MY WIFE IS A BEAUTIFUL CEO

Chapter 721 - Chapter 730

Chapter 721 - Taking the Long Way

Ratatatatatata!

A shower of bullets rained around Yang Chen, but oddly none of which seemed to have affected him. Every bullet fired at him was flattened on an invisible shield. Soon enough, there was a pile of wasted metal at Yang Chen's feet.

The American soldiers were stunned at what they saw. When their ammunition finally ran out, they saw something which only existed in the movies. This feat should not be possible by any mere mortal. A deep panic erupted from their hearts, causing them to stumble and fall back.

Yang Chen smiled warmly, greeting them kindly. "Good evening, working the night shift is pretty tiring. I'm sorry I didn't bring supper for you guys. Else I could've let you try my barbeque mutton skewers. I'm good at making those."

The soldiers' minds blanked at this weird opening line.

An ear-piercing siren started to blare on the army base. All the spotlights were frantically swiveling around in search of the issue. Soldiers from all different directions surrounded Yang Chen in an attempt to stop him from progressing any further.

Yang Chen did actually hope that this would happen. It'd take too much time to find their commander. He might as well show himself to the crowd and trigger the alarms. Their commander would naturally emerge this way.

Lo and behold, when the soldiers found the target, they immediately surrounded Yang Chen, placing him in the middle.

More than a hundred guns were aimed at Yang Chen. The disheveled, half-dressed soldiers had on dark expressions as if facing their biggest enemy. They had just witnessed this man emerge unscathed from a heavy rain of bullets. Needless to say, they were reeking with fear.

Yang Chen surveyed them and asked a question with an American accent. "Where's your commander? I'm not here to fight, just here to talk."

A hoarse voice boomed from the back. "I am whom you seek. Your actions have angered us from United States Navy. I hope you have a good explanation."

A middle-aged white man in full uniform walked out. The two subordinates behind him obviously didn't want him to show himself, because the enemy looked very much 'abnormal'.

Yang Chen squinted at his medals and asked smilingly, "Colonel?"

"You can call me Colonel Jimmy," Jimmy said solemnly. "I am in charge of all affairs of this base. What is it you wish to discuss?"

Yang Chen directly made his request. "I want An Zaihuan. I know he's here. Bringing him back to China is my only goal."

"So what you're saying, Sir, is that you're from the Chinese army?" Jimmy asked.

Yang Chen shook his head. "I'm not. I have a few private problems I have to sort out with An Zaihuan, and I don't feel like discussing further with you."

Jimmy frowned. "Although I'm very surprised as to how you know this, but Mr An is an important guest here. He is under our protection and I have orders to not let any harm befall him."

"When did I mention that you had a say in this? I've come to personally ask you because I don't feel like killing everyone here. I'm not your enemy anyway," Yang Chen said.

Jimmy, not extremely infuriated, shouted, "Sir, you have disrespected and underestimated the navy! Although you have proven to us that you are powerful, it is still not enough for us to surrender!"

Yang Chen sighed a little. "Really, no?"

"Comrades, tell him our answer!" Jimmy roared.

The crowd of American naval soldiers roared, "Glory to battle!"

Yang Chen shook his head pitifully, loosening his spine. "They might be loud, but that's all they'll ever be."

When the cry faded, Yang Chen pointed a finger at a resting F22 battle plane in front.

Boom!

While the soldiers were trying to figure out what the Asian man was going to do, the resting plane suddenly erupted in flames!

An explosion?!!

With the explosion, all the soldiers, including Colonel Jimmy, had their jaws on the floor—they were speechless!

Yang Chen nodded, satisfied. He had been looking for a chance to test his capabilities ever since the breakthrough. By manipulating the True Yuan around him, he had punctured the fuel tank of the plane. The high temperature along with the friction, caused the fuel to ignite, leading to the explosion.

Compared to the gods who manipulate space laws, Yang Chen's cultivation was more focused more on the precision of force. It might not be enough to move mountains, but when used correctly could cause serious damage.

Of course, Yang Chen was still aware that although he possessed all this power, he had only scratched the surface of this realm. There was so much more to learn. Once he mastered karmic connection with all sentient beings, he'd be able to manipulate much more power.

Unfortunately, he did not have a teacher to teach him how to progress further. The most powerful beings from ancient times, as Yan Sanniang mentioned, were not in this world anymore. The only way he could learn was from trial and error.

The flames lit the faces of the soldiers. They felt a chill down their spine, falling back in fear.

This was a human weapon!

Jimmy's face darkened. "Sir, if you claim you aren't our enemy, then why are you doing this? Even if you are powerful, what makes you think you can go up against the entire American army?!"

Yang Chen replied impatiently, "I don't have time for small talk. I have made my point clear, give me the man or I will destroy one of your assets every few seconds. I'll start with the planes, then your warships out at sea. I'll end when I have destroyed your nuclear aircraft carrier. Trust me, it won't be any trouble. Of course, if you still don't want to give him up, I'll start killing your men. One by one, until you give him up."

Yang Chen finished, then pointed again.

Boom!

An armed helicopter exploded into bits in flames and smoke! A few crumbs of the metal arms fell from the sky, causing the soldiers to panic again!

Both of Colonel Jimmy's legs gave out, clumsily leaning on his two subordinates. The usualy dominant soldiers finally had a taste of helplessness...

It was one thing to suffer helplessness, it was another to suffer it from the hands of one man!

"Shall I continue? When are you going to give him up?" Yang Chen asked again.

Jimmy's face reddened. He was so embarrassed he didn't know what to do.

However, when Jimmy saw Yang Chen's expression start to turn sour, and about to lift his arm again, Jimmy finally gave up!

"Stop! Stop! We'll give you what you want!"

Jimmy shouted, aiming only to please Yang Chen. He glared at the two soldiers behind him, "Bring that An Zaihuan out now!"

The soldiers were secretly relieved too. They were obviously not a match for this enemy. They were lucky the colonel knew when to surrender or they'd all be in line to die!

Soon, two soldiers dragged An Zaihuan out. The disheveled man was very confused, but when he recognized Yang Chen, his face lit up!

"Yang Chen?!" An Zaihuan exclaimed. "You're finally here! Did An Xin send you to get me? You know how to save me right? You're so powerful, the army will definitely let me go with you here. So I'm safe now, right?!"

Yang Chen approached him expressionlessly. His cold gaze left An Zaihuan increasingly confused.

"I have to say, you really make me disgusted. At this point, I don't even want to talk to you," Yang Chen said, bored.

An Zaihuan was more confused, smiling stiffly.

Yang Chen shook his head, then hit the back of An Zaihuan's neck to knock him out. Now he didn't have to look at the man's face.

With one hand grabbing An Zaihuan's collar, Yang Chen dragged him like an object across the floor. He turned to Colonel Jimmy. "Alright, although it didn't exactly go to plan, nothing serious had happened. However, as a person who currently lives in China, I'd like to remind you of this. What you do at sea is none of my business, but please do not disturb my daily life or I will sink your nuclear aircraft carriers..."

Without waiting to look at the soldiers' expressions, Yang Chen had already disappeared with An Zaihuan!

Jimmy's face turned green, then white. Grinding his teeth in anger, he told a staff officer, "Contact The Pentagon immediately! Immediately!"

The base was left in chaos, but Yang Chen wasn't bothered.

During the journey back, although he had to carry An Zaihuan, it didn't trouble Yang Chen much.

However, before leaving the Filipino archipelagos, Yang Chen suddenly recalled something. He thought for a moment, then concluded that it was necessary. Thus, he circled other islands for a bit before returning home.

Approximately an hour after he'd left, the soldiers led by Yang Pojun and the An clan gathered to wait at the living hall.

When Yang Chen opened the door and threw An Zaihuan down like a dog's carcass on the ground, both the soldiers and the entire An clan were shocked!

"Elder Brother?!"

"You still call him brother?! This motherfucker is an animal!" The An clan erupted into several conversations while staring at Yang Chen in disbelief. No matter how they approached the topic, they couldn't figure out how Yang Chen managed to do it.

Yang Pojun sat at the dining table, solemnly drinking the tea An Xin served. He didn't think Yang Chen would bring the man back in such a short time!

"The man is here. Bring him away," Yang Chen said casually.

Yang Pojun scoffed, then gestured for the soldiers to bring An Zaihuan to the prisoner transport vehicle. He stood, then said, "I am only in charge of capturing the man. As for the rest, I don't care." He led the soldiers out without a goodbye.

The clan members and servants sighed in relief. No matter what, they were saved. All eyes on Yang Chen were filled with gratitude and respect.

However, when An Xin saw how the unconscious An Zaihuan was immediately dragged out, her emotions were a mess. She stood in her spot while her mind flipped between grief, hate, pity, and bitterness. Finally, she gritted her teeth and walked to stand by Yang Chen, forcing a smile. "You didn't get into any trouble, did you? Are you hurt?"

Despite everything that happened, it was still her father who was dragged out. Yang Chen's heart ached to look at his girl attempting to hide her pain. He gently patted her cheek, smiling. "I'm not hurt, but I did meet some trouble on the way back so I had to take the long way home."

Chapter 722 - That's a Little Dumb

When An Xin heard his response, she immediately forgot about her father's situation. Hurriedly, she asked, "What trouble? Did someone harm you? Was it the American army?"

Looking at his girl's worried face, Yang Chen felt like she was the cutest thing on earth. He lowered his head to peck on her pretty lips, leaving An Xin stunned.

"Dear, even if I was chased with the best missiles, it wouldn't even be worth mentioning." Yang Chen snickered. He suddenly lifted his shirt to take out a package from his waistband. "Heh! What's this?"

Yang Chen shook the orange bag in his hand cheerfully.

An Xin was even more confused. After a bit, she finally made out a few Chinese words on the bag. Bewildered, she asked, "Is it... dried mango strips from the Philippines?"

