Chapter 06: Shut Up!
The originally not-so-luxurious but happy shopping trip was now filled with frustration because of the appearance of a certain scumbag. Ye Zhou carried the items in his hands and silently led his younger brother into the village. Ye Huan seemed to still be immersed in what had just happened and was no longer as cheerful as before.
Originally, it was not an extravagant shopping trip, but it was supposed to be a happy one. However, due to the appearance of a certain scumbag, it turned into a frustrating experience, leaving them feeling all sorts of upset. Ye Zhou carried the items in his hands and silently led his younger brother into the village. Ye Huan seemed to still be immersed in what had just happened and was no longer as cheerful as before.
As they passed by the old Ye family's house, Ye Zhou caught sight of several mother hens pecking outside. His eyes flashed with a hint of cunning, and the slight dissatisfaction in his heart finally disappeared.
Generally, free-range chickens and ducks in the countryside are not afraid of people. Even if you walk past them, they won't pay any attention. Perhaps due to the commotion at noon, the door of the old Ye family's house was wide open, but no one could be seen. Ye Zhou pretended to be tired, put down the things, and squatted on the ground. Seeing that there was no one around, he quickly grabbed two mother hens and threw them into his space. The skillful manner in which he did it was comparable to a professional thief. He even managed to silence the hens before putting them away.
With the agricultural tools back in his arms, Ye Zhou finally showed a smile on his face. Don't ask if he feels embarrassed; those bastards bother them all day long, and they never feel ashamed. He expressed no pressure and even mentioned that he would do it more often given the chance.
"Brother, what are you laughing at?"
Ye Huan, who had already walked a distance, turned his head and saw his brother laughing in a strange way. He couldn't help but feel puzzled. He felt that his brother had changed a lot after his suicide attempt, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed.
"It's nothing. Let's go home and cook something delicious."
Suppressing the light in his eyes, Ye Zhou ran forward with a smile on his face, and his mood became beautifully resolute.
However, when the two brothers arrived home, they saw more than twenty people from the old Ye family gathered there, including even the swollen-mouthed Ye Bao'er. Ye Huan instinctively shrank his body, and Ye Zhou's gaze darkened as he glanced at those unfriendly 'relatives'. He casually placed the agricultural tools under the eaves.
"Xiao Huan, can you help your brother in the kitchen? Remember to boil more water. I'll come over and cook later."
The scene that followed was clearly not suitable for children to watch. Ye Zhou smiled and stroked his brother's forehead. Seeing that his hair had grown a bit long and covered his eyes, he couldn't help but think that he should take him to a hair salon in town next time to tidy up.
"...No, I want to be with my brother."
Looking at his brother and then at the unfriendly people, Ye Huan took a step forward and hugged Ye Zhou's neck. His small body couldn't help but tremble slightly. He was young and didn't understand much, but he knew how to read people's expressions and knew who treated them well and who would bully them.
"Hehe... Don't worry, can they eat me? Hurry up and go. I'm starving after walking all the way."
Patting his buttocks with a smile, Ye Zhou said in a relaxed tone. If he couldn't handle a few scumbags, then his previous life would have been in vain.
"Really?"
Ye Huan still felt worried. He stepped back slightly, and his round eyes stared at him without blinking. Ye Zhou smiled and nodded, his face filled with confidence. This finally eased Ye Huan's hesitation, and he reluctantly carried the newly bought rice and walked towards the kitchen. Along the way, he couldn't help but turn back three times, making sure his brother was fine. It was a struggle to finally convince Ye Zhou's stubborn little brother to go, and he stood up and walked into the main hall where everyone had gathered.
Ignoring the malicious and resentful gazes of the old lady and the others, Ye Zhou scanned the room and his mischievous smile deepened as he approached a young boy who seemed to be around his age.
"Bang!"
To the surprise of everyone present, without even saying a word of greeting, Ye Zhou kicked the young boy who was sitting on a chair, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Ah... it hurts..."
"What are you doing, you brat?"
"Are you trying to kill people, Ye Zhou?!"
