Ye Qing took a deep breath. She suppressed those various emotions. In a very helpless tone, she said to Ye Zhen, "Zhenzhen, we're a family after all. Family harmony is important. You've already done enough. Don't go too far."

"In that moment when Mr. and Mrs. Ye took that 30 million yuan, we stopped being a family. Kidnapping and extortion is illegal. I don't think I've done anything outrageous!"

Mother Ye tightly grasped Ye Qing's hand. She was anguished over Ye Zhen's words that were completely lacking in warmth and feeling."Ye Zhen, no matter what, he's your dad. How could you… How could you do something like this?!"

Ye Zhen laughed in anger.

"First, it's a fact that Ye Zhenting committed kidnapping and extortion. There's human testimony and material evidence of that. If you're unconvinced, you can go ask the police officers. Second, Mr. Ye and you were the ones that agreed to a buyout of my relationship with your family for 30 million yuan. I don't think I've done anything wrong in this regard."

"He's still your dad. Can't you give him a chance?"

Ye Zhen's expression was cold and indifferent. She wasn't moved at all. "Sorry, this is a criminal case. Even if I want to give him a chance, I don't have the power to do so."

Mother Ye looked at Ye Zhen with hatred and resentment. A steady stream of tears dripped down. She tightly held Ye Qing's hand and angrily rebuked Ye Zhen, "I shouldn't have given birth to you. I should have strangled you the moment you were born!"

When did the Ye's start going downhill? After thinking about it for a long time, Mother Ye came to the conclusion that it was when Ye Zhen took Ye Qing's place in marrying Lu Beichuan.

Since that moment, the Ye's seemed plagued with misfortune. Nothing went well for them. Ye Zhenting failed in his investment, Ye Qing wasn't able to become popular in the entertainment industry. And till this day, things still weren't going well. Ye Zhenting had been put behind bars, leaving Ye Qing and her dependent on each other for survival.

In contrast, Ye Zhen's life was going so well! She was enjoying the life of being a wife to a rich man. That life hadn't been meant for her originally.

Ye Zhen mocked, "Did you ask me if I want to be born to you?"

"You…"

Ye Qing tried to smooth things over. She earnestly persuaded, "Zhenzhen, don't talk back. Be considerate of Mom's feelings."

"I don't have anything else to say to you. I only came here to give my deposition. Now that I'm done with that, it's time for me to leave." Ye Zhen clutched Lu Beichuan's hand and made the motion to leave.

Mother Ye was trembling all over. She stared at Ye Zhen. "So you've hardened your heart and won't help your dad?"

"I've already said that Mr. Ye broke the law. There's nothing I can do about that."

"Fine…" Mother Ye sneered. She suddenly turned her gaze to Lu Beichuan and stared at him with desperation in her eyes."

“Lu Beichuan, listen carefully. Ye Qing was the one that your grandfather wanted to marry you when you were in a coma after your car accident!" Mother Ye was going all out. She pointed at Ye Zhen. "Your wife should be Ye Qing! Ye Zhen impersonated her older sister to marry you!"

Mother Ye made it sound as if Ye Qing was the victim.

"Mom!" Ye Qing seemed embarrassed. She patiently endured and quietly said, "It's all in the past. Don't mention this anymore. Everything is fine as long as Ye Zhen is happy."

Ye Qing made it sound as if there really was an untold secret from back then, but she was refraining from talking about it because of hidden sorrow and difficulties. She patiently persuaded Mother Ye and wryly smiled to act forgiving and magnanimous in front of Lu Beichuan.

Her careful painstaking effort to dissuade was a sharp contrast to Mother Ye's reckless behavior.

"How can I not mention it? Why should I keep quiet? I'm telling the truth!" She looked at Lu Beichuan. Her expression was deranged. "Lu Beichuan, take a good look! Ye Qing is the one that should be your wife. Ye Zhen is the one wrongfully usurping her older sister's place!"

Lu Beichuan and Ye Zhen's fingers were intertwined, and their wedding rings were conspicuous, especially Ye Zhen's diamond ring. Standing together, they couldn't look more suited for each other.

"I don't look to the past. I only look at the present."

