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One moment, Le Ya had been wondering how many abs Chen Yang had.

The next, she was startled by him.

Seeing his expression turn strange, Le Ya tried to yank her hand back and defended herself: “...I didn’t touch anything.”

“Are you sure?” Chen Yang raised the pitch of his voice teasingly.

Realizing her explanation was futile, Le Ya resorted to her ultimate weapon, speaking softly and sweetly: “Big Brother, I’m sleepy.”

She even faked a small yawn for effect.

Chen Yang: “...”

He licked his molars, feeling both irritated and amused. Had she just learned how effective that tactic was and decided to use it again?

From an outsider’s perspective, their current situation looked quite odd.

An elderly man passing by saw their actions and assumed something improper was happening. He rushed over and slapped Chen Yang’s hand away.

“You young man look decent on the outside, but how can you behave like this? Have you no shame toward your parents?”

“The poor girl is in the car, and you’re trying to take advantage of her! Do you want to go to the police station? Let me call them for you!”

Chen Yang, who prided himself on looking respectable, was momentarily stunned.

The old man put on a kindly smile and turned to Le Ya, asking, “Young lady, did he do anything inappropriate to you?”

Le Ya finally realized what was going on—this was all a misunderstanding.

She suddenly wanted to laugh, especially when she saw the helpless look on Chen Yang’s face.

After being lectured for a while, Chen Yang finally regained his freedom.

Once the old man left, he sat down in the driver’s seat and looked at Le Ya, whose eyes were crinkled into crescents. “Happy now, huh?”

Le Ya said, “Well, you shouldn’t have grabbed my hand earlier.”

Chen Yang replied, “If you hadn’t started it, would I have reacted like that?”

“It’s all because you were overthinking things,” Le Ya countered. “Hurry up and drive. I want to go home. If we’re late, my dad will scold you.”

Chen Yang: “...”

Le Yi Jian was like a brick—useful wherever needed.

Le Ya had grown accustomed to pulling him out as her shield whenever necessary. And at this moment, there wasn’t much Chen Yang could do about it.

After all, Le Yi Jian was her future father-in-law.

“...Do I need to prepare anything for the charity gala?” Le Ya asked. “If so, I should start preparing now.”

Chen Yang answered, “No need to prepare.”

The charity gala was essentially a fundraising event, with the main focus being the auction that night. All they had to do was bid with money.

The banquet afterward was just about eating, drinking, and chatting. For people like them, it was also an opportunity to discuss business.

Le Ya nodded. “Alright.”

This was her first time attending such an event, and she was worried about embarrassing Le Yi Jian or herself.

There were still four days until Friday, so she had plenty of time to plan.

Le Ya decided to pick out a gown once she got home.

Speaking of gowns, the outfit she was currently wearing was a cocktail dress.

It fit her perfectly. Curious, she asked, “By the way, how did you know my size when you bought this dress today?”

Chen Yang smirked. “Guess?”

Le Ya thought for a moment. “Did you secretly check my clothing sizes?”

Chen Yang burst out laughing. “What are you thinking about all day? When would I ever have the chance to look at your clothes?”

“Then how could you possibly know?” Le Ya pouted. “My clothes don’t all follow the same sizing standards.”

Every brand used different measurements.

Chen Yang glanced at her and lazily replied, “You don’t know? Store clerks can directly determine sizes based on three key measurements.”

Oh, right.

Just as Le Ya was about to nod, she suddenly realized the implications of those “three key measurements” and whipped her head around to glare at him. “You pervert!”

Chen Yang: “...What did I do now?”

Le Ya’s ears turned red. “If you’re not a pervert, how would you know about that?”

They happened to stop at a red light. Chen Yang parked the car, turned to look at her, and drawled lazily, “Because I’m a man.”

His answer made absolutely no sense.

Le Ya was about to retort when she suddenly connected his words to their earlier conversation about the measurements—and especially to the look in his eyes.

She hurriedly pulled her jacket up to cover her upper body.

Chen Yang teased, “Too late.”

Le Ya: “...”

Half an hour later, they arrived at the residential complex.

Due to the earlier incident, Le Ya stubbornly refused to speak to Chen Yang during the entire ride. She felt that anything she said would remind her of that awkward moment.

