In the kitchen, everyone was busy preparing the Ye family’s reunion dinner, fifteen years overdue.
Su Lan, who hadn’t personally cooked in the kitchen for a long time, reluctantly took charge with the servants under Old Mrs. Huo’s pressure.
Just as she placed the freshly simmered soup on the table, a servant announced Ye Yanqiu’s return.
She looked up and saw Ye Yanqiu already standing at the kitchen entrance.
“The smoke and oil fumes are strong here. Wait outside,” Su Lan called out to her daughter.
Ye Yanqiu glanced at the apron her mother was wearing and rubbed her temples helplessly. “Don’t they have servants to cook? Why are you doing it yourself?”
Su Lan instructed the servants to watch over the pots, washed her hands, and stepped out.
“There’s no choice. Your grandmother is overjoyed since she returned. If I don’t do something, I’ll be blamed again.”
Ye Yanqiu looked outside and pulled Su Lan to sit in the living room. “You are the rightful Mrs. Ye, not a servant.”
Su Lan knew her daughter’s temperament. Since childhood, she had never gotten along with Ye Fei. When Ye Fei returned half a month ago, Ye Yanqiu had thrown a huge tantrum.
But Ye Fei had still settled into the Ye household. Usually, Ye Yanqiu was busy with work and didn’t return, so it didn’t matter.
Now that they were at the old residence, they would inevitably have to meet.
“Mom has to remind you, no matter what, she is a member of the Ye family. Your grandmother is still here, so you mustn’t argue with her in front of her.”
This was her advice. Ye Fei had been raised by Old Mrs. Huo since childhood, so their bond was naturally deeper.
Now that she had just returned, Old Mrs. Huo was especially doting on her. If Ye Yanqiu clashed with Ye Fei now, she wouldn’t gain anything.
“Does she think it’s still fifteen years ago when her father was in charge, and she can still lord it over me?” Ye Yanqiu sneered.
Fifteen years ago, Ye Qingcheng was the head of the Ye family, while Ye Qingyuan was sent to a subsidiary far from Jiangcheng for training.
When people spoke of the Ye family, they only knew Ye Qingcheng, not Ye Qingyuan.
Now that he was long dead, Ye Fei was just an orphaned girl living under their roof. She could no longer think of bullying her way around.
“I know you don’t like her, but you also know how close she is to your grandmother. You can’t target her in front of her.”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Ye Yanqiu snorted coldly.
As soon as she finished speaking, Old Mrs. Huo and Ye Fei entered together.
Old Mrs. Huo was in high spirits today and insisted on seating Ye Fei to her left, constantly serving her food.
Seeing this, Ye Yanqiu sneered inwardly.
“Yaoyao, you’ve been back for days now. It’s not good to be idle all the time. How about this—once your foot is better, come work as my assistant,” Ye Yanqiu proposed as soon as she took her seat.
Ye Yanqiu and her sister Ye Yanxia had taken different paths. Ye Yanxia had graduated from the best business school in Dongzhou.
She had interned at the family company since her freshman year and was now firmly established in the Ye Corporation, serving as an executive director second only to Ye Qingyuan.
Ye Yanqiu, on the other hand, had directly enrolled in a film academy. With the Ye family as her backing, her journey had been smooth sailing.
From the day she started her exams, news about her had trickled out, building momentum for her future entry into the entertainment industry.
Although she had just graduated, she was already a somewhat famous star in the entertainment industry.
“Me, as your assistant?” Ye Fei took a sip of juice from her glass and spoke seriously to her, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll steal your spotlight?”
It was almost a tone of certainty. Ye Yanqiu reacted, her expression turning unpleasant as she replied, “You’d be working behind the scenes, not in front of the camera, so there’s no such thing as stealing the spotlight.”
She admitted that Ye Fei’s face was far more captivating than her own—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so doted on by the elders back in the day.
“Besides, in this industry, it’s not just about looks but also talent. What do I have to fear?” Ye Yanqiu retorted dismissively.
