Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 562: Chapter 563: Promise Me

Hearing Yang Chen's cheesy words, Lin Ruoxi rolled her eyes. The admiration she felt for his abilities a moment ago evaporated instantly.

No matter how capable he was, this guy couldn't stop thinking about those things.

Seeing Lin Ruoxi ignoring him, Yang Chen didn't say more. He looked at Lin Ruoxi's beautiful face, now back to normal, and nodded with satisfaction. He gently helped smooth her disheveled hair behind her delicate ears, sighing, "Although this was a bit of a mess, we managed to resolve it. You know, if something's wrong, you should speak up. Why keep pretending to be strong and suffer in silence?"

"None of your business," Lin Ruoxi retorted, embarrassed at being called out. But then she suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "By the way, you haven't told me why you came back to Zhong Hai to help that little demon An Xin. Spill it!"

"Didn't you just say I didn't need to explain?" Yang Chen felt both puzzled and amused. He wondered if An Xin had irritated Lin Ruoxi too many times, making even her start calling her a demon.

"That was then. Who told you to be so fierce to me? Now I'm following up!"

Seeing the previously naive woman now exuding a formidable aura, Yang Chen wondered if he was hallucinating. This change in demeanor was quicker than flipping a page.

However, he still had to explain. Yang Chen recounted the story of An Xin being threatened by Lu Min. As for the episode with Yan Sanniang, he didn't elaborate—not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't find the words to explain. Besides, if Lin Ruoxi knew he was contemplating some mysterious "Dao," she might think he was babbling nonsense.

After hearing Yang Chen's story, Lin Ruoxi, although she hadn't witnessed it firsthand, could imagine the danger involved. A trace of worry appeared on her face, mixed with a bit of resentment. She said, "Did you really have to go to such lengths for An Xin?"

Yang Chen chuckled, "It's not just for An Xin. If anyone dared to bully you, I'd go even further than this."

"In other words, you'd do the same for those other women, right?" Lin Ruoxi's cold gaze fixed on him.

Yang Chen rubbed his nose, looking around, clearly admitting it silently.

Biting her lip in anger, Lin Ruoxi glared at Yang Chen, then pondered for a moment. "Yang Chen, look at me."

"Huh?" Yang Chen didn't understand what Lin Ruoxi wanted.

"I said, look at me, look into my eyes," Lin Ruoxi said seriously.

Although unsure of what she was up to, Yang Chen thought, "She's beautiful anyway, so why not look?" There couldn't be any harm in this, right?

Their eyes met, and Lin Ruoxi's eyes were like a clear lake, reflecting a captivating brilliance.

The next second, Lin Ruoxi smiled sweetly.

It was rare to see this cold woman smile. She usually seemed like a frozen painting, a sculpture, and even if she did smile, it was just a slight one.

This sudden blooming of a smile was like a warm light melting away the frost, revealing a radiant beauty within. It was as fresh as a lotus, as enchanting as a peony, almost dreamlike. The charm it exuded made Yang Chen, who had seen countless beauties, involuntarily gasp.

If not seen with one's own eyes, who would believe a woman could embody beauty so perfectly? Words were insufficient to describe it!

Seeing Yang Chen's stunned expression, Lin Ruoxi was very satisfied, feeling a bit smug and gaining more confidence.

"Am I beautiful?" Lin Ruoxi asked softly, her voice sweet and coquettish, like a girl asking for praise.

Swallowing hard, Yang Chen looked like a lovesick fool, just short of using a bowl to catch his drool. He nodded dumbly.

"Am I prettier than An Xin? Prettier than Rose?" Lin Ruoxi asked with a teasing smile.

"Of course, it's you," Yang Chen's heart started to pound, his mind filled with an exhilarating thought. This woman was seducing him! Could it be that he was finally going to reclaim his manly dignity with his wife? Would he no longer spend nights "alone"?

Shyly biting her lip, Lin Ruoxi's charming demeanor was irresistible, a mix of bashfulness and allure.

"Really?" Lin Ruoxi asked softly again, seeking confirmation.

"Really, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, bar none," Yang Chen responded quickly, not needing to think because it was the obvious answer.

His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, desperate to start but holding back, fearing his impulsive actions might displease Lin Ruoxi and ruin his chance at redemption.

Lin Ruoxi noticed Yang Chen's restless and struggling hands from the corner of her eye. She also saw the burning desire in his eyes, reflecting intense longing.

Suppressing a bit of nervousness, Lin Ruoxi placed her hands gently between them, resting against Yang Chen's chest.

