The night was as dark as ink, and an SUV with military plates from the Eastern Theater Command was driving towards the Tan Palace affluent district under the cover of darkness.
This was Ye Wentao's private car.
Ye Wentao and his wife Wang Hong sat in the back seat of the car, not speaking a word.
Ye Wentao closed his eyes to rest, his mind occupied with thoughts unknown, while his wife Wang Hong appeared anxious and uneasy, as if burdened by something.
A moment later, the car arrived at the entrance of the Tan Palace affluent district.
Wang Hong, with her sharp eyes, spotted her son Ye Rui's car parked on the side by the entrance and quickly said, "Stop the car."
"Yes!"
The driver immediately obeyed, slammed on the brakes, and stopped the car at the entrance of the Tan Palace affluent district.
Ye Wentao opened his eyes and said, "Xiao Wu, find a place to park and wait for us at the entrance."
"Yes, Commander!"
The driver once again obeyed.
Wang Hong, however, looked confused and asked, "Are we going to walk in?"
"Yes. There are too many people here, and it's not suitable for my car to go in," Ye Wentao nodded and then got out of the car.
Wang Hong's expression turned unsightly upon hearing this, but she ultimately said nothing and followed him out.
At the same time, Ye Rui walked over with a dejected expression, "Dad, Mom..."
"Let's go, we'll talk as we walk."
Ye Wentao interrupted, as there were some things he didn't want outsiders to hear.
With his words, Ye Wentao led Wang Hong and Ye Rui into the Tan Palace affluent district, heading towards Villa No. 9.
"Dad, why did you suddenly make this decision?"
Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Ye Rui immediately asked the question that had been bothering him.
Three hours prior, he had received a call from Ye Wentao, who said he would bring Wang Hong to see Jiang Wuming tonight.
Although Ye Wentao hadn't explained why he was going to see Jiang Wuming, Ye Rui's sharp mind had naturally deduced it.
Back then, Jiang Wuming had come to their doorstep regarding his adoptive father Su Shirong's affairs. He hadn't met Ye Wentao, and after explaining his intentions, he was insulted and driven away by Wang Hong and Ye Rui.
Later, because of Wang Zhisheng's incident, Wang Hong and Ye Rui began to view Jiang Wuming as an enemy. Ye Wentao no longer cared about his past affection for his sister Ye Jinmei and changed his attitude towards Jiang Wuming.
Even later, when Jiang Wuming entered the capital and crushed the Luo family for the sake of Xing Tian, Ye Zheng unexpectedly supported Jiang Wuming and invited him to the Ye family courtyard.
After that day, all the Ye family disciples believed that Ye Zheng had allowed Jiang Wuming to return to the Ye family and that he highly valued him.
However, even so, there had been almost no interaction between the Ye family and Jiang Wuming.
And now, Ye Wentao was voluntarily taking Wang Hong and Ye Rui to see Jiang Wuming, which was tantamount to voluntarily admitting fault!
"Today, I received a call from your grandfather. Due to the battle at the Donghai Martial Arts Academy, the Ministry of War intends to commend and reward Jiang Wuming and the Zhan Long team. Moreover, Grand Elder Long Shengzhe will attend the commendation ceremony!"
Ye Wentao said with a complex expression.
There was an old saying, "Like father, like son," but he had never imagined that Jiang Wuming would reach such a position today.
"Wh-what?!"
Ye Rui was utterly stunned.
As a descendant of the Ye family, he had been cultivated from childhood, and his understanding of the political landscape was far beyond that of ordinary people. He instantly grasped the implications behind this matter!
"Your grandfather wants to invite Jiang Wuming to the Ye family courtyard for a dinner after the commendation ceremony, with the entire Ye family attending."
As Ye Rui was still in shock, Ye Wentao spoke again, saying with some concern:
"Jiang Wuming has a vengeful personality. The first time he entered the Ye family courtyard, he was not polite to me, your uncles, aunts, and so on. This time, with glory bestowed upon him and a bright future ahead, he will likely be even more aggressive when he visits the Ye family courtyard.
You've had a conflict with him, and I worry he might target you.
If that happens, it's a minor matter if you get wronged, but it would be troublesome if your grandfather develops a negative opinion of you."
Crack!
After hearing Ye Wentao's words, Ye Rui clenched his fists, his face filled with suppressed frustration, yet he was unable to refute.
When one is under someone else's roof, they must bow their head.
Although he was a thousand times unwilling to go see Jiang Wuming, he had to admit that Jiang Wuming was no longer the 'bastard' rejected by the Ye family, but the pride and favorite of the Ministry of War, and had even caught the eye of Long Shengzhe!
"Endure it, and it will pass. If he says anything unpleasant, just consider it dog barking,"
Wang Hong saw her son Ye Rui's frustrated expression and reminded him.
She also did not want to go to Jiang Wuming's doorstep, but for the sake of Ye Wentao and Ye Rui, she decided to humble herself.
However, humbling herself did not mean she intended to apologize!
On the contrary, like Ye Rui, she harbored deep hatred for Jiang Wuming.
