Chapter 40.2: Win again!

When she returned to the Ye residence, Ye Tianhui walked into the living room and immediately saw Ye Wenyin, who was wearing a trench coat and about to head out.

Seeing Ye Tianhui, Ye Wenyin smiled. “The esteemed Miss Tianhui is finally back.”

Her words were clearly laced with sarcasm.

Ye Tianhui could clearly see through Ye Wenyin’s nature. At first glance, she looked weak and innocent, even kind and easy to take advantage of, but that was just a mask for the outside world.

In front of her, Ye Wenyin was sharp-edged and constantly looking for opportunities to watch her fail, always scheming to drive her out of the house.

From the moment she set foot in Gangcheng, it had been a life-or-death battle between her and Ye Wenyin.

Ye Tianhui said calmly, “An important guest came today. Looks like you gained quite a bit.”

Ye Wenyin adjusted the collar of her coat, then opened the door to leave. “That’s not something you need to concern yourself with. But I’ll kindly let you know—Grandfather said to have you come over once you got back.”

Ye Tianhui: “That makes sense. There’s another inter-class race tonight.”

At the mention of the inter-class race, Ye Wenyin’s expression darkened slightly.

She knew that some of the family’s juniors had become superstitiously supportive of Ye Tianhui. Some had even secretly bet on her race outcomes, and Ye Wenbin had probably wagered quite a lot.

These people were all dreaming of getting rich overnight, trying to take shortcuts, pinning all their hopes on Ye Tianhui.

Of course she wanted Ye Tianhui to fail. If Ye Tianhui failed, those siblings would lose money along with her. Everyone would start hating her. Reality was that cruel.

She smiled and said, “Good luck to you.”

With that, she walked out.

Ye Tianhui went upstairs, tidied up briefly, then headed to the Old Master’s main residence.

As expected, when she arrived, all the other family members were already present. Only she and Ye Lixuan were missing. Word was that Ye Lixuan was away for an important meeting—so she was the only one who was late without a valid reason.

As soon as she entered, all eyes turned to her.

The Old Master didn’t look pleased. “Where were you playing today that you’re only getting back now?”

Ye Tianhui stepped forward respectfully. “I had plans with some friends. I went out early in the morning.”

The Old Master frowned. “What friends?”

Ye Tianhui replied, “Friends I met when I first arrived in Gangcheng.”

She paused for a moment before adding, “Just ordinary friends. We all came from the mainland. We used to help each other. Now that I’ve rejoined the family, I wanted to share the good news with them.”

Hearing this, some of the people present couldn’t help showing disdain.

Friends from the mainland—just from the sound of it, they were probably poor and lowly, maybe even living in pigeonhole-sized slums. Clearly not the same kind of people as them.

Even the Ye family’s servants couldn’t be bothered to associate with those types.

Unexpectedly, the Old Master nodded slightly. “Even though your status is different now, since they are your friends, you shouldn’t distance yourself from them just because of a change in rank.”

Ye Tianhui nodded respectfully. “Yes, Grandpa. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Old Master continued, “But there was an important guest today. Why did you go out? At the very least, you should’ve said something first.”

Ye Tianhui looked puzzled. “A guest? What kind of guest?”

The Old Master frowned. “You didn’t know?”

Ye Tianhui: “I knew someone was visiting, but I figured, since Grandpa invited them, they must be business guests. I don’t understand any of that, and whether I’m present or not shouldn’t matter. So I went out to enjoy myself. But since Grandpa says so, I’ll make sure to notify you before I go out from now on.”

She looked completely sincere, which naturally made the Old Master suspicious. His sharp eyes swept toward the housekeeper, Tan Ma.

Tan Ma panicked and quickly said, “I told her! I told Miss Tianhui about the important guest, but she wouldn’t listen!”

She sighed. “Miss Tianhui insisted on going out. I couldn’t stop her. What could I do?”

