Ch. 141..150

Chapter 141: The Invitation is Snatched Away Nianyou sneered, “Oh, Chuyi, why do you always lie? That’s not a good habit, you have to change it! When did my mom ever invite you to our house for dinner? Can someone like you, a servant’s daughter, even sit at the same table with us?”

“Even if my mom did invite you, wouldn’t you refuse? You can’t possibly think you’re equal to us, right? Why are you so clueless?”

“Dad, Chuyi must be so envious of my life, she probably wants to be your daughter as well. At every opportunity, she’s so eager to cozy up to mom. Actually, mom finds her quite annoying, but she’s never said anything out of respect for Aunt Lin.”

Wen Xingye was worried about not finding a good excuse to send Ye Chuyi away, and upon hearing Wen Nianyou say this, he commented, “If your mom finds her annoying, then send her away. She just got out of the hospital, don’t let her get upset over such trivial matters.”

After he spoke, he closed the car window and drove into the villa.

Empowered by the male master’s command, Lin Yueqin became very arrogant, “Did you hear that? Mr. Wen said Madam finds you annoying and told me to send you away! How thick-skinned are you to still be hanging around here?”

Ye Chuyi didn’t truly believe that Lady Wen’s dinner invitation was mere politeness, but since she couldn’t even enter the villa’s gate, she had no choice but to give up.

As she turned to leave, the gift she was carrying was snatched away by Lin Yueqin.

Ye Chuyi’s gaze turned icy, “What are you doing? That’s not for you!”

“I know, you brought something for Madam because you’re embarrassed to come for a meal uninvited. I’ll accept it on Madam’s behalf and will give it to her later. At least she’ll know that you appreciate her kindness, and you’re thoughtful enough to bring a gift.”

Lin Yueqin then called out to another servant, “Tian Ma, keep these things and show them to Madam.”

Tian Ma took the gifts, standing to the side, somewhat timidly, not saying a word.

Ye Chuyi didn’t say anything more; she couldn’t see Madam, but as long as the gifts reached her, it was fine.

She turned to leave again, but with one step out, her shoulder bag was snatched by Lin Yueqin.

She clenched her hand, “Lin Yueqin, is this ever going to end? Are you seriously trying to take my canvas bag too?”

Lin Yueqin ignored her, rummaged through the bag for a while, and then suddenly burst into joy, “Hahaha, you really have it in your bag! Perfect!”

Ye Chuyi frowned and watched as Lin Yueqin took three invitations to a medical conference out of her bag.

She finally understood why Lin Yueqin was after her bag; it must have been Nianyou’s doing.

Ye Chuyi snatched her bag back and extended her hand toward Lin Yueqin, “Give the invitations back to me. They’re useless to you.”

“They’re useless to me, but they’re useful to Youyou!”

Lin Yueqin tucked the three exquisitely made gold-embossed invitations into her bosom, holding them like precious treasures, “So you’re indeed Cong Zong’s mistress, aren’t you? Only someone like that could get her hands on something like this. And those designer clothes you’re wearing, they weren’t bought by him, were they?”

Ye Chuyi’s expression darkened, “Give the invitations back to me now, don’t force me to get physical.”

Fearing that Ye Chuyi would snatch them back, Lin Yueqin turned and walked away, instructing Tian Ma as she went, “Hurry up and close the gate, don’t let her in!”

Tian Ma, somewhat intimidated by her, quickly obliged, closing the gate and leaving Ye Chuyi outside the villa.

Seeing that Ye Chuyi couldn’t get in at all, Lin Yueqin turned back to Tian Ma and took the items from her hands, “That little wretch couldn’t possibly have brought anything decent, don’t show it to Madam, or it might bring her bad luck. Right, Tian Ma?”

Tian Ma hesitated, still looking at her, “Yueqin, didn’t Madam specifically tell us she was expecting guests tonight and asked us to prepare more food? Why would you tell Mr. Wen that…”noveldrama

“Shut up!”

Lin Yueqin shouted at her fiercely, “What I say goes in this house! How dare a lowly servant like you question me? Can’t you see I’m doing all this for Madam’s sake? You have no brains at all!”

“Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong, I won’t dare to do it again.”

“Useless fool, why aren’t you getting back to work? Do you want me to do it myself?”

“No, no, no, you rest, I’ll go right now!”

 

: Chapter 142: Waiting for Me? Dinner time had arrived, yet Lady Wen kept peering outside and didn’t start eating.

Everyone knew who she was waiting for, but everyone tacitly pretended not to know, and nobody mentioned Ye Chuyi.

Finally, she had no choice but to sigh and said softly, “It seems he won’t be coming. He must have been held up by something!”

After serving the last dish, the maid bowed and retreated to the kitchen with her head down.

Normally at this time, Lin Yueqin would not allow her to show her face; it was always Lin Yueqin who served meals to Lady Wen and her family.

However, today Lin Yueqin had forgotten her cellphone.

Her phone was placed beside the kitchen sink at this moment.

The maid glanced outside, making sure Lin Yueqin wouldn’t return, swiftly grabbed her phone, and entered the unlock code she had memorized long ago. It unlocked successfully.

