Ye Jinmeng and Xu Wanwan came out of the manor but did not return home. Instead, they went directly to the hospital to visit Ye Jinchen.
"You two heartless girls, do you even remember your big brother lying in the hospital bed?!" As soon as Ye Jinmeng and Xu Wanwan entered the ward, Ye Jinchen's somewhat resentful voice came through.
Ye Jinmeng grinned and walked up, nudging Ye Jinchen's shoulder playfully, "Big bro, what are you saying? We sisters have been thinking about you day and night, unable to sleep!"
Hearing this, Ye Jinchen burst into laughter, "Alright, alright, you sweet-talker!"
Xu Wanwan looked around and saw no sign of their parents, so she asked, "Bro, where are mom and dad?"
"Oh, they went to process my discharge paperwork. They should be back soon."
"Ah? Bro, you're being discharged already?" Ye Jinmeng opened her eyes wide. Just the other day when she left the hospital, the doctor had said that her brother still needed to stay for further observation.
"Bro, you can't be so headstrong. Be good, stay in the hospital for more observation. We still have money, enough for your medical expenses!"
Ye Jinchen couldn't help but roll his eyes. He poked Ye Jinmeng's forehead with his index finger, "You silly girl, what are you imagining?"
Ye Jinmeng covered her forehead and pouted, "Hmph, why am I the one imagining things?"
Xu Wanwan walked over and ruffled Ye Jinmeng's hair before turning to Ye Jinchen, "Big bro, just a couple of days ago you couldn't even get out of bed. How are you being discharged so suddenly? Are you really okay? Did the doctor approve your discharge?"
Ye Jinchen smiled, "I think it might be because of the other Ye Jinchen leaving. I feel unusually light and relaxed. Although it's only been two days, my recovery speed seems incredibly fast. Even the doctor who examined me was about to drop his jaw."
"The doctor said I can be discharged and recover well at home. I reckon in just a few days, I can go back to work at the company."
Ye Jinmeng's mouth opened slightly, "So it's possible that when that other brother left, he took some of your illness with him. Maybe it was his final gift to you."
Ye Jinchen nodded in agreement. He felt the same—although everything seemed so mystical, it was still a special and beautiful experience.
At that moment, Gu Qi came into the ward from outside. Seeing her two daughters, she smiled warmly, "My darlings are here. Perfect timing, your big brother is being discharged today. Once we've got everything ready, we'll all go home together."
The sisters nodded, but Ye Jinmeng didn't see their father, so she asked, "Where's dad?"
"Your dad went to get your grandparents' things ready."
"Grandpa and grandma are being discharged too?"
Gu Qi nodded, "Mm-hmm, your uncle is doing well, so your grandma plans to take him home to recover."
Ye Jinmeng didn't say anything, so Gu Qi explained further in case Ye Jinmeng felt resentful, "Your grandparents are taking your uncle directly back to the Old Mansion."
Ye Jinmeng knew what Gu Qi was worried about. She sighed, "Mom, we'll help you pack."
"Okay."
After more than two months, Ye Jinchen finally returned home.
"Ah, it's great to be home. I was about to puke from the disinfectant smell in the hospital."
Auntie Chen smiled happily at everyone, her face full of relief. Since the incident, the villa had been quiet and lonely, but now everything was finally back to how it used to be, with that warm, lively atmosphere.
Ye Jinchen didn't want to go to his room right away, so he sat in his wheelchair in the living room to chat with his family.
"Mom, you wouldn't believe it, Wanwan and I went to Uncle Xiao's house for a meal today. Auntie Xixi's cooking is really, really delicious!" Ye Jinmeng said, licking her lips.
Ye Jinchen gave her a look, "Look at you, so uncultured! Doesn't our mom cook well?"
Ye Jinmeng was presented with a difficult question. She swallowed and smiled sheepishly, "Of course mom's cooking is delicious. It's just a different style from Auntie Xixi's. They each have their own flavors, no better or worse!"
Gu Qi laughed, "Alright, Auntie Xixi is indeed a good cook. When I was young, I loved going to mooch food from her. Compared to her skills, mine pale in comparison."
Xu Wanwan chimed in at the right moment, "Mom, you can't say that. Mom's cooking has that homely taste, full of warmth and happiness. That's something no one else can replicate, right, Jinmeng?"
She nudged Ye Jinmeng's arm as she spoke.
Ye Jinmeng nodded, "Yeah, yeah, nothing can compare..."
But Ye Jinmeng felt a bit insecure. Could she really say that eating Auntie Xixi's food didn't give her an overwhelming sense of happiness too?
The next second, Ye Jinchen saw right through her, "Jinmeng gets that full, happy feeling whenever she eats something delicious, no matter where! Don't bother asking her."
Ye Jinmeng's face fell: Better to leave some things unsaid if you want a peaceful life!
The next day, Ye Jinmeng finally returned to school and, unsurprisingly, was warmly greeted and fussed over by her counselor and classmates.
Xu Wanwan had been thinking about the request from Xiao Yongze, so when she returned to the dorm that evening, she began searching for the box left behind by Yu Huiying.
Since she had forgotten about it for so long, it took her half a day of rummaging before she finally found it at the very back of her storage cabinet.
It was a red iron box with a painting of dragons and phoenixes, and a round 'double happiness' character underneath.
It seemed to be the box from when Yu Huiying and Xu Gang got married.
The box was heavy, and it rattled with a clinking sound when shaken, indicating there were many items inside. But Ye Jinmeng didn't know if it contained what Uncle Xiao wanted to see.
A large lock that clashed with the box's elegant design was attached, its keyhole rusted. Ye Jinmeng tried picking at it with a hairpin, but it didn't work.
"Wanwan, it looks like we'll have to get pliers or a saw and just force it open," Ye Jinmeng suggested, looking at the stubborn lock.
Xu Wanwan sighed, "I guess we have no choice."
Ye Jinmeng checked her watch, "It's not even 8 o'clock yet. The little bike repair shop downstairs from the dorm is still open. Let's go ask the Bike Repair Master if he can help open it."
Xu Wanwan hugged the box and followed Ye Jinmeng to the repair shop. The Bike Repair Master looked puzzled when the two girls came in carrying the box.
"Master, do you have anything that can help open this lock?" Ye Jinmeng asked.
The Bike Repair Master pushed up his glasses and glanced at the box, "Is this your box?"
Xu Wanwan nodded, her voice sounding a little dejected: "Uncle, this is a relic left by my mother, which I've always carried with me but dared not open. Now that I want to open it, I find that there's no key, and the lock has rusted."
The Bike Repair Master breathed a sigh of relief, as long as it wasn't stolen.
"Okay, I happen to have a small electric saw here. I can help you saw the lock open."
Xu Wanwan and Ye Jinmeng exclaimed in delight together: "Thank you, uncle!"
That stubborn lock became vulnerable before the small electric saw, and was sawed in half in an instant.
"Thank you so much!" Xu Wanwan picked up the box, thanked him again, and then followed Ye Jinmeng back to the dormitory.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Xiao Yongze also had his secretary contact several shareholders of the Xiao Group after going to work to discuss transferring shares.
They had been wanting to withdraw their shares from the Xiao Group and were worried about how to get their money back when suddenly a big pie fell into their laps. Without hesitation, they transferred their shares to Xiao Yongze.
Now, Xiao Yongze holds 90 percent of the Xiao Group's shares, becoming the largest shareholder of the Xiao Group.
