Chapter 442: I'm Sorry, Only You Can Cure Him

Li Ye dreamed—he was back in his past life's stifling office job.

He earned a pitiful salary each month, tightened his belt to pay for an eighty-square-meter apartment, slashed every expense, and hoped to marry a woman who could bear him an heir.

During those most miserable days, Li Ye's mind churned constantly with the evaluations of a group of little fairies: broke, useless.

Then the dream shifted—he clearly heard his sister Li Ying crying: "It's because we're useless, because we don't make money. I just want my brother to know I'm useful, I'm valuable."

Why is everything in this world reduced to money?

How can a few coins drive a person mad?

Li Ye thought back—he'd been liberated after his epiphany: if I don't care about continuing the lineage, then you're all expendable. Technician No. 38 was gentle, considerate, and damn cheap.

When those little fairies grew wrinkles, some would finally awaken, turn around, and come crawling back to bear you children.

"You should go to the Lu family—if they refuse, go to the Women's Federation; if they don't help, go to the police station; if they still don't act, go to the school—why come to us? Why come to my little Ye?"

Gao Xiaoyan, who had been as still as a log, finally moved, lifting her head to look at Li Ye.

"Brother, get up and hide—Dad might be about to whip you again."

"What else can we say? If someone pins this down, there's no way to clear it up."

"."

"Li Ye only said he knew the girl—he never said the child in her womb was his."

Gao Xiaoyan's mother was stunned by the scolding. She'd come to beg for help, but hadn't even stepped inside before offending them—how could she possibly beg now?

"We… we have no other choice, Auntie! We truly have no other choice!"

It was still pitch dark this early morning—how could a baby suddenly appear?

"Tap-tap-tap~"

Li Ye quickly dressed and followed Wu Juying and Li Kaibian to the front gate, where Han Chunmei and his sister Li Juan were blocking the entrance.

"How do we prove it? How do we prove it? Li Ye is being harassed."

Wu Juying's sudden, fierce expression was terrifying—even Li Kaibian, a retired reconnaissance soldier, was so frightened he nearly wet himself, scrambling inside to make a phone call.

"Look, look—Li Ye's out! Listen to what he says."

Discount price—take it or leave it!

But how could he make his little sister Li Ying awaken, and become as carefree as an ordinary middle schooler?

Li Ye hurriedly said: "Her name is Gao Xiaoyan—she's a worker at my grandfather's factory. I've seen her twice, both times with Lu Zixue. She used to date Lu Zixue—many people at my grandfather's factory know it."

The neighbors around them erupted.

Why should I admit anything? I don't even know if she's tall or short, fat or thin—I didn't even enjoy it—why should I admit?

Wu Juying walked to the window and asked coldly: "Tell the truth—have you ever done anything immoral?"

Li Ye frowned: "Why me? How am I supposed to save him?"

"."

"."

But the little girl recognized him—and Wu Juying was cautious enough to refuse them entry. It was the New Year—why wouldn't you let people in?

Wu Juying angrily brushed away Gao Xiaoyan's mother's hand and asked coldly: "Lu Zixue—didn't he pass the college entrance exam this summer?"

Wu Juying whirled around and roared at Li Kaibian: "Call your father—tell him to come home immediately."

"No, not at all. Ask me eighty times—it's still no."

Gao's mother paused, then nodded silently.

Li Ye knelt down and whispered to Gao Xiaoyan: "If the Lu family won't recognize you as their daughter-in-law, will they not recognize the child in your womb?"

Li Ying twisted her mouth, visibly torn: "She says her daughter is pregnant, and wants you to stand up for her daughter."

The woman was in her forties or fifties—the same woman who had stared at Li Ye and Li Ying for a long time at the market yesterday.

Gao's mother shuddered violently, staring at Wu Juying in terror—how did she know?

"Li Ye, let's go inside to talk—so many people outside, it's bad for your reputation."

Li Ye opened his eyes to hear his little sister Li Ying running from the door to outside his window, whispering: "Brother, that old woman came to our door last night—she's kneeling right outside! The neighbors have gathered."

"Brother, brother, wake up! Open the door—something's wrong…"

Gao Xiaoyan locked eyes with Li Ye for several seconds, her cracked lips opening and closing several times before she rasped out a single sentence.

Her face was dull, her eyes dim, her lips parched—like a flower that had drained its life and was rapidly withering.

Li Ye stepped outside and saw someone kneeling—two people, not one.

"No?"

The other woman looked young, no more than twenty, her head bowed low, utterly indifferent to the pointing fingers and gossip around her.

But Li Ye had a hunch.

He'd heard "a tall tree attracts wind"—but never "a tall tree attracts babies."

"Enough, enough—she only said she wants Li Ye to stand up for them, nothing else—why are you all jumping to conclusions?"

