Chapter 350: You Go First

As lunchtime approached, Yang Chen returned home punctually, his face free from the earlier heaviness, appearing relaxed as if he had sorted out his emotions.

Seeing Yuan Ye and Tangtang still seated at their dining table, Yang Chen looked at the siblings disdainfully. "I told you to stay for lunch out of politeness, did you really take it seriously?"

Tangtang sensed Yang Chen returning to his usual casual self and gestured rudely at him. "I heard from Big Sis that this house belongs to her, not to you, Uncle. You're just a freeloader!"

Yang Chen broke into a cold sweat and glanced resentfully at Lin Ruoxi bringing dishes out from the kitchen. "Wife, you can't expose everything like that. I have no authority in this house."

Seeing Yang Chen safely back and joking again, Lin Ruoxi let go of her worries but ignored him, turning away to continue setting the table.

"Uncle, look, Sister-in-law doesn't even want to acknowledge you," Tangtang teased with a sticking-out tongue.

Yang Chen sighed inwardly. Clearly, his husband privileges needed an upgrade.

Everyone sat down to eat, and the atmosphere was harmonious. Wang Ma seemed particularly excited, especially when Yuan Ye and Tangtang called Lin Ruoxi "Sister-in-law," causing her eyes to crinkle into crescents.

"Brother, I have a request," Yuan Ye suddenly said to Yang Chen.

Yang Chen was busy devouring his food and gestured for him to continue.

"Can you teach me martial arts?" Yuan Ye asked.

Yang Chen was about to spew out his food in shock, but just as he was about to, he caught Lin Ruoxi's icy glare from across the table, causing him to choke back his surprise.

"Well, I mean, you should stick to your esports. Fighting isn't really your thing," Yang Chen said, recovering. "If you want to handle some ruffians, learning some basic self-defense should suffice. I'm not going to teach you martial arts."

"But Brother, you know martial arts. That guy earlier was really tough and even said he couldn't beat you. If I learn from you, won't I become super powerful too?" Yuan Ye said excitedly.

Yang Chen put down his chopsticks and looked seriously at Yuan Ye. "I don't know martial arts."

"Brother, don't joke around. Everyone saw," Yuan Ye persisted.

"I really don't know martial arts, but I know how to kill. Do you want to learn how to kill?" Yang Chen asked.

Yuan Ye was taken aback, and the other four women at the table stopped in their tracks. Lin Ruoxi looked at Yang Chen reproachfully, and his words stunned Yuan Ye.

After a difficult moment, Yuan Ye shook his head. "I guess not. I don't think I could handle that."

"Don't think I'm being petty. There's nothing petty about this. But if I were to teach you, it would be on the level of training special forces, which you don't need and don't have the foundation for. So, it's better not to learn," Yang Chen explained.

3.5

In fact, Yang Chen had the "Derivative Scripture of Mental Reflection" internal skill that he could teach, but Song Tianxing had never explicitly said whether it could be passed on to others. Out of respect for the deceased and his mentor, Yang Chen refrained from easily teaching this skill to anyone else. Moreover, this skill suited his unique physique, and even for ordinary people, reaching the first level would be exceptionally challenging.

Yuan Ye didn't take it too seriously; although he felt a bit disappointed, he didn't argue with Yang Chen or accuse him of withholding knowledge. They soon resumed their relaxed conversation.

As they neared the end of their meal, Tangtang suddenly suggested, "Sister-in-law, Uncle, how about we go to KTV this afternoon? Since everyone's on holiday, let's go out together and have some fun!"

"KTV?" Lin Ruoxi furrowed her brow. "I've never been."

"No way!" Tangtang looked shocked, as if she had seen an alien. "Sister-in-law, as the CEO of a big company, you've never sung at a KTV?"

Lin Ruoxi's face blushed slightly as she nodded.

Yang Chen didn't find it strange and thought Tangtang's suggestion might be a good way to bond with Lin Ruoxi. So he agreed, "Sure, we'll go after a short break."

"We have a KTV in the Yuan family with good decoration and all the amenities. I'll take Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law there. We can also get a Platinum Card so you can go for free next time," Yuan Ye said with a smile. "It's just a token of filial respect."

Yang Chen snorted. "The more you call me 'Big Brother,' the older I feel."

Upon hearing Yang Chen's agreement, Lin Ruoxi was actually a bit intrigued. She turned to Huilin and said, "Little sister, why don't you come too?"

Huilin had been feeling somewhat melancholic, but Lin Ruoxi's sudden invitation caught her off guard. She almost dropped her bowl. "I can go too?"

