Chapter 28: She wanted him to regret fathering her for his entire life.

Old Master Ye was surprised to hear this, “Is this a veterinarian?”

Ye Wenyin’s expression shifted subtly but still smiled as she said, “How could that be? She’s just a young girl, clumsy and inexperienced, how could she possibly be a veterinarian?”

As she spoke, her gaze swept toward the stable manager.

By this point, the stable manager understood all too well that Miss Ye was clearly opposed to Ye Tianhui’s involvement and didn’t want her meddling in any way.

In fact, he himself feared Ye Tianhui causing trouble and just wanted her as far away as possible!

Immediately, the manager hastened to say, “She has no medical knowledge at all.”

He then signaled those nearby with a glance, urging them to quickly drive Ye Tianhui away. The staff hurriedly left to carry out the order.

Old Master Ye said, “I hear it’s a young woman speaking. Since she’s already voiced her opinion, let her in. Hearing her out won’t hurt.”

When Old Master Ye said this, Ye Wenyin’s face subtly changed. She immediately turned to the ranch manager and said, “Manager Hu, did you hire a skilled veterinarian just to treat the horses? Are we expecting miraculous results?”

Her tone was light and soft, as if she were sincerely asking, but Manager Hu felt a chill.

He knew that this young lady’s words were never idle chatter.

By mentioning “skilled veterinarian” and “miraculous results,” she was already implying that the ranch bore full responsibility for Black Rose’s condition. If the ranch claimed to employ such an expert and failed to deliver results, they’d only be inviting trouble for themselves!

Naturally, he couldn’t admit to it.

He quickly said, “Oh, that’s just a joke. She’s merely a young girl from the mainland, inexperienced and unfamiliar with the ways of the world. She was introduced here to do odd jobs, but she turned out to be unreliable and even caused disruptions. We’ve already terminated her employment.”

As he said this, the sounds of the security guards reprimanding and driving someone away could be heard from outside—clearly aimed at this so-called “troublemaker.”

Old Master Ye looked outside the window and remarked, “I find her voice pleasant, clear, and familiar. This is the old Beijing accent! I spent many years in Beijing, and this accent feels so close to home. Let her in; I want to hear her out.”

Ye Wenyin, however, clung to his arm and playfully objected, “Grandpa, I know you’re sentimental about your hometown and nostalgic for its accents, but this girl is reckless and might upset you. Why not focus on—”

Before she could finish, Old Master Ye interjected, “Let her in.”

Cut off mid-sentence, Ye Wenyin’s expression became awkward, and she reluctantly withdrew.

Seeing this, Manager Hu had no choice but to comply and ordered the staff to bring Ye Tianhui inside.

Moments later, a young woman wearing the ranch uniform stepped in. Her slender figure bordered on frail, her skin was fair and translucent, her black eyes sparkled, and her dark brows were sharp and well-defined, giving her an air of quiet confidence.

Ye Lixuan’s brows furrowed upon seeing Ye Tianhui, his gaze fixed intently on her.

Noticing his scrutiny, Ye Tianhui found it amusing and offered him a brilliant, meaningful smile.

His frown deepened, his eyes filled with rejection.

Ye Tianhui thought to herself, What a horrible father. Absolutely despicable.

She was determined to claim her rightful place, to become the rebellious daughter who infuriates him, squanders his fortune, and makes him regret her very existence.

Smiling brightly, she stepped forward and said, “You must be Grandpa Ye? I’m Ye Tianhui, a staff member at the ranch. I apologize for disturbing you today, but there’s something important I’d like to say. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Her beautiful appearance, clear and pleasant voice, and composed demeanor left a positive impression on Old Master Ye.

His expression softened as he smiled and said, “Young lady, what a coincidence that we share the same surname. Since you’ve spoken up, tell us what you think is going on with this horse.”

Manager Hu interjected hastily, “Master Ye, this young lady from the mainland really doesn’t know anything. She’s just talking nonsense and shouldn’t be taken seriously.”

Sweating nervously, he feared that this situation would spiral further out of control and bring even more trouble to the ranch.

Old Master Ye, however, calmly said, “It’s fine. Let her speak.”

