Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 564: Chapter 565: I Don’t Like It

Seeing Yang Chen in such a dejected state made Mo Qianni feel astonished. She had never seen this man so defeated. Who could make him feel so helpless?

"Honey, what's wrong? What do you need help with?" Mo Qianni asked with concern.

Yang Chen forced a bitter smile and briefly explained the conflict between An Xin and Lin Ruoxi, their reconciliation, and Lin Ruoxi's "one-year ultimatum."

Mo Qianni, being a smart woman, quickly pieced together the situation from the key points Yang Chen provided. After hearing the whole story, she finally understood why Yang Chen was so downcast. Her feelings were mixed, but she couldn't help finding Yang Chen's situation amusing, and she burst into laughter.

"Hehe, only Lin Ruoxi can put you in such a state. Hmph, you big playboy, always flirting around. It's about time you got a taste of your own medicine!" Mo Qianni teased, poking Yang Chen's forehead with her delicate finger.

Yang Chen pulled Mo Qianni's smooth body closer, threatening playfully, "You better watch it, or I'll pin you down on this sofa and show you who's boss!"

Mo Qianni immediately shrank back, pouting, "You only know how to bully me. It's Ruoxi who's pressuring you, not me."

"If this tactic worked on her, I would have used it long ago. You know our CEO's stubbornness—once she makes up her mind, not even a hundred oxen could pull her back. If she isn't convinced from the heart, she won't change her mind. I can't play tricks with her, so I'm having a headache," Yang Chen said, feeling his brain was about to explode.

Mo Qianni's eyes sparkled as she asked, "So, what do you really think? Who will you choose, her or us?"

Yang Chen glared at her, "Isn't it obvious? If I chose her over you, would I be here with you now? Would I be so eager to please our mom?"

"At least you have a conscience," Mo Qianni said, drawing circles on Yang Chen's chest with her finger. "If you ever leave me, I'll die to make you regret it!"

"Ah!" Yang Chen gasped, shaking the woman in his arms. He scolded, "Don't talk about dying! It's so unlucky! I'm asking you to help me figure out how to solve this problem. Instead, you're threatening me, making my head spin. Does that make you happy?"

Mo Qianni pouted, "What can I do? Do you want me to tell you to give up on Ruoxi? Can you bear to do that? If you could, you would have divorced her already! You know that without you, Ruoxi and I would never have had any awkwardness between us. Our relationship has already cooled because of you. I don't want her to resent me more.

"Even though she had her reasons for allowing us to be together, the fact is I did take her husband. I already feel guilty that she didn't cut ties with me. How can I help you come up with a plan against her? Besides, she's very sharp. Anything I think of, she would have thought of already."

Yang Chen sighed in disappointment. Indeed, expecting Mo Qianni to help him devise a strategy was unlikely. He patted her shoulder, deciding to drop the matter.

The two then chatted casually, exchanging sweet words and playful banter. When the time came, they got up and prepared to leave.

After tidying her clothes, Mo Qianni pushed Yang Chen out of her office. Knowing Lin Ruoxi was already back at the company, she decided to deliver the materials and discuss them in detail with her.

For Mo Qianni, love was certainly important, but she also had no intention of neglecting her rapidly advancing career. After all, her husband belonged to others most of the time, but her career was solely hers.

After agreeing to meet in the evening, Yang Chen didn't linger and took the elevator to the floor where the public relations department was located. Besides catching up with colleagues like Zhao Hongyan, whom he hadn't seen for a while, his main goal was to get close to Liu Mingyu.

Since Liu Qingshan unified the underworld in Yanjing and returned to Zhonghai to reunite with Liu Mingyu and her mother, Liu Mingyu's status had elevated to that of a mafia princess. However, Liu Mingyu showed little interest in such a status. It was already commendable that she didn't resent it. Possibly due to her early maturity, Liu Mingyu's ability to cope was much stronger than women her age, and she quickly accepted Liu Qingshan's background.

Entering the large office of the public relations department, Yang Chen noticed many new faces among the female public relations staff. Yulei International was thriving, and many old employees had taken up management roles elsewhere, paving the way for many newcomers. Fortunately, familiar faces like Zhang Cai were still there, and they greeted Yang Chen warmly. Some new girls, hearing that he was the director of the entertainment division, began to give him flirtatious glances, making Yang Chen reflect on the boldness of today's young women.

