The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Take Me as a Concubine?

The thought had just surfaced when Ye Chutang dismissed it.

Of course, the carriage of the Heir of Duke Dingbei wasn’t something one could just borrow.

’Forget it. I’ll ask Shen Yanchuan to help watch the kid later... no, I mean I’ll find another chance to let Xiao Wu play with the interlocking lock.’

’Yep, that’s settled.’

Ye Chutang instantly felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Perhaps thinking of the interlocking lock, Xiao Wu was distracted, and much of the tension and panic vanished from his little face.

Just then, the carriage finally arrived at the Ye Mansion.

Ye Chutang carried Xiao Wu out of the carriage while Ye Jingyan stood beside them, holding an umbrella.

However, they had only taken a few steps when a servant came rushing from the corridor.

”Second Miss! You’re finally back! The master has been waiting for you in the main hall for a very long time!”

Ye Jingyan’s expression tightened. He lowered his voice. ”Why is he looking for you at a time like this, Sister?”

Ye Chutang took a few steps to get under the eaves, handed Xiao Wu to Ye Jingyan, and said, ”You and A Feng take Xiao Wu back first. I’ll be right back.”

Ye Jingyan looked as if he wanted to say more but held his tongue. He glanced at the servant waiting nearby and gave a slight nod. ”Alright.”

...

When Ye Chutang arrived at the study, Ye Heng was sitting behind the desk writing something.

Hearing her enter, he looked up with a slight frown. ”What took you so long?”

Ye Chutang brushed a few raindrops from her shoulder and curtsied. ”My apologies for the wait, Second Uncle. It has been a long time since I’ve seen Uncle Xu, so we talked for a while. Then it started to rain on the way back, which caused the delay.”

At the mention of Xu Fengchi, Ye Heng was at a loss for words.

He couldn’t find any grounds to rebuke her, emotionally or logically. After all, Xu Fengchi was Ye Zheng’s closest friend. The last time he was at the Ye Family estate, he had invited Ye Chutang and her siblings to visit in front of many people. It was only natural that they would stay for a while.

He set down his brush and adopted a solemn, heartfelt tone. ”I understand, but we had a guest today. For you to leave without so much as a greeting was rather inappropriate.”

Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow.

’Ye Heng had always acted like the master of the Ye Mansion, wishing she had nothing to do with the place. Yet now that a guest was here, he was insisting she meet him...’

”You mean Han Yao?” Ye Chutang smiled. ”Didn’t he come to see Mingze?”

”Of course he—” Ye Heng stopped short, his tone softening. ”It’s true he came to see Mingze, but you two know each other, don’t you? When a friend comes to visit, one can hardly ignore them.”

The corners of Ye Chutang’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

’Know each other?’

’The kind of ”knowing” where he publicly insulted me?’

”Second Uncle, I’ve only met him a few times. We can hardly be called friends.”

But Ye Heng just laughed. ”What, are you still angry about that? I know there was a bit of a misunderstanding at Lan Yue Building when you first returned. He actually feels quite guilty about it. Look, he even brought gifts today specifically to apologize to you in person! Who would have thought you’d be out? Such a shame.”

Ye Chutang’s eyes narrowed, catching a particular word he’d used.

”Gifts?”

”Yes! See? They’re right over there!” Ye Heng pointed to the side.

When Ye Chutang had entered, she had noticed several boxes stacked to Ye Heng’s right. She hadn’t paid them any mind at first, but to think—they were all from Han Yao?!

The last of the smile on her face faded.

”He sent them, and you accepted?”

”Of course I did!” Ye Heng boomed with laughter. ”I accepted them on your behalf!”

He stood up, walked over, and began presenting them one by one.

”Look! He chose these himself, and they are all quite valuable! It truly shows how sincere he is—”

”Second Uncle,” Ye Chutang cut in. ”There is no misunderstanding between us, and certainly no relationship that warrants gifts. I don’t need these. Please send them back.”

Ye Heng was aghast. ”Return them? How could we do that! He delivered them himself when he came to visit. There’s no precedent for sending a gift back!”

He waved his hands dismissively, his face full of disapproval. ”No! Absolutely not!”

Ye Chutang said coolly, ”Since they were meant for me, I have the right to refuse them. Besides, I wasn’t even here when he brought them.”

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Ye Heng’s face.

”You... you— The man had good intentions. It would be so improper for you to refuse...”

Ye Chutang cut him off, her voice level. ”Wouldn’t it be far more improper if I *did* accept them?”

Accepting a gift from someone for no reason... if word of this got out, what would people think?

Ye Heng’s lips twitched, and he felt a surge of impatience.

’He’d already discovered that Ye Chutang was not easy to handle. She might always appear gentle and serene, but at crucial moments, she was always incredibly difficult.’

’And it was happening again.’

”It’s just a small token of apology, nothing more. Why are you being so resistant?” Ye Heng’s brow furrowed. ”Besides, I’m doing this for you!”

Ye Chutang watched him quietly, her dark, clear eyes as placid as a still lake, as if nothing could cause the slightest ripple on their surface.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Ye Heng averted his gaze. He clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace.

”Yes, he offended you, but that was only because he didn’t know who you were, wasn’t it? Besides, he’s the son of the esteemed Junior Minister of the Ministry of Rites! He has both status and standing, yet he’s willing to swallow his pride, come to our door, and apologize. Why must you keep dwelling on the past?”

Ye Chutang did laugh, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

”It seems I’m not the one dwelling on the past, am I? We’ve been back in the capital for some time now. If he truly wanted to apologize, why wait until today?”

Her gaze fell upon the stacked boxes, her tone placid. ”If you find it too troublesome, I’ll return them myself.”

”You!”

Ye Heng finally lost his patience.

”You! Why are you so stubborn! Do you have any idea how many people would kill to receive these gifts but aren’t even deemed worthy!”

As his words faded, the study fell silent.

Ye Heng realized his slip of the tongue, and his expression faltered.

Ye Chutang murmured, ”Oh?”

Now that things had come to this, Ye Heng decided to drop the pretense. His expression shifted several times before he let out a long sigh and adopted the posture of someone imparting bitter but well-intentioned advice.

”Chutang, you’ve always been clever, so I’ll be blunt. The truth is, Han Yao came today not just to apologize, but for something far more important—he is quite taken with you and intends to ask for your hand in marriage!”

Ye Chutang’s expression remained placid, betraying no emotion.

Ye Heng pressed on. ”In terms of birth, family status, and appearance, Han Yao is an excellent catch. Many young women in the capital have lost their hearts to him, but the gates of the Han Family are not open to just anyone! For him to be interested in you and take the initiative to show his favor—what a rare opportunity!”

’To hear him tell it, she had won the lottery just by catching Han Yao’s eye.’

Finally, Ye Chutang asked, ”So he didn’t come today to apologize, but to ask to marry me?”

Ye Heng cleared his throat. ”Not as his primary wife, no. But he has no one in his chambers at present, so if you marry him, it would be almost the same as being the primary wife!”

Ye Chutang smiled, murmuring with dawning comprehension:

”Oh.”

”He wants to take me as a concubine.”