Even though Chen Yang hadn’t touched her, he somehow knew.

Le Ya gritted her teeth.

The greenery around her building was lush, and there were no obstructions. As they drove past, they spotted someone pacing back and forth near the entrance.

The person looked suspicious.

Le Ya immediately grew alert and stared at them.

Chen Yang hadn’t noticed yet and got out of the car to open the door for her.

The sound of the car engine wasn’t too loud, but it caught the attention of the person at the entrance. Their eyes lit up, and they quickly ran over.

Standing by the car, Le Ya recognized the person’s fake face.

Before she could say anything, the person called out, “Le Ya!”

Chen Yang had his back turned to Fang Yuan, but upon hearing the familiar voice, he spun around, his expression darkening.

Fang Yuan ran over, trying to grab Le Ya.

Le Ya was immediately pulled away by Chen Yang and stumbled into his arms, avoiding Fang Yuan’s grasp.

Fang Yuan nearly fell to the ground but managed to steady herself. She then stubbornly shouted, “I won’t get a divorce!”

The residential area was quiet at night, making her shrill voice pierce through the air.

Chen Yang frowned and covered Le Ya’s ears.

Even so, Le Ya heard her clearly. Her hearing had returned to normal, and she wouldn’t miss a word.

It was the first time she’d heard the word “divorce.”

Could it be that her father had filed for divorce?

Le Ya was unaware of Le Yi Jian’s decision. She hadn’t inquired about the follow-up matters before, nor did she expect to meet Fang Yuan again.

She had assumed that after leaving, Fang Yuan would do everything possible to be with Chen Mingwu and completely abandon her old life.

But now, this statement came as a surprise.

Le Ya nudged Chen Yang’s hand. “Let me go.”

Chen Yang looked down at her. “Are you sure?”

Le Ya nodded, then stepped back from his embrace and turned to face Fang Yuan, finally getting a clear look at her current appearance.

Fang Yuan looked much older than before. The last time Le Ya saw her in her senior year of high school, she still appeared youthful. Now, wrinkles and fatigue etched her face, making her look like a woman in her fifties.

But she was only in her forties.

Le Ya didn’t know what had happened, and she felt no emotional stirrings. After nearly a decade of absence, Fang Yuan was practically a stranger to her.

Fang Yuan gave her a smile, slightly ingratiating.

Le Ya asked bluntly, “Why don’t you want a divorce?”

Upon hearing this, Fang Yuan immediately adopted a sorrowful expression. “Le Ya, I’m your mother. How could I possibly agree to a divorce?”

Le Ya didn’t believe her for a second.

Chen Yang leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear.

After hearing him out, Le Ya finally understood why Fang Yuan suddenly found the Le family appealing again—it was because she couldn’t tolerate Chen Mingwu’s current state.

At first, their relationship had been built on love, but over time, the realities of daily life—groceries, bills, and other mundane concerns—had exposed the cracks in their relationship. Without any emotional connection, Fang Yuan had to take care of Chen Mingwu every day, while he no longer showered her with romantic gestures.

In the end, their so-called love had been built on money.

Chen Yang had seen it once.

His responsibility toward Chen Mingwu was to provide a monthly allowance. For ordinary people, that amount would have been enough to cover several months of expenses.

But Chen Mingwu had to support two people.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan had been receiving less and less financial support from her family. Le Ya’s grandmother had started to complain, and with other siblings stirring the pot, the funds dwindled further.

Eventually, they were forced to find ways to save money.

When the focus of life shifted from spending to saving, their living standards dropped, and conflicts inevitably arose.

Chen Mingwu blamed Le Yi Jian for his condition.

Then he blamed Fang Yuan.

The man Fang Yuan remembered shopping with ten years ago had transformed into a neurotic, obsessive shadow of his former self, tormenting her every moment of every day.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and fled.

Le Yi Jian had no intention of dragging things out any further. He had previously sent her to a psychiatric hospital because she already had a history of mental illness.

Strictly speaking, their marriage could even be considered fraudulent.

When Le Yi Jian married Fang Yuan, her family never mentioned her history of mental illness, and neither did Fang Yuan herself.

