sobs, brushed his robe, and rose to his feet.
Without conscious thought, he followed Ye Fuli's footsteps out of the memorial hall and into the garden beyond.
Ye Fuli stopped at the riverside.
At that moment, Ye Zhen had just gone to the restroom.
Sunlight streamed brightly along the riverbank, bustling with people coming and going.
From a distance of three or five people away, Bai Ruoting dropped all pretense. He sneered coldly and asked, "Ye Fuli, what do you plan to do now? The Bai family is already mine. You may be able to manipulate my grandfather, but you can't control me."
Ye Fuli sighed and shook her head.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of sympathy for him.
Living every day consumed by hatred must make it impossible to eat or sleep properly.
Ah, and fear too…
Poor Bai Ruoting, he'd truly turned himself into a living ghost.
"Don't be so easily triggered, Bai Ruoting. Treating me as your imaginary enemy will only wear you out." This was Ye Fuli's sincere advice.
"Shut up!"
Bai Ruoting was indeed prone to overreacting.
He glared at Ye Fuli, grinding his teeth.
"You started this, Ye Fuli! If you'd just played the dutiful wife and mother, we could've lived happily! My grandfather wouldn't have died so young! You…"
Taking a deep breath, Bai Ruoting clenched his fists.
"You drove my grandfather to his death. This debt, I will repay."
With that, he turned and walked away, as if he had truly made up his mind.
Watching his retreating figure stride away, Ye Fuli sighed once more.
So the old master Bai's death really was connected to him.
To seize control of the Bai family, he'd even sacrifice his own grandfather—what a devoted grandson indeed.
But as she always said, this was the Bai family's own affair and had nothing to do with her, Ye Fuli. Matters that offered her no benefit and had no connection to Ye Zhen were none of her business.
Ye Zhen emerged from the bathroom, drying her damp fingers with a tissue.
"You look beautiful in that black dress."
Ye Fuli suddenly remarked, gazing at the petite, charming girl bathed in sunlight.
Ye Zhen froze for a moment before glaring at her. "Missy, we're wearing the same outfit today, and you look prettier than me!"
In truth, Ye Fuli also drew more attention.
Don't underestimate the looks of a Mary Sue heroine, and don't underestimate the magical cream produced by the system.
Though Ye Fuli's scars hadn't fully healed yet, the exposed parts of her arms, face, and neck had already recovered quite well.
When Ye Zhen approached her, her hand moved involuntarily to touch the scar on Ye Fuli's neck.
"It's still a bit uneven. You'll need to keep using the cream."
Fortunately, she had saved enough of the cream.
No, Ye Zhen mused, it wasn't her luck—it was Ye Fuli's luck!
Without this cream, Ye Fuli would never have endured her disfigurement and would have chosen to restart.
But then again, if Ye Fuli chose to start over, it would drag her down too… So, thinking about it that way, it seemed like her own luck after all.
Ye Fuli smiled faintly, leaning closer to whisper, "It's not just uneven here. Would you like to examine other areas too?"
Hearing this, Ye Zhen immediately withdrew her hand, pretending nothing had happened.
When applying face cream, there were certain moments best not dwelled upon.
"Diagnose what? I'm not a doctor! Come on, let's go sit over there. It's too hot here."
Ye Fuli's slender index finger rubbed her lips, suppressing the smile at the corner of her mouth.
She's not a doctor?
Now that was modest.
…
After the funeral, Ye's father joined a few old friends for a few glasses of low-proof liquor.
On the way home, he chattered on about many things.
"A guy my age had a brain hemorrhage last month and passed away."
"Ah!"
"I always thought I was still young, always hoping to see you two get married, to help raise your children…"
At the word "children," Ye's father's drunkenness eased slightly.
He coughed heavily twice.
"I think I've got a headache. I drank too much."
Ye Fuli and Ye Zhen both caught the keyword "children."
No matter what, it was impossible for either of them to have…
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
At the entrance to the Ye residence, Ye Dad stepped out of the car first, supported by the driver.
Under the night sky.
Ye Fuli and Ye Zhen, still in the car, exchanged a glance.
Ye Fuli tentatively reached out, grasping Ye Zhen's small hand tucked beneath her skirt hem and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Ye Fuli, what are you doing?"
"I was thinking about a plot from a manga you've read."
As she spoke, Ye Fuli suddenly pulled her close. Amidst her startled gasp, she lifted her onto her lap.
The car window slowly rolled up.
Ye Fuli's forehead gently touched Ye Zhen's.
"Now, do whatever you like, Ye Zhen."
"Hey! Ye Fuli, we…"
"Just think of it as book club bonding. We'll forget about it once we get off the bus. How about it?"
"This…"
Great. Ye Zhen realized she'd been roped into another scheme.