Cheng Yi had moved out.
According to Old Guo, she had been spending her days and nights at the hospital, looking after an old man. The photos he'd taken showed the two of them getting along well, often laughing and chatting, nothing like the strained family dynamics Ye Mingzhe had described. Cheng Yi wasn't one to warm up to people quickly, so they must have spent quite some time together for her to be so comfortable around him. Old Guo said the old man was Ye's father, just back from abroad. Could this be a task assigned by Ye Mingzhe? If that were the case, Ye Mingzhe was certainly blurring the lines between business and personal matters. Is this what she was paid to do, following his orders like this? Today, Ye Minglang had packed up all of Cheng Yi's belongings and moved them to the old man's place. Now that she was living with him, Fang Zhiyuan's sense of foreboding grew stronger. He had to find out for himself what was going on.
From his Mercedes, Fang Zhiyuan happened to spot Cheng Yi pushing the old man towards the park to enjoy the morning sun. They were laughing and talking, bathed in the soft light. The old man seemed fond of her, often making her laugh out loud. Cheng Yi took meticulous care of him, making sure he wasn't too hot and always keeping an eye out for his needs. In the park's exercise area, she helped him stand up at the bars, encouraging him to take a few more steps. But after just a few steps, the old man started to act cheeky, leaning against Cheng Yi's shoulder. What surprised Fang Zhiyuan even more was that Cheng Yi didn't push him away; instead, she crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, laughing as if they were a couple having a bit of fun.
Though Ye Minglang clearly cared for Cheng Yi, he at least kept a respectful distance—unlike this old man, who seemed to have no such boundaries.
Fang Zhiyuan suddenly recalled Ye Mingzhe's words, which still echoed in his mind:
"Do you really think he's worthy of being your rival?"
At the time, Fang Zhiyuan thought it was just a polite remark. But now... could it be that Ye Minglang wasn't the real opponent, but rather... the old man from the Ye family?
Just then, the old man said something to Cheng Yi that made her grab her purse and rush off down the street. As her figure grew smaller in the rearview mirror, Fang Zhiyuan swiftly got out of the car and approached Ye George. The old man looked at him with disdain, a calm expression on his face. Before Fang Zhiyuan could speak, Ye George suddenly stood up, shattering the frail image he'd been presenting. He straightened his back and joined the nearby aunties in a lively dance. Fang Zhiyuan's eyes flared with anger; he could barely resist the urge to give the old man a good beating. But before he could even touch him, the old man let out a loud cry and collapsed to the ground, drawing the concerned gazes of the onlookers.
A group of elderly bystanders hurried to help him onto a bench. With a trembling finger, Ye George pointed accusingly at Fang Zhiyuan.
"He… he actually…"
The power of public opinion is a formidable force. The aunties and uncles immediately began scolding Fang Zhiyuan, who hadn't even laid a finger on the old man. Fang Zhiyuan, an accomplished lawyer and former university debate champion, was no match for the collective outrage of the park-goers. Their conversations quickly spiraled into unrelated tangents.
"He looks like such a nice young man. How could he be hitting an old man?"
"Looks can be deceiving. The good-looking ones are always the biggest con artists."
"Exactly! Remember that slick fellow who tricked you into buying all those health supplements?"
"What are you talking about? Though I must say, those supplements did work wonders."
"Did they really?"
...
As the conversation drifted further off-topic, Ye George decided he'd had enough of the charade.
"Son, that kick of yours was a bit too sly—didn't even give me a heads-up before you struck."
Fang Zhiyuan was about ready to explode. Was this another one of the old man's tricks? He gritted his teeth and leaned in closer, only for Ye George to murmur something in his ear that left him feeling as guilty as a mute thief.
"Mr. Fang, stop sending those useless goons to tail us."
How had Old Guo, a seasoned veteran, been so easily discovered?
"What are you going to do with Cheng Yi?"
"If you don't make a move, neither will I. But if you do, so will I. Simple as that.."
What kind of people were in the Ye family?
After Cheng Yi moved in, she invited Yang Li over to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, with Xie Yufan tagging along as well. Ye George, ever the social butterfly, had been bored out of his mind, either stuck in the hospital or cooped up at home, and was delighted to have company. From the moment the guests arrived, he hardly stopped talking, regaling them with tales of his hospital stay—though he conveniently left out the most exciting part about the father-son squabbles. Even the usually reserved Yang Li couldn't help but laugh at his antics. Feeling a bit left out, Xie Yufan pulled Cheng Yi aside, pouting with a trace of jealousy.
"What's so funny? I've never seen her laugh like that before."
Not long ago, Yang Li had been quite resistant to Xie Yufan, but lately, they'd been almost inseparable, suggesting that things were improving between them. Back in their university days, the four of them had been close friends, and Fang Zhiyuan once mentioned that Xie Yufan had a thing for Yang Li. Cheng Yi had thought that someone as outgoing and optimistic as Xie Yufan would be just the right person to bring happiness to someone as reserved as Yang Li. Perhaps back then it was just a budding feeling, nothing serious. Later, Cheng Yi became so entangled in her own issues with Fang Zhiyuan that she lost track of their situation. Then Yang Li had angrily declared that no man could be trusted, and Cheng Yi assumed that was the end of it.
"George has been bored lately, it's great for him to finally have someone to chat with."
Seeing the smile in Cheng Yi's eyes, Xie Yufan, remembering the reason for his visit, decided to test the waters.
"The old gentleman seems quite charming. You seem to enjoy spending time with him."
"Yes, being around him makes even the most troubling things feel more positive."
"Did you meet him through work?"
"No, George has nothing to do with the company. We've known each other for a long time, well before the company was even established."
"Ye Minglang must be pleased that you're looking after his father so well. The old man is clearly fond of you. When are you two getting married?"
Cheng Yi's face fell, and she hesitated.
"Then what is it?"
"Our relationship… it's more like family."
Xie Yufan drew his own conclusions.
"So, it's you and Ye George, then..."
Cheng Yi was taken aback by Xie Yufan's assumption, but considering his ties with Fang Zhiyuan, she chose not to explain further. From then on, Xie Yufan remained silent, a sullen expression on his face. He left before finishing his meal, and Cheng Yi didn't ask him to stay..
She could guess what was on his mind, and she knew he would report everything to Fang Zhiyuan in the end.
She had made up her mind, and in a way, this wasn't a bad approach.
All that talk of "parting as friends" was nonsense.
If you can't be lovers, you can't be friends. You turn into enemies, and as time moves on, into strangers who will never cross paths again—that's how it usually goes.
She had learned this truth well, and that was fine by her.