Then, she found a phone number and memorized it.

Afterward, she put the phone back at a distance as if nothing had happened.

Time passed, and soon it was midnight.

All was quiet in the Wen Family villa.

In the servant’s room, Lin Yueqin was already asleep.

The maid took out her second phone and sent a message to the number she had memorized.

Bay Villa District.

Ye Chuyi was not feeling sleepy at all.

It wasn’t because Sheng Tingyuan hadn’t come home yet, but because she had received a text message.

Wearing her pajamas, she stood in front of the balcony’s glass door, looking down at the message: “Give me ten million, and I’ll tell you a secret, one that could change your life. If you don’t deal with me, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Ye Chuyi originally didn’t want to pay attention to this abrupt extortion message.

But then it started to rain again.

The window was open, and rainwater drifted in, wetting the cellphone.

Is it luck?

Ye Chuyi reached out, quietly catching the cold rainwater.

Why is there so much rain in City A this year? It didn’t seem to be like this in previous years.

She began to doubt her own belief that rain brought her good luck.

Downstairs, a Bentley pulled up and stopped at the entrance; Sheng Tingyuan got out of the car and looked up at her on the balcony.

Ye Chuyi was somewhat surprised; she had thought he wouldn’t be coming home tonight.

However, his return didn’t affect anything for her. She still stretched her hand out to catch the rain, her mind still pondered the extortion message, and her brain still wasn’t the slightest bit sleepy.

A moment later, footsteps were heard; Sheng Tingyuan came inside.noveldrama

He approached her and asked in a deep, indifferent voice, “Why aren’t you sleeping? It’s already one in the morning.”

Ye Chuyi casually answered, “I can’t sleep.”

“Waiting for me?”

“Not at all.”

“Don’t wait for me next time. If I don’t come back, just go to sleep on your own.”

Ye Chuyi: “…”

Young Master, you’re somewhat self-flattering.

Sheng Tingyuan took hold of her wrist and drew her hand back inside: “Stop playing with the rainwater. Haven’t I said you should take care of your hands?”

He took a towel from the balcony, dried her hands, and then wiped her phone wet with rainwater.

Without meaning to, he saw the message on her cellphone.

He asked casually, “Received a scam message?”

Ye Chuyi looked at him seriously and said, “This might not be a scam message.”

“Why do you say that?”

“It’s raining.”

“Hmm?”

“When it rains, I get lucky. I think this message is trying to help me.”

“So you want to give this person ten million?”

“Yes.”

She had always seemed intelligent, shrewd, agile, and sharp to him, but at that moment, Sheng Tingyuan thought she appeared somewhat foolish, naive like a child oblivious to the ways of the world.

He didn’t understand how someone as smart as her could believe such a message, but he was willing to indulge this trace of naiveté.

He pulled out his wallet from his pocket, took out a gold card, and placed it in her hand: “You can try it and see if it really brings good luck.”

Ye Chuyi looked at him in shock: “You’re going to give me the ten million?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not stopping me? Didn’t you say it’s a scam?”

“Didn’t you say it’s good luck?”

“I was guessing!”

: Chapter 143 The Good Luck of a Rainy Day is Broken Sheng Tingyuan looked at her extraordinarily vivid expression due to the shock, at her pretty eyes filled with disbelief, and inexplicably felt a little better.noveldrama

He had discovered that he had developed a little habit recently—he kind of enjoyed teasing her.

The mobile phone suddenly vibrated, and the other party sent another bank account.

Sheng Tingyuan took out his own phone and transferred money to the other party’s account.

Ye Chuyi was startled and quickly pressed down on his hand to stop him from entering the password, “What are you doing, why are you really transferring it?”

Sheng Tingyuan was touched by her cold hand and was briefly stunned, then said, “Next time, you are not allowed to play with rainwater.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not conducive to protecting the nerves in your hands.”

Ye Chuyi was full of question marks, “Is this the time to focus on this kind of thing?”

Sheng Tingyuan removed her hand and entered the password.

By the time Ye Chuyi realized it and looked down, the transfer was already complete.

She was dumbfounded, “Are you… the dumb son of a landlord’s family?”

Sheng Tingyuan laughed out loud, “You are the first to call me dumb, it’s quite novel.”

Seeing that Ye Chuyi could still laugh it off, she was even more frustrated, “Sheng Tingyuan, you can’t do this, it’s very easy for you to be deceived like this, is it really okay for you to inherit Shengshi Group?”

Sheng Tingyuan couldn’t help but tap her forehead, “Shengshi Group can only be inherited by me, no one else has the right.”

Having said that, he turned around and walked out, “It’s half-past one, time to rest.”

Unfortunately, Ye Chuyi felt even less sleepy now.

She sat on the bed and sent a message to that number, “The money has been transferred, what is the secret you wanted to tell?”

However, the message sent was like a stone dropping into the sea, with no reply whatsoever from the other side.

Ye Chuyi couldn’t help but tap her own head, “Rain is just a normal meteorological phenomenon, why did I believe it would bring good luck?”

