Chapter 401 — A Second Visit

Moreover, given Yang Juehuan's temperament, if Shen Yuxi really had been his woman, then Liu Zhaojun and the others would likely have faced far worse than prison. Chen Shutang knew Yang Juehuan's character well, and so she was magnanimous in her attitude toward Shen Yuxi, never once complaining about Yang Ce going to visit her.

First, there was no real connection between Yang Ce and Shen Yuxi. Second, even if she were to believe there was something between Jing Yu and Yan, Chen Shutang would never imagine anything between Shen Yuxi and Yan... because the two of them stood in entirely different positions and lived in entirely different worlds. What Chen Shutang actually worried about was Yang Ce feeling pity and sympathy for Shen Yuxi—that with enough visits, familiarity would breed affection.

But this worry was something Chen Shutang could not voice. After all, Shen Yuxi was already so pitiable—how could she, on account of her own petty concerns, stand in the way of Yang Ce and Shen Yuxi seeing each other? That would only make her look small-minded, guarding against things that had not even happened. It was hardly the conduct of a magnanimous and understanding first wife.

Only now did Chen Shutang understand how hard it was to be the official girlfriend. She used to think she had it pretty good, that she was absolutely first in Yang Juehuan's heart, but now... Chen Shutang felt worn down. You might be the official girlfriend, but you still had to consider Lin Yanhe's and Zhou Yanning's feelings. If you wanted to unite the two of them, you had to display the necessary magnanimity... and you had to constantly restrain yourself, never letting Yang Ce see you acting too spoiled and proud of your favor... So tiring.

Chen Shutang quickly sent Yang Ce a message, telling him to be careful on the road, and to let her know if he would not be back for dinner.

Yang Shuoxuan saw Chen Shutang's tolerance and understanding with his own eyes. Chen Shutang had truly grown up; she was no longer the green young girl of a year ago... This gratified Yang Ce, and yet at the same time left him vaguely worried... For some reason, Chen Shutang could accept Lin Yanhe, could accept Zhou Yanning—so why could she not accept Zhao Ying?

Was it simply because Zhao Ying had once been her teacher? But that was no longer the case! Everyone was classmates now...

Still, none of that mattered much anymore. Yang Minlan had no absolute confidence about this trip to Yunnan; whether he would come back alive was still unknown. Whether Chen Shutang liked Zhao Ying or disliked her and refused to accept her, once he was gone, the conflict between the two would naturally dissolve.

Yang Ce shut down the computer, left the villa, and prepared to drive to Shen Yuxi's home. At the villa gate, however, he unexpectedly saw Wang Yanqiu and Zhao Ying! They had just been chatting online, and now he ran into her here... And the worst of it was, Zhao Ying still did not know that the person she had been chatting with was him...

"Yanyan, Sister Ying," Yang Heng greeted them casually.

"Ying and I are going to school. Want to come?" Wang Yanqiu had nothing particular against Heng and greeted him quite naturally. Zhao Ying, by contrast, was a little awkward.

Thinking that she had actually arranged to go on a spring outing with an online friend, Zhao Ying wondered what Yang Shuyu would think if he found out. At that thought, she began to regret having done it.

If Yang Shuyu learned that she was meeting an online friend, he would surely be furious, wouldn't he?

At that thought, Zhao Ying's expression turned somewhat unnatural.

"Sister Ying, I heard your economics department has a spring outing this weekend?" Yang Ce asked, feigning casualness.

"Ah..." Zhao Ying's heart tightened. Could Yang Shuyu have found out something? Her face flushed at once. "This... I suppose so, I think..."

How did Yang Ce know the economics department had a spring outing? Oh, right—Zhao Ying suddenly remembered that Chen Shutang was in the economics department too. This spring outing was open not only to graduate students but to ordinary undergraduates as well.

At that thought, Zhao Ying grew worried. What if she ran into Yang Ce then? For a moment, she was caught in a fit of indecision, unsure whether her decision had been the right one after all...

"Ha... well, it's nothing. I was just asking." Yang Heng nodded casually. "I'm not going to school. I have other things to do. You two go ahead."

"That works too. Be careful on the road. Come find me tonight..." Wang Yanqiu lowered her voice and whispered into Yang Juehuan's ear.

Yang Duoran understood what she meant: after Chen Shutang and the others had fallen asleep, he was to climb over the villa wall and go to her... Why did it feel so much like an illicit affair? Yang Ce rubbed his nose, smiled wryly, and nodded.

Though Wang Yanqiu had spoken softly, Zhao Ying standing nearby could still hear clearly. But Wang Yanqiu did not try to hide it from Zhao Ying; Zhao Ying knew all about her relationship with Yan, and hiding it would only make it seem as though she were deliberately keeping it from her.

So Wang Yanqiu had always been open about it, which in turn made Zhao Ying a little embarrassed... Zhao Ying wondered if she herself was being too cautious and timid. If only she could be a little bolder, like Wang Yanqiu.

Zhao Ying and Wang Yanqiu walked off together toward the school, while Yang Ce quietly headed for the villa's garage. He had originally planned not to go out that evening, so he had parked the car inside the garage—who would have thought he would have to go out again right after coming back.

"Yanyan, how can you be so bold, saying things like that?" Only after Yang Ce had gone far did Zhao Ying quietly chide Wang Yanqiu. Wang Yanqiu's words just now had made even Zhao Ying blush.

"Bold..." Wang Yanqiu smiled radiantly, though a trace of worry and dejection hid within that smile. "Maybe in the future, I won't even have the chance to be bold..."

Wang Yanqiu was naturally referring to Yang Ce's trip to Yunnan. Only she and Victoria knew about it; Zhao Ying had not been told, and so she did not understand, and Wang Yanqiu did not explain too clearly.

Zhao Ying, however, assumed Wang Yanqiu was talking about Chen Shutang—that Yang Ce would have to make a decision sooner or later, and that if Chen Shutang did not welcome Wang Yanqiu then, what Wang Yanqiu had said would become reality.

So Zhao Ying had misunderstood Wang Yanqiu's meaning. She nodded, sighed, and said no more. The two of them quickened their pace toward the school...

Yang Ce, meanwhile, drove swiftly back to Shen Yuxi's home. It was already past three in the afternoon. By the time he reached Shen Yuxi's house, picked her up, and got to Professor Guan's home, it would probably take over an hour, so Yang Yongjin had to speed up.

Several hours apart, and here he was again at Shen Yuxi's door. Even Yang Duoji found it somewhat remarkable.

He knocked, and Mother Shen's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

"Auntie, it's me, Yang Ce," Yang Jincong said with a smile.

With a click, the door opened, and Mother Shen, seeing Yang Ce, wore an expression of surprise. "Mr. Yang, why have you come back again... Er, please don't misunderstand—it's not that you're unwelcome, I'm just a little puzzled..."