Chapter 31: “If this matter gets out, do you still want your reputation?”

After hanging up the phone, Ye Tianhui stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, silently looking at the scenery outside.  

The view here was good, faintly overlooking Victoria Harbour. The autumn wind had just begun to rise, the sky was vast, and the sea was wide.  

She thought, she liked it—liked the way he talked to her, liked the ticking sound coming from distant London.  

He must know that she liked it too.  

Some things, though left unsaid, seemed to be quietly taking root in mutual understanding.  

She couldn’t help but think about Gu Shizhang over and over again.  

She naturally understood that her feelings for him were not entirely pure; she harbored selfish thoughts.  

Perhaps the Gu Shizhang she saw was not the real Gu Shizhang. It was his disguise, and also an illusion she had imagined by adding the halo of a former emperor onto him.  

When she truly faced her heart, she knew that when she gripped the reins tightly and galloped across the bright moon and white sands, she had also suppressed certain feelings within herself.  

But in her past life, she made a choice, and once a choice was made, some things were destined to be given up.  

He was her abandonment.  

Ye Tianhui raised her hand and rubbed her face, telling herself not to think about it anymore.  

She couldn’t think about it too deeply either.  

She got up and looked outside. The sunlight was just right. For a moment, she thought of distant London, where a fine drizzle was shrouding everything.  

She sighed softly, thinking that in such beautiful times, she was enjoying the sunlight that he could not, so why should she indulge in useless melancholy?  

At that moment, she selected a book from her luggage—one about foreign horse racing techniques. She also asked Tan Ma to prepare some dried fruits and pastries in the garden, perfect for snacking while reading.  

Sunlight filtered through the sparse branches and leaves in the garden, falling onto the wooden table and the pages of the book, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere.  

She leisurely peeled a chestnut and ate it. Just as she was peeling another, she heard footsteps behind her—a pair of leather shoes stepping rhythmically on the wooden walkway, light yet steady.  

She peeled the chestnut and placed it in her mouth.  

The figure walked behind her, its elongated shadow falling across her book’s pages.  

She looked at the shadow in front of her but did not lift her eyes. After finishing the chestnut, she wiped her hands and continued reading.  

When she turned a page, a calm voice came from above: “You like horses?”  

Ye Tianhui turned the page and responded indifferently: “Yes.”  

The person behind her was naturally Ye Lixuan.  

Now that her identity was unclear, even if the Ye family was overwhelmingly curious, they would avoid her if they could, fearing any possible involvement.  

Only Ye Lixuan, it seemed, could no longer suppress his curiosity.  

Ye Lixuan walked to the wooden table and sat down.  

Only then did Ye Tianhui lift her eyes to look at him.  

She had met him twice before, but at that time, she didn’t know he was truly her biological father, so her assessment of him had naturally been different.  

Now, she tried to look at him through the lens of a father.  

His appearance was elegant and outstanding, bright and refined. Today, in a simple shirt and trousers, he exuded a gentle grace different from his usual carefully tailored suits.  

From what Ye Tianhui knew, he was thirty-eight years old, but he was well-maintained and appeared to be in his early thirties at most.  

Before the liberation, he was a wealthy young man who had read extensively and was exceptionally charming. After the liberation, he endured a few tough years before coming to Hong Kong, soon after heading to Europe for his studies. Since then, he had lived a life of ease and privilege.  

He was fortunate—born a legitimate son. The old master was traditional and valued this greatly. With his handsome looks and academic achievements, he stood out in the Ye family, which lacked scholarly refinement.  

Having once won an international academic award, he was naturally the pride of the Ye family. Although he did not involve himself in the family’s business, his position was elevated, and he was never overlooked.  

Such a person like Ye Lixuan naturally had the right to be proud. He did not need to worry about money and could immerse himself in academic pursuits, looking down upon worldly matters.

Ye Tianhui’s gaze scrutinized Ye Lixuan for a long moment, finally falling on his eyes.

