Chapter 60: I Won’t Let Them Go

Oh my god!!!

Everyone present was looking at Zhiyuan with shock on their faces, especially his classmates Zheng Xian and Liu Gaosheng.

Compared to selling his daughter, asking his ex-wife for the recipe after divorcing her was even more shameless and shocking.

Especially the part about asking for the recipe—Zhiyuan couldn’t deny it even if he wanted to.

“He was just so proud a moment ago, saying that he could get it as soon as he asked!” Qian Hai said.

“This familiar person is actually his ex-wife, whom he divorced!” Liu Gaosheng said.

“And when he just confronted his two daughters, everything he said was full of disdain and disgust toward his ex-wife.”

“He didn’t like his ex-wife, so he divorced her! Yet, he still came with a proud face asking for her things! And it’s not just a little bit of money, but the recipe that supports her life!”

“How can there be such shameless and brazen people in the world?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen it.”

“Me too.”

Liu Gaosheng and the others kept discussing, one sentence after another, their voices not quiet at all, completely pinning Zhiyuan to the pillar of shame.

“No… I… I…” Zhiyuan tried to explain.

But all the things he had said earlier, and the smug expression he had when he spoke, came flooding back into his mind, still burning hot and fresh. The shame was so overwhelming that he couldn’t even get a word out.

Zheng Xian gave him a cold glare. “I never expected Brother Zhiyuan to be this kind of person. Thankfully, these two girls spoke up. If you had gotten the recipe… hm, even my own reputation could’ve been tainted by you!”

With that, he waved his sleeve and turned to leave.

“No! It’s not like that! Brother Zheng, you have to listen to my explanation!” Zhiyuan hurried to catch up. “Give me a chance to explain, there’s more to this… In three days… no, two days, I can prove it to you…”

He tried to follow, but Qian Hai pushed him back, and eight or nine of his classmates cast him a disdainful look before laughing and walking away.

Zhiyuan’s mind erupted in a loud crash, and the world before his eyes blurred in a haze of blackness.

It’s over! It’s all over!

Not only had he offended Zheng Xian, but the noble image he had painstakingly built was now destroyed in an instant.

He knew that by tomorrow, rumors about him would spread throughout the entire academy!

As he thought about it, his eyes were nearly bloodshot with anger, and he pointed at Ye Huan’er and Ye Jin’er. “You two bastard children…”

“Who are the bastard children? We’re your bastard children!” Ye Jin’er stared at him coldly. “What did we do wrong? What did we say wrong?”

“Didn’t you divorce our mother? Aren’t we already cut off from you? Are you really so shameless to ask for the recipe from your ex-wife?”

“Pfft!” The customers who hadn’t left yet gathered together, watching the drama unfold.

Zhiyuan’s vision blurred from anger, and he gritted his teeth. “Fine, fine, I’ll take care of this. Is that how Ye teaches her daughters? Hmph, when I get back, I’ll find her! Let’s see if she doesn’t beat you both to death!”

It wasn’t just Ye Jin’er and her sister; everyone present was dumbfounded.

What was he saying just now?

Did he mean he was going to complain to his ex-wife, whom he had divorced?

Zhiyuan also noticed the looks from everyone and snapped, “What do you all understand?!”

Ye Jin’er, growing impatient, retorted, “Just get lost!”

With a loud “splash,” she threw a bowl of spicy soup over his head, covering Zhiyuan’s face and hair.

Furious, Zhiyuan was about to strike, but was held back by others. Ye Erquan rushed forward, standing in front of the two girls to protect them.

A group of women began to curse at Zhiyuan. Not only was he shameless enough to try to take his ex-wife’s recipe, but now he was even hitting his daughters? He was nothing but scum, a complete disgrace!

Zhiyuan couldn’t stand the verbal assault and fled in shame.

“It’s alright, it’s alright, don’t cry, little girl.” Several of the women handed handkerchiefs to Ye Huan’er.

