C4 Promise

As Ye Yufei spoke, he extended a hand to assist Chen Hai. It wasn't just Ye Yufei; Chen Hai also hurried to lift his father upon seeing him kneel.

"Yufei, your Uncle Chen lost his parents early on, and my wife passed away a decade ago. Apart from my daughter, I have no other ties.

Starting this business is going to take a lot of my energy, so I'm hoping you can look after Xue until she starts college."

Chen Hai's words suddenly reminded Ye Yufei of how Chen Xue and Chu Yuntian had fallen in love due to their six months of living together.

"This..."

Ye Yufei appeared hesitant, though he had already decided in his heart. It was just about letting Chen Xue stay with him for half a year, right?

For the sake of the system's grand villain reward, he was all in!

"Yufei, if you refuse Uncle Chen's request, then I, Uncle Chen, will..."

"Ah, Uncle Chen, you're really backing me into a corner here. Fine, I agree, okay?"

Ye Yufei feigned a look of utter resignation.

Upon hearing Ye Yufei's agreement, Chen Hai immediately stood up, his face breaking into a smile. His daughter, Chen Xue, however, kept her head down and bit her lip, remaining silent.

...

"Don't resent your dad. He's in a tough spot, and honestly, who would want to entrust their daughter to someone else unless absolutely necessary?"

Ye Yufei offered these words of comfort to Chen Xue, who was sitting next to him in the passenger seat, as he drove.

"Mr. Ye, you don't have to console me. I understand the hardship my dad is facing."

Chen Xue clutched her schoolbag tightly and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Sigh."

Seeing his own reflection in the situation, Ye Yufei couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Shortly after, they arrived at the villa where Ye Yufei resided.

He stepped out of the car and helped Chen Xue with her luggage.

Chen Xue disembarked, shouldering her backpack, and gazed at the two-story villa before her in a daze. It was hard for her to believe that such a large house was home to just Ye Yufei.

"Mr. Ye, doesn't living alone in such a big house feel lonely?"

"It feels a bit spacious, but I've gotten used to it," Ye Yufei said with a light smile. He then took out his keys, unlocked the door, and escorted Chen Xue into the villa.

"Would you prefer to stay on the first floor or the second floor?"

The villa had one bedroom on the first floor and two on the second, where Ye Yufei resided.

"Mr. Ye, which floor do you live on?"

"The second floor."

"Then I'll stay on the second floor too."

Chen Xue flashed Ye Yufei a mischievous grin, leaving him torn between laughter and tears.

...

On the morning of the third day, Ye Yufei drove to his parents' villa.

His father, Ye Hongjun, had just called him, requesting his presence for an urgent discussion.

After unlocking the door, the first person Ye Yufei encountered wasn't his father, but his mother, Han Yuyue.

"Yufei, you should head upstairs quickly. Your dad's been waiting in the study for quite a while," Han Yuyue said with a smile, pausing from her work on the company's ledgers.

"Mom, how have you become even more beautiful since I last saw you?"

Instead of heading upstairs immediately, Ye Yufei sat down next to Han Yuyue, grinning.

"Eh? Since when did you become such a sweet-talker?"

"Hehe, is it really sweet-talking if it's the truth?"

Ye Yufei always remembered Han Yuyue as being warm and affectionate. Although he may have had a strained relationship with Ye Hongjun in the past, he had always felt a strong bond with his mother.

"Alright, you should really go upstairs now, or your dad might get upset with you again."

"Okay."

Watching her son's retreating figure, Han Yuyue's gaze was filled with adoration.

After all, no matter what Ye Yufei turned into, he was still her beloved son, right?

...

Upon opening the study room door, Ye Yufei immediately saw his father seated comfortably, sipping tea and reading a book.

"You've finally arrived, you rascal. If you were any later, my tea would've gotten cold."

Ye Hongjun set aside his book and gestured for Ye Yufei to take a seat across from him upon his arrival.

"Wasn't I caught in a traffic jam? Dad, what's so urgent that you needed to see me?"

While speaking, Ye Yufei settled into the chair opposite his father.

"The head of the Mu family, Mu Yanrou's father, is hosting a birthday banquet tomorrow. I hope you'll be there. Remember you mentioned wanting to call off the engagement? I've given it some thought, and you should find the right moment to announce it. Tomorrow's banquet seems like the perfect opportunity."

Ye Hongjun's intentions were clear: he wanted to challenge Ye Yufei, to teach him to stand on his own two feet.

Ye Yufei understood his father's underlying message perfectly.

"Dad, surely you, of all people, don't actually believe your son is nothing more than a wastrel?"

"Oh? Are you saying you're not?"

Ye Hongjun was taken aback by his son's retort.

"Dad, you're well aware of the Ye family's current predicament. With so many powers watching us like hawks, if I didn't play the part of the wastrel, do you think they would have let me grow up unscathed?"

Ye Yufei needed to shake off the wastrel image his father had of him if he was to be sure of his support in future endeavors.

Upon hearing Ye Yufei's explanation, Ye Hongjun was initially stunned, then his eyes widened in realization, and he began to sweat profusely with excitement, a stark contrast to Chen Hai's sweat of dread.

"Hahaha! Hahaha! I knew it! With the excellent genes from your mother and me, how could we possibly have a son who's a good-for-nothing? Hahaha!"

Ye Hongjun laughed heartily, his cheeks flushed with exhilaration.

Ye Yufei simply smiled subtly, choosing to remain silent.

...

The following evening, a sleek black sports car pulled up to the Mu family's banquet hall. A dashing man in a suit stepped out with a leisurely stride – it was none other than Ye Yufei.

"Yufei! I just knew you wouldn't miss this banquet."

As Ye Yufei stepped into the banquet hall, a young man with a slightly plump figure approached him, beaming with a smile.

"Wow, Tang Xiaofeng! I'm surprised to see you out and about. That's quite rare!"

Tang Xiaofeng, affectionately known as Fat Tang, is the heir to the Tang Corporation. Despite his influential background, he's known to be somewhat timid. He and Ye Yufei have been close since childhood.

Back in their younger days, Tang Xiaofeng was often the target of bullying by classmates and peers due to his size. Ye Yufei was always the one to defend him.

Their shared experiences from childhood forged a bond between them that was exceptionally strong. If they weren't so physically dissimilar, one might mistake them for brothers.