The CEO's Substitute Ex-Wife-Chapter 207: The Blame Game

She paused, then added, "When what happened years ago surfaced, I never intended to ruin your life, nor did I want to marry you, or think anything I shouldn’t have. I just wanted to raise Xiao Nian peacefully, watch him get married and have children, and live a quiet life. If I disrupted your life, haven’t you disrupted mine? You insisted on marrying me, and that’s why all three of us are suffering. You could have chosen not to marry me. Your parents wouldn’t necessarily have forced Xiao Nian to stay. This was your choice. If you made the wrong choice, don’t blame me in the future. Don’t blame me for any of this now. I refuse to bear the humiliation from you and Zhao Yuning, making it seem as if I’m the culprit. Ultimately, the conflict between two women is always the man’s fault. All of this is your fault. Don’t blame anyone else."

"You’re saying all of this is my fault?" Tang Shuwen looked at Chen Xueru with a mixture of shock and amusement.

The tangled mess among the three of them—everyone had some responsibility, but putting all the blame on him seemed a bit unfair.

"Of course it’s your fault," Chen Xueru said in a low voice. "Whether you call me unsympathetic or cold, since things have come to this and you’re unwilling to give up your son, then please don’t give others any lingering, beautiful misunderstandings."

Tang Shuwen didn’t get angry. He simply looked at Chen Xueru with a cold, composed gaze. "I will handle this matter, and it won’t happen again."

Zhao Yuning’s actions this time had also surprised him.

Tang Shuwen snorted coldly. "Why don’t you show this side of yourself to my parents?"

Chen Xueru smiled faintly. "You’re not as sensible as your parents."

Tang Shuwen was speechless with exasperation.

Chen Xueru had already opened the door and gone downstairs.

Wen Nuan left in the evening.

It had been a day, and Ye Feimo hadn’t called her or sent a message asking where she was. Wen Nuan’s face was slightly strained. Fang Liucheng, on the other hand, called to ask her out for dinner, but Wen Nuan refused, and he didn’t say much more.

Walking alone in the cold wind, Wen Nuan’s mood was complex. Chen Xueru and Tang Shuwen’s relationship was rocky, and so was hers with Ye Feimo. She couldn’t help but feel depressed.

Being in a relationship with a stoic man was truly disheartening and exhausting. He said nothing, always forcing her to guess his intentions. If she guessed wrong, she’d overthink everything and have a terrible day.

Breaking up—she couldn’t bear it.

But he might not feel the same.

Wen Nuan sighed. New Year’s Day was approaching, and the streets were bustling with festivities. Only she, a heartbroken person, wandered in the cold wind, wearing sunglasses and with her hat pulled low, afraid of being recognized.

What a pathetic sight.

She let out a soft breath. The weather was quite cold. Hotpot would be a great choice in this weather. However, eating hotpot alone would be too strange. Never mind, she decided to stop thinking and just go home.

She wondered if he had eaten yet.

At the Ye family home, while Ye Ningyuan and Xu Nuo were busy in the kitchen, everyone else was watching TV. Ye Feimo was also there.

Ye Kelan had been staring at Ye Feimo for quite a while, but alas, her second uncle was an immovable force. No matter how long she stared, he wouldn’t even grant her a glance. Young Master Ye Third and Cheng Anya exchanged glances. This guy was even more reserved today. He came home, said nothing, and just sat in the living room watching TV. Such a sudden change was truly hard to accept.

"Second Uncle, darling has been looking at you for so long, at least give me a glance," Ye Kelan said, pouting. Ye Feimo, obediently, gave her a glance. Ye Kelan was satisfied.

Ye Tianyu sat nearby, watching TV while simultaneously hacking into the national security agency to find information, multitasking.

The family was harmonious and joyful.

Xu Nuo brought out a fruit platter with grapes, apples, pineapples, and kiwis, all brightly colored. Cheng Anya motioned for Xu Nuo to sit down. "Let Ningyuan handle it alone; you rest for a bit."

Xu Nuo said, "It’s fine, I’m not tired."

Saying that, she slipped back into the kitchen.

Ye Kelan then propped her chin and asked, "Second Uncle, what were you doing at XX Square just now?"

"Shopping!" Ye Feimo rewarded her with two more words.

Cheng Anya raised an eyebrow. Shopping? Did he even know how to spell "shopping"? This winter was unusually cold. How could he possibly be out shopping? Goodness knew what he was doing there.

"Second Uncle, are you sure you went shopping?" Ye Kelan asked with a smile. Her future second aunt had posted a Weibo message, and it seemed she was at XX Square, her tone sounding quite pitiful, asking fans to meet up by chance.

And then her second uncle obediently ran off there.

But she was gone.

Ye Ningyuan smiled as he watched Xu Nuo diligently chopping vegetables. His wife, when holding a knife, either defended herself or killed. Chopping vegetables was rare for her, and she was clumsy, making him worried she’d cut herself.

"Go to the living room and watch TV with Daddy and Mommy; it’ll be ready soon," Ye Ningyuan said, gently kissing her cheek. Xu Nuo turned her head. Fortunately, the kitchen and living room were angled, so it wasn’t clearly visible.

"TV is boring," Xu Nuo said. She’d rather watch him cook.

Ye Ningyuan turned his head to look at her serious expression. He loved her serious demeanor the most. No matter what she did, she was always so serious. It was an attitude he really admired.

They had been married for over a decade, and their children were already grown. Every time he looked at her, it felt like going back to when their feelings were strongest.

"Nuonuo, have you considered moving back to settle down?" Ye Ningyuan suddenly asked. Their family lived in the U.S. because Xu Nuo worked there. He usually traveled between the U.S. and the U.K. He had returned home less often over the past decade.

Under his leadership, the First Terrorist Organization firmly held its position as the world’s top terrorist force, impregnable. Tianyu was now also trying to take over the organization from the ground up.

Ye Ningyuan certainly wouldn’t feel at ease handing everything over to him now; his son would definitely need a few more years of experience.

However, he could slowly relinquish his power now. Such a large organization was difficult to manage, demanding much effort and mental energy. And indeed, new talents emerge in every generation. The descendants of the First Terrorist Organization were all elites. Although Ye Tianyu had been chosen as the next leader, if he were to step down now and let Kaka lead for the next few years, he would feel confident.

Chu Li also stepped down in his thirties, and it was time for him to step down as well. He had held this position for too long.

It was an unwritten rule in the First Terrorist Organization that leaders would retire around thirty-five. The first dozen years were dedicated to the organization, and the rest of their lives were meant for living as they wished.

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