“Hmm.” Ye Fei nodded as if she understood, then immediately followed up, “So, you have talent?”
“What do you mean by that!”
Su Lan tugged at her sleeve under the table, and Ye Yanqiu could only swallow her anger.
No matter what, she couldn’t argue with Ye Fei in front of Old Mrs. Huo, or else her grandmother would think she was being unreasonable.
“How could Yaoyao become your assistant? The Ye family isn’t lacking in business. Once her leg is better, she can start working at the company,” Gu Zhi interjected.
Hearing Old Mrs. Huo’s words, Ye Yanqiu sneered, “Grandma, she didn’t even finish university. How can she join the company? Even my sister started from the bottom. If she enters the Ye Corporation without any qualifications, it won’t look good if word gets out.”
From the moment Ye Fei returned to the Ye family, she had been thoroughly investigated.
After Ye Fei went missing, she ended up in an orphanage and was later adopted by a rural family. Over the years, she barely attended school, with her highest education level being junior high.
Someone like her joining the Ye Corporation would be nothing short of a joke.
“The Ye Corporation has always valued ability. Qualifications are just a stepping stone into the company. Yaoyao is our family’s child, so naturally, she doesn’t need that stepping stone,” Gu Zhi said indifferently.
Old Mrs. Huo’s words truly embodied the word “favoritism.” Just as Ye Yanqiu was about to speak, Su Lan once again took her hand under the table.
“Try this, it’s your favorite,” Su Lan said, placing a dish in front of her.
She held back her anger and was about to pick up her chopsticks when a servant respectfully handed her phone to her.
It was a work-related call. Ye Yanqiu stood up and left the dining room.
At this point, Ye Yanxia chimed in, following Old Mrs. Huo’s lead, “Starting from the bottom won’t teach her much. Why doesn’t Yaoyao come with me instead?”
Ye Qingyuan adjusted his glasses and glanced at the girl across from him. “It’s good for her to follow Yanxia. After all, she’ll be taken care of properly by her own family.”
“Thank your second uncle,” Gu Zhi said, nudging Ye Fei.
Obediently, Ye Fei raised her glass of juice toward Ye Qingyuan. “Then thank you, Second Uncle. I originally thought you would definitely not want me to join the company.”
At these words, even Ye Yanxia paused for a moment.
“You’re a member of the Ye family, so of course you’ll join the company in the future. We’re all family, no need to be so formal.”
The atmosphere in the dining room remained harmonious. Ye Yanqiu, having finished her call, walked back in with a smile on her face.
“I almost forgot to give you this,” she said, placing a box in front of Ye Fei. “I just wore it for a photoshoot for an advertisement. It looks quite pretty, so I’ll give it to you.”
Su Lan glanced at the string of embossed golden letters on the jewelry box and exclaimed in surprise, “You’ve landed the Kopi endorsement?”
This was the most renowned jewelry brand across the continent—a genuine high-end luxury label with a century-long heritage, exclusively offering custom designs.
Moreover, it seemed they had never appointed a spokesperson before; their reputation alone stood firm. Becoming their endorser would undoubtedly elevate one’s status within the industry.
“My agent just called. I’ve been promoted from brand ambassador to continental spokesperson—the only one,” Ye Yanqiu’s tone carried a subtle hint of joy.
Securing this endorsement alone would significantly boost her standing in the industry.
More importantly, as Kopi’s first-ever continental spokesperson, her position and treatment would be unprecedented.
“My daughter is the best,” Su Lan stood up and embraced her.
Ye Fei looked up, clearly seeing the overt pride and disdain in Ye Yanqiu’s eyes.
The moment she received the news, Ye Yanqiu had felt a sense of relief. What did she have to be upset about?
The position she now stood in was something Ye Fei could never achieve, no matter how hard she tried for centuries.
She could now freely bask in the spotlight, living a radiant and dazzling life.
As for Ye Fei, those fifteen lost years were enough to keep her trapped in hell forever, with no chance of redemption.