He had a pair of light tea-colored pupils. When he was young, they must have been as beautiful as in that photo. Even though he had aged, the former brilliance had settled, instead adding a touch of elegance and charm.

However, now it was obvious that he had not been resting well. Bloodshot veins appeared at the bottom of his eyes—not many, but very noticeable.

Her gaze moved downward and saw that his thin lips also carried a dryness.

Excellent, it seemed he had been tormented these past few days.

Ye Tianhui smiled, “Mr. Ye, you suddenly came over. Is there something you need?”

Ye Lixuan looked at her with an indescribable expression.

Ye Tianhui appeared completely calm, letting him look as he pleased.

Ye Lixuan’s thin lips moved slightly, and he finally spoke, “The first time I saw you was actually outside Zhang Lin Ji. You were standing outside the curtain wall with your friend. At that time, I felt that you gave me a sense of familiarity.”

He concluded in a very soft voice, “Your side profile, from a certain angle, looks very much like my late wife.”

Ye Tianhui smiled slightly, looking at Ye Lixuan, and said lightly, “Sir, in a different situation, I would think this is a clumsy way to hit on someone.”

She propped her chin and looked at him playfully, “Do you say every young girl you meet looks like your late wife?”

Her words were so frivolous that a trace of helplessness instantly appeared in Ye Lixuan’s eyes.

He frowned, “You—”

He paused for a moment before speaking helplessly, “Do you always talk to your elders like this?”

Ye Tianhui, however, laughed, “Elder? Where do I have an elder in my family? After all, I only have an incompetent uncle who contracted a dirty disease and wandered outside. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so lacking in upbringing, right?”

As soon as she said this, Ye Lixuan’s gaze shot over sharply.

Ye Tianhui, however, remained indifferent, casual, and composed.

Ye Lixuan’s jawline tensed. He stared at her intensely. After a while, he finally said in an unusually hoarse voice, “I’m sorry, I misunderstood at the time.”

Misunderstood?

Haha, now she had something on him!

Naturally, Ye Tianhui was not one to easily let go when she had the upper hand. She smiled and continued, “Misunderstood? Mr. Ye, may I ask what you misunderstood? Did you think that I, at such a young age, got into your car because I had ulterior motives? What do you mean by that? I was just talking to you, and you drove me out of the car! How dirty-minded and self-righteous can you be, my God!”

She sighed, “Your biological daughter wanted to find you to recognize her roots, yet you thought she was coveting your charm! You—”

She shook her head in disbelief, “If this gets out, do you still want your reputation?”

Ye Lixuan’s eyes were filled with embarrassment, “It was my fault. I admit it was my fault.”

Ye Tianhui chuckled, “Your fault? Is your fault just that you misunderstood me? You insulted me, insulted my mother, and even insulted yourself!”

What else could Ye Lixuan say? His misunderstanding at the time was so disgraceful that even if he were sent straight to the eighteen levels of hell to be burned in eternal fire, it wouldn’t be too much!

He could only suppress his emotions and admit, “Yes, I had a problem with my head at the time. I was thinking wrong.”

Ye Tianhui: “Do you know how sad I was when you kicked me out of the car? I came to Hong Kong alone, saw someone who looked like my father, and that person treated me like some disreputable woman. Do you know how humiliating that was for me? After I got out of the car, I hid in a corner and cried alone for ten minutes. After that, I went to work, and my eyes were so red and swollen like peaches!”

Ye Lixuan listened, feeling guilty in his heart. He had no time to think about whether she really cried like that, “I’m sorry, I did handle it poorly.”

Ye Tianhui: “I’m not the type to hold onto someone’s mistake and beat them to death, so let’s move on from this matter and discuss another issue.”

Ye Lixuan: “Another issue?”

Ye Tianhui nodded, “Come, tell me, I was running on the road, and you were sitting in the car. Why did you stop the car to let me in? Could it be that you had some dirty thoughts about me at the time?”