Then he turned to Ye Tianhui and reassured her, “Don’t worry. Even if you’re wrong, we won’t hold it against you. Just tell us what’s on your mind.”

Hearing this, Ye Tianhui glanced at Ye Wenyin, who was glaring at her like a predator.

Clearly, this woman was on guard, doing everything possible to prevent her from meeting Old Master Ye.

Ye Tianhui smiled and said, “Grandpa Ye, I work here, and a few mornings ago, I noticed that Black Rose looked unwell during her exercise. After observing her carefully, I formed a bold hypothesis.”

A hypothesis?

Her words drew the attention of Manager Hu, the veterinarians, and the horse trainers, all of whom turned their eyes toward her.

It was well-known that everyone in the stable was a seasoned horse professional, with extensive experience. Yet, none of them had been able to figure out what was wrong with Black Rose. And now, a young stable assistant—a dismissed one at that—had the audacity to speak out boldly?

Did she even know what she was talking about?

From the sidelines, Ye Wenyin watched, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes, clearly reveling in the spectacle.

Ye Lixuan fixed his gaze on Ye Tianhui, his expression dark and unreadable.

Old Master Ye, however, was intrigued. “You have a guess? Let’s hear it.”

Ye Tianhui responded, “I’ve only observed from afar and couldn’t be certain. That’s why I’d like to boldly request permission to take a closer look.”

The old man hesitated briefly without replying.

Ye Tianhui pressed on, “Grandpa Ye, if I’m wrong, you can scold me or even throw me out. But what if I’m right?”

Old Master Ye nodded thoughtfully and then instructed Manager Hu, “Let the young lady take a look. Bring the stable’s medical staff along to assist her.”

Manager Hu naturally agreed, though the veterinarians standing nearby looked less than pleased.

These were top-tier professionals who had treated countless horses. In Hong Kong, their expertise was unparalleled. Yet now, the Ye family patriarch was asking them to work alongside a mere girl?

Could she even diagnose a horse? Had she studied veterinary medicine? How many horses had she handled?

Nonetheless, they had no choice. Under Manager Hu’s arrangements, everyone moved to the adjacent stable to reexamine Black Rose.

When they arrived, the veterinarians exchanged glances and said to Ye Tianhui, “Miss, please go ahead.”

Another veterinarian added with a hint of sarcasm, “The young lady has no diagnostic equipment. Will she be examining the horse by hand?”

His words carried a mocking tone.

To everyone’s surprise, Ye Tianhui replied calmly, “Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes observing, listening, questioning, and feeling. Instruments aren’t necessary. I’ll just take a look.”

The veterinarians exchanged skeptical looks, their expressions filled with disbelief.

A young woman from the mainland, completely unaware of her limitations, probably thought she was playing some childish game!

They decided to stand back and let her make a fool of herself.

Ye Tianhui approached the horse, first carefully observing it. Then she asked for gloves, put them on, and gently lifted the horse’s tail. Starting from the hindquarters, she methodically examined toward the midsection.

As she worked, the crowd held their breath, watching intently.

Manager Hu barely dared to exhale. He didn’t believe Ye Tianhui had any real knowledge about equine care. But with the horse’s condition unresolved, if she somehow identified something, it might help absolve the stable of responsibility. He clung to that slim hope.

Ye Wenyin tensed, her gaze fixed on Ye Tianhui.

She knew. She knew exactly who Ye Tianhui was.

Four months ago, she had received a letter from the mainland. It claimed to be from someone who was her biological mother. She hadn’t taken it seriously, assuming it was just another scam from the mainland. How could she possibly believe it? She had tossed the letter aside without a second thought.

Who could have guessed that she’d later overhear a conversation between her second uncle and another family member? They, too, had received a similar letter. The two discussed it secretly, deciding to investigate the matter further before making any decisions. They even agreed not to inform her father to avoid upsetting him.

This discovery left her terrified.

As a pampered heiress since birth, she had never worried about anything. Although her father wasn’t involved in the family business due to health issues, her grandfather had still ensured he retained shares, and she had grown up in a world of love and luxury.

But now, with this revelation, she was overwhelmed by fear—a cold, sinking dread.

It dawned on her that everything she had could be an illusion, poised to disappear at any moment.

