Chapter Seventy: The Thing Yeziyan Hates Most About Her

Downstairs, two women wearing oversized hats and face masks appeared anxious. One of them spoke haughtily, “Are you sure he’s here?”

“I’m sure. The tracking signal points to this place—it should be one of the private rooms on the third floor.”

“Alright, go check.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The woman approached the front desk and whispered a few words to the receptionist, who immediately grew excited and brought up the surveillance footage.

“We’re here privately, so please keep this confidential,” she requested.

The receptionist nodded eagerly, thrilled beyond words. She couldn’t believe she was actually seeing a princess from the G royal family.

“How is it?” the woman asked.

“Princess, he seems to be here with his family, but... there’s also another woman.”

“A woman? Do you know who she is?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Find out for me. I want to see who dares to challenge me for the man I, Qian Suyin, have set my sights on.”

—

Inside the private room, after ordering, Ye Ziyan fell silent. His taciturnity infuriated the old master of the Ye family—how could such a man possibly find a girlfriend? He had purposefully arranged for Ranan to sit beside him in hopes of changing his withdrawn nature, but it was to no avail.

Shangguan Ranan was well aware of Ye Ziyan’s temperament and knew it was impossible to change someone’s character overnight. Suddenly, a red light flashed before her eyes. She turned her head, but there was nothing there.

No, something was off...

Without hesitation, Shangguan Ranan reached into Ye Ziyan’s pocket and pulled out a tiny tracking device.

“Brother Ye…”

She opened her palm to reveal it, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

Ye Ziyan took the little tracker from her, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint.

“Could this be the work of a crazed fan?” someone asked.

“It’s fine. I’ll step out and handle it,” Ye Ziyan replied, standing and leaving the private room.

The others turned to Shangguan Ranan for answers.

—

“It’s nothing, don’t worry. Brother Ye has gone to deal with it,” she reassured them.

Soon, the waiter arrived with their food, and the group put the matter out of mind—if Ye Ziyan couldn’t handle such things, he wouldn’t be a true member of the Ye family.

“Ye Ziyan!”

Qian Suyin caught sight of him as he emerged from the elevator, her voice trembling with excitement.

He ignored her, striding out of the restaurant and stopping at the mouth of a nearby alley.

Qian Suyin hurried after him, pulling off her mask.

“Ye Ziyan!”

“Haven’t I told you to stay away from me?” His entire demeanor radiated a biting coldness.

“I... I just like you, that’s all. I mean no harm. I know you’re here with your family, but I won’t interfere. I just want to be a little... closer to you.”

“So this is yours then.” Ye Ziyan tossed the tiny tracker at her feet.

“I…”

“The makeup artist in the crew is your plant,” Ye Ziyan stated with certainty.

“I... I only wanted…”

Qian Suyin was at a loss. She just wanted to know who he spent his Sundays with, so she had come all the way from G Country to Y Country.

“This is the last time. Stay away from me. Don’t let me see you again.”

Pulling his cap lower, Ye Ziyan turned to leave.

Qian Suyin immediately blocked his path. “I just like you! I won’t disturb you, I only want to watch you from afar. Why are you treating me this way? Is it... is it because of that woman?”

“Get lost. She’s not someone you can compare to,” Ye Ziyan said coldly, walking past her without so much as a backward glance.

“So it really is because of her, isn’t it?” Qian Suyin’s tears spilled uncontrollably as she shouted after his retreating figure, her mood slipping into hysteria.

“How could this be? Why are you treating me like this? Why?”

“Princess, princess, what’s wrong? Who bullied you?” Biya, having relayed the princess’s orders to the others, returned to find her missing and hurried over in search.

—

“He has... he has someone he likes. What am I supposed to do now? What am I supposed to do?” Qian Suyin sobbed.

“Princess, don’t worry. He’ll never fall for anyone else. He can only love you, just like before.”

“Yes, just like before.”

Just like before—if anyone dared develop feelings for him, they were dealt with quietly.

This was precisely what Ye Ziyan despised most about her: her presumptuousness, her arrogance and pride, her utter disregard for human life. She had perfected the art of a princess’s willfulness and imperiousness.

—

At the dining table, the old master of the Ye family finally got down to business. “So, tell me—you're thirty-three this year. How much longer do you plan to wait?”

“I don’t have time to think about such things right now,” Ye Ziyan said mildly as he ate, not realizing that his words would infuriate everyone present.

“You don’t have time to consider marriage? Then what do you have time for? That ridiculous acting of yours?”

The old man slammed the table.

“Dad, you know how he is,” someone interjected.

“Yes, Dad, maybe he just hasn’t met the right person yet.”

The Ye couple tried to soothe him, helping him sit back down.

Ye Hai joined in, “Alright, enough. Let’s eat. Honestly, nobody can match Ziyan’s acting. Don’t criticize him for that—it’s not good for the child to hear such things.”

“Of course you’re not anxious, he’s not your grandson. Easy for you to say,” the old man shot back.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Who am I doing all this for? I just wish—”

“Enough, food can’t shut your mouth, huh? Eat up and stop bickering all day.”

“What did you say? I’m just—”

Just like that, the quarrel between the two elders reignited.

The rest of the family was long used to it and chose not to intervene, quietly continuing their meal.

Even after dinner, the elders were still bickering.

Ye Ziyan donned his hat and mask, escorted the two old folks to the car, and then drove away himself.

In the parking lot, a faint red light flickered briefly before vanishing back into a car—too quickly for anyone to react.