She raised her face and said suspiciously, “I didn’t understand at the time and thought you were being kind, but now that I think about it, it seems a little suspicious?”

Ye Lixuan’s eyes showed helplessness, “How could that be? Saying such things is insulting me. Am I that kind of person?”

Ye Tianhui said indifferently, “Oh? You’re not? I was an eighteen-year-old girl, young and beautiful. When you saw me, you wanted to give me a ride, and you even wanted to give me clothes to wear. The more I think about it, the more it feels wrong. Tell me, did you have any ulterior motives towards your biological daughter?”

Ye Lixuan’s temples throbbed.

He couldn’t understand how he had encountered such an absurd situation. His daughter was fake, swapped by someone else. The kind of ridiculous plot from Hong Kong dramas had actually happened in his life.

And even more absurd, he was now explaining his moral character to his biological daughter, being interrogated by her.

He suppressed his emotions and reluctantly explained, “You… really overthought. At that time, I saw you running over, and I really didn’t think much. How could I—”

If he had any bad thoughts, he wouldn’t have driven her out after the misunderstanding.  

He suddenly didn’t want to explain anymore. He abruptly stood up, gritting his teeth: “Am I that kind of person? Do you have to doubt my character like this?”  

At the time, he just thought that she was about the same age as his daughter and looked very pleasant. He didn’t know why, but he instinctively wanted to get closer.  

How could he have had any other thoughts! This kind of suspicion was too insulting to him!  

Ye Tianhui saw this and calmly reassured him: “No need to be too anxious, I’m not trying to wrongly accuse you. It’s fine if there’s nothing.”  

Ye Lixuan looked at her indifferent demeanor and suddenly realized.  

He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her: “You did it on purpose. You just wanted to hold something over me, to make me feel guilty.”  

She only wanted to put him at a disadvantage, to seize the upper hand and morally attack and humiliate him.  

Crying until her eyes were swollen like peaches, worrying that he had ulterior motives—these were just her little tricks!  

This daughter was never the weak and easily bullied kind-hearted person.  

Ye Tianhui smiled: “As expected of my biological father, you’re quite smart. Yes, I did it on purpose. But so what? Shouldn’t you feel guilty? Shouldn’t you regret it? Didn’t you misunderstand me?”  

Ye Lixuan: “……”  

He stared blankly at the daughter in front of him. The young girl was full of vitality, clearly born with an innocent and pure appearance, but she couldn’t hide her strong ambition.  

This was his flesh and blood, but she carried a recklessness he couldn’t understand. She wasn’t a child who could be dealt with using conventional thinking.  

He closed his eyes, then opened them again, and sat back down.  

Ye Tianhui watched him, seeing that after sitting down again, he seemed to have gradually composed himself. At least he was no longer the poor father she had pushed to the corner and enraged.  

He had become calm again.  

She thought, this father seemed to have achieved quite a bit in his professional field and had even received some honorary professor title from a well-known overseas university. In any case, he was outstanding.  

With such a high IQ, he was indeed a very talented person.  

Naturally, people like him were also very good at controlling their emotions.  

She watched Ye Lixuan but saw him raise his hand to rub his temples. After that, he finally said: “Can you tell me about your childhood?”  

Ye Tianhui looked at him with interest: “What do you want to hear?”  

Ye Lixuan: “Anything, anything is fine.”  

Ye Tianhui leaned back slightly, comfortably resting against the back of the white rattan chair. After thinking for a moment, she said: “I grew up with my adoptive mother. Our family was very poor and often couldn’t afford food. When I was four, I learned to go out and pick up coal cinders. Do you know about picking coal cinders?”  

Ye Lixuan nodded: “I know.”  

Before the liberation, poor children often did this—it was their livelihood during winter.  

He just hadn’t realized that his daughter had gone through such things without him knowing.  

