Ch. 381..390

Chapter 381: The Consequences of Killing Me, You Can’t Afford

Ye Chuyi awoke once again, and it was already evening.

Her head throbbed as if it had exploded, and her body was covered with bloodstains. She then remembered being hit hard on the head by Shi Youjin in the hospital. The painful area must be where he struck her with a blunt weapon. She must have been seriously injured; otherwise, she wouldn’t have bled so much, nor would she feel so dizzy upon waking.

Her hands and feet were all tied up. Ye Chuyi looked around but didn’t find a knife to cut the ropes. Instead, she noticed that this place was actually the Wen Family Villa’s storeroom.

Someone had moved the cabinet in the storeroom, revealing a large hole in the wall behind it. Several pieces of children’s clothing were scattered around the opening.

Ye Chuyi recognized them at a glance—they were all her clothes.

Struggling, she slowly moved over and examined each piece. Three of them were given to her by Ye Jinyu when she was a child, and one was a boys’ Hermès coat.

That had been a gift from a little boy.

When she was a child, she hadn’t wanted to wear the Hermès, only donning it once when it was very cold. After that, it had disappeared.

So, it was here all along.

Without thinking, she knew it must have been stolen by Wen Nianyou.

However, these things couldn’t save her now. She needed a knife or anything that could saw through the ropes.

But there was nothing. The room only contained old miscellaneous items, an outdated sofa, a defunct freezer, and heavy, sturdy wooden cabinets. noveldrama

Forget cutting the ropes; these items seemed like perfect hiding places to conceal a body.

As she pondered this, Shi Youjin walked in.

His clothes were soaking wet. Ye Chuyi was taken aback, "Is it raining outside?"

Shi Youjin nodded, "It’s raining. I thought under these circumstances, you wouldn’t care about such trivial matters."

Ye Chuyi thought to herself that this was not a trivial matter. Rain always brought special miracles for her.

Of course, she wouldn’t tell Shi Youjin.

Only Sheng Tingyuan knew this secret of hers.

She spoke indifferently, "Why have you brought me here? After escaping from jail, shouldn’t you be fleeing for your life? Coming to this villa is like seeking your own death. The police will be here soon."

But Shi Youjin seemed unusually calm and composed, "I’ve killed two people before—I know the police’s tracking tactics better than you. I spent a day leading the police away, and I’ve erased my tracks here. They won’t find this place for now."

"I also know how to hide. Maybe I can’t do it for a week, but two or three days should be no problem. So, for the following days, it’s just going to be you and me here. You’d better listen to everything I say, or else, I will kill you and stuff you into the wall, block the hole with the cabinet, and ensure no one ever finds you."

Ye Chuyi watched Shi Youjin, revealing his true nature before her for the first time—cold, heartless, vicious, calm.

Ye Chuyi suddenly laughed, tears spilling from her eyes as she did, "Shi Youjin, you’re such a great actor. You’ve deceived me for so many years. I truly believed you were kind to me, that I had a loving father, that you were a dull man who was scared of his wife."

"You secretly slipped me eggs, gave me pocket money. The little acts of kindness you showed me made me, as I grew up, desperately want to repay you, sparing no effort to get you out of prison."

"And yet, you turn out to be a cold-blooded killer, far more terrifying than Lin Yueqin!"

"No wonder Wen Nianyou could kill someone without any remorse—it’s all inherited from you!"

Shi Youjin frowned slightly, "Nianyou killed someone? When? Who did she kill?"

"She hit and killed someone with her car. Didn’t you know?"

"No one told me about this."

"Well, of course, no one would tell you. After all, Lin Yueqin has always wanted me to take the blame for Wen Nianyou, and Wen Nianyou herself doesn’t see it as a big deal. Perhaps she’s even forgotten that she killed someone."

Shi Youjin’s expression darkened, "You don’t need to worry about Nianyou’s matters. Since the police haven’t caught her, it means she hasn’t killed anyone. She’s innocent and unblemished! Stop trying to slander Nianyou in front of me, it’s useless!"

Ye Chuyi slowly stopped smiling, leaning against the wall, watching Shi Youjin.

Her words had been just to stall for time, but she hadn’t expected Shi Youjin to instinctively defend Wen Nianyou, insisting on her innocence.

She remembered the day after Shi Youjin got out of jail, he had furiously called her home, asking why she had sold the house.

It wasn’t her who sold it, yet his first reaction upon hearing the house had been sold was to blame her.

Indeed, she wasn’t his biological daughter; he thought of her first when it came to anything bad.

And for his biological daughter, Wen Nianyou, even if she had killed someone, his first reaction was to advocate for her, believing his daughter was good.

Ye Chuyi spoke slowly, "I’m not slandering Wen Nianyou. I’ve already found evidence of her hit-and-run in my computer. If you kill me, the police will open my computer to look for clues to solve the case, and then your daughter’s murder will no longer be a secret."

"Shi Youjin, can you bear the consequences of killing me?"

Chapter 382: Just Give Me Thirty Billion

Shi Youjin stared at her coldly, "Do you really have evidence?"

"Yeah!"

"In which computer?"

