Before the Shen family’s patriarch passed away, he might have felt his end was near. Fearing that his sons would face issues over the family estate, he directly gathered family members as witnesses and divided the estate.
Later, when the Shen family’s third couple encountered trouble, fearing the house would fall into He Jinxuan’s hands, they forcefully drove people away. After Shen Ninghui got married, they occupied the house under the pretext of looking after it, claiming it would prevent decay from being unoccupied for too long.
Shen Ninghui thought it made sense, as she couldn’t return often after marriage, so she agreed to their proposal.
As a result, the first and second branches of the Shen family privately divided the third branch’s house. They believed that with Shen Ninghui being the only girl in the third branch, this house, being Shen family ancestral property, should not be given to outsiders.
However, they kept the matter under wraps.
It wasn’t until Shen Ninghui encountered trouble, and Ye Liyan had no news, that they felt their wish was fulfilled and tacitly considered the third branch’s house as belonging to the first and second branches.
That’s why they were so brazen in sending Ye Silai and Ye Liyan away.
Due to work reasons, He Jinxuan never had time to return to the Capital to help address these matters. However, he wasn’t worried because the house belonged to the third branch, an unchangeable fact, and the people from the Shen family’s two branches were indeed not to be feared.
Later, Ye Liyan sought out the Mechanical Factory, and He Jinxuan gave him a heads-up.
Ye Liyan’s first action upon returning to the Capital was to reclaim the Shen family’s house and swiftly rent them out.
Considering Ye Liyan’s status and the previous guilt in their actions, the Shen family obediently returned the third branch’s house.
Ye Liyan spent money the next day to have the houses cleaned up, and then quickly divided and rented out several rooms.
Anyway, he wouldn’t live in those houses. Renting them out quickly was one reason; another was to annoy the Shen family. Even though each family had courtyard walls as partitions, five families suddenly living in the courtyard certainly made it quite lively every day.
Yet the Shen family dared not speak up, as the house was the third branch’s, with legal possession.
They were anxious, but they also knew that Ye Liyan was not to be provoked, and they wanted to live peacefully.
Unexpectedly, the second branch showed up at this time: "I’ve already rented out that house, and there’s no vacancy now."
Shen Ningshan and Shen Ningjing exchanged glances, and Shen Ningjing spoke up: "Brother-in-law, no matter what, we’re legitimate relatives.
Although we were once misled by the first branch and made mistakes, in the end, blood ties run deep, and everything has its moment when it turns over.
You know, in the second branch’s courtyard, my parents occupy one room, my big brother occupies another, his two young ladies occupy one, and the leftover room is shared by my brother’s two sons and younger brother Ninglei. Upon returning to the Capital, my family of four occupies the only annex room.
We thought since you’re renting to others, why not rent us a room, allowing Ninglei to use it as a bridal chamber. Do you think it’s doable?"
Ye Liyan shook his head and said: "One must keep their word. For those rooms, I already collected a year’s rent; it wouldn’t be right to go back on my word and ask them to vacate.
Besides, if you want to rent, doesn’t the first branch have vacant rooms? Even if the first branch has only Ningbao as a son, even if he marries and has children, he probably won’t fill the courtyard with rooms. Especially considering that your first and second branches have always maintained good relations.
Who knows, you might find that you don’t even need to pay rent, which would be even better."
These words left the two who had prepared their script speechless. They originally thought that paying the same rent would ensure Ye Liyan’s agreement.
Moreover, their visit today was also meant to mend relations with their cousin-in-law, Ye Liyan. But little did they anticipate that a few words would close off all their backup plans.
They felt displeased, but dared not show it openly, leaving disheartened and dejected.
Ye Liyan watched their backs as they walked off, with a playful smile on his lips.