Chapter 404: Chapter 404

Early the next morning, Ye Ling woke up early, startled by the knocking at the door outside. Listening as her father from the West Room went to open the door, and then hearing the knock on her own door, Ye Ling finally got up, wrapping a coat around herself.

"Delivering the wedding dress for you." Outside was Shen Bin’s steady voice.

Hearing this, Ye Ling was suddenly alert, got out of bed to open the door, and then returned to the kang. When Shen Bin came in, he saw Ye Ling, still not fully awake, warmth flashing across his face, "You forgot to take the wedding dress when you left yesterday."

As he spoke, he placed the bundle in his hand on the kang.

Ye Ling gradually became alert, looking at Shen Bin standing at the door, "Do you have other matters?"

In the West Room, Ye He Ping listened to this conversation and couldn’t help but laugh.

Shen Bin’s face turned a shade of red, "No, I’ll come get you in the morning."

"Got it," Ye Ling yawned. Being interrupted , she wasn’t sleepy anymore and stopped him, "What time is it now?"

Last night she had wiped herself and washed her hands, so she took off her watch.

"It’s two o’clock," Shen Bin checked his watch.

Ye Ling tightened her brows, no wonder she felt so sleepy even though she went to bed early, furrowing her brow at Shen Bin, "Did you just get up or haven’t slept yet?"

In her heart, she prayed that he wouldn’t say he hadn’t slept, or how foolish that would be.

"Napped for a bit," Shen Bin replied, but then turned to sit on the edge of the kang.

Ye Ling rubbed her forehead, "So you didn’t sleep then?"

Hearing his faint ’Mmhm,’ Ye Ling sighed inwardly.

"Is everyone asleep at the main house?" Ye Ling naturally referred to Li Houguo and his wife.

"They’re resting, I’m afraid of missing something, so I thought I’d bring it over," Shen Bin explained truthfully.

How worrying must something be to think about it half the night and bring it over at such an hour.

Ye Ling looked at Shen Bin, thinking he seemed smart but sometimes did foolish things, hesitated for a moment, "Then you might as well sleep here for a while, going back at four is still time enough."

Since they were getting married anyway, Ye Ling wasn’t shy about it.

Shen Bin seemed to be waiting for this, and without removing his shoes, lay down on the kang, "I’ll just sleep for a bit."

As if to express that he would behave properly.

Ye Ling inwardly grumbled, but couldn’t help feeling a warmth in her ears, "Fine, you’ll have to wake yourself up then, I won’t call you."

Ye Ling casually turned off the light.

"Alright," Shen Bin’s gentle response came in the darkness.

Ye Ling had great faith in Shen Bin’s character, knowing he would do what he said.

After lying down, Ye Ling worried that having another person beside her would keep her awake, but to her surprise, she fell asleep quickly once she closed her eyes, and when she woke, it was Shen Bin who gently woke her. The rightful source is novel fire.net

Ye Ling was alert this time, immediately opening her eyes when Shen Bin touched her, and sat up, "Is it time to get up?"

Shen Bin was momentarily stunned by her swift actions, but quickly recovered, nodding, "It’s four o’clock, I’ll go back first, we have to prepare to come and pick you up from there, I need to arrange it."

Ye Ling nodded; Shen Bin left without saying much else. Once Ye Ling got dressed, there were sounds from the West Room too; Ye Ling knew it was her father getting up.

"Wash your face, skip breakfast—this is your last morning at home, let me have a word with you." Ye He Ping had heard the sound of his daughter folding the quilt, pushing the door open to come in.

Ye Ling smiled tightly, "Dad, I know you’re reluctant to let me get married. I can skip breakfast, but your health can’t afford it. I’ll heat you some porridge."

"No need," Ye He Ping, caught in his daughter’s perceptive grasp of his feelings, felt a bit self-conscious.

Then they heard the door again, and Shen Bin, unexpectedly returning, stepped inside with soy milk and fried dough sticks, handing them over to Ye He Ping, "You should have something in your stomach."

Both nodded, and only then did Shen Bin leave.

Ye Ling watched Shen Bin’s quick motions as he delivered breakfast, left, and only snapped out of it when she heard her father praising Shen Bin, blushing. She knew her father likely realized Shen Bin hadn’t left last night—she had only been thinking of herself, forgetting what her father might think.

Considered explaining briefly, but was too shy. Fortunately, her father went to fetch tableware, and the topic was brushed aside.

After breakfast, she felt much better. After washing the dishes, Ye Qian and the others arrived, as did Bai Xue. Ye Ling didn’t speak, just went into the room.

Bai Xue snorted coldly, "About to get married and still so thoughtless."

Then stopped when she met Ye He Ping’s gaze.

There weren’t many relatives at home, so there weren’t many people on the bride’s side, but soon everyone from the main house came over—Zhao Guodong’s three families and Xiang Weilai’s family, just four families, but they filled up the house.

The adults went to Ye He Ping’s room to talk while Ye Ling took up conversation with Zhao Guodong and the others, "Is this for me? Must have cost a lot, but since you all are about to earn salaries, I won’t stand on ceremony and accept it."

She also asked Zhao Guodong, "I called Liu Nan and Yang Hui, they couldn’t make it, having just joined the army. Have you been in contact with Liu Nan?"

The question carried an underlying meaning, Zhao Guodong didn’t notice, but everyone else present did, casting meaningful glances at Zhao Guodong and smiling.

Zhao Guodong, unaware, was mumbling, "She keeps calling me. I’ve just started interning at the unit, where do I find the time to answer her calls? If not for considering we’re classmates, how poorly she would affect me—I would have already told her to stop calling."

As soon as he said this, everyone in the room laughed, even Ye Qian and Bai Hehua couldn’t help but join in. Ye Qian, while jealous, was also envious—they had a sort of classmate affection that others couldn’t match, let alone what it suggested about that girl having feelings for Zhao Guodong.

Bai Hehua, after laughing, felt rather inferior; in this room, she was from the poorest background. At least Ye Qian had her parents to support her, Bai Hehua had to rely on herself. Even after Lin Tao’s denunciate letter incident, though nothing came of it from higher-ups, the lack of response was what worried Bai Hehua the most, leaving her with a vague foreboding. In contrast, seeing Ye Ling surrounded and celebrated felt surreal; the once oppressed Ye Ling had now become the center of attention.

The Ye Family’s bustling atmosphere contrasted sharply with the main house, which received several unexpected guests. Upon their arrival, Ye Zhenhua’s face changed, her body swaying as if she might collapse. Had Shen Bin not quickly supported her, she probably would have fallen to the ground. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you’re welcomed to vote for it on Qidian at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)