"Do you think I’d tell you? If you get my computer, you’d probably kill me first thing, wouldn’t you?"

Shi Youjin fell silent for a moment, then suddenly softened his tone, "Xiaoyi, I wouldn’t kill you. No matter what, I’ve raised you for several years. Although you’re not my biological child, I did love you when you were little. After you grew up, you were so filial to me. How could I kill you? If I really wanted to kill you, I would have done it already. Would I have brought you here?"

Ye Chuyi didn’t believe a word, but she still nodded in agreement, "I also think you wouldn’t kill me. After all, we do have a father-daughter relationship, even if there’s no blood relation. Your affection for me is real, and my filial piety towards you is genuine, especially since I always believed you were my biological father." noveldrama

"Exactly, that’s the spirit. So, just hand over the computer to me!"

"This..."

"Xiaoyi, Youyou was actually born a day before you. Seriously speaking, she is your older sister. You wouldn’t still want to use the evidence to threaten your sister, would you?"

Ye Chuyi felt nauseous hearing this, but she still suppressed the disgust and said, "Dad, you’re right. But, shouldn’t you untie me first? My limbs have gone numb from being tied up, and it feels like my blood circulation is restricted."

Shi Youjin immediately shook his head, "That won’t do. What if you ran away after I untied you?"

"You’re not even willing to untie me, yet you want my computer? That shows no sincerity at all."

Ye Chuyi’s face turned icy, "It seems to me that you just want to deceive me into handing over the evidence and then kill me to end it all."

No matter what she said, Shi Youjin refused to untie her, and even bent down to check that the ropes were not loosened by her struggles.

The storeroom fell silent for a time.

The rain outside grew heavier, and Ye Chuyi could already hear the thunder rolling.

After a while, Shi Youjin spoke up again, "I heard that Lady Wen is actually a member of the Ye Family. You went back to the Ye Family with her and got a lot of money?"

A slight jump in Ye Chuyi’s heart, and she knew this was probably the real reason Shi Youjin had not killed her!

"They did give me money, what about it?"

Shi Youjin took out a mobile phone and handed it to her, "I heard you got fifty billion. I won’t ask for much, just give me thirty billion."

The storage room was pitch black, with only the phone screen lit up. Ye Chuyi saw that he was holding her phone.

He must have taken it from her pocket while she was unconscious.

"The Ye Family didn’t give me fifty billion in cash, but shares in the Ye Group. It requires signing a share transfer agreement. I need to make a call to have the share transfer agreement brought over."

"I don’t care what they gave you. I just want money!"

"How can I get you that much money if you’ve tied me up here?"

"Don’t you have a phone? You can transfer the money to me using the phone! Don’t think because I’ve been in jail for a long time that I don’t know about mobile transfers now!"

Ye Chuyi was at a loss for words, "Indeed, you can transfer money by phone, but not thirty billion at once! You clearly have been locked up for too long and don’t understand the outside world, that’s why you take such things for granted!"

"I don’t care how you do it. I just want thirty billion! Give me thirty billion, and I’ll let you go. If you don’t, don’t blame me for being heartless!"

Ye Chuyi sneered inwardly. He still had the nerve to talk about father-daughter affection. Did he really think she was as gullible as when she was a kid?

"Where would I get that much money? I’ve already told you the Ye Family gave me shares, shares, shares! You have to sell the shares to turn them into money. How can I sell them now?"

Shi Youjin became increasingly agitated, "Don’t you try to fool me, you’re clearly rich! Even if the Ye Family didn’t give you any shares, you have money! The clothes and shoes you bought for me are all branded goods. I took them to the night market and sold them for three or two hundred, and they were snapped up in no time!"

 

Chapter 383: Don’t You Want to See Your Daughter?

Ye Chuyi was taken aback, "What did you say? You sold the clothes and shoes I bought for you?"

"Of course I sold them! What the hell does a man need so many new clothes for? Obviously, I sold them to get money. I owe Youyou so much, I have to find a way to make it up to her somehow!"

"So, you gave all the money from selling the clothes and shoes to Wen Nianyou?"

"What’s wrong with giving money to Youyou? Are you jealous? Youyou is my biological daughter, you can’t compare yourself to her. You need to know your place!"

Shi Youjin impatiently said, "The owner of the stall next to mine told me, each piece of those clothes is worth thousands of yuan. You must be rich to buy such expensive clothes, so give me the money! All of it!"

Ye Chuyi wanted to slap herself. Why did she bother to bail Shi Youjin out of prison? Why did she buy him new clothes and shoes?! He wasn’t human; he was scum!

All he ever thought about was his biological daughter. If he had the slightest bit of money, he had to send it to Wen Nianyou. With no money, he would sell everything she bought to give Wen Nianyou the money.

Since he loved his daughter so much, then she would indulge Shi Youjin!

She would call Wen Nianyou!

"I can transfer the money to you, but you don’t have a bank card, do you? Where should I transfer the money to?"

"I have a phone, you can transfer it to my phone!"

"Do you even understand? You need to bind your ID and a bank card to the phone to receive money. Without a bank card, how can you receive money? You don’t think a phone alone can receive money, do you?"

"I know! I saw others scan a QR code to receive money, I can do that too!"