“Isn’t this a clear scam? Now, I owe the young master five million.”

“No no no, maybe the transfer of a large amount takes longer to arrive, maybe the other party hasn’t received the money yet?”

“Right, let’s wait a bit longer, I will definitely have good luck on a rainy day.”

An hour later.

The other party finally sent another message.

The mobile phone vibrated, and Ye Chuyi’s spirit also jolted, she hurriedly opened the message, “Transfer me another ten million, and I will tell you the secret.”

Ye Chuyi held her phone, her heart sinking.

It was still raining outside, the rain was getting heavier, but she no longer believed.

She sat silently for a long time, finally got out of bed, and went to Sheng Tingyuan’s bedroom.

Sheng Tingyuan, half asleep and half awake, saw someone standing in front of his bed, her long hair draped over, wearing a white dress, silent, immobile.

He was startled, and most of his sleepiness dissipated.

When he recognized it was Ye Chuyi, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He sat up, “What’s wrong?”

Ye Chuyi struggled to speak, “Sheng Tingyuan, I’ve been deceived.”

Sheng Tingyuan reacted as calmly as if he heard her say “I’ve eaten,” he patted the empty space beside him, “Come here.”

Ye Chuyi climbed onto his bed, sat beside him, and showed him the text message on her phone, “This person is asking me for another ten million, he is indeed a swindler. I’m sorry, it’s all because I was superstitious.”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault, you weren’t being superstitious.”

“I will repay this five million to you.”

“You don’t have to.”

Ye Chuyi bowed her head and said no more.

After a while, Sheng Tingyuan heard a faint sobbing sound; when he touched her face, it was wet.

“It’s just five million, why cry? If it’s gone, it’s gone, we still have more at home.”

“It’s not because of the five million.”

“Then what is it because of?”

“Because… my magic of having good luck when it rains failed.”

Ye Chuyi felt exceptionally distressed, ever since that rainy day when she met her brother at the age of eight, rain had become her most anticipated and favorite weather.

Although her brother disappeared later, the good luck he brought her still appeared on every rainy day.

It was also on a rainy day that she met her mentor An Huadong and her first angel investor. With their help, she was able to establish Jungle Pharmaceutical and realized the dream she had cherished since she was eight years old.

But now, the good luck was broken, and the last illusion of her brother was gone.

 

: Chapter 144 Wen Nianyou is Blackmailed and Extorted Ye Chuyi was completely unable to control her tears as they fell in large droplets, landing on Sheng Tingyuan’s hands.

While wiping his hands, she apologized, “I’m sorry…”

Sheng Tingyuan wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pressed her into his embrace, “There’s no need to apologize. Wasn’t it me who willingly transferred the money? It has nothing to do with you. It’s my loss, not yours, so your magic for good luck on rainy days hasn’t disappeared.”

“And besides, how do you know that this is definitely a bad thing?”

“It might also be a good thing, it’s just that you don’t know where the good part lies yet.”

“Stop crying, okay?”

When Ye Chuyi was embraced by him, she tensed up.

From her childhood to adulthood, no one had ever held her this way, and for the first time in her life, she felt the warmth and solidity of an embrace.

She was somewhat at a loss, yet reluctant to leave such warmth.

However, the warmer his embrace, the more frightened she became. She feared that he would discover she was a fake heiress, and one day, when he found out she was just the daughter of a servant, would he regret having held her? Would he scold her coldly for her shamelessness?

Sheng Tingyuan felt her stiffness, and truth be told, he was a bit stiff as well. In the moment he had hugged her, his body reacted before his brain could contemplate his actions; by the time he became conscious of it, she was already in his arms.

However, since he was already hugging her, he did not let go.

He patted her back, silently comforting her until she fell asleep, and only then did he stop.

He cradled her head and gently placed it on the pillow and then covered her with the blanket.

Outside the window, the heavy rain continued to pour relentlessly, as though wanting to submerge the whole world or as if trying to tell something to a girl who believed it had magic.

Unfortunately, the girl couldn’t hear it.

Sheng Tingyuan looked at the sleeping face beside him, feeling slightly confused at the bottom of his heart.

Was it because they were married? Why did he think she was becoming more beautiful?

He hadn’t felt this way when he saw her twice three years ago.

He gently took her hand and examined it carefully, making sure that the red mark from being caught in the car door had completely disappeared before letting her hand go.

The night passed swiftly.

In the morning, Ye Chuyi woke up to find that the rain outside had stopped.

Looking at the big red wedding quilt covering her, she remembered the events of the previous night. It seemed… that she had been lulled to sleep by Sheng Tingyuan.

It really must have been difficult for him. Not only was he inexplicably tricked out of five million in the middle of the night, but he also had to sacrifice his own sleep to comfort her to sleep.

Fortunately, there was no one by her side when she awoke. Otherwise, she would probably feel very awkward.

She got out of bed to wash up and then went downstairs for breakfast.

Auntie Wang saw her coming down and said, “Madam, the young master asked me to tell you he had to leave early for some business.”

