The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 140: Chapter 140: The Sooner, The Better

Sun Lian’an froze, and when he snapped out of it, a complex mix of emotions washed over his face. He murmured, ”You... you actually remember...”

Of course Ye Chutang remembered.

Back then, she had only recently arrived in this world. Everything was unfamiliar, and she had yet to fully adapt to her identity as Ye Chutang.

Snowflakes danced in the air, and the winter wind was biting. She was wrapped in a heavy cloak, clutching a hand warmer, yet she still felt chilled to the bone.

At the time, everyone avoided Ye Zheng like the plague, terrified of being implicated by association.

When they left the Capital City, their entire family traveled in a single, solitary carriage.

However, just as they were about to leave the city, a man stopped their carriage.

It was none other than Sun Lian’an.

Ye Chutang lifted the curtain to peek outside. Ye Zheng was blocking most of her view, so she couldn’t see the man’s face clearly. She only remembered snow on his shoulders and his red, swollen hands—it seemed he had been waiting for a long time.

Ye Chutang didn’t know Sun Lian’an back then. She only saw her brother’s cold, severe expression; he clearly despised the man. Her good-natured mother even had to say a few words to placate him.

Later, as she carefully thought back, she pieced together fragments of memory and finally understood why her brother had acted that way.

By the time she understood, however, her parents and brother were already gone.

Xu Fengchi suspected Sun Lian’an was involved in the ”accident” that had befallen her parents, but Ye Chutang felt the matter wasn’t so simple.

That was why she had come today to see Sun Lian’an in person.

Upon seeing him, Ye Chutang’s suspicion that he had betrayed her parents vanished. It was an intuition she couldn’t quite explain.

A man who would wait that long in the snow just to bow, apologize, and say, ”I’m sorry, take care,” couldn’t possibly be capable of such a thing.

Sun Lian’an, likely recalling the past as well, gave a bitter smile.

”That’s all in the past. There’s no need to mention it. I’m just a prisoner now. Second Miss, you... you’d best not associate with someone like me.”

Ye Chutang said, ”I know what I’m doing. You needn’t worry.”

Sun Lian’an looked at the young woman before him. He opened his mouth, so many words wanting to spill out.

In the end, however, he only managed a long sigh.

”...You shouldn’t have come back...”

Ye Chutang’s heart stirred. She lifted her gaze to meet his.

”This is where our father, mother, and older brother are. If we didn’t return here, where else would we go?”

Sun Lian’an looked as if he wanted to speak but held his tongue. A storm of emotions flickered in his eyes before his gaze fell on Xiao Wu, who was standing beside her.

’A young woman, barely seventeen or eighteen, with her little sister in tow... life in the Capital City must be an immense struggle for them.’

He didn’t know how she had managed to connect with Xie Anbai, but that connection alone was far from enough.

Sun Lian’an had been locked away for months. He had no idea what was happening outside or of Ye Chutang’s current situation, so his many worries were understandable.

”B-But...” Sun Lian’an stammered. ”In any case, anywhere would be fine! There are so many wonderful places in the world besides the Capital City. You could find a beautiful, scenic place and live a carefree life!”

Ye Chutang smiled faintly.

”If that were the case, we wouldn’t have come back.”

From the day she decided to return to the Capital City, she knew what awaited them.

Sun Lian’an wanted to press the matter, but the words died in his throat when he met the young woman’s calm and composed gaze.

Ye Chutang looked graceful and gentle, but the sharp coolness that sometimes surfaced in her clear, dark eyes revealed that she was a woman who knew her own mind.

And once she made up her mind, no one could change it.

Sun Lian’an was silent for a long while before finally letting out a long sigh.

”So be it... so be it! Your father once said that when he grew old, he would retire and take the family to Shiluan City. A quiet courtyard nestled by the mountains and water, a life of leisure... how wonderful it would be. That was the place he loved most. If you ever change your minds and decide to leave the Capital City, you could go there.”

Ye Chutang’s brow twitched, and she met his eyes.

Just then, the foot traffic near the city gate began to pick up, and curious glances were occasionally cast in their direction.

Ye Chutang gave a slight nod.

”Thank you. Take care.”

...

”You members of the Ye Family are certainly sentimental.” Xie Anbai folded his arms, watching the procession recede into the distance. He shook his head. ”To think of how much your father helped him, only for him to break ties completely over some trivial profit. The man is the epitome of selfishness. He deserves what’s happened to him, so why waste your time on him?”

Ye Chutang said, ”Only they themselves know the rights and wrongs of what happened back then. I came today simply to bring closure to the past, not for any other reason.”

Hearing this, Xie Anbai understood she knew what she was doing and didn’t press the issue.

He pinched Xiao Wu’s soft, tender cheek.

”Your big sister is soft-hearted; she’s an easy target for bullies. You have to look out for her, you hear?”

Xiao Wu blinked, then nodded vigorously.

’Uh-huh! I won’t let anyone bully my sister!’

Xie Anbai took a step back and cupped his hands with a smile.

”Alright, I have some business to attend to outside the city, so I’ll take my leave now. If you need any help in the future, just take the whistle I gave Xiao Wu and go to the Marquis Zhongyong Mansion.”

’So that golden whistle is such an important token?’

Ye Chutang paused, genuinely surprised.

She quickly recovered, and holding Xiao Wu’s hand, she thanked him solemnly again.

Xie Anbai inwardly clicked his tongue. ’A golden whistle is nothing. As long as I can get some leverage over Shen Yanchuan in the future, this gift will have been well worth it!’

He closed his fan with a beaming smile and cupped his hands in farewell.

...

This small episode caused no ripples. No one knew that Ye Chutang had made a special trip to see Sun Lian’an off, and even those who did know paid it no mind.

After all, the two of them had only exchanged a few words.

The capital was endlessly abuzz with new happenings every day. The recent scandal involving Han Tong of the Guanglu Temple framing Zhao Hanguang was causing a particular stir, capturing most people’s attention. Who would spare a thought for a brief exchange between an orphan girl and a condemned prisoner?

After that day, Ye Chutang rested at home for several more days. When Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng returned home for their ten-day break from the Imperial College, she handed them an almanac.

”I’ve chosen a few dates to move our parents’ and brother’s graves and erect a proper headstone. Yan, take a look and see which one is best.”

Ye Jingyan took it, and Ye Yunfeng also leaned in to look.

After seeing the three red circles drawn close together on it, Ye Yunfeng’s eyelid twitched.

”Sis, these... are the dates you picked?”

”Yes. I’m just providing a few options, though. The final decision is still up to Yan.” Ye Chutang sipped her tea.

Ye Yunfeng: ”...”

’What is there to choose from? These three dates are practically consecutive!’

Ye Jingyan, however, seemed unsurprised by this and raised his hand to point at the first red circle.

”Let’s go with this one. The sooner, the better.”