"You need to bind a bank card to the QR code as well!"

"Are you saying I should go to the bank to create an account? You know I’m currently wanted and can’t show up at a bank!"

"Who said you need to get a bank card? Since you’re asking me for money not for yourself but most likely for Wen Nianyou, why not use her bank card directly?"

"How can I use her bank card?"

"Just call her and ask for her bank card number, then I can transfer the money."

Shi Youjin hesitated for a moment, then pulled out his phone — it was one he had stolen after escaping from prison, semi-new and mostly unfamiliar to him, though he could still make calls.

He had memorized Wen Nianyou’s mobile number by heart. He dialed it and waited a long time before the call connected.

"Youyou, it’s me." noveldrama

"Who are you?"

"I’m your dad, Youyou, I..."

"Pah, what trash, daring to claim you’re my father. Lunatic!"

The call was abruptly disconnected.

Shi Youjin’s expression turned sour; he called Wen Nianyou again, but this time the call wouldn’t go through. After several attempts with the same message, he grimly asked Ye Chuyi, "It was fine just now, why can’t I get through?"

Ye Chuyi’s lips curled in mockery, "You’ve been blocked by her; that’s why the call didn’t go through."

Shi Youjin frowned, "So what do we do now?"

Ye Chuyi said, "Use my phone. She’ll answer if she sees my number. Once the call goes through, don’t talk, I’ll speak."

Shi Youjin was suddenly cautious, "What are you going to tell her?"

"What else? I’m going to ask for her bank card number so I can transfer the money, aren’t I?"

Suddenly, Shi Youjin pulled out a dagger from his waistband. The gleaming blade reflected a cold light in the dim room as he held it against Ye Chuyi’s throat, "You’d better not try any tricks, or I might decide I don’t need the money and kill you first!"

Ye Chuyi felt a sharp pain on her neck and her face turned icy. It became clear to her that Shi Youjin was not quite sane; one moment he acted like a caring father and the next he was irrationally violent.

She didn’t provoke him further, "I won’t play tricks. My life is in your hands, and I’ll give you anything you want. It’s just money, right? I have plenty. I can transfer enough to Wen Nianyou for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life, so don’t be rash. Wouldn’t it be better to get the money first?"

"Also, don’t you want to see your biological daughter one last time? She hasn’t called you ’Dad’ yet, has she? Don’t you want to hear her call you that, even once?"

 

Chapter 384: Roll away, don’t touch me!

Shi Youjin hesitated for a moment.

He had dreamt of having his daughter call him "Dad" just once. Since her birth, she had been sent to the Wen Family, and he didn’t even have the chance to get close to her, let alone foster a father-daughter relationship.

Whenever he missed his daughter, he could only watch her from a distance, never daring to approach, for fear of revealing her identity.

Now that his daughter’s identity had been exposed, he no longer needed to watch her from afar. However, his time was running short.

Ye Chuyi saw his hesitation and continued, "Whether you’re going to kill me or set me free, after this you’re definitely not going to survive. For the sake of Wen Nianyou, you’ve sacrificed so much, given up all your youth, and now even your life. She owes you a ’Dad.’"

"This is your last chance to see her. I’m offering to help you, out of respect for the fact that you were once my father. Of course, if you don’t want to see Wen Nianyou at all, forget it. I probably won’t be able to get her to come out anyway."

Shi Youjin’s biggest soft spot was his biological daughter; his greatest regret was that she had never once called him Dad.

Persuaded by Ye Chuyi, he said, "Okay, call her on the phone, get her to come!"

After all, his daughter’s presence would not help Ye Chuyi escape. His daughter would only help him.

However, he was very cautious and did not allow Ye Chuyi to touch the cell phone. He unlocked her phone himself and dialed Wen Nianyou’s number.

This time, the phone connected, and Wen Nianyou picked up quickly.

"Ye Chuyi?"

"Yes, it’s me."

"Is it really you? Are you still alive?"

A thought flashed through Ye Chuyi’s mind, and she almost instantly realized why Wen Nianyou would ask such a question. Without any change in expression, she glanced at Shi Youjin and understood why he wanted her dead—it was Wen Nianyou’s demand.

"Of course, I’m alive. I’m perfectly fine! And not only am I not dead, but I’ve also inherited a huge sum from the Ye Family—fifty billion. Are you envious?"

Wen Nianyou was not just envious; she was jealous, she hated, "Ye Chuyi, don’t be smug! That money should have been mine, I’m the real Miss Wen, I’m Lady Wen’s daughter!"

"Right, I think so too. So, I’ve decided to share that fifty billion with you."

Wen Nianyou was obviously shocked, "What did you say? You’re really going to give me money? Are you that kind-hearted?"

"You can take it or leave it. I can’t possibly spend all fifty billion anyway. I was planning to share it with you, but if you don’t want it, I might just share it with Wen Xingye. After all, he is my biological father."

"No, no, no, why give it to Wen Xingye? He’s already spending the money on his mistress. It’s a waste to give it to him! Give it to me; I’ll help you spend it!"

"I can give you the money, but you can’t bully me anymore afterward."

