"…Today she got the urge again, insisting on dismantling the same model of washing machine at home to install it herself. Dad is inside stopping her!" Ye Yuzhe continued to complain.
Ye Zhi: ...
It seemed her mother was truly getting carried away.
"Sorry for the spectacle," Ye Zhi said to Qi Xuan with a touch of helplessness.
"It's alright," Qi Xuan chuckled. "My dad mentioned my mom has similar symptoms recently."
Ye Zhi: ...
She suddenly recalled that their mothers were gaming friends. While Taoxun's "Renovation Simulator" was indeed fun, it was hard not to suspect some friendly rivalry between them for these two to be simultaneously afflicted.
"...I told you it was simple! I spent five days installing this model of washing machine in the game, how could I get the steps wrong?" The laundry room door opened, and Liu Lingyu walked out triumphantly.
"Yes, yes, my dear, you're the most skilled," Ye Yongxian said, fawning over her.
Liu Lingyu's eyes gleamed with eagerness, "I want to try dismantling our bathtub..."
"Mom, your bathtub probably weighs two hundred kilograms, are you sure you can dismantle it yourself?" Ye Zhi asked with a hint of amusement.
Liu Lingyu paused, and the next moment, her face lit up with a smile. "Oh, little Zhi, Qi Xuan, you're here! Come in, come in, sit down."
The family settled onto the sofas in the living room. They inquired about Qi Xuan's well-being, and he presented gifts to the three of them.
He already knew their preferences, so the gifts were exactly what they liked, much to their delight.
Ye Yongxian rose, holding a long gift box. He walked over and handed it to Qi Xuan. "Qi Xuan, you are a fine young man. This is our token of welcome. Please don't think it's too little."
"Thank you, Uncle Ye," Qi Xuan replied politely.
"Open it and see," Ye Zhi said curiously. Ye Yongxian had prepared a welcome gift for Qi Xuan that he hadn't even told her about, piquing her curiosity.
Qi Xuan opened the box. Inside the exquisite packaging lay a scroll.
Qi Xuan unrolled the scroll, revealing a genuine masterpiece by a renowned artist. With his knowledge in this area, he could tell it was a valuable piece, likely a long-held collection of Ye Yongxian.
He blinked, somewhat shocked, and said, "Uncle Ye, this gift is too precious..."
"Take it, take it. No matter how precious it is, it still has a price, doesn't it?" Ye Yongxian waved his hand. "I acquired this painting by chance years ago. I kept it with the thought that if the Ye family ever encountered difficulties, selling this painting could help us through. This painting has been wronged by staying with me, merely as an commodity. Only by being with you will it finally meet someone who truly appreciates it."
Seeing him say this, Qi Xuan felt it would be impolite to refuse further.
"Thank you, Uncle. I will treasure it properly," Qi Xuan promised.
"Good, good, good," Ye Yongxian readily agreed with a smile.
Afterward, Liu Lingyu personally cooked a few non-spicy dishes, and the group ate together harmoniously.
At the dinner table, Liu Lingyu found an opportunity and asked Ye Zhi, "Is the bathtub really that heavy?"
Ye Zhi almost spat out her rice. Had Liu Lingyu not given up yet?
However, she knew that Liu Lingyu's interest was likely temporary.
"Mom, how about you try lifting weights or something?" Ye Zhi said with a smile. "But if you're really interested in household management, why not start a housekeeping company?"
"Ah?" Liu Lingyu looked bewildered. "Me? I don't know how!"
"You don't know how to run a company, but Aunt Cheng does! However, while Aunt Cheng can run a company, she lacks in-depth knowledge of housekeeping services," Ye Zhi explained. "But you're different. With so many years of experience, you know exactly what kind of housekeeping standards satisfy employers. Aren't you two the perfect complement?"
Liu Lingyu was quite perplexed. Ye Zhi's suggestion seemed to open a new door for her, leading her into an area she had never explored.
She turned to Ye Yongxian and asked unconfidently, "Can I... can I do it?"
"Of course, you can! My dear, you must believe in yourself! Don't worry, I will fully support your entrepreneurial endeavors!" Ye Yongxian quickly persuaded her.
Having Liu Lingyu start a housekeeping company was certainly better than her spending her days at home, thinking about how to dismantle the house.
"But I..." Liu Lingyu remained hesitant. She turned to Qi Xuan, "Will your mother be willing?"
"My parents would likely be very pleased," Qi Xuan said with a smile. "In fact, in recent years, my mother has been a bit tired and doesn't want to travel around to different countries as much. She's a person who can't sit still, so she'd be very interested in opening a housekeeping company. If you're still unsure, I can ask for her opinion later." xxs1
"Alright..." Although she said this, Liu Lingyu still looked pleadingly at Ye Yuzhe, hoping he would say something to dissuade her, so she could then gracefully back out.
"Mom, don't look at me. Look at them!" Ye Yuzhe pointed directly at Ye Yongxian. "Who do you think he is?"
"He's your dad!" Liu Lingyu playfully scolded.
"I mean his social status, not his family status," Ye Yuzhe said, exasperated.
Liu Lingyu paused. "The chairman of Ye Corporation?"
"And her?" Ye Yuzhe pointed at Ye Zhi.
"The CEO of Taoxun."
"And him?" Ye Yuzhe pointed at Qi Xuan again.
"...The CEO of Qi Corporation." Liu Lingyu seemed to be comprehending something, her expression becoming dazed.
"Exactly! With the three of them backing you, what do you have to fear? The worst that can happen is your venture fails, and you lose all the invested money! Does our family look like we're short of that kind of money? If you feel bad about it, just consider it charity, injecting that money into the market!" Ye Yuzhe said with a grin.
Liu Lingyu looked at Ye Yuzhe with amusement and said with emotion, "You, my child... you're truly amazing!"
Ye Yuzhe, having received praise, beamed with uncontainable joy. The others found it amusing; despite his maturity, Ye Yuzhe was still a child at heart.
Later, the family grew even more jovial. Ye Yongxian pulled Qi Xuan to drink with him. Qi Xuan tried to refuse, but it was no use. Ye Yongxian, once he started drinking, didn't stop, one glass after another.
Eventually, a drunk Ye Yongxian slung an arm around Qi Xuan's shoulder and declared proudly, "I say, little bro, you're not good enough! You've been chasing my daughter for so long! Do you know how long it took this big brother to chase his wife?"
Ye Zhi: ???
Little bro? Big brother?
Ye Zhi was speechless. It seemed Ye Yongxian was truly drunk, and quite heavily so.
Qi Xuan had also had his share of drinks. Although he was tipsy, he hadn't reached the point of losing himself as Ye Yongxian had.
"Mom, Yuzhe," Ye Zhi said helplessly, "Why don't you two help my dad get back to rest."