Chapter 3438: Like the Men of the Song Family

Ye Chen looked at Song Ruoyu's nervous appearance and smiled: "Miss Song seems much more restrained than when we last met. This is China—you don't need to be overly nervous or excessively formal. No one here will harm you."

Hearing Ye Chen's magnetic voice and seeing his reassuring smile, Song Ruoyu nodded hurriedly.

However, she knew Ye Chen had misunderstood her.

Her restraint wasn't due to nervousness in an unfamiliar environment, but because upon seeing him again, both their identities and her attitude toward him had changed greatly.

Ye Chen, being utterly oblivious to romantic nuances as a typical straight man, naturally couldn't fathom why Song Ruoyu was tense. Finding the place sensitive and unsuitable for lingering, he said: "Miss Song, please get in the car first—we can talk as we go."

Song Ruoyu quickly replied: "All right, Mr. Ye."

At that moment, Ye Chen had already opened the passenger door for her.

Song Ruoyu's heart pounded like a startled deer as she blushed and climbed into the car, pressing her legs together and clasping her hands, still somewhat ill at ease.

After Ye Chen got in, he started the car and drove straight away from the airport. On the way to downtown Shanghai, he asked Song Ruoyu: "Miss Song, is this your first time coming to China?"

"Yes!" Song Ruoyu nodded firmly, saying: "Actually, I've long wanted to visit China, but never had the chance."

Ye Chen nodded and said: "Shanghai is China's most economically developed city, ranking first in GDP, and possibly the most fashionable and internationally aligned city. Later, on our way back, you can admire the city's night scenery. If you have nothing to do tomorrow daytime, I can take you around to experience the charm of China's greatest metropolis."

Song Ruoyu asked nervously: "Mr. Ye, if I suddenly appear on Shanghai's streets, will I cause you trouble?"

"No," Ye Chen said calmly. "Sometimes, if we anticipate the enemy's anticipation, we can avoid their threats. Wu Feiyan might guess a hundred places where you could hide in this world, but she would never imagine you'd be on Shanghai's streets."

Song Ruoyu nodded lightly and then cautiously asked him: "Mr. Ye, is Duke Dingyuan also in Shanghai now?"

Ye Chen waved his hand: "No, Yun Ruoge has always been in Jin Ling. I don't know if you've heard of this city—Jin Ling isn't far from Shanghai, just a three-hour drive."

Song Ruoyu asked again: "Then, Mr. Ye, do you usually reside in Shanghai?"

Ye Chen smiled: "I don't reside here; in fact, I also live in Jin Ling."

Song Ruoyu, somewhat moved, said: "Then it's truly troublesome for Mr. Ye to come all the way to Shanghai to pick me up—I feel deeply honored..."

"Not exactly," Ye Chen said bluntly with a smile: "I just happened to be working here these few days, and they coincidentally arranged your flight here, so I came to pick you up."

After saying this, Ye Chen glanced at her and smiled: "I still have a few days of work in Shanghai, so for these days you can stay with me. Once I'm done, we'll go to Jin Ling together, where I'll arrange for you to meet Yun Ruoge. If you're willing, you two can also live together."

Song Ruoyu's handsome face was filled with astonishment: "Mr. Ye, you... you're such a formidable person—why do you still need to work for a living? Is there anyone in this world who can afford to employ you?"

Ye Chen laughed: "In life, I have two identities. One is the you-see-me identity—I certainly don't need to work for anyone. But in Jin Ling, I have my own family and friends, who don't know my true identity, so in their eyes, I'm just a hardworking, decent man earning a living."

Song Ruoyu asked in surprise: "Mr. Ye, have you already started a family?"

"Yes," Ye Chen nodded: "I have."

Song Ruoyu felt surprised, recalling what Ye Chen had just said, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Mr. Ye, does your wife not know your current identity?"

Ye Chen shook his head: "She doesn't."

"Good heavens!" Song Ruoyu exclaimed: "Ye Chen hides his identity so deeply—just like the men of the Song family."

Ye Chen actually didn't know much about the specific roles the Song family members have played in the Breaking Qing Association over the years, so he asked: "What's wrong with the Song family men?"

Song Ruoyu said: "To provide the Wu family with safe and reliable wives, the Song family men must continually enter society, hide their identities, and marry secular women. After they bear children, they bring the children back to the Song family and disappear from the women's lives. Thus, the women who marry Song family men never know what kind of person they've actually married."

