Chapter 422: The Situation Seems Dire
Chapter 422: The Situation Seems Dire
"Yes, President Lin."
As Wu Yue was about to hang up, Lin Ruoxi suddenly asked, "Has Xianggang Muyun been informed?"
"I sent the message half an hour ago. Actually, Muyun Group is sure to notice something is wrong. The stock market in the States is already reacting to Yu Lei's turbulence, drawing a lot of attention. Muyun Group will likely inquire about our situation. Vice President Li Ming is already discussing with their President, Li Muhua, and we should have a response soon."
"Understood. Muyun Group has a stake in our new material products. Li Muhua won't ignore this. Have Vice President Li contact me directly after the discussion."
At this point, the car slowly drove into the secluded resort where the Athena Group was based. Just like the last visit, the resort appeared deserted, resembling an almost-defunct leisure spot. Only those in the know understood that this place served Yu Lei International exclusively.
After getting out of the car, Lin Ruoxi instructed the head of accommodations to take Hui Lin and An Xin to rest.
"It's very late now. You two should go to the guest rooms and rest. I'll have someone take you home in the morning," Lin Ruoxi said to the girls.
Hui Lin shook her head, pleading, "Sister, can I stay with you? I want to be by your side."
"Silly girl, this isn't something you should worry about. What you need to do now is ensure your own safety and go home first thing in the morning. I know you're skilled, but Mom and Wang Ma will need you at home," Lin Ruoxi calmly advised.
Hui Lin hesitated but was gently nudged by An Xin, who gave her a reassuring look. "Hui Lin, your sister is right. You can't help with business matters. I only learned today that you're so skilled in martial arts. Stay with me; I'm still scared."
Hui Lin pouted, understanding that An Xin was pretending to be afraid but also recognizing that she couldn't help Lin Ruoxi with business matters. She nodded, "Okay, I'll go home at dawn. Don't worry, Sister; I'll take care of things at home."
"I'll have someone take you to the old house," Lin Ruoxi said, then looked at An Xin and sighed slightly before saying, "Miss An, I didn't expect our trip would turn out like this. Whatever our differences, I hope you won't be harmed because of me. If you want, you can call the An family's bodyguards to protect you and escort you back. This isn't a confidential place."
An Xin smiled and shook her head. "No need. The target is Yu Lei, not the An family. I'm just caught in the crossfire. I'll go back to Zhonghai City in the morning."
Lin Ruoxi said no more and finally looked at Yang Chen with a questioning glance.
Yang Chen spread his hands and chuckled. "You're not planning to send your husband away, are you? That would make me angry."
"I don't have time for jokes right now," Lin Ruoxi said coldly.
4o
"I didn't mean to joke," Yang Chen said innocently. Lin Ruoxi opened her mouth as if to say something but then closed it, turning her head and walking straight toward the building where the Athena Group was stationed. "Do as you like."
Yang Chen felt a bit helpless toward this strong and independent woman. Why couldn't she just act a bit coy and say something like, "Husband, I'm so scared"? If she said that, he would immediately feel heroic, ready to crush any enemy, even if it meant using missiles to blow them up.
Turning back, Yang Chen smiled at Hui Lin and An Xin. "Don't look so serious. It's fine, I'm here. An Xin, you should follow Ruoxi's advice and have your father send some bodyguards to escort you back, just in case."
An Xin watched Lin Ruoxi's graceful figure disappear into the distance, a playful smile appearing on her lips. "'Athena Group'? Is that a special team Lin Ruoxi set up? I've never heard of such an organization within Yu Lei. I'd love to see it, but it seems heavily guarded."
Yang Chen pinched her delicate cheek. "Stop overthinking. They're not your enemies, so there's no point in analyzing them."
"Who says they're not?" An Xin stuck out her tongue, giving Yang Chen a resentful look. "You're so stingy, not even letting me guess your wife's secrets. Fine, I'll leave at dawn. With you here, nothing big will happen."
