Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 717: Chapter 720: Mental Health

In Yan Capital, at the Ning residence, Ning Guangyao sat alone in his study, his face dark and brooding. He hadn't slept all night, and stubble had grown on his face.

Last night, after Luo Cuishan's bodyguards reported her sudden disappearance, Ning Guangyao first erupted in anger, then became extremely anxious. This was not something that could be kept secret; after all, Luo Cuishan was an official minister. Even if he tried to hide it, her subordinates would soon notice her absence!

Throughout the night, the Luo family and the officials called numerous times for inquiries. His son, Ning Guodong, who hadn't been home for days, was also urgently dispatching people to search for her, even flying to Zhonghai in the middle of the night. Despite all this effort, there was no trace of Luo Cuishan.

Adding to this chaos, the shocking news about Yu Lei International's dramatic comeback and the praise for Lin Ruoxi made Ning Guangyao feel there was a complex connection behind it all. Luo Cuishan had claimed to be helping Yu Lei.

Just then, the phone rang suddenly.

Ning Guangyao, filled with anticipation, answered immediately, "Do you have any news?!"

It was his assistant, who respectfully said, "Prime Minister, someone called saying they have information about Madam Luo. Please check your private email."

Ning Guangyao frowned. His private email? What could be the connection? Despite his suspicion, he quickly hung up and did as instructed.

Upon opening his seldom-used private email, he saw a new anonymous message. The sender's address was blank, indicating a skilled hacker was involved. The email contained a text file and a video file.

Feeling uneasy, Ning Guangyao downloaded and opened the files. Half an hour later, after watching the video and reading the text, his face turned ashen.

"Cui Shan, Cui Shan," Ning Guangyao muttered, his eyes lifeless, filled with indescribable emotions.

In Zhonghai, the morning sunlight began to dispel the fog, and the fresh air filled the green and pleasant courtyard.

In the living room, the aroma of breakfast wafted through the air. Wang Ma and Guo Xuehua were cheerfully busy in the kitchen.

Yang Chen, having finished his tasks with Maureen, didn't rest much. He circulated his True Yuan, restoring his energy, and then headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning, Brother Yang!" Zhenxiu's playful voice came from behind, and her soft arms wrapped around Yang Chen's waist, her sweet fragrance enveloping him.

Yang Chen turned around, pinching her cheek. "You're always so affectionate. If I don't have a daughter in the future, you can be my daughter."

Zhenxiu pouted, "I don't want to be your daughter, hmph!"

She made a funny face, let go, and hopped downstairs to start eating at the table.

Over time, Zhenxiu had become less reserved. The family treated her with great affection, making her naturally integrate into the household. Yang Chen felt that a large part of this was due to the influence of the Star Moon Group in Korea. Although Zhenxiu didn't want to go back, knowing her true background and that she wasn't a completely helpless orphan helped alleviate her sense of inferiority. Combined with Yang Chen's guidance, she became more open.

As Yang Chen sat down and was about to start eating, he noticed Lin Ruoxi coming down the stairs. She wore a light lavender layered off-shoulder dress, revealing her fair shoulders and slender legs, which made her look particularly elegant and charming. Her long black hair was not tied up as usual but left to cascade down, highlighting her delicate features and classical beauty.

Even after seeing her for more than a year, Yang Chen couldn't help but stare for a few seconds before smacking his lips and saying, "Honey, are you going to the office dressed like this today?"

Noticing his gaze, Lin Ruoxi felt a surge of happiness. After returning to her room, she hadn't rested but instead bathed and dressed appropriately before coming down.

"Do I look good?" Lin Ruoxi asked shyly, unable to meet Yang Chen's eyes, her face slightly flushed.

Yang Chen was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected her to ask for his approval so softly. He didn't know what to say.

Zhenxiu giggled, "Sister Ruoxi, if you ask like that, how can Brother Yang answer? You should ask if there's ever a day when you're not beautiful. That would make more sense."

Yang Chen nodded vigorously, "Yes, this time Zhenxiu is not wrong."

Lin Ruoxi smiled, pinched Zhenxiu's cheek, and put a poached egg on her plate. "You sweet talker, eat more. Your college entrance exam is next week; you need to keep up your nutrition."

Zhenxiu happily nodded, "I can't wait for the exams to be over. I'm really not suited for studying; it's pure torture."

Yang Chen thought for a moment and said, "By the way, speaking of exams, Tang Tang also has her college entrance exam. Do you know her, Zhenxiu?"

Zhenxiu blinked, "I know her, but we're not in the same class. She seems to have taken a leave of absence. I haven't seen her at school lately."

"She went back to Yan Capital with her mother. You'll both be taking the exam together. Don't let her beat you; she's very proud. Teach her a lesson for me!" Yang Chen said with a mischievous smile.

Zhenxiu asked curiously, "Brother Yang, how do you know so much about her? You even know where her mother is."

