Chapter 160: Better Off Without It

The plane from Hong Kong to Zhonghai landed well past ten at night. Evening flights were relatively cheaper, so even if they always made you sit in business class, they couldn't afford daytime tickets every time.

As they walked out of the domestic arrival building at the airport, Lu Tao bid farewell to Yang Chen and his assistant. This business trip had been quite a rough ride for the chubby man, leaving him with little opportunity to enjoy sweet moments with his mistress.

Mo Qianni breathed in the damp, cold air of the Zhonghai night and softly said, "Are you going home?"

Yang Chen nodded. "Do you want me to drive you?"

"No, thanks. I have my own car in the parking lot, and it's not appropriate," Mo Qianni suddenly blinked at Yang Chen. "Even a mistress needs to be self-aware. You haven't seen the main wife for a week; I can't disturb your reunion any further."

Her words carried a sour taste, making Yang Chen feel a bit embarrassed.

Mo Qianni stepped forward, opened her arms softly, and gave Yang Chen a hug, breathing in the scent of a man before letting go, taking a few steps back, and waving to Yang Chen.

"Although it's hard to say goodbye, farewell."

With that, Mo Qianni turned around, grabbed her suitcase, and headed towards the parking garage. Her graceful figure, illuminated by the night lights, exuded confidence and independence.

Yang Chen watched her walk away with a sigh. After tonight, the next time they met at the company, they could only interact as colleagues who shared a silent understanding. This buried emotion was evidently unfair to Mo Qianni, but Yang Chen, who had never dealt with such emotional issues, could only let things take their course.

Back at the Longjing Villa, the lights in the hall were on.

Yang Chen threw his luggage into a corner, expecting Wang Ma to be waiting for him at home. However, upon closer inspection, the person sitting on the sofa was Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi was dressed in pink, wearing slightly heavy cotton pajamas and pants with colorful floral patterns. Her green hair was loose, and she sat on the moon-white sofa, holding a fashion magazine, appearing serene and gentle. The usual icy aura seemed to have vanished completely.

Seeing Yang Chen come in, Lin Ruoxi lifted her head. Her flawless face, under the light, devoid of any makeup, seemed as if she hadn't seen him at all. She blinked, nodded slightly, as if acknowledging his presence.

Yang Chen smiled wryly. He had thought his precious wife suddenly changed her ways, intending to be a virtuous wife and mother, waiting for her husband to come home at night. But looking at her now, it seemed she didn't care about him at all.

3.5

Yang Chen approached, eyeing Lin Ruoxi's cute pajamas with interest. "You're already an adult. You should wear something sexy instead of these pajamas that look like they're meant for little girls."

"These were given to me by grandma, and I'm used to wearing them," Lin Ruoxi continued to stare at the magazine without turning her gaze.

"You splurge like a nouveau riche when buying books, but surprisingly, you're quite thrifty when it comes to clothes."

"Today is grandma's birthday. When I miss her, I wear this pajama," Lin Ruoxi set the magazine aside and said calmly. "Besides, I hardly need to buy clothes because the company sells them."

Yang Chen suddenly realized. No wonder Lin Ruoxi had prepared so many new clothes for him in his room. She didn't need to put in much effort; she could just have someone send a batch directly from the Yulei Fashion Department!

He picked up the coffee that had been brewed earlier from the coffee table, took a sip, and Lin Ruoxi asked, "Was the negotiation successful?"

"Are you asking about the process or the outcome?"

"Is there a difference?" Lin Ruoxi asked.

"Yes, the process was thrilling and complicated, but the result was successful and exceeded the task," Yang Chen replied.

Lin Ruoxi looked at him steadily for a moment. "Can you tell me about the thrilling and complicated parts?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just some minor internal conflicts within the Li family, and that little rascal Xu Zhihong, as a competitor, caused us some trouble," Yang Chen said casually.

Lin Ruoxi suddenly stood up, her voice raised several degrees, her eyes flashing as she looked at Yang Chen, her pretty face covered in frost. "Late-night assassinations, biochemical bombs, kidnapping and extortion, Li Mucheng being shot dead. Is that a minor conflict?! Being shot by three assassins in the Kowloon restaurant, is that a minor trouble?! Yang Chen, do you think I'm an ignorant little girl who can be easily fooled?!"

