Chapter 36.1: This is my own granddaughter!

At this moment, Gu Zhixin suddenly recalled his childhood. Back then, he was actually quite timid. He was afraid of flying, but he had to go to Singapore, to England—he had no choice but to take a plane.  

His mother had told him that he couldn’t let others know he was afraid of flying, or they would laugh at him.  

So he had to force himself to endure it.  

Yet every time he was on a plane, he felt as if something was piercing through his ears and brain, as if he lost all hearing and sensation.  

And now, just from Ye Tianhui’s simple “Mr. Gu,” Gu Zhixin felt like he was experiencing his first-ever flight.  

Only this time, instead of fear, what accompanied the overwhelming roar was anticipation and excitement.  

He stared at her intently, holding his breath, waiting for her to continue speaking.  

Ye Tianhui, however, was utterly baffled.  

Why was he looking at her like that? As if they had some deep-seated grudge?  

All this… over a purse?  

She found it incredibly amusing, though her expression remained calm. She simply said coolly, “Enjoy yourself, Mr. Gu. I’ll be taking my leave.”  

With that, she walked right past Gu Zhixin and headed toward the villa entrance.  

Gu Zhixin stood there, stunned, unable to react for a moment.  

In his mind, she should have walked up to him, smiled, and struck up a conversation. Naturally, he would act a little reserved at first, but as long as she softened her attitude a little, he would immediately forgive her. Then they could chat and get to know each other better.  

But instead… this?  

She just left him standing there and went inside?  

She actually ignored him??  

Gu Zhixin was dazed for a long moment before finally snapping out of it. He lowered his voice and said, “Stop right there!”  

Ye Tianhui was even more confused. She halted her steps and raised an eyebrow at him. “What is it?”  

At the same time, she tightened her grip on her golden purse.  

She had indeed bought this purse on purpose, making sure Gu Jiayue couldn’t get it. But she had done so fairly and legally—she had bought it with her own money.  

If they had the ability, they could have the store make another one. If they had the means, they could buy out the store and prevent it from selling to her.  

But now, standing at her own doorstep, this man was glaring at her and scolding her loudly? What was this—was he planning to rob her outright?  

Ye Tianhui looked at Gu Zhixin coolly. If he dared to snatch it, she dared to beat him up!  

If she didn’t teach him a lesson, he probably wouldn’t understand the power of traditional Chinese martial arts.  

Gu Zhixin stared at Ye Tianhui, seeing the distant and defensive look in her eyes, and a wave of frustration surged in his heart.  

She was actually looking at him like this? Didn’t she know how to coax him? How dare she look at him this way!  

He had already decided to give her an easy way out. She was just a mainland girl—couldn’t she lower her stance a little?  

Clenching his teeth, he looked at Ye Tianhui and said, “Don’t you think you should explain yourself? What exactly do you mean by this?”  

Ye Tianhui found it laughable. She lifted her hand, deliberately showing off the golden filigree purse in her grip, then said matter-of-factly, “What’s there to explain? I like it. Is that a problem? If I like it, why can’t I have it?”  

Like? 

Gu Zhixin’s anger instantly dissipated, leaving only two words echoing in his mind—she likes it.  

He stared at Ye Tianhui. “You really like it? If you do, then why are you treating me this way?”  

Ye Tianhui was even more baffled. She looked at him in disbelief. “How exactly am I treating you? Mr. Gu, this is my home. I don’t care who you came to see—I greeted you politely. What’s wrong with that? How did I offend you? What on earth are you talking about?”  

Gu Zhixin wasn’t sure why she was bringing this up, his mind was in chaos. But he quickly caught onto one detail—she had specifically mentioned that he came to see Ye Wenyin.  

Was she jealous?  

Gu Zhixin took a deep breath, calmly placing his hands in his pockets as he looked at her. “I came here to visit Master Ye and personally deliver a piece of my grandfather’s calligraphy. I wasn’t here to see anyone in particular. I was just sitting here enjoying the scenery—”  

He wanted to clarify that he had no special relationship with Ye Wenyin, to explain things properly to Ye Tianhui.  

But just then, the villa’s living room door swung open, and Ye Wenyin stepped outside.  

She was carrying a tray with freshly baked cake, steam rising from it with a sweet aroma.  

Gu Zhixin’s words abruptly stopped.  

Ye Wenyin glanced at Ye Tianhui, then her gaze shifted to Gu Zhixin.  

Blinking in confusion, she asked, “Zhixin, you two are chatting? Then… why not come inside and talk?”  

Gu Zhixin clenched his fists in his pockets, feeling irritated. “Just exchanging a few words.”  

Ye Wenyin bit her lip. “Alright, then. You two talk, I’ll head inside.”  

Watching the scene unfold, Ye Tianhui felt even more bewildered. Beyond that, she felt… a bit like she’d been caught in an awkward situation.  

Why on earth was she standing here arguing with Gu Zhixin? Over a purse? If this got out, it would be downright embarrassing!  

And judging by Ye Wenyin’s reaction, she had probably misunderstood, thinking Ye Tianhui was trying to steal her fiancé.  

