Mother and daughter?
Ye Yanxi and Mrs. He exchanged a smile after hearing what the waitress said.
"Sorry, we're not mother and daughter!" Ye Yanxi explained with a smile.
"Really?" The waitress still seemed a bit skeptical, sizing up the two of them. "You're really not mother and daughter? But you two look so alike. I thought you were."
However, this remark made Mrs. He feel quite pleased.
The waitress, seeing Mrs. He's elegant dressing, was quite observant. Then she quickly led the two of them to the VIP private room.
When presenting the menu, Mrs. He motioned for Ye Yanxi to order first. So Ye Yanxi casually ordered a meat dish and a vegetable dish. When she handed the menu back to Mrs. He, she said, "Aunt He, you'd better order fewer dishes this time. There are only two of us. We can't finish too many."
Mainly, she was afraid that the situation from last time would repeat itself. Last time, Mrs. He had ordered a whole table of dishes, and some of them hadn't even been touched when they left. In the end, it was all a waste.
Mrs. He glanced at the menu and then at Ye Yanxi. She ordered two dishes as she was told. When Ye Yanxi reminded her that it was enough, Mrs. He insisted on ordering two more.
Thankfully, she didn't order a dozen dishes this time. Ye Yanxi let out a sigh of relief.
The waitress took the menu and left quickly. After another waitress served the tea, Mrs. He stared intently at Ye Yanxi, as if to confirm whether she had really recovered. "Xiaoye, let me have a look. Stand up so I can see if the injuries on your body have really healed."
Ye Yanxi stood up as she was told. To let Mrs. He see clearly, she even spun around on the spot and waved her arms and moved her legs from time to time. "See, I told you I've fully recovered. There's not a single after - effect."
She had always been in good physical condition. Coupled with long - term exercise, her injuries had healed quickly. If it were an ordinary person, they probably wouldn't have recovered in ten days or half a month. When she used to take taekwondo classes, she would also get bumped and bruised, but those injuries would heal on their own in a few days. Maybe her body had developed immunity over time.
Mrs. He was finally satisfied.
"You really do look fully recovered." At this, Mrs. He recalled the scene when she saw Ye Yanxi in the hotel. "You really scared me that night. There was so much blood on your arm. By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask. What happened to you that night? How did you get injured?"
She didn't want to tell Mrs. He the truth and make her worried and scared, so she had to lie. "I missed a step when going downstairs and fell down the stairs."
In fact, during the fight with the bodyguards, on one hand, she was dodging the attacks, and on the other hand, the stairs were too narrow for her to move freely, so she got injured from the collisions.
"You silly girl. How could you be so careless?" Mrs. He looked at her affectionately and then reached out to touch her face. "Thank goodness you didn't hit your face at that time. Otherwise, you would have been disfigured and it would have been ugly."
These words warmed Ye Yanxi's heart. Her nose felt sour and she almost cried. No one had cared about her like this for a long time. Although she had only met Mrs. He a few times, she could feel that Mrs. He's kindness towards her was sincere, so she was very touched.
"Thank you for your concern, Aunt He. I'll try not to be so careless in the future."
Mrs. He looked at Ye Yanxi with satisfaction and found that the more she looked at this young girl, the more she liked her. Why did she feel such a strong sense of familiarity with her?
From the first time they met, she had felt a sense of familiarity.
When they entered the hotel today and the waitress said they looked alike, Mrs. He suddenly realized why.
Although He Man was her biological daughter, she didn't look like her at all. Maybe this was just fate.
Mrs. He, having been in the business world, had a very sharp eye for people. She knew that Ye Yanxi was different from other girls. She wasn't vain and didn't just flatter her. She could feel Ye Yanxi's sincerity and respect for her elders.
This girl was very polite and sincere.
Ye Yanxi was drinking water when she suddenly remembered something. She took out an envelope from her bag and handed it to Mrs. He. "Aunt He."
"What's this?"
Mrs. He took the envelope and casually opened it. When she saw a stack of red banknotes inside, she immediately understood. She pushed the envelope back intact and frowned.
"Do you think I invited you out for dinner for this money?"
Ye Yanxi didn't expect that trying to pay back the money would make Mrs. He unhappy. She panicked. "Aunt He, please don't misunderstand. This is the medical expenses you paid for me that night. It's only right for me to pay you back."
"If you still call me aunt, then take the money back." Mrs. He stubbornly pushed the envelope back to Ye Yanxi.
However, Ye Yanxi was determined to pay back the money, so she pushed it back again.
"Aunt He, you must take this money. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep or eat in peace."
"It's not that serious. Besides, you once saved my life." Mrs. He frowned and pushed the money back again. "If you give it to me again, I'll be angry."
"Aunt He, even if you're angry, I still have to pay you back. If you don't take it, I won't eat this meal either." Ye Yanxi also pushed the envelope back stubbornly.
Finally, after going back and forth, Mrs. He gave in. She could see that Ye Yanxi was very stubborn, so she had to put away the envelope.
"Alright, you child. I'll take it."