Yang Chen nodded. "Before I came back, I thought of this. The Philippines are famous for their dried mango strips. They're so good but not too sweet, so I wanted to get you a pack. Too bad it was a little too early and many shops were still closed. It took me a long time to find a small twenty-four-hour convenience store. I'm not sure if it was good so I didn't buy much. I was fortunate enough that I had my cards with me, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to pay."

As he spoke, he tore open the packaging, took out a strip and brought it to her mouth. "Ah... Open up, have one."

An Xin wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry. She pouted and squinted suspiciously at the man. "Jesus Christ... I thought something happened. You scared me.'

She still obediently opened her mouth and ate the dried mango.

Watching An Xin chew, Yang Chen grinned. "How is it? Is it good? I asked the owner and he said this brand isn't too sweet."

An Xin nodded and smiled warmly. "Yeah, it's pretty good. It's sweet and you can smell the mango."

Yang Chen was satisfied with her answer. Shoving the rest of the mango into her arms, he said, "If it's good, then you take it. If you want more, I'll get it for you again."

An Xin looked at the dried mango strips in her hands, then at the grinning Yang Chen. She asked, "But... Honey, why did you suddenly buy these? It was an urgent mission, so you must've been very tired."

Yang Chen sighed, then pulled her into his arms. He whispered into her ears, "I know that no matter the outcome, your heart will be bitter. So, I hoped to lessen the bitterness with some sweet mango. Although it seems a little dumb, you get it right?"

An Xin's gentle body shook in his arms. Warm, silent tears dropped on Yang Chen's chest. She sobbed. "I hate you... You... I think you're an idiot..."

Yang Chen laughed like he was enjoying himself.

When the couple embraced, An Xin's relatives watched their exchange from afar. Although they were curious about their conversation, they did not dare to approach out of fear for Yang Chen.

Once Yang Chen had comforted his lady's grief, his gaze swept the crowd. "If it were not for my darling An Xin asking for mercy, I wouldn't have minded slaughtering every single one of you. However, since we're here now, I guess there isn't much meaning in killing you all. The An clan will resume its usual operations soon. If you want to save yourselves, you'll know what to do next."

The relatives looked at each other, many with sweat sprouting from their foreheads. They understood exactly what he meant. If they wanted to live, they'd have to be smart!

Finally, the second-eldest An spoke up. "The An clan was spared today all because of An Xin's efforts. I think my niece, An Xin here, should be the next head of the family. I have decided to pass my company shares to An Xin. I'm old, I should retire soon."

The second-eldest An spoke with unwilling pain in his eyes, but to leave safely, he had to do so.

Soon, the rest started to declare their wishes to transfer shares. Since the lawyer was still at the house, everything was dealt with very quickly.

Although An Xin never wanted to accept the shares, she knew this was the safest way to secure her position in the clan. So, she listened to Yang Chen and took all the shares under her wing.

Watching the lawyer sort out the documents, Yang Chen said, "From now on, you may resign from being my secretary. With your capabilities and support from Rothschild, you'll do well managing the clan's businesses. No matter how your father was, this is still your home. Your family businesses shouldn't just stop at your generation right?"

An Xin nodded. She was staying strong. She grew up here, and no matter how sad the past was, she did hope to protect everything.

Suddenly, An Xin had another question. She pouted, then whispered to Yang Chen, "Sweetie... since I'm gone, which girl will be your secretary?"

Yang Chen smiled. "Why must I get a secretary? Can't I get things done myself? I could just go to work every day. If I can't do something, I'll just ask someone. Relax, I'm busy enough with all of you. I don't think it'd be wise to throw another one into the mix."

An Xin gave a happy grunt when she heard this answer.

Yang Chen smiled mischievously again. "But Babe, you still gotta come visit sometimes. It'll be so boring without you there."

When she heard that An Xin understood what he was referring to, her pretty face reddened. She said shyly, "I'm not going to your office to be bullied."

Yang Chen whined, "Oh no, then I'd have no motivation to go for work at all."

An Xin cocked an eyebrow, then elaborated demurely, "Hubby, you can come to my office instead..."

With this shy flirt, Yang Chen almost blacked out from the lack of blood in his brain. He gulped looking at the slender nymph. He needed to visit her office now!

At the same time, at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the Navy's highest-ranked officer, Admiral Roughead, was sitting stiffly on a redwood chair within the Pentagon in Washington. By his side were two soldiers showing him the recordings of the earlier incident.

A strange Asian man pointed in the air, and like magic, a fighter jet exploded into scrap metal!

Roughead's expression darkened. After watching the same clip thrice, he finally threw the remote, shattering it.

"Damn it! Can someone tell me what this person is?! What just humiliated our best, undefeated navy?!" Roughead, who'd had a very smooth career since entering the office, roared like a raging lion. It wasn't every day that something like this happened!

The two staff officers stood exasperated, unable to provide an explanation. They could only silently bear with the irate man.

At this moment, the office door was pushed open. A middle-aged, bald white man in a simple suit walked in grinning.

However, when they saw this seemingly friendly man, Roughead and the two officers became solemn, standing tall.

"Director Mueller, is it the investigation report?" Roughead didn't question the entrance of this man, because it was Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller.

Robert turned to see the still looping recording on the screen, then gave a long sigh. With his raspy voice he said, "Admiral Roughead, I think, you should meet the President to discuss some matters."

"What matters?" Roughead frowned.

"Retreating the navy from the South China Sea," Robert said without much detail.

Roughead's face froze. "Why? Wouldn't we appear weak that way? All because of the sudden appearance of this man?! Even if he's a superhuman, don't we still have Blue Storm?"

Robert's eyes narrowed, then took out a tablet. "Admiral, these are confirmed results from an investigation on the man's identity. If it were not for this extraordinary situation, you wouldn't have been able to access this man's particulars in your life. But you're in luck, I suggest you read them before you speak."

Roughead was stunned, and his face turned solemn. He carefully took the tablet, then turned it on.

The two staff officers understood that they were definitely not in the position to read the information, so they hurriedly retreated into a corner.

Roughead's hand shook when he first read the information, almost dropping the tablet!

He was shocked to see three 'S's on the file!

SSS? Even highly classified experiments on humans were labeled SS. What was so secret that even this had to be rated SSS?

Roughead's heart raced. He understood why the director of the FBI had to bring the information himself. This file was too important!

Forcing himself to breathe, he took a deep breath and opened the file.

A seemingly normal picture popped up. The top was an old-fashioned ring, and under the ring was the word 'PLUTO'...

Reading all the information took him almost a quarter of an hour.

When Roughead stiffly returned the tablet to Robert, he was already drenched in cold sweat.

Robert was still smiling. "Now, Admiral you should finally understand. Talk to Mr President. He actually hasn't seen this document either. If there's no need, it's better to keep it to yourself."

Roughead nodded vigorously. "I will go. But... Director, that subject...You're sure he won't help any side and won't attack us, right?"

Robert patted his shoulder. "As for whether the subject will attack our navy, the key is in how we show him our respect. I think you know what I mean."

Roughead ground his teeth. "I will go to the White House now. You have my word, within three days the Navy will leave Southeast Asia!"

This sudden change in attitude stunned the two staff officers.

The main man who brought about all these changes was far at sea. He didn't know what was going on, or more appropriately, didn't care.

After Yang Chen had settled the An clan's matters, it had taken almost all night. He said goodbye to An Xin, found a place without people to teleport to a street near the bar. He found his parked car, then returned home.

Chapter 723 - Feelings Aren't Bank Loans

It was already dawn when he arrived home. Yang Chen didn't expect to be out for a day and a night.

It was funny just to think about it. An unemployed, good-for-nothing lad like him should be carefree. He should be playing video games all day. Sadly, there was always some problem he needed to solve. He couldn't even find time to rest.

He got off the car, slowly walking towards the gates.

Theoretically, he shouldn't have been this exhausted given his abilities. Yang Chen felt that this matter took a huge toll on himself as if his heart had suffered through a dreadful thunderstorm. Suffice to say, he was completely spent.

He hadn't even solved Mo Qianni's problem, and Liu Mingyu got detained. There was that problem with Li Ming and Wu Yue. Then he needed to deal with Luo Cuishan. And right in this very yard, Lin Ruoxi and himself had separated just last night...

Yang Chen was very worried. He was seriously contemplating taking a long holiday to calm his nerves.

The gloomy silhouette emerged from the thin veil of morning fog.

He opened the door, then entered the hall. Yang Chen wanted to head upstairs for a shower before breakfast. He didn't think there was time for sleep.

However, once he stepped into the hall, a pink figure jumped in surprised from the couch!

Disheveled, Lin Ruoxi was standing barefooted in her nightgown, staring at the man as if she had something to say. Her eyes were swollen, with dark circles around them.

Their eyes met for a moment. Yang Chen said in panic, "Please don't tell me you stayed up all night."

Lin Ruoxi had waited all night, and she'd forgotten her initial worries as soon as she saw her man home. Joy, anger, and grief surged from the depths of her heart.

She made a few steps toward Yang Chen. "You... Please don't be angry... Please..."

With her pleading, Yang Chen's mental fog soon cleared.

Is she here because she's afraid that I wouldn't want to come home? Yang Chen smiled bitterly. With all the chaos that took place last night, he'd forgotten to call home.

Yang Chen felt so bad when he saw her pale face. He assured her with a low voice, "Don't overthink. I made a mistake, I didn't call. You should rest. Yu Lei's problems are already dealt with so you can rest now."

Lin Ruoxi shook her head. "You haven't given me an answer yet. Please don't be mad, okay? I know I have tendencies where I say the wrong thing. I felt so bad I couldn't sleep."

Yang Chen smiled again. "I'm fine, it's alright. "

"You're lying!" exclaimed Lin Ruoxi miserably, "If you weren't angry, then why were you out all night?"

