Touya Yaoyao

As soon as Yu Yaoyao got up to leave, Ye Qishi subconsciously stood up, but before he could move, he noticed the unfriendly look in Bai Juncheng's eyes as he entered the room.

The gaze was warning and scrutinizing, but it lacked any of the kindness and gentleness that an elder should have. It was as if Bai Juncheng would take the opportunity to tear him to shreds if he dared to make another move.

The oppressive feeling in his gaze was so strong that Ye felt her heart skip a beat just from Bai Juncheng's glance, and she instantly fell into a state of isolation and fear.

To be honest, Ye is not a coward. In fact, he has the courage to speak up for justice when facing seemingly powerful people. However, Bai Juncheng's gaze is not something a young upstart like him can withstand.

That was a real killing intent, a cold-bloodedness and chilling aura honed on the battlefield, a focus and bloodlust akin to a tiger eyeing its prey, and a confidence and deterrence that allowed it to see the enemy's movements with unparalleled clarity.

Ye hesitated. He didn't move; he stood there, as if he were stunned.

Ye Qihua keenly sensed the warning in Bai Juncheng's gaze, so he immediately stood up, shielding Ye Qishi, who was standing still, behind him, and forced himself to explain to Bai Juncheng:

"My third brother was just worried about Yaoyao, so he wanted to go and ask her if she had been bullied in the palace. He didn't have any other intentions."

Ye Qihua's voice was low, carrying a barely perceptible plea. He looked at Bai Juncheng with a pleading expression, as if hoping to gain a shred of pity from the other party.

Seeing his words, Bai Juncheng withdrew his gaze listlessly, casually sat down on the sofa beside him, and said indifferently:

"It's only natural for an older brother to care about his younger sister, but it's best to be mindful of boundaries. After all, you're not blood relatives. If you get too close, it could lead to a bad reputation, which wouldn't be good for anyone."

At this point, he casually crossed his left leg over his right, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and said in a tone that was both teasing and questioning:

"I've heard some rumors lately, saying that girl is a child bride raised by your Ye family. I had no idea such a thing existed."

"Yaoyao isn't a child bride, she's...my sister."

Ye knew he shouldn't interrupt at this moment, he knew Bai Juncheng was targeting him, and he knew that Bai Juncheng had already seen through his secret thoughts.

But when Bai Juncheng casually uttered Yu Yaoyao's utterly shameful name, he still spoke up.

Even if his intentions were impure, even if he had secretly thought the title was good, even if he had sincerely hoped that Yu Yaoyao could accept the title, he did not want to hear any words from other people that would be almost shameful to Yu Yaoyao.

Seemingly surprised that Ye Qi actually dared to argue, Bai Juncheng turned his gaze directly to him. Unlike his previous warning, his gaze now held a hint of appreciation.

"Oh, she's just my sister?! You don't have any other intentions?!"

After saying this, he looked at Ye Qishi with great interest, his eyes filled with a confident sense of victory and a disdainful contempt.

Ye remained silent. He didn't answer, nor could he answer. But Bai Juncheng seemed to have no intention of getting an answer from him either. So, he simply put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, took a drag, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and said calmly:

"The reason I had that girl placed with General Yu was so that he would have company and wouldn't be lonely. After all, he's retired, his son and daughter have all started their own families, and his wife has passed away from illness. It's quite pitiful for him to be all alone."

After saying this, he seemed to remember something and chuckled self-deprecatingly, then said lazily:

"But what about you? Your mother said that the girl is, after all, a girl, and it's not right for her to follow General Yu around and learn fighting all day long, because she will eventually get married and start a family. General Yu thought about it and agreed with your mother, so he had someone bring the girl back."

At this point, Bai Juncheng stopped speaking, but the meaning he wanted to express was extremely clear.

Yu Yaoyao is his person, she has been from the beginning. The reason he let Yu Yaoyao live in the Ye family is only because of General Yu's face, to give the Ye family some face.

However, he is his person, and since he is his person, you cannot have any other thoughts about him, let alone try to take advantage of him.

Those unspoken thoughts, it's best if you can bear them, but if you don't want to, he will naturally find a way to make you give up on them.