Lu Beichuan had also seen those online comments describing his relationship with Ye Zhen as one between a prince and Cinderella. They said there was nothing good about Ye Zhen and that she was so lucky in marrying him.

He was the only one that clearly knew that only a small fraction of Ye Zhen's goodness was known to others.

When he was in a coma, everyone had been harboring ulterior motives. Ye Zhen was the only one that wholeheartedly looked forward to him waking up without ulterior motives. She was also the only one that believed without a doubt that he would wake up.

"Lu Beichuan, look at Ye Qing." Mother Ye pulled Ye Qing in front of her and anxiously said, "She knows everything! She knows how to play the piano and the violin. She's always been exceptional. She's my pride and joy. Only Ye Qing is good enough to match you. Ye Zhen doesn't know anything. How could she be good enough for you?!"

Ye Qing looked even more anxious. As she looked at Lu Beichuan, she had an apologetic look that was fitting for the occasion. She seemed to be apologizing for her mother. With a somewhat angry expression, she rebuked, "Mom, stop talking about that!"

A cold look flitted across Lu Beichuan's eyes.

"Ye Zhen told Ye Qing and me that she would return Ye Qing's place to her. Back then, she brought up going abroad in order to get away from you. It was Ye Zhen's idea to replace herself with Ye Qing on the wedding day. She did so many things and it was all because she doesn't love you. She wants to leave you! Why do you think she's with you now? It's all for your money! Otherwise, she would have left you a long time ago!"

Lu Beichuan furrowed his brow. He clenched his jaw, causing his face to become tense. His expression was so imposing that it was scary.

Mother Ye wasn't finished. "Do you know about Lin Zhan? Do you know that Ye Zhen liked Lin Zhan so much? She secretly wore Ye Qing's pretty clothing to go see Lin Zhan. She thought I didn't know…"

Lu Beichuan wasn't willing to hear anymore. Tightly holding Ye Zhen's hand, he strode out of the police station. Even when they had walked a distance, he could still hear Mother Ye's crying from afar.

"Only my Qingqing is good enough for you!"

Lu Beichuan and Ye Zhen remained silent the entire way out.

After they got into the car, Lu Beichuan abruptly pressed Ye Zhen down on the back seat. Ye Zhen didn't even have time to say anything. It took a moment for her vision to refocus from his sudden movement. A flawless face suddenly loomed above her and got close to her. Lu Beichuan vigorously bit her lips. Their lips and tongues intertwined and his forcefulness almost knocked the breath out of her.

Ye Zhen instinctively tried to move her head away, but Lu Beichuan had a forceful grip on the back of her head. He wouldn't let her move, much less escape. She could only accept the unexpected kiss.

"Mmm-" Ye Zhen fiercely pushed Lu Beichuan away. She gasped for air and glowered at Lu Beichuan, "What are you doing?"

Had he lost his mind?!

Ye Zhen resentfully looked at herself in the rear mirror. Her hairstyle was messy and her face was flushed. She cut a sorry figure.

"What's wrong with you?!" Ye Zhen was shaking as she set out to tidy up hair and fix her makeup. Her heart was beating faster.

He had been fine at the police station. Why did he suddenly...

Lu Beichuan suddenly sat up on the side. He didn't say a word. It took a few deep animalistic inhales and exhales until his breathing was smooth.

Lu Beichuan had a clear understanding of everything that Mother Ye said. He knew that Ye Zhen didn't love him. However, knowing it was one thing. Hearing someone saying it was different.

Ye Zhen was with him because of their son and their contract. There were too many factors, but she had never said that she was with him out of love.

He wanted Ye Zhen to wholeheartedly fall in love with him. Love him because of him. A pure love between him and Ye Zhen that didn't involve any other factors.

Ye Zhen opened the car window. A cool breeze poured in, cooling and calming them down. Their frazzled brains gained a moment of peace.

"What's gotten into you?" Ye Zhen looked at him and whispered, "Is it because of what she said?"

Ye Zhen was referring to Mother Ye.

Lu Beichuan leaned back and closed his eyes. It was only when his breathing had completely calmed down that he opened his eyes again to look at Ye Zhen. Guilt became the primary emotion in his eyes.