Ye Tianhui: “In winter, I collected coal cinders. In other seasons, I would go into the water to catch fish and shrimp. I also picked up scraps of paper on the street, scavenged for junk, or helped those old performers under the bridge with odd jobs. Whatever came my way, I did. After earning some money, I would secretly buy food for myself on the street, and save a portion to hand over to my adoptive mother.”  

What she said was partly true and partly false.  

She did go hungry, did want to get food, and had a tough time. But she wasn’t someone who would be easily bullied. She had learned from a very young age how to get good food for herself with the least effort. She would secretly save money and hide food. By the time she was six or seven, she had already gathered a group of local kids and led them in working together to get food.  

In short, she grew up in tough times, but it wasn’t as miserable as she made it out to be.  

Of course, she disregarded the facts and continued fabricating her story leisurely, looking at Ye Lixuan: “Later, when she found out, she beat me.”  

Ye Lixuan: “How did you discover your true identity?”  

Ye Tianhui: “She had a close friend named Hu Cuiyun. This Hu Cuiyun seemed to have grown up with her. But Hu Cuiyun got divorced and raised a son alone. They were very close and often chatted together. One day, I was sewing clothes in the inner room. Since I didn’t make any noise, they thought I had gone out and started gossiping. They wanted me to marry Hu Cuiyun’s son, saying I should get married quickly and have a child to tie me down. That way, even if some news got out in the future, it wouldn’t matter. She even said they were afraid of being punished by Buddha for it, but thinking about how her own daughter was enjoying a good life in Hong Kong, she felt it was worth it.”  

Ye Lixuan furrowed his brows, a deep anger surfacing in his eyes.  

Clearly, he knew Hu Cuiyun. She was once a servant in their household.  

Ye Tianhui watched his reaction and was very satisfied. Her words had indeed had an effect.  

She continued: “I was shocked at the time. Thinking back on my childhood, I realized I really wasn’t her biological daughter. After that, I paid extra attention and secretly rummaged through her letters when she wasn’t looking. I actually found some clues.”

Ye Lixuan: “You have attended school, right?”  

Ye Tianhui: “I have. My studies were okay, but now there’s no college entrance exam in the mainland, it was abolished. After graduating from high school, many people went to the countryside. I was lucky; in my second year of high school, I twisted my ankle and didn’t attend school, so I secured a spot in a factory early, and as a result, I avoided going to the countryside.”  

Ye Lixuan: “What did you do in the factory?”  

Ye Tianhui: “Just stood there doing textile work. The job was alright, and the benefits were good. The factory had a canteen that issued meal tickets, and during the New Year, they even gave out tickets for two catties of meat so we could have some meat.”  

Ye Lixuan listened to this and was silent for a long while before asking: “What does two catties of meat mean? What about the rest of the time?”  

Ye Tianhui matter-of-factly: “Of course, we didn’t eat meat usually!”  

Ye Lixuan was slightly stunned.  

Ye Tianhui, surprised: “We could only eat meat during the New Year. How could we possibly have it at other times!”  

On this matter, she hadn’t fabricated anything.  

There really was no meat to eat!  

If there had been, she could have endured a little longer and wouldn’t have ended up coming to Hong Kong to suffer, let alone standing at the gates of the Ye family begging!  

Ye Lixuan obviously couldn’t quite understand.  

When he left the mainland, it had only been two or three years since the founding of the country. At that time, affluent families in Beijing still maintained their original standard of living, without the subsequent policies, movements, and natural disasters, so he had never experienced it.  

Ye Lixuan raised his hand, rubbed his forehead, then asked in a low voice: “You said you wrote to us?”  

His voice was hoarse and weary.  

Ye Tianhui nodded: “I did write, but wasn’t there never a response? So I thought that my relatives in Hong Kong were truly heartless and indifferent, disregarding our blood ties!”  

Ye Lixuan: “Can you tell me about your journey to Hong Kong? I want to hear it.”  

That was naturally no problem.  

Ye Tianhui recounted in detail how she swam across the water, how she was unlucky enough to encounter a storm, and how she narrowly escaped death. Throughout it all, one key point was never left out: hunger.  

