Arriving earlier than scheduled, Ye Qianzhi rushed to the airport to pick up Ye Ziyu upon receiving her call. Only halfway there did he inform Shen Xiumei to arrange a welcoming reception at home.
Shen Xiumei, using this as an excuse, found reasons to help her three sons.
With gifts in hand, Ye Chenhan quickly bonded with Xiao Ran and the children. He beamed, enjoying being called "Uncle."
Suddenly having a sister, along with nephews, nieces, and a brother-in-law, was quite a dramatic turn of events.
He extricated himself from the group of children and proactively extended his hand to greet Di Mingjue, "Hello, brother-in-law."
Was he being taken advantage of? Di Mingjue looked at his attire and surmised he was younger than him.
Ye Chenhan lowered his extended hand, forcefully grasping Di Mingjue's. "Don't be nervous. We're family from now on."
Afterward, he let go of Di Mingjue and cheerfully approached Ye Ziyu.
As the youngest child of the Ye family, he had always been overshadowed by his three older brothers. In Ye Qianzhi's eyes, he had achieved nothing, not even enough to be a shoelace-tier for his brothers. Every time he was reprimanded, he wished for someone younger than him. Now, his wish had come true, and he was utterly fond of Ye Ziyu.
"If he ever bullies you, tell me. As your brother, I'll be the first to rush out and protect you."
"Thank you." Ye Ziyu didn't know how to respond and could only offer thanks to avoid saying the wrong thing.
Sensing Ye Ziyu's reserve, Ye Chenhan leaned in and whispered in her ear.
Their bodies were pressed so closely that Di Mingjue, standing nearby, felt an inexplicable discomfort.
Jiang Ziyu's pupils widened; she was surprised by his words.
"Alright, I'm going to my room to change. I'll see you later," Ye Chenhan said before turning to leave.
When Ye Qianzhi had a moment, he personally led Ye Ziyu to the room prepared for her upstairs.
"Your aunt personally tidied this up for you. See if anything is missing, and I'll have someone bring it over."
The room was large, filled with various items. It was evident that the person who had tidied it had put in a lot of effort; the room was neat and clean.
Ye Ziyu withdrew her gaze and nodded in agreement, "Okay."
"You must be tired after a day of flying. Go and tidy up, and rest for a bit. Your other three brothers will be back later, and I'll introduce you then."
"Mm."
Ye Ziyu didn't know how to respond to Ye Qianzhi's warmth. When she was young, her longing for fatherly love in front of Jiang Wenbin was ignored. As she grew older, her yearning for fatherly affection was hidden deep within her heart. Now that her wish was about to be fulfilled, she found herself becoming timid.
The door closed, and Ye Ziyu slumped onto the bed as if released from a prison.
"Tired?" Di Mingjue came up behind her and massaged her stiff neck.
With a gentle yet firm touch, Ye Ziyu relaxed and yielded her body to Di Mingjue's hands.
"Mingjue, I want to move out."
"Then I'll look for a place for us these next few days."
"It doesn't need to be too big, just enough for our family to live in." Jiang Ziyu opened her eyes and said to Di Mingjue.
The Ye family was not her ultimate home. Now that she was in Si Jiucheng, she wanted to start a new life with Di Mingjue. Moreover, people are most beautiful when they are at a comfortable distance; occasionally visiting Ye Qianzhi and experiencing fatherly love would suffice. If she were to live with him for an extended period, conflicts would inevitably arise.
Di Mingjue continued to knead Ye Ziyu's shoulders. "Find a time to tell Dad."
"Let's wait until we find a place," Ye Ziyu felt a hint of hesitation.
Stopping his work, Di Mingjue looked at Ye Ziyu, who was once again lost in thought, biting her lip. He moved from behind her to sit in front of her, placing a stool. His thumb rested on her lips, preventing her from biting them.
"Ziyu, what is our relationship?"
"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Di Mingjue looked at her seriously. "Answer my question."