Chapter 74 - To Love or Not to Love

Ye Qianwen saw the thoughtful expression on Qi Ruxue’s face and couldn’t help but let out a sly chuckle.

She knew that lately, her brother hadn’t been the kind to spare the thoughts and feelings of women, which had somewhat affected Ruxue.

Ye Qianwen, herself a great beauty, naturally understood Qi Ruxue’s thoughts.

When a girl is very pretty and has countless admirers, when almost every man she meets falls madly in love with her, and then suddenly there comes a man who is indifferent to her — even always argues and bickers with her — a woman’s innate stubbornness erupts.

Unconsciously, she wants to gain this man’s approval, to conquer him.

“If I’m really that pretty, then why does your brother…” Qi Ruxue couldn’t help but sigh as she spoke.

No matter whether Qi Ruxue had any fondness for Ye Tianchen, or whether she truly liked him — it might not have been the case before, but whether it is now might be something even she herself is unclear about.

Lately, since moving into the Ye family’s villa, Qi Ruxue had been dealing with Ye Tianchen every day.

Despite the fact that they argued and bickered whenever they met, never giving in to each other, it also preoccupied her mind with thoughts of Ye Tianchen.

She thought about how to deal with this big villain, how to prank him, to the point where he was all she could think about.

“Hehe, Sister Ruxue, my brother, well, he’s always been a bit low on emotional intelligence.

I won’t hide it from you — after he accidentally saw Liu Rumei bathing at the Liu family’s home and went to apologize with a thorn branch, he changed.

So, he might be a bit…” Ye Qianwen said with a smile.

Through Qi Ruxue’s introspective remark just now, it seemed that she vaguely hoped Ye Tianchen would show her more care and not be so cold.

Perhaps, without realizing it, her feelings had changed, and she had developed a fondness for Ye Tianchen.

But even she might not be aware of it yet, thinking that she just wanted to “get back at” Ye Tianchen for his disdain towards her.

“I had heard about this incident after returning to the country, and to be honest, although I argue with your brother all the time, it’s not like we have any real grievances.

From what I’ve observed, he doesn’t seem the type to peep on a woman bathing.

Plus, this incident is quite fishy.

The Liu family is an absolute top-class family in Capital City.

Liu Rumei is Capital City’s number one beauty.

Could she really have been peeped on while bathing?

How is that even possible?” Qi Ruxue asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Qi Ruxue was not only a talented student but also a very smart girl, not the type to be a mere pretty face.

When she heard about the incident involving Ye Tianchen, she found it strange but had never voiced it before.

She didn’t want to be like those idiotic, spoiled sons and daughters of the rich, who only knew how to laugh at others.

She was a woman who seriously considered every matter.

The reason Qi Ruxue found it odd and brought it up now, during a conversation with Ye Qianwen, was that her family, the Qi family, was also near the top tier.

She had an insight that, although the Liu family might not have major public figures, their contributions to the country were among the greatest.

This deep respect from the country’s higher-ups was the reason the Liu family had become a top-class family.

And Liu Rumei had always been recognized as the Capital City’s top beauty.

How many people could know where she bathes?

Even if they did know, wouldn’t it be heavily guarded?

At the time, Ye Tianchen, a descendant of a Third-class Family with neither power nor skill, how could he possibly have gotten into the place where Liu Rumei was bathing?

Thinking about all these factors, it all seemed quite mysterious.

“What exactly happened, I don’t know either.

To avoid making my brother sad, my parents and I have agreed never to mention this incident again,” Ye Qianwen said, her mood suddenly becoming somber.

“It’s not about not mentioning it; it’s that it’s very strange.

What if someone framed your brother?

It’s indeed too suspicious…” Qi Ruxue said, expressing her thoughts and furrowing her brows.

After Qi Ruxue put it that way, Ye Qianwen also truly felt there was something odd about it.

When the incident happened, she was still in her first year of high school.

All she knew was that her parents said her brother had caused a big problem and had to apologize to the Liu family.

After he returned home, he became rather silent and reticent.

In the end, he spent less than a month at Longteng University before insisting on joining the military, leaving soon after.

“Well, whatever.

Sister Ruxue, I think even though you and my brother are always squabbling, you two actually make a great pair!” Ye Qianwen said, breaking the heavy atmosphere with a laugh.

“Make a great pair?

I don’t have any feelings for your brother.

He’s always bullying me, and I intend to hit back hard!” Qi Ruxue said with a small thrill of excitement, puckering her sensual lips as she thought about getting back at Ye Tianchen.

Ye Qianwen took a look at Qi Ruxue and felt it was time to really ask her this question.

Her mother was right; it was crucial to figure out if Sister Ruxue actually had feelings for her brother, Ye Tianchen.

Otherwise, it would be very unfair to both her brother Ye Tianchen and Sister Ruxue.

“Sister Ruxue, can I ask you a sincere question?

It’s just the two of us here, so please tell the truth!” Ye Qianwen playfully smiled as she spoke.