She was hungry. She was hungry. The whole experience was just hunger.  

In the last few months of her previous life, aside from making strategic plans and exhausting herself mentally, hunger was like an alarm constantly ringing in her mind. It would appear so vividly and unavoidably whenever she finally managed to catch some sleep, making it impossible to ignore or escape.  

Thanks to her firsthand experience, she naturally spoke with great emotion and conviction.  

After she finished speaking, Ye Lixuan lowered his eyes, his expression dark and unreadable.  

Ye Tianhui glanced at the various afternoon tea snacks beside her, picked up an egg waffle, and ate it.  

The egg waffle was golden yellow, probably freshly baked, with a rich aroma of eggs and a delicious roasted fragrance.  

Ye Tianhui savored the egg waffle, thinking that no matter what, all the suffering she had endured was worth it.  

Now, the doors of Hong Kong’s top wealthy families had opened to her, and as for this father in front of her, she was confident she could manipulate him, squeeze out his limited value, and use him as her stepping stone.  

As for guilt? Conscience? Family affection?  

She had long since thrown those things into the sea.  

Ye Lixuan looked at her: “Aren’t you going to ask me?”  

Ye Tianhui: “Oh? What should I ask?”  

Ye Lixuan looked at Ye Tianhui: “About your identity, the current arrangements of the Ye family, or anything else?”  

Ye Tianhui smiled, picked up a wet wipe, slowly wiped her hands, and then said: “I know my identity very well, but whether you believe it or not is your business.”  

She lifted her eyes and looked directly into Ye Lixuan’s eyes: “Actually, the fact that you’re here looking for me means you’ve already confirmed my identity, so why waste time beating around the bush?”  

A flash of helpless pain appeared in Ye Lixuan’s eyes.  

He looked at Ye Tianhui and, in a hoarse voice, said: “I’m sorry.”  

Ye Tianhui smiled.  

She looked at Ye Lixuan with a smile: “Do you really think you’re sorry for me?”  

Ye Lixuan: “Yes, I’m sorry. I will do everything I can to make it up to you.”  

Ye Tianhui: “You do need to make it up to me, but there’s no need to say ‘everything.’ I just want what I want.”  

Ye Lixuan: “What do you want?”  

Ye Tianhui said indifferently: “I’m a straightforward person; I don’t like to beat around the bush. Frankly speaking, from a material perspective, I am indeed your biological daughter, but from a spiritual perspective, you are just a stranger to me. There is no familial affection between us. I don’t need you to feel guilty about this, but based on our blood relationship, if you still have a conscience, then just fulfill your duty.”  

Ye Tianhui knew exactly what she was worth. For her to act like Ye Wenyin, acting spoiled and affectionate towards these so-called father and grandfather figures, was quite difficult.

She couldn’t learn it, nor could she pretend. If she forced herself into that role, everyone would feel uncomfortable.  

It was better to lay everything out clearly, saving them from guessing each other’s thoughts.  

Ye Lixuan looked at her with a complex and unusual expression.  

Ye Tianhui could more or less understand what was on her biological father’s mind. He was probably feeling guilty, guilty about how she had grown into such a heartless and emotionless person.  

A father with a good conscience would think it was his fault, while a father with a bad conscience would think that not raising this child was the right decision after all.  

And Ye Tianhui believed that Ye Lixuan was probably the kind of father with a conscience.  

Ye Lixuan finally spoke, his voice hoarse: “What exactly do you want?”  

Ye Tianhui smiled slightly. She leaned a bit closer to Ye Lixuan, looking at the weariness on his face up close.  

She believed that every trace of exhaustion was the bitter residue squeezed out after his conscience had been ground down.  

She carefully examined this Ye Lixuan, and as the smile faded, an unprecedented sincerity appeared in her eyes. In a very low voice, she said: “You will help me, won’t you?”  

Ye Lixuan stared fixedly at the Ye Tianhui before him: “What do you want?”  

