Chapter Fifteen: Secret Struggle

  Xue's good mood is evident.

  After the family banquet, Xue Shi returned to He Feng Yuan with a smile on her face. The rare sight of her being so pleasant and cheerful also made Ye Cheng Li somewhat surprised. He couldn't help but ask: "What's gotten into you today? Is there something worth celebrating?"

  Xue Shi smiled and replied, "It's indeed a happy occasion." After a pause, he lowered his voice and said, "When the old man celebrates his birthday, there will definitely be many guests coming to congratulate him. It's a good opportunity for the children to accompany their elder sister and show their faces."

  The words were vague, but Ye Chengli understood them at once, nodded with a smile, and added: "Lan'er is not young either, let her also follow along to broaden her horizons."

  Xue's smile paused, and he nodded reluctantly.

  Ye Qing came over with a sullen face, complaining pitifully: "Mother, Sanmei deliberately made me angry just now, and all the elder sisters and younger sisters are laughing at me..." While speaking, she pretended to wipe away tears.

  Xue looked at her sobbing and asked with a mixture of concern and annoyance, "Where is your third sister?" As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Qinglan's figure appeared.

  Ye Qinglan walked steadily forward and paid her respects to Ye Chengli and Xue Shi.

  Ye Qingfu's sobbing suddenly became much louder.

  Ye Qinglan secretly smiled in her heart, but on the surface, she put on a surprised and concerned expression: "Second sister, why are you crying? Weren't you fine just before?"

  As soon as she heard her voice, Ye Qingfu was so angry that she couldn't help but scold: "Don't pretend to be here anymore, it's all because of you! You deliberately laughed at me in front of them just now and made me lose face."

  Ye Qinglan heard this and immediately became flustered, pitifully explaining in a small voice: "I, I didn't, Second Sister, I didn't laugh at you. You must have misunderstood..."

  "You're still making excuses!" Her innocent look only made Ye Qingfu's anger rise. She scolded furiously, "You were clearly mocking me on purpose just now."

  Ye Qinglan's eyes were slightly red, with tears welling up, but she didn't dare to argue back. She bit her lip and remained silent, looking wronged. In contrast, Ye Qingfu appeared overbearing and intimidating.

  This scene fell into Ye Chengli's eyes, and naturally had a different meaning.

  Ye Chengli furrowed his brow, and his smile disappeared from the bottom of his eyes.

  Ye Qingfu had been holding in a belly full of anger, and now that she finally had the opportunity to lash out, she couldn't care less about considering anything else. She took another step closer, her face cold as she sneered, "You were so eloquent just a moment ago, why aren't you saying anything now..."

  "That's enough!" Ye Chengli's cold voice rang out.

  Ye Qing was startled by the sudden rebuke and reflexively looked at Ye Chengli: "Father, Sanmei she..."

  Ye Chengli's face turned cold as he said, "Lan'er hasn't said anything until now, all I've heard is your constant accusations against her!"

  Ye Qingfu hastily defended herself: "I really didn't wrong her, she was indeed mocking me just now. If you don't believe me, you can go ask Liu Tangjie and Ba Tangjie."

  Ye Qinglan's tears fell drop by drop, her shoulders slightly heaving, and the faint sound of her crying seemed so pitiful. Although she didn't say anything, it made Ye Qingfu's frantic accusations seem even more pale and powerless.

  Ye Chengli's heart ached slightly, and his gaze at Ye Qingfu became increasingly stern: "Shut up! Don't say another word!"

  Ye Qingfu was scolded twice in one day, not to mention how wronged she felt, and started crying with a pouting mouth. This time, her tears were genuine, and she couldn't stop wiping away her tears as she sobbed uncontrollably.

  Xue Shi looked heartbroken and unconsciously took a step forward, shielding Ye Qingfu behind him: "Master, shouldn't you ask what really happened before speaking? Why are you scolding Fu'er without knowing the truth?"

  Ye Chengli's anger had not dissipated, and he hummed heavily: "The matter is clear, what else is there to ask? As a sister, she doesn't give in to her younger sister, but instead bullies her. Fortunately, I was here today, otherwise Lan'er would have suffered again."

  This remark implicated Xue's family as well.

  If it weren't for Xue's indulgence, how could Ye Qingfu have developed such a domineering and willful temperament?

  Xue's smile stiffened for a moment, then she softened her tone and said: "Furong is impulsive by nature, so it's inevitable that she speaks hastily. I'll make sure to discipline her strictly from now on, sir, there's no need for you to be angry over such a small matter."

  Ye Chengli hummed softly, just about to say something, when a soft voice sounded: "Dad, Second Sister must have some misunderstanding with me, that's why she scolded me. Can't we just clear things up? Don't be angry, okay?"

  Ye Chengli was taken aback and involuntarily looked at Ye Qinglan.

  Ye Qinglan had just cried, her nose was still a little red, and the tears at the corners of her eyes were not dry yet. She looked at him very seriously, her eyes seemed to be speaking, flashing with unspoken pleas.

  Ye Chengli's heart suddenly softened.

  No matter how much he scolded, it was just a momentary anger. She was only a concubine and had no mother to protect her. It was too easy for Xue Shi to make things difficult for her. He could have protected her once, but it wasn't likely that he would be present every time.

  Forget it, I won't pursue this matter anymore...

  "Who wants your hypocritical pleading for me!" Ye Qingfu cried and shouted: "It's obviously your fault, I don't want your fake kindness. Don't think that using this method can win over Father's favor, and not even looking in the mirror at yourself. You're just a lowly concubine-born..."

  Ye Chengli's face turned black with anger.

  Ye Qinglan's face showed a sorrowful expression as if she was about to cry, but in her heart, she was laughing with joy. Ye Qingfu was simply too cooperative!

  I overestimated her IQ from the very beginning. Many plans I thought of didn't work, but this one trick completely took care of her.

  Scold her, the more fiercely the better. It's best to scold her and her birth mother in front of Ye Chengli until they're utterly humiliated!

  Xue was also anxious and angry, speaking before Ye Chengli: "Furong, don't talk nonsense. Go back to the house and reflect on yourself."

  These words can be said behind his back, but they cannot be said in front of Ye Chengli.

  Ye Qinglan, no matter how lowly her birth, is still Ye Chengli's biological daughter. The deceased Bi Rong was once Ye Chengli's most beloved woman. Even she would never dare to say such unpleasant words in front of Ye Chengli.

  Ye Qingfu didn't think she was wrong at all, and after being scolded by Lady Xue like that, she felt even more aggrieved and cried uncontrollably: "What did I say wrong? Father is just biased..."

  A loud "crack" rang out, and all the sounds in the house came to an abrupt halt.

  Ye Chengli's face turned iron-green, his eyes full of flames: "From now on, stay in the house and don't go anywhere. If you dare to say another word, you won't come out even on your grandfather's birthday!"

  Ye Qingfu was stunned, covering her burning left cheek with her hand, and had even forgotten to cry. Growing up, she had never been slapped before.

  What she said was obviously true, why did Father get so angry? And even hit her...

  [bookid==《The Colorful Garden》]