Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 723: Chapter 726: Can You Finish It?

Yang Chen initially thought that Lin Ruoxi's red Bentley would be enough to load some gifts, but this scene proved otherwise.

A brand-new white Ford F-350 pickup truck was dominantly parked in the corner! The Ford F-Series pickups are emblematic of the tough guy spirit in the US. With its powerful engine, sturdy aluminum trim, and square headlights, it's a common sight in the States, whether for household or farm use. However, in the summer heat of China, such vehicles are rare. These trucks usually have an engine displacement of over 5.0 liters and are only available as imports, costing at least a million yuan each.

The back of the pickup was filled with boxes of goods, at least a few dozen large boxes! This woman—was she really planning to deliver warmth on Children's Day by driving a truck?!

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip in slight embarrassment and softly said, "When I was alone, it wasn't very convenient. But now that you're with me, I can use the truck. I've already had the security guard bring it out from the garage, and I've bought the gifts. All we need to do is drive there. I can't drive a big truck, so you'll have to be the driver."

"That's no problem," Yang Chen replied as he regained his composure, letting out a breath. "I've driven these kinds of trucks before, though this is the first time in the city."

Lin Ruoxi quickly said, "Actually, if you like, I also have a Dodge Ram and a Nissan Titan in my garage. They're both new imports. I can give them to you to drive. You've been driving that BMW for a year now."

"Who would drive a pickup to work..." Yang Chen rolled his eyes but still took the keys Lin Ruoxi handed him and walked toward the truck.

Lin Ruoxi muttered a few words as she watched him walk away. Was it necessary to roll his eyes when she was kindly giving him a truck?

The engine roared to life, and the two quickly left the parking lot. Following Lin Ruoxi's suggestion, they decided to have lunch before heading to the orphanage.

"What do you want to eat?" Yang Chen asked casually.

Lin Ruoxi thought for a moment, resting her chin on her hand. "Let's keep it simple. Waiting too long for a meal would waste time."

"Then let's find a small restaurant?"

Lin Ruoxi frowned slightly. "Could we find somewhere a bit cleaner?" The mention of a small restaurant brought back memories of a dirty, greasy crayfish place they had once dined at, which wasn't a pleasant experience.

Yang Chen shrugged. "Then you decide. I'm at your service today."

"I wouldn't even want you if you paid me," Lin Ruoxi snorted softly. After thinking for a while, she hesitated, rubbing the hem of her dress, and whispered, "How about we go to my newly opened glutinous rice ball chain store? I haven't had a proper inspection yet."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Ruoxi's face flushed a deep red. She had been thinking about it for days but was too embarrassed to go alone. After all, she was the major investor, and it wouldn't look dignified to be seen buying rice balls by herself. But now that she had company, the thought immediately came to her mind, and she didn't care that it was lunch—they could just go and enjoy some rice balls.

Yang Chen seemed to understand and nodded, smiling. "That's fine. I'm curious to see what this glutinous rice ball chain looks like."

Hearing Yang Chen agree, Lin Ruoxi instantly beamed with a smile, nodding enthusiastically.

Seeing her expression, Yang Chen couldn't help but think that she was indeed an easily satisfied girl. Her heart was probably as full as a glutinous rice ball.

At the same time, the mention of small restaurants reminded Yang Chen that he needed to find time to visit Sister Xiang's Sichuan restaurant to see Ma Guifang. The situation with Mo Qianni couldn't be delayed too long; it was torturing them both. Of course, he couldn't show any of this in front of Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi had invested in three stores at once, all under the brand name "Zhao's Glutinous Rice Balls." This chain already had a good reputation in Zhonghai. Lin Ruoxi had even commissioned someone to design a logo for the stores—a chubby pink "Piggy Glutinous Rice Ball," which was irresistibly cute, especially to young girls.

All three stores were located inside Lin Ruoxi's own comprehensive shopping malls. Just in Zhonghai alone, Lin Ruoxi owned no fewer than ten shopping malls. However, she was always low-key and rarely directly managed these properties, so many people didn't even know that the same person owned all these large malls!

