Chapter 32: The barefooted is not afraid of those with shoes^[1]The poor, who have nothing to lose, do not fear those in power, ultimately, it’s not a loss to recognize these relatives.

Although Old Master Ye blocked the news and did not allow it to spread outside, within the Ye family, the news still spread instantly. Everyone knew that a so-called daughter of the Ye family, who had been lost and left behind on the mainland, was now staying in the guesthouse.  

With this news, each branch of the family naturally scrambled to gather information. Everyone had their own ways and soon found out that this mainland girl couldn’t even understand English. Because of this, she couldn’t use a Filipino maid and had to settle for an ordinary servant to take care of her.  

It was also said that after she moved in, she neither inquired about any news nor attempted to curry favor with Old Master Ye. She seemed completely unconcerned with anything, spending her days eating and drinking. It was heard that she was very happy with just any simple food.  

When people heard this, they found it utterly ridiculous.  

One must know what kind of place the Ye family is. Daughters of the Ye family have dedicated nannies and private tutors from birth, learning etiquette, languages, and various sports popular among the aristocracy. During holidays, they fly to North America to learn ice hockey; on regular days, they learn golf, equestrian skills, baseball, and fencing in Hong Kong.  

Their middle schools are all international bilingual schools, and their universities must be top institutions in the UK or the US.  

Is this life good? Of course, it’s good—compared to ordinary people, it’s a life of nobility.  

But being born into such a family is not easy. One could even say that each person is under immense pressure.  

From the moment a baby cries, there is already a distinction between male and female. Master Ye is an old-fashioned person and inevitably values sons over daughters. When a son is born, he is valued even more, and the mother gains prestige, feeling proud that her womb has proven itself.  

Later, people would compare whose child could roll over first, when they started crawling, when they began speaking, and how many characters they could recognize by a certain age. These were all topics for discussion during tea parties and family gatherings.  

As they grew older, comparisons extended to how many instruments they could play, how many languages they spoke, whether they had won any ice hockey competitions, whether they had been elected as the baseball association president, their academic performance in aristocratic schools, and whether they could secure admission to top universities in the UK and the US.  

It could be said that every child of the Ye family grew up under the expectations of the family, all forged through countless trials, each one standing out as the best among people.  

Not only did the internal family members compete with one another, but they also competed with other families outside the Ye family—families with long-standing ties, the circles of Hong Kong’s wealthy elites.  

Among the wealthy wives’ social circles at charity galas, there were always hidden rivalries behind smiling faces. They compared everything, from who had the most outstanding daughter-in-law or son-in-law, whose wealth had increased or decreased, to who wore the most expensive jewelry or had the most stylish outfit of the day—this was their daily routine.  

As for Ye Wenyin, in a family like the Ye family, with Ye Lixuan indifferent to worldly affairs and immersed in his studies, and Ye Wenyin having lost her mother at an early age, she naturally lacked support. However, everyone knew that Old Master Ye pitied her for growing up without a mother, so the other branches of the family took extra care of her—after all, the family fortune would not be divided among such a granddaughter, and they were happy to demonstrate their kindness and tolerance.  

Ye Wenyin also proved herself. At sixteen, she secured admission to study equestrian management in London. Now she has returned to help manage the family business. She is beautiful and intelligent, making her one of the most accomplished young ladies in Hong Kong’s socialite circles.

Just at this time, Old Master Ye wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Gu family, and she seized the opportunity, actually managing to marry into the Gu family, marrying that Gu Zhixin. Gu Zhixin was outstanding in all aspects and was the grandson that the elders of the Gu family had carefully cultivated. Who wouldn’t secretly envy Ye Wenyin’s good fortune?

Who would have thought that such sudden news would arise—Ye Wenyin was actually not the biological daughter of the Ye family, and Ye Lixuan’s biological daughter was actually someone else!

If it weren’t for the marriage alliance between the Ye and Gu families, this news, although explosive, wouldn’t have caused such a great stir. But the key issue now was that the marriage alliance had already been established.

