Chapter 157: It’s Too Late
Lin Ruoxi was well aware that in some prominent families, it was normal for a successful man to have multiple wives and concubines.
But Lin Ruoxi couldn’t accept it!
What Hu Shishi had said was beyond anything Lin Ruoxi could bear.
"Sister Hu, this is all so sudden. I don’t know how to answer you. Could you let me calm down and think it over? Give me three days, and I’ll give you my reply."
Hu Shishi was not the nagging type, so she nodded frankly. "Fine. I can give you time to think it over. But let me be clear: I will be the first wife, and you will be the second. That’s my bottom line. I’ve chosen Cheng Yuan! He is my man, Hu Shishi’s man!"
Lin Ruoxi was silent.
Hu Shishi got out of the car and snapped her fingers. A warrior quickly strode over.
"Escort Miss Lin safely back to Hao Ninth Number."
"Yes!"
The warrior got into the car, started the engine, and drove straight for Hao Ninth Number.
Lin Ruoxi was silent for the entire ride.
Her mind was a complete blank; she had lost the ability to think.
She was just as desperate now as she had been when she fled the Lin Family.
Over the past few days, she had grown accustomed to Cheng Yuan’s presence and had come to rely on him. ’Am I going to lose my pillar of support all over again?’
Like a walking corpse, Lin Ruoxi returned to Villa No. 13 and made her way to her bedroom.
Cheng Yuan had been waiting for a long time. He pulled Lin Ruoxi into his arms and frantically sealed her lips with his, greedily tasting their sweetness.
Lin Ruoxi didn’t react in the slightest. She was like a marionette in Cheng Yuan’s arms, her eyes vacant and lifeless.
Even when Cheng Yuan pressed her down onto the bed, his kisses raining upon her face and neck, she remained completely unresponsive.
At first, Cheng Yuan didn’t notice anything was wrong with Lin Ruoxi. But when he tasted a salty teardrop, he finally realized something was amiss.
Cheng Yuan’s passion subsided, and he stared intently at Lin Ruoxi’s exquisite face.
’Beautiful! She’s just so beautiful!’
The two streams of tears couldn’t mar her beauty; instead, they filled Cheng Yuan with an overwhelming sense of tenderness.
Cheng Yuan carefully wiped the tears from Lin Ruoxi’s face and asked gently, "Ruoxi, what’s wrong? Who hurt you? Please tell me."
Hearing Cheng Yuan’s concerned voice, Lin Ruoxi’s tears only fell harder, gushing out like a flood from an open dam.
Cheng Yuan grew frantic. "Honey, what in the world is wrong? Tell me! Who hurt you? I’ll get justice for you!"
Lin Ruoxi completely lost control. She pounded on Cheng Yuan’s chest with her small fists, sobbing with a deep sense of grievance. "Who else could possibly hurt me but you?"
Huh?
Cheng Yuan was stunned. He was completely bewildered, and felt a little wronged himself.
’Ever since the day they registered their marriage, he had treated Lin Ruoxi as the most important woman in his life. He cherished her, doting on her endlessly. He couldn’t stand to see her hurt, so how could he possibly be the one to hurt her?’
Cheng Yuan didn’t argue or resist. He let Lin Ruoxi pound on his chest, allowing her to vent for a full five minutes until her emotions subsided somewhat.
"Ruoxi, what’s really going on? If I did something wrong, just tell me, and I’ll fix it. If you don’t want our relationship to move this fast, I can wait. I’ll even sleep on the floor if you want."
Lin Ruoxi stared at Cheng Yuan intently. "Cheng Yuan, can I trust you?"
"Of course."
"Alright then. Tell me, did you go to the Provincial City a few days ago?"
Cheng Yuan nodded. "I did go to the Provincial City a few days ago..."
"And is there anything you’re hiding from me?"
Cheng Yuan thought back carefully. He hadn’t done anything to betray Lin Ruoxi. He quickly swore, "Ruoxi, I promise you, I have absolutely not done anything to let you down!"
