EMSD Chapter 33

On her third day in the capital, Tong Yang moved into the Peking University dormitories. A senior student helped her get bedding and a student card, which allowed her free access in and out of the university. Tong Yang charged the card with 300 yuan and dined daily at the university cafeteria. During this time, she received no strange calls; the Ye fellow must have truly thought she was a scammer.

However, Tong Yang wasn’t in a hurry, as she had done all she could. Having heard about the campus gym, she got a quarterly pass and spent most of her time there, knowing that she would need her strength for later endeavors.

On July 6th, leaving the gym with a water bottle in hand, Tong Yang checked her phone and noticed a missed call from an unfamiliar number in the capital. After a moment of contemplation, she returned the call.

“Hello,” a youthful, cold voice answered.

“Who is this?” Tong Yang asked.

“I’m Ye Huai; we met recently.”

Ye Huai?

Was he the Ye family’s eldest son, the one with a heart condition?

“What do you want?”

“I’d like to discuss that day’s event in person.”

“Sure, when?”

“Are you free tomorrow? I can send a driver.”

Tong Yang was free. Aside from her gym routine, she occasionally wandered around the campus to familiarize herself with the area and even visited the Peking University Elementary School.

“I’m free.”

“Can you tell me where to pick you up?”

“West gate of Peking University.”

“Alright, what’s your surname?”

“Tong Yang.”

“Okay, Miss Tong, please be ready to take the call tomorrow.”

“Mhm.”

After hanging up, Tong Yang went to the cafeteria for dinner and then returned to her dorm. She was the only resident since other freshmen hadn’t arrived yet. In the evening, as usual, she called Tong Le and then settled down to review some English textbooks she had borrowed from a senior. Regardless of her future major, English was essential.

The next morning, while washing her clothes, she received a call at 9:30.

“Hello, Miss Tong? I’m the Ye family’s driver, currently at the west gate of Peking University. When can you come out?”

“In half an hour, I’m washing clothes.”

“Alright, please call this number when you arrive.”

“Understood.”

Tong Yang lived close to the west gate, so she reached there in five minutes after finishing her laundry. After calling the driver, a sleek, understated business van pulled up.

“Miss Tong, please come in.”

“Thank you.”

She got into the van, noticing the same pleasant fragrance she had smelled in Ye Huai’s car.

“Where’s Ye Huai?”

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Young Master Huai is at home.”

Tong Yang was surprised they would meet at his house. Seeing her puzzled look, the driver explained, “Please don’t mind, Young Master Huai has poor health, and the doctor advises him to stay home and breathe fresh air as much as possible.”

Nodding, Tong Yang remarked, “He seems to have a good relationship with his brother, sending him to school.”

“Yes,” the driver smiled.

At 11:30, the van drove into a medieval European-style villa built on a hill. The villa was surrounded by dense woods, the chirping of birds, and the scent of grass and earth, a stark contrast to the polluted city air.

“Miss Tong, please come in.” The driver gestured, and a maid silently showed her the way.

The villa was quiet. Along the path, amidst neatly trimmed greenery and retro-style architecture, no one else was visible. The maid led her to an outdoor garden, where flowers not typical for the season bloomed beautifully.

Ye Huai sat at a round stone table, wearing a beige sweater, his face still pale, his slender fingers resting on a book page, it was hard to tell which was paler—his fingers or the pages.

Tong Yang thought he looked like something out of a film, too surreal for this world.

“Young Master Huai, the guest has arrived,” the maid called softly.

Ye Huai placed a white bookmark in the middle of his book, closed it, and stood up to face her, nodding, “Miss Tong.”

“Auntie, could you prepare some pastries?”

“Of course.”

As Tong Yang approached the stone table, she cut to the chase, “Have you thought it through?”

Ye Huai pursed his lips, “Sit first.”

Once seated, Tong Yang said bluntly, “Let’s talk, don’t waste time.”

Ye Huai looked at her and then asked, “I’m sorry, but I’ve been investigating you.”

“Go on,” Tong Yang narrowed her eyes.