Once the news spread, would the Gu family still recognize this marriage? If a granddaughter who wasn’t the biological daughter of the Ye family were to marry into the Gu family, Old Master Ye would surely not approve!

But the problem was, the real biological daughter seemed entirely unpresentable.

Starting with Ye Tianhui’s appearance—by ordinary standards, she could be considered good-looking. She was tall and slender, though slightly frail, with fair skin and delicate features. Most notably, her eyes were clear and bright, and her eyebrows looked as though they had been carefully trimmed with a fine blade, even carrying a hint of heroic spirit.

However, if judged by the standards of their social circle, there wasn’t a single thing about Ye Tianhui that was pleasing to the eye!

Her hairstyle was obviously done casually with just a simple cut, her face was plain without any makeup, her clothing was ordinary with no jewelry whatsoever, and even her nails clearly lacked any grooming.

These things might seem simple, and ordinary people might think that having money would naturally take care of them. But in reality, such details were learned through years of upbringing, carefully cultivated by the women in wealthy families.

Looking at Ye Tianhui now, she was like a wild-growing weed that had intruded into a greenhouse full of carefully cultivated rare flowers—no matter how one looked at it, she seemed out of place, completely incompatible.

The key issue was that Old Master Ye actually intended to acknowledge such a country girl.

Everyone exchanged glances, clearly anticipating a good show to come.

Gu Zhixin from the Gu family was a refined person; he would never take a liking to such a rough girl, nor could he possibly marry a fake heiress. In the end, the choice would likely fall elsewhere—perhaps even to themselves.

The people present all harbored their own thoughts, their gazes varied, while Ye Wenyin sat silently to the side with her head slightly lowered.

Over the past few days, as the Ye family investigated Ye Tianhui, Ye Wenyin had not been idle. Amidst her breakdown, she quickly sought out Ye Lizhen. Under Ye Lizhen’s mockery and ridicule, she bowed her head and pleaded.

Fortunately, Ye Lizhen did not kick her while she was down and instead set a course of action for her—to hold onto Gu Zhixin.

Ye Wenyin closed her eyes slightly, and Ye Lizhen’s deep and unreadable smile appeared in her mind.

He smiled at her and said, “Wenyin, you are already eighteen, no longer a little girl but a woman. You are the most beautiful woman in our Ye family. You should know better than I do how to use your advantages.”

Thinking of this, Ye Wenyin felt a moment of dizziness and confusion.

Ye Lizhen’s tone was profound, making it impossible for her not to overthink.

At this moment, she had no other choice but to suppress the strange feeling deep within her. The first thing she did was to contact Gu Zhixin and quickly draw closer to him.

She understood that with wolves and tigers around, she had no other options. Her only reliance was Gu Zhixin.

Securing the Gu family and making Gu Zhixin completely devoted to her, relying on the Gu family to maintain her position in the Ye family—this was the only thing she could do.

Meanwhile, Ye Tianhui sat down as if no one else was present, very composed and completely at ease.

Seeing this, everyone couldn’t help but exchange looks.

A mere country girl who grew up inland dared to act so arrogantly—did she not know to be more modest?

After Ye Tianhui sat down, Old Master Ye spoke up, “Originally, I should have introduced you to the family on the day you arrived, but I have been busy and never got the chance. I’ve kept you waiting. Have you been getting used to staying here these past few days?”

These words sounded insincere, clearly perfunctory.

However, Ye Tianhui didn’t mind. She smiled and said, “Grandfather, you are busy with important affairs; I naturally understand. It hasn’t felt like waiting at all. Staying here these past few days, I’ve been thinking of this as my own home. With Grandfather’s protection, I feel very much at ease.”

Ye Tianhui’s words were also insincere—so fake it was almost laughable. But it was clear that Old Master Ye enjoyed hearing them.

No matter how fake the flattery, while it might be awkward for others to hear, the person being flattered would still find it pleasing.

Old Master Ye’s expression was kind. “Today, I have gathered everyone here to formally announce that Tianhui is the child our family lost all those years ago. She is Lixuan’s biological daughter.”

