Ye Zhipeng

Biodata

Background

Ye Zhipeng belongs to the main branch of the centuries-old Ye clan. He is the eldest of four siblings, with two younger brothers and a younger sister. The family’s ancestral residence is in Q Province, where his mother lives 116.

Before marrying Ruan Xianyue, he was engaged to Zheng Lingyin, Ruan Xianyue’s former best friend. He and Ruan Xianyue acknowledge having wronged Zheng Lingyin and initially make concessions to her out of guilt. Zheng Lingyin later switches their newborn daughter, Ye Mo, with Ye Baozhu and has Ye Mo abandoned at a distant train station. Ye Zhipeng’s childhood friend, doctor Yuan Yongkang, helps conceal the switch 92 94 214 215.

The family raises Ye Baozhu without knowing that she is not their biological daughter. Ye Sen eventually notices Ye Mo’s resemblance to Ruan Xianyue and arranges an investigation and DNA test, leading to the discovery of her identity 88.

Personality

Ye Zhipeng is affectionate and demonstrative with his children. He enthusiastically waves and calls out to Ye Sen at the airport, hugs him on his return, and proudly credits Ye Mo when she wins back his losses during a family game 88 148.

He recognizes that biological ties do not automatically create emotional closeness. Although Ye Mo’s detachment disappoints him, he tells Ruan Xianyue that their daughter needs time to develop feelings for people she has only just met. His patience is accompanied by insecurity: he later admits feeling less important to Ye Mo than a check for five million 13 210.

He is superstitious about business prosperity, personally selecting the company’s money trees and having them kept at a temple before use. When they begin dying, his first proposed solution is an exorcism ritual rather than an investigation into sabotage 11.

His indulgence can also make him presumptuous. After hearing that Ye Mo joked about pursuing He Mingzhang, he interprets her repeated denials as self-sacrifice and decides to arrange the match anyway 130.

Story Role

Bringing Ye Mo Home

Ye Zhipeng sends Secretary Chen to retrieve Ye Mo after her identity is confirmed. Before welcoming her, he reads the investigation into her upbringing, including her adoptive parents’ abuse, their refusal to let her attend high school, and their later attempts to damage her reputation for money. He rebukes Ye Miao for dismissing her suffering 2 6.

He introduces Ye Mo to the household and explains the family’s arrangements for her return. Although he worries that she will feel uncomfortable, she quickly settles into the home 10.

Sister Wu’s Talismans

When Sister Wu attempts to scald Ye Mo, Ye Zhipeng checks the spilled water and becomes angry at its temperature. Ye Mo then exposes the servant’s attachment to him and claims that she has hidden love talismans inside his clothing 7.

He initially finds the accusation difficult to believe, but Sister Wu’s panic prompts him to order an inspection. Cutting open his suits reveals talismans concealed in the shoulders and collar; Ye Mo explains that other suits and winter clothes have also been altered 7 8 9.

Ye Zhipeng fires Sister Wu and rejects her insistence that his past kindness proved romantic interest. He explains that calling a doctor when she was dangerously ill was humanitarian concern, then has security remove her when she refuses to leave 9.

The Money-Tree Sabotage

After the company’s money trees begin withering, Ye Zhipeng considers hiring Master Wu to perform a ritual. Ye Mo offers to solve the problem for the same two-million payment, and he entrusts it to her 11.

Ye Mo discovers that a cleaner has been pouring boiling water on the trees for Fan Group. After Ye Lin reports the sabotage, Ye Zhipeng praises her contribution and offers her the reward 22.

Confronting Yuan Yongkang

When Ye Mo publicly exposes Yuan Yongkang’s involvement in the baby switch, Ye Zhipeng rejects the suggestion that she has gone too far. He tells Ye Baozhu that Yuan Yongkang—not Ye Mo or the Ye family—is responsible for the scandal 91.

During Yuan Yongkang’s visit, Ye Zhipeng physically places himself between the doctor and Ye Mo when the confrontation escalates. He later explains that he and Ruan Xianyue had never known of Yuan Yongkang’s involvement and had not deliberately protected him 92 94.

He promises to prevent Yuan Yongkang from finding work at any hospital in the country. His pressure makes the doctor’s career nearly impossible and contributes to the Yuan family’s decision to disown him 95.

Shares and Public Recognition

Ye Zhipeng transfers five percent of Tianheng Industries’ shares to Ye Mo, apologizes for her years of hardship, and offers further help. The family then takes her to Q Province to meet her relatives before her welcome banquet 116.

At the ancestral residence, he assures his mother that Ye Baozhu will remain his daughter despite the discovery of Ye Mo. He also tries to reassure Ye Mo after her grandmother’s cold reception, and later defends her when conflict with his younger sister and Fang Yi’en erupts 117 118 121.

At the banquet, he formally introduces Ye Mo as his long-lost youngest daughter. To preserve Ye Baozhu’s dignity, he does not publicly explain that the two girls were switched at birth 125.

Arranging Ye Mo’s Engagement

Ye Zhipeng condemns He Ruilin for intimidating Ye Mo over the families’ marriage arrangement and asks whether she wants the engagement. After she refuses, he promises to find her a better husband 130.

A joke relayed by Ye Lin convinces him that Ye Mo secretly likes He Mingzhang. Despite her denials, he proposes an engagement between them. He Mingzhang accepts and later admits that he knowingly encouraged the misunderstanding because he loves her 130 185.

Later Protection of Ye Mo

Ye Zhipeng refuses friends’ requests to seek Ye Mo’s help, explaining that he does not feel close enough to her to make such demands. He also instructs Ye Lin to ensure that her abusive adoptive parents cannot approach her again 210.

When the Zheng family asks for relief from Ye Corporation’s business pressure, Ye Zhipeng learns that Ye Lin initiated the retaliation. He supports his son’s position and refuses to excuse Zheng Lingyin for nearly killing Ye Mo. After Zheng Lingyin attempts to turn Ye Mo against her parents, he orders the servants to drive the visitors out 214 215 216.

Relationships

• Ruan Xianyue — Wife and partner in trying to rebuild their bond with Ye Mo. He comforts her when their daughter’s emotional distance upsets her 13 95.
• Ye Mo — Long-lost biological daughter. His financial generosity and protection are genuine, but he struggles to earn the emotional trust she gives more readily to her longtime companions 95 116 210.
• Ye Lin — Eldest son and eventual head of the family. They discuss company affairs, and Ye Zhipeng backs his retaliation against the Zheng family 11 215.
• Ye Sen — Second son, whose investigation leads to Ye Mo’s identification. Ye Zhipeng openly celebrates his return from abroad 88.
• Ye Miao — Youngest son. Ye Zhipeng rebukes his dismissive treatment of Ye Mo and later questions him about the siblings’ bar fight 6 206.
• Ye Baozhu — Daughter raised by the family after the switch. He refuses to send her away, but does not accept her attempts to minimize Yuan Yongkang’s wrongdoing 91 117.
• Yuan Yongkang — Childhood friend whose concealment of the baby switch destroys their relationship 92 95.
• Zheng Lingyin — Former fiancée. His earlier guilt toward her gives way to hostility after learning what she did to Ye Mo 214 215.

Notable Quotes

“Give that child some more time! She's back now. We'll have plenty of time to deepen our bond...” 13

“Sometimes I feel like, in Momo's heart, I'm not even as important as a check for five million.” 210

“I don't recall ever giving you the impression that I was softhearted.” 215