Chapter 713: Hidden Marriage

That night, Chen Yang did not stay over at Lin's house; instead, he returned to the hotel and had a phone conversation with Chu Min.

After confirming that she was really pregnant, Chen Yang also expressed his willingness to formally establish a marital relationship with her.

However, Chu Min asked Chen Yang not to rush back to Modu, hoping he would consider it for a while before making a decision.

Although Chen Yang did not understand, he still expressed respect.

Over the next few days, Chen Yang visited several companies in Qingshui City one after another, confirmed that everything was operating normally, and then returned to Xingcheng.

There, he accompanied Xingcheng Mayor Sun Changqing together with Liu Shijie and the boss of Wu's Real Estate to attend the topping‑out ceremony for Phase One and Phase Two of East River New City.

Because most of the units in Phase One and Phase Two had been allocated to local resettlement households, company employees, and the connections Chen Yang had arranged, the audience watching the topping‑out ceremony numbered several thousand.

To prevent any accidents, after Sun Changqing finished his speech he left. Chen Yang had Liu Shijie handle the aftermath, then also boarded Sun Changqing's special car.

Seeing Chen Yang's weary face, Sun Changqing said in an appreciative tone: 'The project of East River New City Phase One and Phase Two has been done very well; the community's planning hardly deviates from what you originally promoted. This time you've given me a big surprise!'

Chen Yang said humbly: 'Mayor Sun, for this project to succeed in topping out, we owe much to your support and that of the city's leaders. Without your backing, even if my plan were perfect, it would not go so smoothly.'

Sun Changqing was quite pleased with Chen Yang's flattery, laughing: 'East River New City is a key project the city focuses on; providing logistical support is our duty. But you, kid, running around investing everywhere, I really worried for a while that something would go wrong.'

Chen Yang said somewhat helplessly: 'Mayor Sun, I don't want to keep myself so busy either, but one has no choice in the business world. After finishing the work on East River New City Phase One and Phase Two, I will immediately fly to Modu to handle the offline expansion business of the Common People's Agricultural Products Trading Company. I feel I don't even have enough time to sleep.'

Upon hearing that Chen Yang was about to leave again, Sun Changqing frowned slightly and asked: 'If you're going to Modu now, how should we handle the electronic factory project?'

Chen Yang anticipated his question and immediately replied: 'The electronic factory project will be handed over to Sunshine Real Estate after they finish the wrap‑up work on East River New City Phase One; as for the construction of Phases Three and Four of East River New City, I plan to arrange them after the factory is built.'

Seeing that Chen Yang had already included the electronic factory in his plan, Sun Changqing breathed a sigh of relief. Although the East River Electronic Factory invested by the provincial SASAC had been completed and was about to enter trial operation, he still harbored greater expectations for Chen Yang's electronic factory deep down.

This young man has been creating miracles over the past few years, giving him and the leaders of Dongjiangsheng far too many surprises.

Unfortunately, this great swan is about to fly to even higher skies.

Thinking of this, Sun Changqing said to Chen Yang with earnest sincerity: 'The outside world may be good, but competition is also harsher. If your development does not go smoothly, the investment doors of Xingcheng will always remain open for you.'

Upon hearing that, Chen Yang smiled and said: 'Mayor Sun, this time I'm going to Modu only to expand the company's business, not to move all our industries out of Xingcheng. If there is a suitable investment project, I will certainly still prioritize Dongjiangsheng. After all, this is my hometown.'

Sun Changqing burst into a hearty laugh upon hearing that, but after Chen Yang got out of the car his expression turned stern again. Since the reform and opening‑up, few merchants who have left Dongjiangsheng have returned to invest there.

Important departments of the Common People's Agricultural Products Trading Company have already begun moving to Deep City; whether they will increase investment in Xingcheng in the future, he truly lacks confidence.

The only thing that comforts him is that, under Chen Yang's leadership as a reform pioneer, Xingcheng's overall economic development temporarily leads the surrounding several sub‑provincial cities, earning unanimous praise from the provincial bigwigs.