Since then, she had paid close attention to the situation, constantly watching her second uncle’s actions. When the family doctor conducted routine check-ups, she was especially alert.

Her suspicions deepened. She speculated that her second uncle might have secretly taken her blood sample for testing in the U.S.

This uncertainty consumed her. She couldn’t eat or sleep, dreading the moment she might be cast out of the family.

To her, the mainland was an unfamiliar and backward place—a world she couldn’t even imagine. The thought of being connected to that life horrified her. If she were truly the daughter of a housemaid from the mainland, then…

She couldn’t bear to think about it.

In her anxiety, she started lurking around her second uncle’s office. One day, when his secretary delivered a document from an American medical research center, she secretly opened it.

The document confirmed her worst fears. She was not her father’s biological daughter—their blood types made it impossible. Her father was type O, while she was type AB, an incompatible pairing.

It was as if her world had collapsed. All her hopes were utterly shattered.

When her second uncle caught her red-handed, she was filled with despair, convinced she was about to lose everything.

But to her surprise, her second uncle comforted her. He assured her that he would help her stay in the Ye family and keep everything she had, as long as she followed his instructions.

At this thought, Ye Wenyin glanced at Ye Lizhen beside her. From her angle, she could only see his expressionless face, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Her heart tightened in frustration. She had no idea what he was planning.

Suddenly, Ye Lizhen’s gaze turned toward her. His eyes were calm yet carried a subtle hint of reproach and ridicule.

Ye Wenyin flushed with shame, unsure of how to respond.

She had indeed hidden things from Ye Lizhen.

Although he had promised to help her stay in the Ye family as long as she obeyed, she felt insecure. She feared he might abandon her.

Thus, she retrieved the letter she had nearly discarded and secretly contacted the woman claiming to be her birth mother.

To her surprise, the woman replied. The letter was vague but hinted that the real daughter of the Ye family was named Ye Tianhui—and she intended to travel to Hong Kong to meet her biological family!

The letter included a blurry ID photo. That photo confirmed it: this was the real daughter of the Ye family.

Ye Wenyin became restless. She considered reporting the letter to Ye Lizhen but hesitated. In the end, she decided to keep it to herself.

When she later encountered Ye Tianhui at the horse ranch, she recognized her immediately. One look at Ye Tianhui’s features, which bore a resemblance to her “father,” was more telling than the ID photo.

Seeing Ye Tianhui, she wavered. She debated whether to tell Ye Lizhen everything but ultimately chose not to.

She was terrified.

She had read countless reports on the hardships faced by mainlanders coming to Hong Kong. Their struggles and poverty were worlds apart from her life.

She imagined what her fate might have been without that fateful switch orchestrated by her birth mother.

The thought of losing her elegant dresses, dazzling jewelry, and the adoration of wealthy suitors filled her with dread. Everything she had would vanish.

She couldn’t bear the idea of becoming a penniless mainland girl, laboring in a horse stable amidst the stench of manure and sweat.

It was a fate she couldn’t accept.

And to fight it, she was willing to do anything.

She schemed to suppress Ye Tianhui, hoping she would disappear. At the same time, she flattered Gu Zhigan, aiming to secure a marriage alliance.

Even if her heart belonged elsewhere, it didn’t matter. When she was the Ye family’s pampered daughter, she could afford to be willful. But now, fighting to keep her place, she had lost that privilege.

She successfully strengthened her relationship with Gu Zhixin. If everything went smoothly, their engagement would soon be finalized.

She was managing everything perfectly. As long as her second uncle supported her and she married Gu Zhixin, her position as the Ye family’s esteemed daughter would be secure.

Yet now, under the slightly irate gaze of her second uncle, she found herself growing increasingly agitated as she looked at Ye Tianhui—this unexpected, unconventional person.

To her, Ye Tianhui was just an unrefined girl from the mainland, yet somehow, she had stirred up enough trouble to reach her father and even the family patriarch.

It felt like she was running naked through the streets, constantly on edge about being exposed.

She took a deep breath and glanced at Ye Tianhui again. By this time, Ye Tianhui had already finished examining the horse.

All eyes were now fixed on Ye Tianhui, each person wearing a different expression—some waiting for her to embarrass herself, others harboring faint hope, and still others simply curious.

