Chapter 2654: Gratitude

Ye Zhen glanced at her father's desk, then chuckled: "Dad, guarding against thieves the way you guard me—your daughter—isn't right."

"Hmph!" Ye Pu snorted: "You really know how to pat yourself on the back. Using the word 'thief' on you is an insult to the word itself. You're just a bandit."

Ye Zhen said discontentedly: "Old man, look at which father speaks to his daughter like this?"

"Did I even scold you lightly?" Ye Pu thought of how his old daughter always ransacked his place whenever she came, and couldn't help but twitch with heartache: "Every time you come, don't you sweep away my tea leaves?"

"I'm doing it for your health." Ye Zhen poured herself a cup of water, then sat on the sofa.

"For my health?" Ye Pu stared at his daughter: "Alright, alright, tell me—you took all my tea leaves, how is that good for my health?"

"Tea leaves contain caffeine, theophylline, and tea polyphenols, which stimulate the central nervous system, cause brain excitation, and severely affect sleep."

Ye Zhen held her water cup, her long legs crossed, feet swaying gently: "You're this old—your sleep is already poor. If you drink too much tea, your sleep quality will only get worse. Can your body handle that?"

Ye Zhen took a light sip of water: "Old man, my mother can't control you, you don't listen to the family doctor, and I can't watch you every day at home. I have no choice but to resort to this."

Ye Pu pointed at his daughter, then sighed deeply, his voice heavy with sorrow: "That old bastard Hong Zhang—we've fought our whole lives, and in the end, I still lost to him.

His son, daughter, and grandson are all useless, but his granddaughter is exceptional—she found him a good son-in-law. Look at you lot—all you do all day is anger me. You've never done a single thing to make me happy."

Hearing the old man's words, Ye Zhen instantly pictured Zhou Andong in her mind, then shook her head, shaking off his shadow from her thoughts.

At the same time, she silently sighed: If I had met Zhou Andong earlier, and if I still felt the same way I do now, even if I were ten years older than him, I would surely pursue him without regard for consequences. But now, all I can say is we have fate without destiny—this lifetime, it's impossible.

"Really?" Ye Zhen set down her water cup, stood up, walked behind her father, and gently massaged his shoulders: "Daughter-in-law giving you a shoulder rub—are you happy or not?"

Ye Pu replied unhappily: "If you could bring me a partner back, I wouldn't need Zhou Andong—just as long as he's not foolish or disabled, I'd be very happy."

"Dad!" Ye Zhen said coquettishly: "I won't marry. I want to stay with you and Mom for life."

"Sigh!" Ye Pu sighed again: "Alright, tell me—why did you come over here so early?"

"Yesterday afternoon, Zhou Andong called me and asked if I'd do a profitable business..." Ye Zhen detailed her conversation with Zhou Andong: "Releasing Ye Jun's conditions—besides publicly setting up a banquet to apologize and two storefronts, there's also requiring me to invest in Jinshiguang Garment Factory and your support for police uniform reform."

Ye Pu frowned: "Publicly setting up a banquet to apologize and the storefronts are acceptable, but investing in Jinshiguang and supporting police uniform reform—this little brat's got a sharp scheme."

"Exactly!" Ye Zhen said discontentedly: "Zhou Andong treats me like a fool. The Yin family and he are like fire and water. If I invest in Jinshiguang, it's like sitting on the same boat as him.

If the Yin family wants to capsize this boat, to avoid choking on water, we'd have to go all out. Then, no matter who wins or loses between us, the one who benefits most will definitely be him, Zhou Andong.

As for police uniform reform, it's certainly not something one person can decide. And if anything goes wrong, you'd still have to take the blame. We can't do such a thankless, laborious thing."

Saying this, Ye Zhen's voice turned icy: "As for that scoundrel Ye Jun, these years he's done plenty of bad things. Letting him stay inside for two years to temper his nature isn't bad either."

Ye Pu said helplessly: "What you say makes sense, but no matter what, Ye Jun is still your nephew. Since Zhou Andong has softened and let that scoundrel go, we can't really let him suffer two years in there, can we?"

"Dad!" Ye Zhen stopped massaging, paced to the desk, and stared at Ye Pu with a stern face: "You'd better think carefully—once you agree to Zhou Andong's conditions, we'll truly be on the same boat as him."

Ye Pu pondered for a long while before saying: "Being on the same boat as Zhou Andong has pros and cons, but in the long run, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks."

A glint of pride flashed in Ye Zhen's eyes, but her expression remained stern: "Dad, you'd better think it through."

"Alright!" Ye Pu waved his hand: "You can reply to Zhou Andong—agree to his conditions."

Ye Zhen hesitated: "Dad, you really won't reconsider?"

"What's there to reconsider!" Ye Pu said: "But I also have a condition—that Ye Jun enters Jinshiguang as a director."

"Impossible!" Ye Zhen shook her head: "Ye Jun's character—Zhou Andong knows it well. He'll absolutely never agree to this."

Ye Pu chuckled: "Don't worry, he'll definitely agree."

"You're so sure?" Ye Zhen was about to say something, then realized, and smiled: "Old man, putting Ye Jun under Zhou Andong's watch—you're not afraid he'll skin him alive?"

Ye Pu laughed: "Zhou Andong's heart is as black as that little fox's, his methods ruthless. Don't even say letting Ye Jun stay in prison for two years—even ten years, I doubt it would change him much.

Because everyone knows he's my Ye Pu's grandson, they'll naturally look out for him. But put him under Zhou Andong's watch—if that scoundrel dares to cause trouble, Zhou Andong won't care about this old face of mine—he'll surely tear Ye Jun apart. Only then might Ye Jun's arrogant nature be worn down.

As for Zhou Andong's side—having the chance to openly discipline Ye Jun and vent for his wife, how could he possibly refuse? In fact, he might even bring gifts to thank me."

Ye Zhen looked at her father, somewhat disbelieving: "You're saying this now, but don't come crying when you see your grandson being disciplined and start feeling sorry for him again."

Ye Pu slightly shook his head: "I'm not really an old fool—Ye Jun's nature must be tempered, or else he'll surely cause bigger trouble later."

"Alright, I'll personally go to the woolen mill." Ye Zhen turned to the back of the desk, openly pulled open the drawer, and took out four boxes of tea leaves and three packs of cigarettes from inside.

"What are you doing?" Ye Pu exclaimed in shock: "You're taking it all?"

Ye Zhen hesitated, put back one pack of cigarettes and the remaining half-box of tea leaves: "Since we're letting Zhou Andong discipline Ye Jun, we should also show some gratitude, shouldn't we?"