Ye Tianhui pulled away from Ye Lixuan and sighed: “Actually, I don’t know either. Maybe money, maybe freedom. I can see that you’re not someone who calls the shots in the Ye family. I, this daughter, came all the way to seek refuge with you through countless hardships, and I might end up with nothing but empty dreams of wealth and even lose my life in the process.”  

She didn’t mention the mother who gave birth to her, but she believed that as long as she mentioned the word “daughter” once, he would recall that past, and guilt would flood his heart.  

For the rest of his life, he would never escape the shadow of guilt.  

Ye Lixuan lowered his eyes and said in a low voice: “What do you want me to do? Just tell me.”  

Ye Tianhui pushed the plate of sugar-roasted chestnuts in front of Ye Lixuan: “Peel the chestnuts for me first. I want to eat, but I don’t want to peel them.”  

She looked at Ye Lixuan and added: “It’s better than nothing, just treat it as compensation for my fatherless childhood.”  

*********  

Ye Tianhui really didn’t want Ye Lixuan to do anything for her.  

She just needed to confirm that if there was ever a conflict of interest between her and Ye Wenyin, at the very least, he wouldn’t side with Ye Wenyin.  

Or at the very least, he would acknowledge that she was his daughter.  

He clearly wasn’t someone capable. If he were decisive enough to stand up and fight Ye Lizhen to the death, he wouldn’t have ended up in this position—his own daughter not being truly his, his wife dying in the mainland, and having no say in the family business.  

In short, this father wasn’t very competent.  

His only use was to help her gain recognition as a member of the Ye family.  

As for Old Master Ye, based on her calculations, he should be ready to reveal his hand.  

Sure enough, that morning, after Ye Tianhui finished washing up and eating breakfast, Tan Ma came over, saying that the master was inviting her.  

Master.  

This was a term with a strong Republic-era style, which allowed her to infer Old Master Ye’s demeanor.  

She nodded, changed into a simple shirt and trousers, and followed Tan Ma.  

From the guest room where she stayed to the main hall, there was a long corridor to walk through. The corridor was luxuriously decorated, filled with an artistic atmosphere, with many paintings that were likely valuable masterpieces.  

It was clear that the Ye family was extremely wealthy.  

Ye Tianhui looked on with great interest, thinking that if she were ever kicked out of the Ye family, she could take a few paintings with her to sell for some money.  

Finally, Tan Ma led her to a place—an elegant three-story building with a distinct Republic-era vibe. It had a tile roof, meticulously built, and was surrounded by various precious trees and flowers.  

Upon arriving at the entrance hall of the building, she saw security guards in suits standing outside, along with several male and female secretaries waiting nearby. The grandeur was no less than that of an emperor from her previous life.  

After Tan Ma spoke to the guards, one of them nodded slightly: “Miss Ye, please enter.”  

Ye Tianhui immediately pushed open the door and walked straight into the hall.  

The moment she stepped in, she felt countless eyes fall on her.  

The hall was spacious and grand, with solid wood sofas beyond her imagination. Old Master Ye was seated on one of those sofas, and beside him, in order, were Ye Lixuan and Ye Lizhen, as well as the Ye family’s grandsons and granddaughters, and possibly their spouses.  

Of course, there were also personal secretaries and servants standing on both sides.  

Everyone was looking at Ye Tianhui.  

Ye Tianhui’s gaze, however, went straight to Old Master Ye.  

She smiled at him, then walked towards him with a respectful demeanor: “Grandfather.”  

Old Master Ye looked at his granddaughter with appreciation. Under so many gazes, she remained composed and dignified.  

His eyes were warm, and he smiled with a slight nod, gesturing for Ye Tianhui to sit beside him.  

It was a spot closer to Old Master Ye. According to traditional Chinese etiquette, it was a position of proximity, the closest to him.  

The meaning behind this position was self-evident.  

Seeing this, the expressions of those present revealed a trace of peculiarity.