"I—"

"Yang Chen!" Lin Ruoxi bit her lip, "Don't act all casual and wave it off just like that! I'll feel worse! I promise to tell you everything so you wouldn't worry, and I will think before I speak. Please believe me, okay? Or do I have to beg on my knees for your forgiveness?"

Yang Chen could only stare in shock for a moment, then he broke into a smile. He seemed to be laughing at himself as if he'd thought of something funny.

Bewildered, Lin Ruoxi looked at him. "You... What's so funny? I'm being very serious."

He waved her off. "Sorry, I just recalled how I was always the one begging for your forgiveness. I'm not quite sure what to do now that the roles are reversed."

Lin Ruoxi's cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "I'm not one of those unreasonable women. I'm in the wrong, so of course, I'll apologize."

"Sigh..." Yang Chen sighed deeply. He scratched his head and then said, "Ruoxi, let's not talk about begging me for forgiveness, alright? It's not like we're meeting for the first time. I know your personality. I left because I was an emotional wreck. I'll admit what you did made me mad, but I was too tired to stay angry.

"Feelings aren't bank loans. It is not an eye for an eye.

"Then again, you are my wife. No matter what you think of me, how can I stay mad? How can I live my life angry with you all the time?"

Lin Ruoxi was surprised. Relieved, she said, "You... Are you really not upset anymore? Then why didn't you come back last night? I thought you really left for good. That you weren't planning on coming back."

Yang Chen smiled awkwardly. "Something came up last night. Honestly, the whole of last night passed by in a hazy blur."

"Oh..." Although she was curious, Lin Ruoxi didn't dare to ask any more questions. She suddenly realized she'd never said these words out loud in the past twenty years. Her cheeks felt warm again. Clenching her nightgown, she lowered her head to avoid looking at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen sighed in relief after comforting Lin Ruoxi. They still had their whole lives ahead of them. Holding grudges over something so small was not a priority.

Lin Ruoxi recalled something Guo Xuehua said. So in accordance, she gently asked, "Are you hungry? I bet you haven't had your breakfast yet. Let me make you something, okay? Wang Ma taught me how to make egg biscuits. I'll whip something up."

Yang Chen revealed a look of surprise, then grinned. "It's alright, I want to take a shower and rest for a bit. We can eat later when we're more well rested. Aren't you sleepy too? Go get some rest."

"Oh..." grunted Lin Ruoxi, a little disappointed. "Alright."

Yang Chen wasn't used to this gentle, doting wife at all. Lin Ruoxi used to be sharp and cold. He couldn't believe it.

Is she in shock? Yang Chen didn't think much into it. He scratched his head, smiled at Lin Ruoxi, then went upstairs.

Yang Chen immediately dashed into the bathroom to take a cold, refreshing shower. He wiped himself dry, then walked into the bedroom, naked, to put on some clothes.

His sharp ears heard a sound outside his room. It was Lin Ruoxi's footsteps.

"Yang Chen, can I come in?"

He stopped for a second, then grabbed a random pair of trousers. "Oh, what's up?"

Lin Ruoxi carefully opened the door and entered the room. Seeing Yang Chen in a pair of shorts, Lin Ruoxi's face was very red. However, she didn't flinch. She held up a pile of clothes. "These are your clean things. I'll bring your dirty clothes downstairs once you're done."

Yang Chen stared at the woman, speechless. Lin Ruoxi had been doing his laundry for a while for a while now. Sometimes he didn't think about it much, but his closet was also neatly arranged by her. Then again, she'd changed the sheets, then the inner soles of his shoes. All the little things in the house. Lin Ruoxi was indeed making changes herself.

Alone, these acts might seem a little random and insignificant. But over time, it all adds up to something sweet and thoughtful.

Lin Ruoxi didn't know how to react to Yang Chen's shocked silence either. She walked to the closet and neatly hung his clothes.

Yang Chen put on a shirt and sat on the bed watching Lin Ruoxi work. He thought she would leave but unexpectedly, she turned to look at him.

"What's the matter?" asked Yang Chen.

Lin Ruoxi didn't know herself. Facing Yang Chen, her heart raced. She was replaying Guo Xuehua's advice in her head. Guo Xuehua wanted her to take more initiative.

They were alone, and it was quiet. But Lin Ruoxi didn't know what to say.

Should I sit next to him? What if he wants to do it? No, that's impossible. Didn't he say he only wanted to do it after our wedding? But... What about a kiss?

Forget it, it's not like we haven't kissed before. I've already given everything I had to him. Like Mom said, I gotta do more while I'm still young.

Lin Ruoxi had a thought. Slowly, she walked right up to Yang Chen's bed.

Yang Chen was worried. She had a funny expression. He wouldn't have imagined that she was mustering up the courage to make a move!

When Yang Chen was confused, his phone vibrated on the nightstand.

The rude interruption made Lin Ruoxi stop suddenly. Her face was as red as the sunrise, and sweat sprouted from her forehead. Panicking, she grabbed the pile of dirty clothes and dashed out of the door like a terrified rabbit!

Chapter 724 - Morals

"It's just a call, why would she need to run?" Yang Chen muttered. What's going on with this woman? Did I really hurt her because I wasn't home for a night?

His confusion was understandable. They were in an argument just yesterday. Suddenly, overnight, Lin Ruoxi's attitude did a complete one-eighty. Anyone would've guessed that what Guo Xuehua said last night had worried Lin Ruoxi.

Men should appreciate their youth, and women shouldn't waste theirs either.

Shaking his head, puzzled, Yang Chen picked his phone up. It was Adeline.

He asked, "How's the progress?"

Adeline yawned. "Your Majesty Pluto, I've been up all night carrying out the assignment. I have emailed the videos to you. Suffice to say, it's more than enough to ruin her reputation. I have a question, do you still want to record another artistic film? Any more and it'd be a TV series."

Yang Chen thought for a moment before answering, "It's fine, I don't think she'll recover from this. It's up to her to survive now."

After hanging up, Yang Chen walked to his desk to turn on his laptop. When he opened his mail, there was a new mail with a video attached.

Yang Chen clicked to open the file. He couldn't help but laugh.

Adeline had a certain flair for videography. Not only did she focus on the details of Luo Cuishan's face, she even filmed the part when four people attacked her at once. It had an actual storyline, and since it was nighttime, she even took the time to make sure it had good lighting.

After closing the video, Yang Chen backed up a copy in his drive. He then instructed Molin from the Sea Eagles to figure out a method to send this video into Ning Guangyao's mailbox.

Of course, it had to be sent to his personal email address. Yang Chen didn't want the entire country to see it.

No matter what, Luo Cuishan was the premier's wife. If he was embarrassed on the news to the world, it would not only affect his status but China at large.

Yang Chen only wanted to kill the possibility of Luo Cuishan's recovery. He also wanted it as a warning to the Ning and Luo clans.

As long as the file of this video was in his hands, he had all the power. No matter how much the Ning and Luo clans hated him, they still had to consider the consequences.

Yang Chen wasn't afraid of them, but having a back up plan was better than not having one at all. It had been some time since he returned. His mindset had gradually become more mature. Being fearless and all-powerful wasn't enough these days. Neither was murder the solution to every problem. Yang Chen didn't want to cause chaos again as he might burden the people around him.

As Yang Chen was talking to Molin, Luo Cuishan slowly awakened under the bridge over Zhonghai's city river.

Luo Cuishan felt faint when the sky started to brighten. The cold had woken her up again since she was freezing. She wasn't wearing much.

Luo Cuishan wanted to stand up, but a searing pain shot from her abdomen down when she placed weight on her legs.

"Ouch..."

Luo Cuishan drew in a sharp breath. She instantly dared not move an inch!

She was still foggy as she surveyed the area around her. It was wet, dark, and muddy.

Luo Cuishan suddenly remembered everything. It jolted her awake, panicking as her blank mind recalled everything!

Her face paled, tears streaming down her face.

Between breaths, Luo Cuishan could smell the disgusting odor the four strangers had left on her from last night. She absolutely hated the fact that she was not dead!

She was almost half a century old now. Being a pampered girl since young, she had never thought she would be bitten by four bastards who were literally the scum of society!

How could she face her husband, her son, or anyone else? Most importantly, how could she even face herself?

Life sucked more than death!

Sitting on the river bank, the woman's face turned as white as a sheet, vulnerable as a fragile doll.

After a while, Luo Cuishan's mind was a mess. She was numb to her problems. She slowly sat up despite the bruises.

After her struggle last night, both her top and pants were torn to shreds by the guy with the mustache. They were basically strips of cloth at this point.

It was a breezy, chilly morning. Luo Cuishan immediately hugged her chest, pressing her bosom together. However, she felt a breeze across her backside.

She looked around. She was under a bridge. Not many people or cars were there now, but someone was bound to see her naked like this once rush hour began. What should she do?!

She couldn't imagine how she'd react if someone treated her like a psycho after what she had just gone through last night.

"No... How could I, Luo Cuishan, end up like this? This is unacceptable." She lifted her gaze to the swift river, her eyes tearing up again. She clenched her teeth, cursing with malice, "I might as well die, so I won't suffer. Yang Chen, Lin Ruoxi... even if I become a ghost, I will never let you go..."

With all her strength, she stood up. She forced herself to take shaky steps towards the river.

She only had to plant herself into the river head-wards. Once she drowned, everything would cease to exist.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

When Luo Cuishan was about to reach the river, a man shouted from the other side of the bridge.

A disheveled, young homeless man holding a paper bag called out to her. He shouted at Luo Cuishan, standing under the bridge.

She glared at him with poison in her eyes. Even if she were ashes, she'd still recognize this man!

This limping man was one of the cruel men who climbed onto her, and did the unthinkable last night!

Cripple ignored her glare, then quickly hopped over to Luo Cuishan, dragging his bad leg on the ground. He roughly pulled her backward.

"Are you going to kill yourself? Really?! Yeah, you were played by a few men. You're not young anymore. Why do you still think you're so precious?"

