Although Ye Tiancheng felt he had wronged Miss Hou, his relationship with Hou Mingzhu was very good, and she didn't care about these things at all, nor did she feel truly wronged.
In short, their group temporarily settled down to rest.
During their stay at the villa, everyone was quite leisurely. Under Ye Tiancheng's subtle hints, the little fox knew that Ye Tiancheng's main objective this time was to target Shao Ying and find evidence of Shao Ying's wrongdoing.
The little fox also felt it was important to remove this thorn in the side as soon as possible, so he took Ye Tiancheng's instructions seriously.
However, regardless of what was happening internally, at least on the surface, their group was on vacation, spending their days eating, drinking, and enjoying leisure.
As for Ye Tiancheng, since he had already obtained the fragment of the Fuxi Qin, he didn't need to run around. However, since he had chosen to keep this from Fatty and Shao Ying, he still had to maintain a semblance of normalcy.
Therefore, Ye Tiancheng would often create the illusion that he had gone out, when in reality, he remained in the villa. Neither Hou Mingzhu nor the little fox would expose him, and the villa was large enough for him to hide in another room, ensuring Fatty and Shao Ying would never know he hadn't left.
When Ye Tiancheng pretended to have gone out and was alone, he often spent his time cultivating and occasionally resting.
Regardless, Ye Tiancheng never slacked off in his cultivation. Becoming stronger was paramount. Strength was the foundation of freedom, and he didn't know what challenges lay ahead; the future was always uncertain, filled with unknown crises.
To better protect his family, friends, and loved ones, Ye Tiancheng would redouble his efforts to become even stronger.
He would not become complacent or stagnant just because he felt he was already powerful, lest he be like a wave that crashes on the shore, overwhelmed by the next.
One day, while Ye Tiancheng was cultivating, the Nuwa Stone suddenly alerted him that someone was knocking at the door. Ye Tiancheng stopped cultivating and went to open it.
As he opened the door, Ye Tiancheng could already hear the person outside and knew who it was.
"Brother Ye, hurry and open the door!"
Ye Tiancheng paused at the door and opened it, only to see the little fox standing outside. Since Ye Tiancheng was currently in a hidden state, it was inconvenient for the little fox to stand at the door and talk to him.
So, Ye Tiancheng shifted slightly to the side, making space, and invited the little fox inside.
The little fox walked in from the doorway, not at all hesitant or shy, as their relationship was genuinely good.
After the little fox entered, Ye Tiancheng asked him, "Why did you suddenly come over? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing important..." the little fox said, then shook his head vigorously. "No, it is quite important."
Ye Tiancheng looked at him, "Oh? What is it?"
The little fox paused by the table and casually pulled up a stool to sit down. "Firstly, it's about lunchtime, and Sister-in-law asked me to tell you that you can stop hiding and prepare to go out."
Ye Tiancheng nodded. "Okay, what else?"
The little fox continued, "There's another thing. You haven't really gone out these past few days and have been cooped up in this villa."
"It's not just us; even Sister-in-law can't relax and have fun seeing you like this. You must be bored staying here all the time."
The little fox said, crossing his arms. "So, I've been sent on a mission, with Sister-in-law's instructions, to see if I can get you to go out for a bit, instead of staying in the house all day."
Ye Tiancheng looked enlightened. "Mingzhu sent you?"
The little fox lowered his hands and nodded. "Yes. You know, not everything is settled yet. You told everyone to go and have fun, to rest, but you're the only one still working hard."
"No matter who it is, they wouldn't be able to stand it. And in this situation, who could truly rest and have fun with peace of mind?"
Ye Tiancheng thought about it and felt it might be true; he was putting pressure on everyone.
So, Ye Tiancheng said, "Alright then, I'll go out for a walk today, so you don't have to worry."
As he spoke, he started to head towards the door.
The little fox quickly got up and followed Ye Tiancheng, staying by his side. He hurriedly said, "We just want you to rest well, not to complete a mission. If you really don't want to go out, you don't have to force yourself."
Ye Tiancheng understood and was grateful for Hou Mingzhu and the little fox's concern. He said, "I'm not forcing myself. It's just that I've been too hard on myself lately. Now I feel that what you're saying has some truth to it; I really can't be so tense all the time."
"A rubber band stretched too tight will break, let alone a person? We all know the principle, but when it comes to actually doing it, perhaps due to pressure or other reasons, we can't do it very well."
"But I know my mistakes and am good at taking advice. So, you said it, and I listened. It's that simple."
The little fox sighed. "It's good that you're not forcing yourself, Brother. Where are you planning to go?"
Ye Tiancheng stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "Well, I haven't fully decided yet. I've just confirmed that I'm going out. But there's no rush; I'll just go with the flow. It's a trip to relax, after all."
The little fox thought about it and felt that was fine. As long as Ye Tiancheng was willing to go out and relax, he didn't say much more.
