Chapter 142 - 141: Let’s Get Married

After saying this, Yang Bingyu brushed past Ye Xuan and returned to her room. From then on, until Ye Xuan left Yang Jie’s place to head to his appointment at Antler Park, she didn’t speak another word to him.

Ye Xuan’s mind was a mess. He only wanted to find Night Rose as quickly as possible and uncover the truth behind everything. His chaotic thoughts completely blinded him to the unusual atmosphere brewing in Antler Park.

Soon, the clock struck three.

Ye Xuan sat in the long corridor of Antler Park, scanning his surroundings for any sign of Night Rose. Suddenly, a white-haired old woman leaning on a cane slowly approached from the other end of the corridor. Hunched over, she paused with every step.

At first, Ye Xuan only gave her a passing glance, not paying much attention. But upon a second look, he realized something was wrong. Although her disguise was excellent—the wrinkles, the age spots, the bulging veins on her arms, and even her demeanor and movements imitated to perfection—she had overlooked one crucial detail: her nails.

A typical elderly person’s nails would be dry and shriveled, but this old woman’s nails were smooth and glossy.

"This is Night Rose," Ye Xuan concluded inwardly.

As he observed her, Night Rose had already reached him. She glanced at him but didn’t stop, instead coughing for a moment before trembling as she continued walking with her cane.

Just as Ye Xuan was feeling puzzled, he noticed a shift in the rhythm of her cane striking the ground. Listening closely, he realized it was Morse code. He immediately pricked up his ears, focusing intently to decipher the message.

"There’s an ambush around us. I’m pulling out for now. I’ll come find you at Yunju Mountain Villa at 2:00 AM tonight."

After tapping out this sentence in Morse code, Night Rose slipped away right under the noses of the Yang family’s twenty-plus bodyguards.

Alerted by her warning, Ye Xuan finally noticed the ambushers lurking nearby. Though their disguises were decent, the occasional glances they cast in his direction gave them away. Without a doubt, he knew these men had been sent by the Yang family. After all, only he and Yang Bingyu knew about his agreement to meet with Night Rose.

It seemed Yang Bingyu was truly intent on killing Night Rose this time. With a helpless sigh, Ye Xuan stood up and left Antler Park.

"What did you say? You didn’t see anyone? That’s impossible! I clearly heard that woman say she was meeting Ye Xuan at Antler Park at three o’clock this afternoon!"

Yang Bingyu had been waiting with high hopes for the bodyguards to capture Night Rose, but they hadn’t even caught a glimpse of her. Upon hearing their report, she jumped up from the sofa in a fit of rage.

"Miss, that’s exactly what happened. We’ve been staking out the area since noon," the captain of the bodyguards hurriedly explained again, breaking out in a cold sweat at her fury. "Until Ye Xuan left, we never saw the woman you described."

Fuming, Yang Bingyu paced back and forth in the living room, repeatedly muttering that it was impossible. Her current state even made Yang Tao feel a bit uneasy, as he had never seen her lose her composure like this.

"Bingyu, calm down," Yang Tao said, standing up to hold her shoulders and soothe the agitated young woman. "I’ve already sent men to track down this woman’s whereabouts. We will definitely catch her."

Right at this moment, Ye Xuan returned. Carrying two shopping bags, he had evidently just come back from the supermarket.

Before he could even speak, Yang Bingyu rushed up to him and gripped his arms fiercely, digging her nails into his skin. Her expression contorted as she screamed her accusations at him until her voice grew hoarse. "Where did you go? Did you tell that woman we set an ambush at Antler Park? Is that why she didn’t show up? Ye Xuan! Why do you keep opposing me? Why won’t you listen to me? Why won’t you take my side?!"

Seeing her like this, Ye Xuan knew her illness was acting up again. Feeling helpless, he set the shopping bags down and endured the pain, gently trying to comfort her.

"I went to Antler Park for the appointment this afternoon, but Night Rose didn’t show up," he explained. "Then I stopped by the supermarket on my way back and bought some fruits and vegetables. I didn’t know you had set an ambush at the park, and I certainly didn’t tip off Night Rose. Bingyu, please believe me. When have I ever done anything to hurt you?"

Hearing his words, Yang Bingyu’s expression turned somewhat vacant. She stared blankly into his eyes for a long moment before finally snapping out of it.

"I’m sorry, I... I got a little too agitated." Seeing the bloody scratches she had left on his arms, her face filled with intense self-blame. She didn’t know what was wrong with her lately. She was prone to emotional breakdowns, sometimes exploding over the slightest things.

"It’s okay. What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll cook for you." Seeing her return to normal, Ye Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled, ruffled her hair, and smoothly changed the subject.

"Ye Xuan, no matter what happens, you’ll always stand by my side, right?" Yang Bingyu didn’t follow his lead, asking the question instead with utmost seriousness.

Ye Xuan’s eyes flickered. After a few seconds of silence, he nodded. "As long as you are right, I will unconditionally stand by your side."

This answer did not satisfy her. She wanted him to side with her regardless of right or wrong. Not just when she was right. She craved his unconditional favoritism.

"Ye Xuan, let’s go get our marriage certificate tomorrow."

Her words made Ye Xuan nearly bite his tongue. How could she act on such a whim? They had just been discussing something completely different, and suddenly she was talking about getting legally married.

"Bingyu, isn’t this a little too sudden? Let’s at least finish handling Elder Yang’s funeral arrangements before we talk about this." Still unable to convince himself to marry her, Ye Xuan helplessly declined.

"I just want to get the certificate with you first. We can talk about the wedding ceremony later. Ye Xuan, you have to take responsibility for me. You promised Grandpa." Yang Bingyu stared intently into his eyes, a commanding tone in her voice.

She was determined to marry him no matter what. Only then could she firmly bind him to her side. Only then would he unconditionally choose her.

"Bingyu, you... this... Didn’t we agree to just try things out first?" Ye Xuan truly didn’t know what to do with her. For a man known for being decisive and resolute, a man of his word, this was the first time he found himself so torn.

"I don’t want to try anymore. I want to marry you. You’re all I have left now. You won’t reject me, right?" She grabbed his hand, her eyes brimming with expectation.

"I..." Unable to even look her in the eye, Ye Xuan felt his words stuck in his throat, completely unsure of how to voice them.

The two remained in a standoff for a while until Yang Tao couldn’t watch any longer and stepped forward to intervene.

"Bingyu, so much has happened these past few days. You should let the Cyan Dragon Chief catch his breath first."