"What did you just say?!" roared Luo Cuishan, shaking with rage. She didn't care if she was naked anymore. She spat at Cripple. "You're an animal, worse than a dog! Do you know who I am?!"

"Heh, do you think I care? You say I'm a dog, then doesn't that make you a bitch who fucked the dog?!" Cripple didn't avoid her spit, but he wiped his face with a sleeve.

"Did you just insult me?!"

He didn't care, but laughed instead. "I said, Auntie, don't do anything stupid. Think this through. If you die, you will have nothing. So what if you were 'stabbed' by a few brothers? Why not live? After all, revenge is an act that must be carried out physically."

"And you're lecturing me now?!" shrieked Luo Cuishan.

Cripple smirked. "Oh so you think you're the shit now when you widen your eyes and scream a little louder. Weren't you just about to kill yourself? All because you were played by us?"

Luo Cuishan bent down to pick a rock up before throwing it at Cripple.

Although he had a bad leg, with Luo Cuishan's aim, he easily dodged the rock.

"Looks like you still have some energy in you. You had just fought four men in a night, but you still have the energy to hit me. Auntie, the two lumps of meat on your chest are so round. They're still shaking," laughed Cripple.

Luo Cuishan suddenly realized the beggar was still staring at her. She immediately hugged her chest, then pressed her thighs tightly together. Her grief and hate and all her emotions caused more tears to stream down her face.

Cripple huffed, then walked slowly to a corner. He picked up a dirty rug and threw it towards her. "I have no clothes for you, so you should use this rug. Your pants are torn but it'll serve as shorts."

"Leave! I don't want this smelly thing!" Luo Cuishan kicked the rug away.

Cripple laughed, then took the cheapest white mantou out of the paper bag he was holding. He threw it towards her. "Whatever. Since you gave me a good time last night, I choose not to leave you to your own vices. I still have morals, so I'll give you my rug and my steamed bun. Do you think it was easy to beg for the money to buy this mantou? Hmph..."

"I want all four of you to die!" cursed Luo Cuishan with hatred, clenching her teeth.

He rolled his eyes, then took a bite of his mantou. "This one bites. They can't even count the number of beggars in Zhonghai, you think you'll find them? We don't have identities. If I didn't leave a rug for you, you wouldn't even have been able to leave this place under the bridge. You'd die from the cold and hunger!"

Luo Cuishan was so furious that she started to bite her lip until the skin tore. Grief welled up and she squatted to cry again!

Cripple sat aside, still munching on the mantou as if he didn't hear anything. However, he stole a few occasional glances, an inexplicable emotion arising in his eyes.

Chapter 725 - Mental Health Inspection

Ning Guangyao sat in the study room of his mansion, depressed. He hadn't slept all night.

Luo Cuishan's bodyguard had just reported her disappearance last night. Ning Guangyao was furious at first but he became extremely worried later.

What's worse was that they weren't able to keep this issue under wraps. After all, Luo Cuishan was a high-ranking official. Her disappearance wouldn't go unnoticed by her employees even if he tried.

All night long, the Luo clan and government officials had been calling him non-stop. Even Ning Guodong, his son who hadn't been home for a long time, was busy hiring people to look for Luo Cuishan.

Unfortunately, there was still no news of Luo Cuishan's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Yu Lei International blasted shocking news articles about them as well as numerous positive articles about Lin Ruoxi. These actions raised several red flags in Ning Guangyao's mind. He suspected that these events were somehow interconnected.

It was all because Luo Cuishan said she was going to help Yu Lei!

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Ning Guangyao nearly pounced on the phone, asking, "Any news?!"

It was the assistant of one of Ning Guangyao's staff. He said respectfully, "Sir, there is someone on the line saying something about madam. Please check your personal mail."

Ning Guangyao frowned. Personal mail? Still, he did as told after the call was ended.

Very few knew of the existence of this email address. After signing in, Ning Guangyao immediately saw an anonymous mail. It was delivered recently. The address of the sender was empty. They must have hacked into the account. Attached were a document and a video.

Ning Guangyao was disturbed. The sender wanted to mail him privately instead of allowing someone else to forward the message to him. Hence, the email must have contained something for his eyes only. After calming himself down, he downloaded the folder and opened it.

Half an hour later, Ning Guangyao's face fell after watching the video.

"Cuishan, Cuishan..." muttered Ning Guangyao. He could only stare. His eyes were filled with indescribable emotions.

Meanwhile, in Zhonghai, the light of the dawn pierced through the fog that accumulated in the night. Fresh air flowed through the green gardens.

The smell of breakfast filled the living room. Wang Ma and Guo Xuehua were busy in the kitchen. Peals of laughter could be heard.

When Yang Chen was done assigning the tasks to Molin, he went downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning Brother Yang!" A playful voice came from behind, a pair of slender arms wrapping around Yang Chen's waist. The room was suddenly filled with a sweet fragrance.

Yang Chen turned his head, pinched the girl's cheek, then said, "Sigh, you're so sweet. I don't need a daughter when I already have you."

Zhenxiu pouted. "I will not be your daughter!"

Zhenxiu made a face, then unwrapped her arms to run downstairs. She sat at the dining table, happily eating her breakfast.

Finally, Zhenxiu wasn't as stiff and cautious as she was before. Everyone had been very kind to the girl, welcoming her into the family.

Nonetheless, Yang Chen also felt that it was largely due to the Starmoon Group in Korea.

Although Zhenxiu was unwilling, she felt less inferior because she was now much more comfortable with her position. She understood she wasn't just a helpless orphan. After some counseling by Yang Chen, she was much more open to her family from Korea.

When Yang Chen sat down to begin eating, he saw Lin Ruoxi walking down the stairs slowly. She wore a layered violet dress.

The dress showed off her shoulders, then her white and slender calves. She looked so attractive from the bottom of the steps. After some brushing, her long black hair cascaded beautifully down her back, perfectly framing her pretty Asian features. She was a specimen of classic beauty indeed.

Even though he had been seeing this for a year, Yang Chen was still stunned. "Honey, are you going to work looking like this?"

When Lin Ruoxi saw him, she secretly delighted at his response. She had showered and changed immediately after arriving before coming downstairs again.

"Does it look good?" asked Lin Ruoxi shyly, taking a seat. She was a little awkward, refusing to look directly at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen was speechless for a moment. He didn't expect her to ask him so gently for a compliment.

Zhenxiu, who was sitting next to them laughed. "Sister Ruoxi, how can Brother Yang answer your question? You should ask if there was a day where you were not beautiful. Now that's an interesting question."

Yang Chen nodded. "Yes, Zhenxiu's not wrong."

Lin Ruoxi smiled, then passed a fried egg to Zhenxiu with her chopsticks. "You're so sweet. Eat more, you need your nutrients for your exams next week."

Zhenxiu nodded happily. "I just want to get it over with. Academics aren't for me, it's torture."

Yang Chen thought for a minute, then said, "Oh yeah, about the exams. Tang Tang also needs to sit for it too. Zhenxiu, do you know Tang Tang?"

Zhenxiu blinked, then said, "I know her, but we're not in the same class. I think she applied for leave since I haven't seen her in school for a while."

"She'd gone back to Beijing with her mother. You need to beat her in your studies. She's so arrogant! You need to help me put her back in her place!" Yang Chen grinned.

Confused, Zhenxiu asked, "Brother Yang, how did you know that? And you even know where her mom is?"

Yang Chen suddenly realized that it was not the right time to talk about it. Lin Ruoxi was still seated next to him. Yang Chen laughed, embarrassed. "I've helped her mother with something in Beijing once, nothing much... Heh..."

This sentence was meant for Lin Ruoxi. Although she would find out sooner or later, Yang Chen didn't want to bring up Tang Wan after they had just talked about the Cai sisters.

Lin Ruoxi didn't seem to have any comments though. She just laughed and said, "We will send Zhenxiu off for her exams together when the time comes."

Yang Chen's jaw fell. "Oh... Alright."

Then, Lin Ruoxi proceeded to take Yang Chen's bowl without a word, even serving him some porridge. She then placed two plates of Yang Chen's favorite dishes in front of him, casually saying, "Have some. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Yang Chen was still staring in shocked silence. Shouldn't Lin Ruoxi be raging over the mention of Tang Wan by now?

After some time, Yang Chen felt like her actions were too odd. If he wasn't sure, he would've thought it was someone else pretending to be Lin Ruoxi!

Before he could eat a few more spoonfuls of porridge, he almost choked.

"Hubby, let's rest today, okay?"

Hubby?! Why did she call me honey again?! thought Yang Chen, astonished.

Yang Chen pursed his lips to stop himself from spraying porridge across the table. Bewildered, he lifted his head to look at his gentle wife, swallowed the food in his mouth, then asked, "Ruoxi, are you playing games again? Is this going to be like last time? If it is, please stop... I can only go through something like that once."

The last time Lin Ruoxi played the role of a doting housewife, the entire family shunned him. He remembered it very clearly.

However, she only looked disappointed. "I didn't mean that. I only thought I'd accompany you at home because you've been working so hard lately. Just let me know if you're uncomfortable, I'll do whatever you want."

Yang Chen hesitated for a while, then asked, "Are you really not going to work?"

"Yeah," she said. "The hard part is now over. Everything else will be handled by the staff. With my mentor Chris there to help, there won't be a problem."

Yang Chen was startled. He then nodded and said, "Oh so that's why you suddenly invited Chris over, all the way from the US. It was to prepare for Li Minghe's departure. Once he leaves, Chris will temporarily fill in so the manager position wouldn't be left empty. Good one."

Her beautiful brows furrowed a little. "Hubby, let's not talk about business at home. It's a holiday, let's just eat."

This shocked Yang Chen again. Did the workaholic just say she wasn't interested in work?! Was this the Lin Ruoxi he knew?!

