Chapter 156 - 155: Time to Go Home

A woman like Night Rose had always been one to dare to act and dare to take responsibility. Her love was open, aboveboard, and fiercely passionate. To her own surprise, Lin Aoxue found herself growing somewhat fond of this woman with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

The news of Xiao Feng’s death quickly reached Jingcheng, sending shockwaves through the entire Xiao Family.

Meanwhile, Night Rose’s betrayal was undoubtedly a massive loss for the Celestial Ranking. The organization immediately issued a kill order against her. A bounty of five hundred million yuan was offered to anyone who could take her life. To evade the assassins, Night Rose had been hiding out in Lin Aoxue’s villa these past few days.

Once Lin Aoxue’s health had mostly recovered, she issued a public statement severing all ties with the Lin Family. This infuriated Lin Guodong to the point of a near stroke. He publicly cursed her for being an ungrateful wretch who bit the hand that fed her. It was a complete loss of face for him.

As for Old Mrs. Lin, although she had been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment at the time, the shock had caused severe brain hypoxia and neurological damage. Previously hale and hearty, her hair turned completely white overnight, and she was left in a somewhat demented state. She spent her days doing nothing but sitting blankly in a wheelchair, basking in the sun.

Without Lin Aoxue managing the Lin Group, its stock prices and revenue plummeted. The Lin Family’s days were numbered.

"Xue’er, are you truly going to cut ties with the Lin Family? The Lin Group was built from scratch by Elder Lin.

"It really would be a pity to just let those parasites in the Lin Family destroy it like this," Ye Xuan gently coaxed, his heart aching as he looked at Lin Aoxue’s gloomy expression.

Truth be told, he couldn’t care less whether the Lin Family lived or died. However, the Lin Group was the culmination of countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears from Lin Aoxue and her grandfather. If it were to be ruined just like that, it would be an absolute waste.

At the mention of her grandfather, a glimmer of nostalgia flashed through Lin Aoxue’s eyes. Back when Elder Lin was still alive, the Lin Family was at the zenith of its power, and the household was harmonious. Even if they weren’t the number one Noble Family in Jianghai City, their status was still head and shoulders above those second-tier Noble Families.

But following Elder Lin’s passing, the Lin Family had steadily deteriorated into mediocrity. If Lin Aoxue hadn’t been painstakingly holding the company together all these years, there wouldn’t even be a Lin Family left in Jianghai City.

For the Lin Group and the entire Lin Family, it was safe to say that Lin Aoxue had sacrificed an immense amount. But now, her heart had gone completely cold, and she had finally let it go. Those people in the Lin Family were nothing but ungrateful wretches and beasts. No matter how hard she worked or how much she tried to benefit the family, in their eyes, she was just a tool—a mere pawn.

"You don’t need to persuade me anymore. I’ve thought it through. This time, no matter what, I won’t meddle in the affairs of the Lin Family or the Lin Group.

"The company being ruined like this is indeed a pity, but as long as I’m still here, the Lin Group will stand back up again one day.

"The members of the Lin Family have lived far too comfortably over the years under my and Grandpa’s protection.

"If they don’t experience some storms and hardships, they will forever live in the delusions they’ve woven for themselves."

It was clear that Lin Aoxue had firmly made up her mind to leave the Lin Family this time. Ye Xuan did not try to persuade her any further. Instead, he silently made a call to Far.

Although Lin Aoxue claimed she didn’t care, it was obvious that she cared about the Lin Group more than anyone else. Since Far was coming to Jianghai City to invest anyway, he might as well have him buy out the Lin Group while he was at it. Then, he could present it to Lin Aoxue as a gift.

As evening approached, Ye Xuan’s phone suddenly rang.

At that moment, Ye Xuan was in the middle of a video conference on his laptop with Vermilion Bird and the others over in Jingcheng, so he had left his phone on the nightstand next to Lin Aoxue’s hospital bed. Hearing the ringtone, Lin Aoxue picked it up to take a look. When she saw the caller ID displaying Yang Bingyu’s name, her eyes instantly dimmed a fraction.

"Xue’er, who is it?" Ye Xuan asked, feeling somewhat puzzled as he noticed Lin Aoxue holding the phone but hesitating to answer it.

Lin Aoxue snapped back to reality and handed the phone over to him. "It’s from Yang Bingyu. You should take it. She probably has something important to tell you."

Ye Xuan froze for two or three seconds before taking the device. He muted and turned off his video conference first before pressing the answer button. To prevent Lin Aoxue from getting the wrong idea, he deliberately put it on speakerphone.

"Ye Xuan, it’s been half a month. You must be just about done taking care of Lin Aoxue, right? When are you coming back? You’re supposed to accompany me for my prenatal checkup."

This half-month was the maximum limit Yang Bingyu could give Ye Xuan. She knew that Ye Xuan loved Lin Aoxue in his heart. If anything happened to Lin Aoxue, Ye Xuan wouldn’t be happy either. That was why, on that night, even though she clearly didn’t want Ye Xuan to go save Lin Aoxue, she had still let him go. Even though she clearly didn’t want him to stay at the hospital to care for Lin Aoxue, she had still agreed to it.

In order to make Ye Xuan think she was understanding and obedient, she had forcefully restrained herself from making a single call for the past two weeks. But now, Yang Bingyu truly couldn’t hold back anymore. She was afraid that if this continued, she would not only lose Ye Xuan’s heart but also lose him completely.

"Prenatal checkup? When?"

Hearing Yang Bingyu’s words, both Ye Xuan and Lin Aoxue were stunned. Ye Xuan, however, quickly recovered, and a hint of concern seeped into his tone.

A flash of disappointment crossed Lin Aoxue’s eyes, but it vanished in an instant. She silently picked up her own phone to distract herself.

"The appointment is booked for tomorrow at two in the afternoon. Come home tonight, please? Without you here, I’m scared being all by myself."

Yang Bingyu was telling the truth. Even though Ye Xuan had arranged for a large amount of manpower at Yunju Mountain Villa over the past half-month, securing the estate as tightly as an impenetrable fortress, she still felt afraid.

The manor used to be extremely lively. Yang Zhennan loved to invite his tea and chess buddies over for gatherings. The cheerful laughter at Yunju Mountain Villa had never ceased. But now, the estate was empty. Aside from Yang Bingyu, the nanny who cared for her, and the constantly stoic bodyguards, there was no one else. Laughter no longer echoed through the mountain villa.

Hearing this, a pang of heartache struck Ye Xuan. He glanced hesitantly at Lin Aoxue, unsure of how to answer Yang Bingyu.

"Ye Xuan, do you not want me and the baby anymore? You haven’t spent any time with me for half a month!"

Seeing that Ye Xuan was taking too long to reply, Yang Bingyu started to lose control of her emotions, her pitch rising several notches.

Afraid she might have a breakdown, Ye Xuan hurriedly replied, "Alright, I’ll go back a little later to have dinner with you. Don’t be angry. Getting angry is bad for the baby; you need to stay happy."

Upon hearing his response, Yang Bingyu’s emotions slowly began to settle.

"Then I’ll wait for you at home. You have to come back early."

After reminding him with a heart full of anticipation, she hung up the phone with a smile. She sat by the window, gazing at the sky outside, and gently stroked her slightly bulging belly with a tender expression. Her tone was exceptionally soft.

"My sweet baby, Daddy is coming back soon. Don’t worry. I definitely won’t let another woman steal him away. Never."