"What nonsense are you gossipy busybodies spouting now?"

"And you men too! Shamelessly talking about other people's family affairs like that!"

"You're all saying my daughter Yi Nuo and Ye Chen resent us? Which of your eyes saw that? They care so much about us! Just the other day, the three of them came home to visit us, riding in that big Mercedes. So, are you blind or what?"

"Even if my husband and I did something wrong before, our daughter and son-in-law wouldn't hold a grudge. They're forgiving, unlike you people who project your own petty thoughts onto others!"

Liu Xueqin's voice was shrill as she shouted at the neighbors gathered under the tree. Her face flushed with anger, she seemed ready to douse them with the soy sauce bottle in her hand.

The neighbors scattered like startled birds, unwilling to face her notorious temper. However, as they left, one muttered sarcastically, "Let's hope they really don't hold grudges against you. Ha."

Liu Xueqin almost choked on her rage upon hearing that remark. She wanted to chase after the speaker and yell, but they were already gone. Dejected, she dragged herself back home, tears streaming down her face.

"What happened now?" asked her husband, Chen Jianguo, puffing on a cigarette with a somber expression.

"I'm done! I can't live like this anymore! Do you know what those neighbors were saying about us behind our backs? Laughing at how Yi Nuo and Ye Chen hate us, gloating over how we can't even benefit from our children's success! They're mocking us for living such miserable lives! How can we face anyone now?" she sobbed, slamming the soy sauce bottle onto the table.

Chen Jianguo said nothing, as he had heard the whispers himself. That's why he stayed home smoking rather than going out—he couldn't bear the smug, mocking tones of the gossipers.

"I don't care! Yi Nuo must come back! Right now! I'll make her shut those people up and put them in their place!" Liu Xueqin wailed.

"Do you think they'll come back just because you demand it?" Chen Jianguo sighed.

"I don't care! Call her! Tell her I'm sick, that I'm feeling awful, and she has to bring Ye Chen and the child back immediately!" Liu Xueqin cried.

"Don't you know she's blocked our number? We can't reach her," Chen Jianguo reminded her.

"Then call Yi Hao! Tell that brat to contact her. Say I'm dying! That'll make them come back!" she insisted.

With a heavy sigh, Chen Jianguo reluctantly called their son, Chen Yi Hao.

Meanwhile, at a peaceful lakeside residence, Ye Chen and Yi Nuo were tutoring their daughter, Ye Youyou, after dinner. The phone's sudden ring disrupted the serene atmosphere.

"Hello, Yi Hao," Yi Nuo answered.

"Hey, sis. I didn't want to make this call, but Mom and Dad are throwing a fit. I had no choice," Yi Hao said bitterly.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Mom claims she's really unwell and wants you, Ye Chen, and Youyou to visit her," he explained with a sigh.

"Unwell? Really?" Yi Nuo sneered. "What do you think?"

"I think they're just stirring up trouble. It's obvious what they're up to," Yi Hao replied candidly. "Anyway, I've done my part. Whether you go or not is up to you. I just needed to check the box."

"Fine. Tell them this: I don't have time for their nonsense. If they're sick, they should go to a hospital. I'll cover any medical or hospital expenses—it's my responsibility as their daughter. But as for their schemes, they can forget it."

"Got it, sis. I'll let them know," Yi Hao said, knowing his sister's response was more than fair, considering their parents' past actions.

Back at the family's rundown apartment, Chen Jianguo relayed Yi Nuo's words to Liu Xueqin over the speakerphone. Furious, she burst into tears again.

"Heartless! A wolf in human skin! I should've given birth to a piece of roast pork instead of her! She's not even human!" she cried, punching her chest in grief.

Hearing this, Yi Hao, still on the call, sighed heavily. "Mom, do you even have the right to say that? After everything you've done to her, you're lucky she hasn't cut ties completely. Do you want me to pass along these exact words to her?"

Panic-stricken, Liu Xueqin and Chen Jianguo quickly backpedaled. "No, no, don't do that! Please don't tell her!"

Yi Hao ended the call with a cold laugh, leaving the elderly couple to stew in their frustration and regret.

For Yi Nuo, the call was nothing more than a minor annoyance. Her heart had long since hardened toward her parents, leaving her unaffected.

That night, after putting their daughter to bed, she initiated a rare moment of intimacy with Ye Chen. The evening unfolded with an unexpected boldness from her, breaking barriers she had never dared to cross before. For Ye Chen, it was a night to remember, a perfect culmination of their relationship's growth.

The next day, through a mutual contact, Ye Chen arranged to meet with the CEO of Lezi Cosmetics. The company was eager to sell, seeing it as an opportunity to cash out and move on to other ventures.

While the new deputy CEO and marketing manager were worried about potential shake-ups, their concern turned to disbelief when they discovered the buyer: Ye Chen, someone they both knew well—and could never forget.