He watched Lin Ruoxi call Wang Ma and Guo Xuehua over to eat with them, even running to the kitchen to help out. She was a full-blown perfect daughter-in-law, acting as if this was a daily occurrence for her!

Yang Chen was confused all throughout breakfast. What's going on? he thought.

It was a rare holiday for Lin Ruoxi, so she offered to drive Zhenxiu to school. This made Yang Chen even more confused than before.

As they watched Lin Ruoxi and Zhenxiu exit the gates, Guo Xuehua couldn't hold her laughter anymore. She covered her mouth, then asked, "Son, what do you think of this Ruoxi?"

He finally understood. He smiled bitterly, "Mom, what did you say to Ruoxi? No amount of guilt-tripping would have garnered such a change."

Guo Xuehua said happily, "You will never not need my help. As your mother, I only guided Ruoxi a little, allowing her to understand how important it is to appreciate her youth. It's important to maintain the relationship between husband and wife, or you'll be a miserable old person. A little wisdom goes a long way. Especially with pretty girls."

Yang Chen's questions were finally answered. He didn't know if he should cry or laugh. He wanted to say something, but he shook his head.

On the other hand, Lin Ruoxi was on her way with Zhenxiu to her school. Although there was only a week left until her exams, Zhenxiu still wanted to study at school. She claimed that the atmosphere there was more conducive.

In the car, Zhenxiu stole a few glances at Lin Ruoxi. She smiled sweetly and asked, "Sister Ruoxi, you're a little different today. Did you finally plan to firmly claim Brother Yang's heart?"

Lin Ruoxi's hands on the wheel shook a little, her face turning red. "You're still young, there's so much you don't know." She didn't deny nor confirm the statement.

"I'm not a kid anymore, I have an ID!" Zhenxiu pouted, then smiled mischievously. "Sister Ruoxi, do you want me to teach you some killer moves? According to my experience, men like Brother Yang would fall at your knees if you used them!"

Lin Ruoxi glared at Zhenxiu unhappily. "Nonsense! It's none of your business! And I'm driving!"

Zhenxiu deflated, then muttered, "Alright... I'll stop talking."

However, Lin Ruoxi, her eyes still on the road, calmly said, "But... you can talk. I'll just listen. Treat it as a mental health inspection for you..."

Chapter 726 - A Change In Expression

Hearing this, Zhenxiu who had been asking for trouble moments ago, immediately burst with laughter. She clutched her stomach as it started to hurt.

Lin Ruoxi tried to regain her composure by coughing and clearing her throat several times. "What are you laughing for? Don't tell me if you don't want to. I was just agreeing to avoid hurting your pride."

Zhenxiu nodded, showing an understanding look. Leaning close to Lin Ruoxi's ear, she whispered, "Sister Ruoxi, let me tell you this. Brother Yang is actually a very soft person. You just need to..."

After whispering for some time and double checking to make sure Ruoxi got it right, Zhenxiu moved away from Lin Ruoxi's ear.

Lin Ruoxi bit her lower lip, and asked with her cheeks all red, "Is this... really going to work?"

Zhenxiu muttered, "Of course it's going to work! You watch a ton of Korean drama, right? Just learn a few tricks from the female actresses and you'll be fine. You've always watched those shows for entertainment only. That's why you never learned anything."

Lin Ruoxi frowned and thought about it quietly. To be honest, before this, she really hadn't thought of drawing inspiration from dramas.

When the car reached the high school, Zhenxiu got down from the car. She turned to wave goodbye and gave Lin Ruoxi an encouraging look before running happily into the school.

Lin Ruoxi smiled to herself and was just about to start the car to head back when her gaze landed on a pair of familiar figures.

A black, limited-edition Land Rover was parked in the lot in front of her. Next to the SUV was a tall elegant lady speaking sternly to a beautiful teenage girl that looked very much like her.

The teen pursed her lips, but despite her impatience, she still stood and listened in a well-behaved manner. Needless to say, it was quite a spectacle.

The mother and daughter were Tang Wan and Tang Tang. They had just returned from Beijing.

Tang Wan was merely teaching her daughter to stop thinking that she was always right, and not to waste the last few days of revision. Tang Tang was slowly zoning out, ignoring whatever Tang Wan was saying. Obviously, she wasn't keen on being obedient.

In the end, Tang Wan had given up. She waved her hand, dismissing her daughter. Tang Tang breathed a sigh of relief before immediately turning away and running towards the school.

Tang Wan smiled weakly to herself, shaking her head as she did so. Looking at her daughter leaving, she couldn't help but love her more. It was only after Tang Tang had entered the school that Tang Wan turned to drive back to the office.

However, as she turned around, she caught the sight of a red Bentley parked to her rear.

Needless to say, luxury British cars like Bentley's were a rare sight in Zhonghai. Especially one which was in such a prominent red. Tang Wan, as one of the strongest women in the business world, knew exactly which powerful individuals owned what cars. In fact, this car must have been owned by someone who had been working for several years in the industry.

Moreover, her relationship with Lin Ruoxi wasn't merely business-based. Naturally, Tang Wan immediately recognized the person seated inside the Bentley.

Lin Ruoxi who was seated in the car, also understood that Tang Wan would definitely recognize her car so she did not drive away.

In her head, the scene from that morning's breakfast came to mind. About Yang Chen going to Beijing to meet Tang Wan. Lin Ruoxi did not want to embarrass Yang Chen so she had pretended to look indifferent. But deep down in her heart, she was extremely uncomfortable. She could never have imagined, that a simple act of sending Zhenxiu to school would cause her to bump into this woman.

Lin Ruoxi drew a deep breath and her disposition went cold. In the blink of an eye, it was as if Lin Ruoxi had become the untouchable CEO of a multinational company once again.

If Yang Chen was here, he would definitely be relieved at this change in expression. After all, anything other than this was considered abnormal for Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi pushed the car door open and walked over to Tang Wan, stopping around a meter away from her. She didn't speak but merely stuck out a beautifully manicured hand.

"Oh, fancy meeting you here. Why's Boss Lin here at a high school?" Tang Wan's smile was gentle but depthless. It could have been for formality's sake, but it could also have been sincere. She shook hands with Lin Ruoxi.

Both women were businesswomen, even casual greetings, to them, were treated with utmost formality.

Tang Wan wore a black knee-length skirt, with curls falling from her shoulders. On her fair feet were a pair of light orange ribbon ballet high heels. After Yang Chen's True Yuan treatment, she had recovered fully, looking even younger than before. She looked no older than thirty, more like a mature, graceful woman.

As she stood next to Lin Ruoxi, who was clad in a violet dress, the two equally beautiful women attracted the attention of many teachers and parents at the school gate.

If it weren't for their cars, worth a few million yuan each, someone would've gone over to flirt with them.

"I'm here for my sister," said Lin Ruoxi simply.

Tang Wan wouldn't actually ask why Lin Ruoxi suddenly had a sister either. She smiled and asked, "Since we're here, and if you're not in a hurry to get to the office, why don't we get breakfast together?"

"I'm not working today."

Tang Wan was a little shocked. "Yu Lei International had just won a perfect battle, and although I heard its shares are at a record-high price, the company still needs managing. Boss Lin, is this a new strategy that perhaps I am not privy to?"

Lin Ruoxi shook her head, then with a piercing stare, said, "I want to spend more time with him."

Tang Wan stopped breathing. She knew who this 'him' was. However, she wasn't sure if Lin Ruoxi brought him up to 'protest' or simply state a fact.

She was confused. Usually, on the streets, she could guess the other person's thoughts through their body language. However, with Lin Ruoxi's icy composure, it really was anyone's guess.

This woman was not dumb. Tang Wan truly admired Lin Ruoxi's wisdom and capabilities in the business world so she knew she couldn't look down on this woman.

Her heart ached. She thought, Yang Chen, O Yang Chen. Your wife is harder to deal with than you.

Tang Wan was used to cold and distant people so without changing her expression, she said with a smile, "Alright, there's always the next time."

Tang Wan was about to say goodbye when Lin Ruoxi hurriedly added, "Although I need to accompany him, we can still have breakfast."

The sudden turn of events made Tang Wan awkwardly speechless.

About ten minutes later, both of them sat opposite each other at a Cantonese coffee shop near the school. They had eaten, so simple snacks and tea sufficed.

Lin Ruoxi took a sip of tea, frowning slightly because the tea was a little too strong. She put down the cup, then studied Tang Wan's face. "I heard you were unwell. How are you now?"

Tang Wan smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, my health has never been better."

"You don't need to thank me. I didn't do a thing. The person you should thank, is my husband," said Lin Ruoxi.

Tang Wan nodded smilingly, annoyed at how Lin Ruoxi so clearly divided each of their positions with a seemingly polite sentence.

If a lover treated your sickness, it was a very normal thing. If an acquaintance saved you, obviously a word of thanks was in order. This person wasn't very close to herself, but he was still somebody's husband.

Then again, with Lin Ruoxi's personality, it felt like she was going out of her way to openly scream the word 'husband'.

Tang Wan wasn't one to back down. Since Lin Ruoxi was already brandishing her knife, she said, "Your husband isn't a person who'd just accept a thank you. He's a smart one. He doesn't do anything without proper incentive. You need to watch him or a woman like me can barely repay him in one lifetime!'

Lin Ruoxi's bright eyes flashed coldly. Yang Chen must have done something with Tang Wan, that awful liar! And he acted so innocently about it!

She felt so helpless and wronged, but her self control was stronger. She didn't show anything, only calmly replying, "I've never thought about controlling him. I'm his wife, not his mother. I guess, with time, he'll learn to be content with what he has. Don't worry."

Chapter 727 - Icy Shards

Tang Wan gazed emotionally into Lin Ruoxi's eyes for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm glad you trust him, Boss Lin."

Lin Ruoxi, nonchalant, answered, "To be honest, you don't need to call me Boss Lin. If your daughter marries Yuan Ye, we'd be family. So calling me that would seem a little too formal. Let's just treat each other as sisters, despite you being slightly older than us. That's okay with you right?"

