"I'm not worthy? What? Is only Jiang Mian worthy? What is she? If she hadn't occupied three years of my life, how could Ji Zhixiu and I have become like this?"
With all her plans foiled and her efforts ruined, Shen Tingyu's face contorted with rage, her hatred for Jiang Mian reaching its peak.
Ye Yi curved his lips, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes. "You hate her so much, yet you want to become her. You're truly pathetic."
Shen Tingyu detested pity the most.
All her life, because she looked like Jiang Mian, she had been compared to her at every turn.
So what if she debuted later than Jiang Mian? Did that mean she had to be inferior to Jiang Mian?
In what way was she inferior to Jiang Mian?
She had everything Jiang Mian had, and things Jiang Mian didn't. What exactly was she inferior in?
"Shut up! I'm not reconciled! I'm not reconciled! Why!!!" Shen Tingyu screamed like a madwoman.
Ye Yi took a step back, disgust evident on his face. "I don't have time to bicker with you. Who helped you do this? If you don't tell me, I'll tell Shen Muyuan everything you've done."
Shen Tingyu's body went limp as if her throat had been constricted, and she stopped screaming.
What would happen if her brother found out? Shen Tingyu dared not imagine.
Lu Cong poked his head out tentatively. Looking at her with Jiang Mian's face felt quite eerie. "Tingyu, we've known each other since we were kids, in a way. If Mu Yuan found out you did something like this, how heartbroken would he be?"
Shen Tingyu sneered. Since childhood? She had only come to the Shen family when she was eighteen, not to mention spending three years abroad afterward.
Lu Cong tried to persuade her. "Besides, how can you keep your recovered eyesight from Mu Yuan? He was so worried, afraid you'd be blind for life."
Saying this, he shivered, finding the basement strangely cold.
Shen Tingyu lowered her head. In reality, her eyes had recovered long ago, and the doctor said there were no major issues.
However, she had indeed kept it from her brother to deceive him.
Seeing her silence, Ye Yi grew impatient. "Spit it out. Who stole Jiang Mian's personal belongings for you?"
Shen Tingyu suddenly looked up, her gaze defiant. "You want to know? What will you do if you know? Do you dare do anything to her?"
Ye Yi narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't I dare? Shen Tingyu, do you think I wouldn't dare do anything to you? Do you think you'll even be able to leave this basement?"
Shen Tingyu didn't care. She tilted her head back and laughed. "What? You want to imprison me? When Ji Zhixiu returns, I can leave. Ye Yi, who do you think you are to give orders in his place?"
Ye Yi didn't get angry. Instead, he chuckled. "He's already back."
"Impossible. If he's back, why hasn't he come to see me? I'm his wife!" Shen Tingyu murmured to herself.
Ye Yi: "Imposter."
Lu Cong tugged his sleeve. "Why don't we leave? If she doesn't say anything, so be it. I think she's a little mentally unstable."
"You're the one who's unstable! Lu Cong! I'm Jiang Mian, take me out, okay?" Shen Tingyu looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.
This startled Lu Cong greatly. He quickly jumped up, afraid of being entangled, and blurted out, "Let's go, let's go, Ye Yi, let's leave quickly!"
Ye Yi was pulled along by him, dragged and shoved.
Shen Tingyu couldn't help but call out to him. "Ye Yi, take me with you, okay? Don't you like me? I'm Mian Mian."
Ye Yi's steps faltered almost imperceptibly. He quickly averted his gaze from her face and then, without any hesitation, closed the door.
Outside, Lu Cong shivered. "What about her? We can't just keep her locked up like this."
"We'll talk about it when Jiang Mian wakes up."
"Oh," Lu Cong nodded. "What did she mean by saying you like her? You like Shen Tingyu?"
Ye Yi: "..."
He smiled warmly and retorted, "Is my taste really that bad?"
Lu Cong thought for a moment. "I don't think so. But if you like her type, I can introduce you to some. What do you say, am I a good friend?"
After spending some time together, he felt that Ye Yi was a good person, someone he could get along with.
Ye Yi politely declined. "No need. I like one person."
"Ah? Who do you like? Tell me."
"I like, one, person."
"Hey, what a coincidence! Me too. Being single is good, being single is good. When you're single, you can be with whomever you want!"
.....
Jiang Mian woke up two days later.
When she opened her eyes, she felt a bit dazed. She had had a very, very long dream.
It was a nightmare, but at the end of the story, a brave prince came to her rescue.
So, the dream was over.
The window in the room was half-open, and a gentle breeze blew in, causing the tassels on the curtains to sway back and forth.
Jiang Mian moved her fingers, her gaze shifted, and then she saw Ji Zhixiu sleeping beside her.
The man's eyes were closed, and in his sleep, he had shed the sharp and cold demeanor he usually had.
Jiang Mian gently traced his cool eyebrows and eyes, feeling his warmth.
Her heart ached. He had lost weight.
During this time, he must have had a very difficult time too.
The next second, she met his gaze.
"You're awake." The man's voice trembled slightly, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.
Jiang Mian curved her lips into a smile. It felt as if a long, long time had passed between them, yet there was also a familiar yet strange flutter of emotion. "Husband."
When Ji Zhixiu and Jiang Mian came downstairs, the two people below were arguing fiercely.
Ye Yi sat across from the coffee table in the living room, holding the last spare rib on the table with his chopsticks, nonchalantly saying, "Mine."
Song Yin sat opposite him, his face flushed with anger. "Fighting with a child over food, have you no shame?"
Ye Yi shook his head. "Can I eat face? No, I want this rib."
