Volume One, Chapter 111: Filthy to Death

Ye Sheng, dressed in such finery, was a far cry from the plain, minimalist, and even austere woman etched in memory—it was as if she were a completely different person!

Yet, even if she were reduced to ashes, Qin Minshu would still recognize that face.

"Are you... Ye Sheng?"

As Qin Minshu’s trembling voice escaped, Madam Qin’s expression shifted instantly. Chairman Qin, too, was struck dumb.

The couple had heard this name from their daughter’s lips more than once. They were well aware that "Ye Sheng" was Huo Mingting’s ex-wife; even though they had never met her, they had long since viewed her as a stumbling block for their daughter, one they were eager to remove.

But wasn't Huo Mingting’s ex-wife a common woman from a humble background? How had she suddenly transformed into the daughter of the prestigious Ye family of Shangzhou?

Faced with Qin Minshu’s question, Ye Sheng offered only a faint smile and extended a hand toward Madam Qin. "Good evening, Madam. I am Ye Sheng, Minshu’s college classmate." She glanced at Qin Minshu again. "And her former superior."

Such an introduction was intended to bridge the distance, yet it sounded an alarm in Madam Qin’s mind. Suddenly, she understood exactly why Ye Sheng had come.

"Good evening, Miss Ye." Madam Qin suppressed the confusion and unease stirring within her, putting on a perfectly professional, polite smile.

Ye Sheng observed Madam Qin calmly; she was an exceptionally beautiful woman.

They say true beauty lies in the bone structure, not the skin. Yet, Madam Qin was the sort of beauty who leveraged her physical appearance to the absolute limit. Though her frame was slight, her presence was commanding. Her skin and figure were so well-maintained that her age was indiscernible; she looked more like Qin Minshu’s sister than her mother.

Clad in a refined, elegant qipao, her demeanor was as graceful as a woman from the south of the Yangtze River. Her features were soft, save for a pair of slightly rounded eyes that held a hint of sharpness, though she concealed it well. It was no wonder rumors claimed Chairman Qin doted on her beyond measure, granting her a status and prestige that none of his previous wives had ever enjoyed.

Nearby, Wan Sandao shook hands with Chairman Qin.

"Let’s head inside," Wan Sandao said. "It’s quite windy today, and my little sister isn't one for the cold. Girls, you know—they’d rather suffer for fashion than sacrifice style for warmth."

As he spoke, he cast a glance at Qin Minshu. That single look sent her heart racing, causing her to lower her head, blushing. She had expected Boss Wan to be a pot-bellied middle-aged man; she hadn't imagined him to be so young and handsome. With such a rugged, masculine aura, what delicate woman wouldn't be charmed?

Ye Sheng took in Qin Minshu’s bashful reaction, feeling no surprise at all. Back when Third Brother was doing business in the red-light district, he was the "handsome lad" whom wealthy socialites fought to spend money on just to sleep with. He used to joke that if he ever decided to sell himself, he could command at least a hundred thousand a night—in U.S. dollars. Ye Zhun would always curse him for being utterly shameless.

Chairman Qin hurried to invite them in, secretly nudging his daughter toward Wan Sandao. Wan Sandao caught Qin Minshu with the grace of a gentleman, his hand touching her briefly before pulling away.

"Careful, Miss Qin."

His deep, smoky voice tugged at her heartstrings. Qin Minshu bowed her head slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and whispering a soft thank you.

Wan Sandao, however, frowned inwardly: *Filthy. I’ll need to wash my hands thoroughly when I get back.*

Ye Sheng took Madam Qin’s hand, leading her inside with a gesture of feigned intimacy. "I heard that you are also from Shangzhou, Madam?"

"Yes," Madam Qin replied with a gentle, graceful smile. "I lived on Sucheng Road in Shangzhou, very close to the Ye family’s ancestral home."

"Oh," Ye Sheng nodded. "Sucheng Road. That is indeed quite close."

Qin Minshu trailed at the back of the group. Since Ye Sheng’s arrival, she had been relegated to a mere accessory. Watching her parents offer such fawning, obsequious pleasantries to Ye Sheng made her face turn livid.

The dark green hem of Ye Sheng’s skirt swirled as she walked. Qin Minshu had recognized it instantly as the latest Dior collection—a piece the brand had refused to lend her when she had requested it.

She never imagined it would end up on Ye Sheng so soon.

The Ye family of Shangzhou. The daughter of the Ye family.

Why did it have to be Ye Sheng?

Huo Mingting—did he know who Ye Sheng really was?