Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 712: Chapter 715: Not Worth Mentioning

In Zhonghai, the Lin family mansion's living room was still lit, despite it being early morning, just hours before dawn.

On a soft sofa, Lin Ruoxi, who had just taken a bath and donned a light pink silk nightgown, curled up, hugging her knees. She stared blankly at the wall clock, her eyes devoid of emotion, lost in thought.

Her slender arms were exposed, with skin as white and smooth as flawless jade. The delicate features of her profile, framed by her loose black hair, looked especially graceful and pure. Her slightly parted lips resembled a tender, shiny pearl.

Moving down, her bare feet peeking out from the nightgown, pale with faint blue veins, had toes like delicate buds, rounded and untouched by nail polish, making each toe appear particularly elegant.

Lin Ruoxi's natural beauty made any place with her presence seem like a picturesque scene.

"Not sleeping yet?" a familiar, gentle voice came from behind. Lin Ruoxi, initially startled, turned around. "Mom, why are you down here?"

Guo Xuehua, still in her cotton pajamas, looked particularly approachable with her makeup removed. Despite some signs of aging and fine lines at the corners of her eyes, she smiled warmly as she sat beside Lin Ruoxi on the sofa.

"How can I sleep when I see you like this? I imagine Aunt Wang is also sleepless, but she doesn't want to disturb you, not knowing what to say," Guo Xuehua said.

"I'm sorry, Mom, for worrying you," Lin Ruoxi said, looking down.

"As parents, we always worry about our children, no matter what," Guo Xuehua replied, gently hugging Lin Ruoxi's shoulders. "You cried when you came in earlier, and Yang Chen didn't come home with you. Something must have happened. Are you waiting for Yang Chen to come back?"

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip. "Yes."

"Yang Chen is really thoughtless. No matter what happens, he should come home. How can a husband and wife avoid talking?" Guo Xuehua sighed.

"It's my fault this time, not his," Lin Ruoxi replied.

"Did something happen between you two? You were fine before. What happened?" Guo Xuehua asked with concern. "Can you tell me?"

Lin Ruoxi hesitated. She hadn't planned to tell anyone in the family, but the sadness and grievances in her heart were overwhelming. She began to recount the events of the past few days, omitting some details that might worry Guo Xuehua too much, but the general outline was enough to change Guo Xuehua's expression several times.

When Guo Xuehua heard that the Xue family members had been expelled by the Ning and Luo families, and that Luo Cuishan had threatened Lin Ruoxi and Yang Chen, she was furious.

"I never thought the Prime Minister's wife, a minister-level official, would do such despicable things. I met her a few times in Beijing, and she seemed friendly because of Ning Prime Minister. I didn't realize she had such a venomous heart," Guo Xuehua sighed. "But the Ning family is powerful, and these matters aren't something we women can easily involve ourselves in. Leave it to Yang Chen to handle."

Lin Ruoxi nodded obediently, feeling sad. "I know I can't win against them, no matter how much money I have. It's no match for power."

Guo Xuehua lovingly stroked Lin Ruoxi's hair and gently touched her smooth face. "From what you've told me, it's clear you were wrong. You shouldn't have kept things from Yang Chen, making him worry about you, trying to make you happy. It's not easy for him either. He stood up to Luo Cuishan for you, risking himself. Even if he's very capable, it's not just about fighting. He has a lot on his plate. He did all that for you, yet you only cared about the Xue family. How could he not be upset?"

Tears welled up in Lin Ruoxi's eyes, and her voice choked with emotion. "I know I was too much. I didn't even realize what I was saying until it was too late. I hate myself for not knowing how to talk to him. I want to be better for him, to make him like me more, but I just don't know how."

Guo Xuehua felt a pang of sorrow, hugging Lin Ruoxi's trembling body. "It's not hard to figure out. You're too proud, always waiting for Yang Chen to come to you. That's not how it works. You've been married for over a year; you can't expect him to keep chasing after you. Think about what Yang Chen needs and what you can give him, not just what you have that he might want. Then, you'll naturally get along better."

