Chapter 74: Hoist with One's Own Petard

Hearing Ye Yingtang's voice laced with anger, Ye Hua and Yang Lan exchanged glances, secretly amused. They simply wanted to see Lu Yao dressed in a dead woman's dress. First, to humiliate Lu Yao; second, to disgust Ye Zehong; third, to make Ye Yingtang resent Lu Yao. Judging by the results, their plan to kill three birds with one stone had been quite successful. At least, Ye Yingtang's face was now as dark as the bottom of a pot.

“Dad, if you must blame someone, blame me. It was my fault—I didn’t remind Miss Lu thoroughly enough, so she put on this dress without knowing,” Ye Hua blinked innocently, apologizing like a child who had made a mistake.

At this moment, Lu Yao felt as if she weren’t wearing a dress, but thousands of needles piercing her skin, making her whole body uncomfortable—she even felt a chill run down her spine.

Was this the dress Ye Zehong’s mother wore when she took her own life? It was likely considered her mother’s keepsake. Logically, such a keepsake shouldn’t be left to gather dust in the dressing room. Could it be...?

She suddenly looked at Ye Hua and Yang Lan and saw unmistakable smugness on their faces, instantly understanding everything.

She had been careless, falling right into the trap those mother and daughter had set.

Qiao Wan’er, eager for drama, smiled slyly and added fuel to the fire: “If I’m not mistaken, this dress is made from the most exquisite hand-embroidered brocade. Looks like Miss Lu has quite the eye for luxury, always picking the expensive ones. But...” She glanced furtively at Ye Zehong, deliberately elongating her tone. “Wearing a dead woman’s dress—aren’t you afraid of having nightmares tonight?”

The words “dead woman” struck Ye Zehong’s nerves. He stared at Lu Yao, not with anger, but with a faint smile. “On the contrary, I think this dress suits Attorney Lu perfectly, adding a certain charm.”

“What?” Qiao Wan’er was momentarily stunned.

Ye Zehong’s laughter was bright, though his voice carried a chill. “Wan’er, I originally planned to have the most skilled tailor in the city restore my mother’s favorite dress and gift it to you. I didn’t expect you’d despise something left by my mother. It seems my intentions were misplaced.”

Qiao Wan’er was suddenly flustered, unable to speak. “I... I... Zehong, that’s not what I meant, I just...”

“Enough,” Ye Yingtang’s expression softened, putting an end to the farce. He had long seen through who the instigators were. He stood and walked over to Lu Yao, smiling gently. “Attorney Lu, don’t mind them. This was indeed Qingyi’s favorite dress, but not the one she wore at the end. I agree with Zehong—this dress truly looks more elegant on you. It even reminds me of someone I once knew.”

At these words, Yang Lan’s face darkened. Her gaze, filled with hatred, fixed on the dress Lu Yao wore, and her fingers dug tightly into her palm. After so many years, she had thought Ye Yingtang’s heart belonged to her, but hadn’t expected that he still couldn’t forget that woman. Her resentment, which had been set aside, surged back instantly.

Ye Zehong had a vague idea of who Ye Yingtang referred to as “someone I once knew.” He glanced at Yang Lan, unsurprised to find anger and hatred etched across her face. He sneered inwardly; clearly, this time Yang Lan had only managed to hurt herself with her own scheme.

Ye Hua, denied the pleasure of seeing Lu Yao humiliated, was furious inside. Unwilling to accept defeat, she pressed, “Dad, you’re not angry with us anymore?”

Ye Yingtang smiled with calm indifference. “Your brother doesn’t mind, so why should I pursue it further?”