Yang Chen chuckled. "Indeed, you truly live up to being the CEO of Yulei International. Even though you haven't been to Hong Kong, you're well aware of every move there. That's right. But since you already know, why ask me?"

"I want to know if you'll tell me the truth."

"Now that you know, I lied," Yang Chen shrugged. "But I don't think it matters. After all, these are just minor matters that shouldn't cause much trouble for our CEO Lin."

Seeing Yang Chen's indifferent expression, Lin Ruoxi felt deeply aggrieved. She had been worried sick for them these past few days, even having nightmares. But this guy not only refused to tell her the truth but also responded so flippantly.

"So many things happened. Why didn't you give me a call?" Lin Ruoxi's eyes reddened slightly as she asked calmly.

Yang Chen solemnly replied, "It was us who were under attack and in danger, not you. If I had called you, what could you have done? Should we have returned to Zhonghai immediately? Or do you want to rush to Hong Kong yourself and face bombs and bullets with us?"

"But I'm your superior. Shouldn't you report such a major incident to me?!" Lin Ruoxi said indignantly.

"Sorry, if you're asking me as a superior, I think the only thing I need to report to you is work-related matters, which I just did, completing the task with exceptional results. As for what I've been through, those are my personal affairs, and I don't think it's necessary to report them to CEO Lin." Yang Chen paused, then continued, "If, however, you're asking as a wife, then I believe when your husband is facing life-threatening danger, and you happen to know about it, the one who should call to check on safety first should be you, not me. I didn't tell you because I consider my family's worries, and if you don't come to inquire about my safety, then that's not my problem, is it?"

Yang Chen's words were like a series of thunderclaps, leaving Lin Ruoxi stunned in place. Though she had been concerned about Yang Chen and Mo Qianni's safety, she had never thought about making the first call.

From childhood to adulthood, others had always been the ones to care for her. Her exceptional abilities allowed her to grasp the majority of situations, but her icy demeanor made it difficult for her to actively show concern for others.

This reverse way of thinking made Lin Ruoxi extremely uncomfortable. Frowning, she stubbornly defended herself, "I was genuinely concerned about you. How could you talk to me like this?"

Yang Chen sneered, "CEO Lin's concern is indeed unique. However, for a nobody like me, who started from selling lamb skewers, it wouldn't matter even if I died in Hong Kong. Instead, it would relieve CEO Lin of a burdensome deadweight husband. So, CEO Lin, you'd better accept that good intention."

"Yang Chen! You...!" Lin Ruoxi was so angry she couldn't speak, tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at Yang Chen, feeling choked with emotion.

She had hoped to return home and have a peaceful sleep. She had missed Lin Ruoxi after not seeing her for several days. But unexpectedly, they started arguing after just a few words.

Yang Chen wasn't a saint who could tolerate a woman's indifference, sarcasm, and contempt over and over again. However, when faced with life-threatening situations, Lin Ruoxi still wanted to maintain a superior position and inquire about what had happened. In fact, she was fully aware of everything, which Yang Chen found hard to accept.

As her supposedly dutiful husband, perhaps Lin Ruoxi naturally rejected him, thinking she couldn't possibly be in danger. But as Mo Qianni's friend, she didn't even consider offering a word of comfort, which infuriated Yang Chen.

To put it bluntly, this woman was just too immature!

Yang Chen restrained the urge to rush up and hug Lin Ruoxi to shake her out of it. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Who's right and who's wrong, reflect on it yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, but what's frightening is not learning from them. You may have money and good looks, but that doesn't mean everyone should cater to you. At the very least, as a husband, having a wife like you is better off without it!"

With that, Yang Chen turned around and walked towards the entrance of the villa.

Watching Yang Chen, who had just returned home, preparing to leave, Lin Ruoxi felt a sharp pain in her chest. Indeed, she was not only his superior but also his wife.

She gradually realized that she hadn't done well enough and her words were too harsh, but her inherent pride prevented her from letting go and trying to keep Yang Chen. "Go, it's better if you don't come back!" Lin Ruoxi said in a low voice, sobbing. Yang Chen had excellent hearing. Although her voice was faint, he could still hear it clearly. He turned around with a cold smirk. "Don't worry, other women are begging for me." With that, Yang Chen walked out without even looking back, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. In the hall, Lin Ruoxi heard the sound of the door slamming, and her whole body went limp, as if she had used up all her strength. She collapsed onto the fluffy carpet, tears streaming down her face.