Only then did Ye Yanxi show a faint smile. "Okay."
"Then it's agreed that I'll pay the bill today. Don't fight me on this."
"Okay, okay. I'll listen to you."
At this time, the waitress served a dish. The two of them ate and chatted.
"By the way, I don't know where your parents are. Are they also in City S?" Mrs. He asked casually.
She wondered what kind of parents could raise such a wonderful daughter.
Ye Yanxi replied with a smile, "I'm an orphan. I was raised by my adoptive parents since I was a child."
She had probably gotten used to saying this, so now she didn't feel too sad when saying it. She didn't think her life experience was tragic. It should be lucky that she had grown up healthy.
Mrs. He's expression changed slightly. She asked in surprise, "What? You're an orphan?"
"Yes." Ye Yanxi's expression remained unchanged. "I've been in the orphanage since I was a child. My parents never came to look for me. The people in the orphanage said I was an abandoned baby. Then I was adopted by my adoptive parents."
Mrs. He suddenly felt a pang of pity. She held Ye Yanxi's hand. "You're such a good child, but your parents were so heartless to abandon you. How about this? My husband and I only have He Man. Why don't I take you as my god - daughter? We're so fated. What do you think?"
Ye Yanxi was a bit stunned by Mrs. He's sudden suggestion. After reacting, she looked at Mrs. He, who was looking happy, in surprise. "Aunt He, I'm afraid this isn't a good idea. You have a noble status, while I'm not the daughter of a noble family. People will laugh at us if this gets out."
"What noble status? What's there to laugh about?" Mrs. He was a bit dissatisfied. She held Ye Yanxi's hand tightly and didn't want to let go. "I liked you the first time I saw you. And you and He Man were born on the same year, month, and day. Isn't this fate? Please be my god - daughter, okay?"
Facing such a enthusiastic Mrs. He, Ye Yanxi didn't know how to reply.
Although, deep down, she also liked Mrs. He quite a lot.
Seeing Ye Yanxi's silence, Mrs. He tentatively asked again, "Are you worried about your adoptive parents? How about this? We'll find a chance to invite them out for a meal and then discuss this."
Hearing this suggestion, Ye Yanxi quickly shook her head. "Aunt He, there's no need to be so troublesome. How about I think about it and give you an answer in a few days?"
Mrs. He let out a sigh of relief. She was obviously very satisfied with Ye Yanxi's answer. "That's settled then. Two days should be enough, right? You must call me then. You can't go back on your word."
"Got it."
On the way back after dinner, Ye Yanxi was still thinking about this matter. Mrs. He's sudden suggestion of taking her as a god - daughter really caught her off guard.
In the evening, she went for a walk downstairs with He Chuyan, carrying Xiaohui and Xiaohei with her. She also wanted to let these two little guys have some fresh air. It was so pitiful for them to be locked in the cage every day.
As soon as Xiaohui and Xiaohei got to the grass downstairs, they couldn't wait to rush out.
However, these two were also quite smart. They generally wouldn't go too far away from Ye Yanxi. When Ye Yanxi and He Chuyan were talking, they would play around the two of them.
It was the time when the sun was setting. The orange sunset scattered fine halos in the sky, covering the whole grassland. The warm sunlight shone on people, making the scene extremely quiet and beautiful. The shadows of the two of them were stretched very long by the sunset.
When He Chuyan heard that Mrs. He wanted to take Ye Yanxi as her god - daughter, her eyes widened in surprise. "Mrs. He, the mother of He Man from the He Group you mentioned? She wants to take you as her god - daughter?"
"Yes." Ye Yanxi looked a bit depressed.
"This is a good thing. Why do you look so unhappy?"
"What good thing? I never thought of being a rich young lady. Moreover, He Man has always been hostile towards me, although I don't think I've had much to do with her."
"You're right. I forgot about He Man. Now... isn't she Chu Beize's fiancée? Oh no, you can't get involved with the He family. If you really become her god - daughter, then you and He Man will be sisters. Wouldn't you have to call Chu Beize brother - in - law?"
Ye Yanxi really didn't expect He Chuyan's thoughts to jump so quickly. She gave her a disdainful look. "It won't come to that."
"I'm just making an assumption." He Chuyan giggled. She suddenly grabbed Xiaohui, who was running past them, and lifted it up in the air. Looking at the little guy with its round black eyes wide open and its four limbs kicking in the air randomly, she said, "Then just refuse."
On the other side, Xiaohei, who was running around happily, saw its good friend being lifted up by He Chuyan. It anxiously scratched He Chuyan's ankle with its two little front paws. He Chuyan was afraid that the little thing would ruin her stockings, so she put Xiaohui back on the grass. "These two little guys are always so clingy. Aren't they bored? Their relationship is really good."
Ye Yanxi smiled and watched the two little guys rolling around on the grass. "Aunt He is so kind to me. I can't bear to refuse."
"So you mean you want to be sisters with your ex - boyfriend's mother - in - law!"
"..."
She stared at He Chuyan in horror. She didn't mean that at all!
"That's it. Just refuse directly."