The sudden cry of the boy who was kicked over sounded like a pig being slaughtered. The room instantly erupted in chaos, and everyone's gaze towards him turned poisonous. If it were the old Ye Zhou, he would have been scared and weak long ago. But this was not the same Ye Zhou. He had changed. Without blinking an eye, he pulled over the chair the boy had been sitting on and sat down in the middle of the hall.
"This is my home. Anyone who enters this house is a guest. Even the host doesn't have a seat. What right do guests have to sit comfortably?"
With his hands in his pockets and his legs crossed, Ye Zhou couldn't help but sneer. Not kicking the old lady was already giving them face. If they provoked him further, he wouldn't hesitate. Respect for the elderly and care for the young? His elementary school teacher never taught him that.
"You... you brat, how dare you act so arrogantly in my son's house..."
The old lady pointed at him angrily, completely disregarding Ye Zhou's unusual behavior. However, not everyone in the room was foolish. At least Ye Zhou noticed the flash of cunning in Ye Xiaoyu's eyes as she stood behind Ye Bao'er the whole time. He sarcastically curved his thin lips and cut off the old lady's self-righteous speech.
"May I ask where your fourth son is now?"
"..."
A simple question, but it left the old lady dumbfounded. Ye Zhou seemed unfazed by her anger and the almost murderous look in her eyes. Leaning back on the chair, he casually said, "Let me remind you, our parents passed away last year. And after their death, instead of taking care of me and Xiaohuan1, who were still minors, you people took over our food supplies. Over the past year, you've gradually emptied the savings our parents worked hard for. Now, all that's left is this house. So, what? Do you still want to take this house away from me? Ye Grandma, there's a saying you might not have heard: 'Do not bully the youth for their poverty. The youth will grow up, and for every bit of mistreatment they receive today, they will return tenfold or a hundredfold in the future, unless you really want to kill me!'"
Although Ye Zhou's words sounded calm and gentle, his handsome features became gradually more menacing, hinting at the underlying danger. He made it clear to everyone present that he wasn't joking.
"So what? I am your grandmother. You dare not touch me, right? Hmph, even if you grow up, you'll still be a useless dog that can't climb the wall. Why can't I enjoy what my son left behind?"
Others were somewhat moved by her words, but the old lady had been accustomed to being overbearing her whole life. She relied on her status as an elder and didn't take his warning to heart.
"I may be a useless dog, but what about you?"
Ye Zhou's mocking smile grew brighter as he effortlessly threw her question back at her. The old lady was left gasping for breath, and a woman in her forties or fifties walked over, patting her chest to calm her down. "Mom, why bother talking so much to him? He caused little sister to fall at noon. He should be the one paying for her medicine. If he doesn't have the money, he can use the house and land as collateral. We shouldn't let him off easily."
This woman, named Zhang Yuzhen, showed no kindness or mercy. Her eyes were filled with malice and greed. She was the wife of Ye Zhou's eldest brother, and in name, she was Ye Zhou's eldest sister-in-law.
"Hehe... Sister-in-law, are you playing with me?" Ye Zhou's laughter became even more radiant. It turned out that their intention was this. Ye Zhou's eyes instantly turned cold and deep. He knew that they had reduced their brothers to nothing but the house and the two acres of land. They had no intention of leaving them any way out. If that was the case, there was no need for him to be polite to them either.
"It was clearly you who tripped me. Xiaoyu saw it."
With swollen lips, Ye Bao'er pulled Ye Xiaoyu forward. "Xiaoyu, tell them, did he trip me?"
In an unnoticed corner, Ye Bao'er secretly pinched Ye Xiaoyu's waist. Ye Xiaoyu, who had been keeping her head down the whole time, had eyes that turned slightly red. She hesitated to speak and looked at Ye Zhou. Even without saying a word, she seemed to be accusing him of being the culprit. Perhaps her purpose was more than just this.
The rest of the Ye family felt even more confident now, while Ye Zhou didn't even furrow his eyebrows. His pitch-black, deep-set peach blossom eyes were fixed on Ye Xiaoyu without blinking. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Oh? Ye Xiaoyu, did you really see it?"
