Chapter 28

“Aunt Shen, or is it that Brother Li doesn’t want to?”

Without giving Shen Yun time to react, Ye Yao asked knowingly.

Sure enough, Shen Yun immediately gathered her thoughts, her expression becoming more serious.

“I won’t lie to you. Li Cheng indeed does not approve of this marriage.”

Ye Yao, however, merely smiled, her impression of the woman in front of her improving.

She spoke with tact, without pretense, and showed no condescension or deception toward their family.

In this compound, even a three-year-old child could look down on Ye Yao and her mother. Yet, someone like Shen Yun, who had the power to annul the engagement outright, instead offered to take Ye Yao as her adopted daughter, giving them a dignified way out.

“I can understand. After all, with the way I am now…”

Ye Yao did not belittle herself; she was merely stating a fact. However, a confident smile soon surfaced on her face.

“But I won’t remain this way forever! Aunt Shen, if the Li family wants to call off the engagement, I can agree—but not now. Give me six months.

After six months, I will personally break the engagement with the Li family!”

At that moment, she changed her original plan.

Whether it was the Li family proposing to break off the marriage or her doing so, to outsiders, the perception would be the same—she was unworthy of Li Cheng, and she had been “dumped.”

That was absolutely not the outcome she wanted. Six months from now, she wanted to stand tall and tell the Li family, tell Li Cheng—he was unworthy of her, and she was the one rejecting him!

“Are you serious?”

Shen Yun studied Ye Yao. She had met countless people in her lifetime, yet she suddenly found herself unable to read this girl.

“Yes.”

Ye Yao’s tone was unwavering.

Shen Yun pondered for a moment, then stood up.

“I truly came here today intending to adopt a daughter. But it seems I lack the good fortune for it. I will publicly announce that the wedding has been postponed for six months. If you ever need anything in the future, you can come to the Li family to find me.”

Zhang Qiufeng and Ye Yao escorted her to the entrance of the alley, watching as her figure disappeared into the twilight.

“Yao Yao, tell Mom, what exactly is going on in that head of yours?”

Back home, Zhang Qiufeng could no longer hold back. Every word Ye Yao had said tonight left her baffled.

“Nothing much. Mom, I’m hungry. Go make dinner.”

Ye Yao had no intention of explaining further. Besides, there were some things her mother might not understand or support.

Zhang Qiufeng furrowed her brows, wanting to press further, but Ye Yao didn’t give her the chance.

“Mom, I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

“Didn’t you just say you were hungry…?”

“Make the food, and I’ll come back to eat!”

Ye Yao tossed out the words and walked out the door.

Zhang Qiufeng let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t know why, but she felt as if the gap between her and her daughter was growing wider and wider…

—

Since it was dinnertime, the alley was silent, with no one around.

Ye Yao headed straight for the Zhao household.

Zhao Qingqing had been in an excited state all day. She approached Wang Guihua, who was cooking in the kitchen, and lowered her voice.

“Mom, I have something to tell you.”

Later that night, the fat girl was going to elope with that wild man. As long as she informed her mother and then gathered the Li family and the neighbors from the compound, they could march over in a grand spectacle to catch the adulterous pair in the act.

“What is it? Speak.”