Chapter 33

It was pretty late at night when Yang Chen had returned home as when he entered the house the lights were already off. As he was heading to his room he noticed something that made him stop his tracks.

The lights to Ruoxi's study room were still on. He then remembered the earlier conversation he had with Mo Qianni and knew he to come out with the truth about Rose.

Yang Chen walked over to the door and knocked softly.

"Come in," Ruoxi said tiredly from inside the study room.

Yang Chen walked inside and saw Ruoxi sitting on her chair seemingly doing paperwork with a tired face. She was also still in her office attire.

When Ruoxi saw Yang Chen enter she was slightly surprised as she thought he had gone to sleep already. She then blushed slightly as she remembered the last time he had entered and covered her with a blanket making her heart start to race.

"Welcome home." Said Ruoxi as her face blushed even more as this was the first time she had ever welcomed him home.

Yang Chen felt warmth flowing through his c.h.e.s.t as he heard those words directed at him. He then started recalling his time he has spent living here with Ruoxi and Wang Ma and he couldn't help but release a contented smile. His smile then slowly vanished as he remembered what he came here to do. He needed to come forth and explain his current relationship with Rose.

Yang Chen's mind started to wander at what would happen after he explained this to Ruoxi. He knew this beautiful girl would obviously feel a lot of negative emotions but she would bottle it up inside her and put on a mask to show that she wasn't upset.

'Will things change?' Thought Yang Chen before he scolded himself. It was only wishful thinking that things wouldn't change after this.

Ruoxi heart started to race even more as she saw Yang Chen's contented smile but her expression became awkward when he didn't respond to her.

"So...the Yu Lei Fashion show will be this weekend. Are you planning on coming to the event?" Asked Ruoxi trying to break off the awkward atmosphere.

Yang Chen finally coming back to reality replied, "I don't know yet. I'll see if I could make it."

There was silence once more as the atmosphere turned awkward again. Yang Chen then decided to do what he came up here for and looked at Ruoxi with a serious expression.

"Ruoxi...there is something I have to tell you."

Ruoxi was little taken aback by his sudden change but still nodded.

"Remember when I said I was spending the night out over at a friend's house sometime back?" Yang Chen asked.

Ruoxi felt a bad premonition coming from her heart and replied with a shaky voice.

"Y-Yes."

Yang Chen noticed how she was tensing up but didn't plan to stop what he was saying.

"Did you also remember how I had said she was a woman?"

Rouxi painfully closed her eyes. Her breathing had become a little haggard and her heart was slowly started to crack. She did remember this but had only thought Yang Chen said that because he wanted to make her mad so she didn't take it to heart at the time.

Ruoxi then opened her eyes that revealed dullness as her face became expressionless. She was slightly trembling but for some reason, her heart was holding onto thread hoping that it wasn't what she was imagining.

"I remember," Ruoxi said softly.

Yang Chen could only sigh at her reaction before he said.

"That woman is..my lover."

Ruoxi's heart shattered instantly at this moment as she heard Yang Chen but on the outside, her expression didn't change one bit.

After a couple of seconds of silence, Ruoxi replied emotionlessly, "I see. Is that all?'

Yang Chen somehow knew this is how she would react.

"No, it's also about our marriage."

Ruoxi couldn't keep her act together as her eyes were slowly starting to turn red. All she wanted to do right now was to bawl her eyes out but she refused to let any tears come down.

"Our marriage is nothing but a contract so don't let it stop you from who over you want to sleep with." Ruoxi said coldly.

Yang Chen wasn't bothered by her tone and asked her a question.

"Do you want to end it...do you want to end this marriage after knowing that I have another woman by my side?"

Ruoxi froze, she didn't expect Yang Chen to ask her that. Even after he told her that he had a lover, she never once thought about ending this marriage. Having him by her side had honestly made her happy.

She then despaired at thought of Yang Chen leaving with some other woman and ending their marriage.

"...No." Ruoxi said subconsciously.

"So you're saying you don't want to end this contractual marriage?" Yang Chen asked.

Ruoxi couldn't keep up her cold facade and hurriedly shook her head as she kept looking at her desk avoiding his gaze.