After about half an hour of driving, they arrived at the Zhonghai International Trade Building, which was relatively close. The first ten floors of this building were filled with shops, restaurants, and entertainment centers, while the upper floors were clubs and office spaces.

As they walked into the first floor of the building, Yang Chen suddenly asked out of curiosity, "Ruoxi, does the financial report for Yu Lei include these shopping malls?"

"Of course not," Lin Ruoxi replied coolly. "These are my own holdings. I bought them from others, so there's no need to force them into the company."

Yang Chen opened his mouth in surprise and then smiled. "So even if Yu Lei goes bankrupt, you'd still be a little rich lady."

Lin Ruoxi gave Yang Chen a self-satisfied glance. "You didn't just meet me today. Do you really think I'm the kind of person who wouldn't leave herself a backup plan?"

Yang Chen nodded in agreement. It made sense; Lin Ruoxi's shrewdness meant she wouldn't put all her eggs in one basket without a backup plan.

"When Grandma handed Yu Lei over to me, these shopping malls weren't mine yet. But over the years, I've gradually acquired more shares and monopolized these buildings. Although it sometimes strained the company's finances, I have absolute control over Yu Lei, so no one can say anything," Lin Ruoxi explained.

Yang Chen smiled. No wonder Lin Ruoxi always kept her shares at around 90%. He then asked curiously, "Why buy so many buildings? Do you want to become a landlady?"

A gleam appeared in Lin Ruoxi's eyes. "I'm far from done. My goal is to buy the most prosperous commercial street in Zhonghai, connecting it all together. Wherever I walk, I want the entire street to be my property! I've always been working toward this goal!"

Yang Chen was stunned, giving a stiff smile. "Is that your dream?"

"Of course it is," Lin Ruoxi nodded enthusiastically. "I think being the property mogul of the city is quite fun. Just think, when the whole street belongs to me, I can have whatever brands I like here, and everything I dislike can be removed. In every shop, I can take whatever I want, and just have it deducted from the rent. The entire street would become my personal playground!"

Yang Chen rubbed his face and muttered, "Your dream is really not cute at all."

As they spoke, the two arrived at Zhao's Rice Ball Shop, marked by a pink sign featuring a cute glutinous rice pig head.

Yang Chen was taken aback by the sight outside the shop—there was a long line of customers, and business was booming!

Three or four hired employees were busy with cash transactions and packaging, while inside, a few apprentices were hard at work making fresh rice balls. Although the rice balls weren't as exquisite as the ones Old Zhao used to make, they had an element of youthful creativity, with a wide variety of flavors that easily appealed to women and children alike.

What left Yang Chen both amused and exasperated was that the boxes containing the rice balls were adorned with Hello Kitty cartoon images! The packaging was entirely pink—the very color of Lin Ruoxi's room!

To add to the surprise, two large TV screens hung on either side of the store, playing the latest popular Korean dramas. Although the sound was muted, the shows still managed to draw in many customers who stopped to watch. Yang Chen smacked his forehead—wasn't this just a random idea he had once casually mentioned to Lin Ruoxi? And she actually went through with it?

Turning to look at Lin Ruoxi, Yang Chen saw her bright eyes sparkling with excitement as she tilted her head up, completely absorbed in the Korean drama playing on the screen, seemingly forgetting the purpose of their visit.

Yang Chen cleared his throat a few times, snapping Lin Ruoxi out of her trance. He asked, "Shall I go buy some for you? Which flavors do you want?"

Realizing she had embarrassed herself again, Lin Ruoxi reluctantly tore her gaze from the TV and shyly said, "I want every flavor."

"What?" Yang Chen was stunned. The shop had at least 20 or 30 different flavors, and each rice ball was about the size of a tennis ball. He frowned, "That's a lot. Can you finish them all?"

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head so much that her chin nearly touched her chest and mumbled, "I want to eat some now and take the rest home. You buy your own; don't you dare share mine!"

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