Chen Yinuo's words surprised Ye Chen slightly.

With a playful smile, he teased, "Shouldn't you be siding with your parents and persuading me to let go of the past? That's how it's written in novels, right?"

Unexpectedly, Chen Yinuo shook her head, blinking her eyes as if caught by windblown sand.

She said, "If the grievances I suffered at my parents' house only made me want to cry, then when they started scheming to arrange a second marriage for me just so they could live comfortably, I became completely disillusioned with them. And when they snatched that bank card from you in the rented apartment, it wasn't just disillusionment anymore-it was despair!"

"Why do you say that?" Ye Chen asked seriously.

Chen Yinuo didn't answer his question. Instead, after a brief pause, she gave a bitter smile.

"Whether it's disillusionment or despair, the fact remains that they raised me. Without them, I wouldn't exist. So no matter what they do, as their child, I'll fulfill my obligation to support them. But that's all I'll do-just provide support! I can't, and won't, give them the chance to treat me like a money tree again."

She continued, "That's why I don't want them to know about our current life. I don't want their greedy, money-hungry eyes constantly pestering and demanding from us. But your actions today will definitely make them go out of their way to curry favor with us!"

Hearing this, Ye Chen smiled contentedly.

"First of all, Yiyi is my brother-in-law. He treated me like an elder brother back then, and based on that alone, I'll do everything I can for him. Secondly, don't you think it's better that your parents' true nature has come to light? At least it saves us from being endlessly harassed in the future. I can handle it, but I can't bear to see you and Yoyo suffer such indignities."

"After today's events, you can be sure that when they see you and Yoyo again, they'll be overly cautious and eager to please. That's exactly what I want. Because of me, you've endured too much scorn and humiliation. Now, I want to turn the tables. As for whether they'll try to cling to us, if even you keep your distance, how could they possibly pester me?"

Ye Chen spoke with calm resolve, his tone as serene as drifting clouds.

When it came to his so-called father- and mother-in-law, he felt no compassion.

He wasn't a saint, and he couldn't forget or forgive the dark times when he was ostracized, driven away, and insulted. Even the bare minimum of financial support would be handled through Chen Yinuo, not him.

"Enough about that-it's frustrating!" Chen Yinuo said. "But rest assured, Ye Chen, even though they're my parents, I won't use your money to help them, nor will I let you grant them any favors."

"Even if you did, it wouldn't matter. My world revolves around you and Yoyo. Whatever you decide, I'll support it," Ye Chen replied with a smile.

As their conversation shifted to lighter topics, Chen Yinuo brought up Chen Yihao and Lin Qiwen.

On their way home, amidst laughter and chatter, the family of three returned to their cozy haven at Shanshuijian.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Chen Jianguo and Liu Xueqin hadn't gone straight home.

Instead, they bought a bunch of fruits, snacks, and toys.

Without informing Chen Yihao, they headed to the rented apartment where Ye Chen used to live.

Eager to reconcile with Ye Chen and Chen Yinuo, they couldn't wait to play every emotional card they could-family ties, hardship, and sympathy.

"I just realized-they drive a big Mercedes-Benz now. Would they still live in this apartment?" Chen Jianguo frowned as he stood outside the building.

"We're already here. Are we just going to leave? Even if they've moved, we can still ask the neighbors, right?" Liu Xueqin replied, heading upstairs.

Seeing the lights on in what used to be Ye Chen's apartment, they were thrilled.

Knocking on the door, they were greeted by a burly stranger with a hostile expression.

"Who are you looking for?" the man asked curtly.

"Um, is this 302?" Chen Jianguo asked.

"Are you blind? Can't you see the number?" The man pointed to the doorplate.

"Then... are you the new tenant? Do you know where the previous tenants moved to?" Liu Xueqin asked eagerly.

"Are you kidding me? How would I know where they went? Why don't you ask where the provincial governor lives while you're at it?" the man snapped before slamming the door.

Refusing to give up, the couple knocked on neighbors' doors, but no one could tell them where Ye Chen's family had moved. Even contacting the landlord yielded no answers.

"Why don't we ask Yihao?" Chen Jianguo suggested, still unwilling to leave.

"Does he know?" Liu Xueqin frowned.

"If he doesn't, he can ask Yinuo. Ye Chen and Yinuo might ignore us, but they're still good to Yihao. Didn't you notice?" Chen Jianguo said.

"But will that brat actually tell us?" Liu Xueqin doubted.

"That's another matter. For now, just ask him. Come up with a good excuse and reason," Chen Jianguo instructed.

Reluctantly, Liu Xueqin took out her phone.

At the bustling Pearl River promenade, Chen Yihao and Lin Qiwen strolled hand in hand, laughter and happiness lighting their faces.

When his phone rang, Chen Yihao frowned at the caller ID and immediately declined the call.

Moments later, it rang again, only to be declined once more.

Before he could switch his phone to airplane mode, it rang a third time.

This time, Lin Qiwen noticed the caller ID: "Mom."

"Yihao, your mom's calling. Why aren't you answering?" she asked curiously.

"There's no need. I know what they're up to," he said bitterly.

"Huh?" Lin Qiwen raised an eyebrow.

"If I'm right, they're probably at my sister's old apartment in the village. They've likely brought snacks and toys for Yoyo, but when they went upstairs and found no one living there, they decided to call me to ask where my sister moved," he said with a self-deprecating smile.

"That can't be..." Lin Qiwen hesitated.

"I'm 99% sure. I know them too well. But there's no point answering. Even if I did, I wouldn't know where my sister lives now, and I wouldn't ask unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to disrupt their lives. Over the years, I've owed my sister too much. My parents' favoritism toward me has turned into my guilt toward her," Chen Yihao explained.

Lin Qiwen stayed silent, reluctant to probe further into his painful past.

"Qiwen, do you want to hear about my family's messy stories?" Chen Yihao suddenly asked.

"I'd like to," she replied softly, tightening her grip on his hand.

As they walked along the Pearl River promenade, Chen Yihao began recounting his chaotic family history.

Back at Shanshuijian, Chen Yinuo was bathing Yoyo, while Ye Chen idly switched the TV from cartoons to the evening news.

Just as he set down the remote, his phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number.