Countless eyes were fixed on Ye Shaohua, and the sound of gasps filled the air.
Many in the room had heard about the relationship between Ye Shaohua and Qiu Zifan. When Qiu Zifan, the prodigy of the Qiu family, had married someone seemingly unremarkable, it had caused quite a stir and no small amount of ridicule in their social circle.
Although divorce wasn’t something to be proud of, Qiu Zifan’s decision to end the marriage had been expected by everyone.
Now, seeing Ye Shaohua in person, everyone’s minds were screaming, What the hell?!
Meng Yuchen was also present, dressed in a lavish engagement gown, her face adorned with exquisite makeup. She was beautiful in her own right, but compared to the fiery, overwhelming beauty of Ye Shaohua, she paled in comparison.
Not just in looks, but even in demeanor, Meng Yuchen, despite her privileged upbringing, couldn’t hold a candle to Ye Shaohua, who was rumored to have come from a remote mountain village.
In her previous life, Ye Shaohua had been a mage, a semi-divine being, and some of that ethereal aura still clung to her. If one had to describe her, it would be as if she were untouched by the mundane world.
For a moment, all eyes turned to Qiu Zifan. Why on earth did they divorce? Ye Shaohua, with her beauty and talent, completely outshone Meng Yuchen, and she had no family baggage either. Was Qiu Zifan out of his mind?
Standing beside Qiu Zifan, Meng Yuchen felt like a joke under everyone’s scrutiny. Her face flushed with humiliation, and she eventually stormed off in embarrassment.
Qiu Zifan was left standing there, dumbfounded.
“Mr. Lu,” Ye Shaohua turned slightly, addressing the elderly man she had recently struck a deal with, “let’s end things here for today. I’ll have Ster contact you tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Mr. Lu, a man known for his low profile but fiery temper, surprisingly agreed.
It wasn’t his place to meddle in personal matters, but before leaving, he assured Ye Shaohua that she could come to him if she ever faced any trouble. Only then did he feel comfortable departing.
“What do you think of Miss Ye?” Mr. Lu asked his butler, genuinely impressed by Ye Shaohua’s composure and talent. She was someone destined for greatness.
The butler, understanding the underlying meaning, was slightly shocked but replied, “Anyone who earns your admiration, sir, must be extraordinary.”
Mr. Lu nodded, satisfied.
Meanwhile, at the Yun family estate.
Yun’s father was reviewing a document, his face darkening with anger as he reached the end. He slammed the papers onto the table. “So he’s risking his health for this woman? Has he forgotten who he is?”
Yun Hao, the captain of Yun Mo’s guard, frowned as well. “Yes, this Ye Shaohua has been making waves in the Z Alliance. I’ve heard she’s connected to the Lu family.”
“The Lu family?” Yun’s father sneered. “A fallen family, hardly worthy of being called a hidden clan. Yun Hao, go and bring this Miss Ye here. I want to see what kind of person she is.”
“Understood,” Yun Hao acknowledged and left to carry out the order.
Ye Shaohua was known for her elusive nature. Though she had plans to establish her own influence, she often handed over stacks of documents to the Shu family before disappearing for long periods. Few could contact her, and even fewer knew what she was up to.
Fortunately, Yun Hao arrived just as Ye Shaohua was at her newly established Ye family base. “The Yun family wants to see me?”
Shu Man, who had heard about Yun Hao’s intimidating presence, whispered nervously, “Shaohua, maybe we shouldn’t go. The Yun family isn’t to be trifled with. I’ve heard about this Captain Yun—he’s ruthless…”
Ye Shaohua slid a cold, gleaming silver needle into her sleeve. “No need to worry. I’ll go see what they want.”
The Yun family estate was located at the heart of the Z Alliance. While it wasn’t overly extravagant, its defenses were formidable. Ye Shaohua glanced at the infrared sensors around the entrance, then casually slipped her hands into her pockets, unfazed.
Yun Hao had seen Ye Shaohua’s profile and noticed the lack of surprise in her eyes. Either she had seen defenses more sophisticated than the Yun family’s, or she simply didn’t understand what she was looking at. Given her background, it was undoubtedly the latter.
Yun’s father sat in the main seat, looking down at Ye Shaohua with a detached expression. “So, you’re Ye Shaohua?”
Ye Shaohua casually took a seat, seemingly unaffected by the imposing aura of Yun’s father.
She had always been rebellious, and while many had tried to control her, none had succeeded.
The Yun family had been a respected name in the Z Alliance for generations, and everyone treated them with reverence. No one had ever dared to act as casually as Ye Shaohua was now.
Yun’s father, already unimpressed with Ye Shaohua, was further displeased by her lack of respect.
From the documents, he knew she had grown up on an outer planet, with no formal education. Since arriving in the Z Alliance, she had caused one commotion after another.
Yun’s father genuinely believed Ye Shaohua was foolish. Even if she had some talent, she shouldn’t have provoked the Meng family.
And now, as someone who had been discarded by the Qiu family and divorced, what right did she have to associate with his son?
“Ye Shaohua, I’ve heard you’ve been spending a lot of time with my son recently,” Yun’s father began, his tone icy. “You must understand his status and the standing of our family. Your position is… awkward. I know you’re the only granddaughter of Old Master Ye and have inherited his medical skills, but you’re also the woman the Qiu family rejected. This is common knowledge in the Z Alliance. I hope you’ll keep your distance from him. If you agree, I’ll help you resolve your issues with the Meng family.”
He continued, his voice tinged with condescension, “Don’t think that just because you’ve caused a few ripples, you’re something special. The Z Alliance is far more complex than you can imagine. Don’t rely on the Lu family—they’re a defeated clan, barely holding on themselves. Don’t underestimate the Meng family. They’re a medical family, and many factions are willing to do them favors. You might not even realize it, but one day you could simply disappear from the Z Alliance.”
Ye Shaohua had been wondering why the Yun family wanted to see her. Perhaps they wanted to know about Yun Mo’s condition, or maybe, like others, they were curious about her ability to treat chaotic energy.
But she had never expected Yun’s father to say something like this.
What the hell?
Was she not impressive enough?
“Wait,” she paused, her hand hovering over the teapot. She tilted her head, as if making sure she heard correctly. “You’re talking to me, right?”