Song Yin was furious. "I don't care, I want to eat it!"
Ye Yi: "Then come and snatch it."
Aunt Song, standing nearby, hesitated. She wanted to say there were more in the kitchen.
"What are you two doing?"
The sudden female voice broke the stalemate between them. Ye Yi's grip loosened. He almost thought he had misheard.
Song Yin seized the opportunity to snatch the rib back and stuff it into his mouth, looking triumphant. "It's mine!"
Ye Yi looked up and saw Jiang Mian standing on the stairs, smiling at him. She was wearing cartoon pajamas, her face bare of any makeup, and she was so beautiful he felt his heart pound.
It would have been even better if Ji Zhixiu hadn't been there, being such an eyesore.
He stood up. "You're awake."
Jiang Mian pursed her lips. Ji Zhixiu had already told her about Song Yin.
But seeing Ye Yi here was both surprising and delightful.
She held onto the banister and walked downstairs. "Yes, I'm awake."
Aunt Song was delighted to see Jiang Mian. "Young Madam, you're awake. Would you like something to eat? We have everything in the kitchen."
Jiang Mian smiled faintly. "Anything will do, lots of it."
Aunt Song nodded repeatedly. "Okay, okay, okay."
Ji Zhixiu helped her sit down.
Jiang Mian didn't look at Song Yin but said to Ye Yi, "Thank you for your trouble during this time."
Ye Yi smiled, his lips curved. "It was no trouble."
Anything related to her, he would do willingly.
Ji Zhixiu tapped the table with his finger, interrupting their gaze, and looked at Ye Yi. "Shouldn't you be leaving?"
Lu Cong had left the villa after he returned.
Ye Yi, however, had stayed. But he hadn't been able to deal with Ye Yi at the time.
Now that Jiang Mian was awake, and Song Yin was also in the villa, Ji Zhixiu, who disliked outsiders disturbing him, was very displeased.
Ye Yi ignored him, staring at Jiang Mian, and said flippantly, "The great President Ji doesn't even let someone stay, how cruel."
Jiang Mian wanted to laugh. She could tell Ye Yi didn't want to leave.
The villa was huge, with many rooms. It was perfectly fine to have one more person like Ye Yi staying.
Since he didn't mind, Jiang Mian was happy to watch the two interact.
They weren't enemies, after all. It was best for everyone to be well.
Ji Zhixiu said coldly, "What? Does the great President Ye not have a place to live?"
"My house was flooded," Ye Yi replied quickly, as if it were nothing.
Ji Zhixiu: "Just one house?"
Ye Yi: "The others are rented out."
Ji Zhixiu: "Then rent a place."
Ye Yi: "I'm not as wealthy as President Ji."
Jiang Mian suppressed a laugh and waited for a moment before stepping in to mediate.
She looked at Ji Zhixiu and said softly, "Ah Xiu, let him stay. We have enough room for him in our home."
Ji Zhixiu didn't want to agree, but the word "home" pleased him.
This was his and Jiang Mian's home.
Meeting the little girl's clear, slightly expectant gaze, he curved his lips. "We can afford to feed him."
Having achieved his goal, Ye Yi was satisfied. "Thank you, President Ji."
With that topic concluded, Jiang Mian noticed that Song Yin, who had been so noisy earlier, was now very quiet.
She looked over at him and met his defiant yet stubborn gaze. At the same time, he flinched.
Jiang Mian couldn't help but chuckle. No wonder he was so well-behaved; he was clearly afraid of Ji Zhixiu beside her.
Just then, Aunt Song served the dishes, bringing two plates of spare ribs.
Ye Yi pouted and asked Song Yin, "Didn't you want spare ribs? There are some here, why aren't you eating?"
Song Yin lowered his head and shoveled rice into his mouth. "I don't want to eat anymore."
Ji Zhixiu gave him a faint glance. "Eat your vegetables."
Song Yin's face immediately turned red. He looked up and mechanically put food into his bowl, not even knowing what he was picking up.
Jiang Mian wanted to laugh and whispered, "How did you scare him so much?"
She didn't have any feelings for Song Yin, just as Song Xingzhi had no feelings for her.
She wouldn't blame Ji Zhixiu for agreeing to Song Xingzhi's request to have her and Song Yin live under the same roof.
She knew Ji Zhixiu had agreed for her sake.
Three years was not a long time. Jiang Mian considered him just another child living in the house, ensuring his basic needs were met.
Ji Zhixiu replied innocently, "I didn't."
He had only said a few words to warn the child. He knew Song Yin didn't want to leave home, especially to live with Jiang Mian.
But who wanted to see him?
With Ji Zhixiu present, Song Yin ate his meal exceptionally obediently.
Before coming here, his father had instructed him to listen to this man and not to provoke him carelessly.
Song Xingjia had also given him instructions, but thinking of his uncle's words.
Song Yin felt a surge of resentment.
His uncle had said that Jiang Mian was his sister and that he had a responsibility to take good care of her, live with her, obey her, and not make her angry.
Song Yin thought to himself, he didn't want this damn sister!
His parents only had him as a son!
He would never accept Jiang Mian!
Why should he!
He disliked Jiang Mian, and he hated everyone here!
No one knew that on his first night at Xiushui Mountain Villa, he couldn't sleep at all.
The room Ji Zhixiu arranged for him was on the third floor, very quiet. The room was large.
There were many books on the bookshelf that he enjoyed at his age, and his usual bedtime toy was on the bed.
He hugged a giant teddy bear, lying on the bed and gazing at the moonlight through the window, unable to sleep all night.