This was because Jiang Wuming had crippled his nephew Wang Zhisheng's hand and publicly humiliated Ye Rui, and even his brother Wang Lin, causing their Wang family to become a disgrace in the Dragon Triangle and even the entire Dragon Country during that period!
"Okay."
Ye Rui nodded and then relaxed his fists.
His greatest achievement in the past few years in the military had been learning forbearance through tempering.
Ye Wentao's brows twitched slightly, wanting to say something, but he gave up as the words reached his lips.
This was because reason told him that no matter how much he pleaded, Wang Hong and Ye Rui would not change their true feelings.
Moreover, even he himself was not sincerely going to apologize to Jiang Wuming?!
Soon, Ye Wentao, Wang Hong, and Ye Rui, the family of three, arrived at the entrance of Villa No. 9.
"Who are you looking for?"
At the entrance of the villa, Cai Xin, a bodyguard of Chu Wansong, appeared immediately, sizing up Ye Wentao and the other two with unfriendly eyes, and asked in a cold tone.
"We are looking for Jiang Wuming."
Ye Rui frowned, his face dark, and spoke first, his tone revealing unconcealed anger.
Initially, he didn't want to come and apologize to Jiang Wuming, and now, seeing a bodyguard-like figure staring at his family with unfriendly eyes, his anger was like oil poured on a fire, instantly igniting.
"Who are you people?"
When Cai Xin, Chu Wansong's bodyguard, heard Ye Rui say he was looking for Jiang Wuming, his attitude improved significantly.
This was because he not only knew that Chu Wansong treated Jiang Wuming as his own son, but he also knew that Chu Wansong's current status and position were entirely due to Jiang Wuming's contributions!
This made him deeply respectful, even fearful, of Jiang Wuming!
"Hello, my name is Ye Wentao, Jiang Wuming's second uncle. This is my wife Wang Hong, and my son Ye Rui."
This time, as soon as Cai Xin finished speaking, Ye Wentao spoke first, revealing his identity.
"Please wait a moment, I need to report."
Cai Xin's attitude changed instantly, and his words were very polite.
After saying this, he returned to the villa to report to Chu Wansong personally.
"He perfectly embodies the meaning of the phrase 'watchdog.'"
Ye Rui sneered. He could clearly sense the change in the other party's attitude after hearing Ye Wentao declare their identities and subjectively believed that the other party had recognized their family's status from the Ye family, hence the significant change in attitude!
"This Jiang Wuming is not old, but his airs are getting bigger and bigger!"
Wang Hong's face was gloomy.
As the daughter-in-law of the Ye family, apart from visiting Ye Zheng in the Ye family courtyard, at other times, people would wait to see her. When had she ever proactively visited, only to wait at the entrance?
Inside the villa.
Jiang Wuming was still on a video call with Li Lianyi.
"Buzz~"
Suddenly, Jiang Wuming's phone vibrated. He saw a message: Wuming, your second uncle Ye Wentao and his family of three are outside the villa and want to see you. Do you want to see them?
Seeing the content of the message, Jiang Wuming's brows furrowed.
"What's wrong?"
At the same time, Li Lianyi noticed Jiang Wuming's unusual expression and asked.
"Ye Wentao and his family of three are currently outside Uncle Chu's villa and want to see me."
Jiang Wuming first answered Li Lianyi truthfully, then asked, "Lianyi, do you think I should see them?"
"No."
Li Lianyi's answer was direct and decisive.
"Why?" Jiang Wuming instinctively asked.
"They are not worthy."
Li Lianyi's answer was simple and clear.
"Okay."
Jiang Wuming smiled slightly.
Two minutes later.
Cai Xin, Chu Wansong's bodyguard, returned to the outside of the villa.
"Please return, young master Jiang will not see you!"
Cai Xin had reverted to his initial demeanor, staring unpleasantly at Ye Wentao, Wang Hong, and Ye Rui, the family of three.
"You... are you sure?!"
Ye Rui was instantly stunned and froze in place. He had never imagined that Jiang Wuming would refuse to see his family of three.
"Did you tell him our identities?!"
Wang Hong's eyes widened in disbelief.
No answer.
Cai Xin turned and left, dismissing Wang Hong and Ye Rui's words as if they were nothing.
"Did Jiang Wuming say why he refused to see us?"
Ye Wentao frowned, staring at Cai Xin's retreating back, and suddenly asked.
"Young Master Jiang said, you are not worthy!"
Cai Xin continued walking without stopping, providing the answer.
This was also the reason why he had returned to his previous attitude towards Ye Wentao, Wang Hong, and Ye Rui.
Not worthy?!
Upon hearing these two words, Ye Wentao, Wang Hong, and Ye Rui, the family of three, their faces instantly changed drastically!
At this moment.
They felt as if they had received a silent slap in the face, their hearts filled with suppressed humiliation and anger. At the same time, they couldn't help but recall a sentence the young man had said when he first visited their home:
"If the Ye family is willing to help, I will be grateful; if the Ye family is unwilling to help, I will have a clear conscience!"
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.
The young man was long no longer the person he once was!