“On June 21st, in the old town of Yaocheng, Beiwang Province, there was a child abduction, and you bravely intervened to save those children.”

Tong Yang didn’t understand why he brought this up, and countered, “So?”

“Sorry, does this incident have anything to do with my brother possibly going missing?”

Tong Yang paused, asking, “Why would you think that?”

“The news said you arrived at the kidnapping site early, maybe because you calculated it?”

“Do you believe me?”

“I didn’t, but if you’re not lying, then my brother is in danger.”

Tong Yang scrutinized him, trying to read something from his face.

“Do you know who might kidnap my brother?”

“Not sure.”

“Where?”

“International School of Hailin.”

“If we keep him away from there temporarily, can we avoid the danger?”

Tong Yang shook her head, “Not sure, but probably not.”

The real issue wasn’t the location but the act of “going missing,” which could happen anywhere, even in a parallel world.

Ye Huai pondered a moment, then asked, “How much would it cost to save Ye Wen?”

Tong Yang was surprised by his quick trust.

“Ten million yuan.”

Considering future news reports, the family initially offered 17 million for information on their younger son, and it eventually exceeded 100 million. Tong Yang thought her asking for 10 million was reasonable, especially since saving him meant entering a parallel world. With her experience with Chu Shiyu, it was feasible within a certain range.

“But we’d have to go in together; if it’s after the incident, I’d have to find a way into the parallel world myself.”

Ye Huai bit his lip, “If I report you for extortion, you could be sentenced to death.”

Tong Yang shrugged, “If you agree, we’ll need to sign a contract first.”

Ten million was not a small sum, especially for an obscure “fortune-telling” without any evidence. No one would pay so much based on superstition.

Tong Yang thought this through, saying, “We can start with a deposit, one hundred thousand. If nothing happens, ninety thousand can be returned.”

“So, either way, I’d still have to give you ten thousand for nothing.”

“That’s the activation fee, my time is valuable.”

Ye Huai lowered his eyes, “You don’t need to ruin your future over ten thousand yuan, I’ll have the money transferred to your card.”

“Thank you.”

Ye Huai then asked, “So, what’s your plan?”

“Keep me close to your brother for the next few days.”

Ye Huai nodded, “Alright, stay here today, I’ll tell my parents you’re a tutor I hired.”

“Do you need to prepare anything?”

“Toiletries.”

“Okay, I’ll have someone prepare them.”

After lunch, Tong Yang was shown to a prepared room, Ye Wen and his father were at the horse track and hadn’t returned. Tong Yang noticed a change in Ye Huai’s demeanor. Her offhand remarks were without assurance, yet Ye Huai seemed to believe her easily. Even if he was foolish and rich, it didn’t make sense for him to pay for such things.

Did he know something else, or did he have another motive?

Shortly after returning to her room, Tong Yang received the deposit of one hundred thousand yuan, the note specifically marked “voluntary gift.”

[Melon Eating Netizen 007: Tong Sister, tomorrow is July 8th, how’s the situation?]

[It’s a bit tricky, after all, they’re not ordinary people.]

[Yeah, it’s hard even wanting to meet them.]

[Ah? Didn’t Sister Tong say she bumped into them on the street and even got their contact info?]

[When?? How come I didn’t know??]

[You must have missed the message, but I bet they thought she was a scammer or just hitting on them.]

[Sister Tong too! What have you been busy with these past two days? Weren’t you just idling in the capital?]

[Studying to make money: [Image.jpg]]

[Sister Tong is here! Where is this?]

[Why does the background look like it’s on a mountain?]

[This architecture… a villa?]

[Sister Tong, you’ve struck it rich in two days?]

[Studying to make money: I’m tutoring at someone’s house.]

[I see! Why has Sister Tong been so scarce lately?]

[Sister Tong, you’ve been working hard!]

[Has there been any progress with the Ye family’s youngest son? I’m so envious of the 17 million, our fortunes depend on you, Sister.]

[You only care about how much Sister earns, only I care if Sister is tired.]

[Studying to make money: Aren’t you going to ask whose house I’m tutoring at?]

[???]

