Chapter 41: Chapter 38: Seventeen Years of Solitude"For a lousy man, giving me the cold shoulder, why did I raise such a daughter?"

    Xu Li’s face was grim as she muttered to herself, dialing her husband’s phone number.

    "Hello, what’s up?" Chu’s father spoke first, his voice old but commanding.

    "I’m at our daughter’s villa. I drove that man away, and our daughter wasn’t willing. She’s been crying and has locked herself in the room, ignoring me no matter how much I call," Xu Li complained indignantly. Sёar?h the N?vel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Why are you so reckless? I’ve told you, don’t rush into meddling with our daughter’s affairs. Why are you so overly concerned? Now look, you’ve upset her, haven’t you?" Chu’s father criticized, suddenly raising his voice, "You said she cried, are you serious?"

    "Cried means cried, how could it be fake? Why would I lie to you? And you, old man, don’t scold me, if I don’t worry about our daughter’s future, who will? Are you suggesting it’s up to you?" Xu Li retorted discontentedly.

    Chu’s father had no mind for arguing with his wife, he focused entirely on their daughter, speaking gravely, "Ever since what happened when she was little, she’s been different, neither crying nor smiling. She’s crying for a man now, which indicates she has feelings for him. You’ve hurt her feelings, and as a mother, you’re too irresponsible. You don’t care about her emotions, you’re just opposing her. Are you full with nothing better to do?"

    Both parents were shocked by Chu Mengyao’s weeping, yet slightly relieved, as it signaled she was gradually opening up a long-held emotional knot, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

    "Stop with the sarcastic remarks, am I not doing this for her good? I called you to ask what to do next, not to be blamed by you," Xu Li was at a loss, unable to find a chance to comfort her daughter.

    "Staying by her side doesn’t help; you’re just adding to the chaos, making her resent you more. Quickly come back and get out of the way. I assure you, once you disappear, her mood will improve a bit," Chu’s father said seriously.

    Xu Li felt aggrieved and said sadly, "I’m her real mother, not a stepmother. Am I unnecessary? Our daughter resents me, fine, but you old man, instead of comforting me, you’re fanning the flames and putting me down."

    Hearing signs of his wife’s impending tears, Chu’s father immediately apologized, "Honey, honey, I’m sorry, my words upset you. Listen, you know our daughter’s temper. Going home would help her more now."

    "Can I be at ease with her like this?" Xu Li sobbed softly.

    "Call our younger daughter, only that little troublemaker can clean up the mess now," Chu’s father suggested.

    "Right, how could I forget our little elf?" Xu Li’s eyes lit up, she hung up and immediately dialed her younger daughter’s number. As soon as the call connected, she ordered unmistakably, "Biyao, rush back home, no matter how busy you are, get back to me within two hours. Your sister’s in trouble, come and comfort her."

    At the airport, Chu Biyao was about to board when she heard her mother’s call, panicking immediately, "Mom, what’s going on? Tell me clearly, what’s wrong with sister?"

    "She’s locked herself in her room and crying, don’t ask more, just hurry back," Xu Li assured sternly.

    "Crying? Mom, are you at her villa? Tell me, what exactly happened?" Chu Biyao was shocked, realizing something was amiss as she knew her sister well—she wouldn’t cry without a major reason.

    "Isn’t there a man at her villa? I drove him away," Xu Li explained nonchalantly.

    "Mom, you’ve gone too far. I’m at the airport now; I’m coming back immediately. Go back to Dad, stop meddling in sister’s affairs," Chu Biyao complained, then immediately hung up.

    She was planning to see Ye Fan, but now her mother had driven him away. She knew her mother was overanxious about her sister’s marriage, and from her sister’s amicable relationship with Ye Fan, she knew their relationship wasn’t ordinary. So, she had postponed all her work to rush back, yet she was still a step too late.

    "I’m meddling, I’m the meddler." Xu Li muttered, dumbfounded. Her elder daughter’s complaints were understandable, but her younger daughter also blamed her, and so did her husband. She felt so upset now she wanted to spit blood.

    "Old man, just you wait." Xu Li directed all her anger at her husband, glanced at Mengyao’s door, and then stormed out of the villa.

    ......

    In a clump of weeds outside the villa, Ye Fan sat alone.

    The desolation around him only added to the lonely aura emanating from Ye Fan, spreading in all directions.

    Honestly, Ye Fan was a bit displeased with Xu Li’s words, but it was just displeasure, without any blame or resentment.

    He was an assassin, mastering survival skills in cold bases for seventeen years, navigating the world, hunting one target after another.

    Feigning strength, he displayed a cold exterior, completing tasks with a ruthless demeanor, standing out in the organization and becoming a legend in the world. To the organization, he was a killing machine, but outsiders didn’t know his heart was burning hot.

    The people he killed included both good and bad; he showed no mercy to any of them. He did all this enduringly, relying on the organization’s training to gradually strengthen his abilities while hiding his true power. For seventeen years, he persevered in Hell through life-or-death trials, until he finally wiped out the God Organization’s upper echelons, avenging his parents and securing justice for himself.

    Being with Chu Mengyao, he felt incredibly comfortable, his heart could find peace. More importantly, Chu Mengyao had a sincere heart; beneath her cold exterior was a gentle, loving core.

    In a vast world, Ye Fan had nowhere else to go.

    His encounter with Chu Mengyao seemed predestined, making him find a haven of peace for his soul.

    Knowing both his hands were stained with blood and he owed countless blood debts, he dared not harbor any thoughts towards Chu Mengyao, just wishing to stay by her side always. He cherished the care and warmth she gave, wanting to remain by her side forever.

    Xu Li’s words hadn’t hurt Ye Fan; due to a sense of guilt, he even acknowledged her words. A mother driving away a stranger for her daughter’s sake was only natural; there was nothing to resent.

    Ye Fan held a cigarette between his lips, the smoke entering his lungs, numbing his nerves.

    He really wanted to drink now, to drown his sorrows. He wanted to take a moment to calm down.