Chapter 75: The Truth Revealed

“Attorney Lu was unaware, and ignorance is no crime.” Ye Yingtang gave a faint smile, his gaze drifting casually over the dress Lu Yao was wearing, and with a somewhat complicated sigh, he said, “This dress looks beautiful on you. You don’t need to change out of it—consider it a gift from me.”

Lu Yao was startled by his generosity and quickly shook her head in refusal. “Mr. Ye, the dress is far too valuable. I really can’t accept it.”

“You silly girl…” Ye Yingtang patted the back of her hand affectionately, his smile warm and kind. “In my eyes, you’re worth it. You deserve this dress.”

Lu Yao stared at him in astonishment, even more overwhelmed by his favor. “Mr. Ye, you flatter me far too much. I’m just an ordinary person. Just now, Young Master Ye said he planned to have the dress altered and give it to Miss Qiao. I truly can’t accept it.”

“Uncle Ye, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to show any dislike just now,” Qiao Wan’er hurried to apologize, looking pitiable.

Ye Yingtang only cast her a brief, indifferent glance.

Yang Lan immediately seized the opportunity and said, “Since Zehong already said he wants to give this precious dress to Wan’er, perhaps Miss Lu should change out of it.”

Lu Yao could hardly keep from laughing. Hadn’t Qiao Wan’er just expressed her distaste, saying it was a dress ‘worn by the dead’? And now she wanted it for herself?

“The dress suits Attorney Lu perfectly. Let her have it,” Ye Zehong said, his gaze lingering on Lu Yao’s dress for three seconds before turning to Qiao Wan’er’s aggrieved expression, his eyes cold and unmoved.

“Zehong, are you angry with me?” Qiao Wan’er clung to his hand, trying to pressure him into reconciling in front of everyone.

Ye Zehong acted as though he hadn’t heard her, coldly shaking off her hand. Turning to Ye Yingtang, he said, “Dad, my new office is missing a calligraphy piece. Would you write one for me?”

“I was just thinking the same thing.” Ye Yingtang nodded slightly, then turned to Lu Yao. “Attorney Lu, why don’t you join us? I’ll write a piece for you as well.”

“Ah? I…” Lu Yao wanted to explain that she wasn’t yet a senior partner at her firm and didn’t have a private office.

Ye Yingtang, smiling kindly, continued, “I’ve arranged a private office for you at Ye Group as well. With so much business, there are plenty of issues that need your expertise. I’ve already dismissed everyone from Dacheng Law Firm, so I’ll have to trouble you to assemble a new legal team.”

If Lu Yao had already felt overwhelmed by Ye Yingtang’s kindness, now she sensed she was being singled out for special favor.

Otherwise, Yang Lan, Ye Hua, and Qiao Wan’er wouldn’t be looking at her so openly, their faces filled with envy and jealousy.

Lu Yao had never, in her entire life, been the recipient of such familial preference.

She thought… perhaps it was because she resembled Ye Zehong’s mother that Ye Yingtang treated her with such warmth.

The three of them entered the study.

Ye Yingtang was in high spirits. He took out brush, ink, and paper, and with a grand flourish, wrote four bold characters: “Winds rise and water swells.”

The calligraphy was full of vigor and grace, the brushwork lively and inspired.

Looking up at Lu Yao, Ye Yingtang asked, “Attorney Lu, do you have any particular words you’d like?”

“Attorney Lu, you can do calligraphy too, can’t you? Why not show us your skill?” Ye Zehong interjected suddenly.

Lu Yao stared at him in shock, wanting to remind him that they were supposed to be mere acquaintances—his words were dangerously revealing.

Ye Yingtang’s eyes lit up, a look of satisfaction on his face. “Excellent, excellent! Attorney Lu is truly a woman of many talents.”

Then, turning to Ye Zehong, he asked, “Zehong, how did you know Attorney Lu could do calligraphy?”