Chapter 448 — Let's Call It a Debt for Now

"What? That long?" Shen Yuxi looked at Yang Juehuan in surprise at his words.

"Ha... this is the fast estimate. If things go slowly, who knows how long it might take!" Yang Jincong chuckled. "So, to keep you from accepting someone else's advances once you've recovered, I've decided to say it now, before I leave!"

Of course, this was merely an excuse on Yang Juehuan's part. Yang Ce knew Shen Yuxi's situation perfectly well; Guan Xuemin had already said that apart from Lin Ce, no one could get Shen Yuxi back on her feet. No miracle was possible—not even from himself.

Otherwise, Guan Xuemin would not have limited himself to saying he would do his utmost to maintain her condition.

"I won't..." Shen Yuxi's face flushed instantly. In her heart she did like Yang Juehuan; it was just that happiness had come too fast for her to take in all at once. Naturally, she had wondered whether Yang Juehuan's sudden confession might have other factors behind it, but later Yang Shuoxuan had explained that he was going out on a mission—a few months at the least, several years at the most—so a sudden confession from Yang Cenbin at such a time was, in fact, only natural.

Only, Yang Yanchuan's words had been rather superfluous. Even if Yang Yongjin confessed, Shen Yuxi could never come to like anyone else. By now, Yang Juehuan's shadow had been imprinted on her mind, impossible for her to forget in a lifetime.

Especially after her legs had failed her, Yang Ce's willingness to run himself ragged on her behalf had moved Shen Yuxi deeply. Her earlier admiration for Yang Juehuan might have sprung from a girlish impulse toward the hero who saved the beauty, or from a covetous eye on Yang Ce's wealth—but now, she had truly fallen for Yang Cenbin as a person. He was a man who could set a girl's heart racing.

So Shen Yuxi firmly denied Yang Juehuan's conjecture. "I... I'll wait for you to come back..."

"Ha, hearing that puts my mind at ease. Shall we seal it first?" Yang Hengye asked.

"Seal what?" Shen Yuxi blinked, startled.

"A kiss," Yang Yanzhou said.

"N-no... don't..." Shen Yuxi grew flustered. It was true she had always hoped for this, but now that Yang Ce had brought it up, she felt too embarrassed. She was a girl, after all, and in someone else's house besides—how could she dare let Yang Ce kiss her?

"Heh, then let's call it a debt for now. I'll collect the interest when I return." Yang Shuoxuan had no intention of actually kissing Shen Yuxi; he merely wanted to give her a convincing illusion, to make her believe it was real.

"Mm..." Shen Yuxi nodded, her face red.

"Then rest and recover well at home. Best if, when I come back, you can stand up to greet me!" Yang Ce said, cheering her on.

"Mm, mm! I definitely will..." Shen Yuxi's heart was now filled with hope. She could almost see herself standing, Yang Ce holding her hand as they strolled through the neighborhood... what a wonderful life that would be!

"Ha, I'm off to Yunnan—is there anything you'd like as a gift?" Yang Yanchuan asked.

"No need... as long as you come back safe, I'll be happy!" Shen Yuxi would of course ask for nothing.

"Then I'll pick something out myself," Yang Yanzhou said. In truth, Yang Lanxu left the most important part unsaid: finding Lin Ce would be the finest gift of all for Shen Yuxi.

Only Lin Ce's whereabouts were unpredictable, and there had been no word of him for years. Moreover, his own trip was for a mission—whether he would even have time to search for Lin Ce was another question entirely.

"Mm..." Shen Yuxi nodded.

"Once I'm over there, I may have to switch off my phone. For a while, perhaps, there'll be no word from me. Don't be nervous—it's nothing." Yang Ce was giving Shen Yuxi a heads-up, just in case the girl, unable to reach him, were to give up on herself again.

"Mm, I know. Just do your work—don't worry about me!" Shen Yuxi nodded and answered obediently.

"At home, if anything comes up... hm, just call Brother Bao. I'll give him a heads-up right now." Yang Ce said after a moment's hesitation.

Although Guan Xuemin was a man of considerable standing in Songshan City, he was, after all, not as useful as Bao Lin in certain respects, so Yang Ce still needed to have a word with Bao Lin.

"Mm... there's no need, is there? Brother Bao is already very good to me..." Shen Yuxi grew even more embarrassed.

"Ha, he ought to be told regardless." Yang Yanzhou took out his phone as he spoke and dialed Bao Lin's number.

"Brother Yang!" Bao Lin answered quickly. Even though Yang Ce was about to leave, Bao Lin's respect for him remained undiminished—a respect born of that unattainable, unequal reverence. To him, Yang Minlan was a man of godlike stature, and so Bao Lin, in this lifetime, would never harbor a thought of opposition; he wished only to serve at Yang Ce's side with all his heart.

"Baozi, what are you up to?" Yang Yanchuan asked.

"I'm at the company! Brother Yang, there's something I need to report to you!" Bao Lin said. "I was just about to call you! Here's the situation: something's gone wrong on the Liu family's side. Liu Huamei has been placed under house arrest, and she's called to borrow some of our men—she wants to seize control of the situation... I haven't agreed yet. I wanted to ask your opinion, Brother Yang!"

"Oh? Old Master Liu Jiangyan isn't dead yet, is he? How is it that his family is already so impatient?" Yang Ce was slightly taken aback. He had just seen on the news that Liu Jiangyan was critically ill and hospitalized—and the Liu family was already unable to contain themselves?

"Not dead, but I'd say it's a near certainty now, so his descendants have started stirring." Bao Lin said. "Liu Huamei has promised that if we help her, once it's done, she'll give us a twenty percent stake."

"Ha, such a bare-faced promise counts for nothing!" Yang Hengye laughed. "She also said 'once it's done'—but is getting it done really so easy? Her position is highly unfavorable right now. Even if we help her, it's no sure thing she'll take control of Jiangyan Group, and if she fails, all our support up to that point will be worth nothing, and she won't pay us a cent!"

"That's just it—that's why I didn't agree immediately. Sister-in-law Xiaolu is having someone run a risk assessment to see whether it's worth us making a move," Bao Lin said.

"Doing some research first is fine. It won't hurt to wait until I'm back in Songjiang. The later we act, the clearer we'll see the situation," Yang Yanzhou said. "Wait until Liu Huamei has played out her last card and fought her cousins to a near standstill—then we'll see and move in."

"That works too. Then I'll wait for you to come back, Brother Yang! As for the Liu family matter, it's better to watch for now. Once Liu Huamei is desperate and out of cards, she'll be able to promise us the greatest benefit!" Bao Lin nodded. "But what if Liu Yan or Liu Zheqiao come to us to cooperate?"