Chapter 397: Transfer

Yang Chen didn't realize that his mother had noticed the flaw in his words. But even if he knew, he wouldn't have much to say. Some habits are just unchangeable.

However, Guo Xuehua wouldn't ask Yang Chen about it so directly. It would be too presumptuous and, if she got it wrong, it would make the gradually improving atmosphere between mother and son awkward. Yang Chen might even refuse to talk to her again.

So, after dinner, while Yang Chen drove Zhenxiu home to move her luggage, Guo Xuehua pulled Lin Ruoxi into her study to ask about it.

"Ruoxi, tell me, what did you mean when you talked to Yang Chen this afternoon?" Guo Xuehua asked with concern.

Lin Ruoxi was puzzled by Guo Xuehua's anxious pull into the study. She thought she had done something to displease her mother-in-law again. When she heard the question, she was still a bit confused, "Aunt Guo, what do you mean? What words?"

"Don't be afraid to speak up. I just want to know, why did you have that thought when you saw Yang Chen take Zhenxiu's necklace? And Yang Chen said, 'There's really nothing between me and Zhenxiu.' That clearly implies something else," Guo Xuehua said.

A slight hesitation appeared on Lin Ruoxi's cool face. She didn't expect Guo Xuehua to notice such subtle details, but answering the question was difficult for her.

If she told the truth—that Yang Chen indeed had relationships with other women—would he think she was backstabbing him? On the other hand, if she lied, Guo Xuehua clearly wouldn't believe her, and it would mean deceiving an elder.

"It's really nothing," Lin Ruoxi tried to evade.

But Guo Xuehua wasn't so easily fooled. Seeing Lin Ruoxi's hesitant expression, she had already figured out some things in her heart. She sighed and said, "Ruoxi, you don't have to say it. I know Yang Chen has other women outside. You're afraid he'll think you're badmouthing him behind his back, and you don't want to lie to me, right?"

Lin Ruoxi remained silent; she knew she couldn't deceive her.

"This is really troubling. What's going on with you two?" Guo Xuehua frowned, her mind full of worries. "Normally, this kind of thing is the worst. Once a man keeps a mistress, the family usually doesn't end well. You're both so young, and he's already so fickle. No wonder you don't want to accept him."

Seeing Guo Xuehua's worried expression, Lin Ruoxi felt a bit sad too. In the past, she didn't regard Yang Chen as her husband, so she didn't care if he had other women. She even preferred him to stay with them and not bother her. But now, when she wanted him to stop fooling around, it seemed futile.

Back then, she had let him be. Now, how could she ask him to cut off everything so easily? Besides, Yang Chen wouldn't listen to her, and those women wouldn't let go so easily either.

Take her best friend Mo Qianni, for instance. Although they still had a good relationship, they almost never talked about men, indicating she wouldn't give up.

Guo Xuehua pondered for a long time before worriedly asking, "Ruoxi, what are you planning to do? You're not thinking about getting a divorce, are you?"

"Divorce?" Lin Ruoxi smiled bitterly. She could hardly bring herself to say those two words anymore. Shaking her head, she replied, "I don't know. Fortunately, I don't think about these things all the time. When I'm busy with work, I tend to forget."

Guo Xuehua sighed. "As Yang Chen's mother, I should be dealing with these issues. But you know, I've only recently managed to get Yang Chen to accept me. If I meddle too much, he might distance himself from me again. Ruoxi, I hope you can understand. I used to think you were treating Yang Chen poorly and that he was suffering because of you. But now I see I was wrong, completely wrong. As a woman, I understand your feelings. Even though Yang Pojun is blinded by power, he's always been faithful to me. I can't even imagine how painful it would be if my husband had other women. Ruoxi, I won't blame you anymore for not sharing a room with Yang Chen or for not being affectionate with him. It's indeed Yang Chen's fault. Although I am his mother, I can't accept my son being involved with other women either."

Lin Ruoxi was slightly stunned. She hadn't expected this situation to shift her mother-in-law's criticism away from her. For Lin Ruoxi, it felt like she had won a brief respite in a psychological battle.

