When Xu Mu heard this, his expression grew solemn. He remembered he had just taken hair and blood from Ye Tong and Ye Yu.
Now Ye Chen suddenly wanted to treat them to dinner—there was no need to guess; he must have already discovered it:
he and Ye Tong and Ye Yu weren't related by blood.
Xu Mu absolutely would not give them time alone. Without him there, the so-called male lead might really pull something off.
He immediately stood. "Sister Yun, something important just came up. I have to go."
Li Yun gave a gentle nod. From his face she could tell. "Go handle it first. We can eat anytime."
"Okay."
Xu Mu turned and left.
When he got back to their villa, Ye Tong was already home. Seeing him, she came forward at once.
"Husband, you're back."
"Mm. What's going on?" Xu Mu asked, feigning ignorance.
"I'm not sure either. My younger brother just called and said he wants to come to Jiang City and treat us to dinner."
Ye Tong smiled and wrapped her arm around his. "Maybe there's been progress on the Ye family matter."
Xu Mu nodded and led Ye Tong inside first.
After chatting a while, Ye Yu returned as well, riding her e-bike.
"Sis, is my brother really treating us to dinner?"
She'd barely stepped in when she grinned.
Xu Mu watched the expressions of the two sisters; they were both happy—understandable, since to them Ye Chen was family.
After a bit more small talk, Ye Tong's phone buzzed.
She checked it and answered immediately. "Chen, you're here? Okay."
Hanging up, she said to Xu Mu, "Let's go. It's at Jinyu Pavilion."
Xu Mu agreed. Jinyu Pavilion was a century-old, time-honored restaurant in Jiang City.
He drove Ye Tong and Ye Yu to the location.
The restaurant's façade had a traditional style.
As they got out of the car, Xiao Ran appeared at the entrance, smiling in welcome.
She was still dressed casually, with short hair, the fringe covering one eye.
"Welcome," Xiao Ran said. "Please follow me."
Xu Mu glanced at Ye Tong and Ye Yu, then followed Xiao Ran inside.
The main hall was empty.
Xu Mu remembered this place usually did great business—especially now, at dinner time.
"Did you buy out the place?"
"My boss likes quiet," Xiao Ran replied with a smile. "Especially when meeting family—he doesn't want outside disturbances."
"'Family'? After so many years apart he can't even greet them himself? Putting on airs in front of family, is he?"
Xu Mu's tone was cool.
Xiao Ran wanted to say something, but her throat worked and she swallowed the words.
Hearing this, Ye Tong and Ye Yu both frowned slightly.
They'd been happy about seeing Ye Chen and hadn't thought about it that way; only after Xu Mu's reminder did it click.
Ye Yu, especially, went from excited to a bit annoyed.
Ye Chen wasn't their elder—Ye Tong was his older sister.
By rights, he should be at the door to welcome them.
She guessed Ye Chen must have done well for himself these years.
But no matter how well, he shouldn't put on a show in front of his own family.
Ye Yu puffed her cheeks—basic manners were lacking; compared to her brother-in-law, he was far worse.
"Maybe he's busy with something else," Ye Tong said with a smile, giving Xu Mu a look.
"Perhaps," Xu Mu replied. By now, with his perception, he had already located Ye Chen.
He was sitting in the private room with his eyes closed, "resting." Busy with nothing—he'd just had an easy road for too long and gotten used to acting the part.
At the private room door, Xiao Ran opened it.
Ye Yu peeked in first and saw Ye Chen wasn't busy at all—just sitting there.
Her favorability began to drop.
"Dragon King," Xiao Ran called softly, then stepped back behind him on her own.
Ye Chen opened his cold, sharp eyes. With one glance he saw Ye Tong—exactly as he had imagined.
"Chen, we finally meet. Have you been well these years?"
Looking at her younger brother—young in age, yet with eyes full of hardship—Ye Tong couldn't help but tear up.
Seeing her tears, Ye Chen's nose stung as well. Big sister was as gentle as ever.
"It was hard at first, but later, it got much better."
He stood and forced a smile. "Sis, have a seat."
"Oh? Eyes only for big sister—everyone else gets selectively ignored?" Ye Yu said with a tart edge.
"Xiao Yu, you sit too," Ye Chen replied with a smile toward her.
"Honey, don't be so formal—we're all family," Ye Tong said, pulling Xu Mu to sit beside her.
At that, Ye Chen's face clearly changed. He turned to Xiao Ran. "Have them serve the dishes."
"Yes," she answered and left the room.
Xu Mu took a tissue from the side and handed it to Ye Tong.
She gave him a grateful look, accepted it, and dabbed away her tears.
Catching that small gesture, Ye Yu became even more certain Xu Mu outclassed Ye Chen by a mile.
[Favorability +6]
Above Ye Tong's head, the same black text appeared:
[Favorability +6]
"Chen, why did you call us here this time? Did you find out the reason our parents went missing?" Ye Tong asked.
Ye Chen didn't answer. He took out a sheet of paper, set it on the lazy table, and spun it to Ye Tong.
She picked it up to read, and Ye Yu leaned over to look as well.
When they saw the blood-relation results, the sisters exchanged looks of disbelief.
"Sis, I haven't found anything about our parents yet," Ye Chen said, eyes heating as he stared at Ye Tong, "but I did find that I have no blood relation to you two."
"I'm an adopted son of the Ye family."
He possessed fierce pride and a kind of psychological fastidiousness.
For example, with women—never mind whether they'd had their first time; even if a woman had dated another man, he'd look down on her.
If she'd dated, it meant another man had once occupied her heart—therefore, she wasn't "clean."
But Ye Tong was the sole exception.
Even knowing she was married,
even knowing she slept with Xu Mu every night, he still didn't care.
When they were young, their parents were often away for work.
He was gloomy, taciturn, invisible at home—like air.
Yet Ye Tong always noticed him; even with a single bite of food, she would remember him.
In his heart, Ye Tong was like the sun—warming everything, embracing everything.
In his youth he had fantasized about being Ye Tong's planet,
drawn by her gravity, circling around her endlessly—already perfectly content.
"Chen, an adopted son is still a son. You'll always be our family," Ye Tong said with a smile, setting the paper on the table.
Ye Chen had expected her to say that—but he didn't want to be Ye Tong's little brother.
He wanted to be her man.
Now, he wanted to be Ye Tong's sun.