Chapter 6: Hidden Intentions

His casual actions drew all eyes to Lu Yao. On top of that, Ye Zehong’s gaze was cold and stern, his lips pressed tightly together, making her nearly unable to breathe.

Inside, Lu Yao was flustered, but she forced herself to appear calm. “Good evening, Madam Ye.”

Yang Lan nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on her face as she openly scrutinized Lu Yao. There was a sense of familiarity about her, yet she couldn’t recall where they might have met.

With an air of nonchalance, Yang Lan asked, “Miss Lu, you have such striking features—it’s clear you come from a distinguished background. May I ask where your family originates and what your parents do?”

Lu Yao didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she lowered her head, recalling the eyes of the masked woman from years ago. These eyes before her were similar, but the right eye lacked the distinctive black mole she remembered. That mole had protruded significantly; even with cosmetic procedures, it would leave a trace.

Lu Yao gave Yang Lan a meaningful look, sighed deeply, and recited the story she had prepared long ago. “According to those who know, I was abandoned by my birth mother at the door of an orphanage just days after I was born. My father is unknown. At six years old, I was adopted and moved abroad with my foster parents. Four years ago, I learned that I still had a grandmother in this world whom I had never met. Since we are related by blood, I decided to return home, but the clues provided were so scant that I have been unable to find her.”

As soon as she spoke, Ye Zehong looked at Lu Yao again, emotions swirling within him. In three years, she had never once mentioned searching for her grandmother. What other secrets was she hiding? Where had the enormous ‘breakup fee’ of ten million come from?

She was not as innocent as she appeared.

Ye Zemao spoke up protectively, “Mother, let’s stick to the real business between Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, and leave the family interrogations aside.”

“Ah Mao, you really do know how to cherish women,” Qiao Wan’er lifted her chin, steering the conversation toward herself with a smile that hid a blade. “If Zehong were half as considerate as you, I’d be content.”

“Second Sister-in-law, please don’t tease me,” Ye Zemao replied with an easy smile.

Lu Yao looked up. The woman before her had gentle features and a warm smile, seeming harmless and approachable—entirely different from the rumored image of ‘Demon Qiao.’

Qiao Wan’er caught Lu Yao’s gaze and smiled. “I am Qiao Wan’er.”

“Good evening, Miss Qiao.”

Qiao Wan’er nodded slightly. “Miss Lu, we invited you to the Ye family’s old residence today not only to draft the prenuptial agreement for Zehong and me, but more importantly, to ask you to help fold a thousand paper Pegasus for Grandfather Ye’s memorial.”

At these words, Ye Zehong’s face was half-lit, half-shadowed under the lamp, his eyes chillingly cold. When Lu Yao’s name had appeared on the guest list, he suspected Qiao Wan’er had ulterior motives.

Qiao Wan’er looked up and found Ye Zehong staring at her with icy indifference. Her heart skipped a beat and she swallowed unconsciously. Had she aimed to please Yang Lan in the wrong way?

Yang Lan’s face lit up with delight. “Miss Lu, you truly know how to fold paper Pegasus?”

The craft of folding paper Pegasus was extremely intricate—any misstep meant starting over, and it consumed both time and energy.

Moreover, a thousand paper Pegasus would take a week for even an ox working nonstop, without food or drink. She thought she’d seen workers assembling a sacrificial altar on the west side while coming over in the special car—so the memorial for Grandfather Ye must be in the next few days.

In just a few days, Lu Yao could never fold a thousand paper Pegasus alone.

“I don’t—”

“She doesn’t,”

Before Lu Yao could finish her polite refusal, Ye Zehong gently spoke for her.

Lu Yao was astonished. Wasn’t he afraid of being associated with her? Why would he…

Qiao Wan’er looked puzzled. Why was Ye Zehong speaking for Lu Yao? Did they know each other well?

Faced with everyone’s doubts and suspicions, Ye Zehong responded airily, “Miss Lu is young and has returned from abroad; it’s clear she wouldn’t know such traditional paper folding skills. Wan’er, don’t let your good intentions backfire and ruin her impression with the Ye family.”

Qiao Wan’er breathed a sigh of relief—it turned out he was concerned for her. She quickly composed herself and pulled out her phone, opening a video tutorial on paper Pegasus from a certain platform. “Miss Lu, you’re the one in the video, aren’t you?”