Han Mengjuan, well acquainted with her daughter's temperament, did not press her further. She merely reminded her gently:
"Do not overexert yourself. Take care of your health."
Jiang Junyao inclined her head slightly, then strode upstairs.
Once she had gone, Jiang Haiyun turned on Ye Chu with a look of displeasure.
"As Junyao's husband, have you never thought to shoulder some of her burdens?"
Ye Chu fell silent, inwardly exasperated—this father-in-law seemed determined to find fault with him at every turn.
"Do not worry. Before long, the Huangfu family will come seeking Junyao of their own accord."
Leaving those words behind, he too ascended the stairs.
Jiang Haiyun sat heavily beside Han Mengjuan, his face dark.
"Look at that boy—no ability whatsoever, yet full of bluster."
"Who says Xiao Chu is without ability? Did he not retrieve the arrears from White Wolf Security today?" Han Mengjuan retorted with evident dissatisfaction.
"Perhaps Xiao Chu was not boasting after all. Who knows? The Huangfus may indeed approach Junyao in a few days."
Jiang Haiyun's eyes widened. "You actually believe such nonsense?"
"Why should I not believe my son-in-law?" Han Mengjuan rolled her eyes and refused to argue further.
Upstairs, Ye Chu did not find Jiang Junyao. Guessing she had gone to the rooftop, he gathered some clothes and entered the bathroom.
On the villa's terrace, Jiang Junyao deliberated a moment before making a call.
The line connected swiftly. A cool, mocking female voice greeted her:
"Well, well. You finally deemed it worthwhile to call me?"
Hearing the faintly teasing tone, Jiang Junyao's expression grew strained.
"Speak. What do you want?"
Drawing a steadying breath, she said, "During my year in a coma, unforeseen changes arose in my plans. Our cooperation with the Huangfu family may require your assistance, Senior Sister."
"You, asking me for help? How rare." The voice on the other end mocked lightly, then grew solemn.
"Very well. I shall intervene. But let me be clear: this time there must be no mistakes. We must locate that place as soon as possible."
"Rest assured—the same error will not be repeated twice." A glint of icy resolve flickered in Jiang Junyao's eyes.
"Good. One more thing—Master has obtained the antidote to the Spider Lily poison. In a few days, I shall have it delivered to you."
Jiang Junyao ended the call, descended the stairs, and entered her room, where she found Ye Chu already asleep on the floor.
Seeing his thoughtfulness, a faint satisfaction crossed her eyes. They had long agreed they might share a room, but must sleep apart.
"Wife, it's late. Rest early—don't stay up too long."
Ye Chu spoke suddenly, his gaze brimming with concern.
"Do not call me 'wife.'"
She shot him a glare before striding into the bathroom.
Watching her graceful figure vanish, Ye Chu chuckled inwardly. So proud, so aloof. One day, I will conquer her heart.
At a private hospital, several members of the Ye family stood clustered around a bed.
Upon it lay Ye Yifei, swathed head to toe in bandages.
Xie Yushan's face was etched with pain.
"Yifei, what happened? Who was so ruthless as to wound you so grievously?"
Ye Tiancheng and Ye Yichen burned with fury.
"Yifei, speak quickly. Whoever dared harm one of our family must pay the price!" Ye Tiancheng's eyes glinted with murderous intent.
Truly enraged, he could scarcely believe anyone would dare treat his son so. Did they no longer place him—or the Ye family—in their eyes?
With a frail voice, Ye Yifei answered, "It… it was the White Wolf Society."
The three men, who moments before had been seething with wrath, instantly fell silent.
Terror flickered in Ye Yichen's eyes. "Yifei, how could you possibly have provoked the White Wolf Society?"
"Yes," Ye Tiancheng pressed anxiously. "What happened? How did you come into conflict with them?"
Their fear was not unfounded—the White Wolf Society was not to be trifled with.
In Jiangdu, there was an old saying: One Sect, Two Societies, Three Clans, Four Houses.
The One Sect referred to the true overlords of Jiangdu—the Long family. They were its undisputed emperors. It was said that the Long patriarch had once held great power within the military. Though retired, his connections remained, and the younger generation had already produced remarkable talents. Few dared to cross them.
The Two Societies were the White Wolf Society and the Black Tiger Society.
The Three Clans referred to the ancient bloodlines of Jiang, Wang, and Li—centuries-old aristocratic families.
And the Four Houses were the Yun, Qin, Wu, and Ye families.
The Ye family was but one of these four—and the weakest among them. Compared with the White Wolf Society, they were woefully inferior.
Though in terms of wealth they might rival, or even surpass, Ye family fortunes, in every other aspect the White Wolves eclipsed them—connections, influence, and martial might. It was rumored that the four hall masters of the White Wolf Society were all late-stage Body Tempering experts. Their vice-president and president themselves were masters of the highest order.
The Ye family, of course, was no stranger to martial practitioners, employing several retainers of their own. Such warriors were often dispatched to handle matters best left in shadow. But what the Ye family could do, the White Wolf Society could do better. It was no exaggeration to say that a single hall master from the White Wolves could throw the entire Ye household into crisis.
Ye Yifei, too weak to conceal anything, recounted the full story.
When the three had finished listening, their faces showed only bafflement.
"How could this be? Could it be… that this has something to do with a woman?" Ye Yichen asked, suspicion clouding his voice.
With a bitter nod, Ye Yifei confirmed. "They called her 'sister-in-law.' She must belong to some high-ranking member of the White Wolves."
Not long ago, he had been beaten nearly to death by Li the Bald and his gang. Before losing consciousness, unwilling to accept defeat, he demanded to know why they had attacked him.
Their answer had been chilling: Sun Yurou was their sister-in-law. Should he dare harbor any further designs upon her, they would kill him without hesitation.
The three were dumbfounded. How could a girl of no apparent background have climbed to such a height within the White Wolf Society?
Still, knowing the cause brought relief. Though Yifei had been brutally beaten, at least the White Wolves would not seek further trouble with the Ye family.
Exchanging glances, Ye Yichen asked, "Father, since using that woman to threaten Ye Chu is no longer viable, what should we do now?"
Ye Tiancheng's expression darkened. His voice was cold as steel.
"In that case, we shall subdue the unfilial wretch with force."
The following morning, after breakfast, Ye Chu once again set out to collect debts.
On the road, he dialed Huangfu Shiyue.
"My dear brother, calling me so early—could it be you missed your sister already?"
The languid, sultry voice on the line stirred a restless heat in his chest. Drawing a deep breath to banish untoward thoughts, he replied steadily, "Sister Shiyue, I need your help with something."
"What is it? If I can do it, I shall grant your request."
Ye Chu explained Junyao's predicament in detail. When he finished, silence reigned on the other end.
Frowning slightly, he said, "Sister Shiyue, if you assist me in this matter, I swear that should you ever need my help, you need only ask."
At last, her voice returned.
"You overstate things. It is but a trifling matter. Do you think I would demand repayment for something so small?"
Grateful, Ye Chu said earnestly, "Then I owe you thanks, Sister Shiyue."
"Don't be so formal." Her tone turned playful, tinged with something unspoken. "Truly, I envy that young lady of the Jiang family—for having a husband such as you."
Ye Chu blinked, a trace of doubt flickering through his eyes. Her words seemed laced with an odd melancholy. But why? Could she… like me? Impossible—we only met yesterday.
Elsewhere, Huangfu Shiyue ended the call, the corners of her lips curving into a smile both subtle and profound.
"This Jiang family girl is no ordinary woman. Not only has she captured my dear brother's heart, but she has even managed to enlist the aid of the Long family."