C19 It Seemed like a New Lover!

Watching Xia Lin walk away, Chen Xue breathed a sigh of relief, surprised by how outrageous his behavior had been. Such incidents were all too common at school, and she was no stranger to them. Lately, though, the bullies seemed to be growing bolder, paying no mind to those around them.

"I've dragged you into this mess, and you almost got hurt because of me."

Chen Xue bit her lip and glanced back at the table, now cleared of the remnants of their meal, her appetite gone.

Their lives seemed to be a series of one event after another, from the school building to this moment. Ye Yufei could see the strain on Chen Xue's face and sensed the heavy psychological toll it was taking on her.

He wondered why she would choose to shoulder such an unnecessary burden. If life was so unbearable, why not switch schools and start fresh?

Moreover, the sudden misfortune that befell the Chen family wasn't her fault. The business world is ever-changing, and bankruptcy is a part of the game. Many renowned entrepreneurs have weathered numerous storms to reach their current status. For the Chen family, this was just the first setback.

"You're selling me short! Handling that guy just now would have been a piece of cake; I simply didn't want to stoop to his level," Ye Yufei remarked offhandedly, with Chen Xue wandering beside him without direction. Ever since the Chen family's fall from grace, she had been living with Tang Xiaofeng's family.

Her father, Chen Hai, had a close relationship with Tang Xiaofeng's father. It was only natural to offer help when witnessing their family's decline.

"Why don't you come home with me today? From now on, I can drive you to and from school every day until these people stop bullying you. Or, I could simply help you transfer to a different school," Ye Yufei suggested, making it sound effortless.

Chen Xue, however, shook her head with a wry smile. She had no intention of backing down in the face of bullying; that would be no different from admitting cowardice. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong.

"I'm fine with you driving me to school, but transferring is out of the question. I'm determined to stand my ground against them!" she declared resolutely.

Ye Yufei continued to watch her, not wanting her story to unfold as tragically as it did in the books. That would be far too cruel.

Chen Xue had just arrived at the Ye family's villa when a wave of familiarity washed over her. Her own home had once been as grand before she and her parents were forced to move to the suburbs.

It was only through Uncle Tang's sympathy that he offered to help. Initially, Chen Xue had refused to move in with the Tang family. She felt it was best not to intrude on another family's life, especially now that she was an adult with her own opinions. Living with people she barely knew didn't seem right.

However, her father eventually convinced her, arguing that she deserved to grow up in a better environment. His determination left Chen Xue with no choice but to comply.

The recent tragedy had already taken a toll on the Chen family, and she didn't want to add to their emotional burden.

"If you're set on standing your ground against them, make sure you're fully prepared. Don't let them push you around again. But if something like this happens in the future, call me. I actually enjoy a good argument," Ye Yufei said, flashing a smile at Chen Xue before playing with his car keys and heading back into the house.

He had never lost an argument, especially not against troublemakers. The mere thought of such confrontations thrilled him.

Chen Xue was perplexed; she had never met anyone who actually liked to argue.

Suddenly, a delicate voice called out, "Yufei!"

At the entrance stood Miss Mu. Chen Xue guessed correctly—it was Mu Yanrou.

"I've brought you a gift," Mu Yanrou said, her voice soft. "You once mentioned this was your favorite model, and it's quite rare. I had to ask several people to find it and even had it shipped from overseas. Please, have a look."

Holding a blue box, Mu Yanrou stepped into the Ye family's home. Chen Xue watched, stunned. Was this really something Miss Mu would do?

"I've lost interest in these things," Ye Yufei responded coldly, not wanting to engage much with Miss Mu. Now that she was his secretary at the company and showing up at his home with gifts, her behavior was certainly a departure from the past.

Rekindling their past connection seemed impossible now. Miss Mu was likely still ensconced in her ivory tower, oblivious to the true nature of their relationship.

Mu Yanran turned her head and was taken aback by the sight of Chen Xue in a student outfit, her face contorting with shock.

"Who is this? Yufei, is it because of her that you've started pushing me away? I know you've got the wrong idea about me and Chu Yuntian, but surely we haven't fallen apart to this degree? Have you really moved on to someone else so quickly?"

Her voice trembled with a tearful quality, and her pitiful demeanor might lead an onlooker to believe Ye Yufei had done something to upset her.

Chen Xue was about to clarify the situation when Ye Yufei instinctively stepped forward.

"Don't talk nonsense."

Ye Yufei's response caused Chen Xue to nervously retreat to the safety of a nearby sofa, eager to avoid getting tangled in their dispute. This woman seemed like trouble, and Chen Xue preferred to steer clear of unnecessary drama.

"Do you not love me anymore? Have you really started to accept someone else? You promised to always be there for me, to protect me. Were all those things you said to me before meaningless?"

Ye Yufei looked on with disdain at Mu Yanran's affected display of vulnerability. Although the original story depicted a man who loved her more than life itself, he no longer desired such a relationship.

Losing oneself in the name of love was not true love.

"If you have any sense, you'll leave now. This is my personal life, and it's none of your concern."

Ye Yufei's tone was icy as he turned away. Mu Yanran, feeling humiliated, promptly exited the Ye family's villa.

She had thought that a simple gesture might bring happiness to Ye Yufei, but to her dismay, he had already moved on.

At the Mu family villa, Mu Yanran's arrival was marked by the clatter of her bag hitting the table, the sound of metal against stone drawing Mu Xun's attention.

His daughter hadn't been this upset in a long time, and he wondered what had provoked her ire this time.

"What's wrong? Didn't you have a good day at Ye's Group?"

Mu Xun inquired, noticing the frustration in Mu Yanrou's demeanor. She was so upset that she didn't even want to recall the day's events.

"Dad, you sent me to work with Ye Yufei, but all he did was humiliate me. He showed no interest in treating me well. You wouldn't believe it, but today he brought a woman home, and she looked very young."

Mu Yanrou slumped beside him, filled with a sense of injustice. Before, Ye Yufei had indulged her every whim, and it wasn't an overstatement to say he was at her beck and call. But now, it was as if he had become a completely different person.