“Okay.” It’s good that he left. Hopefully, the young master leaves every day.

Ye Chuyi ate the sumptuous breakfast and said to Auntie Wang, “Why hasn’t the wedding quilt in the master bedroom been removed? It’s been two days; it should be taken down by now?” Otherwise, it felt as if they were ready for the nuptial chamber at any time.

“Madam, the wedding quilt needs to be kept for three days before it can be removed. It’s only the second day; there’s one more day!”

“There’s such a custom?”

“Yes, Madam, this is called ‘Lian San Chao,’ which symbolizes good fortune and happiness for the newlyweds.”

“Okay then.”

…

At the Wen Family villa.

Wen Nianyou dragged Lin Yueqin to the garden, her face a mix of terror and anger, “What’s going on, besides us, why does someone else know I’m not Lady Wen’s daughter!”

Lin Yueqin’s hair stood on end, “What are you talking about?!”

“Someone knows you are my real mother!”

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

Lin Yueqin’s face turned deathly pale, as she tightly grasped Wen Nianyou’s hand, “Besides our family, no one else could possibly know! Who else is there? Who else!”

“You’re asking me?! How would I know who it is! Last night, someone sent me a message, asking for money! I only just saw the message this morning!”

Wen Nianyou handed her phone to Lin Yueqin to show her, and the text message read:

“I know you are not Lady Wen’s daughter, you are the child of Lin Yueqin, and I also know who Lady Wen’s real daughter is. If you want me to keep the secret, give me five million. If you don’t pay, everything you have now will disappear.”noveldrama

Lin Yueqin was startled, shaking slightly, “Who? Who knows our secret?”

: Chapter 145 The Maid Who Pretends to be a Weakling On the second floor of the Wen Family villa, Tian Mama hid by the window, watching the mother and daughter whispering secretly in the garden outside the window.

At this moment, Lin Yueqin, who was usually extremely arrogant, had a look of terror on her face and was as pale as death, resembling a startled bird, looking around in every direction.

Wen Nianyou, even more arrogant than her, also appeared angry and flustered, clenching her phone tightly and whispering something to Lin Yueqin.

Tian Mama couldn’t hear their voices at all, but she still knew the entire content of their conversation.

They had always been very cautious, making sure to avoid others during their talks, and most of the time their conversation was quite cryptic.

Unfortunately, they didn’t know that she, an inconspicuous maid, could read lips.

Ye Chuyi had already transferred five million dollars, which she now regretted, feeling that she had asked for too little.

She had thought that Ye Chuyi wasn’t very wealthy, believing five million to be an extortionate amount, but since the other party paid so readily, she certainly couldn’t tell her so easily.

Of course, no matter how much money Ye Chuyi gave, she wasn’t going to reveal the secret for the time being. At the very least, she would wait until she had milked Wen Nianyou and Lin Yueqin dry.

Meanwhile, the mother and daughter in the garden were still blaming each other.

Wen Nianyou felt a chill run down her spine, her eyes burning with fury as if she wanted to eat someone alive, “You’re so stupid, how could such a big secret have been exposed? Are you trying to kill me, you want to kill me!”

Lin Yueqin was no less terrified, “How could I possibly let others know about this? I’ve never told anyone, wouldn’t that be asking for death? Could it be that you let something slip in front of friends while you were out having fun?”

“Have I gone mad? Would I go out and talk about the kind of thing that could get me killed? I wouldn’t dare even to mention it!”

Wen Nianyou surveyed the entire villa, “Could there be someone in the house who has glimpsed our secret?”

“Impossible! I’ve already chased away that servant who said that little bastard looked like Lady Wen, and anyone else who would know? I just got rid of one last month who said we were too close and looked like mother and daughter.”

“Isn’t there still one left?”noveldrama

“Tian Qiugui?”

Lin Yueqin thought for a while and shook her head, “Impossible, she’s just a brainless idiot, who only knows how to work her head off all day, can barely speak properly, how could she have the ability to blackmail you.”

“Whether it’s her or not, we’ll know if we ask, right? Better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one go!”

As she spoke, Wen Nianyou walked towards the villa.

Lin Yueqin followed her in, and they found Tian Mama in the study on the third floor.

She was kneeling on the ground, wiping the floor with a bucket of water next to her, the floor was spotlessly clean and shining, while the water in the bucket had turned black.

Because she had been doing heavy labor all year round, her finger joints were thick, her hands rough, and since she was often bullied by Lin Yueqin, she wasn’t well-fed, making her look particularly frail.

But, over the years, she never thought to resist, was honest and slow-witted, always nodding and bowing, and never once complained to Lady Wen.

That’s why she was still working in the Wen Family, because Lin Yueqin needed someone to do the chores, and after chasing all the other servants away, all the work fell to her alone.

The door to the study closed and then was locked from the inside.

Tian Qiugui knew the main show was about to begin.

She bowed her waist, got up from the floor, and spoke with utmost respect, “Miss, do you need to use the study? I’ve finished wiping it.”

Her reply was a vicious kick.

