Chapter 40: The Arrival of Ye Qinghai

When Ye Xuan’s face suddenly changed, Xiao Yu knew that Lin Xue’er must have already explained everything. The person calling, without any doubt, was certainly from the Huayi Group.

“Let’s go.” Xiao Yu looked at Ye Kai, and Liu Xiangqin spoke calmly.

Without waiting for their reactions, Xiao Yu strode out. As Ye Kai and his wife stood confused, Ye Xuan hurried after Xiao Yu, blocking his path with a furious expression.

“Is this your doing? Why would the Huayi Group suddenly terminate their partnership with the Ye family?” Ye Xuan roared at Xiao Yu.

“That’s not my concern. You’re the head of the Ye family now.” With that, Xiao Yu ignored Ye Xuan and walked straight out.

Seeing such disregard, Ye Xuan’s anger flared. In his fury, he reached out to grab Xiao Yu, intending to stop him.

Taishui, who stood nearby, narrowed his eyes and quickly seized Ye Xuan’s wrist, his voice cold: “You fool, it seems you need a lesson today to understand your limits.”

With those words, Taishui yanked Ye Xuan back, sending him staggering. With a swift turn, Taishui struck Ye Xuan’s chest with a heavy palm, sending him flying into a wooden table, which broke into pieces. Ye Xuan lay on the floor, grimacing in pain.

Taishui had held back—otherwise, Ye Xuan’s frail body could not have withstood even half his strength.

Clutching his chest, Ye Xuan struggled to his feet, glaring at Taishui and shouting, “You little bastard! How dare you hurt me? I’ll have you killed!”

“What are you all standing around for? Are you Ye family guards or useless cowards? Get him!” Ye Xuan shouted at the surrounding bodyguards.

The bodyguards glanced at each other, none willing to act. They knew well the strength of the man before them; to attack would be suicide.

Seeing their reluctance, Ye Xuan grew frantic, his rage clouding his judgment. He snatched up a broken table leg from the floor and charged at Taishui.

“Stop!”

Just as Taishui prepared to strike again, a harsh, aged voice rang out in the hall. Ye Xuan froze at the sound, his body trembling involuntarily.

There was only one person in the Ye family who could inspire such fear in Ye Xuan besides Ye Qinghai. The former head of the Ye family, Ye Qinghai, had arrived.

Ye Qinghai’s figure appeared at the doorway, his face dark as he looked toward them—more precisely, at Ye Xuan.

“Father, why are you here?” Ye Xuan stammered, his voice trembling.

Ye Qinghai approached with a grim expression. Before everyone’s astonished gaze, he slapped Ye Xuan hard across the face, so forcefully that Ye Xuan was left dazed.

Ye Xuan clutched his stinging cheek, staring at Ye Qinghai in disbelief. “Father, why did you hit me? Xiao Yu made us lose this project. Isn’t it right for me to ask why?”

Ye Qinghai looked at Ye Xuan with disappointment, his tone cold: “I hit you because you deserved it. Have you forgotten what I said before? If so, let me repeat it before everyone: from now on, all Ye family matters will be managed by Ye Shihan.”

“Father! Why? I’m your son, but Ye Shihan is just a woman. Are you handing the Ye family over to that useless man?” Ye Xuan shouted, his gaze darting toward Xiao Yu. The ‘useless man’ he spoke of was none other than Xiao Yu.

“Useless? If all Ye family heirs were as ‘useless’ as Xiao Yu, that would be a blessing for our ancestors!” Ye Qinghai declared, stunning everyone.

“A useless man? Could a useless man secure a project coveted by every family in Fengcheng? Could a useless man destroy the Li family in half a day?”

Hearing these words, the Ye family members looked at Xiao Yu, their faces filled with terror. None could have imagined that the man they had dismissed as worthless had accomplished such earth-shattering feats.

Ye Qinghai cast a disappointed glance at his family, then turned to Xiao Yu and spoke with deep regret: “Xiao Yu, I can’t ask you to forgive what these people have done today, but I hope you will consider yourself part of the Ye family. We truly can’t afford to lose this project.”

“If I didn’t consider myself part of the Ye family, with their actions, the Ye family would have already followed the Li family into ruin. I secured this project for Shihan, but my real aim was the family’s well-being. Yet these people try to seize power for their own gain. Tell me, am I not a member of the Ye family, or are they the ones who aren’t?” Xiao Yu replied calmly.

“Ah.” Ye Qinghai sighed, then turned to Ye Xuan, saying, “From now on, stay home. Don’t involve yourself in company affairs. The Ye family has only one leader—Ye Shihan.”

Ye Xuan was stunned. He sat on the floor as if his soul had left him, his eyes empty.

“I don’t want to see such things happen again. Shihan is still unconscious, but she will recover soon. The project can wait until she wakes. I’m heading back to the hospital now.”

With that, Xiao Yu cast one last glance at those present, then turned and left. Taishui snorted coldly and followed.

At that moment, Yao Bugui stood and smiled. “With your Ye family’s vision, you can only survive here in Fengcheng. The one you call ‘useless’ may well be a true dragon soaring freely in the sky.”

He shook his head and walked out. As he passed Ye Qinghai, he paused and said quietly, “With Xiao Yu, your Ye family should count itself fortunate.”

Without waiting for a reply, he strode away.

Ye Kai and his wife, still in the hall, glanced at Ye Xuan and Ye Guang, then approached Ye Qinghai respectfully. “Father, we’ll go to the hospital and check on Shihan.”

With that, they left one after another. Peace returned to the hall. Ye Guang and the others went to help Ye Xuan up, while Ye Qinghai watched the departing figures in silence.