It wasn’t until her extramarital affair during their marriage that he discovered something was off after countless arguments. The only thing he was grateful for was that his daughter was perfectly normal.

Worried about the potential impact on his daughter, Le Yi Jian decided to file for divorce.

Fang Yuan had thought she could return to the Le family and resume her comfortable life as a wealthy housewife, never expecting Le Yi Jian’s decision.

That’s why she kept lingering around the house.

Unable to endure her harassment, Le Yi Jian had moved to a new villa, but somehow she still managed to sneak in. The security guards were often afraid of her erratic behavior.

After all, someone with a mental illness could commit murder without facing serious consequences.

There were only three people on this road.

Fang Yuan smoothed her hair and smiled sweetly. “Le Ya, isn’t it nice that Mommy is back now? I still remember how cute you were when you were little.”

Le Ya’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.

Chen Yang held her hand. “If you don’t want to listen, we can leave.”

Le Ya shook her head, staring directly at Fang Yuan, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Don’t you think what you’re saying now is incredibly hypocritical?”

This was the same woman who couldn’t even remember her own daughter’s birthday.

Le Ya doubted Fang Yuan remembered anything about her childhood. Most likely, her memories were filled with the good times she had spent with Chen Mingwu.

Fang Yuan’s eyes widened. “How can you talk to your mother like that?”

She portrayed herself as a fragile, delicate woman.

Le Ya felt a pang of frustration. She tugged at Chen Yang’s shirt and whispered softly, “I don’t want to hear anymore. Take me back inside.”

Her obedient demeanor contrasted sharply with her earlier fiery attitude.

Chen Yang couldn’t bear to see her upset. “Alright.”

As they prepared to leave, Fang Yuan panicked and reached out to grab Le Ya, but Chen Yang swatted her hand away.

He said coldly, “I don’t want to resort to violence.”

Fang Yuan remembered Chen Yang.

The boy who had always silently watched her and Chen Mingwu—the teenager who disliked her outside of school.

But none of those memories compared to how intimidating he was now.

It was as if he might kill her at any moment.

Fang Yuan’s face paled, her thoughts swirling as she helplessly watched the two of them walk away.

Chen Yang held Le Ya’s hand and guided her away from the deranged Fang Yuan. Only after watching her enter the small building did he feel reassured.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Le Ya called out, “Chen Yang.”

Chen Yang turned back, puzzled. “Hmm?”

Le Ya returned to the doorway. The jacket tied around her waist hung low, covering her thighs. The black fabric starkly contrasted with her snow-white calves.

Every movement caused her legs to peek in and out of view.

Chen Yang casually shifted his gaze upward, looking at Le Ya.

Standing in front of him, her cheeks flushed, Le Ya beckoned him closer. Dissatisfied, she said, “You’re too tall. Bend down a little.”

Chen Yang: “...”

Fine, he complied.

Once they were at eye level, Le Ya reached up, cupped his face, and gently kissed his lips. “Goodnight.”

Her voice was soft and sweet.

Before Chen Yang could process what had just happened, Le Ya turned bright red and quickly ran inside, her clothes fluttering behind her.

Chen Yang remained frozen in his bent position, taking a long moment to straighten up.

He rubbed his lips with his thumb, confirming that the soft touch he’d felt wasn’t an illusion. He had also seen Le Ya’s trembling eyelashes.

Receiving such a kiss left him satisfied.

Chen Yang smiled faintly and turned toward his car. Seeing Fang Yuan standing not far away, staring at him, his gaze darkened.

Back inside, Le Ya had no idea that Chen Yang was still savoring that simple goodnight kiss hours later.

After all, they had kissed more than once before.

Only after entering the house did Le Ya lean her back against the door.

She pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart race wildly, as if it might burst out of her ribcage. She had acted on impulse just now.

But she wanted Chen Yang to know how she felt right now.

She wanted to tell him that she had let go of the past. Fang Yuan’s existence no longer affected her or him.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated incessantly in her pocket.

Le Ya took a deep breath and checked it, assuming it was a message from Chen Yang. To her surprise, it was from Xie Qingyu: “@Le Ya You’re trending, baby.”