Realizing the awkwardness of the situation with Lin Ruoxi nearby, Yang Chen quickly smiled sheepishly, "I went to Yan Capital a while ago to help her mother with something. Nothing else, really..."

Yang Chen directed his explanation towards Lin Ruoxi, knowing that sooner or later, he couldn't hide everything. But he didn't want to bring up Tang Wan immediately after dealing with the Cai sisters.

To his surprise, Lin Ruoxi seemed indifferent. She simply smiled serenely and said, "Let's take Zhenxiu to the exam together when the time comes."

Yang Chen's jaw almost dropped. "Oh, okay."

Lin Ruoxi then quietly took Yang Chen's bowl, filled it with millet porridge, and placed two plates of his favorite side dishes in front of him. "Eat up. Why are you staring at me?"

Yang Chen was genuinely baffled. By normal logic, Lin Ruoxi should be particularly averse to Tang Wan. But her calm demeanor made Yang Chen feel something was off. Her behavior was so unusual that he wondered if someone was impersonating her.

But before he could eat a few bites, Lin Ruoxi said something that almost made him spit out his food.

"Honey, let's take a day off today, shall we?"

Honey? When did she start calling me honey again?!

Yang Chen tightly closed his mouth to prevent the food from spewing out, then looked up at the woman softly asking him. After swallowing, he asked, "Ruoxi, you're not going to pull that trick on me again like last time, are you? Once was enough. Don't torment me like this, okay?" He still vividly remembered the pain of being isolated by the whole family when Lin Ruoxi had played the perfect wife.

However, Lin Ruoxi's face was filled with sorrow. "I didn't mean that. I just think you've been very tired these past days, and I want to stay home with you. If you don't want that, I'll follow your wishes."

Yang Chen hesitated for a while before asking, "Are you really not going to work?"

"Yes," Lin Ruoxi replied. "The company's crisis is over, and the remaining matters can be handled by my subordinates. With my teacher, Chris, managing things, there won't be any problems."

Yang Chen suddenly understood. "No wonder you brought Chris over from the U.S. It was all in preparation for Li Minghe's issue. Once he was gone, Chris could fill the vacancy, preventing a power vacuum at the top. Clever move."

Lin Ruoxi frowned slightly. "Honey, let's not talk about work at home. We're on vacation, remember? Let's enjoy breakfast."

Yang Chen was again taken aback. The workaholic was uninterested in discussing work?! Was this still the Lin Ruoxi he knew?

Meanwhile, Lin Ruoxi began calling Wang Ma and Guo Xuehua to come and eat quickly. She even went to the kitchen to bring out dishes, presenting the image of a dutiful daughter-in-law, as if it were all perfectly normal.

The whole breakfast felt surreal to Yang Chen, who couldn't grasp what was happening.

Lin Ruoxi, taking a rare day off, volunteered to drive Zhenxiu to school, further baffling Yang Chen.

Watching Lin Ruoxi and Zhenxiu leave, Guo Xuehua couldn't help but laugh softly, saying to Yang Chen, "Son, how do you feel about Ruoxi's new behavior?"

Yang Chen, beginning to understand, smiled wryly. "Mom, did you say something to Ruoxi? I thought even if she felt guilty, it wouldn't cause such a drastic change."

Guo Xuehua, looking pleased, said, "You young people still need us elders to guide you. I just advised Ruoxi to cherish her youth and nurture her relationship with you so she won't end up unloved in old age. You see, the fear of losing one's beauty is very effective for women, especially beautiful ones."

Yang Chen, finally understanding, laughed and shook his head, not knowing what to say.

Meanwhile, Lin Ruoxi was driving Zhenxiu to school. Despite the college entrance exam being just over a week away, Zhenxiu still chose to go to school to absorb the atmosphere and ask some questions.

In the car, Zhenxiu occasionally glanced at Lin Ruoxi and sweetly asked, "Sister Ruoxi, you seem different today. Are you planning to use some tactics to capture Brother Yang's heart?"

Lin Ruoxi's hand trembled slightly on the steering wheel, her cheeks flushing with a hint of redness. "You little rascal," she muttered, neither confirming nor denying it.

"I'm not little anymore; I even have an ID card," Zhenxiu pouted, then suddenly grinned mischievously. "Sister Ruoxi, do you want me to teach you a foolproof trick? From my experience, if you use it, Brother Yang will be completely at your mercy in three seconds!"

Lin Ruoxi turned her head slightly, giving Zhenxiu an annoyed glare. "You're always coming up with silly ideas. Is this really something you should be concerned about? Don't distract me while I'm driving!"

Zhenxiu, feeling deflated, pouted. "Fine, I won't say anything."

But just as she finished, Lin Ruoxi, still looking straight ahead, calmly said, "However, you can tell me. I'll just listen for the sake of assessing your current psychological health."

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