Chapter 3: The Treatment Only a Female Protagonist Can Have

"Lizi..."

On the other end of the phone, Qin Chu's voice was excited, "Old Mrs. Fu has sent invitations to the noble young women of Imperial City, asking them to attend a banquet at Fu Garden tomorrow. I've inquired about it, and it's a matchmaking banquet Old Mrs. Fu has arranged for Uncle Fu."

A matchmaking banquet for Fu Yanci?

What's there to be excited about?

Ye Li was confused, "So what?"

"Old Mrs. Fu has put out the word that anyone who can make Uncle Fu's heart flutter, not to say getting married, but even just dating, she will give a gift of one hundred million."

Like spilling beans from a bamboo tube, Qin Chu spoke hurriedly and excitedly, "I've already got my invitation, wait for my triumphant news. Take a gamble, a bicycle might turn into a motorcycle! What if, right?"

"Uncle Fu must be over thirty by now, right? No wonder Old Mrs. Fu is so anxious. ...In our circles, whether it's arranged marriage or finding someone on one's own, by his age, one's children might already be old enough to run errands. But this guy, he hasn't shown any interest for all these years, hey Lizi, do you think he might be into men? ..."

While Qin Chu was still chattering away with her gossip, Ye Li's thoughts had already drifted off somewhere else.

Fu Yanci wasn't over thirty.

He was only eight years older than her, just 28 this year.

Ye Li remembered clearly, the first time she saw him was at the Zhou Family's.

At that time, Fu Yanci was already over 1.8 meters tall, tall and leggy with a stern face.

A plain white shirt was glowing as if it were lit up when worn by him.

Introduced by Mrs. Zhou as Fu Yanci, she blurted out "Brother Yanci" on impulse.

Finally, amid the kind laughter of the adults, she corrected herself, following the Zhou children and calling him 'little uncle'.

During the holidays, the Ye Family and Zhou Family always gathered together, and every time they went to the Zhou's, she would see him.

She knew he was a talented Harvard graduate, the most outstanding young member of the Fu Family's generation.

She knew he majored in finance, spoke several languages, and took over the Fu Group at a young age.

She also knew he was aloof and detached, rarely appeared at high society parties, and in his free time, he liked to go to Wanfu Temple on West Mountain to transcribe scriptures, his body perennially carrying the scent of the temple's incense.

Just like the faint lingering fragrance in the bedroom on the second floor.

"Lizi, Lizi?"

Qin Chu's calling brought back Ye Li's wandering thoughts.

Ye Li nodded, "Okay, I'll consider it."

"???"

Qin Chu was taken aback, "I didn't say for you to go too! Lizi, you and Zhou Hecchen..."

"I've already broken off the engagement."

Her heart ached repeatedly, as Ye Li spoke calmly, "I blocked and deleted him before waiting for a response, but I reckon, he agrees."

The circle was just that small.

Even if phone and WeChat were blocked, Zhou Hecchen would have plenty of ways to find her if he wanted to.

But he didn't.

Not to mention, those few words he said were crystal clear.

Yet Ye Li couldn't understand, the affection of childhood sweethearts that turned into disdain when coming out of Zhou Hecchen's mouth.

On her 18th birthday party, which was also their engagement party, he had fervently declared his everlasting love for Xiao Li.

Just a week ago, he was still planning to spend Christmas with her in Hawaii.

So, just because the Ye Family had gone bankrupt and the Zhou Family could no longer count on them, did his love also spoil?

Heh.

Ye Li just wanted to laugh.

It turned out, from beginning to end, only she was the fool who naively believed that true love existed in this world!

"That damn thing!"

Qin Chu cursed resentfully, then her voice softened, "Lizi, it's only after going through the wrong ones that one meets the right one. You will definitely meet your Mr. Right, trust me!"

Saying this, Qin Chu swiftly changed topics, "Since you've broken off the engagement, you're single now! For tomorrow's matchmaking banquet, let's both dress up beautifully. As long as Uncle Fu isn't blind, surely he can pick one of us sisters. Once we have the billion in our hands, won't the Ye Family's debts be easily resolved..."

Ye Li was profoundly moved yet didn't intend to let Qin Chu also risk her happiness, "Chu Chu, you..."

"Don't worry, as long as Uncle Fu isn't blind, he won't choose me! I'll just go to bring down the winning odds as a bystander, that should be fine, right?"

Ye Li: ...

After hanging up the phone, it was already 11 PM, and Fu Yanci still hadn't returned.

Failing to thank him in person, Ye Li didn't stay any longer and got up to leave the villa.

Before leaving, she left a thank-you sticky note.

...

Ye Li hailed a taxi and went straight to the hospital.

The black Maybach that had been following her also continued to the hospital, stopping on the roadside only after she entered the hospital doors.

Silence enveloped the surroundings.

Inside the car, the quiet was almost frightening.

Sensing Fu Yanci's foul mood, Xiang Yang's breathing became lighter and lighter, as if fearing that even breathing was a sin at this moment.

"Where is Zhou Hecchen? What has he been busy with lately?"

A low, cold voice broke the stillness.

Xiang Yang quickly glanced at the rearview mirror, "Mr. Zhou... same as usual."

Same as usual meant sleeping during the day and messing around with his raucous friends at night.

Occasionally, when pressed by his father's calls, he'd put on a semblance of decency, swing by the office to show face, and flirt with the fair-skinned, beautiful, full-bodied secretary.

No sooner had he finished speaking when he felt the pressure inside the car drop further.

Xiang Yang subconsciously looked at the hospital building.

When Fu Yanci spoke again, Xiang Yang thought he was hallucinating.

"Find a reason, so she can rightfully move in!"

The man, usually ruthless and decisive, not even blinking at billion-dollar fluctuations in the stock market, now sounded full of conflict and hesitation.

Xiang Yang's tongue tied in a knot.

A reason?

What reason?

And move in... but where?

The Lishan Mansion?

Staying at the Lishan Mansion was a treatment reserved for the lady of the house.

But Ye Li...

His thoughts became as tangled as his tongue, and Xiang Yang couldn't come up with a single reason.

Everyone in the Imperial City knew that Ye Li was to be Mrs. Zhou in the future, just waiting for the legal age to get a marriage certificate and have a wedding.

Though the Zhou Family's recent behavior was shocking, it was still a matter between the Zhou and Ye Families, and not for others to interfere with.

Glancing at the rearview mirror again, Xiang Yang tightly shut his mouth.

Warm air blew from all directions, but Xiang Yang felt like he was about to freeze solid.

...

In the hospital ward, watching Li Xueqing, who had been injected with tranquilizers, slowly fall asleep, tears streamed down Ye Li's face.

Her once graceful and gentle mother, driven mad by the Ye Family's drastic changes and her father's death, couldn't calm down and even lashed out with punches and kicks upon seeing her.

According to the doctor, immediate intervention was needed.

Otherwise, the deterioration would continue, and the only option left for her mother would be a mental institution.

The daily treatment and caretaking cost five thousand a day, which would have been nothing more than the price of afternoon tea in the past.

But now, if it weren't for Aunt Lan's card, she wouldn't even be able to afford this amount.

Biting her lip to the point of almost bleeding, Ye Li waited until Li Xueqing's breathing was steady and her face calm before stepping out of the room and making a call to Qin Chu, "I'll go to tomorrow's matchmaking banquet at Fu Garden!"