Chapter 1131 - Ride One’s Coattails
Lin Ruoxi was helpless against the man standing before her. Upon hearing Li Jingjing’s pleas, her heart softened once again.
Speaking of that, it was Li Jingjing who got to know Yang Chen first. She had also developed feelings for him first. In fact, it was she who forced Yang Chen to marry after an absurd night.
Till today, Lin Ruoxi had to use her identity as a wife as she stood upon the higher ground of morality.
As the thought sank in, Lin Ruoxi grew even more furious at Yang Chen. It was all because of this bastard. And to think that he was still grinning ear-to-ear at her like an idiot. If it was not for him, would she have ended up this conflicted?
As Lin Ruoxi struggled to make a decision, her legs were suddenly mashed together!
In an instance, Yang Chen had pounced onto Lin Ruoxi and was hugging both her sumptuous thighs with his head pressed against them as he started to rub them.
“You… What are you doing? Let go…” Lin Ruoxi’s face instantaneously flushed crimson. Why was he acting like a child?
Everyone standing aside was stupefied. The extent to which Yang Chen was thick-skinned was way past their expectations.
Li Jingjing could not discern if Yang Chen was seriously begging or just trying to cajole his way out of this.
Yang Chen kneaded Lin Ruoxi’s tender thighs with his face, relishing in the whiff of the fragrance originating from her skin. Brazen-faced, he implored, “Honey, if you don’t forgive me, I shall kneel in front of you forever.”
Lin Ruoxi was beyond frustrated. “You idiot, am I so easy to please? Would I not be mad at you once you hug my thighs? You’re clearly just bullying me!”
“Then, if I let go of your legs, will you forgive me?” Yang Chen beamed and immediately let go.
Amid her anger, Lin Ruoxi could not fight back a giggle. She bit her thin lips and eventually let out a sigh. Disregarding Yang Chen, she turned to Li Jingjing. “Jingjing, come with me upstairs. We need to talk.”
“Huh?” Li Jingjing stiffened for a moment but quickly nodded as she caught herself.
Lin Ruoxi did not stay for long. Without delay, she brought Li Jingjing upstairs to the guest room and shut the door.
Downstairs, an eerie silence began to permeate the air.
Yang Chen had picked himself up and plopped down in Lin Ruoxi’s seat. Using Lin Ruoxi’s chopsticks, he sent an entire clump of kimchi into his mouth and started munching, then slurped some soup with her spoon.
Park Cheon and the others stared at him as the word ‘heartless’ surfaced in their minds.
Noticing all the eyes on him and that Park Cheon and Zhenxiu had stopped eating, he chuckled, “Why are y’all looking at me? Go on, eat! I suppose it will take a while for Ruoxi to come down. I’ll use her cutleries for the time being.”
Park Cheon smiled stiffly, the corners of his lips twitching. “Mr Yang sure is full of surprises.”
“I mean, what can I do? A wife is meant to be pleased. Reasoning with women is never a good idea. We must just admit our mistakes obediently. Whatever so-called self-esteem is utter bullshit, those are only for others to see. Especially for people like me who like to look at others even when I already have enough, it’s needless to say that I must put in extra effort to woo my wife. That is a long-term plan considering the big picture. This is my state of enlightenment from the countless agonizing lessons I’ve experienced in the past. Anyone who is interested can talk to me and share some of your own valuable experiences as well…”
Speaking, Yang Chen waved at the male servants around them blatantly.
Zhenxiu sat down and pouted briefly before saying, “Brother Yang is getting more and more shameless. Aren’t you at all concerned about Teacher Vivian? What if Sister Ruoxi makes her cry?”
Yang Chen shook his head. “Impossible. I know Ruoxi is mad, but she would only target me. I’ve thought it through before coming back and I’ll accept whatever consequences that are to come.”
“Mr Yang, you might be mistaken. Having a few more ladies is no big burden for a man with your capabilities. Back in the day, marriage wasn’t inevitable, not to mention monogamous relationships. An incompetent man would not be able to take care of one wife whereas a capable man would be able to live a luxurious, well-nourished life despite having a dozen wives. Besides, such matters are a two-way treaty between both men and women, which is why, Mr Yang, you ought not to be too hung up over this,” Park Cheon said with a theatrical wave of his hands.
Yang Chen laughed. “It seems President Park Cheon has had his fair share of merry times.”
Park Cheon coughed awkwardly in an attempt to divert the attention from himself. He turned and looked at Zhenxiu, who was gawking at him unblinkingly. “I’m just an ordinary old man. Please, Mr Yang, enjoy your meal.”
“Grandfather, it sounds like you don’t really disagree with Brother Yang’s doing?” asked Zhenxiu out of a sudden.
Park Cheon did not expect Zhenxiu to be so blunt. After a moment or two of hesitation, he then concluded, “It is reasonable for a capable man like Mr Yang to be favored by many girls.”
Though he was not entirely informed on Yang Chen’s background, Park Cheon had sharp eyes and could still tell that Yang Chen was not as simple a person as perceived. Not to mention the fact that he even possessed such a mysterious elixir.
“Really?”