Tang Wan clenched her fist under the table.

Lin Ruoxi sounded friendly, but she was obviously saying something else. You're older. Even if you look younger now, don't think any of us would forget it. If you try anything, things will get ugly very soon.

Tang Wan couldn't speak her mind because although Lin Ruoxi was vile, what she said was true!

She was right. Tang Tang and Yuan Ye's relationship had just survived a major disaster, and right now, they were going stronger than ever. She was fated to be Yuan Ye's mother-in-law. If that happened, they would be joining families with the Yang clan.

Yuan Ye was Yang Chen's cousin. It would be awfully inappropriate if Yang Chen and her were to pursue a closer relationship!

Suppressing her anger, Tang Wan said gently, "Of course. How could it not be? Let me call you Sister Ruoxi. I've never been particular about age gaps. Back then, the entire Beijing took me as a joke but I still went ahead with applying for a test tube baby to have my baby girl. There's nothing I can't do when I set my mind to it."

Lin Ruoxi's smile faltered. "I admire your skills and mindset too. Come over to our house anytime you're free. We're practically family. Acting like it a little earlier won't hurt. Oh, right, my mother-in-law is big on maintaining her appearance too but you're doing it better, Sister Tang. When you come over, she'd be so happy to meet you."

If Tang Wan didn't know Lin Ruoxi was just trying to provoke her, she would've flipped the table and left!

This woman was as frigid as an iceberg. What she let on was only about ten percent of what she actually meant!

No one should ever underestimate her. Although she often let Mo Qianni and Liu Mingyu make her public statements, and she looked like a quiet person, every single word she uttered could ruin you.

Through the conversation, Lin Ruoxi made it sound like Tang Wan was from the same generation as Yang Chen's mother, Guo Xuehua!

The sourness in Tang Wan's heart was indescribable now. But if she wanted to leave with her pride intact, she had to suppress it. If she showed any signs of anger, it would mean she took Lin Ruoxi's bait.

If she got into a big fight with Lin Ruoxi, what would Yang Chen think? Would he divorce Lin Ruoxi all for her? That was impossible, and to an outsider, Lin Ruoxi was nothing but polite and kind. Perhaps she dared not get closer to Tang Wan because there was pressure at home.

Seeing her job was almost done, Lin Ruoxi took two hundred-dollar bills from her purse, then put them on the table. She stood up saying, "I need to buy some vegetables from the market. I don't always get to accompany my husband. I'll pay for breakfast this time, although I know you don't mind. Just take it as a treat from someone younger."

When she finished, Lin Ruoxi smiled gracefully, then turned to walk downstairs.

Tang Wan stared at the two red hundred-dollar bills on the table. She clenched her teeth, her eyes now filling with tears. She muttered, "Yang Chen, this is all because of you. I can't dictate whom you marry. But did you have to marry such a difficult woman?!"

Lin Ruoxi, now downstairs, walked calmly into her car. She closed the car door, then exhaled a very long sigh.

She patted her chest, suddenly weak. The showdown with Tang Wan wasn't easy, but she was lucky she didn't falter.

As she started the car, she even felt a little bad for Tang Wan. If it weren't for Yang Chen, they would be friends.

However, when she thought about Yang Chen and Tang Wan, and their relationship, she shook her head to shake off the guilt. She laughed at herself, "It's fine, I've never been a saint anyway. What's done is done. It might have been bad but it doesn't matter now. I can't control the man, but I still can make the women stay away from him."

Lin Ruoxi drove to a supermarket near home.

Although it was just vegetables, Lin Ruoxi didn't want to go to the wet market. She preferred higher-end supermarkets.

She wasn't comfortable with the smells and hygiene of the wet market. And she didn't like people staring. The supermarket was so much more comfortable.

When she arrived home after buying two huge bags of groceries, it was already ten. She was a woman after all—every trip to the supermarket was a long one.

Yang Chen was watching a Korean drama with Guo Xuehua in the living room. Although he didn't like shows like this, he enjoyed spending time with his mother. He had already promised Lin Ruoxi that he would rest a day anyway.

When he saw a very sweaty Lin Ruoxi arrive home, face flushed, he understood. Laughing, he asked, "Babe, are you making lunch today?"

Lin Ruoxi nodded shyly. "Don't worry, I've been learning. I'll be alright."

"Are you sure you didn't forget anything?"

Lin Ruoxi thought Yang Chen didn't trust her, so she answered hurriedly, "Really, I'll be fine. If you don't believe me, ask Mom or Wang Ma!"

Guo Xuehua hit Yang Chen's hand and jokingly scolded, "Alright, don't bully Ruoxi. She's very innocent don't you know? Ruoxi, go ahead with Wang Ma. You'll need help."

She grunted happily, carrying the bags into the kitchen.

Looking at his wife's graceful silhouette, he could only sigh. To be honest, he didn't know if a woman like her could be counted as 'innocent'. No one from the business world would consider her that way! She was naive and clueless if anything. Her intentions weren't bad, but her words often meant otherwise.

Guo Xuehua saw Yang Chen deep in thought, then laughed as she patted his shoulder. "No matter what she's thinking of right now, at least she's making an effort to get close to you. It's only fair if you do the same, no?"

"Heh." Yang Chen smiled, then nodded.

About two hours later, there was a feast spread out all over the dinner table. Watching Lin Ruoxi, her face red with effort, carrying every dish out of the kitchen with oven mittens, Yang Chen's heart was filled with warmth.

Wang Ma was very relieved when saw the couple being so nice to each other, after their unpleasant separation yesterday. She ran to the underground wine cellar to take an expensive bottle of Bordeaux wine to share among the four of them.

Lin Ruoxi's wine collection was not unlike her car collection. It was extensive to say the least. Although she wasn't an avid wine drinker, that did not stop people from gifting bottles of expensive wine to her.

At the table, Lin Ruoxi was obviously distracted. She didn't eat much, but she occasionally took some food to put into Yang Chen's bowl.

Yang Chen had a huge appetite, so he didn't stop her. Although some of the dishes were far from Wang Ma's usual standards, Yang Chen knew she needed the support so he ate very passionately.

The two elders smiled silently as they watched the couple.

After the meal, under the influence of wine, Lin Ruoxi's cheeks turned red. Aside from the days when she wanted to torture Yang Chen or she was being a difficult wife, she wasn't used to activities like this.

After helping Wang Ma clean up, Lin Ruoxi took off her apron, then cut a fresh watermelon from the fridge. She placed the fruit on a tray, then brought it to the living room for Yang Chen. Even Lin Ruoxi herself thought she'd improved a lot.

However, when she reached the living room, Lin Ruoxi didn't see Yang Chen.

Did he leave to meet another woman again? Lin Ruoxi's brows furrowed. She stood in the living room slowly getting more frustrated by the second.

Guo Xuehua got up from the sofa, then laughed and shook her head. "My child, what are you thinking again? He's enjoying the sun outside. It's cool today."

Lin Ruoxi finally snapped back to reality. She was getting too suspicious now! However, she felt privately delighted. Lowering her head in embarrassment, she brought the watermelon out.

Guo Xuehua and Wang Ma, with their age, were already tired after drinking. They knew the two younger ones needed some quiet time too, so they chatted for a bit before going upstairs for a nap.

The sun shone brightly on the garden as a cool breeze swept all around the area.

Yang Chen was lying down on a bamboo chair enjoying his leisure time. He was enjoying a rare, quiet afternoon.

He'd looked forward to days like this before he returned home. The sun, the warm breeze, without all the darkness and blood. Unfortunately, days like this were still rare.

Lin Ruoxi walked very quietly, almost clumsily so as to not disturb Yang Chen. She was still holding the fruit though, so she slowly walked up to him, asking him softly, "Hubby, would you like some watermelon?"

Yang Chen caught a whiff of her jasmine fragrance, then opened his eyes. Cocking his head, he asked, "Are you going to feed me?"

She thought, you really are taking advantage of me being nice. Fine, what do I have to lose?

Lin Ruoxi pouted, picked up a piece with a toothpick, then brought it to his mouth.

"Aaah... Mmm..." Yang Chen chewed, not talking.

Worried, she asked, "Is it not sweet? Is it not ripe enough... I don't know how to pick them, I just bought the most expensive watermelon."

He shook his head. "Even if it were unripe, any watermelon my wife feeds me will be sweet."

"You liar." Lin Ruoxi was delighted. Looks like what she did was working. Yang Chen felt closer to her now than yesterday.

Watching the pretty girl before him, her hair dancing in the breeze, he felt an odd sense of calmness. He'd never felt so much peace with a woman.

He couldn't help it. He waved, "Darling, come into my arms."

Lin Ruoxi's hand, which was holding the tray, shook. Thank god it didn't fall. Her heart skipped when she heard Yang Chen, but she hesitated.

They were out in the open. Cuddling was fine in the privacy of their room, but what if things got inappropriate and someone saw them?

Suddenly, Lin Ruoxi recalled what Zhenxiu said that morning. Wasn't she about to use Zhenxiu's trick?

But... she wasn't sure if she could pull that off...

Chapter 728 - Warm and Inviting

Yang Chen watched as Lin Ruoxi hesitated then assumed that she was just embarrassed. He laughed a little at her inner struggle. "There's no need to think so hard. It's just a simple yes-or-no answer. I don't blame your decision."

Lin Ruoxi was at a stalemate. She didn't want Yang Chen to feel like she was avoiding him during this critical time, but she was too shy for any sort of PDA.

Finally, Lin Ruoxi gritted her teeth, then silently bent over to place the fruit tray near the flowers. She turned to face Yang Chen, her face turning red.

Yang Chen grew concerned. A willing person wouldn't look like this. What's really going on?

Suddenly, Lin Ruoxi's eyes welled up with tears.

She was like a flower, so sensitive, but so beautiful.

