Chapter 391 Stranger

Chapter 391 Strangers

Are these people with Sister Xiaoxiao really...

Xu Jianli glanced at Hao Yanyan—she must know them, right?

Ye Jianguo and Miao Cuifang never expected to run into Hao Yanyan this time. But given their previous unpleasant encounters, neither made the first move to speak.

This time, however, Hao Yanyan didn’t avoid their gaze. Perhaps Ye Changsheng’s words at the ski resort last time had really gotten under her skin.

Thinking it over, she decided that even if these were relatives she looked down on, she wasn’t about to let Xiaoxiao steal them away.

Hao Yanyan took a step forward, on the verge of speaking.

Suddenly, Ye Jianguo coughed a few times. "Xiaoxiao, it’s freezing out here. Let’s head home early."

Xiaoxiao paused, then nodded. "Alright."

She turned to Xu Jianli. "We’re heading back now. You two enjoy yourselves."

Xu Jianli could cut the tension with a knife and could only nod. "Sure."

Hao Yanyan froze mid-step.

She couldn’t believe it—she had been completely shut out.

The Ye family had outright ignored her.

Only then did Hao Yanyan take a closer look at them.

The current Ye family was night and day compared to how they’d been when she left.

Back then, Ye Changsheng and Ye Hanning could only wear hand-me-down jackets full of patches in winter, and the brothers shared a single pair of battered winter boots.

But now, they were dressed in the latest down jackets, with bright scarves and gloves. Their skin even looked healthier, brighter—likely from better nutrition.

Her mouth opened, but no words came. She could only watch as they disappeared into the crowd.

Zhao Hongxia had been standing beside Xu Jianli and saw the Ye family too.

Once they were gone, she asked Hao Yanyan, "So those are your adoptive parents’ family? They look like they’re living large."

Zhao Hongxia had assumed rural folks were all dull and backward, but this group was full of polished, good-looking folks.

Even the older couple looked sharp—nothing like country bumpkins.

Hao Yanyan shook her head. "The Ye family is very poor. They probably splurged on fancy clothes just for this trip."

Xu Jianwen, however, stared after them.

Among the group, he’d spotted a face that matched one from his assistant’s interview list—an up-and-coming businessman also surnamed Ye.

But... no way it’s *that* much of a coincidence.

According to Hao Yanyan, the Ye family should still be stuck in Baishi Village.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

However, Hao Yanyan had earlier painted the Ye family as vicious child-abusers, but now they didn’t seem that way at all.

Zhao Hongxia didn’t buy into Hao Yanyan’s story this time.

Young folks see things in black and white.

Poor folks carry themselves differently on the street.

The Ye family had that bright, lively look—clearly well-off.

"Maybe they’ve come up in the world lately. They don’t match your description at all..."

Though curious, Zhao Hongxia wasn’t close to the Ye family and had no way to dig deeper.

Xu Jianli turned to his mother. "Mom, why do you always talk trash about people? Are we gonna keep going or what?"

He strode ahead impatiently.

"Oh, come on, can’t I vent a little? It’s not like I said it to their faces."

Zhao Hongxia grumbled but dropped it.

Hao Yanyan shot a cautious glance at Xu Jianwen, wondering if he thought her and the Ye family’s dynamic was weird. "Let’s head up too."

Xu Jianwen walked off, lost in thought.

"Seems you’re really on bad terms with your adoptive parents. Didn’t even greet them."

She hadn’t greeted them because she’d torched every bridge with them long ago.

Pushing down that twinge of guilt, Hao Yanyan played along.

"Yeah, maybe they blame me for tracking down my birth parents."

Xu Jianwen gave her a long look before staying silent.

——

Meanwhile, the Ye family were already in the car.

Running into an unexpected face hadn’t ruined their mood.

They’d been let down too many times before—they were done with Hao Yanyan. She wasn’t their problem anymore.

In Ye Changan’s car, Ye Changqing and Zhang Xue were in the back with the kids.

When Hao Yanyan left, Ye Baoyuan was just a baby, and Ye Baocheng was still small.

He had some hazy memories at best.

Ye Baocheng asked, "Mom, who was that lady back there? She looked kinda familiar."

The kid’s innocent question stumped Zhang Xue.

She’d held him that one time when he was little.

That single visit ended with Ye Baocheng tumbling off the bed, bonking his head good and leaving a nasty bump. But Zhang Xue was sure it was an accident.

Ye Changqing didn’t think much of it. Since the child asked, he answered directly.

"It’s our former little aunt. Don’t you remember?"

Ye Changning thought for a moment and shook his head honestly. "I don’t remember."

"That’s because she left home when you were little. She’s no longer part of our family. Her leaving is why our current little aunt returned."

Ye Changqing tried to explain this complicated matter simply to the child.

Ye Baocheng was old enough to have his own views.

Hearing his father’s words, he declared loudly, "I like our current little aunt the best! She’s the best!"

Zhang Xue patted her son’s head. "Your little aunt’s love for you wasn’t wasted."

Ye Baoyuan refused to be outdone. "I love our little aunt the most too!"

Ye Changning, who was still driving, was touched by the children’s words.

"Since you two adore your little aunt, you have to protect her well and not let anyone bully her, okay?"

Ye Changcheng: "Okay! I’m a big boy! I’ll protect Mom, Auntie, and my sister!"

Ye Baoyuan clenched his fists. "Me too! I’ll protect her too!"

Zhang Xue made them both sit properly.

"Alright, alright, enough boasting. You can say things like that once you’re as tall as your dad."

The boys grumbled but sat down.

But they remembered their uncle’s words—they were the men of the house, and they had to protect the girls!

……

Ye Jianguo and Miao Cuifang were in Ye Xiaoxiao’s car.

"Mom, Dad, you..."

"Xiao Xiao, you don’t need to say anything. Your dad and I have made peace with it," Miao Cuifang said before Xiaoxiao could finish.

"If there’s no connection, there’s none. We’ll just think of it as raising another’s child for a few years. Now that she’s grown up, it’s time she went back.

Whether she’s grateful or not—that’s not something we can force."

Ye Jianguo fully agreed with Miao Cuifang’s words.

After all, their family now only had Xiaoxiao as their daughter. As for others, they’ll treat them no differently from strangers.