316: Chapter 316 has been deleted! Completely deleted! - 1

County, at the entrance of Chenguang Welfare Institute.

Jiang Ye parked the car and composed his expression.

Although he had mentally prepared himself before coming, seeing that slightly worn-out sign and Ye Cheng standing by the gate, standing on tiptoes and peering in this direction, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Jiang Ye had never proactively asked about Ye Cheng's family situation.

He had even been deliberately avoiding the topic, fearing that one careless move might pierce through Ye Cheng's seemingly impenetrable shell and cause her secondary trauma.

But some things don't need to be said out loud.

Relying on what he considered his "keen" powers of observation, Jiang Ye had long since pieced together some "truths" from the clues.

For instance, Ye Cheng never bought herself luxury goods and saved every penny; for instance, no matter what holiday it was, she would unfailingly return to this "home"; and again, for instance, she always found various excuses to stop him from driving her back...

All of this pointed to one conclusion: this place hid the scars that Ye Cheng was unwilling to show others, the softest pain beneath her strong exterior.

But today, to his surprise, Ye Cheng hadn't stopped him from coming over. Perhaps...

She was finally ready to open her heart completely to him, her "boyfriend," and lay everything, including those secret wounds, out for him to see without reservation.

At the thought of this, Jiang Ye's heart warmed, a feeling of warmth mixed with pity and a sense of responsibility welling up inside him.

Watching Ye Cheng trot over carrying a plastic bag, he hurriedly pushed the door open and got out of the car, wearing his gentlest smile, arms open, ready to give her an embrace that could melt all ice and snow—one full of security:

"Cheng..."

"Get back in there!"

Before the second "Cheng" could even be called out affectionately, Ye Cheng had already pulled open the back car door, grabbed his arm, and shoved him into the car without a word:

"Quick! Take off your clothes!"

"Huh?"

Jiang Ye was bewildered by this sudden turn of events. He fell into the backseat, following her force, and looked blankly at Ye Cheng who climbed in right after him:

"I know that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but isn't this... a bit too rushed? It's broad daylight, how inappropriate! Besides, my vow of celibacy for a month hasn't expired yet, and I can't break my principles! Unless... unless you promise to keep your eyes closed the whole time, otherwise I won't be able to get past this mental hurdle..."

"Shut up! What are you mumbling about!"

Ye Cheng interrupted his wild imagination impatiently, shoved the bag in her hand into his arms, and said urgently:

"Put them on! Hurry up!"

"Huh?"

Jiang Ye was stunned again. He looked down and opened the bag to find a full set of men's clothing inside, from a jacket, sweater, and trousers to a pair of very ordinary-looking sneakers—everything was there.

"Cheng Cheng, what is this...?"

"It's clothes I prepared for you! They've all been washed, you can just put them on."

"No, I'm asking why you suddenly want me to change clothes? Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Didn't I message you on WeChat, repeatedly urging you to dress plainly today, even plainer?"

Ye Cheng explained rapidly while vigilantly observing the movements at the entrance of the welfare institute through the car window:

"I guessed you wouldn't take it seriously! Good thing I was prepared! Hurry, take off that 'I'm expensive' outfit of yours! Otherwise, if our director spots you later and tries to emotionally blackmail you, what will you do?"

"Emotional blackmail?"

Jiang Ye scratched his head in confusion, feeling that the plot was completely diverging from the "opening up/healing trauma" art film he had envisioned, and was sprinting off in some strange direction.

"What... what would he kidnap me for?"

Seeing him still stunned and motionless, Ye Cheng clicked her tongue in annoyance and reached out to start unbuttoning his down jacket:

"Our director, that old man, has been eyeing me for a long time, just waiting for me to bring a boyfriend back! He has a very sharp eye and studies outfits on Xiaohongshu every day. He probably recognizes all the brands you're wearing and will definitely try to blackmail you. It'll be so difficult for me to be caught in the middle!"

"...?"

Jiang Ye blinked, trying hard to digest the massive amount of information in this statement. He felt like he understood every word, but when put together, it became quite incomprehensible.

He tentatively softened his tone, trying to enter the heart of the "strong girl" in front of him:

"Cheng Cheng, you don't have to be like this. Really, I can accept everything about you, including your past and the place where you grew up, and I am willing to understand and share it. You don't have to deliberately act so... so carefree in front of me, or even use this kind of joking around to disguise yourself. My shoulders, while not particularly broad, can always be a place for you to lean on."

"???"

Ye Cheng stopped her movements, tilted her head, and looked over with an extremely strange expression, the meaning in her eyes very clear:

"Did you drink fake alcohol? The kind that even traffic police can't detect when testing for drunk driving?"

Jiang Ye felt a little creeped out by her gaze but bit the bullet and continued with the "heartwarming boyfriend" lines he had stayed up all night crafting:

"Ahem... well... what I mean is, you can completely show those... um... scars to your man. With me, you don't need any... dis... guise..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter under Ye Cheng's look, which was like she was looking at a big idiot. Finally, he couldn't go on and could only awkwardly rub his nose.

Ye Cheng watched him silently for a few seconds, then finally couldn't help it. She reached out and poked his forehead, her tone full of exasperation:

"Big brother, what wild thoughts are you having? I'm healthy, I have a great appetite, and other than my period, I haven't bled in years. Where would I have any wounds..."

Her voice trailed off, as if she suddenly remembered something. Her tone faltered for a moment, then she gave a light cough and forcibly dragged the topic back:

"Anyway, it's not what you think! I'm afraid you'll be cornered and duped by the director, and end up being a sucker! You have no idea what that old man is capable of!"