Chapter 35.2: Lazy and Greedy

As Ye Tianhui walked out of the mall, she imagined the stunned and displeased expressions on Gu Jiayue and Chen Jiarui’s faces and felt a wave of satisfaction. These two, who looked down on everyone and constantly referred to her as a “mainland girl,” had finally been given a taste of their own medicine.

For these wealthy socialites, nothing else would sting as much as losing out on a coveted bag or piece of clothing.

And besides—

Ye Tianhui glanced at the golden filigree clutch in her hand with satisfaction. She genuinely liked this piece.

In her past life, she had once owned a gold filigree brush holder, a small trinket gifted by a foreign envoy. She had adored it, even though she rarely used it to hold brushes—after all, a poor student always has the most stationery, as the saying goes.

Now, with this filigree clutch, whether she used it or not, she was happy just to have it at home and admire it.

Come to think of it, the money the Ye family had given her was now hers, and spending her own money always required some thought. But swiping someone else’s card? That was a completely different feeling. It wasn’t her money, so she could spend it freely.

She had to admit, the power of money was undeniable. Thinking of Ye Lixuan now, she found him particularly agreeable. Calling him “Daddy” was definitely worth it.

Recalling their conversation that morning, she felt like giving him a call. Spotting a public phone booth ahead, she walked over and dialed his number.

Amid the bustling streets of Hong Kong, she stood in the phone booth, listening to the ringing. After about seven or eight rings, the call was finally answered.

A calm, deep voice came through: “Hello, this is Ye Lixuan.”

Hearing his voice, Ye Tianhui smiled. “Daddy, it’s me!”

As she spoke, she noticed how soft her voice had become. She was really getting into the role of a daughter.

She sighed inwardly. Money truly was a powerful thing. After being poor for so long, she had easily been won over by wealth.

Ye Lixuan immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Is something the matter? Where are you now?”

Ye Tianhui chuckled. “Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to tell you that I just swiped the supplementary card you gave me.”

Ye Lixuan replied, “Oh, that’s fine. I gave you the card so you could use it.”

Ye Tianhui continued, “I bought some small things first, and then I got hungry, so I had a big meal!”

Ye Lixuan asked, “What did you eat?”

Ye Tianhui gave him a rundown: “I didn’t really understand the names of the dishes, and I didn’t pay attention to how the steak was cut. I just tore into it and ate it.”

There was a pause on the other end before Ye Lixuan said, “That’s fine. Dining etiquette is something you can care about if you want to, but if you don’t, it’s no big deal. As long as it tasted good.”

Ye Tianhui laughed. “It seems the image consultant has also scheduled some dining etiquette lessons for me, but I haven’t had time to attend yet! But the reason I called is to tell you something. I went into a store earlier and saw a clutch. It was so beautiful, I fell in love with it at first sight and decided to buy it.”

Ye Lixuan asked, “Did you buy it?”

Ye Tianhui nodded. “I did.”

Ye Lixuan said, “That’s good. The card has a high limit, so feel free to use it. Buy whatever you like.”

Then Ye Tianhui got to the main point: “But after I swiped the card and bought it, some young ladies gave me dirty looks. They seemed really upset and said some unpleasant things to me.”

Ye Lixuan was puzzled. “Why?”

Ye Tianhui sighed innocently. “I think it’s because they wanted it too? I bought it, so they couldn’t get it anymore?”

Ye Lixuan frowned slightly and said, “First come, first served. If the store sold it to you, then there’s no need to pay attention to them. If they didn’t place an order, why should they be upset?”

Ye Tianhui: “Exactly, that’s what I think too! I’m just worried this might cause some trouble.”

Ye Lixuan: “This is a trivial matter, you don’t need to—”

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something.

His daughter wasn’t the type to fret over such minor issues. She was clearly fishing for his reaction.

So, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Which family’s young ladies are these who got upset over a bag? Are they connected to the Ye family in some way?”

Seeing that Ye Lixuan wasn’t easily fooled, Ye Tianhui smiled and said, “One of them seems to be from the Gu family…”

Ye Lixuan understood. He sighed lightly, “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

Afraid he might scold her, she had come to him first to give him a heads-up.

Ye Tianhui replied innocently, “It’s just a bag, Daddy. I’m a young girl, and when I see something I love, I want to buy it. How can that be considered intentional? Buying a bag isn’t something you do on purpose, right?”

Ye Lixuan fell silent for a moment, then chuckled helplessly, “You make a fair point.”

Ye Tianhui: “Since you agree, I feel much better now.”

Ye Lixuan: “Where are you now? When are you coming home? I can come pick you up.”

Ye Tianhui quickly shook her head, “No, no, that’s not necessary. I plan to go to the racecourse at Happy Valley. I’ll just take a taxi there. When I’m done, I’ll grab a cab back to the city. No need to trouble you, Daddy!”

Ye Lixuan: “The racecourse? Didn’t Grandpa say he’d take you to see the inter-class races later and decide things together?”

Ye Tianhui then explained, “It’s not about the inter-class races. I’ve taken a liking to a horse and want to inquire about its price. If it’s possible, I might buy it.”

