Chapter 136: Speechless

Lin Ruoxi had finished eating, put down her chopsticks, elegantly wiped her mouth with a wet tissue, meticulously folded it into a square, and then, without bothering to look at the smiling Yang Chen, she moved from the dining table to the couch, picked up the remote control, and turned on the TV.

Yang Chen contemplated how to start the conversation, but just as he was about to speak, the news on the TV made him close his mouth.

The headline news this morning in Zhonghai was glaringly labeled "Terrorist Bank Robbery Reoccurs!"

The screen showed a bank in Zhonghai that had been bombed, with its storefront and many walls destroyed. Inside, surrounded by yellow police cordon tape, many medical personnel were transporting and rescuing bank staff and customers who had been carried out. On the roadside, many people pointed and discussed, while many relatives were crying and cursing at the police.

According to the on-site reporter, yesterday at noon, seven or eight gangsters drove a modified Ford car to the bank and, armed with micro submachine guns, stormed into the bank. They not only took away nearly tens of millions but also injured many staff and customers. Finally, relying on the speed of the modified car and their reckless driving skills, they escaped with the hostages all the way to the outskirts of Zhonghai, fooled the police, and evaded pursuit.

"Are there bank robberies being carried out so blatantly in the country?" Yang Chen frowned and asked Lin Ruoxi, who was watching TV seriously.

Lin Ruoxi glanced at him coldly, said nothing, and continued watching TV.

Not wanting to be boring, Yang Chen continued watching the news, smacking his lips occasionally.

Soon, the perspective of the screen shifted to an interview area for the police, and one of the interviewees appearing on the TV was someone Yang Chen recognized!

With a neat bob haircut and charming facial features, wearing loose police uniform, which still showed her curvy body, was one of Lin Ruoxi's few close friends, Cai Yan, the director of the West District Police Bureau.

But it was understandable that Cai Yan, as the director of the police bureau, would appear on TV.

However, Cai Yan's mood at the moment was obviously very bad. With furrowed brows and a cold expression, she looked like she was about to explode at any moment.

Seeing Cai Yan's expression, many reporters didn't dare to ask questions. Finally, a senior reporter from Zhonghai Radio and Television Station was pushed forward and asked, "Director Cai, this is the second bank robbery in two months. Witnesses say the criminals are the same group both times. Zhonghai has never had bank robbers in nearly ten years, and now there have been two in the past two months. The relevant leaders of the municipal government are very angry. What do you, as the newly appointed director of the West District, think?"

Cai Yan fell silent for a moment before saying, "These criminals have ample access to firearms, complete equipment, meticulous planning, and professional robbery methods. They should be an organized criminal group. Suddenly appearing in Zhonghai, it is very likely that they entered through maritime smuggling. There have been traces of their crimes in other coastal provinces before, but they have never been arrested. They successfully escaped after robbing twice in a row, which is our police's negligence. On behalf of the West District Police Bureau, I apologize to the victims."

"What's the use of apologizing?! What about our money! What about the lives lost?"

"What are the police doing? Get out and make way for others!"

The scene became somewhat chaotic, with a victim's family member shouting wildly at the reporters, followed by many others cursing the police for incompetence.

Cai Yan's face showed some pain, but she spoke firmly, "I, Cai Yan, hereby promise to everyone that I will bring all the criminals to justice. If there is another incident, I will resign voluntarily and never be involved in law enforcement again!"

This news was from yesterday afternoon, but it was only released this morning. Obviously, the municipal government had also considered it carefully, as such incidents could cause panic among the public. However, the truth could not be concealed, and there were too many onlookers. So, it had to be released to let everyone know.

After watching this news, Lin Ruoxi suddenly turned off the TV, then picked up the cordless phone next to her and dialed a number.

"Hey, Yanyan, it's Ruoxi."

"Are you okay?"

"That's good. Take care. Say hello to Uncle Cai for me. Bye."

In less than fifteen seconds, Lin Ruoxi hung up the phone and stood up to go back upstairs.

Yang Chen couldn't help but feel emotional. This woman, even when facing her close friend, remained so cold. She was clearly worried, but her words were few. Could it be some kind of psychological barrier to communication?

Seeing Lin Ruoxi about to go upstairs without a word, Yang Chen couldn't help but ask, "Ruoxi, my darling, aren't you going to ask where I went last night and why I didn't call home?"

Lin Ruoxi had become immune to Yang Chen's various terms of endearment, so she didn't react as she did initially. Walking up the stairs, her footsteps paused for a moment, she turned back, and asked expressionlessly, "I'll ask you, will you tell the truth?"

Tell the truth? Tell her that he had gone out to dinner with Mona for the third time, then went home with her, and that Mona had wanted to kiss him, so he pretended to sleep and waited to be kissed by her? Or should he tell her that he was feeling guilty about Mona now?

Yang Chen finally understood why Lin Ruoxi could be the CEO, managing such a large company. She didn't even need to ask, she just knew. He, on the other hand, couldn't tell the truth to save his life!

