Chapter 274: Winter Night

The robbery at the auction caused the entire Liu family's evening party to come to an abrupt halt at its peak, with guests scattering in panic.

Liu Kangbo was in a particularly bad mood, even scolding his son, Liu Yun, blaming him for negligence in supervising his subordinates.

One of the most infuriated by the incident was Cai Yan, the chief of the police bureau. Such a major robbery happening right under her nose left her deeply frustrated. What's more, despite the significant disturbance caused by the robbery, the criminals had vanished without a trace.

After the incident, the sudden disappearance of her sister, Cai Ning, and Yang Chen's abrupt departure, made Cai Yan sense something unusual, but she kept it to herself.

Outside the gate of the resort, under the dim light of several evergreen pine trees, Lin Ruoxi, still in her black silk evening gown, gazed in the direction of the venue. In the quiet and cold night, she felt somewhat melancholic.

Yang Chen had left suddenly, saying he needed to check on something, but it had been almost an hour with no news. Lin Ruoxi couldn't help but worry that something might have happened.

Lin Ruoxi didn't think she cared that much about him. They were simply often together and had the status of a married couple. Lin Ruoxi believed that even animals should have some emotional attachment, let alone a living person. It was perfectly normal to worry in her heart.

So, with a hint of anxiety, Lin Ruoxi decided to wait at the gate of the resort, but waiting turned into almost an hour.

After all, it was winter. Although it wasn't the coldest time in the southern city, Lin Ruoxi's nose was still red from the cold, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around herself and rub her arms.

At this moment, from the front of the purple extended Cadillac car that was parked, Yang Jieyu, wearing a mink coat, got out and gracefully walked to Lin Ruoxi's side, holding a fluffy white vintage-cut coat in her hand, gently draping it over Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi didn't refuse, although she was surprised that Mr. and Mrs. Yuan were so kind to stay and wait with her for Yang Chen. But she felt it would be impolite to ask.

"You, letting the driver wait for Yang Chen is enough. Why do you wait for him yourself? It's too cold outside," Yang Jieyu said with concern.

Lin Ruoxi pursed her lips and smiled, but because she had been cold for a long time, her face was a bit stiff and her smile looked forced. "I feel cold too. How can I let others suffer for me? Since I brought him here, if he doesn't show up at this time, it would be my fault if something happens."

"He's a grown man. What could happen to him? It's you who might get sick if you keep standing out here," Yang Jieyu said sympathetically. "Yang Chen is also immature. How could he leave you alone and suffer?"

Lin Ruoxi didn't dwell on that topic and took the opportunity to ask with some curiosity, "Mrs. Yuan, how did you and Mr. Yuan get to know Yang Chen? I only know that he met your two young masters through gaming, but I didn't expect you and Mr. Yuan to know him too."

3.5

After all, she was addressing the foremost family in Zhonghai, so Lin Ruoxi's tone remained polite.

Yang Jieyu seemed to anticipate Lin Ruoxi's question and smiled as she replied, "It was Xiao Ye who introduced us to him. We thought he was a good young man and had a few interactions. But we haven't known each other for long, so he probably didn't mention it to you."

Lin Ruoxi believed her words to a considerable extent, though she was somewhat displeased with Yang Chen keeping secrets from her. On further reflection, she realized she had never really cared about his daily life, which left her feeling somewhat despondent.

"As for Miss Lin, when did you meet Yang Chen and when did you get married? My husband and I are quite curious. Although Yang Chen's girlfriend is not bad, she doesn't seem like the type Miss Lin would favor. She looks rather average, doesn't seem to have much of a career, and doesn't seem to work diligently. What is it about him that Miss Lin likes?" Yang Jieyu asked with genuine concern.

Lin Ruoxi suddenly found herself speechless. What did she like about him? If she had to answer in reverse, she could probably come up with a few things she didn't dislike, but liking him was indeed a headache.

After a moment's silence, Lin Ruoxi said, "Maybe it's because he's more easygoing and doesn't sweat the small stuff."

To put it bluntly, it was like he had no heart or lungs, just leaving like that tonight!

Yang Jieyu nodded somewhat strangely and didn't press further.

At that moment, Yuan Hewei got out of the car and complained, "Jieyu, Miss Lin, please get into the car. I'll wait for Yang Chen. Did he take the wrong medicine? How can he leave without a word on such a cold day?"

"His phone is still in the car," Lin Ruoxi frowned.

"I'm really fed up with him," Yuan Hewei said irritably, walking over to Yang Jieyu's side and murmuring in her ear, "This nephew of ours is really a handful."

Yang Jieyu rolled her eyes at her husband but also sympathized deeply. Since meeting Yang Chen, they had experienced various turbulent events. If not for their prestigious background and exposure to the ups and downs of life, they might not have been able to endure it.

Seeing the intimate gesture between Yuan Hewei and Yang Jieyu, Lin Ruoxi felt a hint of envy. A couple like them, well-matched and having walked together through life for over twenty years, must be very happy, she thought.

Thinking of her own situation, where her partner had caused an explosion and a robbery, abandoning her and disappearing, Lin Ruoxi felt regretful. What was she doing here? Why was she waiting for him?

Just as she was feeling increasingly annoyed, she heard someone calling out ahead.

"Aren't you leaving yet? I told you to go back early."