Ye Tianhui looked surprised. “But didn’t you say the guest came so I could learn etiquette and hospitality? From your tone, it felt like you thought I wasn’t polished enough. I was afraid I’d embarrass the Ye family if I showed up, so I just avoided it altogether.”

Tan Ma never expected Ye Tianhui to say this in front of everyone. She hurriedly tried to explain, “Master, how could I say that about Miss Tianhui? I was trying to persuade her earnestly, I—”

Second Madam suddenly interjected, “That’s enough, Tan Ma. No more talking.”

As soon as she spoke, Tan Ma immediately fell silent.

Tan Ma’s backing was Second Madam. Now that the Old Master had shown his displeasure with her in front of everyone, it was effectively a slap to Second Madam’s face. At this point, only Second Madam herself could step in.

Second Madam looked at Tan Ma, her face ice cold. “Is this your place to be explaining things? Right or wrong aside, since the matter wasn’t handled well, you’ll be held responsible.”

Tan Ma fell completely silent, not daring to utter another word.

The people nearby naturally understood: the Second Madam felt that the Old Master had rebuked Tan Ma in front of everyone, making it impossible for her to maintain dignity, and in doing so, had also caused her, the Second Madam, to lose face—so she had no choice but to speak up.

At this point, it was obvious the Old Master should step in, say a few words to smooth things over, perhaps speak up for Tan Ma, and the matter would pass peacefully.

However, what no one expected was that the Old Master completely ignored it.

By doing so, he left the Second Madam hanging. After all, Tan Ma was someone from her household—if he continued to scold her it would be inappropriate, but letting it go so lightly wasn’t acceptable either. This left her unsure of how to proceed.

The atmosphere on-site immediately became somewhat tense, and everyone began to feel a subtle shift in sentiment.

At this moment, everyone understood: in truth, Ye Tianhui had missed the arrival of the distinguished guest and gone out, and while it was clear Tan Ma had done it intentionally, it wasn’t as if Ye Tianhui was entirely blameless either. If it had been any other child, they certainly would have been scolded and lectured.

Yet the Old Master didn’t reprimand Ye Tianhui. Instead, he used Tan Ma as a scapegoat—clearly to make an example of her, a warning to the household staff that the newly arrived Miss Tianhui was not someone they could bully at will.

Some people even quietly looked over at Ye Tianhui.

In fact, if Ye Tianhui had spoken up at that moment and admitted some fault, it would’ve given the Second Madam a way to gracefully step down.

But the problem was—Ye Tianhui didn’t say a word. She acted as if she didn’t understand a thing, remaining completely silent.

The Second Madam’s face flushed. Apart from the Old Master, she was the most respected person in the family—she had never been so publicly slighted.

Seeing this, Ye Wenyin spoke softly: “Grandfather, Second Grandmother, don’t be angry. I don’t think Tan Ma did it on purpose. She has many things to take care of every day—it’s understandable if she forgot something just this once.”

Her words finally helped ease the situation a bit, and the others chimed in as well.

The Second Madam gave Ye Wenyin a grateful look.

Ye Wenyin simply gave a soft, gentle smile.

But just then, Old Master Ye spoke: “Tan Ma has been working very hard lately, hasn’t she?”

Tan Ma quickly replied, “I wouldn’t dare say it’s hard work—it’s just that there have been many matters recently. I may have been somewhat negligent. That’s my fault, and I’ll be more diligent in the future.”

Old Master Ye nodded and sighed: “Tan Ma, you don’t look too well these days either—your energy seems low. If that’s the case, you should take a break for now. For the time being, your duties will be handled by Sun Ma.”

The crowd was shocked.

The Second Madam could hardly believe her ears and looked at the Old Master in astonishment.

Tan Ma was even more stunned, completely unable to process what she’d just heard. Once it sank in, her face turned pale as death.

Just a few words, and the Old Master was already telling her to “take a break.” She knew better than anyone what that meant!

“Taking a break” meant she was being dismissed—she would only receive basic severance, her public reserve fund, and medical coverage. No salary at all!