“You little rascal, we’re good friends.

Just ask me anything.

Considering the way you’ve helped me deal with your brother these past few days, I’ll give you a serious answer to one question,” Qi Ruxue also said with a sweet smile.

“Well, Sister Ruxue, please think carefully and honestly answer me, do you have any feelings for my brother, do you love him or not…” Ye Qianwen asked intently, staring into Qi Ruxue’s eyes.

If it had been the day before, Qi Ruxue would definitely have answered Ye Qianwen’s question without hesitation, with just three words: “No feelings.”

But just as Qi Ruxue was about to utter these three words, the scene of her kissing Ye Tianchen flashed through her mind once again.

It was an accidental kiss, and it was also Qi Ruxue’s first kiss, snatched away by the rival Ye Tianchen.

She pursed her sexy little lips, that feeling even now still piqued her curiosity, it was a bit sour, a bit sweet, and a bit astringent, making her a little angry but also somewhat reminiscent.

So, as the words reached the tip of her tongue, Qi Ruxue swallowed them back down.

She now had no idea how to describe her feelings at this moment.

She really wanted to say she had no feelings for that big jerk Ye Tianchen, not a single feeling, but when she thought of the kiss, she hesitated, her thoughts in a bit of a mess.

Actually, women are like that.

When they’re with a man they have no feelings for and nothing happens, naturally, they won’t give the man a second thought.

However, if they hold hands, hug, or even kiss, the woman’s heart will unconsciously start to change.

Women are such emotional creatures that once they fall in love, once they have even a little feeling, they can’t control themselves and are easily won over.

Therefore, every girl deserves to be cherished.

Seeing Qi Ruxue standing there dumbfounded, her beautiful brows locked as though she couldn’t make up her mind, Ye Qianwen couldn’t help but feel pleased in her heart.

This meant that her brother still had a chance, that Sister Ruxue still had a place in her heart for Ye Tianchen, just that it was overshadowed by their constant bickering and arguing.

To be honest, Ye Qianwen also really wished to have a sister-in-law like Qi Ruxue.

Their time together had made them confidantes, closer than sisters.

Could this be fate?

“Hehe, Sister Ruxue, your silence means you have a crush on my brother, right?

Have you fallen in love with him?” Ye Qianwen teased with a mischievous smile.

“What?

No way!

Little miss, you dare to try to trick me with your words.

See if I don’t deal with you!” Qi Ruxue, with her face flushed, recovered her senses and reached out to tickle Ye Qianwen.

Ye Qianwen quickly dodged away, feeling very happy inside that she had something to report to her mom.

As long as Sister Ruxue had feelings for her brother Ye Tianchen, there was still hope she could become her sister-in-law.

Now it was time for Ye Tianchen to start his relentless pursuit.

At this time, in the Qin family’s villa, Qin Yi sat in the middle of the living room with a somber face.

Standing below him were his eldest son, Qin Taoyuan, and a person wrapped up like a mummy, unmistakably Qin Heng.

Qin Heng was in a terrible state, his face unrecognizable.

Had Ye Tianchen not shown any mercy, this guy wouldn’t be sitting here but lying in the morgue.

Still, every bone in his face was broken, surgically reassembled, and even if he recovered, scars would remain, making him frightfully ugly.

“Dad, Henger has been beaten to this state, I can’t swallow this grievance.

We must tear Ye Tianchen apart,” Qin Taoyuan roared hatefully, looking at his son Qin Heng who was too miserable to speak.

“Wuuwuu,” Qin Heng also had eyes that seemed to spew flames, his whole body trembling.

He wanted to swear but couldn’t open his mouth.

Every attempt to speak brought agonizing pain; all of his teeth had been kicked out by Ye Tianchen’s three kicks.

Qin Yi clenched his fists tightly.

By rights, being in his seventies, one of the older men in Capital City, he should not get angry or show his feelings easily over any matter.

But this time, his most beloved grandson Qin Heng had been beaten up, disfigured, and most crucially, by Ye Tianchen, once the laughingstock of Capital City, notorious for being a wastrel and good-for-nothing.

If Qin Heng was beaten by Ye Tianchen, wouldn’t it mean that Qin Heng was an even bigger idiot and failure?

Where would that leave the dignity of the Qin family, the face of Qin Yi himself?

“I won’t let this go, but we have to be cautious.

The election for the next term is coming up, and there are many factors to consider.

If I could make further progress, it would be a promotion for our entire Qin family, a significant matter.

So let’s wait until after the election.

For now, we just endure,” Qin Yi eventually unclenched his fists, as if temporarily suppressing his anger, waiting to ascend in rank before wiping out the Ye family in one fell swoop.

[PS: Special thanks to book friends “Thunder Master”, “Silly Jay”, “He Has No Shadow”, “Saint Hero Beyond” for their rewards today.

Brothers and sisters, please introduce more friends to watch, it’s getting more exciting, and it’s juicy enough, ready for the slaughter…]