The villainous second male lead at the beginning? No! He's the white moonlight!

"Greetings, young master!"

"Young Master is back."

Half an hour later, in the Ye family's living room, the servants saw Ye Linyuan and quickly went up to greet him. After all, apart from the deceased madam, the young master was the kindest to them in the entire Ye family.

"Aunt Wang, you've gotten so much younger in the four years since I last saw you."

"Uncle Zhao, you are still so young and elegant."

"Sister Li..."

Ye Linyuan greeted the familiar faces in front of him with a smile, showing no disdain for them because of their status.

In fact, when Ye Linyuan learned that he was just a fake young master, although he was somewhat frightened, he did not change at all on the surface. He was gentle and polite to everyone, and his appearance was impeccable. So even though he had been away from home for four years, the elders in his family still loved this young master very much and there was no distance between them.

In the shadows at the very back of the servants' group, a thin figure looked at the smiling Ye family father and daughter with hopeful eyes, her eyes filled with envy. However, when she looked at Ye Linyuan, her gaze was filled with deep regret and self-blame.

Why, why can't you accept me? I'm clearly your family, not him...

Father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, maternal grandfather, maternal grandmother...

Wangshu knows you will never forgive her, but she still misses you all so much...

An Wangshu wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, glanced enviously at the happy family again, and silently retreated into the shadows where no one could see her.

Perhaps this is the price I pay for causing the deaths of all his loved ones...

Half an hour later, on the sofa in the Ye family's living room, Ye Linyuan handed a gift box slightly larger than an A4 sheet of paper to Ye Qingyan, who was sitting next to him with a happy face, and said with a smile.

"Dad, this is a gift for you."

"Oh dear, you're already back, why bring any gifts? You have everything you need at home."

Ye Xiao laughed heartily, he was extremely satisfied with his son. He happily opened the gift box in his hand, which contained a valuable watch on top, and a business card and a contract below.

"A contract? Son, what is this...?"

When Ye Xiao saw the heading of the contract inside the gift box, he was completely stunned.

Without saying much, Ye Xiao immediately opened the contract and scanned some key information. Then he looked up at Ye Linyuan, his face showing undisguised shock.

"Son, this...this...this is a contract from the Red Leaf Group, the most powerful company in the US in the last two years? And it's worth 20 billion?"

Ye Linyuan smiled and nodded, saying it was nothing.

"Dad, I heard from my eldest sister that the group is facing difficulties, and you even fell ill because of it. I happen to have some businesses overseas, so I thought I'd help the family out. A 20 billion contract should be enough for the group to get through this crisis, right?"

"Tomorrow, you should contact the person on the business card directly. He will sign a contract with our Ye Group as the core."

Ye Xiao: ......

Ye Qingyan: ......

The two exchanged a guilty glance, then simultaneously looked away, too embarrassed to look at Ye Linyuan. The group's difficulties and Ye Xiao's illness were just lies they'd planned to tell Ye Linyuan to come back...

However, on the other hand, it's surprising that the rapidly rising Hongye Group was actually founded by Ayuan. He truly lives up to his reputation!

That's a legendary business group that has reached a market value of hundreds of billions of US dollars in just four years since its founding!

Just as the two were feeling awkward and shocked, Ye Qingxin suddenly asked with some confusion.

"Big sister, when did our company run into trouble? How come I didn't know? And Dad, ever since you handed the company over to you, haven't you been staying home playing video games all day? When are you going to give birth... Waaaaah..."

Ye Qingyan covered Ye Qingxin's mouth, looked at Ye Linyuan guiltily, and gave a dry laugh.

"Well, Ah Yuan, the second son's been so busy lately he's been talking nonsense, right, Dad..."

Ye Xiao, who had already secretly gotten up, heard the word "Dad" and immediately ran towards the stairs.

"I almost forgot, I'm having a group chat with my new online friends tonight. You guys keep going."

Seeing this chaotic scene, Ye Linyuan rubbed his temples. Now he understood perfectly well that the whole thing—the group's troubles, his father's illness from worry—was all a lie...

Looking at her unreliable father, Ye Qingyan almost gritted her teeth to death. She cautiously turned her head to look at Ye Linyuan, who was sitting calmly on the sidelines, and weakly spoke.

"Ah Yuan, I didn't mean it, you're not angry, are you?"

Ye Qingyan has a beautiful voice, especially when she's talking to the person she loves most, she's incredibly gentle. Coupled with her cool and aloof mature woman face, it's hard for anyone to resist her gentleness.

Seeing his usually aloof older sister pursing her lips with a pitiful expression that seemed to say, "Please, baby, don't be angry," Ye Linyuan couldn't help but laugh.

Oh well, so be it. I got scammed, so be it. It's not a big deal. Besides, I'm already back.

"Don't worry, big sister, I'm not angry."

Ye Linyuan patted the spot next to him, and Ye Qingyan instantly understood. Just like when she was a child, she obediently sat down next to Ye Linyuan and hugged his arm tightly, burying herself in his abyss.

"Ah Yuan, you're really not angry, are you?"

"Of course! You're my sister, why would I be angry?"

Feeling the touch on his arm, Ye Linyuan smiled awkwardly and took out a few gift boxes from his backpack, handing them to the group of people who were staring at him expectantly.

"Eldest sister, second sister, third sister, fourth sister, and fifth sister, this is a gift for you."

"Oh dear, your third sister's love for you is well-deserved; A-Yuan is the best."