And if the break lasted long enough, she’d be formally terminated—with nothing left!

Tan Ma was completely dazed. She stared at the Second Madam in desperation, her face full of pleading.

But the Second Madam hadn’t expected this at all either. She turned to the Old Master and said, “Isn’t that a bit of an overreaction for such a small matter?”

Old Master Ye replied, “Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. Although the Ye family is wealthy and has some standing, frugality is a family principle. If we can cut out some unnecessary extravagance, we should. While that may not bring in more income, it does reduce our burdens—and that counts as saving.”

With the Old Master having said so much, no one dared to argue. They could only agree with him.

The Second Madam’s face turned red and green in patches. In the end, she forced out a sentence: “You’re absolutely right.”

The others also felt a chill run through them, quietly realizing—the Old Master was clearly helping the girl from the mainland establish her authority!

Tan Ma’s face was ashen, her legs weak. She cast a mournful look at the Second Madam, but seeing her expression, she didn’t dare say anything else and could only slowly shuffle away.

Only then did the Old Master give the order: “Let’s eat. Once the meal’s over, Tianhui’s inter-class match should have its results—someone give them a call and ask later.”

Because it was a dusk match, there was no TV broadcast or live stream—the results could only be learned by phone.

At this, everyone perked up again.

Since Ye Tianhui had made the right bet in the last inter-class match, many of them had bought tickets for this one too—they were all waiting eagerly for the result.

During the meal, most of the table was quiet. Occasionally, someone would make small talk with the Old Master.

Ye Tianhui’s etiquette from her previous life was even more refined than the Ye family’s. Though she was born into a military family, they had been favored by the imperial court for generations and belonged to a prestigious household. In her youth, she mingled with princes and princesses, frequently entering the palace—so her manners were impeccable.

However, it seemed the Ye family, while somewhat particular about etiquette, wasn’t overly strict. Conversation at the table was allowed.

As they chatted, someone naturally brought up Old Master Gu. It turned out the reason the Old Master placed such importance on today wasn’t just because Old Master Gu was visiting—but also because his youngest son had come along.

From their words, it was clear that this youngest son of the Gu family was considered a legendary figure, quite extraordinary. Even the younger generation of the Ye family spoke of him with a degree of admiration.

As for the Old Master, he was full of praise—clearly quite fond of him.

Hearing all this, Ye Tianhui started to feel a bit rebellious. If he was really that outstanding, why didn’t he join the family business and accomplish something? After so many years of study, all he did was “travel the world”—it sounded completely unreliable!

These kinds of rich, idle young masters weren’t anything special—good-for-nothings.

Besides, he was just Gu Zhixin’s uncle. With a nephew like that, the uncle probably wasn’t much better either.

So for now, she just listened indifferently.

By this time, the meal had finished. The Filipino maids had already come to clear the table, but clearly, the people present could hardly sit still any longer.

Thinking about the timing, the results of the inter-class race should be out by now. Everyone wanted to know how it turned out, but because the Old Master remained composed and steady, no one dared bring it up.

At last, the Old Master raised his hand and said, “Wenjing, go make a call to the racecourse and ask—did Tianhui’s bet for that race pay off?”

Having received the order, Ye Wenjing got up and walked over to the side. By the floor-to-ceiling window was a telephone, and he picked it up to call the racecourse.

Everyone listened to the dialing tone, their hearts collectively tensing with anticipation.

After all, this was about their money…

The Second Madam sat next to the Old Master, brewing tea for him, and glanced casually at Ye Tianhui.

Ye Tianhui sensed it, looked over, and returned the gaze with a respectful smile.

The Second Madam coldly shifted her gaze away.

Ye Tianhui knew the Second Madam obviously didn’t like her, but that was fine—she didn’t mind.

Meanwhile, Ye Wenyin kept her eyes slightly lowered, lost in thought about something, while Ye Lizhen also had his head down, appearing pensive.