He sighed and said, “Back then, when we left Beiping City, Lixuan and his wife remained inland. After that, the tides of time changed, and who could have foreseen such a turn of events? But fortunately, the heavens have opened their eyes and allowed our family to reunite with Tianhui here in Hong Kong.”

Ye Tianhui merely listened in silence.

These words were spoken so lightly, as if the old man’s emotional sighs were nothing more than a backdrop leading into the main topic.

But only she knew how difficult the past had been.

When she had struggled alone in the violent storms and towering waves of the strait, she had barely survived countless near-death experiences.

If it had been anyone else, if not for all the experiences she had gained in her past life, she would have long since been buried at the bottom of the sea. How could she have made it here to listen to this old man sitting in a luxurious and warm hall, sighing about how the heavens had opened their eyes?

However, she said nothing. Some words, true or false, were best just listened to. There was no need to take them seriously.

Whoever takes it seriously loses. For her, the key is money.  

She barefooted was not afraid of those with shoes, ultimately, it’s not a loss to recognize these relatives.  

Old Master Ye continued: “Now that Tianhui is back, I am very happy, but also guilty—guilty that I couldn’t take good care of Tianhui. I will make some appropriate compensations for her.”  

When Old Master Ye said this, everyone present naturally pricked up their ears.  

Compensation—what kind of compensation?  

In the Ye family, every child has a certain education fund. Giving birth to a child means receiving an education fund. When the child turns eighteen, they can receive additional shares and other coming-of-age gifts. All these would probably be given to Ye Tianhui as compensation.  

And beyond that?  

Old Master Ye’s gaze swept over everyone and said, “I will have the lawyer discuss the details later. As for now, let Tianhui get to know the family. We are all one family, so it will be easier to take care of things in the future.”  

Everyone listened and naturally responded with congratulations, smiling and saying that the family had gained another member, praising how good-looking and dignified Ye Tianhui was, saying she was unmistakably Old Master Ye’s granddaughter, and so on.  

Old Master Ye then introduced Ye Tianhui to everyone, starting with the Second Madam.  

Back then, when Old Master Ye studied in the United States, he met the Second Madam and later brought her back directly as a concubine. Afterward, the Second Madam gave birth to a son, Ye Lizhen.  

According to Ye Tianhui’s guess, the First Madam must have felt quite aggrieved at the time. Her husband went abroad and came back with a foreign-educated concubine, overshadowing her completely.  

Now that Ye Tianhui saw the Second Madam, she realized she was indeed a sophisticated person. Her hair was styled in elegant curls, she wore a perfectly tailored qipao, paired with jade jewelry—she truly embodied the grandeur and elegance of a wealthy wife.  

She smiled warmly and held Ye Tianhui’s hand: “Child, you’ve suffered. Now that you’re home, you must be well cared for.”  

She was not her biological grandmother, so Ye Tianhui naturally did not expect much. However, she smiled on the surface and deliberately omitted the “Second” in her address, directly calling her “Grandmother.” It was clear the Second Madam was pleased.  

—Even if the first one was gone, she could only be a “Second.” No matter how dazzling she was in this lifetime, she would probably always resent that “Second.”  

Old Master Ye seemed oblivious to this subtle difference. He continued to smile and introduce people to Ye Tianhui.  

He had seven sons and three daughters in total. Aside from the eldest son, who passed away early, the third-born Ye Lixuan and the sixth-born daughter Ye Limei were legitimate children, born from the same mother. The others were born to various concubines.  

However, Ye Limei had long been married and was now busy with her husband’s business. Ye Lixuan came to Hong Kong a few years later than others and never managed the family business, so he remained relatively unnoticed.  

Ye Tianhui met each uncle, aunt, and cousin in turn. They all smiled and spoke kindly to her, telling her to reach out if she needed anything. Each of them appeared gentle and affectionate.  

Finally, Old Master Ye sighed deeply and said to Ye Lixuan, “Lixuan, now that Tianhui is back and you two have reunited, you must make an effort to spend more time with her.”  

Ye Lixuan hoarsely responded, “Dad, I understand.”  