[Whose house is it?]

[Wait… no way… is it what I think it is?]

[Ah?? The Ye’s??]

[Sister Tong, you’re not really tutoring at the Ye’s, are you?]

[Studying to make money: Yes.]

[…]

[Oh my God.]

[I thought the plan hadn’t started yet, but you’ve already finished half of it?]

[(Clinging tightly) Sister, I’m just a solid ornament on your leg.]

[Wow, you actually got in?]

[What do you mean “got in”? Isn’t my sister, the science genius, qualified to tutor their family?]

[Studying to make money: It’s not really tutoring.]

[Studying to make money: Can you guys check some info on Ye Huai for me?]

[Ye Huai? The Ye family’s eldest son?]

[What’s up with him?]

[Is there a problem?]

[Oh crap! He isn’t from a parallel world, is he?]

[Studying to make money: Just check.]

Tong Yang tried searching online, but unfortunately, aside from his heart condition, not even a silhouette photo of him was available, let alone any news related to him.

[Alright.]

[The sky roars, your humble servant has arrived shiningly.]

[This is the only thing I can do for my sister, please wait.]

[Give me a minute, I can even find out the color of his underwear.]

[Warning to minors, close your eyes ahead.]

Tong Yang was used to their jokes and calmly awaited the results.

Within two minutes, seven or eight photos were posted in the group.

Tong Yang opened each one. All were candid shots of Ye Huai from various angles.

In the photos, he wore a black suit, appearing slightly frail but not diminishing his demeanor, and his pale skin added a broken, sickly beauty.

[Couldn’t find a face photo.]

[I’ll say one thing, he’s really handsome.]

[How can you tell? They’re all side profiles and quite blurry.]

[It’s about the aura, you can tell he’s handsome from the back.]

[So they say, beautiful men are often doomed, no exception.]

[Studying to make money: Did he die?]

[No, but reportedly after the Ye family’s younger son went missing, his parents were distraught, and Ye Huai’s condition worsened continuously, probably not many years left.]

[Alas, so young, such a pity.]

[Sister Tong, I found some news related to him.]

[Ye Huai, 19 years old, birthday April 19th, had heart disease since childhood, never appeared in public before age seventeen, and after his brother Ye Wen went missing, he appeared with his parents at several press conferences. Each time his parents were emotional, but he remained expressionless throughout. Because he was too calm, after the last press conference, his father hospitalized him, and he has not been seen since. The media only knows he lives in a sanatorium, the specifics are unclear.]

[Sss… really? Heart conditions are tricky, some people might not handle even a little exertion, and Ye Tianlin still hit him?]

[I’ve seen the press conference live, he always wore a mask, his voice was indeed very calm, as if he felt no sadness about his brother’s disappearance. At the time, some suspected it was he who had harmed Ye Wen, because Ye Tianlin had already decided to leave all shares of the White Horse Group to his younger brother.]

[Studying to make money: Since Ye Huai has had heart disease, doctors must have trained him from a young age to keep his emotions stable, he probably wasn’t indifferent to his brother’s disappearance. Today I suggested a reward of ten million, and he didn’t refuse, moreover, I don’t have solid evidence.]

[Sister Tong makes sense, thinking about it, his parents really aren’t anything good, his brother’s disappearance isn’t his fault.]

[I heard he was initially assisting the police in the investigation, providing a lot of help, until Ye Tianlin hospitalized him.]

[Deeply pitying.]

[It seems being a rich family’s son isn’t easy either.]

In the end, that’s all the information they could find about Ye Huai. Tong Yang looked at the photos on the screen, increasingly puzzled by why Ye Huai easily agreed to her terms, easily let her stay at his home. Was it “better safe than sorry”? Or had something unusual already happened around him? Or could it really be that he was involved in Ye Wen’s disappearance?

However, the last possibility seemed unlikely.

At three in the afternoon, the maid knocked on her door, asking Tong Yang to come to the front hall to meet Ye Wen.

Tong Yang followed her to the front hall and overheard some conversation as she approached the door.

“Sir, madam, the tutor has arrived.”