"Of course, from now on, I’ll treat you like a real sister! Where are you? I’m coming to find you right now!"

"I’m at the Wen Family Villa. I’ll wait for half an hour. Don’t be late."

"Okay, wait for me. I’ll be right there!"

After hanging up, Ye Chuyi remained calm, "Shi Youjin, your daughter will be here soon. You wouldn’t want her to see you’ve tied me up like this, would you? Untie me for now; once she leaves, you can tie me up again if you want."

Shi Youjin looked at her deeply, and then said, "Don’t even think about it. Today, no matter who comes, I won’t untie you unless you really transfer the money to Youyou. Otherwise, don’t think about leaving this villa."

Ye Chuyi frowned; Shi Youjin was more problematic than she had anticipated. So many years had passed, and he had always pretended in front of her; she had never seen through him. noveldrama

She glanced at the dagger in his hand and fell silent.

Half an hour later, Wen Nianyou arrived.

As soon as she saw the flashlight beam and found not only Ye Chuyi in the storage room but also Shi Youjin, her complexion drastically changed, "Why are you here too?!"

Shi Youjin looked at her as gently as he could, "Youyou, don’t be scared. Dad just wanted to talk to you one last time. Besides, Xiaoyi is going to transfer money to you; she’s rich and has agreed to share with you."

Wen Nianyou looked at Ye Chuyi with shock and anger, "You tricked me into coming, didn’t you?!"

Ye Chuyi suddenly laughed, "Wen Nianyou, are you blind? Can’t you see I’ve been kidnapped? How could I trick you in this situation? My cell phone is in Shi Youjin’s hands. Guess who made the call? Who asked you to come?"

Wen Nianyou angrily scolded Shi Youjin, "Have you lost your mind? Why did you kidnap her and call me over? You’re trying to kill me!"

After yelling, she turned to leave but was grabbed by Shi Youjin.

Wen Nianyou screamed and struggled to break free, "What are you doing?! Get off me, don’t touch me! Get away!"

 

Chapter 385: You Are an Accomplice, and You Can’t Wash It Away

Shi Youjin was terrified that she might leave, so he rushed forward and embraced her tightly, "Don’t go yet, Daddy still has something to tell you!"

Wen Nianyou was held tightly by him, letting out another scream, and was so frightened that she even threw her flashlight, "Don’t touch me! You murderer, let go of me! You’re not my father, I don’t have a father like you!"

Unfortunately, no matter how much she struggled, no matter how loudly she screamed and cursed, Shi Youjin held on to her tightly, not even letting go when she managed to wound him.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but Wen Nianyou finally stopped struggling, realizing it was all in vain.

Shi Youjin was overjoyed, "Youyou, my daughter, Daddy has finally embraced you again. After you were born, I only held you when I sent you to Lady Wen’s side, and after that, I never got to hold you again."

"Youyou, everything Daddy has done, it was all for you. Daddy has no other wishes but to hear you call me ’Daddy’ just once."

Wen Nianyou gritted her teeth and said, "Stop disgusting me, let go of me! A murderer like you has the nerve to call yourself my father, and you even tricked me into coming here. Do you think my life isn’t miserable enough, so you want to make me an accomplice to your kidnapping?!"

Shi Youjin, however, could not bear to let go of her. If he didn’t embrace his daughter now, he would never get the chance again, "No, you won’t become my accomplice. Just tell the police that you didn’t know anything, that you were tricked by me. Xiaoyi can testify for you!"

Wen Nianyou turned to look at Ye Chuyi, "Will you testify for me?"

Ye Chuyi suddenly started laughing, "Hahaha, you and your father kidnap me, and I’m supposed to testify for you? Are you dreaming? Wen Nianyou, you’re already his accomplice, and there’s no cleaning that. Unless you tie up your father and turn him in at the police station. That way, you don’t need my testimony to clear your name!"

After saying this, she calmly watched Wen Nianyou, clearly expecting that she would not let Shi Youjin down.

Wen Nianyou’s expression flickered, and then she turned to Shi Youjin, "I think what she said makes sense." noveldrama

Shi Youjin’s entire body stiffened, "Youyou, I’m your father. How could you do this to me?"

Wen Nianyou sneered, "You’re not my father. My father is Wen Xingye!"

"Youyou..."

"Don’t call my name!"

Wen Nianyou said, kicking him hard and finally managing to push him away.

She had been eager to leave, but after hearing Ye Chuyi’s suggestion, she decided not to just walk away.

"Shi Youjin, kill Ye Chuyi for me, then I’ll tie you up and take you to the police station. That way, I can eliminate a major threat and clear my name as well. It’s perfect!"

Shi Youjin, holding his leg that she had kicked painfully, felt his heart turn cold, "Even now, you’re just asking me to kill people, refusing to acknowledge me?"

"What use are you other than killing people? Why should I acknowledge you? To go to jail with you?!"

"Youyou! I may not be as rich as Wen Xingye, I may not have the ability to marry a wealthy lady, but that’s all. In what other ways do I fall short of him? Why would you rather acknowledge a man with no blood relation as your father, and refuse to acknowledge me, your biological father?"