Ye Tianhui smiled at Ye Lixuan: “Daddy, I am new here and don’t understand much. I will need to listen to you in everything from now on.”  

When she spoke, there was not much emotion.  

Indeed, there was no real emotion.  

The father in her memory was that formidable general. Although he had passed away before her incident, his influence on her character and growth was unmatched by anyone.  

As for this father now, she found him too weak and did not think much of him.  

Of course, she also felt a bit of disdain.  

A father who couldn’t even protect his own daughter—why should she feel any filial affection for him?  

Besides, calling him “Daddy” felt awkward.  

In her past life, she called him “Father” or “Dad,” while in this life, everyone around her called their fathers “Papa.” She had never called him “Daddy” before. Now, saying it felt like acting in a play.  

However, it was evident that when she uttered the word “Daddy,” Ye Lixuan’s gaze settled on her.  

He just looked at her like that, his eyes filled with complex emotions.  

He pressed his lips together, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.  

Ye Tianhui changed the subject: “Daddy, I am very happy to have reunited with you because I never had a father growing up. Sometimes, on rainy days, I would see my classmates’ fathers picking them up with umbrellas, carrying them on their backs. I had no umbrella, no one to carry me. I could only roll up my pants and wade through the flooded alley alone. Sometimes, I would dream of someone holding an umbrella for me, lifting me high above their head. I always thought that was what a father should be like.”  

She looked at Ye Lixuan with a faint smile, her voice tinged with slight emotion: “Now my dream has come true.”  

Hearing this, Ye Lixuan’s eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.  

He understood—he understood that Ye Tianhui was just saying it casually. She did not actually care as much as she claimed.  

It was very likely that the story she told was fabricated.  

But listening to it still made his heart ache.  

After all, this was his own flesh and blood. After all, eighteen years had passed, and he had never fulfilled a single responsibility as a father.  

He raised his hand somewhat stiffly and hugged her shoulders: “I am sorry, sorry.”  

He paused for a moment, his voice thick with difficulty: “I will take good care of you from now on.”  

Ye Tianhui could feel that when he said this, his voice was a bit choked—deliberately suppressed.  

His breath was warm, forming an undeniable heat source above her shoulder—one filled with emotions.

For such an emotional display, Ye Tianhui was also somewhat moved.  

After all, the person was hugging his biological daughter.  

She tilted her head slightly and said, “Thank you.”  

Her voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear.  

Ye Lixuan, upon hearing this soft thank you, felt his hand holding her shoulder stiffen slightly.  

He thought, maybe she didn’t completely not care, at least not as indifferent as she appeared.  

Thinking about it, no matter what kind of personality she had, it wasn’t her fault. A girl without a father, treated harshly by her adoptive mother—no matter how she turned out, it wasn’t her fault.  

At this moment, Ye Wenyin, watching Ye Lixuan actually hugging Ye Tianhui like this, clenched her hands tightly under her sleeves.  

She knew her father’s personality all too well; he was the coldest and most indifferent person in the world, rarely taking an interest in anything.  

He didn’t care about fame or power. When others were calculating down to the smallest detail, he could simply wave his sleeve and leave without a care.  

It was as if he was separated from the world by a layer, indifferent to everything.  

But now, it was clear that Ye Tianhui had a mouth capable of telling stories, and that story had touched Ye Lixuan.  

Ye Wenyin found it ironic and amusing!  

She had called him “Dad” for twenty years, worked so hard to please him, been considerate and filial in every way, yet had never gained even a fraction of his favor. Now, Ye Tianhui had easily moved him with just a few words!  

Even though she wasn’t his biological daughter, he hadn’t known that before, and yet he had never treated her well!  

While she was lost in thought, Old Master Ye mentioned her.  

Old Master Ye smiled and said, “Tianhui, from now on, you and Wenyin are sisters. I’ve looked into it carefully—Wenyin is one month older than you. From now on, call her Wenyin Jiejie. You two sisters should support each other.”  

Ye Wenyin listened to these words, disbelief in her heart, but she finally let out a breath of relief.  

Old Master Ye’s words were very clear. It meant she could stay in the Ye family, she was still a Ye family daughter, and there was no intention of kicking her out or publicly revealing her identity?  