"Good," Yang Chen said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He leisurely followed Lin Ruoxi into the resort.
Having visited the Athena Group's base before, Yang Chen remembered the way. After a few turns, he arrived at a guarded workspace.
It seemed Lin Ruoxi had given instructions, so Yang Chen wasn't stopped.
Entering the room filled with flashing computer screens and the buzzing of machinery, he saw seven or eight young elites from around the world working furiously at their keyboards.
Due to the urgent summons, two foreign girls were still in silk pajamas, but the room was warm enough, thanks to the heating and the machines, that they wouldn't catch a cold.
"Damn, we've met our match," said a bespectacled man with an Irish accent, adjusting his half-broken glasses. "Boss, the situation is bad. The opponent's experience is not only sophisticated, but their moves are flawless, and their speed is almost equal to ours."
"I didn't hire you to tell me that," Lin Ruoxi said without turning her head.
The Irish guy made a face but continued working cheerfully, evidently used to Lin Ruoxi's temperament and confident in his abilities.
Lin Ruoxi watched the volatile stock market for a while, then noticed the increasingly strong smell of smoke. She turned to find Yang Chen sitting in a swivel chair, legs propped up on a railing, smoking a cheap, pungent cigarette.
"Who allowed you to smoke here?" Lin Ruoxi, already in a bad mood, was now slightly angry seeing Yang Chen so relaxed, smoking in the workspace.
Yang Chen, lost in the fluctuating numbers on the screen, realized only when Lin Ruoxi shouted that he had unconsciously lit the cigarette. Smiling sheepishly, he stubbed it out and put the butt in his pocket, not minding the ash dirtying it. "Sorry, my dear, it was unintentional. I just had it in my mouth for a taste."
Lin Ruoxi suppressed her anger, took a deep breath, and said earnestly, "My mind is very chaotic right now. If you want to stay with me, please don't be so casual. At least don't make me feel like you're just watching the show."
"I'm not watching the show," Yang Chen said, pointing at the big screen with fluctuating graphs. "I'm watching the current battle."
Lin Ruoxi felt a bit better and asked casually, "So, what do you think of the situation?"
"I don't know," Yang Chen said.
"Aren't you watching?" Lin Ruoxi frowned.
Yang Chen spread his hands. "I'm watching, but I don't understand."
"You..."
Lin Ruoxi wanted to rush over and bite this troublemaker several times, taking chunks out of him, but given the critical situation, she decided not to bicker with Yang Chen. Fortunately, she was used to his nonsensical ways. Silently chanting "I'll endure, I'll endure," she turned her head away, ignoring him.
At that moment, Yang Chen stood up and, with a smile, walked up behind Lin Ruoxi. Without warning, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
Feeling the heat of his hand on her waist, Lin Ruoxi's body trembled slightly. She turned her face to see Yang Chen looking at her with a strange expression.
Although the members of the Athena Group were busy with their work and wouldn't notice them, Lin Ruoxi's heart pounded, her cheeks flushing. She struggled slightly and whispered, "Let go of me. Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
Yang Chen breathed warmly into her ear, "You seem very tense. I wanted to help you relax."
"I told you, I don't have time for jokes," Lin Ruoxi said, her bright eyes showing a hint of anger. She was preoccupied with solving the sudden crisis facing Yu Lei, and here was this man, playing such tricks. It wasn't helping her relax; it was just making her angry.
"Getting angry won't solve the problem. You should know that better than anyone," Yang Chen said with a smug smile. "Do you think messing around like this will solve anything?" Lin Ruoxi glared at Yang Chen and retorted.
Yang Chen's expression grew complex. After a moment of apparent contemplation, he finally spoke, his tone serious and deliberate, "Miss Lin Ruoxi, right now, I want to make a deal with you. I'm speaking as just a man named Yang Chen, not as your husband, your employee, or your family member."