“Come in.”

Tong Yang entered the front hall, walking past a tall blue and white porcelain vase, and saw several people sitting in front of a vintage sofa.

Ye Huai sat on one side, with three others seated on the central sofa.

Ye Wen sat on a middle-aged man’s lap, acting spoiled without a care, the man doting on him until he put him down as Tong Yang approached.

The couple beside them was undoubtedly Ye Huai and Ye Wen’s parents.

“Madam, sir, good day, I am Tong Yang.” She nodded to everyone.

The middle-aged man’s smile gradually faded as he gave Tong Yang a meaningful glance.

The lady nodded slightly at her, “Miss Tong, please sit.”

“Why are you here!” Ye Wen turned to Tong Yang, his eyes wide with anger and surprise, clearly not having forgotten the incident where Tong Yang had teased him and forced him to apologize.

“Little friend, we meet again.” Tong Yang smiled gently.

Ye Wen looked as if he’d seen a ghost, “Why are you at my house? I don’t want you…”

“Ye Wen.”

Before he could say anything more offensive, Ye Huai interrupted him with a frown.

Tong Yang’s expression remained unchanged, but she silently gritted her teeth. This rich family’s fool wasn’t one-tenth as cute as her own Tong Le. Had she known, she would have asked for more, given his parents were willing to pay a billion for him.

“Ye Huai, what’s going on?” Ye Tianlin, ignoring Tong Yang’s greeting, directly addressed Ye Huai.

“The teacher said Ye Wen’s grades have been falling, and finals are coming. If he does poorly, he’ll drop out of class one, so I hired a tutor for him.” Ye Huai’s tone was indifferent.

The madam agreed, “Yes, Wen’s grades have indeed dropped a lot, I was just about to hire a tutor for him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Wen doesn’t attend an ordinary school, ordinary tutors might not be able to teach him. Does the school have recommended teachers?”

The implication was clear: not just any random person could tutor their precious son; they needed more professional individuals, not someone like Tong Yang, whose background was unclear.

Before Ye Huai could respond, Ye Tianlin turned his gaze to Tong Yang, his smile devoid of warmth.

“Miss Tong appears to still be a student, from which academy are you?”

The sarcasm in his voice was palpable.

Tong Yang thought this man must be ill, but for the sake of money, she could endure. Worst case scenario, she’d let his darling brat suffer a bit.

“I just graduated.”

“From university?”

“High school.”

“Really?”

Ye Tianlin’s eyes subtly shifted to Ye Huai, “High school, huh.”

“I remember now.” The lady suddenly straightened, “I saw it in the newspaper the other day, you’re the Tong Yang from Yaocheng, right? This year’s top scorer in the college entrance exam?”

“Didn’t expect madam to have heard of me? Just lucky, that’s all.”

Ye Tianlin narrowed his eyes, “Which province’s top scorer?”

The lady said, “Her total score was exceptionally high, like 740 or something, the highest in the country! Huai, you were thoughtful.”

Ye Huai nodded, “Dad, it wasn’t easy to invite Miss Tong, please be polite to her.”

Ye Wen looked at Tong Yang with disbelief.

Hearing this, Ye Tianlin’s expression soured, though he restrained himself from reacting outright.

“Miss Tong, please forgive me, I’m anxious about my son and also worried about wasting your time. Since Huai thinks highly of you, I’ll trust you, just don’t disappoint me.”

“Dad!” Ye Wen looked unwilling.

Ye Tianlin soothingly patted his hand, “Don’t worry, Miss Tong can definitely help you, otherwise she wouldn’t be sitting here.”

“Well then, you two try it out, I have some things to take care of in the study.” Ye Tianlin excused himself from the front hall, giving Ye Huai a cold look before leaving.

Once he left, the madam frowned worriedly and whispered, “Huai, you know your dad, why argue with him?”

Ye Huai’s eyes lowered, “Miss Tong is my guest, there’s no reason for her to endure his sarcasm.”

“You… you!” The madam sighed in frustration.

Ye Wen immediately ran to his brother, righteously saying, “Mom, don’t worry, I’ll go and appease dad later, he won’t punish brother!”