Ye Lixuan: “What kind of horse?”

Ye Tianhui sighed, “It’s not a particularly good horse, just an ordinary Class Five horse. It won’t win any races. The horse is incredibly lazy and only cares about eating grass. If I buy it, it’ll just be a pet horse.”

When it came to horse racing, the hardworking horses could do the running. Her Chi Yan, however, wouldn’t be running.

Her Chi Yan was lazy, greedy, and just wanted to live a comfortable life.

Ye Lixuan: “…”

He knew his daughter had an eye for horses, but he never expected her to say something like this.

A pet horse…

Still, he said, “Alright, go check it out first.”

**************

Ye Tianhui headed straight to the racecourse, spending a hefty sum to access the VIP seats to observe the horses. She checked the race schedule and found information about Teng Yunwu’s recent race. Just three days ago, Teng Yunwu had participated in another inter-class race. Out of nine horses, it had come in eighth, with the ninth-place horse being a two-year-old newcomer!

Poor Teng Yunwu—it could only bully underage horses now!

With such poor performance, it would likely be abandoned soon if it didn’t improve.

As she inquired further, she learned something else: this horse was incredibly greedy. It was always looking for snacks, its eyes constantly searching for food. To help it lose weight, the staff had tried everything, even restricting its meals.

But the horse was so greedy that it would sneakily chew on its own bedding at night, eating half of its straw mattress. The stable staff were furious when they discovered the half-eaten bedding the next morning.

Ye Tianhui felt a headache coming on. Her poor Chi Yan—how desperate had it become?

She realized the situation was urgent. She had to buy Teng Yunwu as soon as possible.

Of course, its terrible performance was also a good thing for her. A horse with no future like this would likely be unwanted by its owner.

The racecourse kept detailed records for each horse, and generally, guests could request to see this information. However, to Ye Tianhui’s surprise, when she tried to inquire about Teng Yunwu’s details, she was coldly refused.

The staff were polite but distant, explaining that the horse named Teng Yunwu was registered under a foreign tycoon who had no intention of revealing his identity or selling the horse.

This left Ye Tianhui feeling helpless. It seemed she wouldn’t be able to buy the horse on her own, no matter how much money she had. She would have to enlist Grandpa’s help to acquire it.

She had initially thought about taking a taxi to the original racecourse to visit Lin Jianquan, but considering that the Ye family hadn’t officially announced her status yet, it seemed only a few people in the upper-class social circles knew about her.

If she went back now and caused any misunderstandings, it would be hard to explain. So, she decided to wait until Grandpa took her to the racecourse later to sort things out. For now, she noted down the schedule for the upcoming inter-class races, planning to study it carefully when she got home, and then took a taxi back to the Ye family mansion.

***********

By the time Ye Tianhui returned, it was already evening. She had eaten at eleven, but after running around all day, she was hungry again—apparently, the fancy French meal wasn’t very filling. All show and no substance.

When she got back to the Ye Estate, she intended to pay her respects to Grandpa but ran into Tan Ma instead. Tan Ma was polite but distant, informing her that Grandpa had gone out.

She gave a fake smile and said, “Miss Tianhui, you’ve just moved into the Ye Estate, so you might not be aware of Grandpa’s habits. Even if he were home now, it’s not appropriate to disturb him casually.”

Ye Tianhui looked at Tan Ma’s smug expression, reminiscent of a eunuch serving the Empress Dowager, and couldn’t be bothered to engage.

Since moving into the Ye Estate, Ye Tianhui had learned that Tan Ma was the second wife’s confidante.

No wonder she didn’t take her seriously.

Clearly, the second wife didn’t think much of Ye Lixuan or her.

But as the lady of the house, an elder, she wouldn’t stoop to dealing with a junior like her directly. Instead, she had Tan Ma do the dirty work.

Ye Tianhui knew she’d have to deal with people like Tan Ma eventually, but not now. Her priority was to secure some resources and influence within the Ye family first.

She headed back to the third branch’s residence.

The Ye Estate was built against a hillside, with Western-style buildings nestled among lush greenery. Even the walkways between the villas were paved with white gravel, lined with flowers and plants, making it feel like walking through a garden.

As the autumn breeze picked up, the maple leaves turned a fiery red, creating a beautiful, dappled scene.

As she strolled leisurely, her mind wandered to her concerns—the inter-class races, Lin Jianquan, Teng Yunwu, and even Gu Shizhang.

Gu Shizhang had gone to the UK earlier. She wondered if he had returned yet.

It had been a while since they last met, and her status had changed dramatically. She hadn’t quite figured out how to bring it up to him yet.

She had never mentioned her background to him before, and now bringing it up felt a bit abrupt.

As she was lost in these thoughts, she didn’t notice that in a secluded corner of the garden, Chinese sweet gum tree, someone was sitting at a stone table. It was none other than Gu Zhixin.

Gu Zhixin had come to see Ye Wenyin, but his mind was filled with complicated thoughts.

That day at the racecourse, at the very moment when that frail jockey was about to fall from the horse—when his life was hanging by a thread—he had seen a figure clad in pale blue, soaring through the air with such effortless grace.