Looking around, Yang Chen noticed that Zhao Hongyan, with whom he had shared some flirtatious moments, was not present. He asked Zhang Cai, "Where's Hongyan? Did she move to another department?"

Zhang Cai looked puzzled, "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

Zhang Cai's round face was full of surprise. "I thought Hongyan would have told you, considering you two were quite close. She resigned some time ago, and she's no longer with the company."

"Resigned?" Yang Chen was puzzled. "Why would she resign when everything was going well?" He wondered if her ex-husband's family had been bothering her again.

Zhang Cai explained with some regret, "Hongyan's father was discharged from the hospital, and the family needed someone to take care of him. They reopened their sticky rice ball shop, and she went to help her brother. She didn't have the energy to work here anymore, so she resigned. We all miss her; with Hongyan gone, there are even fewer familiar faces around."

Yang Chen then remembered that Zhao Hongyan's father had indeed found a kidney donor for surgery. Given the time that had passed, it made sense that he would be discharged by now. He wondered how Zhao Hongyan was coping, a divorced woman returning home to care for her father and support her brother. How would she face her prime years?

Sighing at the thought, Yang Chen bid farewell to Zhang Cai and the others before slipping into Liu Mingyu's office. Compared to the dedication of his other women, Yang Chen felt a bit ashamed of himself.

It had been a while since Yang Chen last saw Liu Mingyu. Her shoulder-length hair, previously dyed a reddish-purple, was now washed back to its natural glossy black and styled up in a bun. She wore a light brown spring top, with a red and white bow at the collar, adding a touch of vitality. Her high-bridged nose was adorned with a pair of black-framed glasses, making her bright oval face look even more exquisite.

Like Mo Qianni, she was buried in paperwork, and it took her a moment to realize Yang Chen had entered. When she finally looked up, she smiled faintly, "Why did you come suddenly? You didn't even give me a heads-up."

Yang Chen felt a bit dejected. How could this woman, not yet thirty, be so composed and calm? Even after not seeing her man for so long, she showed no enthusiasm. Her maturity reminded him of Tang Wan.

"Don't work so hard. Your father's money is enough for you to live lavishly for several lifetimes, and I also have enough to support you. If you end up with gray hair from all this stress, you'll regret it," Yang Chen said as he walked behind Liu Mingyu, gently massaging her shoulders to refresh her.

Liu Mingyu didn't stop him, smiling and shaking her head. "I don't like using my dad's money."

"Still worried about the underworld background, huh? It doesn't matter. In this world, there must be balance. Just as there are men and women, there is black and white. That money might not have come from the cleanest sources, but at least your father earned it at the risk of his life. He wants you and your brother to have a good life, otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed away until he unified Yanjing's underworld," Yang Chen said with a smile.

"I know, but I'm just not used to it," Liu Mingyu turned her head, looking at Yang Chen with a playful smile. "What's up with you today? Normally, whenever we meet, you're always touchy-feely. It's rare to see you behaving and talking about everyday life."

Yang Chen put on a serious face, "Do I seem like someone who only takes advantage of women? Mingyu darling, you underestimate your man. I always prioritize your emotional well-being!"

Yang Chen thought to himself that he wouldn't tell her he had just been with Mo Qianni and was feeling down. Otherwise, he wouldn't be just massaging her shoulders.

Liu Mingyu glanced at him skeptically, unsure whether to believe him. She then said softly, "My parents have been asking about our relationship lately. I told them we haven't seen each other for a while, and my dad was really upset."

"Look at you," Yang Chen said, feeling awkward. He forced a smile, "You could have covered for me. I've been incredibly busy lately. You know I was leading the Yulei Star project, running around like crazy. Now that I'm free, how about we arrange a day to hang out with your parents?"

Yang Chen cursed inwardly. Liu Qingshan was really sly, using his daughter to play the sympathy card. If he wanted to see him, why not come directly? Why did it feel like all he was doing since returning home was pleasing the elders?

Just as Liu Mingyu was about to respond, there was a knock on the office door. Seemingly realizing something, she furrowed her brows slightly and gave Yang Chen a complicated look before coldly saying, "Come in."