Playing mind games with him? Could this little girl handle it?
"I..."
Under his gaze, as if he could see through everything, Ye Xiaoyu instinctively took two steps back and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Others thought she was kind and unwilling to expose her elder brother. Only she knew how conflicted and afraid she felt. No, perhaps Ye Zhou also saw through it, because his eyes revealed a naked understanding.
It had to be said that Ye Xiaoyu was clever. Her hesitant and silent appearance not only appeased the Ye family members but also allowed her to save face for him. If he really was no longer a fool and actually succeeded in the future, she would have a good excuse to get close to him. On the contrary, she wouldn't lose anything, would she?
Unfortunately, Ye Zhou wasn't foolish enough to that extent.
"Don't play any tricks with me, Ye Xiaoyu. I want to hear it directly from your mouth."
Since he knew her intentions, how could he possibly let her have her way? The original owner might have felt sorry for this sister, but he didn't have that much compassion. For him, only Ye Huan was his true family.
"Don't be afraid. Speak out loudly about what you saw. Say it just like you did at the clinic at noon."
Thinking that Ye Xiaoyu was frightened, Ye Bao'er stepped forward and patted her slender back, as if supporting her. Ye Zhou raised an eyebrow, thinking that it was someone from the Ye family who forced her. Unexpectedly... it turned out that she had caused all of this.
"I-I saw it at noon. It was you who deliberately tripped our little aunt."
Forced to choose between only two options, Ye Xiaoyu made a firm decision and chose the Ye family.
For some reason, a trace of pain suddenly flashed through Ye Zhou's heart. Perhaps it was the residual consciousness of the original owner, but at least Ye Zhou himself was clear that he would never feel heartache for a stranger.
"Capture the thief and seize the loot2. Since you all claim that it was Ye Bao'er I tripped, may I ask if you have any evidence? As for witnesses..."
He didn't show the slightest anger due to Ye Xiaoyu's accusation. Ye Zhou deliberately paused in the middle of his words, and after a while, he looked at Ye Xiaoyu and said word by word, "I think all the people who were watching at noon can be my witnesses. And as for Ye Xiaoyu, although she is my biological sister, everyone in Dongquan Village knows that she was raised by your Ye family. Who knows if she might be deliberately shifting blame without a conscience?"
They wanted to make him give up the house like this? Were they being too naive?
"I didn't lie. I really saw it. It was you..."
"Shut the fuck up!"
Smack!
"Ah..."
Upon hearing these words, Ye Xiaoyu immediately began to clamor. She couldn't afford to lose the opportunity to please the Ye family. However, Ye Zhou didn't give her a chance to create a scene. He rushed forward and delivered a slap, causing Ye Xiaoyu's head to jerk to the side. This demonstrated the force he used, and the entire hall fell momentarily silent. Ye Zhou exuded a chilling aura, his eyes glaring fiercely at Ye Xiaoyu, who was dazed from the blow. Damn it, did she really think he was a fool? Just by observing her anxious demeanor, anyone could tell that she definitely hadn't witnessed him tripping Ye Bao'er. It's likely she deliberately made those claims to please the people from the Ye family. She probably never even dreamed that he, who had always swallowed his pride, would resist this time.
Contemplating this, Ye Zhou couldn't help but roll his eyes. They shared the same mother, so why was the disparity so great? Although the original owner was weak and easily manipulated, at least he had a kind heart. Little Huan was also lively and adorable. But as for this Ye Xiaoyu...
"What the hell are you doing, you damn bastard? Do you want to be beaten into a confession? Evidence? What evidence do you want? Xiaoyu has already identified you, and you still want to argue? You little beast, let me tell you, you're going to hand over this house today, whether you want to or not."
The previously silent old lady quickly pointed her finger at him, determined to seize the only house belonging to the two brothers.
"And if I refuse?"
With a cold glance, Ye Zhou inserted his hands into his pockets and looked at her askew, the smile that had been hanging on his face disappearing without a trace.
"You don't have a say in it!"
The old lady stepped forward, and the others unconsciously gathered around her, standing behind her to show their support. Their intentions couldn't have been clearer.