Seeing that guilty look on him, Ye Zhen wasn't willing to look him in the eyes. She perfunctorily said, "It's okay."

Right after she said that, he pulled her over to his side of the car. Face to face and hugging, Lu Beichuan rested his head on her shoulder. He asked, "Why did you remain at the Lu's?"

Ye Zhen thought this question was silly. What else could it be?

"You're so strange. Why are you asking this question?" Ye Zhen thought it over. She thought it was because Mother Ye's words had stimulated him. After all, she had run away from him once.

"Answer me. Why?"

Ye Zhen really did seriously think about it. "I already have a kid with you, so I might as well make the best of it."

Lu Beichuan stiffened. Soon after, he asked her in a hoarse voice, "Is it only because of our son? If we didn't have a child…"

Ye Zhen rolled her eyes. If it was two years ago, she would have already wanted to run away. Why didn't she run? It's because he had caught her and wouldn't let her run away.

It was said that feelings will develop over time, but Ye Zhen didn't know if there were feelings between her and Lu Beichuan. They had live together for a few years. There was the shadow of Lu Beichuan in every aspect of her life. He had assimilated into her life and become an indispensable part of it. She had gotten used to falling asleep at night with Lu Beichuan lying next to her. On nights when Lu Beichuan returned home late, she would toss and turn, unable to fall asleep.

Habit was a terrible thing.

"Your what if is impossible. Zhouzhou is almost two years old. If you want to stuff him back now, that's impossible."

Lu Beichuan chuckled and sighed. "If I didn't stop you at the airport back then, would you have gotten together with Lin Zhan?"

Ye Zhen furrowed her brow. Why was he dredging up the past?

"Why are you acting like a jealous person. Why are you bringing up stuff that's impossible?" Ye Zhen sighed. "If you didn't stop me back then, I'll probably be struggling to make ends meet in some city and raising Zhouzhou, that brat, by myself!"

Ye Zhen thought it over. If she had been able to leave then, who knows what kind of situation she would be in now.

Perhaps, she might be living a wonderful, unfettered life. Perhaps, her life might be really difficult. She might be working herself to the bone to earn life's daily necessities. Either way, no one could accurately say what the paths not chosen would look like.

"Happy or not, it doesn't matter. It's all in the past. There's no point in mentioning it." Ye Zhen discovered that Lu Beichuan had been looking for reasons to divert them towards something instead of just coming out and saying it. "What exactly do you want to say?"

Lu Beichuan pressed his lips tightly together. He narrowed his eyes as if he was contemplating something. His Adam's apple was going up and down. It was a sign that he was nervous.

"If it's because of what Mrs. Ye said, don't take her words to heart. You know that she's trying to stir up trouble. Moreover, I've already been honest with you about what happened in the past. You should believe me."

Lu Beichuan looked at her with gleaming eyes. "I believe you."

"That's all there is to it, isn't it?"

"But I still want to ask you something."

Ye Zhen looked at him. She stared at his long and thick eyelashes that were slightly trembling. His beautiful eyes were bright, focused, and ardent. They could hold the whole world, but right now, they only had her in them.

"You said you stayed because of Zhouzhou, because of the contract…" Lu Beichuan faltered. He carefully considered what to say next.

Ye Zhen stared at him and faintly smiled. "Of course those aren't the only reasons. There's also Mrs. Lu. She's the best mom in the world."

Lu Beichuan's expression dimmed. His face was dispirited.

Ye Zhen murmured into his ear, "And there's you."

Lu Beichuan's normally calm heart wildly beated. He incredulously looked at Ye Zhen.

"What did you say?"

He needed to use all of his strength to calm down in order to speak coherently.

Ye Zhen looked at Lu Beichuan. Smiling, she repeated, "And there's you."

She didn't know whether this was considered love, but in the stream of past days, there was the shadow of Lu Beichuan in every aspect. She had gotten used to having him in her life. If he was gone, she wouldn't be used to it.

Those words brought Lu Beichuan back to life.

He had become one of the reasons why Ye Zhen stayed. Although he wasn't the only reason, he had finally gained a spot in her heart.