Seeing that it was getting dark and the sun had completely set below the horizon, Ye Yanxi and He Chuyan thought it was time to go back. The two little guys were also lying on the ground listlessly, obviously hungry. So the two of them carried the cages and walked towards the building.
When they entered the building, a black - clothed man also followed them at a steady pace. The man's face was hidden in the shadow, so it was hard to see clearly. The three of them got into the elevator one after another.
Ye Yanxi and He Chuyan were chatting non - stop all the way. Because of He Chuyan's actions towards Xiaohui, the two little guys were especially repulsed by He Chuyan. They looked at her with disdain. Ye Yanxi laughed so hard that she was about to fall over. As a result, neither of them noticed the strangeness of the man who had followed them into the elevator.
When they reached He Chuyan's floor, the man watched the two of them get out of the elevator and walk to the door. Then he pressed the elevator button.
The moment the elevator door closed, the man with a somewhat pointed chin showed a faint smile. Then he took out his phone and said into it, "I already know where they live."
Right at the entrance of the community, a black car was parked by the roadside. In the dim light inside the car, a person wrapped in bandages like a mummy could be seen. This person was none other than Leo, who had been beaten up by more than a dozen black - clothed men on the highway.
He was holding a slender cigarette in his hand. After taking a long puff and exhaling a cloud of smoke, he casually said into the phone, "Wait a little longer. Then find a way to get the person out for me. Don't let any unnecessary people see."
Ye Yanxi.
It was only today that he found out that the woman who had saved Jin Yan in the hotel that day was Ye Yanxi.
If it weren't for her, maybe his plan would have gone smoothly. He wouldn't have been beaten all over and had to hide.
He must teach this woman a lesson. Otherwise, he couldn't relieve his hatred.
In the living room, only one lamp was on. Ye Yanxi and He Chuyan were sitting on the sofa, watching a popular Korean drama. He Chuyan was sniffling and shedding tears. When she saw the male and female leads in the drama having to be separated due to the cliche plot of cancer, He Chuyan couldn't hold back her emotions and burst into tears.
Finally, the TV show ended. He Chuyan wiped her face as if nothing had happened, stood up, and went to take a shower. Looking at the time, Ye Yanxi also prepared to wash her face and brush her teeth.
Just as she stood up, she seemed to hear someone knocking on the door.
She thought she was hallucinating. After a second, the knocking sound got a bit louder. Ye Yanxi was curious who would come to find He Chuyan so late. She walked to the door and peeked through the peephole. The person looked very familiar. It seemed to be the neighbor next door.
Ye Yanxi often came to He Chuyan's apartment. After coming and going, she had gotten familiar with the neighbor next door, so she recognized the person.
So Ye Yanxi quickly opened the door and asked, "Excuse me, what can I do for you?"
"Hello. I need your help for a moment. It's over there by the elevator. Can you come out?" The person's expression seemed a bit unnatural. He avoided Ye Yanxi's eyes.
However, Ye Yanxi thought that maybe the person was just embarrassed to trouble others, so she asked, "Where is it?"
"You'll know when you come out." The person said a bit anxiously.
Although she didn't know why the person looked so strange, she still walked out. She thought it might be a small favor that would be done quickly. Moreover, He Chuyan was taking a shower at this time, and she couldn't just leave the door open like this.
Just as she closed the door, suddenly several people jumped out from somewhere. They quickly surrounded Ye Yanxi. Then Ye Yanxi felt a cold knife pressing against her waist. "I advise you not to move."
A man also appeared behind the neighbor. He was wearing a baseball cap, which covered most of his face. His rough and harsh voice was a bit fierce. "It's none of your business here. Get out of here quickly."
The neighbor looked at Ye Yanxi being subdued and felt a bit guilty. "But what about her..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he was rudely interrupted by the man. "If you want to die, you can come with us too."
Obviously, the neighbor wasn't that brave. As soon as he heard this, he immediately got scared. He immediately turned around and walked towards his own door without looking back. Then they heard the sound of the door being slammed shut, which echoed loudly in the empty corridor.
"Who are you guys?" Ye Yanxi's face was as cold as frost. She scanned the men who had surrounded her. "Why are you kidnapping me?"
"You know very well who you've offended. Come with us!" Without saying a word, the man tied her hands with a rope. Another man's knife was still pressing against her lower back. A chill seeped through her thin clothes. After tying her up, they half - dragged and half - pulled her into the elevator.
In the elevator, Ye Yanxi deliberately scanned around and found that the surveillance camera had already been destroyed. No wonder these people were so bold to kidnap her.
In the hotel, when Xiao Yu came out after having a meal with someone, it was already around ten o'clock at night. He had set his phone to silent during the meal. When he looked at his phone now, he found that there were several missed calls.
They were all from the people he had sent to investigate Leo a few days ago.
After getting in the car, Xu Bei asked, "President, where are you going tonight?"
Xiao Yu remembered that he hadn't had time to go to the hospital after a busy day, so he said, "Go to the hospital."
"Okay."
On the way to the hospital, Xiao Yu called Jin Yan. Jin Yan