Even though Ruoxi was feeling a turmoil of emotions, she still managed to ask him with a shaky voice.

"D-Do you...want to end this?"

Yang Chen replied without hesitation.

"Honestly, I don't. I actually like living here with you and Wang Ma. You may call me selfish but that's how I truly feel."

Ruoxi looked up and met his eyes and could tell he wasn't lying. Her cold heart even skipped when he mentioned he liked living with her.

"But..." Yang Chen turned serious which regained her full attention.

"I will never or even consider leaving her for you or anyone so let me ask you again, are you still willing to keep this marriage?"

Ruoxi didn't know how to respond so she closed her eyes and began to think. She doesn't want Yang Chen to leave her but she also can't bear the fact that he has a lover on the side. She was even thinking of asking him to leave his lover but refused that idea as Yang Chen might really want to divorce and leave her instead.

Ruoxi then opened her slightly red eyes and responded to his question.

"Yes, I am."

Yang Chen was a bit surprised she accepted just like that so he asked, "Why?"

Ruoxi blushed and replied, "Because...I'm a conservative woman. I will only ever have one husband for the rest of my life."

Yang Chen was stunned. She was planning on staying with him for the rest of her life.

"But we didn't sleep together that night..." Yang Chen said.

Ruoxi looked down and said, "Yang Chen, I'm not stupid. I know what would've happened to me that night if it wasn't for you. I was a fool for trying to drink my sorrow away but I didn't care at all. I just wanted to forget everything that was happening around my life at the time."

Yang Chen didn't cut her off and let her continue.

"That morning when I woke up at your place, I knew my life was over but..."

"But it wasn't over. Nothing happened to me that night because...of you." Ruoxi wiped her tears and said, "So at that point, I decided that I wanted to repay you by giving you everything that I owned but you refused which caught me by surprise. In the end, I made a choice to either give up or to try one last time and if you accepted to marry me I would stick by your side for my whole life."

Yang Chen didn't know what to say. From the very start, she was never planning on leaving him. He felt quite touched by her choice if he had to be honest with himself.

Just as soon a he was about to say something, Ruoxi asked with a downcast expression.

"Is it just her?"

"Huh?" Yang Chen said confused.

"Is she the only other woman by your side?" Ruoxi asked once more with a bitter tone but she had to know this.

Yang Chen stayed quiet as he thought about a certain someone other than Rose.

Ruoxi felt another stab in her heart as she got confirmation about her question. She then looked away and said softly.

"Can you leave me to be alone for a while."

Yang Chen wanted to say something but in the end, agreed to her.' "Ok." He then turned around and left the study room.

When he was outside the room he saw Wang Ma standing in the hallway with a gentle smile as she looked at him. Yang Chen had known she was outside the room listening to their conversation but didn't put a stop to it since she had the right to know this as well.

"Good night, Young Master." Wang Ma said in a gentle voice. There was no hidden anger or hate in her tone either.

Yang Chen felt a little guilty but what's done is done, he then showed a slight smile.

"Good night, Wang Ma."

Yang Chen then left toward his room. Wang Ma stayed in the hallway and when she saw him entering his room, she entered the study room.

Ruoxi had watery eyes as she looked up to see who had entered. When she saw Wang Ma, she got up from her seat and ran to hug her.

"Wang Ma!"

Wang Ma hugged her gently and let Ruoxi cry in her embrace.

"Wang Ma, h-he already has someone else!" Ruoxi said between sobs.

Wang Ma rubbed her back gently and said softly. "I know sweetheart."

After some time, Ruoxi stopped shedding tears and looked up at Wang Ma with red swollen eyes.

"Will he leave me?" Ruoxi asked with a pitiful look.

Wang Ma smiled gently, "Silly have you forgotten that the Young Master cares deeply for you."

She then grinned as she said, "He may have even started to have feelings for you already."

Ruoxi eyes couldn't help but sparkle, "Really?!"

Ruoxi then madly blushed as she just realized what she just said. Wang Ma giggled at her reaction.

"Young Miss let's get you to bed."

Ruoxi sniffled and nodded. Although she was still depressed, Wang Ma had helped and cheered her up a little.