As she hiccupped through her tears, Ye Huan’er said:

“Thank you, uncles and aunts… hic, today’s business is ruined. We still have half a bucket of spicy soup left, so I’ll give it to you to eat. Thank you for helping just now.”

The onlookers felt even more heartbroken, thinking how sweet and sensible this girl was, yet she ended up with such a scum of a father.

…

Jiaojiao leaned on the bed, staring blankly at a woman.

The woman, in her early thirties, had a graceful appearance, with gentle eyes and brows, and a calm expression.

“Have you had enough of looking at me?” Zhang Shuiniang smiled and gave Jiaojiao a playful glance.

“Not enough. I want to look at you for the rest of my life!” Jiaojiao promptly threw herself over and hugged her neck, smiling sweetly.

The image of her mother’s tragic death from her past life still lingered vividly in her mind.

The peaceful, calm days of this life seemed all the more precious.

At this moment, the door slammed open, and Zhiyuan, looking disheveled, stumbled in.

Both women were startled. Jiaojiao quickly stood up and asked, “Father, what happened to you?”

Her father’s usual image was that of a cultured and refined gentleman; she had never seen him in such a disheveled state.

Zhiyuan’s face changed drastically. The incident in the county town was too embarrassing, so he quickly said, “I tripped… I’ll change clothes, I have to go out for something.”

Jiaojiao sniffed the air and frowned. “That’s not it, this is…”

“How did you fall like this?” Zhang Shuiniang asked with a furrowed brow.

Upon seeing Zhang Shuiniang, Zhiyuan’s anger instantly vanished, and he spoke more gently. “It’s just… I stepped on a stone and fell into a porridge stall. Don’t worry, it’s nothing, just a small accident.”

Zhang Shuiniang gave a light hum, pointed to the wardrobe, and said, “Then hurry and change your clothes.”

With that, she turned and left the room.

Zhiyuan gazed at her retreating back, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction and gratitude. Shuiniang was becoming more and more caring toward him.

But when he thought about Ye Caiping and her daughters, his eyes filled with anger once again.

“Father, you’re lying! You didn’t fall, you went to see Ye Shi!” Jiaojiao hadn’t left yet, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him intently. “You smell like spicy soup.”

Zhiyuan’s face changed at once, and he hurriedly said, “Don’t tell anyone. Your mother will be angry if she finds out.”

“Then tell me what happened, or I’ll tell Mom.”

Left with no choice, Zhiyuan grabbed her and pulled her into the room, where he told her the entire story about what had happened in the county town.

“How could there be such an unfilial person in the world!” Jiaojiao clenched her fists tightly, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

If this matter wasn’t resolved, her father’s reputation would be ruined, and it could even affect his chances in the imperial exams.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this right away,” Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and said. “Those two ungrateful girls must have been taught badly by the Ye family, and that’s why they’ve turned out like this.”

“I’m going to find Ye Shi now and ask her how she taught her daughters! Also, I’ll bring back your jade while I’m at it.”

“I’m going too!” Jiaojiao said coldly.

“But…” Zhiyuan hesitated, worried that she might report him again. He reluctantly agreed, “Fine, you go out first. I’ll change my clothes and join you.”

Jiaojiao stepped out, standing at the door as she waited.

The Li family’s house was at the village entrance, with a clear view of the main road.

From a distance, Jiaojiao saw an ox cart slowly approaching. On the cart were Ye Erquan and the Ye Jin’er sisters.

Jiaojiao’s expression turned grim. After her rebirth, she had made a vow to protect everyone who loved her!

They dared to embarrass her father like this, causing him to lose all face. She would not let them get away with it!

With that thought, she took out a slingshot from her pocket, picked up a sharp little stone, and quickly shot it at the cart.

“Ah! Old Ox, what are you doing—” Ye Baijin, who was driving the cart, yelled.

The ox, startled, suddenly bolted forward.