Ye Qingcheng was the quickest to act. With a cheer, she quickly opened the gift in front of everyone. A stunningly beautiful collarbone necklace, exuding a pure and alluring charm, shone brilliantly under the lights.

"So beautiful, A-Yuan's taste is as good as ever."

After a cheer, Ye Qingcheng immediately took the collarbone bra to Ye Linyuan and smiled as she gestured for him to put it on.

Ye Qingcheng is known as the succubus of the Dragon Kingdom's entertainment industry. She is tall and fair-skinned. Although her bust size is not as good as the stunning twins Ye Xi and Ye Xin, who have a youthful face and huge breasts, it is no less than that of Su Shiyu. In addition, with her pure and seductive face, it is hard to imagine what kind of charm she would have after wearing this pure and seductive collarbone bra.

But this chain...

"Third Sister, this... you should take care of it yourself..."

Ye Linyuan spread his hands and said with a wry smile.

"All right."

Ye Qingcheng originally wanted to take the opportunity to spend some time with her beloved A Yuan, but she knew her precious younger brother's personality well. If he refused, he refused, and there would be no room for negotiation.

Unlike the sensual collarbone brooch given to the succubus Ye Qingcheng, Ye Linyuan's gifts to Ye Qingxin, Ye Xi, and Ye Xin were much more normal: a women's watch and a pair of bracelets, respectively.

When the five young ladies of the Ye family were all looking at the gifts in their hands with great joy, Ye Linyuan glanced at the last gift in his backpack, hesitated for a moment, and was just about to speak when he caught a glimpse of a retreating figure at the corner of the stairs on the first floor.

Who is it? A maid? Or...?

After thinking for a moment, Ye Linyuan asked.

"Um... where's my younger brother...?"

Before Ye Linyuan could finish speaking, the lively atmosphere in the living room instantly quieted down, becoming extremely silent.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Linyuan found it strange that everyone had this expression when he mentioned the real young master. Could it be that he came back too late and the real young master had already been forced away by his father and sisters?

That shouldn't be the case. I didn't cause any trouble like Ye Linyuan in the book. Even if the Ye family father and daughter didn't like the real young master, there was no reason for them to treat him badly.

Or perhaps something completely unexpected happened during the four years I was away?

Just then, Ye Xiao, who had just left the bedroom to go downstairs to get a glass of water, suddenly heard Ye Linyuan's words. His mind went blank for a moment, and he shouted loudly.

"Son, don't mention her. She's a jinx. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have gone abroad four years ago."

Panting heavily, Ye Xiao rushed down from the second floor and hugged Ye Linyuan tightly, fearing that Ye Linyuan had run away abroad again.

He was actually prepared to jump from the second floor to the first if it weren't dangerous...

"Dad, what's wrong with you...?"

Ye Linyuan looked at Ye Linyuan, who was hugging him, and said that he had no idea what was going on. He had only mentioned the young master, so why was the whole family acting like they were talking about an enemy...?

"Son, in our hearts, you are the most important, a million times more important than that jinx!"

"Oh, right!"

As if he had just thought of something, Ye Xiao shouted and ran to the servants' room at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor. He kicked the door open and, to Ye Linyuan's astonishment, the usually refined and elegant Ye Xiao grabbed An Wangshu by her long hair and dragged her out, slamming her down in front of Ye Linyuan, his tone full of disgust.

"An Wangshu, you're deliberately staying home today, are you trying to drive my precious son away again! If you hadn't come to us four years ago, how could my precious son have left without saying goodbye for four years? I shouldn't have let you come back in the first place!"

"Son, don't be angry, Dad will kick her out right now."

After scolding An Wangshu, Ye Xiao quickly comforted Ye Linyuan, afraid that he would be sad again. After all, four years ago, if it weren't for her, his precious son would not have gone abroad.

An Wangshu lay on the ground with a calm expression. She was already used to Ye Xiao's insults, and her heart was not stirred at all. She just subconsciously curled up her body so that the beating she was about to receive would be less painful.

"Ah Yuan, don't be angry. It was our fault. We'll teach her a lesson to help you vent your anger."

Ye Qingcheng had just changed into that alluring collarbone brooch when she came downstairs and saw this scene. She immediately ran to Ye Linyuan's side, grabbed his arm, and said cautiously, while giving her sisters a wink.

Seeing this, Ye Xi and Ye Xin stepped forward in unison and kicked An Wangshu, cursing.

"It's all your fault! Why did you, you jinx, have to come back?"

"That's right, that's right. Remember this: you don't have the surname Ye, and you're not worthy of having the surname Ye. Only A-Yuan is a member of our Ye family."

After saying that, the two couldn't help but kick An Wangshu in the stomach again.

"Alright, alright, today is a good day. You've just returned, A-Yuan. It's not worth getting angry over a jinx. I'll tell the servants to throw her out right now."

Ye Qingyan slowly got up and walked to Ye Linyuan's other side. She casually took Ye Linyuan's other hand. Her cold and beautiful face showed no emotion, but everyone who knew her knew that the more she acted this way, the angrier she was.

Looking at An Wangshu, who had clearly been abused more than once, and then at the Ye family father and daughter who were full of malice towards her, Ye Linyuan was even horrified to find that even the servants looked at An Wangshu with displeasure. Ye Linyuan was both confused and shocked.

What's baffling is that the book clearly portrays a real young master, yet he's become a real heiress; what's shocking is that even though I've already left, how did the plot end up like this?

Is it possible that the so-called plot inertia is really that powerful, so that no matter what you do, you can't change anything, and in the end you will still return to the starting point?