Wen Nianyou unceremoniously knocked the just-risen Tian Qiugui back to the ground, her voice sharp, “Speak up, was it you?!”

Tian Qiugui, in severe pain, curled up on the ground, a look of shock on her face, “Miss, what are you talking about? Is the floor not clean enough? I’m sorry, Miss, I’ll wipe it again right away.”

Lin Yueqin lifted the bucket and poured most of the dirty water directly over her head, “Still denying it? It was you who sent the threatening text to Miss!”

Tian Qiugui, drenched and unable to open her eyes, crawled up after a while, pleading on her knees, “I didn’t, Miss, how dare I threaten you? I never went to school, I can’t read, Miss, I can’t send texts.”

Chapter 146: The Message Stuck in the Throat Wen Nianyou said fiercely, “Who knows if you’re just pretending? Give me your phone to check!”

Trembling, Tian Qiugui pulled out her phone from her pocket and handed it over with both hands.

Wen Nianyou, deeming her dirty, motioned for Lin Yueqin to take it.

Lin Yueqin took her basic phone, flipped through it, and found nothing—not even a person who had called or texted her.

Only then did Lin Yueqin remember that although Tian Qiugui had been married when she was young, her husband had died, and she ended up working as a maid for others. She had no children and hardly any relatives.

She desperately needed a job to support herself and a place to stay, and Lady Wen, kind-hearted, had taken her in, paying her a salary of fifteen thousand a month, covering her food and lodging, even providing her with clothes and shoes for all seasons.

Therefore, even with the amount of bullying and scolding she endured, Tian Qiugui put up with it all—she had nowhere else to go if she left here.

Lin Yueqin shook her head at Wen Nianyou: “Miss, it’s probably not her. She’s a lonely old woman with one foot in the grave; she doesn’t have much use for so much money.”

Wen Nianyou also felt it wasn’t her because seeing Tian Qiugui’s pathetic state, she didn’t seem to have the guts to threaten her.

But if not her, then who could it be?

The text message was like a fishbone in her throat, and she feared Lady Wen discovering it. Without delay, she left the study to stay close to Lady Wen.

If someone were to send word to Lady Wen, she wanted to intercept it immediately.

Yet, when she checked Lady Wen’s phone, she was surprised to see that Ye Chuyi’s number, which had been saved earlier, was now missing, and even the WeChat account was gone.

She found it strange—who had deleted it?

Lady Wen loved Ye Chuyi so much; it couldn’t have been her doing. Could it be Wen Xingye?

But why would Wen Xingye delete all contact information of Ye Chuyi?noveldrama

Never mind, whatever the reason, it was a good thing in the end.

She put down the phone and began massaging Lady Wen’s back and legs. When she heard Lady Wen say she was thirsty, she brought her a cup of water, the temperature adjusted just right—neither too cold nor too hot, so it could be drunk straight away.

Lady Wen smiled, “Youyou is so thoughtful, such a filial child. You’ve even adjusted the water temperature perfectly; you really are mommy’s little padded jacket.”

“It’s only right that I’m filial to you. You’ve been weakened by the surgery, and I want to spend more time with you. When you’re fully recovered, I’ll take you on a trip. My friends have recently been going to Thailand to have fun—I’ll take you too.”

“I’d rather not. If you want to go, go with your friends and have fun. There’s nothing much at home, and I’m quite alright; you don’t have to stick by my side.”

“No, If you don’t go, I won’t either. I’m not the kind who enjoys playing around too much. I mainly want to take you out to relax.”

Wen Nianyou continued to sweet-talk her, and finally asked, “Mom, didn’t you say you would help me with sixty million? When can you transfer the money to me? I’m also thinking of starting up the company quickly, to get the best medicines for you.”

Lady Wen took out a card, “It’s been prepared for you; go start your company.”

Wen Nianyou was both surprised and delighted, “Thank you, Mom! I truly love you so much!”

—

Jungle Pharmaceutical.

Ye Chuyi sat in her office making a call, “Ivy, check a phone number and a bank account for me. I need to know who this person is; they’ve scammed me out of five million.”

Ivy, known for his straightforward and no-nonsense manner, uncharacteristically fell silent.

After a while, he asked uncertainly, “Boss, could you really be scammed out of money?” He knew all too well just how tightly she protected her assets.

A night had passed since the incident, and Ye Chuyi’s emotions had stabilized, “Just a minor mishap. Go ahead and check.”

“Alright, boss, I’m on it.”

An hour later.

Ivy replied, “Boss, the phone number is unregistered, and there’s no way to trace it, but I found the vendor who sold these phone numbers. It’ll take some time to track down all the people who bought them.”

“Also, the bank account you transferred money to is overseas, and the funds were transferred out immediately after they arrived. It was premeditated.”

 

Chapter 147 Ye Jinyu is Your Aunt “Boss, the person extorting you is in the country, in City A, while the one collecting the money is abroad. The final account where the money ended up belongs to a person named Pang Yong, who is Chinese. I found he had a record of returning to the country last year, but no criminal record,”

Pang Yong?

A completely unfamiliar name—Ye Chuyi was certain she had never heard it before.