Wen Nianyou was extremely irritated, "I asked you to kill Ye Chuyi. Why are you bringing up this nonsense? Get moving! If we delay any longer, the police will find us here!"

"The police won’t arrive here so quickly. I deliberately diverted their attention elsewhere during the day. This place is safe."

"Safe my ass! Cut the chatter, kill her now, and then I’ll tie you up and take you to the police station. If the police do come, it will be a different matter entirely! You’re a murderer; your life is already ruined, but my life cannot end like this!"

Wen Nianyou urged him frantically, "Shi Youjin, what are you waiting for? Why aren’t you acting? Hurry up! Once she’s dead, I will still be Ye Jinyu’s daughter, and moreover, I’ll be her only daughter! All the property that the Ye Family gave to Ye Chuyi will become mine!"

 

Chapter 386: Caught in an Inextricable Predicament

Shi Youjin’s heart was completely chilled now, his daughter’s eyes saw only money, only benefit, there was no place for him as her father, she even refused to call him "dad," sticking to his full name instead.

But cold-hearted as he was, he still considered his daughter’s interests, "You can’t kill her yet, she said she has evidence of you hitting and killing someone, it’s on her computer."

Wen Nianyou turned sharply, looking at Ye Chuyi in shock, "That’s impossible! I’ve cleaned up all the traces already, you can’t possibly have any evidence!"

Ye Chuyi had been enjoying watching the father and daughter arguing immensely, and was slightly disappointed when they stopped, she wasn’t done watching!

She watched Wen Nianyou calmly and composedly, "I found the dashcam of the car next to you when you hit the person, it captured your face."

"You’re talking nonsense! There was no other car nearby at that time!"

"There was, a black car, it was too dark and hidden in the shadows, so everyone overlooked it."

"Impossible! Even the police didn’t find any car, let alone a dashcam. How could you possibly find it!"

"If you don’t believe me, you can check my office computer, the whole process of you hitting the person was recorded, your face was captured too."

Ye Chuyi’s confidence and firmness shook Wen Nianyou, "Are you not deceiving me?"

"Why would I deceive you? Just open my computer and see, isn’t it easy to expose my lie? However, I advise you to get my computer quickly before the police take it. Once they see that video, you’ll be more than just Shi Youjin’s accomplice in kidnapping and murder, you’ll be a direct murderer."

Wen Nianyou gritted her teeth, "Where is your computer?" noveldrama

"In my office at Dome Hospital."

Wen Nianyou was suspicious when she disclosed the location so easily, "Aren’t you afraid that I’ll delete all the evidence after I go there? Could you be deceiving me?"

"It doesn’t matter if you delete it, I have backups on other computers."

A grim expression crossed Wen Nianyou’s face, "I’ll have Shi Youjin kill you, and your backups will be useless then!"

"If I get killed, the police won’t close the case hastily, they will investigate, and they will take my computers. Then my backups will come into play. More importantly, the original video is in my friend’s hands. If he doesn’t hear from me, he will hand it over to the police."

Ye Chuyi was fearless, "Hit-and-run leading to death, guess how long they’ll sentence you? With such a blemish, even if I die, do you think the Ye Family will accept you?"

"I advise you to stop dreaming. Killing me won’t benefit you at all. Your only chance to clear yourself now is to kill Shi Youjin, the kidnapper."

Wen Nianyou’s mind was nearly exploding, she had never expected to be trapped in such a dilemma!

Furious, she cursed at Shi Youjin, "This is all your brilliant doing, dragging me here, making me your accomplice! So dumb and stupid, when you killed the other two it was so prompt! Why are you hesitating now when it comes to Ye Chuyi, don’t you dare lay a hand on her?! If you can’t do it, then I will kill you!"

Shi Youjin stared at Wen Nianyou in shock, "Youyou, what... what are you saying? Do you really want to kill me?"

Wen Nianyou did not care about his expression, she snatched the dagger from his hand, then turned and asked Ye Chuyi, "I can kill Shi Youjin and spare your life, but you must destroy all the evidence of the car accident!"

Ye Chuyi responded indifferently, "Fine."

Wen Nianyou gripped the dagger tightly, glaring hatefully at Shi Youjin, "You’d better stay still; I’ll give you a quick end. If you resist, who knows how many times you’ll get stabbed!"

Despair and heartache filled Shi Youjin’s eyes, he yelled loudly, "Youyou, I am your father! Killing me will bring divine retribution!"

 

Chapter 387 Prove You’re Not His Accomplice

Wen Nianyou roared with greater fury, "I don’t want to go to jail! You’re going to die sooner or later anyway, so you might as well die by my hand. That way, I can clear my name and strengthen my bargaining position with Ye Chuyi!"

"Youyou! I did so much for you. I took huge risks to deliver you to Lady Wen, swapping you with her own daughter, letting you live the life of a young lady. And this is how you repay me? I’ve killed two people for you, and I’m about to kill a third, and you tell me that I’m just your bargaining chip?!" noveldrama

Shi Youjin, after a heartbreaking disappointment, immediately felt uncontrollable rage, "You don’t deserve to be human! You don’t deserve the years I spent in prison for you! You’re nothing but an ungrateful wretch!"

