195: Chapter 195 Elder Ye's Satisfaction

Ye Hongyuan and Ye Hongqiang sat on the sofa, each with a cup of tea in front of them; the tea had already gone cold.

Elder Ye sat in the master's armchair, holding a thread-bound ancient book in his hands.

His reading glasses were perched on the bridge of his nose, and he was slowly turning the pages.

The old-fashioned pendulum clock on the wall ticked away, having already struck nine.

Ye Hongyuan picked up his phone, glanced at it, and put it back down.

On the screen was a message from Ye Xueying, a simple line of text: "Dad, I'm staying at Xiaoya's place tonight, I won't be coming back, don't worry."

Ye Hongqiang held his teacup and glanced at the sky outside, which was already completely dark.

"Why hasn't Ye Xueying come back yet? It's almost nine-thirty."

Ye Hongyuan placed his phone on the coffee table.

"She just sent a message saying she's staying at her best friend's place tonight and won't be coming back."

Ye Hongqiang frowned.

"Best friend? Which best friend?"

"Seems to be someone named Xiaoya, who lives nearby."

Ye Hongqiang put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on his knee.

"It's so late, a young woman out alone, nothing bad will happen, right? Should we call and ask? Or maybe have Xiao Li go pick her up?"

Ye Hongyuan pondered for a moment and was about to pick up his phone.

"I should still call to confirm; the child isn't usually like this."

Elder Ye turned a page, not even lifting his eyelids.

"Alright, don't call."

Ye Hongyuan and Ye Hongqiang looked at the old man simultaneously.

Elder Ye slowly took off his reading glasses, placed the book on his lap, and picked up the purple clay teapot beside him to take a sip of tea.

"What was Ye Xueying wearing when she left today?"

Ye Hongyuan was stunned for a moment.

"I didn't notice. It seemed to be... a dress? And she was wearing makeup."

The corners of Elder Ye's mouth slowly curled up.

"What does she usually wear at home?"

Ye Hongyuan opened his mouth but didn't speak.

Ye Hongqiang chimed in from the side.

"Usually? She just wears whatever, sweaters and jeans, hair tied up casually. When I saw her leave this morning, she definitely dressed up; her hair was down, and she was wearing those new ankle boots."

Elder Ye placed the purple clay teapot back on the coffee table and leaned back in his armchair.

"A young woman who doesn't usually dress up, suddenly looking beautiful today, leaving early in the morning and still not back yet. Do you really think she's with her best friend?"

Ye Hongyuan and Ye Hongqiang exchanged glances.

Ye Hongqiang's brow slowly smoothed out, and the corners of his mouth curled up.

"Dad, you mean..."

Elder Ye smiled, a smile that carried the certainty of someone who had seen through the ways of the world.

"You two, you aren't as sharp-eyed as this old man. Since when has that girl Ye Xueying ever taken the initiative to ask about someone else's affairs?"

"When the name Wang Yang popped out of her mouth, her face turned red. You two, as her father and uncle, didn't notice that?"

Ye Hongyuan was silent for a moment.

"Dad, are you saying that Ye Xueying is with Wang Yang tonight?"

Elder Ye leaned back in his armchair, smiling broadly.

"What's so strange about that? Young people, going on a date, watching a movie, having a meal, coming back a bit late, isn't that normal?"

"When you were pursuing Ye Xueying's mother back in the day, didn't you run to her house every other day? If I had stopped you back then, would you be sitting here right now?"

Ye Hongyuan coughed, picked up his tea to take a sip, a rare flash of awkwardness crossing his face.

Ye Hongqiang laughed from the side and patted Ye Hongyuan's shoulder.

"Dad is right. Ye Xueying is twenty-three now; isn't it normal for her to be dating? Didn't you do the same back then?"

Ye Hongyuan glared at him.

"You say less. When you were pursuing Su Wan back then, you were even more aggressive than I was."

Ye Hongqiang laughed out loud.

"That's why I understand Ye Xueying. And honestly, that kid Wang Yang is truly excellent."

Ye Hongyuan leaned back on the sofa, fingers tapping lightly on his knees, his expression complex.

On one hand, he is a father.

His daughter is suddenly out with a man so late and says she won't be coming back.

He feels a bit uneasy about it.

On the other hand, he has no way to refute it.

That kid Wang Yang really has nothing to criticize.

Ye Hongqiang picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Second brother, don't worry about it. We've all seen Wang Yang's character. You know about the old man's situation; if it weren't for him, who knows what condition Dad would be in right now."

"Besides, he has Secretary General Cao Yun backing him. You know what kind of person Secretary General Cao Yun is; how many young people can actually catch his eye?"

Ye Hongyuan was silent for a long while, finally sighed, and put his phone back on the coffee table.

"It's not that I don't trust Wang Yang. It's just..."

He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Elder Ye finished it for him.

"You're reluctant to let go."

Ye Hongyuan didn't speak, just picked up his tea and took a sip.

Elder Ye leaned back in his armchair, looking at the ceiling, his tone leisurely.

"When a daughter grows up, she's bound to fly away. When you took Ye Xueying's mother away from me back then, I went through the same thing. What goes around comes around."

Ye Hongqiang was shaking with laughter on the side.

"Dad, that's not how you put it. The second brother was your prized student back then, weren't you quite satisfied with him?"

Elder Ye snorted.

"Satisfaction is one thing, being reluctant is another. But having said that, Wang Yang is more promising than Ye Hongyuan was back then."

"Ye Hongyuan, when pursuing Ye Xueying's mother, just gave books and flowers. Wang Yang, on the other hand, saved my old life the moment he stepped in."

Ye Hongyuan and Ye Hongqiang exchanged glances and both laughed.

Ye Hongqiang shook his head with a smile.

"Dad, that comparison is too harsh. The second brother was, after all, a promising young talent back then."

Elder Ye picked up the purple clay teapot and took a sip.

"Alright, that's enough. If Ye Xueying isn't coming back tonight, she isn't coming back. Neither of you is to call her, you hear me?"

Ye Hongyuan and Ye Hongqiang nodded simultaneously.

Ye Hongyuan hesitated for a moment, then spoke up.

"Dad, Ye Xueying isn't married yet, after all. If this gets out..."

Elder Ye glanced at him.

"What if it gets out? She's with Wang Yang, not someone else. Wang Yang is my Ye family's benefactor, and he's someone I, Elder Ye, value. Who would dare gossip?"

Ye Hongyuan had absolutely nothing left to say.

Ye Hongqiang laughed from the side.

"Second brother, just rest easy. Since Dad has said so, what are you still afraid of?"

Ye Hongyuan sighed and picked up his tea to take a sip.

"Fine. I won't worry about it."

Elder Ye leaned back in his armchair, looking at the pitch-black night outside the window, a meaningful smile on his lips.

That kid Wang Yang truly didn't disappoint him.

That girl Ye Xueying has a sharp eye; she picked him out at a glance.

...

Over an hour later, the black X5M slowly stopped in front of a star-rated hotel.

The hotel entrance was imposing, and warm golden light shone out from the revolving doors.

A uniformed doorman stood at the entrance; seeing the car come to a stop, he immediately trotted over.

Wang Yang handed him the car keys, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door.

Ye Xueying got out of the car and looked up at the hotel building, dozens of stories high.

The glass curtain wall shimmered with a cold light in the night.

Her feet seemed nailed to the ground.