Chapter 16: “Leaving”:

Ye Siran saw her mother’s eyes rolling rapidly and knew she was plotting something again. But her mother was like a paper tiger—tough in her own home but easy to break with a single poke.

She didn’t want to deal with it roughly and give her stepfather and stepsister a show, so she turned her gaze to Ye Jianping, filled with icy resolve.

Ye Jianping was so frightened by Ye Siran’s predatory, hawk-like stare that he blurted out, “Song Chunhua, I’ve already written the letter of severing ties. Come sign it immediately!”

“Child’s father, why not wait until Yueyue gets her marriage certificate before I sign and put my seal?” her mother said, trying to sound clever.

“What nonsense are you talking? If you don’t even trust your own daughter, who else could you possibly trust? Sign it now!”

Ye Jianping was genuinely angry. Back when he married Song Chunhua, it was for the Ye family’s connections. Naturally, it was Ye Siran, the granddaughter, that the Ye family valued—not Song Chunhua, the former daughter-in-law.

Anyone slightly close to the Ye family knew that Song Chunhua had caused trouble for the Ye family’s third son. He had never doubted that Ye Siran wasn’t Song Chunhua’s biological daughter. On the wedding night, he found out she was still a pure virgin, and it scared him half to death!

His grandfather’s grandfather and Ye Siran’s paternal grandfather’s grandfather were second cousins. Simply put, it was only because he shared the Ye surname that he had a chance to become Ye Siran’s stepfather.

After the marriage, he really wanted to treat his stepdaughter like a revered ancestor, but Song Chunhua forced the little girl to do chores and secretly tormented her. When he discovered it, he was nearly terrified, but the stepdaughter was very different from what he had imagined—she willingly obeyed Song Chunhua.

Although the stepdaughter followed Song Chunhua’s orders blindly, he could only pretend not to notice. Occasionally, he would scold his wife and her daughter, but he dared not scold the stepdaughter, fearing she might bear grudges in the future or that the Ye family would make trouble for him.

His fear made the little girl slightly more reliant on him. But Song Chunhua, with her needle-thin heart, actually grew jealous of a little girl.

So Song Chunhua became even more abusive toward the girl. He could only pretend not to see it, knowing that she had saved more than just He Yongchang back then.

At the time, he had agreed with the Ye family to spend ten years convincing Song Chunhua to give up custody of her daughter. After ten years, the Ye family would take Ye Siran back. But before the ten-year term was up, the Ye family had been entirely stripped of their power.

Still, he didn’t dare mistreat the stepdaughter. At meals, he would leave her two slices of meat, but Song Chunhua would give them to her own children instead.

“Dad, what Mom says isn’t entirely wrong… who knows…”

“Smack!” Ye Ruyue hadn’t finished her sentence before her father’s loud slap cut her off.

Accompanied by Ye Jianping’s thunderous roar: “What’s wrong with you two? Do you think Ranran is someone you can bully at will? Am I a ghost?”

“Heavens…”

“Smack!” Song Chunhua opened her mouth to scream but got slapped hard by Ye Jianping.

“I’ll go back to my room first. Each of you sign and stamp properly, then bring it to me for my signature,” Ye Siran said coldly.

“You little brat, stop right there!”

Ye Siran left without looking back. She knew Ye Jianping was ruthless but knew how to seize the moment.

She would return to the capital city soon.

Watching her retreating figure, Ye Jianping lowered his voice and roared: “Shut up! Do you want to die?”

“What am I afraid of?”

“Smack!” Another slap for Song Chunhua.

“Fool, do you think Ye Siran is still a daughter you can beat and scold at will? Didn’t Director He dare force her?”

“….”

Song Chunhua trembled, asking in fear, “Child’s father, even if the Ye family isn’t unlucky, that brat wouldn’t dare report us.”

“Do you see her now? Dare? If she ever learns the truth, you might as well prepare to die!”

“Hmph! I wasn’t afraid back then. Why should I fear a yellow-haired girl now…” Smack, smack! Song Chunhua wanted to continue, but Ye Jianping slapped her twice more.

“If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you. We’ll file for divorce this afternoon,” Ye Jianping said ruthlessly, terrifying Song Chunhua.

She obediently signed, stamped, and then went to cook, grumbling furiously about Ye Siran’s ancestors. She hadn’t cooked for over ten years and plotted to torment the “brat” when Ye Jianping wasn’t home.

Ye Ruyue and Ye Weiguo, seeing their father’s fierce demeanor, were too scared to cry, speak, or bother Ye Siran.

It was only the second day after Ye Siran’s rebirth. Even though she had drunk the spiritual spring water and bathed in it, her hearing was only slightly better than ordinary people. She could only hear slaps and Ye Jianping’s roaring; she didn’t catch what they whispered.

Ye Siran could never have imagined that she wasn’t Song Chunhua’s daughter. Had she known, what need would there have been for a letter of severing ties?

When Ye Jianping received the signed letter from all four family members, stamped by the local office, Ye Siran gave him a sweet smile.

The next morning:

He Yongchang personally came to take Ye Siran to the train station and handed Ye Jianping the marriage certificate of He Hongwen and Ye Ruyue.

Ye Ruyue and Song Chunhua were so excited that they lost composure in front of He Yongchang, almost laughing out loud.

They saw Ye Siran carrying a large military-green canvas bag. Though curious, they didn’t dare ask where she was going.

“Ranran, let Uncle carry the bag,” He Yongchang said, taking the heavy bag from her hand.

Sitting in the passenger seat, he looked at Ye Ruyue, who could not suppress her smile.

He remembered yesterday afternoon, when his son hurried home, saying urgently, “Dad, I’ve made up my mind. I want to marry Ye Siran.”

“Son, are you really sure?”

“Dad, I’m certain.”

“Too late!” He Yongchang said, handing the marriage certificate to He Hongwen.

“Dad, how can you do this? This is feudal thinking—I won’t accept it!” He Hongwen widened his eyes in disbelief, looking at the certificate with his and Ye Ruyue’s names.

Seeing his father calm, he asked hesitantly, “Dad, didn’t you always like Ranran? Why do this?”

He Yongchang said solemnly: “Hongwen, you’re an adult now and must take responsibility for your own impulsiveness.

The worst confidence a person can have is thinking they can control another—control her love, her thoughts.

Likewise, never overestimate someone’s love, but also never underestimate the unpredictability of the human heart.

Ranran is extremely smart, fragile yet strong, sensitive yet tolerant, weak yet stubborn.

When she loves you, you can do whatever you want. When she stops liking you, she cuts ties more decisively than anyone.

I truly didn’t expect her to sever her love for you so efficiently and decisively!”

He Yongchang had previously thought Ye Siran would linger around his son forever. Even if she had the urge to leave, she would never truly depart. But she resolutely chose to return to the countryside…