Ye Tiancheng and the little fox left the room together. By the time they reached the dining area, it was indeed almost time for lunch. They took their seats at the table, and the servants were already setting up lunch.
For the past few days, they had been eating very lavishly. Hou Mingzhu had specifically hired the head chef from a renowned hotel to cook, and Ye Tiancheng and the others were indeed enjoying the delicious food.
During lunch, Hou Mingzhu and the little fox exchanged glances, intending to persuade Ye Tiancheng to go out and relax. The little fox quietly gave Hou Mingzhu an "okay" gesture.
Seeing this, Hou Mingzhu knew it was fine and felt a little more at ease.
As long as Ye Tiancheng agreed, Hou Mingzhu knew there would be no problems later. She would be much more relieved, as Ye Tiancheng constantly staying at home would genuinely worry her about his state.
However, on this day, Ye Tiancheng hadn't really decided what to do when he went out, so he just took Ye Qingcheng out for a bit to accompany his daughter.
It wasn't until the next morning that Ye Tiancheng woke up early and saw Hou Mingzhu seemingly waiting for him. He went over to her and said, "Why have you been waiting in the room?"
Hou Mingzhu replied, "Of course, I have something to discuss with you. Will you agree?"
Ye Tiancheng smiled and said, "Miss Hou has something to ask of me, how could I dare to refuse? Tell me, what is it?"
Hou Mingzhu explained, "It's like this. Since we are in Yancheng now, you know what day it is today. I've made plans with some girlfriends to go out. There's a very lively celebration event outside."
"Why don't you come with us? Bring Fatty and the little fox along."
Seeing Ye Tiancheng's expression change, although she couldn't discern his mood, she was afraid he might think of something unpleasant or, fearing rejection, she continued, "They aren't old friends. They are some ladies you haven't met before, and they are all beautiful."
Seeing Hou Mingzhu like this, Ye Tiancheng smiled, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. "What are you saying? Of course, I'll go."
"But in my eyes, I can only see you, this beautiful woman."
Hou Mingzhu appeared not particularly happy on the surface, but she was actually quite pleased and a little shy. "You know how to say sweet things. I hope you truly mean it."
Ye Tiancheng deliberately put on a wronged expression, his eyes drooping. "Haven't I performed well enough these days? You don't trust me like this."
Hou Mingzhu then said, "You've performed exceptionally well. I hope you continue to do so."
Ye Tiancheng then smiled and said, "Yes, Your Excellency, my wife!"
Afterward, Ye Tiancheng roughly asked Hou Mingzhu how many people would be going. Hou Mingzhu told Ye Tiancheng that including themselves, there would be exactly seven people, and they wouldn't be bringing their daughter, Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Tiancheng had initially thought Hou Mingzhu had two friends joining them. However, he heard Hou Mingzhu say that she had invited three friends, and Shao Ying wouldn't be going. Hou Mingzhu had asked Shao Ying before, but Shao Ying had expressed no interest in such activities and wouldn't participate.
After hearing this, Ye Tiancheng had a thought, but he hadn't told Hou Mingzhu about Shao Ying's issues, and now was not the right time to mention it.
Therefore, Ye Tiancheng asked Hou Mingzhu to make other arrangements, suggesting that Ye Qingcheng also be given something to do. In short, the idea was to prevent her from staying in the villa. The pretense was that they were going out without their daughter, and it wouldn't be good for her to know.
Hou Mingzhu was persuaded by Ye Tiancheng and was somewhat misled into agreeing to his suggestion, arranging other activities for Ye Qingcheng.
Thus, by the end of the day, only Shao Ying would remain alone in the villa, not going out.
Ye Tiancheng knew that since Hou Mingzhu had provided an accurate headcount and even mentioned asking Shao Ying, she must have also confirmed with Fatty and the little fox.
After a simple breakfast, Hou Mingzhu, Ye Tiancheng, and Ye Tiancheng's two brothers, Fatty and the little fox, set out together.
They were going to meet Hou Mingzhu's three friends first. Hou Mingzhu had said her friends were all beautiful, and she wasn't exaggerating or boasting. Those women looked no less stunning than Hou Mingzhu, and each had a different style and unique beauty.
Perhaps it was because of their diverse types of beauty that these talented women could become friends without conflict or becoming enemies.
As a married man, Ye Tiancheng, while not entirely uninterested in beautiful women, had to exercise restraint given his status and the fact that he was accompanying his wife. He didn't want to observe Hou Mingzhu's friends too closely.
The little fox, being handsome and attractive to women, was not interested in women at all. His attention was not at all focused on Hou Mingzhu's friends.
Fatty, on the other hand, reacted more like an ordinary person. With Shao Ying absent and seeing exceptionally beautiful women, he couldn't help but glance at them a few times.
Hou Mingzhu's three beautiful friends were indeed breathtakingly gorgeous. Their appearances were outstanding, and their distinct temperaments made it impossible to mistake any one of them for another. Each of them possessed a completely different style.