She furrowed her brow, “Is this just a common fraud? Why do I feel like the method used in this fraud is different from other cases I’ve heard of?”

“Boss, this isn’t ordinary fraud, it’s extortion specifically targeting you. The usual tactics of fraud aren’t like this, you must have been marked by someone.”

“Keep investigating, don’t overlook any clues.”

“Yes, Boss. However, Boss, you shouldn’t transfer any more money to them. Try to talk to them more to fish for some information. Also, it would be best if you could make a phone call to them. That way, I can directly lock onto their location.”

“Do you think the scammer is an idiot? They don’t answer anything I ask, and they even turned off their phone today. I can’t get through at all.”

Ye Chuyi said irritably, “What am I keeping you and your team for if I get scammed and you can’t help at all, yet tell me to contact the scammer myself? You’re not getting a bonus this month!”

Ivy shivered and quickly replied, “Don’t worry, Boss. I’m definitely going to find this scammer!”

Indeed, I shouldn’t talk too much. Every time I do, my bonus just flies away!

Ye Chuyi hung up the phone without saying anything more.

She still believed in Ivy’s ability. If he couldn’t find the person, then she wouldn’t be able to find them either.

Finding the person was just a matter of time, so she decided to give Ivy a little more time.

A day quickly passed, and in the evening, Ye Chuyi didn’t get a call from Ivy but received a call from Sheng Tingyuan instead.

His voice was low and his tone was flat, “It’s a maid.”

Ye Chuyi was perplexed, “What maid?”

“The one who sent you a message last night and scammed you out of five million, it’s a maid.”noveldrama

Ye Chuyi’s heart skipped a beat, “How did you know?”

“I’ve already found out.”

Ye Chuyi could barely conceal her shock. Ivy hadn’t found out yet, but Sheng Tingyuan had?

“How did you find out?”

Sheng Tingyuan, however, didn’t explain how he had found out, simply telling her, “The maid’s name is Tian Qiugui.”

“Tian Qiugui? Why does that name sound familiar?”

“You probably have heard of her before. This maid has been working at the Wen Family all along, and Lady Wen, your aunt, is Ye Jinyu.”

“What?!”

“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you know that Ye Jinyu is your aunt?”

“I… I know.”

Ye Chuyi didn’t know.

But as a “daughter” of the Ye Family, she couldn’t afford to admit ignorance of such a fact.

She was still reeling from the barrage of information and mechanically said, “I’m just shocked that a maid from my aunt’s house would extort me.”

Indeed, Lady Wen did bear some resemblance to Ye Zhengrong, and she had the surname Ye, even her name followed the same pattern as the Ye family brothers.

Ye Canghai, Ye Zhengrong, Ye Jinyu.

However, she had never heard Lady Wen mention her maiden home, nor did Lady Wen often visit there. At least, in Ye Chuyi’s memory, Lady Wen had never returned to her maiden home, and her family from there had never visited the Wen Family residence.

Lin Yueqin, who had been working at the Wen Family for many years, also had no idea who Lady Wen’s family was.

Hence, Ye Chuyi had never imagined that Lady Wen could be Ye Zhengrong’s sister.

Although the news was shocking, it wasn’t the main issue.

The crux of the matter was that she’d finally realized who Tian Qiugui was—the very person who had been extorting her was none other than Tian Mama!

How could it be?

Why would it be her?

In her memory, Tian Mama was timid and hardly dared to speak out loud. She was always extremely polite and eager to please everyone; she didn’t resort to deception or sly tricks, focusing merely on her work.

Even Lin Yueqin, who was so demanding, had once praised Tian Mama for being diligent and honest, someone dependable.

Chapter 148: My Dad Extorted Your Dad Yesterday, Ye Chuyi had just seen Tian Ma at the Wen Family.

She was treated as before, called and ordered about by Lin Yueqin, humbling herself before her, serving her without complaint, honestly to the point of seeming pitiable.

Could it be because she had been squeezed too hard by Lin Yueqin that she wanted revenge, and that’s why she extorted her, Lin Yueqin’s daughter?

Sheng Tingyuan’s deep voice rose again, interrupting Ye Chuyi’s chaotic thoughts, “I’ve found the person, the decision on how to deal with her is up to you. You can report her to the police or confront her yourself—it’s your choice.”

“The money has been transferred offshore many times already and can’t be recovered. But it’s not a big deal, don’t worry about it.”noveldrama

“But catching someone who harbors ill intentions towards you is not a loss. This time it was extortion, next time who knows what means they may use against you. Better to catch them early and avoid future trouble.”

“So, your magic of good fortune on rainy days hasn’t disappeared, it really does exist and it’s quite effective.”

Ye Chuyi felt moved as she listened to him go on all at once.

He must have done a lot behind the scenes, otherwise, it would not have been possible to find the person so quickly. No wonder he had left early this morning.

“Sheng Tingyuan.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“Hmm.”

Listening to his voice, Ye Chuyi felt a surge of unfamiliar emotions in her heart.

