CHAPTER 503: 484: APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR (CHAPTER 1)

When Bai Lianhua heard what her grandaunt said, she was dumbfounded and forgot to cry, just staring blankly at her grandaunt.

Seeing her staring like this, Bai Xue got angrier, "Weren’t you quite capable at the Li Family that day? What’s the use of crying to me now? Things have gotten like this, who’s to blame but yourself for what you did? If you want to find a good in-laws family in the future and keep your job, aside from the Li Family, no one else can help you. Crying to me won’t help."

"Grandaunt, I was forced to do what I did at the Li Family that day. I didn’t expect Li Family to intervene, and Lin Tao to behave like that. Now I know it’s impossible to go back to work. Even if people don’t say it to my face, they’ll gossip behind my back. How can I stay working like that? I hoped you might have some other ideas." Bai Lianhua looked bitterly at her grandaunt.

"Think of another way? What way? Even the Li Family’s intervention didn’t help, what can I do without a job? You caused trouble at work again, and none of it is trouble-free. You’re just like your father; at his age, I still worry every day." Talking about her brother’s incompetence and seeing her niece like this, Bai Xue got even more annoyed, compounded by her daughter’s issues. "Either endure the gossip and go back to work, or quit and return to the countryside where no one knows you and marry someone. Your little sister has her own problems now, and her workplace can’t intervene. How many times can I help you like this? Be grateful!"

Bai Lianhua, realizing slowly, then asked Ye Qian sitting on the brick bed, "What happened to little sister? Still fighting with brother-in-law?"

Ye Qian didn’t want to look at her and turned her head away. After all, her situation had blown up to this point; whether she told or not wouldn’t matter as Bai Lianhua would find out soon enough.

Besides, Ye Qian knew all too well what Bai Lianhua was feeling. On the surface, she seemed soft, but secretly she was probably laughing at her. If she truly was as warm as she appeared, would she have caused all these problems?

Seeing Ye Qian ignoring her, Bai Lianhua didn’t get angry and turned her eyes back to her grandaunt.

Bai Xue waved her hand impatiently, "Alright, stop asking. I see, none of you want to give me peace!"

Turning to her younger daughter sitting on the brick bed, she said, "What do you want now? Zhiyuan said he doesn’t want a divorce. Even after everything, he still chose you. Do you know what that means? It shows your importance in his heart. Don’t say he’s holding onto you out of spite. Regarding your feelings for another, true or not, he knows yet doesn’t want a divorce. This already proves he loves you. Why deceive yourself into thinking he’s retaliating?"

"Ye Qian, you’re not young anymore. You understood things well before marriage, why have you become less sensible after? Whether he’s in the army or not, you’re in the company, and your father-in-law is too. In the future, wouldn’t all his efforts benefit you? I don’t know what you’re thinking. I advise you, but you don’t listen. Now you’re demanding a divorce, so tell me what to do. Ye Ling won’t help, and you can’t work it out yourself. You’re just pushing Zhiyuan further away with your antics."

Seeing her younger daughter silent after all she said, Bai Xue also fell silent, sitting on the bed without saying another word.

Though unaware of specifics, Bai Lianhua was shocked seeing it had reached divorce with Ye Qian and her husband. She knew Ye Ku was smart and the Liu Family powerful. Unless something serious happened, Ye Qian wouldn’t divorce. Given Ye Qian’s firm stance now, the Liu Family must have wronged her. With her own pressing issues, Bai Lianhua had no time to mock Ye Qian, only hoping her grandaunt might help resolve her job transfer with the Li Family. As her grandaunt suggested, either endure the gossip to keep working or return to the rural life she dreaded. After some struggle, she decided to endure it and stay in the city.

That evening, Ye Qian, restless from being at home all day, went out aimlessly and unknowingly ended up at the small restaurant where she often drank with Si Daochen. Without thinking, she walked in, unexpectedly spotting Si Daochen sitting alone in the familiar corner. Her heart inexplicably warmed, and without hesitation, she walked over. As she approached, Si Daochen, looking up, smiled gently as if he’d been waiting for her as planned.

Ye Qian pulled out a chair and sat across from him, "Why are you here? Did you plan to meet someone? Am I interrupting?"

Si Daochen smiled lightly, "No one else, just me. Haven’t seen you in a few days, was wondering what you were up to. I went to your office, but you weren’t there, so I thought to come here and see if I’d run into you. Didn’t expect I really would."

Ye Qian was mildly surprised, her face warming slightly, "So you’ve been coming here alone these past days, waiting."

Si Daochen nodded.

Ye Qian stared at him for a while, then silently lowered her head, feeling her earlier lightheartedness replaced by gloom.

"What’s wrong? Something happened? Don’t overthink it, I just wanted to see you, no other meaning. Hope it doesn’t pressure you." Si Daochen explained hurriedly.

"It’s not your fault, it’s my family issues." Ye Qian managed a bitter smile, still looking down. "You’ve probably heard about Zhiyuan and Jiang Yan from our compound. I was provoked by them that day, lost my mind, and blew things up. In hindsight, I regret it. Regardless, it’s happened, should be resolved calmly, yet I caused Jiang Yan to lose face."

Si Daochen said angrily, "You did nothing wrong. They wronged you, why feel guilty? Because you’re too kind, they dared act like that."