She looked up, their faces close enough to feel each other's heartbeats and breaths. Her eyes were almost brimming with tears as she softly, huskily asked, "Do you really want me?"

Yang Chen was going insane! It wasn't about Lin Ruoxi's technique; compared to many women he had been with, this girl had none. She was just instinctively and cleverly using whatever she thought might work on him.

But it was precisely this kind of tentative, inexperienced approach that brought out her natural charm to the fullest. The push and pull, simple in theory, was masterfully executed without any pretense, which was rare.

Want her? Of course, he wanted her! He'd been waiting for this moment for almost a year.

Unable to pretend any longer, Yang Chen threw his arms around Lin Ruoxi's soft, fragrant body, breathing heavily with excitement. "Ruoxi darling! My lovely wife! Finally, you're showing mercy! You're killing me! Come on, let's kiss first, then we can move to the next step."

"Wait!" Lin Ruoxi put her hand on Yang Chen's mouth, stopping him from kissing her.

"Hmm?" Yang Chen was confused. Why the hesitation now?

A sly glint flashed in Lin Ruoxi's eyes. "I only asked if you wanted me, but I didn't say I would actually give myself to you."

Yang Chen's face froze. He felt like slapping Lin Ruoxi again. Was she trying to kill him?

"But," she said.

"But what?!" Yang Chen asked urgently, his eyes lighting up again.

Pouting slightly, Lin Ruoxi murmured, "If you promise me one thing, then I'll agree to anything."

Anything? Yang Chen felt a surge of joy. Could it be that even the most challenging "technical activities" would be on the table?

"Haha, not just one thing, a hundred things I'll promise! Sweetheart, just say it. Your husband here can handle anything!"

Yang Chen laughed heartily. Given his abilities now, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that if he couldn't do something, it was almost impossible for anyone else to accomplish it.

The breathtaking beauty before him, the woman he had desired most, was finally about to be his again. Lin Ruoxi's face showed a hint of joy as she said, "I only want you to do one thing. Considering your capabilities, it should be no problem at all. No fighting, no killing, not even much effort required. It's very simple."

"Come on, Ruoxi dear, just say it! I'll do whatever you want!" Yang Chen was getting impatient. His desire was almost tearing through his pants, and she was still stalling.

Lin Ruoxi took a deep breath, her eyes showing a determined glint.

"I want you to sever ties with those other women!"

As her words fell, Yang Chen's arms, which were holding Lin Ruoxi, trembled and then slowly slipped from her body. The smile on Yang Chen's face gradually faded, replaced by a blank, dazed expression, his eyes somewhat vacant.

Lin Ruoxi spoke with crystal clarity, "I have known for a long time that you are not an ordinary man, but I did not delve deeply into it. The incident in Paris, although it frightened me, gave me a better understanding of your past and your true identity.

You and I are not from the same world. You are stronger, more powerful, and wealthier than I am. I used to think we could never be together, and if we were to compare status, I am not worthy of you.

However, if you think that because you are a powerful man, I should be content being just one of your women, then you underestimate me, Lin Ruoxi. This is not the kind of love I want.

I know that monopolizing a man like you would make many other women envious, but I don't care. Love and marriage should be selfish!

I don't know how many women you have outside, but from what I know, there's Rose, An Xin, Liu Mingyu, and even my good friend Mo Qianni—four already. I don't care how many other lovers you have. If you want me to fully give myself to you, you must sever ties with all of them."

Seeing the desolate look on Yang Chen's face, Lin Ruoxi felt a twinge of pain but continued, "I know this seems cruel and unfair to you. After all, when we got married, it was a contractual marriage. I did say back then that I wouldn't interfere with your affairs outside. That was my mistake, so I won't hold it against you for having those women.

But after seeing you with other women several times, and this morning catching you with An Xin, I realized I can't accept it!"

Lin Ruoxi's face turned cold again as she solemnly said, "I like you, Yang Chen, and even the imprint on my heart can only be you. You have made me experience things that ordinary women couldn't in several lifetimes. You make it impossible for me to choose another man! But this doesn't mean I can accept sharing you with other women. I can't tolerate it, no matter how hard I try. This is a deep-seated boundary in my bones.

If you are willing, I will spend my life compensating you, being good to you, listening to you, no matter how outrageous the things you want to do. But I can only accept being your one and only wife!"

The office was deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

This silence lasted nearly ten minutes.

Yang Chen's face, which had remained expressionless and unresponsive, slowly broke into a strained smile as he looked at the expectant Lin Ruoxi. Softly but firmly, he shook his head...

"I'm sorry, I can't do that," Yang Chen said in a low voice. "You should have known this from the start. When I said I liked you, I also said I could never give up those women who truly love me. I'm not a good person, but I am responsible for my women."