Five million was from him, and he was the one who found the person. Yet, he showed no sign of seeking credit, treating it as though he had merely done something trivial.

She asked him softly, “How should I thank you?”

“Just don’t stand by my bed at midnight with your hair down and wearing a white dress staring at me.”

Ye Chuyi, recalling last night’s scene, took a moment to understand what he referred to, and couldn’t help laughing, “Sorry for scaring you, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I just wanted to see if you were asleep.”

When Sheng Tingyuan heard her laugh, knowing that her mood had brightened, he took the initiative to inform her, “I have a social engagement tonight and will return home very late, don’t wait up for me.”

Ye Chuyi could have claimed she hadn’t waited for him the night before, but now, after he had helped her so much, she couldn’t say it.

Her voice dry, she said, “Okay, I understand.”

“Watch your hands, don’t play with water when it’s raining.”

“Oh.”

Ye Chuyi felt that he was treating her like a child.

It was a novel experience.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Chuyi didn’t call the police after all; she planned to meet with Tian Ma herself first.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang again.

It was a call from Du Yu’s son, Du Xiaoguang.

Ye Chuyi answered immediately, “Du Xiaoguang, what’s happened?”

“I heard your father is going to be released from prison soon, right?”

“Yes, and I owe you thanks for your letter of forgiveness, he will be released tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I still haven’t forgiven your father. I issued the letter of forgiveness to repay the kindness of the Ye Family, it has nothing to do with you.”

While Du Xiaoguang’s tone was still harsh, it was already much better compared to the past when he would have cursed Ye Chuyi at the drop of a hat.

“I know you have always believed that your father didn’t kill my father, but I can assure you, the murderer was indeed him.”

Ye Chuyi frowned, “You’ve said that many times, but my father has also repeatedly stated that he didn’t kill anyone.”

His voice low, Du Xiaoguang confessed, “There’s something I’ve never told anyone.”

“What is it?”

“Actually, before my father died, he threatened your father, extorted him, and demanded a million dollars.”

Ye Chuyi’s heart sank slightly, “Do you have evidence? There is no such record with the police.”

“Of course there’s no record with the police. Why would my father leave evidence of his extortion against your father? I was young then, and he didn’t hide it from me, perhaps thinking I wouldn’t remember.”

Du Xiaoguang exhaled, “This isn’t something to be proud of, so I’ve always kept it a secret for my father. Anyway, your father was convicted, there was no need to tell the police.”

Chapter 149: The True Face of Mother Tian “But now, things are different; your dad is getting out of prison, and I have to tell you this. He killed my dad because my dad tried to extort a million from him. It wasn’t for no reason, as you think.”

“He really is a murderer, letting him out isn’t a good thing!”

Ye Chuyi felt this didn’t make sense, “My dad and your dad had absolutely no connection, they didn’t even know each other. Why would he suddenly extort my dad? And for a million? My dad was just a security guard with a low salary; there’s no way he could come up with that much money.”noveldrama

“I don’t know the specifics, I just remember, during that time, my dad was very excited every day, saying he was going to strike it rich. Maybe, your dad has some secret you don’t know about?”

“What secrets could a plain and simple security guard possibly have?”

“How would I know? Anyway, I’ve said what I should and even what I shouldn’t. I’ve said all there is to say, it’s up to you now.”

After speaking, Du Xiaoguang hung up the phone directly.

Ye Chuyi gripped the phone tightly, standing there without moving for a long time.

She didn’t know how much truth there was in Du Xiaoguang’s words, but it seemed he had no reason to slander his deceased father with the crime of extortion. The man was already dead, framing him for extortion made no sense and wasn’t in line with Du Xiaoguang’s usual behavior.

Unless what he said was true.

But she had never heard Shi Youjin mention this matter.

If he really had been coerced into murder by extortion, that would be a very beneficial testament for reducing his sentence. So why wouldn’t he speak of it?

Ye Chuyi fell deep into thought.

As if turned by fate’s silent gears, eighteen years ago her father was extorted for a million, and eighteen years later, she was being extorted for five million.

Is there a connection between the two?

Could Tian’s mother actually know something?

Sheng Tingyuan was right, her magic of good fortune on rainy days hadn’t disappeared; the transfer of the five million was worthwhile. If he hadn’t helped her transfer the five million, they wouldn’t have investigated the person behind the number, they would have just dismissed it as spam.

Ye Chuyi picked up her bag, left the company, and drove to the Wen Family’s villa.

She didn’t go inside; Lin Yueqin would stop her, and it was impossible to go in. Of course, she didn’t want to go inside; she didn’t want to alert anyone else this time.

She waited beside a row of trash bins.

After dinner every day, Tian’s mother would come here to throw away kitchen waste; such tasks were always done by her – Lin Yueqin never did them.

At seven-thirty, the plain and honest figure appeared.

Her back slightly hunched, she carried a large garbage bag in each hand, slowly walking towards this direction.

When she saw Ye Chuyi standing by the trash bins, she paused slightly, then a look of surprise crossed her face, “Xiaoyi, what are you doing here? Are you here to see Yueqin? Shall I call her for you?”