Sure, Gu Zhixin had good looks. When she first saw him on a magazine cover, she also thought he was striking—very pleasing to the eye.  

But his personality—

What a disaster!  

Even if she went blind, she would never fall for someone like him!  

She chuckled, glanced indifferently at Gu Zhixin, then at Ye Wenyin. “You two carry on. I’m busy—I’m heading upstairs.”  

With that, she turned and stepped inside.  

Gu Zhixin instinctively took a step forward to follow her, but just then, Ye Wenyin also moved forward. He accidentally bumped into her tray, and a startled “Ah!” escaped her lips.  

Gu Zhixin managed to steady her, but while he caught her, the tray—along with the freshly baked cake—crashed to the ground.

The delicate porcelain shattered, and the fragrant pastries tumbled to the ground.  

Gu Zhixin asked Ye Wenyin, “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”  

Ye Wenyin squatted there, head lowered, saying nothing.  

Gu Zhixin: “Wenyin, what’s wrong?”  

They had grown up together and known each other since childhood. Seeing her suddenly burst into tears naturally surprised him.  

Ye Wenyin kept her head down and still didn’t speak.  

Gu Zhixin was about to ask further when he saw a teardrop fall, landing with a soft *plop* onto the pristine shards of porcelain.  

He quickly grasped her shoulders. “Wenyin, what’s wrong?”  

Ye Wenyin raised her face slightly, and Gu Zhixin saw eyes brimming with tears and lips trembling even as she bit down on them.  

Gu Zhixin hurriedly said, “Wenyin… where are you hurt?”  

Ye Wenyin sniffled, then turned her face away. “No, I’m not hurt anywhere… I just feel upset.”  

Gu Zhixin: “What happened?”  

Ye Wenyin choked out, “The cake… the cake fell on the ground. I baked it for a long time. I thought you’d like it and wanted to give it to you.”  

Only then did Gu Zhixin understand. He sighed and comforted her, “It’s okay, I just won’t eat it. Don’t cry.”  

Yet Ye Wenyin still couldn’t stop crying.  

**********  

After going upstairs, Ye Tianhui immediately closed the door. Once it was shut, she placed the small gold handbag on the closet shelf, admiring it with delight. She liked it very much.  

Then she went to wash her hands and change clothes, switching into a loose-fitting loungewear set. She called the housekeeper, Li Jie, on the intercom to ask about dinner. Li Jie said it would be ready soon and that they would start as soon as Sir returned. If she was hungry, she could have some appetizers first.  

Ye Tianhui didn’t want to go downstairs to avoid running into certain people. She just hoped Gu Zhixin would leave soon, so she asked Li Jie to bring the food up to her.  

She walked to the window to check if Gu Zhixin had left. If he hadn’t, would he stay for dinner when Ye Lixuan returned?  

Looking out, she happened to see Gu Zhixin holding Ye Wenyin’s fingers tenderly, as if she had hurt them.  

She shook her head, sighed, and was about to lower the blinds.  

But at that moment, Gu Zhixin happened to look up, and their eyes met through the glass.  

She frowned, then decisively pulled down the blinds, ignoring him.  

Bad luck, bad luck.  

**********  

That day, Old Master Ye went to the Penteng Equestrian Club, primarily to check on Black Rose. If he had time, he might also visit the racetrack to review the interclub competition schedule and deal with his bet with Ye Tianhui.  

Ye Tianhui accompanied Old Master Ye. None of the other grandchildren had this privilege. Ye Wenjing and Ye Wenyin sat together in the back of the luxury van.  

After getting in, Ye Wenjing glanced at Ye Wenyin.  

He saw her leaning slightly against the leather seat, gazing out the window with a somewhat lost expression—clearly carrying a hint of disappointment.  

After all, she was his little sister, whom he had watched grow up. Seeing her like this pained him.  

He looked out the window toward the vehicle ahead, which had already started moving. The people riding in that car were undoubtedly those Old Master Ye favored the most.  

In a family like theirs, people always acted according to the situation. The servants observed Master Ye’s preferences and naturally treated others accordingly. Since Old Master Ye doted on Ye Tianhui, the others were inevitably looked down upon. They had all grown up this way.  

Ye Wenjing sighed and leaned in to whisper to Ye Wenyin, “I heard that mainland girl snatched a gold handbag from Jiayue the other day. Jiayue was furious.”  

Ye Wenyin knew all about it but feigned surprise. “A gold handbag? Why would she want to buy that? Isn’t that too flashy? Jiayue must be furious that something she wanted was taken.”  

Then she quickly added, “But it’s fine. I’ll talk to Jiayue and comfort her so she doesn’t get too upset.”  

Ye Wenjing was unconvinced. “Wenyin, you’re too kind. She’s the one causing trouble, so why should you have to clean up after her?”  

Ye Wenyin smiled bitterly. “Since she arrived, I’ve tried my best to be nice to her and make her comfortable. But she always treats me coldly. Living under the same roof, I have my own hardships too, but there’s nothing I can do. I know she’s had a hard life in the mainland. She must have suffered a lot. This is my debt to her. Even if I had to cut my own flesh for her, it wouldn’t be too much. Helping her maintain some dignity is nothing in comparison.”  