Wen Nianyou sharply retorted, "You’re the one who doesn’t deserve to be a father! Did I ask to be born to you? Did I ask you to swap me with someone else’s child? Isn’t it just because you were jealous of the Wen Family’s wealth that you did such a sordid thing?"

"So poor and venomous, only wanting gains without effort, never wanting to strive! To cover up your own deeds, you just keep killing people one after another. Do you even deserve to have children? Having you as my biological father is the greatest shame of my life!"

"I will never acknowledge you. You don’t deserve it! I feel sick just looking at you, ugly and poor with no brains—who would want such a person for a daughter? No one!"

Shi Youjin’s face turned pale as he staggered back and hit the wall, slowly sliding down, "So this is what you think of me. You despise me because I’m ugly and poor, so you refuse to recognize me. No wonder you’ve always liked having Wen Xingye as your father, even though you’ve known for a long time that you have no blood relation with him. You still prefer to hover around him!"

Wen Nianyou ruthlessly said, "Wen Xingye is much better than you. Where do you get the face to compare yourself to him? Wen Xingye graduated from a prestigious university, he’s tall and handsome, smart and capable, knowing to desperately marry into one of the Wealthy Families to secure a life without worries!"

"And you? Short, lame, and poor, you even married a maid. You’re nothing but servant material for a lifetime; who would respect someone like you?"

"Even dying by my hand, you would have some value. Otherwise, if the criminal police catch you and you’re sentenced to death, you’d be utterly worthless!"

As Wen Nianyou spoke, she raised the bright dagger.

Just then, there were sudden footsteps from outside.

Shi Youjin’s face changed as he quickly got up and grabbed back the dagger, "Someone is coming. Hide quickly!"

After saying this, he went up to Ye Chuyi, lifted her, and pressed the dagger against her neck.

Wen Nianyou was just about to hide when the door to the utility room was kicked open.

The light flooded in instantly and several well-trained criminal policemen entered, wearing headlamps on their heads, bulletproof vests, and holding guns.

The dark barrels of the guns were all aimed at Shi Youjin, who held the dagger.

Seeing this force, Wen Nianyou almost collapsed, it’s over, all over; she couldn’t clear herself of the suspicion of being an accomplice now! Damn Shi Youjin, ruining her one last time before he died!

"Shi Youjin!"

The captain of the criminal police, Zheng Yan, spoke sternly, "Drop your weapon, or you will be shot immediately!"

But Shi Youjin pressed the dagger tighter against Ye Chuyi’s neck, "Everyone get out, or I’ll kill her right now!"

A sharp pain came again, and Ye Chuyi knew her skin had been cut once more.

However, she wasn’t panicked. She even seemed immune to the pain as she spoke to the terrified Wen Nianyou, "Wen Nianyou, isn’t this the perfect opportunity for you to redeem yourself? You’re not really Shi Youjin’s accomplice, are you?"

Wen Nianyou quickly replied, "I’m not his accomplice, I don’t know anything! Don’t spout nonsense!"

Ye Chuyi said, "Then prove that you’re not his accomplice."

Shi Youjin immediately covered Ye Chuyi’s mouth, "Shut up! Speak again, and I’ll slit your throat right now!"

But Ye Chuyi’s reminder made Wen Nianyou come back to her senses. Yes, she still had a chance to clear her name! No, she couldn’t be Shi Youjin’s accomplice; otherwise, her life would be completely ruined!

She clenched her teeth and stepped forward, attempting to snatch the dagger from Shi Youjin.

Shi Youjin, still having some hope of escaping with his hostage, saw his own daughter sabotaging him, his eyes nearly splitting in fury, "What are you doing? Get out! She’s my only hostage, only with her, I have a chance to live!"

But Wen Nianyou didn’t care, clinging tightly to his arm, trying to grab the dagger.

In the instant of their struggle, Zheng Yan made a decisive shot.

With a "bang," the bullet hit Shi Youjin directly in the brain.

Blood splattered, spraying onto the faces of Ye Chuyi and Wen Nianyou.

Chapter 388 She’s the Little Girl

Ye Chuyi’s expression was calm; she had anticipated this outcome. She had seen too much blood on the operating table before, so she didn’t have much of a reaction.

Wen Nianyou, however, screamed sharply, her face pale as she fell to the ground.

The criminal police rushed over immediately. Some were confirming Shi Youjin’s death, some were handcuffing Wen Nianyou, and others were protecting Ye Chuyi and escorting her out.

Ye Chuyi took a few steps but then turned back to pick up several pieces of children’s clothing from the ground.

Zheng Yan couldn’t help but say, "Ye Chuyi, you can’t take the evidence from the scene."

Ye Chuyi had already recognized him. He was the detective previously in charge of the Tian Qiugui case. He was someone very serious and dedicated, but at the same time, he wasn’t someone who couldn’t be flexible.

She pleaded, "These aren’t evidence, just a few pieces of my childhood clothing. They have special meaning to me, Captain Zheng. Please let me take them with me."

Zheng Yan looked at the bloodstain on her neck and finally nodded, "Alright, forget about the clothes for now. Go tend to your wound first. The ambulance is outside. After your wound is treated, you’ll need to come with me to the station to make a statement later."