Lin Ruoxi covered her face with her hands in anguish. "Cheng Yuan, even now, you’re still not going to tell me the truth? Are you engaged to Hu Shishi?"
’Engaged?’
Cheng Yuan quickly explained, "Ruoxi, you’ve misunderstood! Chairman Hu did mention an engagement, but I turned him down. I told him clearly that I’m already married, and that my wife is you."
"Turned him down? Cheng Yuan, do you think I’m a three-year-old? If you really turned him down, why would Hu Shishi come to me for a confrontation?"
BZZZT...
Cheng Yuan’s mind reeled.
’Sister Shishi confronted Ruoxi?’
’But I already made things clear with Sister Shishi!’
’How could Sister Shishi...’
"What’s wrong? Nothing to say? If you really turned him down, then call Hu Shishi right now and clear this up!"
Without hesitation, Cheng Yuan pulled out his phone and brought up Hu Shishi’s number. But then, he faltered.
’For his sake, Sister Shishi had led a team to storm the Patrol Office and confronted the Director himself!’
’What a profound gesture of loyalty that was.’
’It was difficult for him to just call her up and say something so cold and heartless.’
"Ruoxi, Sister Shishi has helped me a great deal. Can we... table this for now? Please, just calm down. I’ll arrange a time for the three of us to sit down with Sister Shishi and talk this over peacefully."
How could Lin Ruoxi possibly control her emotions?
Lin Ruoxi broke down in tears again.
"Cheng Yuan, do you take me for a three-year-old? Do you think I can’t see that you’re just stalling for time? I must have been blind! Just go! Whenever you want a divorce, just give me a heads-up. I’ll be sure to cooperate."
Seeing Lin Ruoxi crying so heartbrokenly, Cheng Yuan’s heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife. "Fine, I’ll call!" he said, exasperated. "I’ll make the damn call, alright?"
Cheng Yuan decisively pressed the call button. The call connected almost instantly, and Hu Shishi’s calm voice came through the line.
"Xiaoyuan, I take it Ruoxi has spoken to you? I can accept being sisters with her. I’ll be the first wife, she’ll be the second. Of course, that’s just the official story. Privately, we don’t need to worry about seniority; we can treat each other as equals."
Cheng Yuan glanced at Lin Ruoxi, then said with absolute resolve, "Sister Shishi, I will never forget everything you’ve done for me. If you’re ever in trouble, I would walk through fire for you without a moment’s hesitation. When Uncle Hu proposed the marriage, I told him then that I’m already with Ruoxi. Can’t I just be like a brother to you?"
Hearing Cheng Yuan’s words, the clouds over Lin Ruoxi’s heart finally began to part. She pricked up her ears, listening intently for Hu Shishi’s response.
The line was silent for a long moment before Hu Shishi’s voice, low and haunting, came through. "It’s too late. This morning, the Hu Family already sent out the wedding invitations, announcing our marriage to the public. Cheng Yuan, you should understand—my father is the chairman of the Dongshan Martial Dao Association and an Innate Grandmaster. If he goes back on his word now, our Hu Family will become the laughingstock of all of Dongshan. How could he command anyone’s respect? How could he continue to lead the Dongshan Martial Dao Association? Besides," her voice hardened, "I, Hu Shishi, don’t need another brother. I need a man. And no man I’ve set my sights on has ever escaped my grasp!"
With that, Hu Shishi hung up.
BEEP... BEEP...
Listening to the dial tone from the phone, both Lin Ruoxi and Cheng Yuan fell silent.
Lin Ruoxi finally believed Cheng Yuan. This really wasn’t his fault. If anyone was to blame, it was Cheng Yuan himself for being too exceptional, drawing the attention of the Hu Family.
However, believing him was one thing; accepting it was another matter entirely.
Lin Ruoxi’s mind was a mess. "Cheng Yuan," she said, her voice drained of energy, "go sleep in the guest room for now. I want to be alone."