Tong Yang was surprised, not expecting this brat to actually stand up for his brother.

“Miss Tong, I apologize for making you witness that. Don’t take his words to heart, he’s just very strict about Wen’s studies.”

“It’s fine, I won’t take it to heart.”

“Then you two get ready, I’ll go check on him.”

“Alright.”

After Ye Tianlin left, the madam quickly followed him to the study.

“Do you have an illness? What’s with the sudden anger?”

Ye Huai didn’t argue, while Ye Wen stood dumbfounded, unable to believe Tong Yang would speak about his father like that behind his back.

“Because you called ‘madam’ first when you came in,” Ye Huai said calmly.

Tong Yang: “?”

“He’s sick.”

Ye Huai pursed his pale lips, his gaze momentarily lost, “…yes, he’s sick.”

“Hey! You’re saying your dad is sick!” Ye Wen stepped up to her, hands on his hips, all high and mighty, “I’m your boss now, you have to listen to me.”

Tong Yang was silent, taking his words as if they were wind, and asked Ye Huai, “Can I discipline him?”

“You can.”

“Brother?!”

After a moment, Ye Huai added, “But you’d better gag him.”

Ye Wen didn’t expect his brother to completely side against him, he turned to Tong Yang, stuttering a threat, “You—you better not lay a hand on me! Otherwise, I’ll definitely tell dad!”

Tong Yang narrowed her eyes, pinching his chin thoughtfully, “If I pull out your tongue, I wonder if you’ll still have a chance to tell your dad.”

Ye Wen’s face instantly turned pale, “You wouldn’t dare! Dad would never let you get away with it!”

“Ah! Where to start? Right, to prevent you from making noise, I should knock you out first…”

“Don’t pull out my tongue…”

“But I’m afraid you’ll tattle…”

“I won’t, I won’t…”

“Then will you behave?”

“Whimper… I’ll behave…”

“Good.” Tong Yang let go of his chin, ruffling his hair, “Little kids, they’re only cute when they behave.”

Ye Wen didn’t care about much else, relieved he had managed to save his tongue.

“How old is your brother this year?”

“Just turned six.”

Two years later, Ye Huai would be nineteen, meaning he was currently seventeen, a full eleven years older than Ye Wen.

No wonder Ye Tianlin’s attitude towards the two was so different, did he feel like he had gained a son in his old age?

Although this was her first time tutoring, Tong Yang had occasionally helped Tong Le with his studies, so she was quite adept.

However, she hadn’t expected the reputedly talented youngest son of the Ye family to be so dull. A simple Chinese reading comprehension stumped him; he couldn’t read fluently, and he didn’t recognize some uncommon vocabulary. The 300,000 yuan per year spent on his tuition seemed wasted on him compared to half of Tong Le’s capabilities.

But then again, Tong Le had always been a good student, perhaps Ye Wen was just at a normal child’s level.

But the client didn’t think he was dumb; on the contrary, he considered himself among the top fifty students in his grade, even though he was about to drop out of class one. He was still considered smart, it was just that Tong Yang was too impatient!

“Say it again, how do you pronounce this character?” Tong Yang’s face was stern, her tone tinged with gritted teeth, “I’ve read it to you three times.”

“Pu! Even if the sky falls, it’s still pronounced ‘pu’!”

Tong Yang wrote down “ordinary” and “promotion” on the paper, pointing to the first word, “What’s this?”

“Ordinary!”

“And this?” Tong Yang pointed to the second word.

“Pu, pu sheng.”

“Do you think it sounds nice?”

“Sounds nice…”

Tong Yang took a deep breath and turned to Ye Huai, “Forget it, I’m not suited to be a teacher.”

Ye Huai neutrally replied, “It’s about time, go rest.”

Tong Yang ignored Ye Wen and walked away.

Ye Wen muttered under his breath, “Why isn’t she suited? She teaches quite well except she’s a bit fierce.”

Ye Huai said, “Can’t you tell, she thinks you’re dumb.”