Hearing this, Ye Wenjing felt both heartache for Ye Wenyin and admiration for her kindness. “Wenyin, you’ve suffered too much. But what does any of this have to do with you? You were just a baby back then—you didn’t know anything. What right does she have to treat you this way?”  

Ye Wenyin bit her lip and sighed helplessly. “Third Brother, just hearing you say this makes me feel better. At least in this family, someone understands me and knows that I haven’t taken someone else’s place.”  

Ye Wenjing immediately reassured her, “Wenyin, don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll always see you as my sister. We grew up together—we’re siblings from childhood. Blood relations don’t matter. We ate from the same pot. No one can take that away from us.”  

Then he scoffed. “As for that mainland girl, she’s nothing like us. She’s vulgar and rough, knows nothing, and can’t even speak proper Cantonese or English. She has no class and only came here to grab our family’s money. How could I ever acknowledge her as my sister?”  

Ye Wenyin sighed. “San Ge (Third Brother), you don’t have to say that. She’s had a tough life. I see her wanting to try every good food she comes across. She must have starved in the mainland and never eaten anything decent.”  

But Ye Wenjing only found this even more repulsive, imagining Ye Tianhui’s desperate, greedy way of eating.  

He despised her completely.  

Turning to look at Ye Wenyin, he saw her lowering her head, appearing so patient and gentle. It made him feel even more protective of her.  

This was the sister he grew up with. That mainland girl had no right to replace her.  

Yet the old man favored that mainland girl.  

That mainland girl, he didn’t condescend to even look at her. She was an embarrassment to the Ye family, and he would never acknowledge her as his sister.

In the luxury vehicle ahead, Old Master Ye looked at his granddaughter with great satisfaction.  

After some grooming, her appearance and demeanor had improved significantly, and the previous rustic, underdeveloped impression was no longer visible.  

Of course, what pleased him even more was that, although Ye Tianhui was slender and delicate, there was a distinct heroic vigor in her brows and eyes—something none of the other granddaughters or grandnieces in the family possessed.  

The other granddaughters and grandnieces were all born and raised in Hong Kong, having enjoyed a life of luxury since childhood. They were proper young ladies from prestigious families, and while he had always been satisfied with them, compared to Ye Tianhui now, they ultimately lacked a certain vibrant energy.  

Moreover, this granddaughter of his was truly bold and reckless, as if she never regarded any rules. That unrestrained audacity reminded him somewhat of his younger self.  

Leaning slightly against the soft, high-end leather seat, he smiled kindly and turned to look at Ye Tianhui. “Tianhui, how have you been feeling these past few days? Are you adjusting well?”  

Ye Tianhui smiled. “I’m fine. I used to know nothing, but now, with the assistant teaching me, I’ve gradually started to understand some things. However, I’ve spent a lot of money on clothes and accessories.”  

Hearing this, the old man laughed heartily. “Buy whatever you like. You’ll have some pocket money every month—spend it freely. If it’s not enough, just ask your dad to buy it for you.”  

Ye Tianhui: “Alright. My dad also gave me a card.”  

The old man nodded repeatedly in approval, then smiled as he asked, “For this inter-class horse racing competition, have you set your sights on any particular horse?”  

Ye Tianhui: “I have some preliminary thoughts, but I still want to visit the racecourse first. I’ll make a final decision after seeing everything in person.”  

The old man chuckled. “Tianhui, do you have any complaints? Do you think I’m being too harsh on you?”  

Ye Tianhui merely smiled. “Grandfather, not at all. I understand your good intentions.”  

The old man: “Oh?”  

Ye Tianhui: “I was born in the mainland, never received an education in Hong Kong, and never learned the etiquette of high society. Being new here, even though I am a legitimate member of the Ye family by blood, I might still be looked down upon. If Grandfather were to entrust me with important responsibilities right away, others might not accept it. Since you are setting up this test for me, it actually serves to kill two birds with one stone.”  

The old man: “Kill two birds with one stone?”  

Ye Tianhui smiled at him. “Isn’t it? Grandfather, you want to take this opportunity before the official racing season to acquire a few promising horses locally in Hong Kong. If I can accurately predict the results of the inter-class competition, first, it will establish credibility; second, I will have the authority to make purchases and train the horses. By then, no one will question my decisions.”  

The old man laughed. “You may seem carefree, but you’re actually meticulous. You’ve guessed my thoughts quite well.”  

Ye Tianhui joked, “Well, I am your biological granddaughter, right? That’s the power of bloodline intuition!”  

The old man burst into hearty laughter. “Well said!”  

As the grandfather and granddaughter continued their cheerful conversation, Ye Tianhui was reminded of the past.  

In the past, as a subject, she had been trained to decipher the emperor’s thoughts—it was a mandatory skill.  

Though she was often wrong, and kept making incorrect guesses, at least she had gained plenty of experience.  

While they spoke, the Gu family’s convoy arrived in grand fashion at the racecourse, where Manager Hu was already waiting to receive them.