Three days later, Chen Yang arrived in Modu with the market development team of the Common People's Agricultural Products Trading Company.

After settling the team members, he returned with mixed feelings to the love nest he shared with Chu Min.

'How did you come back so quickly?' Chu Min reacted with a bit of surprise to Chen Yang's returning to Modu without prior notice.

'If I don't come back, will your family go to Xingcheng and break my leg?' Chen Yang teased, looking at Chu Min biting a preserved plum in her mouth.

'That's just my uncle trying to scare you.' Chu Min gave Chen Yang a sideways glance. As for the pregnancy, so far only Wang Tianhe and his wife know. She also asked Wang Tianhe to keep it secret from her grandfather and her parents for a while.

She did this mainly because she hadn't figured out how to avoid stimulating Chu Ning.

These past few days, Chu Ning's mother has called several times, urging her to return to Goat City to console Chu Ning. But how could she dare go back? If the other party learned she was carrying Chen Yang's child, her mood would surely get even worse.

But if she were to give Chen Yang back to Chu Ning, she would also be unwilling to let him go. Over these years, aside from her close relatives, she has found no man like Chen Yang who could make her voluntarily drop her guard. Once she did, she would likely fall into depression.

'Dear, when should we go get the license? How should we arrange the wedding?' Chen Yang asked seriously while taking off his coat.

These days he has also figured it out. Since the rice is already cooked, even if Chu Yang's grandfather gets angrier, his punishment won't be too severe.

It's totally impossible to let Chu Min become a single mother or marry a disabled husband, right?

Chu Min didn't expect Chen Yang to bring up the thing she least wanted to face as soon as he returned; she hesitated and said, 'Are we getting married? What about Chu Ning?'

Chen Yang looked at Chu Min doubtfully and said: 'I and she are already in the past. What do you have to worry about?'

Chu Min sighed and whispered frankly: 'After Chu Ning returned to Goat City she shut herself off. Perhaps she still can't let go of you. If we marry now, I'm afraid she'll do something foolish if she finds out.'

Chen Yang furrowed his brows. If Chu Ning had deep feelings for her, she wouldn't have been so decisive when she left. Moreover, the attitudes of Chu Ning's grandfather and her parents have also once plunged Chen Yang into despair.

Under these circumstances, even if the other party truly wanted to rekindle old feelings, he would find it hard to accept.

'Chu Min, I hope you understand: no matter what Chu Ning is thinking, you are my present woman and my lifelong companion.'

Upon hearing that, Chu Min's heart instantly blossomed with joy, yet she said in a sullen tone: 'Chu Ning has always been good to me since childhood. I don't want to hurt her.'

Seeing her reaction, Chen Yang said irritably: 'Then I might as well marry both of you!'

Chu Min glared at Chen Yang fiercely: 'The Qing dynasty is long gone, and you still want to be an emperor?'

Chen Yang laughed: 'If I were the emperor, the decision would be mine, and you wouldn't have your current worries.'

'My worries are my own; you'd better drop that damned emperor dream of yours.' Chu Min angrily punched Chen Yang and warned in a threatening tone: 'Watch out, or my grandfather will make you a eunuch.'

Chen Yang laughed helplessly: 'What good would it do you if I became a eunuch?'

Chu Min suddenly smiled, pursing her lips: 'If you became a eunuch, I and Chu Ning would also let go of our obsessions, and then nobody would have any worries.'

Chen Yang immediately felt a chill in his lower body. He wanted to retreat to the hotel to calm down, but he felt the matter ultimately had to be faced. If the problem isn't solved now, as Chu Min's belly grows larger, the Chu family's misunderstanding of him will only deepen.

'Chu Min, why don't we first get the certificate so the child has a legitimate status? As for the wedding, we can hold a supplementary ceremony once your grandfather and the others accept me.'

'That's a good idea!'

Upon hearing that, Chu Min immediately accepted Chen Yang's suggestion.

The next day, under the arrangement of Deputy Mayor Wang, Chen Yang and Chu Min quietly completed the legal formalities at a certain civil affairs bureau in Modu, officially beginning their hidden married life.