Her tone was as always, with a hint of people-pleasing and not insignificant pauses between each sentence, as if she found it difficult to communicate, struggling to interact with others.

She didn’t show any sign of a slip-up.

Ye Chuyi looked at her intently, “Tian’s mother, I’m not here to see her. I’m here to see you.”

Tian Qiugui looked even more surprised, “To see me?”

“You took my five million but didn’t tell me anything. You don’t really think I’m going to let this go, do you?”

“What five million, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Tian Qiugui said this and threw the trash into the trash bin, then turned and walked back at an unhurried pace.

Ye Chuyi spoke faintly from behind her, “Aren’t you still asking for ten million? I can give it to you, but you need to show some sincerity. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to call the police, and I’m sure they won’t be as easy to talk to as I am.”

Tian Qiugui paused in her steps, and then she turned and headed in a different direction.

Ye Chuyi followed her to the back of two lush, holly trees.

Tian Qiugui turned around, a slight smile on her face as she looked at Ye Chuyi, “This is a blind spot for surveillance, safer here.”

Ye Chuyi couldn’t quite identify her feeling, but in that instant, Tian Qiugui’s demeanor completely changed; gone was the meekness, the dull expression, even her back straightened.

Chapter 150 Saved Her Life in Secret Ye Chuyi looked at her, “Tian Mam, your thoughts and mine, they’re not quite the same. Lin Yueqin said that you never went to school and are illiterate, but the text messages you sent me prove otherwise.”

Tian Qiugui’s speech became clear and fluent, “I can read and write, not only that, but I am also a college graduate.”

“College graduate?”

Ye Chuyi was surprised. College graduates from that era were highly valuable. If she was a college graduate, how did she end up working as a maid in the Wen Family?

As if reading her mind, Tian Qiugui explained, “My true identity must remain hidden, so I have always used a false identity and name. Good jobs require thorough background checks, but being a maid doesn’t.”

Ye Chuyi was stunned by Tian Qiugui’s directness.

After a while, she managed a bitter smile, “There’s probably not a single good person by Lady Wen’s side. It’s a miracle she has survived this long.”

“It’s not a miracle that she has survived; it’s my doing.”

Tian Qiugui’s voice was unemotional, “She provided me a place to stay, and in return, I covertly saved her life. After she fell ill, someone tampered with her medicine. It was I who secretly switched it back for her.”

Ye Chuyi looked at her for a long time before speaking softly, “Thank you.”

“Why thank me? You have no relation to Lady Wen; you’re merely the daughter of her servant, and you have not met her many times.”

“That’s true, I haven’t met her often but when I was young, Madam took care of me, and even the continuation of my education was courtesy of Madam. I am grateful to her and wouldn’t want any harm to come her way.”

Tian Qiugui looked at her with a hint of surprise in her eyes, but that surprise was quickly concealed.

In the grand scheme of things, fate has its plans. The separated mother and daughter, ultimately, were still connected by mutual concern and care.

Like begets like; the dragon begets the dragon, and the phoenix birth the phoenix, while mice are born to dig holes, and sparrows to nest in crevices.

Lady Wen’s daughter, like her, had a tender heart. Madam had only casually helped her a few times, and she had held it in her heart all this time, always thankful.

Lin Yueqin’s daughter, despite being raised by the kind and beautiful Lady Wen, didn’t learn a shred of kindness; her inherent pettiness and scheming couldn’t be obliterated no matter how much richness she was showered with.

She extorted both Ye Chuyi and Wen Nianyou, but their attitudes towards her were completely different, which was telling of their true natures.

“I’ve been out for too long; I should head back. I’ll send you a new account number; remember to transfer ten million to me.”

Tian Qiugui said this and then turned to leave.

“I’ve already given you five million, but you did not keep your promise. How can I trust that if I give you another ten million, you will reveal anything? Or maybe you don’t know any secret at all and are just extorting me.”

Tian Qiugui didn’t turn around, “There is certainly a secret, an important one. Give me the ten million, and I’ll tell you at the right time. I’m speaking to you about this because you have already given me five million; otherwise, I wouldn’t have said a word.”

“Of course, it’s best if you don’t call the police, or you will never learn this secret. That would be a great loss for you, so I hope you choose wisely.”

Ye Chuyi spoke softly, “I have one last question.”

“Ask.”

“My father’s murder case from years ago, do you know the truth about it? Did he really kill someone?”

“I am not aware of that, Lin Yueqin never talks about it.”noveldrama

With that said, she did not stay any longer and returned to the villa.

Ye Chuyi also slowly left from behind the holly trees in the surveillance blind spot and drove away.

However, this time, she did not transfer money to Tian Qiugui so easily.

Though Tian Qiugui had not revealed much, Ye Chuyi perceived that even if she transferred the ten million, that so-called secret would not be immediately disclosed.

She said she’d tell her at the right time, but who knows how long that would be?

The night deepened, and at one in the morning, the phone call she had been waiting for all day finally came through.

Ivy’s voice was tinged with fatigue, probably from a lack of rest all day, “Boss, I found something.”