Chapter 12
The age gap between the two brothers wasn’t significant. When they were young, it was natural for them to quarrel over trivial matters. However, regardless of the disputes, the members of the Ye family always favored Ye Mu, admonishing Ye Zhi even when something originally belonged to him.
Ye Wan’s dislike for this child was evident, growing stronger as he grew older. She found him less attractive, thought him clumsy in speech, and deemed him timid… Even though his academic achievements far surpassed those of his younger brother and he was diligent in both studying and household chores, Ye Wan still felt a sense of “what’s the use” about him.
After all, being just a beta meant that he was destined to have no good prospects in life.
Whether he married or married into the family, he couldn’t climb any higher.
It was just unexpected that they would have such an opportunity, to send Ye Zhi to bed with Huo Youcheng, and then successfully marry them.
Although they later suffered retaliation from Huo Youcheng, which not only didn’t improve the Ye family’s financial situation but also left them in a dilemma, as long as they didn’t divorce, the Ye family still had a chance.
But seeing Ye Zhi walking with a thin and weak figure, Ye Wan felt that this matter might not be able to last.
“Ye Zhi!” Ye Wan forcefully spoke up, her tone full of dissatisfaction. “How many messages and calls have I sent you? Can’t you even take a look? I had to come here personally and wait for you. Don’t you realize how dangerous your current situation is?”
Ye Zhi was startled to see his mother and paled at her criticism. He explained softly, “Mom, I always turn off my communicator during work…”
“Then you must see the messages when you finish work, right? Why don’t you even return my calls? How long do you plan to keep avoiding me? Don’t you know what’s happening in the news? Your husband is cheating and having an affair with another woman, and people are saying it’s love!” Ye Wan grew angrier as she spoke, her perfectly drawn eyebrows almost flying off.
Her voice was too loud, and although her colleagues had left, the security guards nearby looked at her suspiciously.
Feeling embarrassed, Ye Zhi whispered, “Mom, can we talk somewhere else?”
Ye Wan turned and walked away. “Follow me home.”
Ye Zhi hesitated, then said, “Mom, I have something to do today. Can we… talk in a quieter place?”
“What else do you have?” Ye Wan glared at him.
Ye Zhi hesitated, “I have to pick up Ranran…” He felt guilty; he wasn’t good at lying, so he quickly changed the subject.
Unexpectedly, Ye Wan said, “I drove here. I’ll go with you to pick her up.” As soon as the matter involved the Huo family, her expression quickly changed from gloomy to sunny, and her tone became gentle again, with a hint of eagerness. “Actually, we’re in-laws with the Huo family. We should meet often for meals and socialize. It’s just that you didn’t have a wedding, and your dad and I were hesitant to visit. Acheng said he didn’t have time, so we didn’t want to disturb them. Now that Young Master Huo is back, it’s only right for me to pay a visit. By the way, is Young Master Huo at home today?”
Ye Zhi was stunned, never expecting his mother to make such a request. Nervously, he shook his head and hurriedly said, “It’s not appropriate… He seems very busy, and appointments seem to be required for meetings. Besides, he might not be coming back today…”
Ye Wan smiled, “Then I’ll go with you to pick up Ranran. She’s your niece, and it’s good to build a good relationship.” She was beautiful, and when she deliberately softened her tone, she appeared gentle, capable of fooling unsuspecting people into thinking she was very easygoing and had a good temper.
Ye Zhi broke into a cold sweat, feeling the pressure from his mother’s urging. Finally, he confessed, “Mom, actually, I was making excuses. Ranran doesn’t need me to pick her up…”
Ye Wan’s face changed, and she immediately sneered, “I knew it! Get in the car, let’s talk at home.”
The area where the Ye family lived was filled with luxurious villas. During the heyday of the Ye family, buying such a house would have depleted half of their fortune. Four years ago, in order to keep the family business running, Ye Wan mortgaged the house. Over the years, they hadn’t been able to redeem it.
Now, the family business was struggling, and if Huo Youcheng withdrew his investment, the Ye family would face immediate bankruptcy. They would even lose this house, and they would be burdened with a considerable debt.
However, despite their financial struggles, the Ye family didn’t show any signs of thriftiness.
The yard was still filled with expensive flowers that required professional care, and the bathtub was cleaned once a week. When Ye Zhi entered the house, he noticed that the carpet in the living room had been replaced. Judging from the logo, the new carpet was quite expensive, perhaps worth more than six figures.
Mr. Ye had also added several new golf clubs and even arranged a video call with someone to play golf at a high-end venue next Sunday.