Ye Chen suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

Because what Song Ruoyu said wasn't wrong—in a certain sense, I'm like the Song family men, also hiding my identity from my other half.

But I haven't gone as far as they have—if Xiao Churan ever has her own child, I would never secretly leave her, no matter what.

Seeing Ye Chen silent, Song Ruoyu realized her analogy might have been inappropriate, so she hurriedly explained: "Sorry, Mr. Ye—I'm just not good with words. Please don't take it to heart."

Ye Chen gave a self-mocking laugh: "You're speaking the truth—no need to apologize."

Seeing Ye Chen's complex expression, Song Ruoyu guessed he must also have his own hidden struggles, so she didn't press further.

The car soon arrived at Shanghai's bustling downtown. Song Ruoyu admired the night scenery along the way and followed Ye Chen to the Bai Gong Han Palace Hotel.

Tawana and her team were also staying there.

Ye Chen parked the car, took Song Ruoyu, and rode the elevator to the hotel's top floor.

This time, he had Chen Zekai arrange the hotel to reserve a 300-square-meter luxurious suite for him. The suite contained two separate suites and a large living room—one suite he occupies himself, the other prepared for Song Ruoyu.

It's not that he intentionally wanted to live under the same roof as Song Ruoyu; mainly, he still harbors some caution toward her and doesn't want her to leave his sight.

In the elevator, Ye Chen told Song Ruoyu: "The rooms I reserved have two separate suites, each with its own bedroom, living room, and bathroom—no mutual disturbance. The only shared space is the living room you must pass through to enter or exit. I hope Miss Song won't mind."

Song Ruoyu immediately said: "Mr. Ye, please rest assured—I have no objections whatsoever. I will follow all your arrangements."

Actually, Song Ruoyu also knew Ye Chen couldn't yet trust her completely. Since he's made this arrangement, she will simply perform well to put him at ease.

Seeing she didn't mind, Ye Chen nodded and continued: "During these few days in Shanghai, my work is basically at night, so when I work, you'll stay with me, and at that time we'll tell the team you're my assistant."

Song Ruoyu asked curiously: "I don't know what specific work you're doing here, Mr. Ye."

Ye Chen said: "I'm serving as the feng shui supervisor for an American singer holding a concert in China."

Song Ruoyu felt her mind fill with countless question marks. She said doubtfully: "An American singer, a feng shui supervisor—these two keywords just don't seem to go together at all. Do Americans even believe in feng shui?"

Ye Chen laughed: "Some people do, but whether my employer believes in it or not, I don't know. She hired me not really to have me look at feng shui."

Song Ruoyu sensed there might be many hidden details here, so she asked curiously: "Mr. Ye, is your employer this time perhaps a female singer?"

Song Ruoyu had been at sea these past days with no contact with the outside world, and even in Syria she hadn't connected with global affairs or news, so she didn't know Tawana was holding a concert in China.

Ye Chen didn't conceal it, saying casually: "This time my employer is Tawana·Svet. I don't know if Miss Song recognizes her."

Song Ruoyu's eyes widened—she instantly transformed into a frenzied fan, excitedly asking: "Tawana·Svet?! My goodness! Mr. Ye, are you joking?!"

Ye Chen asked curiously: "How come? You're a cultivator—do you also know about singers?"

Song Ruoyu said embarrassedly: "Although I'm a cultivator... well... well, I occasionally listen to songs. In my youth, I actually liked Tawana·Svet quite a bit—I even plotted several times to sneak into her concert, but because my family supervised me strictly, I never got the chance..."

After speaking, her expression turned slightly hopeful and eager. She asked cautiously: "Mr. Ye, do I have a chance to meet Tawana·Svet?"

Seeing her sincere tone, not like she was joking, Ye Chen felt a sudden sigh in his heart.

Even that previous Song Ruoyu who killed without blinking was ultimately just a girl in her early twenties. No matter how indifferent she might be to others' lives, she must have her own girlish heart.

Thus, he said lightly: "You'll have the chance to meet her tomorrow. And if you're interested, you can watch her concert up close from the sides of the stage."

"Really?!" Song Ruoyu exclaimed excitedly: "That would be wonderful!"