Don't be upset, this is no big deal

"Chi Ye, go on ahead. I'll handle this myself," Shen Zhiyi said quietly.

Chi Ye looked at her disapprovingly. "No! I know you're feeling a little upset right now. Let me take you back to the car first, and I'll handle this."

No matter what, he couldn't just let this slide. After all, he and Chu Yanqing had watched Liu Muyan grow up, not to mention that Shen Zhiyi had been bullied too.

Although this hardly counted as bullying, Chi Ye still thought it was serious. He had heard Shen Zhiyi's thoughts. Those frightening ideas of hers had surfaced again!

He quickly reached out and covered her ears, beginning to soothe her.

"It's okay, it's okay. If you're upset, we'll go home first. I'll handle the rest."

Shen Zhiyi looked up and met his eyes. Chi Ye's face was far too deceptive, often making her waver. He seemed to have no patience at all, but in reality, he was better at waiting than anyone.

Everyone around them gaped at what Chi Ye was doing. No one who saw this would believe there was nothing between them. He had already reached out to cover her ears!

Why had he also swept a disgusted gaze over everyone present while covering her ears? Excuse them, were they something filthy?

Chi Ye couldn't hear their thoughts, but he could hear Shen Zhiyi's.

Why wasn't he afraid?

Of the trouble I'd caused.

Chi Ye gently rubbed her ear, then looked away under her puzzled gaze, though he could barely suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

Naturally, Chu Yanqing wouldn't deal with everything on the spot. Today was his birthday banquet. The matter with Chu Yannan would have to be handled privately at home, and they would have to visit the Liu Family to apologize.

Chu Yanqing went onstage and offered everyone an explanation, and the birthday banquet soon ended. No one dared ask why, because Chi Ye's gaze was already fixed on them. If they spoke up, they would get a vicious tongue-lashing!

They knew their place. Their family backgrounds couldn't compare, and none of them could match Chi Ye's abilities either.

He had left the Chi Family to start his own business, and his company was even larger than the family businesses of wealthy heirs like them. Naturally, his financial resources were far greater too.

Even their parents were scrambling to work with him. What could wealthy heirs like them possibly use to compete with him, never mind the Chi Family behind Chi Ye, one of S City's earliest wealthy merchant families?

Chi Ye left with Shen Zhiyi, and following Chu Yanqing's words, the crowd laughed things off and changed the subject. Liu Muyan glanced at Chu Yanqing.

After the scene today, a rift would naturally form between the two families. She and Chu Yanqing might never have a chance again. At the thought, tears welled up in her eyes.

She thought that everything could end here.

At that very moment, Chu Yanqing turned around. He had been walking ahead of the crowd, but he apologized to the people beside him.

Then he passed through the crowd and came to her side. His upright figure stopped, and he bent down to meet her eyes.

His large, warm hand gently wiped the corners of her eyes, avoiding her eyeliner. His voice held less coolness and more helplessness and tenderness.

"You look so beautiful today. Why are you crying? I might be busy dealing with things until very late. If I can't make it in time, I'll let you know beforehand. Don't go out of your way to wait for me.

"Mu Mu, will you wish me a happy birthday?"

The people around them were either leaving or chatting, and few were looking their way. Even those who saw them thought nothing of it. Perhaps Chu Yanqing was giving her some instructions.

Liu Muyan's eyes reddened further. It took all her strength to keep from crying aloud. She cleared her throat and spoke earnestly.

"Chu Yanqing, happy birthday!" His full name. He wasn't the Brother Yan Qing bound by their respective positions, nor someone she had always wanted to address that way to claim a connection.

Instead, she wanted to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder. They were on equal footing, and she would say his name, every syllable.

Chu Yanqing said nothing, only smiled happily. At the very least, it was his most genuine and happiest smile of the birthday banquet so far.

"Go find your parents, and let me know when you get home. I'll go deal with things now. Don't be upset. I'll make Yannan apologize to you."

Liu Muyan nodded. She trusted Chu Yanqing.

Chu Yanqing let out a heavy sigh inwardly. He couldn't help raising the hand at his side and resting it on her head, touching it lightly before quickly lowering it.

The others were still waiting for him. He couldn't stay too long.

After saying this, he walked away. The people around them dispersed too, leaving only whispers drifting from a secluded balcony on the second floor.

"Did you see our daughter-in-law just now? She was so cool! Hahaha, she really was like one of those bystanders in my novels who dares to fight back.

"But I'm really curious. Where did that brat Chi Ye trick such a heavenly beauty into coming home from? When the old man sent me her photo, I wondered if our ancestors were showering us with blessings. Hahahaha!"

Chi Chuan nodded along, picking up the cup beside him with one hand and bringing it to Ye Nianliu's lips to prompt her to take a sip. Without even turning her head, Ye Nianliu took the straw between her lips, drank a large mouthful, then pushed it away.

Understanding, Chi Chuan withdrew his hand and set the cup aside. Then he looked downstairs and could tell the banquet was over.

"That brat Chu Yannan is behaving less and less like a decent person. And it's strange. He and that An Qian seem to come with some kind of filter.

"Every time I see those two, something flashes before my eyes," Ye Nianliu muttered. Chi Chuan paid the pair no mind. If Ye Nianliu hadn't rushed back after hearing that Chi Ye had a girlfriend,

the two of them would still have been traveling. He had clearly planned six whole months for just the two of them, yet it had been put on hold only halfway through!

"All right, everyone's leaving. Let's go back. Your son has already left with our daughter-in-law."

Of course Ye Nianliu knew. She had been watching from upstairs the entire time. If Chi Ye hadn't appeared then, she would have come out to speak up for Shen Zhiyi too.

It had nothing to do with anything else. Someone her son had chosen couldn't be bad, and if even the old man approved of her, her character had to be good!

"Let's go. We'll head home first, then visit our son and daughter-in-law tomorrow."

Holding Ye Nianliu's hand, Chi Chuan quietly left through the back door.

After Chi Ye brought Shen Zhiyi into the car, she still wasn't doing well. Her face was even paler than before, and she was in a daze.

She had sunk into memories of the distant past, leaving her agitated and unable to find an outlet. Those people from back then had all gone their separate ways. Nothing she did now could hurt them in the slightest.

She was raging and struggling for no reason, a black hole within a vortex.

What was I doing?

Wasn't it all in the past?

Chi Ye uncapped a bottle of water and brought it to her lips, coaxing her gently.

"Shen Zhiyi, have some water first. Your throat is already bothering you."