Guo Xuehua suddenly asked, "Ruoxi, just tell me honestly, which woman is Yang Chen with? I won't do anything rash. I just want to understand how he could be so involved with other women when he has such a beautiful wife at home."

Lin Ruoxi bit her thin lip. "It's not just one."

"What?!" Guo Xuehua's mouth fell open, completely losing her composure as if she had heard something shocking.

Lin Ruoxi pouted and said truthfully, "I've seen at least three. Two are from my company, and one I don't know. There are probably others, but I haven't seen them."

Lin Ruoxi was referring to Mo Qianni, Liu Mingyu, and Rose, whom she had confirmed with her own eyes. As for others like Li Jingjing, Tang Wan, Cai Yan, Cai Ning, and Zhao Hongyan, she had met them and sensed some ambiguity but couldn't be certain.

Guo Xuehua was left speechless. Finally, she laughed bitterly. "If he weren't my own son, I'd want to chase him out with a rolling pin. But I owe him so much. Ruoxi, you really have it tough."

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head, a slight smile playing at her lips. It seemed this conversation had won her Guo Xuehua's support. She was a bit happy knowing there wouldn't be any more instances of mother and son ganging up on her. As for Yang Chen's numerous affairs, she put those thoughts aside for the moment.

The next day was the New Year. As the only man in the house, Yang Chen found himself with nothing to do, sitting in the living room watching the news while the women bustled and chatted happily in the kitchen.

Yang Chen found these days extremely pleasant, suddenly realizing there was nothing wrong with being in a house full of women.

In the morning, Rose called, mentioning that she and Mo Qianni had moved back to their hometown and complained that Yang Chen hadn't helped them move.

Yang Chen knew that Rose's complaints about him not being able to spend the New Year with them were just that—complaints. With so many people under Rose's command, they could move a house even if everyone just carried a screw.

Meanwhile, at the Cai family villa in Zhonghai, Yang Lie, who had been recuperating quietly, did not feel the comfort of the New Year at all. When he woke up in the morning, the first person he saw was his master, Yu Jizi. Yang Lie found that his injuries had healed significantly, which made him incredibly happy. However, his joy quickly vanished when he learned that it was Yang Chen who had saved him, causing his expression to darken instantly.

Hearing about everything that had happened over the past few days, Yang Lie felt consumed by anger. Yang Chen, his long-lost elder brother? What a joke! And Yang Chen had even taken their mother from the Siding Department?!

Yang Lie had expected that the first person he would see upon waking would be Guo Xuehua, who was always concerned about him. To his shock, she was nowhere to be seen, a revelation that struck him like a bolt of lightning.

Yang Pojun, upon receiving the news of Yang Lie's recovery, was happy but too preoccupied with the upcoming election to visit. He merely made a phone call. Yang Gongming, already in Yanjing, couldn't immediately fly over to see Yang Lie either. As a result, Yang Lie felt increasingly agitated at the Cai family villa.

Once a favored son of heaven, Yang Lie had never imagined that his first significant mission after leaving the mountain would end in such a debacle. Yang Chen had not only deprived him of the opportunity to shine but had also suddenly become the eldest son of the Yang family, even taking away his mother, who had always been concerned solely with him!

Adding insult to injury, Yang Lie's life and his martial prowess were saved by Yang Chen.

The room was warm, the heater making the entire house cozy, but Yang Lie felt as though his legs under the covers were ice-cold. Yu Jizi, experienced and perceptive, noticed that his disciple was troubled by inner demons. However, he had no solution. He knew that the blows Yang Lie had suffered were too significant for someone as proud as him to recover from quickly. So, he could only take things one step at a time. Yu Jizi planned to return to Kunlun once Yang Lie's injuries had healed sufficiently. After meeting his martial uncle, Ling Xuzi, and confirming the existence of a higher realm, Yu Jizi was eager to enter seclusion and strive for advancement.

Amidst such mixed feelings of warmth and coldness, Yang Chen's first New Year's Eve after returning to China finally arrived.