Lin Ruoxi looked up and saw Yang Chen jogging towards them with a cheerful smile.

Yang Jieyu and Yuan Hewei both breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Yang Chen safely return.

Lin Ruoxi couldn't help but say with irritation, "Go back early? Do you want to spend the night here?"

"I could just take a taxi," Yang Chen said.

"The nearest place to catch a taxi is at least a forty-minute walk from here. If the newspaper reports tomorrow morning that you froze to death, I'll be the one blamed unfairly," Lin Ruoxi replied.

Yang Chen thought to himself that he could cover the distance in five minutes, but he knew it wasn't the right moment to say so. He felt a warm gratitude towards Lin Ruoxi for waiting in the cold for him, regardless of the reason; there was still some sentiment between them.

"My mistake. I wandered around and lost track of time. I'll make it up to you, my dear wife. Let's get back to the car quickly, before you freeze," Yang Chen said apologetically.

"No need for you to say it," Lin Ruoxi retorted, not looking back as she forcefully shut the car door.

Yang Jieyu glared at Yang Chen. "You really shouldn't be wandering around at a time like this. Go back and comfort your wife properly."

Yang Chen felt somewhat strange about Yang Jieyu's caring attitude, but he was starting to understand the relationship between them. Despite this realization, neither of them acknowledged it for certain reasons. Faced with Yang Jieyu's intimate concern, Yang Chen forced a smile. "Got it. Thanks for keeping Ruoxi company. You should head back now too."

Yuan Hewei patted Yang Chen on the shoulder and, arm in arm with Yang Jieyu, they both returned to the Cadillac and drove away.

Back in the Rolls-Royce's rear seat, Lin Ruoxi remained silent, staring out the window, ignoring Yang Chen.

The driver, Li Ming, sensed the tension and wisely kept quiet, driving carefully.

Yang Chen contemplated his next move. He knew he needed to apologize to break the cold war that would likely ensue if he didn't. He gathered his thoughts and prepared to admit his mistake.

But before Yang Chen could speak, his phone vibrated.

Picking up his phone from where it lay in the car, Yang Chen was astonished to see multiple missed calls from an unfamiliar number. He hadn't brought his phone to the evening's event, so he hadn't been able to answer.

Answering the call, Yang Chen asked, "Who is this?"

"Is this Mr. Yang?" came a hurried male voice.

"Yes," Yang Chen replied, glancing at Lin Ruoxi beside him. He hadn't visited Lin Kun, who had been mentally ill for a long time, and as far as he knew, Lin Ruoxi hadn't visited him either. This suggested that the man's life had been a failure.

"It's from the Zhonghai Mental Hospital. You have a patient with us, Lin Kun. Do you remember him?"

"Of course," Yang Chen said, looking at Lin Ruoxi beside him. He hadn't visited Lin Kun in a long time, and as far as he knew, Lin Ruoxi hadn't seen him once, which showed how much of a failure the man was.

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Yang Chen's expression froze for a moment, neither happy nor sad, just caught off guard by the sudden departure of this man.

"We called Mr. Zhang Hu, but he said the follow-up on this matter and how to handle it would be up to you to decide, so we called you," the man continued.

Yang Chen sighed. "Understood. I'll come over tomorrow to handle things. For now, proceed as necessary. Money is not an issue."

"Alright. If you need anything, you can call this number," the man said before hanging up.

About an hour later, the two who had remained silent throughout the journey returned to the Longjing Garden Villa.

Before they could enter, Yang Chen stopped Lin Ruoxi. "I need to talk to you about something."

Lin Ruoxi frowned. "If it's about what just happened, there's no need to explain further. I'm not interested in hearing your excuses."

"It's about your father," Yang Chen said seriously.

Lin Ruoxi's expression faltered for a moment, as if the word "father" sounded unfamiliar to her. She looked at Yang Chen coldly, signaling him to continue. "I've told you before, he's mentally ill. You never asked me which hospital he was in, and I figured you hadn't visited him. I understand your feelings towards him, the harm he caused you—it's not something easily explained. I've kept quiet because of that. But just now, someone from the mental hospital called me and informed me that due to a sudden deterioration in his condition, he had a neurological breakdown, jumped from a height, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and the rescue efforts were in vain. He's passed away."

Upon hearing the words "passed away," Lin Ruoxi visibly took a half step back, her body trembling slightly, eyes glistening with tears.

Yang Chen sighed softly. "Regardless of everything, come with me to the hospital tomorrow. Legally, he's still your father. It would be better if you handle the paperwork for his cremation and such personally."

Lin Ruoxi stood by the door for a long moment, her voice clear. "Actually, I've thought about it. I wanted to ask you where he was, to bring him back to the old house and have someone take care of him for the rest of his life."

"Is that the house he refused to give you?" Yang Chen asked.

"Yes. After he went insane, although I got the house back, I never went back there. I realized I'm still afraid of going back there, afraid of remembering my grandmother, my mother, and everything from the past," Lin Ruoxi said, wiping her eyes with her hand, taking a deep breath to suppress her tears.

"I just didn't expect that before I could make up my mind, he would suddenly leave," Lin Ruoxi smiled bitterly, turned around, and opened the door. "Tomorrow's Saturday, we'll go in the morning."

Yang Chen acknowledged quietly, watching her slender yet somewhat lonely figure enter the house, feeling a heaviness in his heart.