Ye Wen: “…”

All in all, Tong Yang was staying at the Ye house for the night.

Later, back in her room, Tong Yang suddenly remembered something.

Tomorrow, July 8th, was Monday. Ye Wen had to go to school, but Hailin International School was not easily accessible to outsiders, even parents had to wait at the school gates, so she definitely couldn’t get in. She had to find a way to keep Ye Wen at home.

Tong Yang initially wanted to call Ye Huai to discuss this, but he didn’t pick up, so she ventured out under cover of darkness.

Hearing that Ye Huai was still in the daytime garden, Tong Yang bid the maid farewell and headed there alone.

“Have you not rested yet?” Ye Huai sat alone at the stone table playing chess, looking up at her arrival with a faint inquiry.

“Can we find a way to keep your brother at home tomorrow for tutoring?”

Ye Huai paused, holding a black chess piece, “Why?”

“He’s supposed to disappear tomorrow at noon, between the third-floor cafeteria and the first teaching building.”

Ye Huai thought for a moment, then asked, “Why between the cafeteria’s third floor and the first teaching building?”

Tong Yang paused, “I don’t know.”

That’s what the future news said.

“Does it matter?” Tong Yang was puzzled.

Ye Huai looked up at her, his gaze seemingly deeper than during the day, “Because the cafeteria’s third floor has a corridor directly connected to the teaching building.”

Tong Yang scoffed, “So you think my words are more believable.”

“Because I didn’t know about this.”

Ye Huai showed a slight smile, not answering directly.

“Young Master Huai, the master asks you to come to the study,” the butler approached, bowing slightly.

Ye Huai silently picked up another chess piece, muttering as if to himself, “…here we go again.”

His voice was soft, and Tong Yang wasn’t sure if she had misheard.

“I’ll try talking to dad.” He placed the black chess piece in front of Tong Yang, his sweater sleeve riding up as he reached out, “Miss Tong, please.”

Tong Yang stared at the chess piece that suddenly appeared in front of her, her expression stunned.

On Ye Huai’s wrist, she saw a scar that hadn’t yet faded.

It didn’t look like a cut from a sharp object, more like a mark left by a whip.

Tong Yang didn’t leave the garden, nor was she urged to return to her room because Ye Huai had told her to “please.”

Watching his departing figure, she hesitated for a moment before following him.

Ye Huai walked down the eastern corridor to a study at the end, knocking lightly before entering.

Tong Yang certainly couldn’t follow him inside. Seeing the study was surrounded by large bushes, she crouched down and hid among them.

Circling to the back of the study, she saw the window half-open, bright yellow light spilling out.

Tong Yang leaned against the window, listening intently to the inside.

Although eavesdropping was not a commendable act, it was clear that Ye Huai wanted her to do so.

So he deliberately showed her the wound, then let her “please.”

“Father, I’d like to ask for a day off for Ye Wen tomorrow, to continue with Miss Tong’s classes,” Ye Huai said calmly.

“Ye Huai, bringing a stranger home is one thing, but do you really think a top scorer from a remote area can replace the elite education from his school?”

“Father, Ye Wen actually prefers her classes, please don’t casually belittle others…”

“Smack—”

Tong Yang heard a loud noise, and Ye Huai’s voice abruptly stopped.

“Ye Huai, are you growing wings? Arguing with me time and again! Do you think anyone but me would spend a fortune to keep a useless person around?”

Tong Yang shifted slightly, peeking inside.

Ye Tianlin was pointing and yelling at him, while Ye Huai just hung his head, his pale cheeks visibly swelling.

“Father, please let Ye Wen stay home tomorrow.” Ye Huai was as if nothing had happened, calmly making his request.

“Kneel down!” Ye Tianlin shouted.

Perhaps his anger wasn’t about Ye Huai’s request but his backtalk.

Ye Huai was much calmer than Tong Yang imagined, bowing and kneeling on the ground.

“Take off your coat.”

Ye Huai seemed accustomed to this, removing his sweater to reveal a thin white shirt underneath.

Ye Tianlin pulled a whip, about as thick as a pinky, from a drawer in the study and lashed it across Ye Huai’s back.

