Chapter 3412: Earnest

Ye Zhongquan and Ye Changmin, father and daughter, did not feel the cold in the biting wind, but in their hearts there was a desolate feeling of being unwelcome.

Compared to the glowing faces and radiant complexions of the Gu couple, it formed a stark contrast.

However, the father and daughter did not dare to resent Ye Chen in their hearts, for they knew that all of this was the consequence of their own actions.

After inviting everyone into the house, Ye Zhongquan hurriedly said to Ye Changmin: "Changmin, go make tea. It's not yet dinner time, so I, Yan Zhong, and Chen'er will have some tea and chat."

Ye Changmin no longer had the airs of the former Young Lady of the Ye family; on her face was a smile like that of a professional attendant, respectful yet humble as she said: "Dad, please wait a moment, I'll prepare the tea set and tea leaves right away."

Having said that, she bustled off diligently.

Ye Changmin dared not hope that Ye Chen would give her a Rejuvenation Pill, but deep down she harbored a thought: from now on, she would seize every opportunity to show kindness and weakness toward Ye Chen, hoping that if he formed a better impression of her, he might one day mercifully give her half or even a whole pill.

Lin Wanqiu thought that Ye Changmin was Ye Chen's aunt and should not be left to busy herself alone for everyone, so she whispered to Gu Qiuyi beside her: "Nannan, go help your aunt, lend her a hand."

Gu Qiuyi quickly nodded: "Okay, Mom, I'm off right now."

Upon hearing this, Ye Changmin immediately stopped her, smiling: "Oh dear, Nannan, you're a guest—how could we let you work? Just stay and keep your parents and your Ye grandfather company; I'll manage on my own."

Having said that, she hurriedly smiled at Ye Chen: "Chen'er, you should also sit a while, keep Nannan company."

Ye Chen nodded slightly, thinking inwardly: "The aunt now is completely different from before. Formerly, Ye Changmin was just an old baby—though not young in age, her spirit was more vigorous than that of young people, and her temper was not to be trifled with. But now she seems like a completely different person. One could say she has been transformed, reborn."

As host, Ye Zhongquan had everyone seated in the sofa area. After sitting down, he remarked to Gu Yanzhong: "Yan Zhong, if you usually have nothing to do, do come by more often. An old man like me at home alone is indeed quite bored, and sometimes I really just want to talk to someone."

Gu Yanzhong said with a respectful expression: "No problem, Uncle Ye. We've had nothing else lately either. Besides, Nannan has returned to rest and prepare for the New Year. If you're free and bored, our family of three will often come over to keep you company."

Ye Zhongquan's face lit up with delight as he eagerly nodded and said: "If your family of three could often come to our home, that would be wonderful. Most of the Ye family are currently guarding the spirit at Ye Ling Mountain, and I, being of advanced age, find it inconvenient to go up and down the mountain, so I've indeed been quite lonely lately."

After saying that, he glanced at Ye Chen sitting nearby and sighed: "Actually, I hope Chen'er could stay in Yanjing for a while longer, but every time he returns, he's in such a hurry that he doesn't stay long before leaving. Wanting him to keep me company in my old age is just not something that happens often."

Ye Chen gave a faint smile and said nothing.

After all, I now have a family, and my home is in Jin Ling. At this moment, I certainly cannot take up this topic, for if we were to discuss my engagement to Gu Qiuyi, I would again fall into an awkward situation.

At this moment, Gu Qiuyi smiled and said: "Grandfather Ye, Ye Chen brother has been so busy lately that he hasn't had much time to keep you company. But rest assured, I will retire from the entertainment industry and stay home as an unemployed person, and from now on I will definitely come to visit you often!"

"That would be wonderful!" Ye Zhongquan beamed with delight.

After all, I've watched her grow up since childhood, and during the years when Ye Chen's whereabouts were unknown, even I had at times given up searching for him—but Gu Qiuyi never did. A young girl, able to show such affection and loyalty to my grandson—this grandfather naturally feels comforted in his heart, and also a sense of gratitude.

More importantly, when the Wanlong Hall attacked Ye Ling Mountain, the Gu family knew the Ye clan could not resist, yet they still firmly stood with the Ye family on Night Spirit Mountain. This bond is worth more than a thousand gold.

The old man knows he cannot decide Ye Chen's fate; otherwise, he would have long since urged Ye Chen to hurry and marry Gu Qiuyi into the family.

Ye Chen gave the Gu couple two Rejuvenation Pills, which made them feel embarrassed to bring up the marriage matter again in front of the old man, easing Ye Chen's sense of urgency and making him feel much more at ease.

At this moment, Aunt Ye Changmin had prepared the tea set and tea leaves, and personally brewed a pot of exquisite Golden Jin Jun Mei for everyone.

As they sipped tea and chatted, the conversation naturally drifted away from the topic of the marriage.

Besides worrying about the marriage matter, the old man also concerned himself with the situation of the Break-Clean Association.

Thus, he asked Ye Chen for some updates on the matter.

Ye Chen gave a brief overview, then recalled Tang Sihai and asked: "Grandfather, have there been any recent news of Steward Tang?"

"None at all," Ye Zhongquan sighed. "Since then, Sihai has seemed to vanish from the world. I've tried many ways to find his whereabouts, but there's been not a trace."

Ye Chen felt some regret and lamented: "I don't know what secret trouble the candy plaything has that makes him leave without a word. But I believe he bears no ill will toward me or the Ye family."

Gu Yanzhong, beside him, frowned and asked: "Why did Steward Tang leave? By rights, Chen'er now needs help, and Tang served the Ye family for many years, knows the family situation well, and has managed the Ye family's affairs in orderly fashion these years. To be frank, I highly regard his ability and character. If he hadn't left, staying to be Chen'er's left and right hand, he would surely have been of great use. There's truly no reason to leave without a word, and yet he vanished so completely."

Ye Chen nodded and mused: "I always feel that although Steward Tang has served the Ye family diligently these years, he was not directly serving the Ye family members."

Gu Yanzhong curiously asked: "Chen'er, you say that—have you discovered something?"

Ye Chen said: "After my father's photo album suddenly appeared, Steward Tang must have deliberately wanted me to notice some details in it. From then on, he vanished from the world. If he had served the Ye family, there would be no need for him to disappear. If he served my father, I believe my father could not have calculated for twenty years hence; surely someone else gave him this order to act as he did."

Gu Yanzhong questioned him: "If Steward Tang had other motives, he's concealed them for so many years—why not continue concealing? To vanish without a word, isn't that equivalent to actively exposing himself?"

Ye Chen let out a sigh.

Some things, I cannot explain in too much detail to Gu Yanzhong.

Take the simplest example: Gu Yanzhong does not know I have the ability of psychological suggestion, which can easily alter a person's mind and overturn their self-perception.

The reason Steward Tang left immediately after the photo album appeared must be that he feared I would use this method to uncover specific secrets. Knowing he could not resist my psychological suggestion, he chose to vanish completely to avoid this risk.

At this moment, Ye Zhongquan asked Ye Chen: "Chen'er, do you think we should arrange personnel worldwide to search for Tang Wan Jia's whereabouts? You also have an AI model at Hongqiao now. Combining the two, finding Steward Tang's whereabouts shouldn't be too difficult."

Ye Chen waved his hand: "Forget it. I know Steward Tang bears no ill will toward me. Since he has secrets he believes I must not know, I have no need to dig them out."