Ye knew these words were directed at him, but he didn't want to stop there. So, despite the pressure and intimidation from Bai Juncheng, he refused to compromise and faced the challenge head-on, speaking with great passion and utmost respect:

"Yaoyao is not an object. She has her own thoughts, her own plans, and the right to choose what she wants! Even if you are the commander-in-chief of the three armies, even if you hold a high position of power, you have no right to interfere with her freedom."

Although his words were forceful, they failed to stir up any trouble here. Bai Juncheng focused his gaze on Ye Qishi without reservation, his eyes brewing a storm.

Ye did not back down. He looked directly into Bai Juncheng's eyes, letting Bai Juncheng's gaze dismantle his flesh layer by layer like a sharp blade, but he refused to take a step back, like a lone and brave warrior.

The atmosphere in the hall plummeted to freezing point. Everyone held their breath, afraid that any extra movement or breath would make the situation irreversible.

"Am I ready? Time to go?!"

Yu Yaoyao's words rang out abruptly like heavenly music, breaking the deadlock and easing the tense atmosphere in the room.

Ye instinctively looked at Yu Yaoyao, only to see that Yu Yaoyao was carrying a small bag containing some daily necessities.

She probably didn't know what Bai Juncheng's purpose was, or perhaps she couldn't figure it out yet.

Indeed, Yaoyao is still young. The intrigue, power struggles, and corruption of the adult world are a distant and untouchable filth to her. She is a princess raised in a high tower, unaware of hardship.

This naiveté was nurtured by the Ye family and carefully protected by them; it has absolutely nothing to do with Bai Taoshi, Bai Juncheng, or His Majesty.

She was the rose he had nurtured with his own hands, the lover he had carefully cherished. He had waited so long for her to grow up, but now he had to watch helplessly as she was taken away from him when she was in full bloom. How could Ye Qishi possibly allow such a thing to happen?

Therefore, even though Bai Juncheng forbade it, even though Bai Taoshi looked wary, even though Ye Qihua and Ye Qijia looked flustered, Ye still took that step, that step that was not allowed.

He slowly walked up to Yu Yaoyao, looked at her face, remained silent for a long time, and then said:

"Go home early after you're done working. No matter how good things are outside, nothing beats the comfort of home."

Bai Taoshi stared intently at Yu Yaoyao's face, his heart pounding in his chest, afraid that Yu Yaoyao would say something ambiguous that would upset him.

But Yu Yaoyao looked at Ye Qishi's face, which was as messy as a cat's, and asked with concern:

"Third Brother, are you still in pain?! If you are, I have some medicine in my room; you can get it yourself."

Ye nodded upon hearing this. He looked at Yu Yaoyao's eyes and brows for a long, long time before finally offering his advice:

"Then...come back soon, I'll be waiting for you at home."

Yu Yaoyao nodded in agreement. The next moment, Bai Juncheng, who had appeared behind the two of them at some point, glanced at Ye Qishi, then at Yu Yaoyao, and finally focused his gaze on Bai Taoshi, who was following behind him, with a look of disappointment.

"gone"

His tone was flat and indifferent, revealing no emotion whatsoever. Yu Yaoyao didn't dare to linger and subconsciously followed Bai Juncheng's footsteps.

Ye watched her departing figure, watched Bai Taoshi interact with Yu Yaoyao, watched Bai Taoshi take the bag from Yu Yaoyao's hand without explanation and put it in his own hand, and watched Yu Yaoyao's helpless expression without refusal. Ye felt inexplicably bitter and lonely.

He didn't want to watch Yu Yaoyao drift further and further away from him, didn't want to watch her marry someone else, didn't want to watch her become someone else's wife and lover, and even more so, he didn't want her to no longer belong to him.

But she was about to lose her own, because Yu Yaoyao belonged to Bai Juncheng, and was fostered by Bai Juncheng in the Ye family. So, one day, his Yaoyao would be taken away by someone else.

But on what grounds?! Just because you, Bai Taoyi, are Bai Juncheng's family?! Just because you, Bai Taoyi, like him, does that mean he has to give him up?!