Lin Ruoxi looked up, her tear-filled eyes showing both thought and confusion.

Guo Xuehua smiled gently. "You're even more beautiful than I was at your age. As a mother, I'm glad Yang Chen married you. Who wouldn't want beautiful grandchildren?"

Lin Ruoxi blushed. "Why are you saying this, Mom?"

"Because it's important," Guo Xuehua said earnestly. "No matter how beautiful you are now, in a few years, you'll age. No matter how well you take care of yourself, you can't compete with younger girls. Men are different. As they age, they become more attractive to many women because of their accumulated experiences. You know Yang Chen isn't immune to women. If you're no longer young and your relationship with Yang Chen remains distant, what do you think will happen?"

Lin Ruoxi's face turned pale, and panic filled her eyes. She had never thought about the future like this, but Guo Xuehua's words weighed heavily on her.

Regardless of her feelings for Yang Chen, divorce was unacceptable to Lin Ruoxi, especially with their emotional bond.

That day at the café and the song Yang Chen sang outside the building had cemented her emotional attachment to him for life.

"Even now, Yang Chen has many young and beautiful women around him. Luckily, you don't have to worry about them now because you're his wife, and you're no less than any of them. But beauty fades. Do you have confidence that Yang Chen will stay patient with you when you're no longer young?" Guo Xuehua asked.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head in sadness. She realized that, despite her business prowess, she was clueless about handling such a situation.

Yes, women do grow old. Will I still be spending all my time working, living my life in the business world when I'm older? Guo Xuehua gently stroked Lin Ruoxi's hair and advised, "Ruoxi, listen to Mom. While you're still young, don't put all your energy into your career. Learn how to communicate with Yang Chen better. It's not just about buying him clothes or cooking for him; you're his wife, not his servant. Only by building a deep emotional foundation while you're young can you ensure lasting love as you grow old."

Lin Ruoxi nodded slightly, then looked up at Guo Xuehua with a bit of grievance. "But Mom, if you want to help me so much, why did you help Yang Chen go see Aunt Ma?"

Guo Xuehua's face turned a bit awkward, and she chuckled sheepishly. "Oh dear, why bring that up all of a sudden? What could I do? Both of you are dear to me. I want you and Yang Chen to have a harmonious relationship, but I also want Yang Chen to be happy. In any case, I support you spiritually, so make the best of it."

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Guo Xuehua quickly stood up and headed upstairs to her room, leaving Lin Ruoxi alone on the sofa, staring at the clock, lost in thought about what she should do next.

Meanwhile, high above an island at the southernmost tip of Yanxia's waters, bordering the Pacific Ocean, a figure seemed to emerge from the darkness, surveying the island below.

The island hosted a sprawling, well-lit military base, with dozens of advanced fighter jets, transport planes, and armed helicopters neatly parked. Near the island's coastal waters were several warships with their cannons raised. In the distant sea, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier loomed, ready to unleash its full firepower at the slightest disturbance.

Due to the maritime standoff between the two countries, the U.S. had dispatched the nuclear carrier to exert pressure. Although no shots had been fired, such a formidable ocean-going weapon was enough to deter any navy.

Yang Chen barely glanced at these armed forces. After scanning the layout of the military base, he pinpointed a tall, well-lit concrete building and teleported directly to it.

Since breaking through to the Grand Completion of the Innate Realm, teleporting without using the Main God's spatial powers was no longer a big deal.

A squad of U.S. soldiers carrying M4 rifles was patrolling the perimeter of the base's command center. Although it was almost impossible for anyone to reach such a core area undetected, the soldiers remained vigilant.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared at the command center's main entrance—a young man with black hair, casually walking towards the door.

The dozen or so U.S. soldiers nearly thought they had seen a ghost and were startled. As they recovered from their shock, they instinctively raised their rifles and unleashed a barrage of bullets at the mysterious figure.

In such a situation, not opening fire immediately would be dereliction of duty!

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8