She was like a celestial being descending from the heavens—unrestrained, uninhibited—saving that young rider.

Gu Zhixin knew he had been deeply moved.

In that instant, the girl he had once dismissed as vulgar and mocked as a “sweet potato” had become a unique and captivating sight.

All of Hong Kong seemed dull and uninteresting, filled with noise and chaos, but she alone was like a ray of sunlight piercing through a clear sky, bringing a serene and pure light to the world.

These thoughts left him restless and uneasy.

He found it all rather pointless. She was just a mainland girl, not particularly attractive, and upon closer inspection, still undeniably rustic. Compared to the glamorous world of Hong Kong, with its permed hair, shoulder pads, miniskirts, and platform shoes, she stood out like a sore thumb.

As the young master of the Gu family, how could he possibly be interested in such a tacky mainland girl?

For two or three days, he had been in a funk, trying to forget about this “sweet potato girl.” He had even gone out with several female classmates, avoiding Ye Wenyin altogether.

He knew Ye Wenyin was disappointed by this, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

However, what happened next completely shocked him.

This mainland “sweet potato” turned out to be a true descendant of the Ye family, the legitimate daughter of the third branch, and Ye Lixuan’s own flesh and blood!

The news was almost unbelievable, but it also filled him with an inexplicable excitement.

He knew full well that his grandfather hoped to forge a marital alliance between the Gu and Ye families. Given that he was the only eligible bachelor in the Gu family, it was highly likely that he would be matched with a suitable candidate from the Ye family.

The thought had always annoyed him, but considering Ye Wenyin’s qualities—gentle, kind, and virtuous—he had resigned himself to the idea. Marrying someone like her wouldn’t be so bad.

But now—

Now he suddenly realized there was another option.

A fresh, unexpected, and thrilling idea began to take root and grow in his mind.

If he had entertained such thoughts a week ago, he would have felt ashamed and disgusted, reacting with vehement rejection.

But now, he felt a faint sense of anticipation.

For the past few days, Ye Wenyin had been trying to reach out to him, but he had been avoiding her, feeling listless and uninterested. However, today his grandfather had written a new calligraphy piece and wanted to show it to Old Master Ye. Gu Zhixin had volunteered to deliver it.

When he arrived, Old Master Ye wasn’t home, so the second wife had received him. Later, Ye Wenyin mentioned some new pastries she had learned to make and invited him to try them. Unable to refuse, he had reluctantly agreed.

Now, Ye Wenyin had gone back to the kitchen to fetch her freshly baked pastries, leaving Gu Zhixin sitting there, bored and restless.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

He looked up and saw Ye Tianhui.

The maple trees rustled in the wind, their leaves whispering softly. She walked toward him, bathed in the glow of the sunset.

She raised her eyes, looking in his direction, her gaze sparkling with what seemed like anticipation.

The evening light fell on her cheeks, giving them a faint blush.

Gu Zhixin’s face burned hot, his cheeks flushing crimson.

What did this mean?

What was she thinking?

Did she already have some feelings for him?

Of course, now that she was the true heiress of the Ye family, the original marriage candidate, Ye Wenyin, might have been replaced by her. If she had any thoughts on the matter, she would naturally pursue this marriage.

Moreover, it was clear she had some interest in him.

That day at the Happy Valley Racecourse, why had he noticed her so quickly? Because he knew she had been looking at him, admiring him!

Gu Zhixin’s blood began to boil, his heart racing as he stared at Ye Tianhui walking toward him.

He clenched his fists, wondering how he should approach her when she got closer.

Jumping straight into a relationship was obviously out of the question. They should take time to get to know each other first, spend some time together, and then consider settling down.

Of course, it wouldn’t take too long. After all, they were destined to be together, weren’t they?

After getting together, there was no need to rush. They could date first, take it slow, no need to hurry…  

Just as Gu Zhixin was already picturing himself and Ye Tianhui strolling hand in hand beneath the tree-lined paths, imagining how to initiate their first kiss, Ye Tianhui finally noticed him.  

She had been completely preoccupied with thoughts of the interclass competition earlier, so she hadn’t realized that Gu Zhixin was sitting under the dappled shade of the fragrant tree in the garden.  

As she approached and saw that it was Gu Zhixin, she was slightly surprised—but not too surprised.  

She had just annoyed Gu Zhixin’s younger sister, Gu Jiayue, over a gold filigree purse earlier today. And now, upon returning home, she ran into Gu Zhixin as well. Seeing both siblings in one day—what rotten luck.  

Moreover, looking at Gu Zhixin’s expression, he had a stiff face, his eyes fixed on her without blinking, and his expression seemed oddly intense.  

What was this about?  

Ye Tianhui raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to herself—was he here to avenge his sister?  

Surely not? It was just a small purse. Would an older brother really come all this way just for that?  

Keeping her composure, she nodded slightly at Gu Zhixin, her tone polite yet distant. “Mr. Gu.”  

The moment she said that, Gu Zhixin suddenly shot up from his seat.  

His movement was so abrupt that even Ye Tianhui was startled.  

She instinctively tightened her grip on her golden purse, looking at him warily as she spoke in a cool tone, “Mr. Gu?”