Chapter 345: The Way I Am
Yang Chen wasn't surprised when Lin Ruoxi remained silent. He chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"If you won't say it, then I will," Yang Chen paused for a moment, as if narrating about a person unrelated to him, and began slowly.
"I've never had parents since I was young. I don't know if they abandoned me or simply forgot about me. I never had any upbringing to speak of, let alone a family background or pedigree. Without some unusual experiences, I would be as inconspicuous as a rat in a ditch. Unlike you, who had a remarkable grandmother from birth and became the CEO of a multinational corporation right after starting work. I'm not good-looking either, though not ugly. But standing next to a beauty like you, I'm like the outer layer of a jade material that has been cut off—completely unnoticed. Let's talk about my education. Honestly, I've never been to school. My Harvard diploma was shoved at me by someone else. You probably won't believe it, but that piece of paper was collecting dust in a corner before I joined the company. I heard you skipped grades in school; I don't even know what that means."
"As for my ambitions, there's no need to mention them. I have none. If 'drifting through life and waiting to die' counts as an ambition, then I guess I'm slightly more noble. I just want to hug more beautiful women while I drift. Compared to entrepreneurs like you, who provide thousands of jobs and drive the economy, I'm truly scum. Next, let's talk about my emotional issues. I'll be honest with you, during those years abroad, I did many foolish things. Sometimes I might have had several women in a day, and there were never few around me. When I returned to China, I wanted to settle down and sincerely find a woman to live with. But then I met you, and some other women I couldn't resist. I'm soft-hearted and useless. I really can't refuse. Despite thousands of reasons, ultimately, I think it's because I'm too selfish. I like each of them, so I'm unwilling to leave any of them."
"Over the past half year, I've done things that many men would despise and curse me for. I have you as my wife, but I still mix with other women. It's definitely not because of physical needs—I'm not that kind of desperate person—but because I'm promiscuous and shameful. Speaking of other shortcomings, there are indeed many. I have no money; you're the one who pays my salary. I have no car, no house; you provided those too. Also, I'm always thinking about slacking off. Maybe I was too busy before, now I just want to rest, play games, and don't want to do any real work. What might make you feel even more shame is that I don't think my life is bad at all. This is just how I live my life. I don't harm others. Occasionally, if you ask me to do something, I'll definitely do it well. But for myself, haha... I'm too lazy to move."
Yang Chen paused, organized his thoughts, and continued with difficulty, "If we talk about my strengths, I think it's unnecessary. Maybe fighting counts as one, and I could probably scare others to death. Smoking is cheap for me, just two yuan a pack, and I don't smoke much. I'm even more frugal with drinking; I have no addiction. As for gambling, I might win if I do it, but I'm not interested."
Yang Chen pondered painfully for a moment, unable to think of anything else, and smiled bitterly. "That's about it. Does it sound like I'm completely rotten? Sometimes I even think I'm a total waste of space. How can a guy in his twenties live so listlessly? Every time I see you working so hard, I feel like we're not even from the same world."
"Enough!"
Lin Ruoxi suddenly stood up, grabbed her bag, and shot Yang Chen a piercing look with her almond-shaped eyes, as if a cold wind had blown through. Her eyes were already slightly red, and her hands trembled slightly with anger and excitement.
"Yang Chen, you've said so much about your own faults. Are you trying to tell me that you and I are completely different people? Is it an absolute mistake for me to be with you? You don't need to explain so much to me. Since you've figured it out and realized how rotten you are, I won't say much more about you. You're right; nothing is absolute. But some things we've already decided in our hearts. We're not suitable together. What needs to be separated should be separated. You don't need to be verbose. You know I'm busy. I don't have time for these twisted words!"
With that, Lin Ruoxi turned angrily and was about to leave the restaurant. But in that moment of departure, tears couldn't help but fall from her eyes.
Filled with various speculations and expectations, experiencing the anxieties, joys, and disappointments of the day, the final result was still the same. Since it's goodbye in the end, why bother looking for oneself again?!
Lin Ruoxi swiftly walked out of the restaurant door and onto the busy street. She tried to stop her tears, but no matter how hard she wiped, they wouldn't stop.
Under the night sky, the streetlights were like scattered raindrops, and the north wind was bleak. People came and went, and cars occasionally whizzed by.
Almost involuntarily, everyone's gaze would glance at this extremely beautiful woman who couldn't stop crying. But no one would suddenly go up to comfort her. There was a sense of distance, pity, yet intimidating awe.
Lin Ruoxi gave up wiping her tears. From childhood to adulthood, she had almost forgotten how to cry. But since meeting this person, she always felt tears in her heart and in her eyes. But in the end, it was like chasing the moon's reflection in water.
However, just as Lin Ruoxi was about to walk away, intending to avoid the place where this person was, Yang Chen suddenly rushed out.
Seeing her silhouette about to leave, Yang Chen took a deep breath and suddenly shouted hoarsely, "Lin Ruoxi! Yes, I am such a rotten man, and we are worlds apart! Can such a person like me even like you?!"
On the bustling street, it seemed like every passerby's ears were occupied by this abrupt and bizarre confession, freezing time in that moment.
Lin Ruoxi's tears fluttered in the wind. She felt as if she had been frozen in place, like a wooden puppet standing in the middle of the street, unable to move an inch.
Lin Ruoxi didn't turn around. Although the street was still noisy, she could hear the man's approaching voice so clearly, so full of strength and vigor.
Two arms slowly wrapped around Lin Ruoxi's fragrant shoulders from behind, holding her upper body tightly, as if they wanted to meld their bodies into one.
Lin Ruoxi was still crying. She felt that she had already lost face tonight, but how could she not cry?
The warmth from behind, the familiar scent of the man, and the palpitations they could both hear.
In this moment, the entire world belonged to just the two of them!
Suddenly, scattered applause broke out around them, accompanied by a few admiring whistles and cheers. Quickly, more people joined in with laughter and applause, blessing the scene. The entire street echoed with a warmth resembling a theater's enthusiastic applause.
"Don't hold on, everyone's laughing at us, aren't they?"
"Then you tell me, can I like you?"
"How can you ask such questions?"
"If you don't say it, I won't let go."
Lin Ruoxi bit her cherry lips, lowered her head with eyes like spring water, and softly murmured, almost inaudibly, "Hmm."
"What? I can't hear you," Yang Chen pretended.
Pouting, Lin Ruoxi replied, "If you keep this up, I'll get angry."
Yang Chen chuckled helplessly, released her hand, and turned Lin Ruoxi around. He gently rubbed her tender cheeks with both hands.
"Alright, even an old married couple are so shy. Let's go home, wife," Yang Chen said as he led Lin Ruoxi towards the parking garage.
"Oh, but you haven't eaten yet," Lin Ruoxi hurriedly remarked.
Yang Chen waved his hand. "Just hugging you makes me full. Who needs to eat?"
"What about me?"
"I'll cook for you when we get back!"
Lin Ruoxi pouted, suppressing a smile, and amidst the cheers of the passersby, she walked briskly with Yang Chen towards the parking garage.