"Well, I can't tell the truth this time, but I promise I will next time. But actually, I'm quite good at lying too. It sounds just like the truth. Do you want to hear?" Yang Chen suggested.

Lin Ruoxi smirked, a cold laugh escaping her lips. "Save that for someone else to listen to. I don't need it."

With that, Lin Ruoxi continued upstairs, but after a few steps, she casually turned back and said, "Oh, by the way, after you left last night, I managed to finalize a collaboration project with a senior from my university. It will be the main task for the company in the coming year. So, I'll be going to Hong Kong on a business trip next week to meet another investment partner. I'm telling you now so you won't behave rudely like you did last night."

Rudely? It seemed Lin Ruoxi was convinced he had deliberately annoyed her last night by pretending to be upset. But that was fine with him; it saved him from explaining things he didn't want to explain.

Wait! Collaboration with Zeng Xinlin?! Lin Ruoxi going on the business trip herself?!

Yang Chen felt something was off and immediately asked, "Why are you going by yourself? Does this project involve meeting Zeng Xinlin in person?"

Lin Ruoxi nodded, "The investment is substantial. I've always had plans for it, but I haven't implemented them. I don't trust anyone else to handle it, so I'll do it myself."

"So, does that mean you'll be meeting Zeng Xinlin often in the future for work?" Yang Chen asked, clearly displeased.

"What's wrong? Don't you agree?" Lin Ruoxi asked.

Yang Chen nodded without hesitation. This was like giving the fox the keys to the henhouse! He couldn't let this happen without a fight!

"But this project is crucial, and the other party is an Italian investor. Our company's top management understands Italian, and I'm the only one who can communicate with them."

"It's just Italian; I understand Italian too!"

As soon as he said that, Yang Chen suddenly realized something was wrong! This seemed like a trap set up for him!

Sure enough, a faint playful smile appeared on Lin Ruoxi's icy face, as charming as a little white flower.

"Since you put it that way, it seems I must give you a chance. Let you bravely go and complete this difficult task for me. After all, we are husband and wife, and I still have some trust in you." Lin Ruoxi smiled.

Yang Chen's face fell. "Ruoxi, how can you entrust such a difficult business negotiation to someone like me who knows nothing about it? Why not send someone else? There are plenty of capable people in the company, and I can be their translator."

"No, this project is not for public knowledge. I need someone who can keep the plan confidential. If you don't go, then I'll go by myself." Lin Ruoxi threatened.

Yang Chen surrendered. He found himself forced to choose between "being a good husband" and "being lazy."

"Let me think about it," Yang Chen said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, pacing around the room as he smoked.

Lin Ruoxi remained unfazed, arms crossed, looking down at Yang Chen with a hint of satisfaction on her face.

After some thought, Yang Chen realized that while he needed to relax due to his condition, doing a bit more work shouldn't be too much of a mental burden. As long as he didn't get too involved, there shouldn't be a problem. But if he didn't go and his wife went to Zeng Xinlin, that would be a disaster! He couldn't really kill Zeng Xinlin, could he?

Pressing the cigarette butt into the ashtray, Yang Chen looked up and said, "Okay, I'll do it. Just don't blame me if things go south!"

"No!" Lin Ruoxi's face turned serious. "This must be handled properly. It greatly affects the company's development for the next five or six years. I won't allow you to fail!"

"This is my first time going on a business trip for negotiations," Yang Chen said wryly.

"Don't worry, it's not difficult. The cooperation is almost certain. Your job is to oversee the details according to my requirements, maximize our benefits, invite them to our company to finalize the deal and sign the documents. I'll handle that part," Lin Ruoxi reassured him.

Yang Chen hesitated, "Do I have to go alone? Shouldn't I have someone to assist me?"

"I'll have Qianni accompany you. If you have any questions, you can discuss them with her. You'll be leading this project, she won't interfere much," Lin Ruoxi said.

Yang Chen felt weak in the knees. Just last night, he had a falling out with Mo Qianni, and now they were being sent on a business trip together. This was going to be awkward.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem with having Qianni accompany you?" Lin Ruoxi asked innocently.

Yang Chen quickly shook his head, smiling sheepishly, "No problem at all. It's great to have a beautiful woman with me. I'm just pleasantly surprised."

In reality, Lin Ruoxi had no choice. While Mo Qianni had expressed unusual feelings towards Yang Chen, Lin Ruoxi believed in her rationality and trusted that she wouldn't do anything to betray her. This collaboration was indeed crucial, requiring someone trustworthy, so sending Yang Chen, who was proficient in Italian, along with Mo Qianni, was the best option.

Between emotions and career, Lin Ruoxi had a lot more to consider than Yang Chen imagined.

"Deal with your own affairs. No need to show off in front of me. If Qianni really falls for you, I won't have anything to say," Lin Ruoxi sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of exhaustion from dealing with these matters. With a final glance at Yang Chen, she turned and walked back to her study.