At this moment, Old Master Ye said, “I will find out what happened back then and give Tianhui an explanation. But all of this has nothing to do with Wenyin. At that time, Wenyin was just a baby; she didn’t know anything. Over these years, Wenyin has stayed in the Ye family and, in a way, fulfilled the duty of filial piety to the elders on your behalf. In this regard, Tianhui, I see that you are magnanimous, so you should be able to understand my good intentions, right?”  

As soon as Old Master Ye said this, everyone naturally understood.  

Alarm bells rang in their hearts.  

The implication was that they couldn’t get rid of Ye Wenyin, and now there was someone else coming to share the benefits?  

Ye Lixuan’s one daughter had become two?  

Ye Wenyin, however, was filled with surprise and joy, quickly understanding the multiple layers of meaning.  

It seemed that her marriage to the Gu family was secured, her identity as a Ye family daughter was preserved, and not only that, she was the elder sister—the legitimate elder sister. Ye Tianhui’s arrival had not threatened her status at all!  

It seemed that Old Master Ye still cared for her.  

Thinking this, Ye Lizhen glanced at her with a meaningful look.  

Ye Wenyin’s heart skipped a beat.  

Could it be that Ye Lizhen had helped her? He had said he would help her.  

Ye Tianhui listened to this and naturally understood Old Master Ye’s meaning.  

As expected, he was cunning. Whether she was his biological granddaughter or not didn’t matter; what mattered was the benefits. Two granddaughters meant two different uses. His calculations were clear and sharp.  

Of course, she couldn’t let his calculations go so smoothly.  

Ye Wenyin had been in the Ye family for many years; she knew she couldn’t drive her out all at once, but why should she just accept the status quo?  

Naturally, she had to seize the opportunity to gain more benefits for herself.  

So she looked at Old Master Ye with some surprise, then turned to Ye Wenyin. “Grandpa, is she my sister?”  

As soon as she said this, the room fell silent.  

Not only was she not her sister, but she had also replaced her and enjoyed the Ye family’s privileges for many years. Ye Tianhui’s question was simply too naive.  

In the silence, Ye Tianhui looked at Ye Lixuan again. “Daddy, is she my sister?”  

She didn’t say much, just repeated the question plainly.  

However, this straightforward question left Ye Lixuan unable to respond.

He looked at Ye Tianhui, at the stubborn brightness in her eyes. After a long silence, he finally spoke:  

“You have no sister. Your mother and I have only one child, and that is you.”  

His tone was calm, merely stating a fact. However, it was clear that this statement left Ye Wenyin with no dignity at all.  

Ye Wenyin’s face instantly turned red, her ears burning. She bit her lip and looked at Ye Lixuan in disbelief: “Daddy, you, you…”  

Her lips trembled, unable to speak, but the sound of “Daddy” carried a sobbing tone, showing an extreme grievance.  

Seeing this, Ye Tianhui was also surprised.  

In fact, she only wanted to make them embarrassed and guilty; it was just a tactic she was using.  

She made a demand they couldn’t fulfill—fine, then let them offer some financial compensation instead. That was her plan.  

She hadn’t expected Ye Lixuan to say such words so directly in front of so many people.  

Could it be that a scholarly professor was actually this straightforward?  

For a moment, the lines she had prepared were left unsaid.  

She could only play dumb and stand aside to watch the show.  

Beside her, when Old Master Ye heard this, his face instantly darkened: “Lixuan, Wenyin is our Ye family’s daughter, raised by us. People have feelings; how do you expect Wenyin to cope with what you just said? After all, she is the daughter you raised with your own hands.”  

Ye Lixuan pressed his lips together slightly. Without much expression, he said, “Dad, I am merely stating a fact. I did not say that Wenyin cannot stay in the family. I am willing to continue treating her as an adopted daughter, treating her as my own. That is the result of our eighteen years of father-daughter relationship. However, I believe that objective biological facts should be made clear.”  

Upon hearing this, Ye Wenyin felt as if she had been slapped hard across the face.  

