This farce ended with a result Chen Yinuo never expected.

Not only did Ye Chen avoid paying any price for hitting someone, but instead, Wang Tao was fired on the spot by Li Changfeng.

Even after leaving the Baihua Revolving Restaurant, she still found it hard to believe.

While it was true that Wang Tao had a questionable character, his professional skills were undeniable. Besides, he was related to the company's boss, Li Changfeng.

Could someone like him really be fired so easily?

Chen Yinuo couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

After all, she didn't think she was more important to the company than Wang Tao.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't make sense of the situation.

What she couldn't possibly imagine was that all of this happened because of Ye Chen.

Without Ye Chen, even if Li Changfeng had stood on the side of reason and supported her, he would never have decisively fired Wang Tao.

Walking out of the observation elevator, the city lights were starting to come alive.

Under the dazzling neon lights of the bustling metropolis, Chen Yinuo brushed her wind-blown hair aside.

Her tone remained indifferent, but it was noticeably softer than before.

"What would you have done if you'd been taken to the police station? At the very least, you'd be facing fifteen days of detention!"

"What would I do? I'd find a lawyer and sue him for defamation and personal assault. Baihua Restaurant has surveillance cameras; he can't escape. As a deputy manager of his company, if he wants to keep his career, he wouldn't dare let the issue escalate. He'd beg me to settle, beg me to withdraw the case, and might even apologize and pay compensation. Of course, if you agree, I wouldn't accept his plea for a settlement. I'd take him to court and ruin his reputation, make him face social ruin, and ensure he loses his position at Huaxing Trading!"

Ye Chen smiled faintly and continued, "But none of that will happen now. Not only has he been beaten, but he's also lost his job. Let's leave it at that."

Chen Yinuo froze.

This wasn't something she had considered at all.

Using defamation as grounds for a lawsuit, forcing Wang Tao to suffer both financially and reputationally?

Had Ye Chen already devised such a foolproof plan in such a short time?

Was this really the same Ye Chen she knew?

For the first time, Chen Yinuo noticed a change in Ye Chen.

Even when he had kicked Yun Tian Network's business manager Yang Di, paid her brother's settlement, covered her daughter Yuyou's tuition, and beaten the sleazy Wang Tao, she had been surprised but believed he'd soon revert to his untrustworthy self.

But this time, Ye Chen's calm and calculated words made her see him differently.

"You'd be willing to spend fifteen days in detention just to take him to court?" Chen Yinuo paused and asked.

"Yes, because he bullied you! Even if it meant fifteen days in detention, I'd make sure he pays a heavy price!" Ye Chen declared firmly.

Chen Yinuo didn't say anything else.

Her heart was in turmoil.

For the first time, she saw Ye Chen as a man.

After what seemed like a long time—or perhaps just a moment—she said, "It's not worth it. This happened because of me. I wouldn't drag you into it. Besides, don't you suspect that I'm the kind of person Wang Tao accused me of being?"

Given Ye Chen's suspicious nature, it would truly be surprising if he didn't doubt her.

"I was a scumbag, a beast, and a jerk—I don't deny it, and I won't make excuses! But now, I've woken up. I don't even know who my parents are. From the time I can remember, I grew up in an orphanage. I struggled to get into university, met you, and you didn't mind that I was a penniless orphan. You chose to be with me, married me after graduation, and even gave me a daughter, despite your family's opposition.

To me, you and Yuyou are my only family. If I don't believe in you, who else can I trust? And let's be honest: if you were really that kind of person, would we have lasted this long?" Ye Chen said bitterly.

Chen Yinuo's response was calm yet cutting: "Heh... These words sound familiar."

Ye Chen was at a loss for words.

Because she was right.

He had used these lines too many times.

Every time he had been suspicious and resorted to domestic violence, he'd use this rhetoric to justify himself and beg for forgiveness.

Repeating it so often, even he felt ashamed to say it again.

"Alright, in any case, thank you for dinner and everything today," Chen Yinuo said coolly, shaking her head.

She then took Yuyou's hand.

"Come on, Yuyou, let's go home with Mommy."

"But Mommy, can't we go shopping with Daddy?" Yuyou pouted.

"Mommy has work to do. We'll go shopping another time, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, she picked up Yuyou and walked away quickly.

"Bye-bye, Daddy!"

Though reluctant, Yuyou waved at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen forced a smile and waved back. "Goodbye, Yuyou!"

Watching the mother and daughter walk away, Ye Chen couldn't shake off his bitter self-mockery.

Having dinner with his wife and standing up for her when she was mistreated—these were things a husband should naturally do.

Yet now, even for this, he was being thanked.

It spoke volumes about how useless and despicable he had been in the past.

Sigh.

A cool evening breeze blew by, making Ye Chen shiver.

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Mr. Zhang, thank you for earlier," Ye Chen said politely after answering the call.

Though he knew he could have dealt with Wang Tao even without Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng, he still appreciated their support.

"Mr. Ye, there's no need for thanks. Honestly, I've been wanting to teach that guy a lesson for a while. This was just a chance to do it," Zhang Jingshan said dismissively.

Then he got to the point. "By the way, are you interested in jade gambling? Tomorrow there's a new shipment of raw stones arriving at the western suburbs. It'll be lively. Would you like to come along and take a look?"

"Just to look around?" Ye Chen thought. A man of Zhang Jingshan's stature wouldn't invite him just to sightsee.

Ye Chen wasn't naive. He knew Zhang Jingshan was testing him to decide whether further investment in their relationship was worthwhile.

Under different circumstances, Ye Chen might have ignored him.

But the mention of a new shipment of raw stones jolted his memory—it was a golden opportunity!

In his previous life, he had witnessed firsthand how fortunes were won and lost at that event.

Feigning hesitation, Ye Chen replied, "What time?"

"Tomorrow. I can pick you up if you'd like," Zhang Jingshan offered eagerly.

"Alright."

"Same spot? At the intersection of Dongpu Street?"

"Yes. Call me when you're there."

"Great! See you tomorrow!"

In a small, cheap single-room rental in a working-class district that was even more run-down than Ye Chen's current residence, Chen Yinuo arrived home with Yuyou.

Just as she turned on the lights, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" she asked warily.

"It's me, Sis!" her brother Chen Yihao's voice came from outside.

Relieved, she opened the door.

But when she saw her parents standing with him, she froze.