"Thank you, Captain Zheng."

Accompanied by a female detective, Ye Chuyi walked out of the storeroom and then out of the villa.

Outside, the rain poured down, and police and ambulance vehicles filled the yard. Probably to avoid alarming Shi Youjin, not a single police light was on, nor was any siren sounding.

Among these vehicles, one seemed out of place—a luxurious black Bentley.

Beside the Bentley stood a man with a cold and stern demeanor.

The moment he saw her, Sheng Tingyuan immediately walked over to her, and then, he embraced her.

Ye Chuyi hissed in pain.

Sheng Tingyuan immediately let go. Looking at the wound on her neck with eyes reddening, he asked, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, just the neck."

Ye Chuyi, wanting to reassure him, gave him a smile, "Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. Just a little scratch, a very minor injury."

Sheng Tingyuan was heartbroken. He didn’t speak, watching as the medical staff helped her onto the ambulance and began to disinfect and dress her wound.

After a while, he saw the clothes she held in her arms. noveldrama

His expression paused slightly. Among the clothes was one he recognized—a blue Hermès boy’s autumn outfit.

That was what he had once given to Little Hehua.

Right now, Ye Chuyi didn’t seem to care about the wound on her neck; she was gently touching the blue Hermès, treating it as if it were some treasure.

Sheng Tingyuan’s eyes were moist.

He didn’t need to investigate further; he was certain now that Ye Chuyi was the little girl he had been searching for all these years.

In fact, the clues hadn’t been completely absent.

He remembered once, when he was applying medicine to her hand, she had said he reminded her of a friend, a friend from her childhood, a friend whom she had unilaterally recognized.

She had said he was similar, probably because he also applied ointment to her when they were children, and the way he applied it hadn’t changed over the years.

The police and ambulance lights gradually turned on, flickering red and blue in the heavy rain.

The detectives were busy, escorting the suspect Wen Nianyou into the police car, carrying Shi Youjin’s body out of the villa.

Sheng Tingyuan, however, couldn’t see anything anymore. All the people and things around him blurred, while Ye Chuyi, walking down from the ambulance, became clearer and clearer, drawing nearer.

He heard her ask in a voice completely different from when she was a child, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

He shook his head, lifting the umbrella over her head to shelter her from the rain, "I think I understand why you like rainy days. It’s not just because you have good luck when it rains, right?"

Ye Chuyi looked at him in surprise, "How did you know?"

 

Chapter 389 Brother

Sheng Tingyuan gently caressed her face with tenderness, not answering her question but instead asking, "What do you have in your hand?"

Ye Chuyi had already requested a plastic bag from the medical staff, which she used to neatly pack a few clothes. Seeing him ask, she lifted the plastic bag, swaying it in front of him, "These are some clothes I wore when I was a child, including three pieces my birth mother gave me. Look, they’re all nice clothes. She took good care of me even back then."

"And what else?"

"And there’s also a blue one from Hermès. It was the only brand I recognized as a child. A brother gave it to me on a rainy autumn day."

Sheng Tingyuan couldn’t resist, he pulled her in and embraced her, "What brother has you remembering him for so long?"

Ye Chuyi, thinking he was jealous, smiled and said, "It was a matter of the past. I only met him a few times anyhow, and then he disappeared, no idea where he went. But I had a tough childhood, and he helped me a few times, so I’ve always been grateful, even though he later did not meet me as promised, I’m still grateful."

Seeing that Sheng Tingyuan was silent, she thought he was unhappy and quickly stressed, "It’s just gratitude and appreciation, nothing more, Sheng Tingyuan, don’t overthink it."

Sheng Tingyuan’s voice carried a hint of nasality, "He didn’t not want to see you, he was injured, in the intensive care unit in a coma for forty days, and for a long time after waking up, he couldn’t take care of himself, so he couldn’t meet you."

Ye Chuyi stiffened, she had not felt this rigid even when Shi Youjin had a knife to her throat.

Incredulously, she lifted her head to look at Sheng Tingyuan, "What did you say?"

With one hand around her waist and the other holding the umbrella, the curtain of rain isolated everything around them, and his voice was low and clear, "Little Hehua, it’s me, I’m the brother who gave you the clothes. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep our appointment afterward."

Ye Chuyi was stunned, her brain nearly stopped functioning as she looked at Sheng Tingyuan, feeling as if she were dreaming.

But the pain on her neck reminded her this was not a dream, this was real.

"Little Hehua", a name only known to her and the brother who named her years ago—no third person knew it!

These three characters momentarily took her back to the past, to that autumn when she was eight years old, to that pavilion in the rain.

She murmured, "Brother..."

Sheng Tingyuan’s heart softened into a puddle when she called him that, he softly said, "All these years, I’ve been searching for you, but you had changed your name, I couldn’t find you."

Ye Chuyi was stunned, "So the girl you’ve been searching for was me?"

"It was you."

As Sheng Tingyuan spoke, he let go of her and took a box out of his pocket, "Open it and see." noveldrama

Ye Chuyi opened the box and then froze again, "How come this jade pendant is with you?"

