Chapter 413: What a Coincidence

Lin Ruoxi walked out of the private room and took a few steps in the empty, dimly lit corridor. She reached a corner, leaned against the wall, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If she had stayed any longer, she would have definitely been asked to sing a song by her subordinates. The scene and the atmosphere made her feel obligated to sing for their eager eyes. But if she sang, she would undoubtedly disappoint them. For the first time in her life, Lin Ruoxi realized that singing could be important.

Liu Mingyu, who followed Lin Ruoxi out, was even more nervous. She had originally intended to go to the restroom, but now she had completely forgotten about it.

Lin Ruoxi suddenly stopped walking and stood there silently with her back to Liu Mingyu. This confirmed Liu Mingyu's fear that Lin Ruoxi wanted to confront her.

Gritting her teeth, Liu Mingyu mustered the courage and stepped forward, saying, "President Lin, I ask for your forgiveness regarding my relationship with Yang Chen."

After saying this, Liu Mingyu's fair face turned red with shame. Various emotions such as worry, fear, shyness, and helplessness swirled within her, making her feel as if she were sinking into a quagmire, unable to extricate herself. She could only wait quietly for Lin Ruoxi's judgment.

She knew that if the woman in front of her took decisive and ruthless action, she would surely face dire consequences. Not to mention that her career was given by Lin Ruoxi and could be taken away at any time. Even if Yang Chen didn't leave her, she would still live under a shadow.

After all, she was the third party. Liu Mingyu smiled bitterly inside, feeling a deep sense of inferiority.

Lin Ruoxi was momentarily stunned but quickly understood what Liu Mingyu meant. In fact, Lin Ruoxi had previously seen Liu Mingyu and Yang Chen walking closely together but had not thought much about it or confirmed her suspicions. From what Lin Ruoxi knew, only Mo Qianni, Rose, and An Xin were Yang Chen's lovers. Liu Mingyu was still under suspicion. Today, she came to the gathering partly to see if Yang Chen was involved with any other female employees from her company.

But unexpectedly, before she could observe carefully, Liu Mingyu had already confessed, thinking Lin Ruoxi knew about their relationship.

Looking at her subordinate, who was a few years older than her but had the appearance of a bullied little woman, Lin Ruoxi couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Liu Mingyu had earned her position as the head of the public relations department through her performance and reputation. This subordinate could be considered a future pillar of Yu Lei and one of Lin Ruoxi's reliable aides. But now, she had become her rival in love—or rather, a competitor—because the man would never give up other women for her.

"You know," Lin Ruoxi adjusted her hair and looked at Liu Mingyu, who had her head lowered, saying calmly, "before you said anything, I only had my suspicions. I didn't expect it to be true."

Liu Mingyu suddenly raised her head, her moist eyes wide open, her small cherry-like mouth agape, filled with awkward and complex emotions.

Did she really just accidentally confess? Liu Mingyu cursed Yang Chen a hundred times in her heart. Why didn't that scoundrel tell her that Lin Ruoxi didn't know about their relationship?

But having already confessed, Liu Mingyu had no choice but to continue, "President Lin, I know I've wronged you. Over the years at the company, I've always been the subject of rumors, but you never showed any distrust in me and even let me sit in my current position. But... but I really didn't know Yang Chen was your husband."

Lin Ruoxi asked, "If you had known, would you have still been with him?"

Liu Mingyu was stunned, unable to answer.

Indeed, if she had known Yang Chen was Lin Ruoxi's husband, would she have foolishly been with this married man? Would she have avoided him, or would she have continued secretly?

"Can't think of an answer, can you?" Lin Ruoxi said, "You ended up like this, not because of me, but because you chose him."

"President Lin, I..."

"Actually, you don't need to say anything. I don't have anything to say to you about this," Lin Ruoxi said, a trace of confusion in her eyes. "Even I still don't understand why I married that man. So, to me, it doesn't matter how other women are with him."

Liu Mingyu frowned. She hadn't expected this reaction from Lin Ruoxi. There was no scolding or cold words, not even a hint of blame. It made her wonder if Lin Ruoxi and Yang Chen were truly a couple. If they were, how could a wife be so calm upon meeting her husband's lover?

Sensing Liu Mingyu's confusion, Lin Ruoxi gave a self-deprecating smile. "To be honest, I was a bit upset when I realized you were indeed one of Yang Chen's lovers. What woman would be happy to find her man flirting outside? But I really don't know how to express my displeasure. I can't shout or curse, and I'm not the type to fight like a shrew. I don't even know how to start an argument. You know, I've been trying hard to be a good wife, but it never seems to work out. I seem to lack many things a woman should have, things you have, which is why Yang Chen is with you all and not just with me."

Hearing Lin Ruoxi's words, Liu Mingyu clearly felt the disappointment and loneliness in them. That powerless sadness evoked a sense of pity and compassion for Lin Ruoxi, who should have been the weaker party in this situation.

Just as Liu Mingyu was about to say something to ease the atmosphere and bring the matter to a temporary close, a familiar figure appeared from the corner ahead.

Liu Mingyu's face immediately darkened. She turned her head away, not wanting to acknowledge the person.

Noticing Liu Mingyu's odd expression, Lin Ruoxi turned her head in confusion, just in time to see a stylish, handsome man in a striped suit walking over.

"Isn't this Mingyu? Are you here to have fun too? What a coincidence, I didn't expect to run into you here," the man said smugly, walking between Liu Mingyu and Lin Ruoxi with a wicked smile.

"Qi Kai, we have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please leave," Liu Mingyu said coldly.

The man was Liu Mingyu's ex-boyfriend, Qi Kai. After being beaten and humiliated by Yang Chen at the restaurant and failing to get the police involved, he had been keeping a low profile. But unexpectedly, he showed up today, looking just as arrogant.

Qi Kai laughed heartily. "How can you say we have nothing to do with each other? We were together for so many years in college. Even if you're with a country bumpkin now, you still have a pretty face. I'm always up for some fun."

As he spoke, Qi Kai reached out to touch Liu Mingyu's face.

Liu Mingyu quickly stepped back, warily watching Qi Kai. "Go away. Have you forgotten how Yang Chen beat you up last time? Just so you know, he's in the private room behind me. If you dare to come closer, I'll call him."

Qi Kai's eyes showed a hint of malice. "So he's here. Hmph, I've been thinking about finding that country bumpkin these days. This is perfect timing."

Lin Ruoxi, who was listening to the conversation nearby, seemed to understand a little. She seemed to have some idea why Yang Chen had such a relationship with Liu Mingyu. It looked like her husband, who was always neglecting his duties, liked to play the role of a guardian knight in front of other women. Seeing the anger in Liu Mingyu's eyes, Lin Ruoxi sighed slightly. It seemed that Liu Mingyu had been deeply hurt by this man named Qi Kai. As a fellow woman who had suffered, how could she bring herself to hurt her again?

"Mingyu, let's go back to the private room. Ignore him," Lin Ruoxi said softly as she walked over and gently took Liu Mingyu's arm.

It was only then that Qi Kai noticed Lin Ruoxi. She had been facing away from him earlier, so he hadn't taken a good look. Now that he saw her, his eyes immediately lit up with a crazed eagerness, like a hungry beast spotting fresh prey, and his breathing became heavier.

"And who is this beauty? Mingyu, why don't you introduce her to me?"