The Villainess is Three and a Half Years Old - Chapter 68.2

Around six o’clock, he noticed that Ye Yaya wasn’t at home. He initially thought she had gone downstairs to meet Ye Qinghe, so he didn’t pay much attention. It wasn’t until it was well past ten o’clock and she still hadn’t returned that he realized something was wrong.

Afraid that the little girl had been caught by the authorities or that the Zhao family had secretly sent someone to harm her, Ye Linchuan put aside his pride, asked the entire family, including the nosy aunt from next door, to help search, but to no avail.

It wasn’t until Shu Meichen called that Xia Qing tearfully said Ye Yaya hadn’t come home that Ye Linchuan realized the situation was dire.

Family, neighbors, even unfamiliar strangers were all worried sick about her.

But she was here, leisurely eating an apple? She even attended a banquet on the side?!

Ye Linchuan’s calm appearance masked his roiling emotions as he walked step by step toward Ye Yaya, with Ye Qinghe trailing behind.

Ye Yaya didn’t sense anything wrong and approached, offering the remaining half of the apple to Ye Qinghe. “Brother, have some. It’s really sweet.”

Ye Linchuan lowered his gaze, his expression dark.

The program team members behind them were all on edge, as a capitalized word appeared above the little girl’s head—Danger.

Not good.

“Sweetie, run away quickly!”

Ye Qinghe’s face turned pale, and for the first time, he didn’t take whatever she handed over.

He crouched down, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen onto her face and spoke gently, “Tell your brother, what were you doing so far away from home all alone?”

“Attending a banquet,” Ye Yayays said, moving closer. Unwilling to give up sharing the apple with him, she added, “Have some, brother.”

Ye Qinghe felt utterly helpless. Taking the apple from her, he placed it on a nearby table and straightened her posture forcefully. “Tell me honestly, how did you come here? Normal people wouldn’t even be able to cover this distance, let alone a little child like you. You’re lucky to be standing here unharmed. If you encountered any bad people…”

Ye Qinghe’s heart was racing irregularly, his anxiety growing.

Seeing Ye Qinghe’s dissatisfaction, Ye Yaya didn’t conceal anything. She honestly recounted why she left home and her experiences, including the little trick she used to catch a ride.

Her tone was calm, leaving those who heard it astounded and unable to imagine that a three-year-old child could possess such intelligence. After the shock came the realization of what could have happened—what if she had been taken advantage of during the ride, what if the driver had been a human trafficker, what if…

For every “what if,” catastrophe loomed.

“Didn’t you promise brother that you wouldn’t wander off anymore? You made a clear promise before. So why did you leave a note and go away again?”

Again?!

The uncles in the crowd grasped the key point.

Ye Yaya huffed and spoke confidently, “How can you believe a child’s promises?”

Ye Qinghe’s throat tightened, and he suddenly became speechless.

This sentence was like a spark that ignited the pent-up anger within Ye Linchuan. He grabbed Ye Yaya, and with a smack, his hand landed on the round, plump curve of her buttocks.

Ye Yaya shivered, her expression dazed. She clearly hadn’t registered what was happening.

Ye Linchuan raised his hand again and gave her another smack.

It hurt.

A fiery, burning pain.

Ye Yaya clutched her buttocks and finally snapped back to her senses.

Her eyes reddened, and her lips pouted like a little oil bottle. “You… you hit me…”

“I’m hitting you!” Ye Linchuan gritted his teeth, the more he thought, the angrier he got. He continued to deliver three or four consecutive slaps.

Ye Yaya was stunned by the blows.

She had been the cherished baby of her parents, and even Ye Erhuang would avoid causing her any distress. Not to mention hitting her, he had never even scolded her. She hadn’t experienced this kind of treatment in a hundred years.

Discomfort, grievance, helplessness—all flooded in within an instant.

Ye Yaya closed her eyes and burst into loud sobs.

Ye Linchuan didn’t care whether she cried or not, he kept hitting her while berating her, “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused for others? Do you know that your brother has a heart condition and can’t handle stress? Do you know that Ziyu thought you were kidnapped and wanted to trade himself for you? You know nothing, all you know how to do is cry!”

Ye Linchuan was so furious that his hands itched.

When Xia Yu called, for a brief second, he had genuinely thought this little rascal had been kidnapped. In that split second, a million thoughts had raced through his mind.

He didn’t have the money to pay a ransom, and if the kidnappers trade, his sons would probably end up “dying for their sister” as well. Would he be left alive or not? Would he live or not?

To be honest, Ye Linchuan had already penned down his own epitaph.

But this little girl was fine, sitting on a chair, eating an apple, confidently insisting she did nothing wrong.

Ye Linchuan advocated gentle parenting and had never hit his kids, even when Ye Ziyu tore up his documents. Today, thanks to Ye Yaya, he was experiencing the very feelings parents described online—being so angry you want to smack them, because without discipline, education falls apart.

“How many times have you done this? Tell me! How many times!” He shouted loudly. Ye Yaya trembled with fear, stuttering, “O-once… once…”

“Nonsense! Tell me properly, how many times!” Ye Linchuan’s face was flushed, his neck thickened, no longer the calm and composed person he used to be.

Ye Yaya cried out loudly, “Tw-twice, three… two or three times, waaah—”

She was terrified.

Her cries grew louder with each sob, and in her desperate attempt to survive, she squirmed out of Ye Linchuan’s arms and tried to escape. Her tear-blurred vision didn’t offer a clear path, and her small feet seemed to step on something. Her crying stalled, and with great effort, she opened her eyes, brimming with tears.

— It was a big white goose, left to roam in the yard, and it was staring right at her.

Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 24 chapters in advance!