"I just found it as well, it matches the jade bracelet my mother has; now, they’re both yours."

Sheng Tingyuan handed her the jade pendant, pushing it into her hands, "This time, don’t lose it."

Ye Chuyi didn’t know what came over her, tears suddenly gushed out, sobbing heavily, "Sheng Tingyuan, it really was you! The little boy I met in my childhood, it was you! Do you know how many rainy days I waited for you afterward?"

Sheng Tingyuan frantically wiped her tears, "I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, Little Hehua, I’m sorry, I won’t make you wait for me anymore, never again."

Ye Chuyi threw herself onto him, crying like a child, "Every rainy day, I would wait for you in that pavilion, I waited for a whole year until the pavilion was torn down, and you never showed up. I thought you didn’t want to be friends, that you didn’t want to see me anymore, I was sad for such a long time."

Sheng Tingyuan felt a pain in his heart so intense he could hardly breathe, "I’m sorry..."

"I lost the clothes you gave me, lost the jade pendant, I wanted to apologize to you, but you had disappeared, I thought for sure you knew I had lost your things, so you were angry, I blamed myself every day, feeling so useless!"

Chapter 390: Escape from Death

Sheng Tingyuan held her tight and said, "I didn’t know you had lost them, but even if I did, why would I be angry? I wouldn’t get mad at you for losing anything. Moreover, you didn’t lose them; they were stolen by Wen Nianyou."

Ye Chuyi cried as she spoke, "Now I know she stole them. When I was a child, I didn’t realize she stole all my good things, my Hermès clothes, and my jade pendant, and even took away my mother from me!"

Sheng Tingyuan looked up at Wen Nianyou, who was being pushed into a police car, and said softly, "Don’t worry, I will make her pay the price, I will take revenge for you, okay, Little Hehua?"

Ye Chuyi nodded vigorously, "Okay!"

Zheng Yan saw the two cling to each other, looking inseparable, and noticed Ye Chuyi crying profusely, so he thought she was scared by a kidnapping.

After the scene was secured, he approached and said, "Let’s first go to the police station to make a simple statement, then Miss Ye can go home. You’ve had quite a scare today and were also injured. We can get into the details tomorrow when you’re in a better state to recount everything at the station."

Ye Chuyi nodded her head, got into Sheng Tingyuan’s car, and followed the police car to the police station.

On the way, remembering Sheng Tingyuan mention he had been seriously injured and had spent forty days in the intensive care unit, she couldn’t help but ask, "How were you injured when you were a child? It must have been bad, what happened?"

Sheng Tingyuan held her hand tightly and said with a wry smile, "I was stabbed by Sheng Tianxing, right in the lower abdomen."

Ye Chuyi was startled, "Sheng Tianxing? Your father’s illegitimate son?"

"Exactly, that illegitimate son."

Sheng Tingyuan gently embraced her and continued, "He and I have always been at each other’s throats, constantly fighting. I always won, and every time he lost, he would cry to my father, who would then beat me. Each beating I took from my father was followed by an argument with my mother, and every argument made my mother fall ill."

"I didn’t want my mother to get sick again, so later when Sheng Tianxing attacked me, I didn’t fight back. I thought by stepping back and yielding, I could bring about peace, but that was not the case. Sheng Tianxing thought I was afraid of him, so he increased his attacks on me, and ended up stabbing me with a fruit knife."

"If I had been taken to the hospital in time, my situation wouldn’t have been so severe, but to conceal that his precious illegitimate son had stabbed me, my father didn’t take me to the hospital, instead just having a family doctor suture the wound and stop the bleeding. He also forced me to swear an oath never to tell anyone about the injury."

"I was young then, and thought that once the wound was stitched, it would heal, and I was also afraid of worrying and angering my mother, so I didn’t tell anyone. However, the wound got infected very quickly, I ran a high fever and lost consciousness. It was only when my mother took me to the hospital that she discovered the fruit knife had almost gone through my entire lower abdomen."

Listening to this, Ye Chuyi felt a sharp pain in her heart. She held Sheng Tingyuan tightly as if to alleviate his childhood pain and trauma.

Sheng Tingyuan felt her consolation, kissed her forehead, and went on, "My mother told me that at that time the doctors had already issued a critical illness notice, telling her it was too late for hope of recovery and to prepare herself mentally."

"But my mother refused to give up. She moved me to two other hospitals, yet I showed no signs of waking up. She then arranged for doctors and a hospital abroad and took me overseas for treatment."

"The medical facilities abroad were indeed more advanced at the time, and forty days later, I woke up. The first thing I saw was my mother by my side, but I almost didn’t recognize her. She used to be slightly plump, but by then she had thinned to the bone, and even her hair had turned white." noveldrama

"The follow-up treatments also lasted a long time. I was unable to care for myself, suffering serious bladder damage—all taken care of by my mother."

"Over a year later, my mother brought me back to the country. I was still in a wheelchair at that time, but I went looking for you in the pavilion. When I saw the pavilion was demolished, I was upset for a long time. I knew I had missed our appointment."

Ye Chuyi held him tight, her voice trembling slightly, "Don’t blame yourself, it’s not your fault. It’s already incredible that you survived!"