The Hypocrite

Chapter Fourteen

Ye Zhineng was the eldest legitimate son of the Ye Household's main branch.

He came from a family with substantial assets and possessed top-tier alpha traits.

Before coming to Dream Star, Ye Zhineng had gotten whatever he wanted.

The greatest hardship he had endured in his life was coffee.

After arriving on Dream Star, however, comparing the Ye Household's modest wealth with Dream Star's truly elite nobility was the first time Ye Zhineng had felt inferior.

So what if he was a top-tier alpha?

Before alpha of the same rank whose power and background far surpassed his own, the advantages Ye Zhineng had once taken pride in no longer gave him that sense of superiority, that feeling that he could command the wind and rain.

Not to mention that selfish, cowardly little bitch Xu Wenyan.

Xu Wenyan had been so obedient before him back then, yet after arriving on Dream Star, he had started flirting around.

And the alphas Xu Wenyan had hooked up with were all heirs from prominent Dream Star Capital families.

Thick jealousy and resentment nearly turned into venom ready to spray forth, yet Ye Zhineng refused to reveal his loss of composure.

Under the guise of love, he pretended to be generous enough to share, concealing the rotten, dark imbalance festering beneath his skin.

He hated Xu Wenyan's greed and promiscuity.

Yet because he shared Xu Wenyan with several of Dream Star Capital's most powerful young heirs, a warped and twisted pride grew within him.

Ye Zhineng said, "Before I came, my family told me my cousin was introverted and didn't like going out. This is already my third visit, and I've finally met my younger cousin."

Winter nights fell quickly.

By the time dinner was ready, the sky outside the window had gone completely dark.

The house was brightly lit. In the fireplace beside the dining table, warm flames burned through the wood with soft crackling sounds.

Ye Xiangsong sat at the head of the table. To his left sat his wife and Ye Nanxun, while to his right sat his nephew, Ye Zhineng.

Ye Nanxun sat diagonally across from Ye Zhineng.

The moment Ye Zhineng looked up, that beautiful face—expressionless yet still radiating refinement and noble grace—came into his view without obstruction.

From the moment they met until now, his cousin Ye Nanxun had maintained an indifferent, distant manner.

Still, he was not as annoying as those arrogant nobles in Dream Star Capital who looked down on everyone.

Ye Nanxun's distant coolness was like that of a noble, elegant swan, always holding its slender neck high.

Ye Nanxun paused his chopsticks and let his gaze settle on the tip of Ye Zhineng's nose. He had learned this online before.

If one did not want to look into someone's eyes while speaking, one could look at their nose instead to remain polite.

"I really didn't like going out much as a child. But a few days ago, I met some new friends with similar interests at the coming-of-age ceremony at the Imperial Palace, so I've rarely been home lately."

After saying that, Ye Nanxun lowered his head and continued picking up food with his chopsticks.

But with Ye Zhineng sitting diagonally across from him, he truly had little appetite facing such trash.

In his previous life, it was because Ye Zhineng had come to their home and, after seeing him, repeatedly used him to provoke Xu Wenyan that a series of terrifying events had followed.

His family had treated Ye Zhineng as family and had been completely unguarded against him.

Ye Zhineng had first kidnapped him to curry favor with Xu Wenyan.

After Ye Nanxun died, Ye Zhineng had plotted to seize his family's assets, using them to indulge in luxury and pleasure with Xu Wenyan.

When Ye Zhineng heard Ye Nanxun mention "new friends," his eyes lit up.

He had not forgotten how those Dream Star nobles and young heirs, usually so aloof and arrogant, had eagerly added him as a friend at the He Household's tea gathering some time ago and invited him to social events he had once found difficult to access.

This uncle and aunt of his were merely an inconspicuous branch of the Ye Household.

They had no grand ambitions. Though they had settled in Dream City, they lived in a suburban estate far removed from the social circle.

But they had a good son.

A dual S-rank top-tier omega, with a beautiful and elegant appearance—the ideal marriage partner for powerful noble families.

"Who are these new friends you've met, Ye Nanxun? Tell me. Maybe I know them too," Ye Zhineng asked with a smile.

Ye Nanxun set down his chopsticks, held his cup, and took a sip of hot water. "Teacher Jiang Yuenian."

Ye Zhineng froze for a moment. He had assumed the "new friends" Ye Nanxun mentioned would be some noble omegas.

If they were alphas, he could use that information to gain benefits from those young heirs.

But he had never expected Ye Nanxun to mention Jiang Yuenian's name.

Ye Zhineng wanted to continue asking Ye Nanxun about Jiang Yuenian.

But Ye Nanxun soon put down his cup. Claiming that he was exhausted after practicing piano all day, he bid Ye Zhineng farewell and went upstairs to his room.

Ye Zhineng suddenly understood.

He recalled how those young heirs had once lavishly praised Ye Nanxun's piano playing.

Jiang Yuenian was a renowned musician. Perhaps he had also been impressed by Ye Nanxun's piano and had gotten in touch with him because of it.

His cousin seemed to possess not only good looks, but also dazzling talent.

After dinner, Ye Zhineng politely bid Ye Xiangsong and Chen Mingzhu farewell.

Though Ye Nanxun had said he was going upstairs to rest, when Ye Zhineng was leaving, he still came downstairs in his fluffy slippers.

As a result, Ye Zhineng's favorable impression of his cousin deepened another layer.

"Ye Nanxun, let's add each other as friends. If anything comes up in the future, you can come to your cousin."

Before leaving, Ye Zhineng and Ye Nanxun added each other as friends.

He was extremely satisfied with today's visit.

Not only had he met Ye Nanxun, he had also obtained some firsthand information about him.

Though his beautiful cousin seemed somewhat cold, it was probably because of his introverted nature.

In a cheerful mood, Ye Zhineng drove away from the estate.

Rhythmic DJ music automatically blared from the car speakers, noisy and frantic, pounding against his eardrums like muffled thunder.

He frowned.

He switched off Xu Wenyan's favorite DJ music and changed it to a piano piece.

The piano notes were soothing and elegant.

His expensive sports car raced along Dream City's brilliantly lit streets. It was as though he, too, had gone from being a looked-down-upon "outsider" to formally entering Dream City's uppermost aristocratic social circle, becoming a true noble of the galaxy.

Ye Nanxun returned to his own room.

The slender figure stood on the second floor, coldly watching the black sports car gradually disappear into the distance.