After emerging from seclusion, Ye Chen spent some time washing up, changing into fresh clothes, shaving off his stubble, and tying up his long hair, completely transforming his appearance.
Though young, the youth's figure was tall and straight, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a heroic and dashing aura. The faintly discernible Moon Mark between his brows added an extra touch of charm, making him stand out.
From a distance, he looked like a handsome and elegant young man.
"Huan'er..."
He called out softly, but the little maid did not appear. Ye Chen didn't mind, assuming she must be busy with other tasks, and didn't call out again.
Opening the courtyard gate, he saw the two personal guards his father had sent standing motionless on either side, protecting the courtyard's safety as usual.
He could clearly sense a faint aura of killing intent emanating from the two indifferent-looking personal guards. This was a presence one only possessed after truly experiencing life-and-death situations and killing.
It could be said that both were true elite experts, their strength extraordinary. They were experts within the family, but they only took orders from the current Patriarch. Even the three Elders could not command them to do anything.
Just by standing there, they exuded a chilling aura that warned others to keep their distance, accompanied by the unabashed release of their killing intent. No one dared to approach, as this killing intent was enough to scare the wits out of people.
Yet Ye Chen walked past them with utter nonchalance, then turned to them with a slight smile, cupping his fists in salute. "Thank you, both elder brothers, for your protection these past four months. I am deeply grateful."
The two personal guards nodded indifferently at him, yet a flicker of surprise flashed in their eyes.
They were well aware of how terrifying their killing intent was. Many clansmen would take a wide detour upon seeing them; those who got slightly closer would turn pale. As for the younger generation, aside from a select few, most would look at them with fear, too scared to move.
But today, Ye Chen faced them with complete composure, completely unaffected by their killing intent. It was truly strange.
After bidding farewell with a cupped-fist salute, Ye Chen leisurely strolled alone along the gravel path, heading unhurriedly towards the courtyard where his parents resided.
The warm, gentle sunlight bathed his body. This relaxed stroll was the first since his rebirth, making him, who had been immersed in cultivation for a full four months, feel an urge to exhale in comfort.
It had been a long time since he had felt so at ease; even in his previous life, such moments were few and far between.
Turning a corner, a sudden burst of silvery, bell-like, crisp, and pleasant laughter from a young girl drifted over from another path, refreshing his spirits as if bringing a touch of coolness to the hot summer.
Ye Chen followed the sound and looked over. On another path, a group of charmingly beautiful young girls were walking over, giggling.
Though each was only at the age of sixteen, they were in the tender bloom of youth, radiating the beauty unique to their age. Each had already developed curves in all the right places—full in front and behind—possessing the captivating charm of a green apple, utterly enchanting.
These young ladies were daughters from some important collateral branches of the family. Each was dressed up beautifully, exuding an alluring aura, like freshly blooming delicate flowers.
Among the cluster of lovely young girls, there was one whose appearance could be described as stunningly beautiful. Tall and well-developed, with her dark hair coiled up, though she couldn't compare to Yang Yi, she still appeared delicate and charming, her every smile and movement captivating.
This young lady was precisely the granddaughter of the Second Elder, Ye Zimei!
She was also a genius within the family, the same age as Ye Chen, now sixteen. Yet her cultivation had already reached the seventh level of the Houtian realm. She could be considered one of the strongest among the younger generation after Ye Zhengyang. Such talent was indeed quite remarkable.
Although she was the granddaughter of his father's rival, the Second Elder, Ye Chen's impression of Ye Zimei wasn't too bad. Even during his two years of decline, he had never seen the young lady utter a single cold or sarcastic word. On the contrary, when they occasionally met, she would nod and greet him, her attitude far better than that of other family disciples.
At this moment, the group of young girls also noticed Ye Chen's arrival. They were first taken aback, clearly not expecting to encounter the youth here. Most of their expressions turned somewhat complex, including Ye Zimei's.
After all, this youth before them was not only the Patriarch's direct son, but two years ago, he had once been so brilliant that people could only look up to and admire him. Many young ladies in the family had harbored feelings of admiration for him, including them.
Unfortunately, the youth now was no longer the high-spirited genius of the past; he had fallen into decline and attempted suicide over love.
Not only had he refused the Yang family's apology some time ago, but he had also made a ridiculous bet with the genius young lady Yang Yi. In their eyes, this was undoubtedly an extremely foolish act. Even if the youth regained his former cultivation speed, it would be impossible to succeed in just nine months.
What a pity that a precious Clear Spirit Pill would be wasted in the youth's hands. They all felt a sense of frustration, wondering how such a waste could appear in their family.
Finally, one of them couldn't help but curl her lip and sneer, "Well, if it isn't Cousin Ye Chen. How come you're so free, not cultivating? Didn't you agree to a bet, to compete with the Yang family's heaven-favored daughter?"
