Chapter 13: Expelled from the Ye Family

"Grandfather, this is what you promised me. How can you go back on your word?" Ye Shihan said with some indignation.

"Enough. The matter is settled. From now on, the collaboration with Huayi Group will be handled by Ye Xin. As for you, Shihan, you needn’t worry. You were the one who made this possible, after all. I’ll arrange a position for you as you wish, and your family will receive a share of the profits from one floor. That should be enough, shouldn’t it?"

Ye Qinghai spoke these words in a calm, indifferent tone.

Hearing this, Xiao Yu could only shake his head with a hint of mockery, cursing Ye Qinghai’s shamelessness in his heart.

"I don’t agree!"

Unable to endure it any longer, Ye Shihan shot to her feet, her eyes fixed on Ye Qinghai.

"I’m not asking for your opinion—this is an order! Do you truly believe I’d entrust such an important partnership to an outsider like you?"

Ye Qinghai, seeing Ye Shihan’s stubbornness, finally lost his temper and shouted.

The word "outsider" stunned Ye Shihan. Since her graduation, she had toiled tirelessly at the company, resolving countless business problems for the Ye Group. Yet in the end, to her grandfather, she was nothing but an outsider. The realization stabbed at her heart.

"Hmph, the matter is decided. Giving you a share of the profits is the greatest favor I can offer. If you’re not satisfied, then get out and never come back!" Ye Qinghai snorted coldly.

Ye Kai, standing to the side, dared not say a word in the face of Ye Qinghai’s anger, only lowering his head meekly. Bitter as he felt, he didn’t have the courage to contradict Ye Qinghai. To him, even a single share of the profits was enough; he dared not risk losing even that.

But where Ye Kai felt resigned, Ye Shihan could not accept it. The contract was nothing to do with the rest of the Ye family—it was she and Xiao Yu who had secured it. Yet now she was being pushed aside while the family claimed the spoils.

Just as Ye Shihan prepared to resist, Xiao Yu stepped forward, took her hand, and gently shook his head. "Enough, Shihan. Can’t you see? No matter how much you care about this family, they’ll always hold something against you—simply because you’re a woman."

"Hah! Look, even this useless man can see the situation clearly. Are you going to be less sensible than him?" For the first time, Ye Qinghai almost found Xiao Yu agreeable.

But before his words had even faded, Xiao Yu turned around, his eyes locking onto Ye Qinghai. "One day, you’ll realize just how foolish your decision today was."

Xiao Yu’s words instantly ignited the anger of everyone present; the Ye family, who had never liked him, began to berate him loudly.

"Xiao Yu, who do you think you are, daring to speak to Grandfather like that? At best, you’re the family’s son-in-law; at worst, you’re not even worth a dog in this household!" Ye Xin, eager to impress, was the first to step forward and scold Xiao Yu.

At these words, Xiao Yu’s smile faded. He looked at Ye Xin coldly, and for reasons he couldn’t explain, Ye Xin felt as though he were staring into an abyss—so frightened that he stumbled back several steps.

"Well, well! I never thought a worthless son-in-law would dare challenge me. Seems you’re ready to rebel! The Ye family’s doors aren’t grand enough to house a god like you. Ye Shihan, if you still consider yourself part of this family, divorce this good-for-nothing at once!"

Ye Qinghai’s rage burned as he shouted.

"No! I will never leave him for as long as I live!"

This left everyone stunned. None had expected Ye Shihan to publicly defy Ye Qinghai for the sake of a useless man. In the Ye household, Ye Qinghai’s word was law—none dared contradict him.

"Good! Good! Ye Kai, look at the fine daughter you’ve raised!" Ye Qinghai turned and glared fiercely at Ye Kai, who, terrified, immediately lowered his head and dared not meet his gaze.

Seeing his own third son too timid even to look him in the eye only fueled Ye Qinghai’s anger. It was this lack of backbone in Ye Kai’s branch of the family that he despised most.

"Ye Shihan, I’ll give you one last chance. Will you divorce Xiao Yu or not?" Everyone could see Ye Qinghai was truly furious this time. If Ye Shihan persisted, the consequences would be severe.

Yet faced with his wrath, Ye Shihan only shook her head with resolve.

Disappointment flickered in Ye Qinghai’s eyes. He slowly sat down, let out a long sigh, and said, "Very well, since you won’t listen, I’ll wash my hands of you. From this day forth, you are no longer a member of the Ye family."

Ye Shihan trembled. She hadn’t believed her grandfather would truly cast her out. Memories of the past flashed through her mind, and a weary sadness overcame her—along with a deep disappointment in the Ye family.

Her eyes filled with tears, but she forced them back, drew a deep breath, and looked straight at Ye Qinghai with a bleak smile. "Fine. From today on, I, Ye Shihan, am no longer part of this family. I will never set foot in the ancestral hall again."