Ye Tianhui removed her gloves, smiled, and addressed the crowd, “Old Master Ye, I’ve just examined this horse. It’s true that there are some issues, but they’re unrelated to the care provided by the stables. The problem likely originated in the UK.”

As soon as she spoke, the expression on Ye Lizhen’s face darkened.

He remained silent, but his secretary stepped forward, saying, “What do you mean by that? Are you implying there were mistakes when this horse was selected and purchased in the UK?”

Ye Lizhen sighed and said, “Young lady, you should know that this horse was thoroughly inspected before leaving the UK two weeks ago. Words like these shouldn’t be spoken lightly.”

Ye Tianhui smiled and replied, “Based on my judgment, this horse is likely pregnant.”

Pregnant?

The veterinarians nearby exchanged glances, many of them struggling to hold back laughter.

One of them spoke up bluntly, “Pregnant? If it were that simple, don’t you think we would have noticed? Besides, how could a racehorse just become pregnant so casually?”

It was widely understood that for a racehorse—especially one with a record of stellar performances—pregnancy could introduce uncontrollable variables.

While it was within regulations for a pregnant mare to race within the first 120 days of gestation, and there were even cases of pregnant mares winning championships, pregnancy was generally seen as a risk and something to be strictly avoided.

Given the rigorous management of UK stables, it seemed implausible that they would sell a pregnant horse at such a high price without disclosing such a significant detail. Doing so would constitute a serious breach of contract.

However, Ye Tianhui remained composed and said, “I believe this horse is pregnant. If you want to confirm, we can check.”

In fact, Ye Tianhui had some confidence in her statement. Even in human females, early pregnancy—especially within the first two months—can be difficult to detect, even for seasoned practitioners. Signs typically become noticeable after two months.

For mares, it’s even harder. Due to their size, the physical changes during early pregnancy are subtle. Unlike the visible abdominal swelling in human women, a mare’s pregnancy might only become evident after five months.

With careful attention and thorough checks, abnormalities might be detected as early as two months, but negligence in this area was not uncommon.

From her recent studies on equestrian incidents, Ye Tianhui had come across a case where a three-year-old mare in Japan had unexpectedly given birth to a foal right before a race.

In that case, the discovery was sudden—the foal appeared in the waiting area with no prior signs of the mare’s pregnancy.

Considering this, she deduced that even with strict protocols in the UK and Hong Kong, early pregnancy might not be part of the routine examinations, leaving a potential blind spot.

Old Master Ye frowned as he studied the horse, Black Rose, before asking the stable manager, “Have you checked for pregnancy?”

The stable manager hesitated briefly before responding, “This is an expensive racehorse. Our main focus has been on physical health checks. While we conducted blood tests, including hormone level assessments, we didn’t find anything abnormal.”

Ye Tianhui replied, “Because it’s still early in the pregnancy. At this stage, blood tests alone wouldn’t reveal much about its condition.”

Old Master Ye turned to her and asked, “Then what makes you think it’s pregnant?”

Ye Tianhui approached Black Rose again, lifted its tail, and explained, “All of you here are experienced equestrian experts. You should know that with a manual inspection, we can observe the horse’s abdominal line to determine if it’s pregnant.”

One of the veterinarians scoffed and said dismissively, “I’ve been in this profession for 20 years. I don’t need a young girl like you to lecture me. From the abdominal line, there’s no sign of pregnancy in this horse.”

Ye Tianhui said, “If you just use your eyes, naturally you won’t see it. But if you place your hand here and touch it, you can feel a very subtle bump. Normally, mares that haven’t been pregnant won’t have this, so combined with this horse’s abnormalities, I judge that this mare is pregnant.”

The reason she dared to say this was because she had indeed seen many such cases.

Under her command was an invincible light cavalry unit. For light cavalry, warhorses were both partners and combat power. Therefore, the military paid special attention to the health conditions of the warhorses. Before setting out, there were specialized veterinarians who conducted thorough checks on every mare, one of which was to screen for pregnancy.

There was a period when she personally handled everything, even joining in to check the warhorses. Over time, she naturally gained a wealth of experience.

As soon as she said this, several veterinarians, not convinced, stepped forward to conduct their own inspections.