Objective biological facts—she had nothing to do with Ye Lixuan, nor with the Ye family…  

The surrounding people, seeing this, immediately felt a surge of interest in watching the drama unfold, though their expressions remained tightly controlled, revealing no hint of it.  

Old Master Ye, hearing this, was also enraged and scolded Ye Lixuan: “Lixuan, what are you talking about? Are you still lecturing me about biology? Have you studied yourself into stupidity?”  

In the grand, luxurious living room, the cold stone floor seemed even chillier. Old Master Ye’s angry rebuke echoed to every corner. Everyone could hear it clearly, and they all lowered their heads, holding their breath, not daring to make a sound.  

Ye Lixuan, however, remained unfazed. He looked at Old Master Ye and said, “Dad, did I say anything wrong? I do not intend to go against your wishes, but I cannot call a deer a horse, can I?”  

Calling a deer a horse—he even used such words.  

Ye Tianhui was even more surprised.  

She hadn’t expected him to oppose Old Master Ye for her sake.  

This seemingly gentle and refined man turned out to have a backbone?  

Of course, she didn’t want things to escalate to the point of an open fallout.  

It couldn’t go on like this. Such disputes would only cost money. It might not harm Ye Lixuan, but it would definitely harm her, Ye Tianhui.  

It would only make Old Master Ye see her as a troublemaker.  

So she stepped forward and spoke in a low voice: “Daddy, since Grandpa has his reasons, let’s listen to him, okay?”  

Ye Lixuan raised an eyebrow slightly, his cool gaze sweeping over Ye Tianhui.  

As their eyes met, he instantly understood his daughter’s thoughts.  

She was afraid of displeasing Old Master Ye, so she could only persuade him instead.  

Clearly, she did not trust him, did not believe he could protect her, so she looked to Old Master Ye instead.  

Old Master Ye sighed, “Tianhui is still the sensible one.”  

Ye Tianhui said, “Grandpa, my daddy said that he and my mom have only me, Ye Tianhui, as their daughter. I understand that he is just stating the facts and being fair to me. I appreciate my daddy’s thoughtfulness in protecting me.”  

Beside her, Ye Lixuan, who was mentioned, pressed his thin lips tightly together, looking at her in silence. His tea-colored eyes showed no trace of emotion.  

He was so cold and unyielding that Ye Tianhui felt as if she were performing an awkward one-person show.  

Couldn’t he cooperate with her to handle family politics together?  

He was truly an immovable father…  

With no other choice, Ye Tianhui could only ignore her uncooperative father and continue on alone. She smiled at Old Master Ye: “Grandpa, but I also understand your intentions. Some things do not necessarily need to be judged right or wrong. After all, this is a family. A family is not a place to argue about logic. We may know the truth in our hearts, but how we present it to outsiders to maintain the Ye family’s reputation should be up to you to decide. As juniors, we naturally have no reason to disobey.”  

She continued, “I also believe that you are our true grandfather, the most fair and kind elder, and you will certainly give me a fair outcome. There’s no way you would wrong me.”  

As soon as she said this, everyone in the Ye family was a little surprised.  

They had originally thought she was just a naive girl from the north, but unexpectedly, she was eloquent, adept at flattery, and bold enough to demand benefits.  

She had thick skin and strong mental fortitude!  

For a moment, the entire family became more cautious, realizing she would not be easy to deal with.  

Even the Second Madam frowned slightly, staring at Ye Tianhui.  

Who would have thought that the detached Ye Lixuan would have such a shrewd daughter!  

Hearing these words, Old Master Ye was both surprised and delighted.  

This granddaughter was good, very good.  

She had orchids and jade trees^[2]芝兰玉树 (idiom) – A child with brilliant future prospects., the elegance of a bright moon and a gentle breeze. Her speech was poised and dignified. Though she was a woman, she possessed strategic insight and extensive knowledge.  

He smiled and personally pulled Ye Tianhui to sit down: “Since Tianhui has spoken such words today, it is truly a blessing for our Ye family. Come, sit down, while everyone is here, I will talk about my plans.”