Another chimed in mockingly, "Don't joke around. What kind of bet is that? It's clearly a guaranteed loss. How could Cousin Ye Chen possibly win against the heaven-favored daughter Yang Yi? If it were three years ago, that would be one thing, but three years later, isn't he just like a cripple? Still dreaming of entering Tian Du Academy? In my opinion, it's nothing but wishful thinking."
"That's right. What level is the entrance trial for Tian Du Academy? Everyone knows. In our entire Ye family, probably only Zimei and Cousin Ye Zhengyang could pass," a third young lady added.
The several young girls spoke without the slightest restraint in front of Ye Chen, clearly intending to belittle him.
Although Ye Chen was the Patriarch's son, with the label of a waste, even servants dared to mock him from afar. It showed just how low his current status was.
Ye Chen merely cast a sidelong glance at the three girls. Though their words were unpleasant, with his breadth of mind, he naturally wouldn't stoop to bickering with these young girls who, in his eyes, were like little kids. He stepped forward and walked past them as if they weren't there, only nodding politely to Ye Zimei as he passed by, as a form of greeting.
Watching Ye Chen leave with such composure, Ye Zimei, who stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens, felt a momentary daze. In the instant their eyes met, she saw something in his gaze that had disappeared two years ago—confidence. And now, it seemed to have returned.
For some reason, two faint blushes suddenly flew across her small face, then her beautiful little face darkened slightly as she softly chided, "Ye Tingting, Ye Guo'er, Ye Xia, you've all gone too far."
Then, to the astonishment of all the young girls, Ye Zimei took small steps to catch up. A fragrant breeze accompanied her as she arrived beside Ye Chen, lowering her beautiful head, her soft hair lightly swaying. She said softly, "Brother Ye Chen, I'm sorry. They didn't mean it."
Looking at the suddenly apologetic Ye Zimei, Ye Chen appeared somewhat surprised. In his impression, Ye Zimei had always been an aloof girl, and the two of them had very little interaction. Only on the rare occasions they met had they nodded a few times in greeting.
Given the circumstances, it wouldn't have been strange if Ye Zimei had coldly mocked him, but this polite apology left him somewhat taken aback.
Raising his eyes and seeing the doubt on Ye Chen's face, a shadow of gloom passed through Ye Zimei's eyes. Then, her bright eyes curved into a shallow smile, and a charming blush appeared on her cheeks. She said softly, "There are some things perhaps Brother Ye Chen has forgotten, but Zimei has always kept them in mind. Back then, it was only thanks to your guidance that Zimei was able to reach this point."
At this, Ye Chen was slightly taken aback. Then, some fragmented memories surfaced in his mind. After a good while, he finally understood.
In his memories, about four or five years ago, when he was still the high-spirited, peerless genius of the Ye family, the focus of everyone's attention, he had once passed by a courtyard one day, hands clasped behind his head out of sheer boredom. He saw a little girl diligently practicing martial techniques, her expression extremely serious, yet she never quite grasped the essence.
At that time, Ye Chen, purely out of boredom and to pass the time, had entered the courtyard and offered some casual guidance to the little girl, pointing out the shortcomings in her practice.
Vaguely, he remembered the little girl's gaze at him then, filled with gratitude and a hint of admiration.
That little girl was naturally the current genius young lady, Ye Zimei. And that casual guidance was perhaps the most significant interaction between them. Other times, they had only exchanged nods, nothing more.
Who could have thought that because of that guidance back then, the once ordinary young girl had broken through her bottleneck and begun to soar, reaching her current heights and becoming the much-admired genius young lady of the Ye family.
And Ye Chen had taken the completely opposite path, transforming from the high-spirited peerless genius of the past into the current waste of a youth.
Indeed, fate was always quite peculiar and ironic.
Yet the young girl had not forgotten the kindness from back then, always keeping it in her heart. Even now that Ye Chen had fallen on hard times, her feelings remained unchanged, and she still stepped forward to express her gratitude.
Seeing the earnest and grateful expression on the young girl's lovely face, Ye Chen couldn't help but reach out and ruffle her head, smiling with a hint of affection. In that moment, his smile was gentle and sunny. "That matter from back then... I'm surprised you still remember it."
As soon as this somewhat intimate gesture was made, everyone was stunned, including Ye Chen himself and Ye Zimei.
When he came to his senses, Ye Chen quickly withdrew his hand and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, my hand moved on its own—"
Before he could finish, the young girl suddenly smiled brightly, her eyes curving. Under the sunlight, she looked radiant. She spread her arms and gently embraced Ye Chen. The delicate fragrance of the beauty accompanied her as her lovely, slightly choked voice sounded by his ear. "Brother Ye Chen, there's no need to apologize. It should be Zimei thanking you, for not coldly rejecting Zimei."