However—

After examining the horse, the veterinarians exchanged glances and shook their heads.

The leading veterinarian stepped forward, smiling as he said, “We didn’t find anything unusual. That so-called bump you mentioned, we couldn’t feel it at all.”

Another veterinarian added, “Mei Zai, are you sure? Are you sure what you felt was a bump? Couldn’t it just be horsehair?”

Hearing this, the other veterinarians looked at her with disdain in their eyes. However, in front of the Ye family, they restrained themselves and didn’t say anything further.

Ye Wenyin, seeing this, finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Feeling reassured, she looked toward Ye Lizhen for help.

Ye Lizhen caught her gaze, his lips curving into a meaningful smile before he turned back, resuming his usual serious demeanor. He said solemnly to Old Master Ye, “Dad, I think this matter can’t be delayed any longer. The veterinarians at the stable are already the most professional in Hong Kong. If this continues to be a spectacle, it’ll become a joke if word gets out. Besides, the matter of Black Rose cannot be delayed. It’s time to contact the horse farm in England as soon as possible.”

Old Master Ye asked, “If further checks are needed, what methods are there to examine this horse?”

The stable manager replied, “If we need to check, we can use the manual examination method.”

The so-called manual examination involved inserting fingers into the horse’s vulva or rectum to feel the size of the uterus and determine pregnancy.

Ye Tianhui said, “Currently, it’s early in the pregnancy, so the mare’s uterus probably hasn’t changed much. The manual examination method may not detect it. Actually, I have two suggestions. First, conduct another blood pregnancy test on the mare. After all, in early pregnancy, changes can occur daily. What couldn’t be detected a few days ago might be detectable today. Second, consider using ultrasound.”

These past two days, she had lingered at the stable not idly. She had quickly searched the library for books on equine pregnancy. Although they were in English, she used an English dictionary to roughly understand their meaning. She learned that ultrasound was already being applied in medical fields abroad and that it could directly examine the internal conditions of a mare’s uterus.

Manager Hu felt conflicted.

On one hand, he didn’t believe Ye Tianhui. After all, she was from the mainland, where there were no horse races or systematic equestrian theories. How could he trust a young girl from the mainland?

On the other hand, he secretly hoped she was right.

If she was correct, it meant that Black Rose, who had only been at their stable for a little over a week, must have already mated and conceived before arriving. In that case, their stable would bear no responsibility whatsoever!

Now, watching her speak with such confidence and even mention blood tests and ultrasound, she unexpectedly appeared to be knowledgeable.

At this, he looked at Old Master Ye and tentatively said, “Ye Zong, what she said does make some sense. The blood of pregnant mares changes daily, even differing between morning and evening. We could try testing again now.”

Old Master Ye nodded. “Good. How long will it take to get results?”

Manager Hu replied, “We can conduct this test at our stable. There’s a quick urine strip test and a detailed blood analysis. If it’s a urine strip test, once we successfully collect a sample, the results will take about half an hour.”

Old Master Ye said, “Do both. Start now.”

Manager Hu immediately gave orders for Black Rose’s urine and blood samples to be collected for testing as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Old Master Ye seemed to develop a favorable impression of Ye Tianhui.

He warmly invited her to sit. “Have a seat and drink some tea.”

Ye Tianhui didn’t stand on ceremony and sat below Old Master Ye.

She glanced at the person beside her, smiled, and said, “This must be Professor Ye Lixuan? I’ve long heard of your reputation but never had the chance to meet you.”

Ye Wenyin, hearing this, wore a guarded expression, staring at Ye Tianhui intently.

Old Master Ye chuckled. “Yes, he’s now teaching at Hong Kong University. He’s usually very busy, so it’s rare for him to come over and join us today.”

Ye Tianhui, hearing this, looked mockingly at Ye Lixuan while saying with a smile, “So it’s really Professor Ye.”

Ye Lixuan glanced at her coldly.

Others couldn’t tell, but he could immediately hear that she was deliberately mocking him for previously hiding his identity and not admitting who he was.

He didn’t bother responding, feeling that her smile carried hidden meanings.

Seeing this, Ye Tianhui didn’t pay him any more attention.

Now, she could delve deeper into discussing her background with Old Master Ye.