As everyone nursed their own thoughts, Ye Wenjing’s call went through. After a bit of small talk, he asked the question, and the person on the other end replied enthusiastically with a report.

From such a distance, all everyone could hear was Ye Wenjing occasionally nodding and expressing thanks, and their hearts rose and fell like waves in the wind, following his tone.

Finally, the call ended.

Everyone’s hearts were hanging midair, suspended with anxiety.

Ye Wenjing, just tell us the result already—what happened with the inter-class race?

Then, they saw Ye Wenjing hang up the phone and walk over to Old Master Ye to make his report.

Everyone perked up their ears to listen.

Ye Wenjing said, “Grandfather, I just spoke to the manager. The race has been broadcasted, and the recording is on its way here.”

The moment he said that, everyone was speechless and wanted to shake him.

Why are you wasting time? Just tell us the result already!

Old Master Ye gave a slight nod.

Only then did Ye Wenjing continue, “The winner of the race was—”

Everyone’s hearts jumped up to their throats.

Even Ye Wenyin raised her head and looked at Ye Wenjing intently.

Ye Wenjing slowly announced, “Horse Number Four—Valiant General.”

Horse Number Four, Valiant General!

That was the very horse Ye Tianhui had chosen!

The atmosphere in the living room instantly shifted.

Though no one laughed or cheered aloud, the room was suddenly filled with joy and excitement.

Ye Wenbin’s mouth almost broke into a grin and he barely restrained himself from laughing.

He had bet a sizable amount—this win was huge!

Naturally, the others who had bet as well were also thrilled, overjoyed at the win.

Although the Ye family had money, personal cash was still limited—who wouldn’t want to make easy money from betting?

Of course, some were frustrated—frustrated that they hadn’t trusted it at the time, didn’t believe in it, and missed their chance.

Old Master Ye listened and nodded in satisfaction. “Very good, very good. Tianhui’s eye for things is truly remarkable!”

If one success could be dismissed as luck, then twice was skill—an undeniably impressive skill.

One had to admit, this granddaughter had the guts to speak confidently and clearly had the ability to back it up.

Horse betting required comprehensive judgment—of timing, conditions, horses, and jockeys. To bet right twice in a row was no small feat.

The other children and grandchildren who had profited were naturally delighted and all chimed in with praise.

“If she’d only won once, it might be luck, but winning two in a row—that’s real skill! If Tianhui sold horse tips, she’d make a fortune!”

Seeing this, Ye Lizhen also curled his lips in a smile and joined in the flattery.

The Second Madam laughed, “Old Master, look how pleased you are. This granddaughter of yours, though she lived on the mainland for over a decade, has really brought you honor now that she’s back.”

The Old Master laughed heartily. “We originally agreed that she needed to bet correctly on three inter-class races. There’s still one more left. Tianhui, think about which one you’ll choose for the third.”

Ye Tianhui said, “I already have a target in mind, but I’ll need a few more days to confirm. Once I’m sure, I’ll let Grandpa know.”

The Old Master nodded with satisfaction. “Once you make your selection this time, I’ll follow along and buy a ticket too.”

Everyone lit up with joy upon hearing the Old Master say that.

Originally, they had only been betting based on Ye Tianhui’s picks in private, not daring to let the Old Master find out, afraid he’d think they were irresponsible and disapprove.

But now that the Old Master had said it himself, everyone dropped their reservations and eagerly stated they would continue betting with her.

The mood turned lively, full of excited chatter. Some even asked Ye Tianhui why she’d chosen that horse, and she explained her reasoning.

Everyone listened to her analysis, clearly structured and logical, and couldn’t help but be impressed.

Amid all the excitement, Ye Wenyin kept her head slightly lowered, barely speaking.

By right, she should’ve stepped forward to celebrate too—but she truly had no such mood or ability to pretend.

She only felt that her territory was being eaten away bit by bit. Sooner or later, this woman from the mainland would drive her out, leaving her with nowhere to belong.

And that, she absolutely could not allow.