"Of course, we're all family. You're our relative too, right?" Lin Ruoxi replied.

Huilin felt a pang of guilt. She wasn't sure if Lin Ruoxi had completely figured out their relationship, but Lin Ruoxi calling her "family" made her feel ashamed. She had been deceiving her, albeit unintentionally, but Lin Ruoxi's acceptance of her was deeply humbling.

"Yes, sure," Huilin agreed. She knew Lin Ruoxi needed company, even though she had never been to a KTV before.

After finishing their meal and taking a short break, Lin Ruoxi and Huilin put on their coats, and the group headed out. Since Lin Ruoxi's car was still having its tires changed, she got into Yang Chen's car, following Yuan Ye's Audi R8, and they drove towards the Yuan family's "Yuan Dream KTV."

While driving, Yang Chen casually asked Lin Ruoxi beside him, "Wife, do you know where I went just now?"

Lin Ruoxi glanced at him. "I don't want to know."

Yang Chen smacked his lips. "Oh, you're not cooperating with me. I went to see Zhenxiu."

"Zhenxiu?" Lin Ruoxi finally showed a hint of interest. "How's she doing lately?"

Yang Chen nodded. "Last time, I asked her to enroll for another year of study to prepare for this year's college entrance exam. Today, I went to check on her. That girl has piled up a ton of books in her room, looks like she's really serious this time."

Lin Ruoxi looked at Yang Chen with satisfaction. "Finally did something good."

Yang Chen felt a bit down, wondering when he had done something wrong.

Although Huilin knew about Zhenxiu, she wasn't particularly concerned. However, when she saw Yang Chen's gloomy face, she found it rather amusing.

When the five of them arrived at the KTV, the general manager of Yuan Meng had already hurried out to greet them. When Yuan Ye called him, it turned out that the young master and the president of Yulei International were here to play. He immediately made arrangements like he had swallowed a gold ingot, clearing out the largest private room and selecting two of the best-looking servers to assist.

"Young Master, what brings you here today?" The general manager asked with a fawning smile.

Yuan Ye gestured to Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi beside him. "My big brother and sister-in-law just happened to be free today, so we've come to have some fun. Manager, don't bother with unnecessary things, continue your work. We don't like trouble."

Glancing discreetly at Lin Ruoxi, the general manager suddenly realized she was the elusive president of Yulei, known only by reputation. He nodded quickly in agreement.

Inside the meticulously prepared, extra-large luxury private room, a large variety of fruit platters and snacks had already been placed on the table.

Under the leadership of Tangtang, the lively atmosphere immediately heated up.

After singing two songs in a row, Yang Chen and Huilin clapped in encouragement. Lin Ruoxi, however, had a slightly unnatural expression on her face, seeming nervous about something she had noticed.

"Uncle, why don't you sing one?" Tangtang handed the microphone to Yang Chen.

Yang Chen took the microphone and held it out to Lin Ruoxi. "Ladies first."

Lin Ruoxi hastily returned the microphone to Yang Chen. "You sing first. Who told you to defer to me?"

Yang Chen shrugged and took the microphone. "Hey, kid, pick a song for me."

"What song?" Yuan Ye asked.

"Whatever you know and think sounds good, any song," Yang Chen replied.

Lin Ruoxi watched him suspiciously. "Don't brag. What if you can't sing?"

"Haha, I know all the songs that kid knows, I can definitely sing," Yang Chen boasted.

Yuan Ye, somewhat skeptical, thought for a moment and picked a classic: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele, winner of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, known for its unique vocal style that's difficult for many to imitate.

Huilin found it quite interesting, being a music lover herself, and was excited about the KTV experience. She looked forward to Yang Chen singing.

Following the melody, Yang Chen started singing, his slightly hoarse voice suiting the song's style well: "There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark. Could have had it all, rolling in the deep. You had my heart inside of your hand..."

His relaxed yet powerful singing filled the entire room with a sense of liberated emotion. Yang Chen even used a pure American accent, adding to the unrestrained feel.

Yuan Ye and Tangtang were captivated by the performance, while Huilin wore a pleasantly surprised expression. Only Lin Ruoxi seemed even more nervous, her hands clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

After Yang Chen finished the song with a cheerful smile, he handed the microphone back to Lin Ruoxi. "Wife, your turn."

Upon seeing this, Lin Ruoxi quickly passed the microphone to Huilin and said, "Sister, you go first."

"Huh?" Huilin blinked. Although she wanted to sing a bit, she hadn't expected Lin Ruoxi to defer again. Seeing Lin Ruoxi's serious and anxious expression, Huilin took the microphone and stood up.