Chapter 290: You're Fooling Yourself

Until evening, lying on the large bed with Rose after watching TV dramas all afternoon, Rose lazily yawned and blinked as she asked Yang Chen, "Honey, when are you going home tonight?"

Yang Chen couldn't help but smile wryly, "Why do you ask that? I don't necessarily have to go home."

"You're not coming home tonight?" Rose was slightly surprised, "But, after the whole day like this, if you don't come home..."

"What else can be done? Only half a year left, and it'll pass in the blink of an eye. I don't think she wants to see me now anyway. We're not on the same path after all, destined to go different ways sooner or later," Yang Chen hardened his heart, picked up his phone, dialed home, and told Wang Mama he wouldn't be coming home tonight, without explaining further.

Rose's expression showed a hint of complexity as she sighed softly, "Honestly, from my selfish perspective, I do hope you'll separate from her. Even though I never wanted to be your wife, your sudden actions still don't sit well with me."

Yang Chen reached out and pinched Rose's cheek, "Don't overthink it. From the beginning, everything was wrong, wasn't it?"

Rose remained silent, her expression tinged with sorrow, unsure if it was for Yang Chen, Lin Ruoxi, or herself.

"Meeting her today, despite the awkwardness, was an opportunity to make her give up on me," Yang Chen continued, feeling a heaviness in his heart for reasons he couldn't understand. Shaking his head, he didn't want to dwell on it anymore, "Sweetheart, let's get up, have dinner, and then do something productive."

"Something productive?" Rose was slightly taken aback, then realized what "productive" meant, blushing as she playfully slapped Yang Chen's chest a few times, her worries temporarily forgotten.

Winter nights fell unusually early.

Lin Ruoxi drove back home, her face pale and her figure showing signs of fatigue as she got out of the car.

Seeing the warm lights already lit in the house, her expression became complicated.

Has he returned? After what happened during the day, how should I face him? Ignore him? Scold him? Or pretend everything is normal?

Lin Ruoxi furrowed her brows in distress, unable to find a reasonable answer.

Wasn't it decided without hesitation initially, just to act as a fake couple? Why was she feeling increasingly uneasy, anxious about his eventual departure from her life?

There's still half a year left, but it feels like I'm heartbroken after just one day. That damn man, is he trying to show off to me? Is he trying to tell me how great he is?!

Lin Ruoxi stumbled back into the house, feeling dazed. She caught a whiff of the delicious smell of food as Wang Mama had already prepared everything, yet there was no sign of that man.

"Miss, you're back. Master has something tonight and won't be coming home, so it's just the two of us for dinner, and I didn't prepare much," Wang Mama said with a smile.

Lin Ruoxi was stunned, "He's not coming home?"

"Yes, he called just now," Wang Mama replied.

"Oh," Lin Ruoxi felt a surge of grievance, her heart aching. He couldn't even bother to call her himself, boldly telling her he's spending the night with another woman and refusing to come home?

In just half a year, he's become this impatient?!

Lin Ruoxi's complexion grew even more haggard as she sat down silently and ate dinner with Wang Mama. Under the bright yellow light, the scene of the two women eating together resembled the lonely times from the past.

They finished eating in less than half an hour. Wang Mama cleaned up the dishes on her own. Seeing Lin Ruoxi wanted to help, she immediately said, "Miss, you don't look too good. Are you tired from work? Go upstairs, take a shower, and rest. Don't worry about this."

"It's okay, Wang Mama. Let me help," Lin Ruoxi shook her head.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Setting down the utensils in her hand, Lin Ruoxi's eyes flickered with a hint of joy. She hurried to the door and opened it.

The person at the door wasn't who she had hoped for, but she was familiar. It was Cai Yan dressed casually.

Lin Ruoxi felt a slight disappointment but still smiled gently, "Yan Yan, why are you here so late? Come in."

Cai Yan was wearing a light beige down jacket. Her shiny black hair framed her charming oval face, making her fair complexion even more radiant.

Seeing that Lin Ruoxi didn't look well, Cai Yan walked into the house and sighed softly, "I heard from my sister. You already know a lot of things, right?"

On that day, Cai Ning returned home and recounted everything about Zeng Xinlin and Xu Zhihong's collaboration to retaliate against Lin Ruoxi. At this point, there was no need to hide much, as they were all involved. Perhaps Cai Yan hoped that as a good sister, she could comfort Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi nodded reluctantly and forced a smile, "I'm fine, no need to come see me."

