Ye He Ping was worried about his younger daughter, blissfully unaware that Ye Qian was scheming her own plans.

Ye Qian was unaware of her mother’s return to her hometown. After their last argument, her mother hadn’t sought her out again. To Ye Qian, this was a good thing, but she was also aware that her mother wouldn’t endure for long without seeking her out. So, she didn’t take it to heart, thinking her mother was just putting on airs, waiting for her to coax her.

She had no idea that her mother had gone back to her hometown and had lost her warmth for her daughter.

Bai Xue had given so much, loving only this one daughter from childhood, but she hadn’t expected such words in return. Bai Xue didn’t care how others talked about her or judged her. But to have her youngest daughter think of her and see her in such a light was indeed a heavy blow to Bai Xue. It made her see clearly what her daughter’s attitude towards her truly was.

To say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie, but her heart was cold. So, she let go and went back to her hometown.

Meanwhile, Ye Qian was plotting how to divorce Liu Zhiyuan. Since Liu Zhiyuan seemed subtly agreeable to divorce, Ye Qian naturally saw hope and started planning her escape plan.

Taking advantage of the Liu Family’s current preoccupation with Liu Rui’s matters, Ye Qian closely rekindled contact with Sun Mingjie.

Previously, Sun Mingjie had always interacted cautiously with Ye Qian, worried about being caught. Recently, he seemed to also realize that the Liu Family was engrossed with Liu Rui’s matters and wouldn’t notice Ye Qian, so he became bolder.

"Brother Mingjie, what you said that day, about liking me since childhood, is it true? If one day I divorce, would you marry me?" Ye Qian cautiously raised her head to look at him.

Ye Qian did not like Sun Mingjie, but she knew that if she divorced Liu Zhiyuan, the Liu Family would block her path. She would have to find another support, and right now, the only one willing to pay attention to her was Sun Mingjie. So Ye Qian had to hold him tight as her last life-saving straw.

"Of course what I said is true, but you haven’t divorced yet, so it’s a bit early to talk about these things. Don’t worry, as long as you’re alone, I’ll take care of you for a lifetime." Sun Mingjie scratched his head somewhat bashfully.

"But will your family agree? You know, I’ve caused so many issues, and everyone around here says bad things about me. Even at the company, I’m bullied, and I’m divorced. Would your parents allow you to marry a divorced woman?" Especially a woman like her.

Ye Qian knew Sun Mingjie cared about her; he had liked her since childhood. Yet, the Sun Family wouldn’t think the same. Whether they liked her didn’t matter; her reputation was what mattered. Ye Qian knew how everyone looked at her now, and with the things she’d done, the Sun Family could never accept her.

Living in the same compound, the Sun Family couldn’t possibly offend the Liu Family, so if Sun Mingjie wanted to marry her, the Sun Family would certainly oppose it.

Sun Mingjie looked troubled, "Don’t worry, I’ll persuade my parents to agree. If they don’t, I’ll write a report myself. Once it’s approved, I’ll marry you. I can earn a wage now, and the two of us can live outside."

"Brother Mingjie, please don’t do this. I don’t want to ruin your relationship with your family because of me, an outsider. I’d feel guilty for a lifetime." Though she expected him to say these words, hearing them still made Ye Qian feel rejected. She had to appear as if she compromised grudgingly on the surface. "Brother Mingjie, you must understand the value of widespread opinion. Some things I didn’t do, but you saw how the Liu Family moved just a finger, and it all turned out like this, tarnishing my reputation. So, people see me as a bad woman. You, someone so outstanding, deserve a better woman. Besides, I’ve been divorced and had a miscarriage. How could I match with you! I’m already content that you’ve cared for me, unlike others who’ve distanced themselves. I’ll remember your affection for a lifetime. Let’s just remain good friends."

Ye Qian’s retreat convinced Sun Mingjie as expected. As soon as he heard her words, he became anxious, reaching across the table to tightly hold her hands.

However, there were others in the restaurant, and fearing being seen, he quickly released her hands and returned to his seat.

"Ye Qian, I told you, no matter what others say about you, in my eyes, you’re always the best. I don’t care what others say; as long as we’re together, nothing else is important. I believe that over time, people will see your goodness, and my family will accept you." The girl he had longed for since childhood, who married someone else, had always been out of reach. Now that the opportunity had come for him to have this cherished girl, how could Sun Mingjie possibly let it slip away?

Ye Qian looked at him with red eyes, remained silent, and slowly lowered her head. Yet, this appearance only made Sun Mingjie pity her more. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Ye Qian, don’t worry. I will do what I promised you. You have to trust my feelings for you, which have been consistent since childhood. You understand that." Sun Mingjie knew no words would suffice, and he would have to prove everything through actions in the future, "It’s getting late, let’s order some food first. After we eat, I’ll take you home early, so they won’t trouble you."

Ye Qian raised her face and smiled, "It’s fine. No matter what I do, in their eyes it’s bad. I’m used to being scolded when I get home. Let’s just order, you must be hungry!"

"Just hold on a bit longer." Sun Mingjie’s heart ached hearing her words, yet he didn’t know how to comfort her. There was nothing he could do for now, as the Liu Family wouldn’t release her. He could only wait until Ye Qian was out of the Liu Family to do what he wanted.

This time, Ye Qian said no more. She ordered two dishes, and after the meal with Sun Mingjie, the two returned to the compound. Once they could see the gate to the compound from a distance, they finally separated. Sun Mingjie let Ye Qian go first, watching her until she seemed to have entered her home, before he turned towards the compound.