Lu Beichuan's Adam apple moved up and down. He leaned over, but Ye Zhen blocked his lips with her hand and leaned away. "Don't. I just fixed my lipstick."

Lu Beichuan kissed her palm. "I bought you that lipstick."

"So?"

Lu Beichuan snuck a gentle kiss, licked the space between her lips and teeth, and thoroughly invaded her mouth. After he had licked off the lipstick until there was nothing left, he smiled in satisfaction. "I took it back."

T

he reporters that had been stopped outside of the police station filmed the confrontation between the two parties. However, they were too far and couldn't make out what Mother Ye had said in front of Lu Beichuan. When the mother and daughter pair left the police station, they came out with lowered heads and didn't respond to the questions from the reporters that surrounded them. They left behind a haze of doubt and suspicions from their sparse words.

Towards this, there were differing opinions online. Most of them criticized the mother and daughter pair.

At this moment, a person claiming to be a distant relative of the Ye's posted on a well-known forum. The title of the post was Sharing Gossip about a Prestigious Family.

The poster started off by politely introducing herself as the person who had written the popular post As a distant relative to the Ye's, I'll share an indepth look and the little details about the lives of these twin sisters from their birth. Believe it or not. It's up to you.

There was a clamor of interest as soon as the post was published.

The poster went on to clearly explain why Ye Zhen had married Lu Beichuan, including Ye Qing running off with her boyfriend, the standstill on the wedding day, and Ye Zhen's pregnancy.

Of course, it was inevitable that embellishments were added in this kind of post. The onlookers to this prestigious family drama read the post with great relish. They were one step away from clapping their hands and tipping.

"Wow, so interesting! There's actually such a contrived plot. So this means that Ye Zhen married her brother-in-law?

"Ye Qing seems pitiful then. Not only did she fail to get Lu Beichuan, she also kicked away Lin Zhan. I heard Lin Zhan has been doing well for himself in the past two years. His value has risen exponentially. Ye Qing must be vomiting blood…"

"Poor Ye Qing, lmao. If only she had known that earlier, she could have just clung to Lin Zhan. She wouldn't have fallen to today's state."

"My god, what an incomparable love story. A domineering brother-in-law falling in love with his sister-in-law!"

"Domineering brother-in-law, don't run. I'm sister-in-law!"

"Sure enough, god is fair. Ye Zhen was wronged in the first 20 years of her life and received Mr. Lu's doting in the second half of her life. Please live happily ever after!"

This popular post was posted on Weibo and set off another round of enthusiastic discussion.

Shen Weiyin naturally saw this popular Weibo post, but she only glanced at it.

The makeup artist saw that Shen Weiyin's complexion wasn't good. After the makeup artist finished applying the makeup, she trembled with fear as she asked if Shen Weiyin was satisfied with the makeup.

Shen Weiyin looked at the exquisite and flawless face in the mirror. Although that face was crafted by piling on makeup, the makeup looked extremely natural and fitting.

And yet, Shen Weiyin felt there was something missing when she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She stroked her cheek and lightly scratched her chin with her fingernail. A lot of powder collected in her fingernail.

Other female celebrities in their 30's still looked like 18-year-old girls, so how come when it came to her, she needed to use a heavy foundation to hide the blemishes and lines on her skin?

She sneered and knocked over the bottle of foundation on the makeup table with a wave of her hand. "I'm very satisfied. You can go."

The makeup artist scurried out.

This makeup artist had been working for Shen Weiyin for many years. In all those years, this was her first time seeing Shen Weiyin behaving as if she had gone crazy; she was completely lacking in rationality and gentleness. This Shen Weiyin made her frightful and as if she was looking at a stranger.

Xi Wenjun, Shen Weiyin's agent, walked in. Seeing the broken bottle of liquid foundation on the ground, she hastily closed and locked the door.

"What's wrong with you now?!" Xi Wenjun warned in disappointment, "We're not in the office. If there's the slightest thing wrong with your behavior, everyone will know. No one will keep any secrets for you!"

Shen Weiyin took a deep breath. "I know, but I can't help it. I can't stop myself from smashing things."