"See, see? I told you they wouldn't come here randomly—look, Li Ye admitted it."

"Bullshit. Is the Li family the kind of immoral household? What kind of family do they have now—would they even look at someone so worthless?"

"But those two women knelt before the Li family—kneeling to heaven, earth, parents—who dares treat their own dignity so lightly?"

"Let go."

Voices swirled chaotically in his mind—crying, shouting—Li Ye felt exhausted from this dream.

"Hum~"

Li Ying hesitated, looking at Li Ye—her gaze was strange.

Footsteps approached—Wu Juying and Li Kaibian walked together from the front gate.

Wu Juying's face was icy, Li Kaibian walked while unfastening his military belt.

Li Ye frowned: "What else did she say? You're holding back from me?"

Li Ye sat up abruptly, ignoring he wore only a tank top, and flung open the window beside his bed.

【You're afraid of damaging Lu Zixue's reputation and ruining your daughter's future happiness—so now you expect us to handle this mess? Do we even have the right?】

Wu Juying's eyebrows shot up, her eyes blazing with fury.

Wu Juying's expression softened slightly, and she coldly said: "Put on your clothes—go outside and explain."

She quickly grabbed Wu Juying's arm, pleading: "Sister… Auntie, let us come inside to talk—look, our Xiaoyan truly knows Li Ye—this time, only Li Ye can stand up for us."

"."

"Grandma, it's really not true."

At that moment, Wu Juying sensed something, and asked coldly: "Do you know this girl?"

"I'm sorry—but only you can cure him. Only you can make him acknowledge the child. Please…"

Gao's mother broke into loud, wailing sobs.

I'm not going to stand up for her, damn it.

Wu Juying sneered: "Then he abandoned your daughter?"

Li Ying, seeing Li Ye open the window, froze for a moment, then frantically gestured: "It's that old woman we met at the big market yesterday—you asked me if I knew her."

"She just came knocking on our door. Grandma asked who she wanted—she said she wanted you. Grandma asked why—she dropped to her knees and said, she said…"

"What old woman? Why is she kneeling at our door?"

Wu Juying frowned—she'd already pointed them toward the right path. Why were they being so stubborn?

Now Wu Juying had just exposed the truth—Gao's mother's fear surged uncontrollably.

Wu Juying blinked, then asked sharply: "Who's Lu Zixue? Did anyone at your grandfather's factory know they were dating?"

Li Ye confirmed: "Everyone knew. That summer, Lu Zixue rode a motorcycle to the factory gate every day to pick her up—many saw it. Also, Lu Zixue is Lu Jingyao's younger brother."

After arriving today, the mother and daughter hadn't said a word—Wu Juying asked which company they worked for, and they didn't answer.

"Tell the truth—did you or didn't you?"

Li Ying shrank back, lowering her head half a foot—she was terrified of Grandma Wu in this state.

Gao Xiaoyan was pregnant—Lu Zixue dared to abandon her—so he clearly didn't acknowledge the child.

In an era without DNA testing, it came down to who had more power.

"."

The woman saw Li Ye come out and immediately rose from the ground, rushing toward him.

He recognized her.

"What old woman? What kneeling at the door?"

Li Ye was initially confused, thinking it was still a dream—but quickly realized something was wrong: Li Ying's voice wasn't the earlier plaintive whine—it was clearly panicked.

With Li Ye's sharp eyes, he saw the girl's swollen belly—she truly looked pregnant.

Though terrified, she whispered like a mosquito: "Don't admit it—don't you dare admit it!"

Wu Juying sneered: "So you think our family has a small feud with the Lu family, and you want us to stand up for you? We do have some connections in the county—but you've come to the wrong place."

Li Kaibian's belt swung in the air.

Li Ying's words sent thunder crashing through Li Ye's mind—even he, calm and sharp-minded, was stunned.

"Save this child—he's already six months along."

Only now did Li Ye realize—in just a few months, the once young and lovely Gao Xiaoyan had become gaunt.

Two tears rolled from Gao Xiaoyan's hollow eyes.

Li Ye nodded: "I know her."

"Really not?"

And as for Gao Xiaoyan's mother, let alone.

This look was something Li Ye had never seen before; his grandmother had always been the one who doted on him the most in the family, and her eyes had always been filled with indulgence and affection—where had she ever shown such a cruel gaze?

That was the look of a guerrilla fighter.

"How do you know it was this woman who bit him? What if it really was her?"

"Why won't the Li family let her and her mother in? How long have they been blocking them?"

But Wu Juying hadn't finished speaking,

"No, no, no, I'm not afraid of the impact—if I let you in, that's when the real damage would happen!"

Li Ye quickly stepped away from the woman, then walked over to another person, bent down, and Kanqing ed the person's face from the side.

Li Ye: "."

That bastard Lu Zixue—what kind of karma did he bring upon himself!

(End of Chapter)