Chapter 159 - 1158: Why Are You Barefoot?

"Yu Ling, go next door and take care of Lin Aoxue. You can’t let anything else happen to her, or the Dragon Chief will skin you alive." White Snake rubbed his temples, sending Yu Ling away to check on Lin Aoxue.

Yu Ling glanced at Far and curled his lip in reluctance, but ultimately left without a fuss. Far made a face at Yu Ling’s retreating back, looking incredibly smug.

"Enough. Stop stirring up trouble," White Snake said, glaring at Far in annoyance. "How is the task the Dragon Chief gave you coming along?"

"Don’t worry, you can count on me. In three days, the Orioles team will officially set up their operations in Jianghai City," Far guaranteed, patting his chest with absolute confidence.

"And what’s the situation with the Xiao Family? Two of their direct descendants are dead; they should be keeping their heads down by now, right?" Mention of the Xiao Family sparked a thick, murderous glint in White Snake’s eyes. Once he recovered from his injuries, he was absolutely going to make them pay for this incident.

"Keeping their heads down? Heh, do you really think that’s possible? Just wait. Another storm is about to hit." Far’s expression turned serious, yet completely devoid of fear. He even licked his lips with a wicked grin, his eyes brimming with uncontainable excitement.

Beneath the blanket, White Snake slowly clenched his fists, his own bloodlust thoroughly ignited. "Let the Xiao Family disappear from Huaxia for good," he thought.

Yunju Mountain Villa.

Ever since Yang Bingyu learned that Ye Xuan was coming back, she had been sitting by the window, staring out eagerly. Sister Xiang, who was taking care of her, worried she would catch a cold and came over to coax her. "Miss Yang, let’s close the window. It’s getting late, and you should be careful not to catch a chill," she said, reaching out to shut it.

But Yang Bingyu suddenly acted as if she had lost her mind. Shoving Sister Xiang aside violently, she roared with a twisted expression, "Don’t close it! I’m going to wait here for Ye Xuan to come back! Get out! Get out! Get out of my sight!"

Her hysterical outburst badly frightened the older woman. Sister Xiang sat on the floor, not daring to move a muscle, terrified that Yang Bingyu would do something else in a frenzy. Lately, Sister Xiang had frequently seen Yang Bingyu touching her own belly and muttering to herself. At first, she hadn’t paid it much mind, assuming it was just the excitement and joy of a first-time mother. But as time went on, she felt increasingly unsettled; Yang Bingyu’s expressions during these one-sided conversations were deeply abnormal. Thinking back on it now sent a sudden chill down Sister Xiang’s spine. Was it possible that Yang Bingyu was mentally ill?

Just as Sister Xiang was on the verge of breaking down, the hum of a car engine approached from the distance. Instantly, the deranged Yang Bingyu acted as if a spell had been cast on her, and her expression returned to normal. Unable to suppress her joy, she sprinted downstairs without even putting on her shoes, her feet going THUMP THUMP THUMP against the steps.

"Ye Xuan!"

Ye Xuan had barely parked the car when he heard her call out. A second later, a figure threw herself into his arms. He hadn’t expected her to literally jump onto him. Afraid she would fall, he quickly reached out to support her. "Why are you running so fast? You’re pregnant now. What if you fall?" he scolded, frowning sternly.

Yang Bingyu wrapped her arms around his neck, stuck out her tongue, and shrank back slightly. "I haven’t seen you in half a month. I missed you," she whispered. "And it’s not just me. Our baby missed you too. If you don’t believe me, touch and see. He’s so excited right now."

In reality, Yang Bingyu wasn’t even three months pregnant yet. Even if Ye Xuan felt her stomach, he wouldn’t sense anything. But not wanting to ruin her mood, he cooperatively placed his hand over her lower abdomen. "You’d better be good, kid. Don’t be naughty. If you dare to bully your mom, watch out—I’ll spank you."

His childish words made Yang Bingyu giggle uncontrollably. Seeing her so happy, the lingering anxiety in Ye Xuan’s heart finally settled. He had originally thought that returning to Yunju Mountain Villa would mean dealing with another massive tantrum from her. To his surprise, not only was she not throwing a fit, but she was acting like a sweet, docile girl, incredibly clingy and reliant on him.

"Why did you run out here barefoot?" Just as Ye Xuan was about to set her down, he noticed her pale, bare feet, and his frown deepened. This girl was too reckless. How could she run around without shoes? What if she slipped on a puddle and fell? He hiked her up a little higher by her thighs and strode into the house.

"Why do you always make me worry so much? Where is Sister Xiang? Is this how she takes care of you?" Ye Xuan asked, scanning the room for the nanny as he spoke. Sister Xiang was a nanny hired by Yang Tao. In her fifties, she boasted over thirty years of experience and was exceptionally skilled at caring for pregnant women. Ye Xuan had decided to keep her on because she seemed honest, worked efficiently, and, most importantly, cooked meals that suited Yang Bingyu’s tastes.

"Mr. Ye... I’m right here." Suddenly, Sister Xiang’s weak voice echoed from the staircase. She was leaning heavily against the wall, her face dreadfully pale.

Seeing her in such a state, Ye Xuan asked with a hint of concern, "Sister Xiang, what happened? Are you feeling unwell?"

When Yang Bingyu had shoved her earlier, Sister Xiang had lost her balance and twisted her ankle. She hadn’t felt much when she first fell, but the moment she tried to stand up, the pain made her gasp sharply. Knowing Ye Xuan had returned, she hadn’t dared to slack off. Enduring the agony, she had pulled herself up using the wall and slowly limped out of the room. Although this Mr. Ye was always polite and amiable on the surface, he gave off an incredibly mysterious aura. This entire family was simply too bizarre. If it weren’t for the high salary the Yang Family offered, she never would have come out to work as a nanny at her age. She already had a house full of children and grandchildren; her life, while not extravagantly wealthy, was happy and fulfilling. But with Yang Bingyu acting like a lunatic, she didn’t dare stay here any longer. She decided to just find an excuse and resign on the spot.

"Mr. Ye, I accidentally twisted my ankle just now. I think it might be fractured, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to continue taking care of Miss Yang," Sister Xiang said. "Why don’t you find a new nanny? I know plenty of women younger and far more capable than me. I can introduce them to you." Even though she wanted to quit, she was still kind enough to offer recommendations. After all, a lucrative salary of fifty thousand yuan a month wasn’t something just any family could afford. All she had to do was mention it to her peers, and they would be fighting tooth and nail for the job.

Ye Xuan replied, "Alright then. Since you’ve hurt your ankle, we’ll find a replacement. If you have suitable candidates in mind, have them come over for an interview tomorrow.

"If Bingyu approves, they can stay. If she doesn’t like them, we’ll figure something else out."

Ye Xuan glanced at Sister Xiang’s ankle, which was swollen to twice its normal size, and couldn’t bring himself to make things difficult for her. Given her condition, it truly was impossible for her to keep caring for Yang Bingyu. Thus, he readily agreed to her resignation and asked her to arrange the interviews for the next day. Throughout the entire exchange, Yang Bingyu didn’t say a single word, nor did she explain how Sister Xiang had managed to twist her ankle.