Not just his father’s attitude, but the pain from the whip seemed all too familiar to Ye Huai.

Tong Yang stepped back, no longer watching, listening to the continuous “smack, smack” sounds inside. Now she suspected that Ye Tianlin kept Ye Huai around with an incurable disease just to vent all his frustrations on him, then leave all his fatherly love for Ye Wen.

However, Tong Yang had no interest in other people’s family affairs, nor the ability to intervene. She was just puzzled, why did Ye Huai want her to know this?

Was he hoping she’d pity him and give him a discount on the ransom for saving his brother?

Unfortunately, Tong Yang didn’t find him pitiable; instead, she found this behavior of sacrificing oneself for a sibling quite dull.

“Take your medicine first.” Ye Tianlin seemed tired from the beating, panting as he spoke.

Tong Yang was astonished; Ye Tianlin was a real psychopath, beating someone while telling them to take their medicine. Didn’t this huge villa have anyone to step in?

Ye Wen had just boldly claimed he would persuade his father.

“Ye Wen, the master and your brother are discussing something, don’t go in!”

At this moment, noisy voices came from outside the study.

“Let go! I want to go in! Dad! Dad! Brother! What are you doing!” Ye Wen’s anxious voice echoed outside the door.

“Put your clothes on!” Ye Tianlin’s tone became urgent.

Shortly after, the door was flung open, and Ye Wen ran inside.

“Dad, brother, what are you doing?”

“Nothing, just talking about Miss Tong’s classes with your brother, why are you awake? Didn’t you say you were tired?” Ye Tianlin’s voice softened, sounding like a kind father.

“Brother, why do you look so pale? Is your heart bothering you again?” Ye Wen asked worriedly.

“I’m fine.” Ye Huai’s voice was hoarse, “Let’s continue with Miss Tong’s classes tomorrow.”

“Okay!” Ye Wen agreed readily.

Just a child, he didn’t notice his brother’s condition and was easily distracted.

“Ye Wen, do you like Miss Tong? If you don’t want to go to school these next few days, we won’t go, dad will find you a better teacher.”

Ye Wen muttered, “But, brother thinks Miss Tong is very good.”

“Don’t worry about your brother, if you don’t like her, we’ll find someone else.”

“I, I don’t dislike her!” Ye Wen said, somewhat embarrassed, “Although she’s a bit fierce, a bit scary, she explains things more clearly than the teachers.”

Nonsense.

Tong Yang had read that sentence to him three times, yet when he tried to read it himself, he still mispronounced “promotion” as “ordinary.”

“Is that so?” Ye Tianlin indulged with a smile, “Since you like her, let’s keep Miss Tong here, no need to go to school tomorrow.”

Ye Tianlin’s attitude towards his eldest and youngest sons was worlds apart.

“Alright, I’ll take you back to your room, don’t you want to hear a bedtime story?”

“What about brother?”

“Let him rest here a bit.”

As the father and son left, the study quieted down.

Tong Yang didn’t understand, what was the point of letting her know all this? Or had she misunderstood Ye Huai’s intentions?

How Ye Tianlin treated him had nothing to do with her, and even if he wanted to sacrifice for his brother, why do it in such a way? Showing her a side of himself that no one knew and was full of tragedy, even if she pitied him, what could she change?

The study was silent for a long time, and Tong Yang wondered if Ye Tianlin had actually killed him. She cautiously peered through the window; he was sitting silently on the couch, as if waiting for something.

Tong Yang was very confused, increasingly unable to grasp what he intended, and didn’t leave for a while.

Time passed, and the heavy door of the study was pushed open again.

“Dad.” Ye Huai called out.

This time his voice was clear.

Tong Yang turned in surprise, Ye Tianlin had actually returned?

He silently approached Ye Huai, looking at his swollen cheeks, his eyes tinged with a bitter emotion.

“Ahuai, did dad hit you again?”

Ye Huai shook his head, showing a faint smile.

“It’s okay, you’re just sick.”

Tong Yang watched the entirely different Ye Tianlin, deep in thought.