?Chapter 361: Chapter 361: He Must Have Done It on Purpose   Chapter 361: Chapter 361: He Must Have Done It on Purpose                                   Ye Jinyu gave a bitter smile, “It’s true he’s very critical of me, and if I go back, he will indeed scold me, but I can’t just never return. These years, I’ve severed ties with my family and I already regret it deeply and hate myself for it. I can’t keep running away—even if he scolds me every day, I must go back.”


    “Besides, your grandfather is getting old, and it’s better for me to be by his side. Household staff, after all, are outsiders, not necessarily reliable—I’ve already learned that lesson.”


    “When I was young, your grandfather was very fond of me. He is actually a very good father. Although stern, he can’t be faulted in how he treats his children. I want to go back and show my filial piety, to stay by his side from now on, to care for him in his old age.”


    As she said this, tears uncontrobly overflowed from her eyes, “You might not know why he dislikes me so much. It’s not just because I didn’t listen to him, refused to enter into an arranged marriage, and insisted on marrying Wen Xingye. Another very important reason is that your grandmother wanted to see me before her death, and I didn’t go back.”


    Chuyi was startled, “You didn’t go back? Why?”


    Ye Jinyu could not possibly be the type of person who would stay away out of spite, knowing her mother’s life was in danger. There had to be something more.


    Sure enough, she soon heard Ye Jinyu say, “Back then, your grandfather and your two uncles all sent messengers to inform me, but I didn’t receive any message.”


    Chuyi found it unbelievable. No one knew better than her the extent of the Ye Family’s reach. How could they not even get a message through?


    “Mom, did Wen Xingye refuse to let the messengers sent by grandpa and uncles enter the vi? Couldn’t the messengers have forced their way in? There were only a few maids at home; they couldn’t possibly have stopped someone determined to get through, right?”


    Ye Jinyu shook her head, “I don’t know whether the people sent to deliver messages got into the vi because I wasn’t living at home at that time; I was in the countryside.”


    “What were you doing in the countryside?”


    “Wen Xingye took me there, said he wanted me to experience farm life, to eat simple peasant food. He told me that was where he was born and raised, and he wanted me to understand how hard his childhood was, to know how difficult it was for him to make it to university and stand out.”


    Chuyi was somewhat speechless. Wen Xingye really had no shame. His hardships and difficulties were not caused by Ye Jinyu, so why make her experience his suffering? Did she owe him something?


    “I really lived a hard life in the countryside during that time. I would go out to dig wild vegetables, and then Wen Xingye would make congee for me to drink. After over a month of this, he finally took me back to the vi.”


    Ye Jinyu’s eyes were swollen, her voice bitter, “That’s when your grandmother passed away during that month. I didn’t get to see her for thest time. I couldn’t even go home for the funeral. Worse still, I didn’t even know she had passed away.”


    Chuyi could understand her pain, but she was much sharper than Ye Jinyu. “It can’t be such a coincidence that just as grandma fell gravely ill, Wen Xingye took you to the countryside. He must’ve been aware of grandmother’s condition beforehand and deliberately took you away. He didn’t want you to be in touch with your family, fearing the exposure of how he squandered your dowry, concerned he wouldn’t get a hold of the rest of your inheritance.”


    Ye Jinyu was taken aback, “He did it on purpose?”


    “He definitely did it on purpose. You don’t need to doubt it, he’s colder and more ruthless than you can imagine. For money, he’s capable of anything,pletely unscrupulous.”


    Ye Jinyu turned to look at her, “Xiaoyi, you seem to hold a big grudge against him. I’ve never heard you call him ‘dad.’ Did he offend you? Did he do something bad to you?”


    Chuyi hadn’t wanted to bring up what had happened that afternoon, so as not to worry her, but now she had to speak up. Her mother seemed to think Wen Xingye was just a typical adulterer who had fallen out of love with her, unaware that Wen Xingye had been calcting against her all along.


    The truth was cruel, and Chuyi feared her mother wouldn’t be able to handle it.


    “Mom, Wen Xingye came to see me today.”


    “What did he want with you?”


    “He said he wanted to discuss the matter of returning the vi he bought for his mistress. When I went, I found out he was handing me over to those debt collectors.”