Upon hearing this, Ye Kai panicked. "Shihan, you’re mad! Are you really willing to leave the Ye family for the sake of Xiao Yu?"

"Father, I’m sorry. Though I’m reluctant to go, I’m even more unwilling to leave Xiao Yu. He became a live-in son-in-law for my sake, enduring your mockery and insults without complaint, just because he wanted to be with me. I will not abandon him for my own sake. Forgive your unfilial daughter."

With that, Ye Shihan bowed deeply to Ye Kai, then turned and took Xiao Yu by the hand, running out the door. From start to finish, Xiao Yu had said nothing to dissuade her; he understood better than anyone the Ye family’s coldness.

Watching them leave, Ye Kai stood helpless, wanting to chase after his daughter but too afraid to do so. If Ye Qinghai’s anger turned on him, his branch of the family would be finished.

"Hmph! Ye Shihan, you will regret this one day." Ye Qinghai’s cold snort followed their retreating figures.

Yet Ye Shihan paid him no heed, holding tight to Xiao Yu’s hand as they left the ancestral hall, disappearing from sight.

Outside the gates, Taisui hurried over to greet them. Noticing Ye Shihan’s troubled expression, he asked nothing, but simply drove the car to their side.

"Do you regret it?" Xiao Yu asked quietly in the car, watching Ye Shihan.

He hadn’t expected her to truly choose him over the Ye family.

"I have no regrets. I only regret being foolish enough to believe Grandfather and help them secure that contract," Ye Shihan replied with a sorrowful smile.

"Don’t worry. If you want, you can take over the partnership with Huayi Group yourself," Xiao Yu said, gripping her hand with a smile.

Ye Shihan was taken aback. The contract was already signed—how could she possibly take it back from the Ye family?

"Trust me. If I say you can, then you can," Xiao Yu replied confidently.

"Now that we’ve been cast out, why don’t I show you our home?" As he spoke, his eyes shone with anticipation as he looked at her.

"Alright! Then hurry up and take me to see our new home!" Seeing the hope in Xiao Yu’s eyes, Ye Shihan’s gloom lifted, and she broke into a broad smile.

"Good! Taisui, step on it! Your sister-in-law wants to see our new home!" Xiao Yu burst out laughing.

At his command, Taisui immediately increased speed, racing forward.

Watching the scenery flash by outside the window and taking in the surroundings, Ye Shihan’s expression gradually turned serious. The road they were on led to the most luxurious villa estate in Phoenix City—a place where only the city’s greatest figures could reside. Even the Ye family lacked the qualifications to set foot in this estate. Yet here Xiao Yu was, taking her straight toward it.

"Xiao Yu, where are you taking me? Didn’t you say we were going to see our new home?" Ye Shihan asked, confusion in her eyes.

Xiao Yu only smiled mysteriously. "You’ll see when we arrive."

Ye Shihan nodded blankly, only returning to her senses when Taisui drove them unimpeded through the villa gates. She swallowed nervously. "Don’t tell me our new home is in here."

Before Xiao Yu could answer, Taisui spoke up from the driver’s seat. "That’s right, sister-in-law. See the hillside up ahead? That’s where we’re headed. Big Brother’s property is right there."

"This…" Ye Shihan was at a loss for words. Every resident of Phoenix City knew about the house perched on the hillside—it was famed as the king of properties in the city, with a reputation that preceded it.

There was even a saying in Phoenix City: "Don’t boast about your status here unless you’ve taken a stroll through Cloudtop Villas."

No one could enter except the residents. No matter how wealthy or powerful you were in Phoenix City, if you didn’t live there, you had no place inside.

To buy a house here, money alone wasn’t enough—you needed formidable connections.

As Ye Shihan realized that Xiao Yu’s home was actually on the hillside, her expression grew awkward. Everyone knew that the house on Cloudtop’s hillside was the pinnacle of the city’s real estate, reserved by the developers for themselves and not open for sale. The developer himself was rumored to be from one of the great families of Yanjing.

Seeing her disbelief, Xiao Yu smiled softly. "What’s wrong? Don’t you trust your own man?"

Hearing this, Ye Shihan instinctively shook her head. She didn’t doubt Xiao Yu’s word—they had entered without challenge, after all. What she doubted was that their new home was actually the house on the hillside.

"Xiao Yu, tell me honestly—how much did you pay for that house?" she asked curiously.

"Take a guess," Xiao Yu replied, still mysterious.

"The cheapest homes here are close to nine digits, and that one on the hillside must be worth over two hundred million. How could you possibly have that kind of money?" Ye Shihan exclaimed, suddenly alarmed.

"I never said I had that much money. I didn’t spend a cent on that house. It was a gift," Xiao Yu replied, smiling.

"A gift?!" Ye Shihan was utterly stunned.