Captured Hearts: The Substitute Bride's Gambit

Ye Jinyu used to serve dishes to Wen Nianyou, but Wen Nianyou would always refuse to eat this or that. No matter what delicious food was prepared at home, she could always find fault in it, and each time she would eat just a few bites before claiming she was full and then refuse to eat anymore.

Ye Jinyu didn’t expect that Ye Chuyi would be completely different when it came to eating. She wasn’t picky at all. Even the ginger that accidentally got mixed into her food was eaten without hesitation.

Ye Jinyu, who never ate ginger herself, couldn’t help asking Ye Chuyi, "Xiaoyi, why did you eat the ginger too? If you don’t like it, you could pick it out and throw it away. Don’t force yourself to eat it."

Ye Chuyi was very satisfied with her meal and was in an exceptionally good mood. She smiled and said, "It’s okay. The taste of ginger is a bit strange, but I’ve been eating it since I was little and I’m used to it now. Plus, throwing it away would be a waste. Ginger is good for you, so I eat it."

Ye Jinyu’s eyes reddened again after hearing this.

She knew that Ye Chuyi didn’t like to eat ginger; it was because she had grown accustomed to not wasting food in her lonely childhood without anyone to cherish her.

What had Lin Yueqin actually done to her? How much suffering had she made Ye Chuyi endure to turn her into who she was now?

She truly felt very sorry for her daughter.

Ye Jinyu lowered her head; Ye Chuyi didn’t see her expression, but worried about her mother’s mood, she took her arm and suggested, "I’m full. How about we go downstairs for a walk?"

"For a walk?"

"Yeah, there’s a beautiful ecological park next to my apartment. We could go for a stroll."

Ye Jinyu was stunned.

During all the years of her marriage, no one had ever accompanied her on a walk outside.

She had married Wen Xingye while pregnant, and after their marriage, Wen Xingye insisted that she should stay home and rest during her pregnancy, deeming it inappropriate for her to go out. So, she had not gone out.

After she gave birth, her body was very weak, and Wen Xingye became even more restrictive about her going out.

Once, before she got married, her close girl-friend called her to go shopping. Her health was almost fully recovered then, and she joyfully went.

But when she came back home, Wen Xingye was furious and stayed angry with her for half a month. At times he scolded her for not taking care of her health, and at other times he accused her of neglecting their child by leaving her at home while she went out to enjoy herself, calling her an unfit mother.

And somehow, just the day after she had gone shopping, Wen Nianyou started to fall ill with a fever. Wen Xingye kept blaming her, and even cried while holding Wen Nianyou, saying she didn’t care about them anymore.

She felt deeply guilty at that time, soothing her daughter and placating her husband for many days. After repeatedly assuring him she would no longer leave her child to go out, Wen Xingye finally started to smile at her again.

Afterwards, no matter which friend invited her out, she never accepted again.

Over time, friends stopped contacting her.

For over twenty years, she had almost always been confined at home, disconnected from the outside world, not interacting with friends, focusing solely on raising her daughter and supporting her husband.

Only now did she realize how distant even the simple act of taking a walk had become from her.

She didn’t speak, and thinking she might be reluctant to go out, Ye Chuyi gently persuaded, "Mom, I know you haven’t been out much before, but it’s not good to always stay at home; it’s not healthy. You need to get out more often. Come to the park with me tonight just to take a look, and if you feel uncomfortable, I will come back with you. What do you say?"

Ye Jinyu looked at her, "I know it’s not good to be stuck at home, and I want to go out too, but your father never allowed me out. If I ever went out, he would pick a fight, so I just..."

Ye Chuyi couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows, so it was Wen Xingye who wouldn’t allow her out?!

Her anger flared up instantly. This scumbag, squandering her dowry on himself and his mistresses, living it up without a care in the world, and he didn’t even allow Ye Jinyu to step outside!

She really should have kicked that scumbag a few more times this afternoon!

"Mom, you don’t have to listen to him anymore. If he wants to argue, let him argue. Don’t be afraid of him. You have me! I will argue for you, and I’m sure we can win!"