Yanjing – East Avenue
At first glance, the courtyard house seemed ordinary. Hidden behind high walls, it blended with the neighborhood's quieter charm.
But inside?
A sprawling traditional compound
Flowing water, stone paths, flower beds
Fruit trees and vegetables grown by hand
A small bridge over a koi pond
It was a peaceful retreat.
In the garden, an old man with gray hair and a ruddy face tended the soil with a hoe. His body is still sturdy, and his movements are practiced.
This was Old Master Ye—patriarch of the Ye family.
"Dad, dinner's ready," said a middle-aged man from the house.
This was Ye Guohua, son of Old Master Ye and father of Ye Lingzhi.
"I know, what's the rush?" the old man laughed.
Ye Guohua offered to help him inside, but the old man waved him off.
"I'm not that old yet!"
At the table, Fang Peiru, Ye Lingzhi's mother, had prepared the meal. Graceful and elegant even in middle age, she served everyone with warmth and quiet pride.
"Dad, I made your favorite dishes," she said.
Old Master Ye dug in, praising her cooking.
Ye Guohua joined in with flattery, exaggerating like a child.
"Mom, this tastes better than anything in Yanjing! I haven't eaten like this in years!"
Fang Peiru beamed. A mother's pride, after all, was measured by her family's smiles.
But while she doted on her son and daughter-in-law, she completely ignored the old man across the table.
Didn't even look at him.
He chuckled dryly, clearly used to it.
Then, Ye Guohua cleared his throat.
"Ahem… Mom, Dad, I've got news about Lingzhi and Xiaofeng."
The mood shifted.
"What happened?!" Fang Peiru asked, voice rising.
Even Old Master Ye paused.
"Is something wrong with the kids?"
"No, no—nothing like that," Guohua said quickly.
"They're fine. I meant to say… Lingzhi's back in China. She's staying with her cousin."
"As for Xiaofeng… well, he's doing something incredible."
"He just led the development of our country's first independently engineered automotive engine."
"It's going into his company's new Audi vehicle."
"And get this—he's preparing to take it to the U.S. next year to compete in a global engine competition."
"If he wins? It'll bring international glory to our country."
Before he could finish, Fang Peiru slammed her chopsticks on the table.
"Well done!"
"That child has always been smart. I knew he was destined for greatness."
"He's truly the grandson of Zheng Yunxi. He's honored our Zheng family!"
Her tone was proud, bold—even domineering.
Old Master Ye raised an eyebrow.
"Ahem. Woman, are you done?"
"He's part of the Ye family. My blood. Not your Zheng clan."
Fang Peiru sneered.
"Pfft. Take a good look at yourself. You can't even say a full sentence without stuttering."
"If Xiaofeng got his genes from you, we'd all be doomed."
"Luckily, he looks nothing like you. The whole family should be thankful."
Ye Guohua and his wife buried their faces in their bowls, holding back laughter.
They knew better than to get involved.
Old Master Ye trembled… but couldn't argue. She was right.
The boy didn't inherit anything from me except the family name…
After a long pause, he changed the subject.
"Even I can tell—breaking through foreign car patents and developing an engine from scratch is a major achievement."
"This should be publicized. Let the world know: China can build its car engines now."
"We'll help. Let's arrange for media coverage."
Ye Guohua was stunned.
His father had always forbidden using their family connections for personal gain. For decades, no member of the Ye clan had dared ask for help.
But now?
The old man is volunteering.
Even pouring himself a drink.
Fang Peiru beamed.
"See? You do have some conscience. I'm going to call my grandson right now."
She poured Old Master Ye a glass of Moutai—something she never let him touch.
The old man sipped with satisfaction, enjoying his meal like a king.
And in the quiet courtyard of Yanjing, a tech empire had just received its first silent blessing from the old guard.