Zhenxiu cheered inwardly, glimmers of excitement crossing her large, beautiful eyes.
Park Cheon looked at his granddaughter, confused. “Zhenxiu, why the sudden question?”
Zhenxiu froze, then stuck her tongue out and replied, “It’s nothing.”
Zhenxiu quickly lowered her head and stuffed her face with a variety of seafood.
However, as Park Cheon’s gaze shuffled between Zhenxiu and Yang Chen, worry flitted through his eyes.
The ‘shameless’ and ‘heartless’ Yang Chen in the eyes of others was, in fact, not as collected as he appeared.
His mind kept drifting off into the room upstairs as he pictured dozens after dozens of different scenarios for what could be happening with the two ladies.
One thing was for sure, that Li Jingjing would never be able to handle Lin Ruoxi’s ingenuity. Although she did say she could never lift her head around them, how was it possible to not feel contrite at all?
Consciously suppressing the urge to utilize his divine sense, Yang Chen felt like he should still respect Lin Ruoxi’s decision.
It was only when he was indulging in a television show downstairs in the living room after dinner did movements come from the guest room upstairs.
Lin Ruoxi walked downstairs with Li Jingjing trailing behind her. She looked worn out, but her anger had obviously diminished.
Yang Chen gulped before he scrutinized Li Jingjing. He found no signs of tears on the woman.
As if she could read Yang Chen’s mind, Lin Ruoxi crooned, “Stop wondering, I don’t go behind people’s back and bash them.”
Yang Chen tittered mischievously, “Of course you won’t, I know that my honey has always been generous.”
Lin Ruoxi let out a faint sigh. “I’ve spoken to Jingjing and she misses her parents in Zhonghai, which is why she’s decided to stop pursuing her doctorate. I’m not in a good position to help her get a job in education back in Zhonghai, so you should talk to Mother about it. Perhaps her connections could get her a place in the Education Bureau or any similar units.”
Li Jingjing immediately refused. “No… It’s fine, Sister Ruoxi. I can just teach at a high school.”
“Don’t worry about it. If you were to encounter some troublesome students or supervisors with ill intentions, do you think this guy’s heart will be at ease?” Lin Ruoxi rolled her eyes at Yang Chen. “Isn’t that right?”
Yang Chen nodded, bashful. “Honey, you’re such a thoughtful person. I’ll let my mother make some arrangements later on.”
Li Jingjing would unquestionably be capable of holding a regular post in the Education Bureau, something safe and steady. That way, the woman would neither be too idle nor overworked.
This was nothing given the Yang family’s influential powers.
Li Jingjing felt a wave of emotions flooding her within before realizing tears had begun to well up in her eyes. “Sister Ruoxi, thank you…”
Lin Ruoxi reached out and gently pinched Li Jingjing’s palm. “Once you return to Zhonghai, remember to continue teaching me to cook. I’ll go by your place so that I won’t have to hear my mother-in-law calling me clumsy.”
Li Jingjing nodded and her lips parted to reveal a sweet smile.
Watching from the sidelines, Zhenxiu grew sullen. “Sister Ruoxi, what would I do if you take Teacher Vivian away?”
“You can switch to another teacher or attend a local university. The Ewha Women’s University will suit you quite well,” Lin Ruoxi teased, letting out an exuberant laugh.
Zhenxiu pouted while sulking.
Li Jingjing smiled regretfully at Zhenxiu, then stepped toward Park Cheon and bowed. “Thank you, for your kind accommodation over this period. I’ve decided to return to Zhonghai. My parents are there, needing my care. What’s more, I belong there. My apologies that I was unable to complete Zhenxiu’s lessons.”
Needless to say, Park Cheon was perfectly fine with it. In fact, the old man had seen this coming from some time ago. He waved his hand in dismissal and said, “That’s alright. I will help do the talking regarding America. Yourself and Teacher Vivian are more than welcome to come back to Korea and drop by to visit Zhenxiu anytime.”
Things were decided rather swiftly and smoothly, and the plan was that Li Jingjing would pack her belongings and return to China the following morning.
To the woman who had not been home for a year to visit Old Li and his wife, finding out that her parents had been working hard to earn money behind her back made her miss them way more than she realized.
After sending Li Jingjing back to her apartment to pack up, Yang Chen asked Lin Ruoxi out of curiosity, “My dear Ruoxi, you had Jingjing for so long. Are you sure you’ve only talked to her about flying home?”
Lin Ruoxi stalked upstairs without so much as a glimpse at him. “Problem?”
“That’s not possible, you took so long for just that?”
Lin Ruoxi glanced at him, a little fed up. “I’m tired. Ask Jingjing if you want to know.”
Yang Chen had no words to counter her statement, so he just remained quiet. He made a mental note to ask Li Jingjing about their conversation once they returned to Zhonghai.
While Lin Ruoxi was in the shower, Yang Chen gave Guo Xuehua a call. As she found out that her son had ‘magically’ found her another daughter-in-law, she did not know how to react.
However, the fact that the girl grew up in a guileless family and had a double Masters in American Education and Linguistics immediately captured Guo Xuehua’s heart. She repeatedly promised to secure a suitable position for Li Jingjing!