A painful look flashed in Lin Ruoxi's beautiful eyes. Her body trembled slightly, and she bit her lip hard, taking a deep breath before nodding.

"You don't need to answer me so quickly," she said, her voice returning to its cold and indifferent tone, as if the woman who had just smiled so beautifully wasn't her at all. "I promised you I wouldn't turn against your lovers or do anything to them within a year. You can take this year to think carefully about what you truly want."

"A year?" Yang Chen asked in surprise. "Ruoxi, do you mean that if I don't give them up after a year, you will leave me?"

Lin Ruoxi turned around and walked back to her desk, saying calmly, "As long as you don't want a divorce, I won't divorce you. Even if I can't have a perfect marriage or perfect love, there's nothing wrong with our current family situation. I've said it before, I won't have contact with other men. If you choose them after a year, I will focus all my attention on my career and my family. I will fulfill my duties as a daughter-in-law and take good care of your family, provided that your mother and the others still want me to be their daughter-in-law."

Yang Chen finally understood what Lin Ruoxi meant and couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

It was clear that Lin Ruoxi was putting pressure on him, explicitly telling him that as long as he didn't cut ties with other women, she wouldn't fulfill her duties as his wife. However, she chose to accept her family obligations, meaning she would be a daughter-in-law to the Yang family but wouldn't be Yang Chen's woman. This emotional yet righteous decision effectively cast Yang Chen as the bad guy.

Yang Chen could easily imagine that if Guo Xuehua discovered her daughter-in-law was so obedient while her son was fooling around outside, she would not think highly of him. "You're using an open scheme to plot against me, Ruoxi darling. You really know how to torment me," Yang Chen said, rubbing his temples in distress.

Lin Ruoxi continued to look at the architectural plans on her desk and said plainly, "I'm not threatening you. It's all up to you to decide. Besides, in the end, I can't beat you. If you use force against me, I can't stop you. I'm just an ordinary weak woman. No matter what my identity is, it probably doesn't matter to you. If you insist on using force, I've already prepared myself. I'll treat myself as a heartless doll. You can do whatever you want with me. After all, since we met, you've saved my life many times. Consider it my repayment to you. I can accept it."

Yang Chen felt a sharp pain in his heart. This woman really knew how to say the most hurtful things. A heartless doll? If he really used force against her, wouldn't he be worse than a beast? Moreover, as a legitimate husband, if he had to rely on his strength to conquer his wife, he would despise himself for the rest of his life.

"Do you have to be so ruthless?" Yang Chen sighed, his earlier excitement gone.

"Do you remember how cold I was to you in Paris?" Lin Ruoxi looked up and smiled faintly.

Yang Chen certainly remembered. He was very depressed when he went to the Louvre to say goodbye to her.

Lin Ruoxi said, "I wasn't really angry with you. Although you used me as bait once again without telling me in advance, which made me uncomfortable, the reason I was so cold to you was because I suddenly realized the gap between us was more than I had imagined. From the moment I met you, I thought my social status was much higher than yours. But now, I realize I can't compare to you at all.

"I was very upset at that time, very frustrated, wondering why I was so slow to realize who you really were. So I was angry with myself, and seeing you made me even more annoyed. But today, I've figured something out. Since there's such a big gap between our statuses, I'll work hard and keep improving myself. Isn't that, in a way, you giving me the motivation to move forward?"

Yang Chen finally understood that Lin Ruoxi's coldness at that time was due to the realization of the gap between their identities.

"What do you mean by all this?" Yang Chen asked, feeling a bit disconnected.

Lin Ruoxi kept her eyes on the blueprints and said, "I mean to tell you that my intentions are clear. If you can't give up other women for me, then I'll choose another direction for my life. These blueprints you see are for the new resort I'm planning to build this year, along with the department store surrounding the resort."

The release of the new materials has multiplied our profits several times this year, giving us a very healthy financial situation. Additionally, Yulei Star has brought a significant amount of profit to our company. I have decided to build two new buildings in Zhonghai and to expand our relatively weaker branches in Sam's Country and Eastern Europe.

Moreover, I plan to acquire small companies and medium-sized resorts and amusement parks, transforming them into an integrated industrial chain. I intend to turn Yulei, which my grandmother left me, into a world-class fashion and entertainment empire!"

Listening to Lin Ruoxi's ambitious and globally expansive plans, Yang Chen had no doubt about the woman's execution ability. Damn, this woman! She was telling him that if he didn't choose her as his only wife, she would focus on her career and fully embrace her role as a strong, independent woman!