She looked so vulnerable. Lin Ruoxi gently swayed her shoulders and slender hips, her purple skirt fluttering to the rhythm. She looked every bit like the perfect rich lady she was.

Lin Ruoxi pouted her pink lips, and with a girly tone, she coaxed, "Mmmm... Hubby... I don't think we should do this outside."

Her beautiful voice pierced deep through Yang Chen's mental fog, waking him up!

Yang Chen's eyes widened, then he rubbed his face to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

God! What did he just witness?!

Did Lin Ruoxi just do that?!

As for Lin Ruoxi, she wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

What was she thinking? Did she just whine like a schoolgirl in a Korean drama?!

Her face turned as red as an apple as she watched Yang Chen's expression grow more confused by the second.

"Pfft... Hahahahaha!!!"

Yang Chen puffed up his cheeks in an attempt to hold back his laughter, but he ultimately failed!

He laughed so hard that tears started to fall from his eyes. He rocked back and forth, slapping his leg.

"Ahahahaha! Babe, yo—you're too funny! Hahahaha even your voice... Ouch! Ahahahaha..."

Yang Chen laughed so hard he almost fell from his chair. Lin Ruoxi's embarrassment turned into rage. She stomped her foot, but couldn't muster a courageous face. With a crack in her voice, she protested, "You... No laughing! You don't get to laugh! Yang Chen! Do you hear me?!"

Yang Chen could barely breathe. He forced himself to stop laughing, then crossed his arms. He cocked an eyebrow, asking, "Where did you learn this move? Was it from the Korean dramas? You should've called me 'oppa' instead. Wouldn't that have worked out a little better?"

Lin Ruoxi regretted everything she did, but what was done, was done. She huffed. "Fine, laugh all you want. Take it as compensation for your troubles, there won't be a second time.

"Now that won't work." Yang Chen shook his head, grabbing Lin Ruoxi's wrist.

Lin Ruoxi felt Yang Chen's warm, rough hand grab her wrist. A shiver ran down her spine.

Yang Chen stopped smiling to say, with utmost sincerity, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed. You only did it so I wouldn't get upset. Then again, you were absolutely adorable."

A warm breeze blew across Lin Ruoxi's cheeks. Her heart lurched at her man's words.

Lin Ruoxi pursed her lips, her head lowered so she didn't have to look into his eyes.

Her bashful smile resembled a shy water lotus about to bloom...

The two of them fell silent for a moment. Yang Chen then said, "Let me hug you. If anyone walks past, I will know. I will never put you in an awkward situation, alright?"

Lin Ruoxi didn't hesitate, only nodding placidly.

Yang Chen pulled her body closer with joy, into his solid embrace.

Since the lounge chair was longer than it was wide, Lin Ruoxi had to lie on his chest. It was perfect.

Lin Ruoxi was a little stiff. She dared not move a single muscle. Although they've been intimate many times before, a situation like this was a first. She could smell the sun and her man. Bliss.

Yang Chen placed one hand at the nape of her neck and the other on her hip. He didn't move them, only gently placing them there.

Under the warm sunlight, both of them looked very much at peace.

Lin Ruoxi expected Yang Chen to do something embarrassing which she had mentally prepared herself for. But after a while, Yang Chen hadn't moved an inch.

She wasn't sure if she felt disappointed or relieved. It was an odd feeling for her. She didn't understand this man.

Lin Ruoxi slowly lifted her head to look at his face, which was so close they almost touched. She realized Yang Chen had fallen asleep.

As she stared at him in silence, the corner of his lips curled upwards. His eyes were still closed as he whispered, "Are you too stunned at your husband's beauty?"

She rolled her eyes, still not speaking.

Yang Chen's hand patted her back as if comforting a loved one. His lips still spoke gently, "Ruoxi, I'd always felt married life was pure. Two people who occasionally go shopping, buy groceries, some oil or salt. Sometimes even watching a movie together, or a concert, and it didn't matter if someone fell asleep halfway through. During holidays, they would roam the world, climbing mountains, go fishing, tour cities. Holding hands, they would visit all the places they had never been.

"The feelings between a husband and wife should be warm and inviting. It could be cool and breezy too, as long as they're comfortable.

"Just like right now. It's a sunny day, and there's the summer breeze. To be able to take a nap with someone I love in my arms, under the sun. We don't need to do anything intimate. What we have is enough. This is enough."

His gentle words floated past Lin Ruoxi's ears. She blinked, then asked uncertainly, "That's so simple, are you sure it is enough?"

"Mm," he added. "To me, it's not about me needing you to do things for me. Do you think I am that obsessed with your body? Of course, I'm not a teenager who'd just hit puberty, nor am I a virgin who has never touched a woman. But do you really think I crave women that much?

"Since the beginning, I've hoped that you would change. Not change the way you treat me, but the way you treat yourself.

"Don't always work yourself to the bone, and don't keep all your worries to yourself. Don't think that it's alright to sacrifice yourself.

"To me, it doesn't matter if you're not passionate like that now, or in the future. I didn't marry you for your body.

"It matters more to me that when I wake up, I wake up to your smile and a 'good morning'. Not the cold routine of just going to work after devouring breakfast. That you would watch TV with my mother after dinner, not hide away in your study. That you would give yourself a vacation with some friends, not working day and night for the entire year.

"I want to know that my wife has a good life after marrying me. Then, as a husband, I wouldn't have any regrets."

Lin Ruoxi listened in surprise. She didn't notice herself tearing up.

Yang Chen caressed her long hair, took a deep breath, then continued, "Therefore, although I'm happy you want me to be happy, don't force yourself to do anything you don't want to. I'm not hard to please."

Lin Ruoxi's heart swelled with love. She pressed her cheek against his chest, muttering, "Oh you are. If not why would you have so many women..."

Yang Chen was already pretending to be deaf. He looked up, then pretended to fall asleep.

Lin Ruoxi didn't expose him either. She closed her beautiful eyes and slept in her man's warm embrace.

All their worries dissolved into emptiness.

Chapter 729 - True Calling

In a small trading area in the Zhonghai city area, it was dusty as it was loud.

There was a small alley between two old buildings. It was dark and wet with a pungent odor that was ever present. There were a few alley cats who were going through the trash for their next meal.

The owner of a restaurant nearby, wearing a shirt dotted with oil stains, walked into the alley. He threw two huge plastic bags full of trash near the trash cans, but not into them.

He wasn't watching his step. When he was about to leave, he almost tripped over something!

"Ouch!" shouted the owner.

Luckily, he didn't fall. When he turned back, he was surprised to see a disheveled beggar. Her face was black with grease and she was clothed with scraps and strips of cloth. The woman squatted in a corner, shivering.

The fat owner was repulsed. He cursed, "Smelly old beggar!" then turned to leave.

The beggar, after waiting for the man to leave, burst into loud sobs.

This beggar was none other than Luo Cuishan. She'd just walked out from under the bridge.

She didn't die, and she did not have the courage to commit suicide.

However, after what happened, she didn't know how she'd ever face her family or subordinates. She didn't even know whom she should call.

How could she live if someone she knew saw her like this?

She was a person of importance who had been on TV. What if someone recognized her? That alone was a fate worse than death!

As she suffered in her own mind, Luo Cuishan reached this area of farmlands. She hid in an alley, not knowing what to do next.

At this moment, another silhouette entered the alley, limping.

She fiercely looked up, her filthy face full of anger. Glaring with her bloodshot eyes, she roared, "Why are you here?!"

Cripple looked defeated. Sighing, he said, "Do you think I want to be here? There's a good begging place nearby. I'd save time if I took the shorter route."

Luo Cuishan grunted. She looked away, pretending not to hear him.

Cripple grinned mischievously, then took out two cold buns and a label-less bottle of water from a tattered pouch. He then sat next to Luo Cuishan before munching away at the buns.

The buns had dried vegetables in them. Their wonderful smell drifted over as he took out the buns from his pouch.

Luo Cuishan didn't eat the mantou Cripple gave her this morning, nor did she eat last night. It was currently noon, and she was starving.

She couldn't help but gulp. But her pride stopped her from asking for food, especially begging!

"Ah, it's dried vegetables!" Cripple gave a look of pity, then turned to Luo Cuishan. "Hey, I don't like eating buns with dried vegetables in them. I have one more, you should have it. We shouldn't let it go to waste."

She grunted, "Go to hell! I don't need your pity."

He looked offended. "What pity?! I am a beggar! Who in this world needs a beggar's pity?! You're insulting me! I just don't want to waste food, what do you think my intention is?! Alright, alright, fine. I'll throw it in the bin for the cats!"

As she watched Cripple get up to throw the buns away, she couldn't help but grab his foot. With her head hung low, she said, "You're a beggar but you let food go to waste. How shameless. Give it to me!"

Cripple looked at her with disdain. Pretending he didn't care, he said, "There, it's for you. Remember, you owe me a bun! I don't want dried vegetables, I want the sesame ones!"

"You think you're all high and mighty from just a bun," muttered Luo Cuisan, taking the bun.

It was her first bite of food after so long. Swallowing huge mouthfuls of the bun, she thought it was probably the best bun she'd ever eaten in her life!

However, the food was stuck in her throat! She could barely force it down her parched throat.

"Look at you. What are you eating in such a hurry for?" Cripple brought her his bottle of water. "Drink. I haven't drunk this before, so don't you worry."

He didn't have to ask twice. She took huge gulps from the bottle. After she swallowed, she continued to eat her bun.

Cripple sat in front of Luo Cuishan, smiling as he watched her eat the entire bun in silence.

Luo Cuishan stole a few glances. He was a young beggar, probably in his twenties. In the past, people like him were like ants to her.

Although she wouldn't admit it, she knew in her heart that his beggar had saved her life twice now...

Yet, his life as a poor beggar would always be the same.

Why is he so kind? She was puzzled at his actions. He's good-looking but filthy... She grew uneasy as she pondered away.