"How can you be fine? You've lost weight and your complexion is so poor," Cai Yan said disapprovingly, glancing around the living room. "Where is that scoundrel?"

Lin Ruoxi felt a pang in her heart, "He has something tonight and won't be coming home."

"What?!" Cai Yan exclaimed angrily. "What could he possibly have? How could he be like this? After such a terrifying incident, you're looking so worn out, and he's out all night?!"

Lin Ruoxi led Cai Yan to the sofa in the living room, brewed tea for her, and said, "Forget about him. Let him do whatever he wants. I actually feel more peaceful when he's not around."

Cai Yan looked at Lin Ruoxi, who seemed indifferent on the surface but each word she spoke carried bitterness. Unable to hold back anymore, Cai Yan grabbed Lin Ruoxi's hand and pulled her to sit beside her.

"Ruoxi, tell me the truth. What's going on between you two? You're not the type to be scared like this just because of some dead person. Seeing you like this scares me so much. What's really going on with you?!" Cai Yan asked nervously, finding it difficult to accept Lin Ruoxi's sudden change.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes welled up slightly, "It's nothing. I just haven't rested well. We're really fine."

Cai Yan became frantic, "How can you say it's fine? I've never seen you so dispirited from childhood to now! Even when Grandma Lin passed away, you didn't feel this down. Do you know? Right now, you look like a soulless shell. When I saw you just now, I could hardly recognize you! You were clearly disappointed when you saw me. What are you disappointed about? Is it because the person who came home isn't Yang Chen? You're obviously upset inside. Why don't you talk about it? Why do you insist on bearing all of this alone? If you truly want to accept him, to love him, you have to tell him!"

"What's the point of me wanting to accept him?!"

Lin Ruoxi suddenly lifted her head with uncontrollable emotions, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Cai Yan.

"In another half year, as he said, we'll end everything. But just after one day, he was sweetly dating another woman in front of me and even blatantly told me he spent the night with her, not coming home. He's telling me he's determined to leave this home, that he doesn't want any relationship with me," Lin Ruoxi said bitterly, "I won't hide it from you anymore. In any case, you'll know everything in half a year."

Cai Yan was stunned, "What do you mean, half a year?"

Lin Ruoxi wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye and briefly mentioned the contract marriage with Yang Chen, without disclosing the night she lost her virginity to him, attributing their relationship to a series of coincidences.

"So, your marriage, it's all fake, right?" Cai Yan was shaken to her core, feeling as if she were in a dream.

"Yes, but whether it's fake or real doesn't matter anymore. Since he's already like this, let's just wait for half a year and end everything," Lin Ruoxi said coldly.

"You're fooling yourself," Cai Yan looked at Lin Ruoxi with pity. "If you really didn't care, you wouldn't be in so much pain. You wouldn't still be willing to wait for this half a year. Ruoxi, why don't you fight for it?"

"I've just been foolish," Lin Ruoxi's expression turned icy. "Yan Yan, do you know? Today, he was in front of me, helping another woman put on her shoes. A man like him, I wouldn't even look at him if I were dead. Don't worry, I'll be fine in a couple of days. You don't need to worry."

Cai Yan's pretty face changed slightly, feeling uncomfortable inside. Seeing Lin Ruoxi seem so resolute, she didn't know how else to comfort her, sighed softly, and after chatting for a while, she took the initiative to leave early, letting Lin Ruoxi rest.

After bidding farewell to Lin Ruoxi and leaving the villa, Cai Yan couldn't calm herself down for a long time. Every time she thought about how Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi's marriage was just a piece of paper, not real, Cai Yan struggled to suppress her conflicted feelings rooted in friendship.

It turns out it was all fake. He never truly had a marital relationship with Lin Ruoxi. Everything was just an empty shell. No wonder he was flirting with other women. Cai Yan quickly reconciled the inconsistencies from before and found herself flooded with emotions for Yang Chen.

Despite feeling guilty towards Lin Ruoxi, people always have a selfish side, especially when it comes to matters of love, isn't that right?

But every time she remembered how Yang Chen rejected her gift that day, Cai Yan was filled with anger.

"You wait, I won't give up so easily," Cai Yan muttered to herself before driving away.