... ...

In Beijing, Yang Gongming had just hung up the phone, sitting on a big chair in his study. He had a smile on his face.

Yan Sanniang was standing in a corner of the study. As she saw the old man's expression, her wrinkled face showed a sudden realization. "Master, is it another one asking for your help?"

"What else?" grinned Yang Gongming.

Yan Sanniang smiled and nodded. "Although what Master Chen did wasn't specifically for the Chinese government, it would be hard for the military to reject him."

He nodded.

Yang Chen had successfully brought An Zaihuan out of the American military base near the Phillipines. Then, for some reason, the American navy retreated from the Southeast Asian water, lifting pressures off the Chinese military!

These days, the comments online were all directed at the Navy and government, all praising their soldiers for finally getting the enemies to retreat.

The military couldn't do anything about it. They could only assign the National Security Bureau to monitor Yang Chen while the military officials did the same.

When they finally found out that it was Yang Gongming's long lost grandson, they were astonished. The Yang clan essentially represented half of the Chinese military. Since they had a powerful grandson, he could potentially be enrolled in the military, strengthening the country.

Although the government wouldn't reveal most of Yang Chen's details, the military officials were not dumb. They had collected enough data themselves to piece together a picture of who he was.

Fearing Yang Chen's power, but at the same time not wanting to embarrass themselves, a few high-ranking officials called Yang Gongming to greet him. In reality, all they wanted was for him to speak to Yang Chen as a grandfather, and to see if he was willing to enter the Chinese military. Of course, with it came a pile of useless flattery and reasons.

"Master, will you talk to him?" asked Yan Sanniang, smiling.

"Sanniang, it's not about me talking to him. It's about him listening to me. It would just be a waste of time. Might as well not do it and save me some time and dignity."

Yan Sanniang replied, "According to Hongmeng's rules, Master Chen, being a member of the four dominant clans, shall remain a low profile and avoid involving himself in too many petty battles. Master, you must be worried that if Master Chen did fight in the military out of respect for you, Hongmeng wouldn't be too happy about it."

Yang Gongming sighed. "You know me too well, Sanniang. Although Hongmeng intend to protect the Chinese roots, they still have to look at the big picture. None of this matters in regards to their true calling. They wouldn't favor Yang Chen just because he has Chinese blood. I only hope Yang Chen can protect our descendants after I die. I am old, and I cannot hold the Yang clan together forever. It might be hard to unite our forces, but the battle is not serious enough to involve Yang Chen. The bloodline in our house is too diluted. Compared to the lush branches of the other three, we are far behind."

Yan Sanniang was worried. "Recently, this one feels that the day of departure is approaching."

Yang Gongming was startled, but then he smiled bitterly and said, "What is meant to happen is here at last..."

Chapter 730 - Without My Shirt

After an entire day of rest, Yang Chen went to his office the next morning.

However, on the way, Yang Chen could not help but grin like a fool.

When he went downstairs this morning, Lin Ruoxi was there to greet him with a very red face. She'd greeted him with a stiff 'good morning' then forced a timid smile.

Yang Chen suddenly felt like a rich landlord from the ancient times who trained his wife to 'greet' him every morning.

Upon arrival, Wang Jie and Zhao Teng were already waiting for his arrival. They sighed in relief when they saw Yang Chen finally coming to work. Although they were capable enough to deal with matters on their own, many decisions still required the approval of their director.

Yang Chen frowned when he saw the pile of documents. Without An Xin's assistance, he could barely force himself to read all the documents that were before him. Fortunately, he didn't have to use his eyes to read every word. He used his divine sense to scan the documents. He only had to pretend to sweep his eyes across the documents.

He skimmed through the pile of documents like it was nothing.

After making corrections in a few important documents, Yang Chen asked, "How's Hui Lin's concert going?"

"Don't worry sir, Ms Hui Lin's reputation has made everything much easier for us. The staff at the stadiums have been very accommodating, especially the iconic Taipei Arena who canceled a contract just to have her perform there for a night. The concert which will be held at Zhonghai was pushed to next month though. Everything has been a little too packed at the moment. We are releasing a few English songs to penetrate the western markets, so everyone's quite busy," said Wang Jie.

Yang Chen rubbed his forehead. He wasn't sure if Hui Lin could deal with the stress. Her body would be fine because she practised internal energy. What he was really worried about was her mental health. Perhaps he needed to give her a long overdue call.

Then, Yang Chen met a few guests from other companies to discuss problems regarding sponsorship. The much-anticipated FIFA World Cup was about to start this June. Yu Lei obviously would want a piece of the action too.

Too bad Yang Chen didn't have much passion for sports. He was only there to sign a few contracts.

To him, soccer was the same as a group of children playing a game. Wasn't it just a ball? He could easily kick the ball where ever it needed to go with no sweat.

At noon, his phone vibrated. It was from Lin Ruoxi.

After the couple napped in the sun together for an afternoon, they were closer than ever. Yang Chen was happy to pick up. "Honey, do you miss me? Do you want to nap on my chest again? If you do, I'll be sure to take off my shirt this time."

Lin Ruoxi turned red on the other end of the line. She knew he was laughing at her. While she was asleep, she drooled on his shirt. How embarrassing!

"I—I don't want to," Lin Ruoxi explained hurriedly. "I want you to accompany me."

Yang Chen stopped for a moment. "For lunch?"

"Mmm... Not just lunch. I want to go to the orphanage, but I need help with shifting stuff, so..."

Yang Chen smacked his head. It was Children's Day! As usual, Lin Ruoxi wanted to give presents to the kids.

Without wasting time, Yang Chen agreed. He ran to Yu Lei International, up the floors to Lin Ruoxi's CEO office before knocking on the door.

Before he could turn the handle, a lady opened the door. Yang Chen was shocked.

"Hongyan?"

The plump woman was wearing a tan chiffon dress, tied together with a black belt. Her hair was permed, her face powdered. It was Zhao Hongyan!

Yang Chen thought he'd never see her again after they parted at her house. Now she was here in Lin Ruoxi's office!

Zhao Hongyan, holding a file, smiled and greeted him. "Good afternoon, Director Yang."

"You..." Yang Chen hesitated, then continued, "Are you here to return the money?"

Zhao Hongyan didn't know what to say, but she finally laughed. "I'll return the money some day. I don't have that amount today."

Lin Ruoxi's voice rang out from the room, "Hongyan is my new assistant..."

Assistant?

Yang Chen smiled bitterly as he looked at Zhao Hongyan's delight. Lin Ruoxi was brilliant. She'd once said she had to hire someone she trusted as her assistant. He didn't expect her to hire Zhao Hongyan.

"What about your family's rice ball shop? Is it still open?" asked Yang Chen curiously.

Zhao Hongyan turned to look at Lin Ruoxi, who was on her computer. When she was sure Lin Ruoxi wasn't upset, she nodded. "Mm, Director Lin invested in our shop, so now we've opened new branches in three different malls. Business is good and we are well-staffed. Our family is finally doing better too. Director Lin said Wu Yue married and had a child in the US, so she'd hoped I could fill in as an assistant. Although I don't have much experience, I'm happy to help in any way I can."

Yang Chen didn't expect Lin Ruoxi to actually invest in their business. It seemed like this woman really loved her glutinous rice balls.

However, investing in a few small shops wasn't financially significant to Lin Ruoxi.

After some small talk, Zhao Hongyan had to leave to photocopy a few documents. When she left, Yang Chen couldn't help but turn to look at her. She had a curvy figure, and her hips swayed from side to side as she walked. When she was still working in public relations, he had remembered all the good times he had with this woman. Too bad he couldn't score the final touchdown. Now that they would be meeting often, he had to control himself.

Yang Chen had to admit he was a hopeless animal.

"Hmmph."

Lin Ruoxi huffed from inside. She saw him drooling over the woman.

Yang Chen quickly arranged his features, coughed, then walked to her desk. Grinning, he coaxed, "Sweetie, you're so kind. You treat your employees so well and I think women with kind hearts are the most beautiful in the world."

Lin Ruoxi rolled her eyes. "Oh? How about the time when I realized that Xue Minghe was using Wu Yue, but kept it from her?"

"Uhh... Didn't it turn out alright in the end? It was true love after all," Yang Chen choked.

Lin Ruoxi didn't want to talk about it either, she was only upset at Yang Chen's fake compliment. She looked at her watch. It was almost time. She grabbed her packed bag, then Yang Chen's arm. "Let's go."

Yang Chen gulped, then pointed at his arm. "Are we going to walk out like this? What if someone sees us?"

She smiled mischievously. "So what? Would anyone say anything about a wife holding her husband's hand? Relax, I'll fire anyone who breathes a word."

"No... Wait... I didn't mean that..."

"Then what?" Lin Ruoxi looked concerned. "You don't want me near you? Are you still mad at me?"

He immediately shook his head. "Definitely not!"

"Then let's go! I know you actually like this a lot, no?" Lin Ruoxi could barely hide her delight.

He could only smile. Yang Chen understood that Lin Ruoxi knew their public displays of affection would spread to Mo Qianni and Liu Mingyu. At the same time, it was a warning to all the other pretty staff to stay away from himself.

Lo and behold, when Lin Ruoxi sweetly hugged his arm as they entered the elevator, the staff waiting with them all looked very uncomfortable. Some were admiring them, others surprised. Within a half hour, the entire building would know of this incident.

When they arrived at the garage, Lin Ruoxi immediately let go of his arm, glaring at Yang Chen. He was being sneaky, occasionally rubbing his shoulder against her chest. Lin Ruoxi almost made some inappropriate noises there. After all, it was a particularly sensitive area.

Yang Chen ignored her. Instead, he took a look around the carpark. When he couldn't see her Bentley, he asked, "Honey, where's your car?"

Lin Ruoxi decided not to be angry. She pouted her lips towards a corner. "There."

Yang Chen's eyeballs almost fell out of his head.