Chapter 407: Fiery Red

The antics at the racing club didn't distract Yang Chen from his primary reason for meeting Tang Wan. After sending off the goofy and carefree Tang Jue, Yang Chen and Tang Wan finalized their cooperation agreement. They confirmed that the nationwide auditions and subsequent competition for "Jade Star" would be hosted at various locations provided by Maple Forest Group.

This arrangement was something Tang Wan was particularly happy about. With an international star like Christine supporting the event, Maple Forest would gain excellent publicity.

Ning Guodong and his driver friend Weber left shortly after the race, their destination unknown. Before leaving, Ning Guodong only bid farewell to Tang Wan and Tang Jue, clearly ignoring Yang Chen. Weber, however, was gracious enough to shake Yang Chen's hand. To the onlookers, this foreigner seemed more personable than the high-ranking official Ning Guodong.

Of course, no one seriously believed Ning Guodong was socially inept. In his professional life, he certainly wouldn't be so petty. However, in private, he clearly disliked Yang Chen, perhaps even loathing him.

Tang Wan sensed that there seemed to be a deeper animosity between Ning Guodong and Yang Chen. Once their business was concluded, she asked with concern, "Yang Chen, what's the issue between you and Ning Guodong? This isn't good for you."

"Are you talking about the Ning family in Yandu?" Yang Chen replied indifferently.

Tang Wan wasn't surprised that Yang Chen knew Ning Guodong's background. After all, they were both extraordinary individuals. If Yang Chen were an ordinary person, she wouldn't have considered it necessary to warn him, but Ning Guodong was different.

"You saw today that I know Ning Guodong. I didn't intentionally hide anything from you before; I just didn't think it was necessary to mention. Now that you're in conflict with him, I should remind you to be cautious," Tang Wan said with a slight frown. "Our Tang family is one of the oldest and most established families in Yandu. We're among the top four most powerful families. The Ning family, where Ning Guodong comes from, is the foremost among the 'Four Great Families of Yandu'.

"The Ning family's power isn't just because of Ning Guangyao being the youngest prime minister. Since the founding of the country, the Ning family has faced no significant setbacks and has steadily accumulated power. They're considered the most stable and powerful family, arguably the top family in Yanxia. Although Ning Guodong is Ning Guangyao's only son, he's not guaranteed to inherit the family head position because there are many other capable young members in the Ning family. Ning Guangyao's position as department head is far from the pinnacle."

Yang Chen, intrigued by Tang Wan's detailed explanation, asked, "Aside from your Tang family, what are the other two families?"

Seeing Yang Chen's nonchalant attitude, Tang Wan knew he wasn't afraid of anything. She sighed helplessly and continued, "The other two families are the Li family, where Vice Premier Li Mosheng comes from, and the Yang family, which has had the most tumultuous history.

"Li Mosheng is actually considered Ning Guangyao's senior. Although he ranks below Ning Guangyao, the Li family has deep connections with the Nationalist intelligence agencies from the Republican era. After the Nationalist government retreated, many hidden forces were absorbed by the Li family. They're the most low-profile but also the fiercest of the four families. The other family is the Yang family, which has faced the most challenges."

"The Yang family?"

Yang Chen was momentarily stunned. He had thought the Yang family might be powerful, especially seeing the capabilities of Yang Jieyu, a married woman. But he hadn't expected the Yang family to be one of the Four Great Families of Yanxia.

Tang Wan didn't notice Yang Chen's peculiar expression, seemingly lost in her memories. She continued, "The Yang family is the oldest among the Four Great Families, with a lineage spanning nearly a thousand years according to their genealogy. This is a glory unmatched by the other families. The Yang family has the fewest members, but almost every one of them has an unwavering devotion to the family.

This devotion has allowed the Yang family to rise from the brink of extinction multiple times, leaving many indelible marks on Yanxia's history. In the early days of the republic, the Yang family was in decline. However, the old family head, Yang Yemao, was a military genius and a victorious general on the battlefield. He played prominent roles in the Anti-Japanese War, the Civil War, and the Korean War. Many of Yanxia's elite troops have the military spirit instilled by the old family head.

Therefore, the Yang family's prestige in the military is unparalleled. You could say that the old family head single-handedly revived the near-vanquished Yang family. He also raised a son who continued to expand the family's influence, Yang Gongming. If the old family head made the Yang family a military hero, then Yang Gongming is a political hero of Yanxia during its turbulent political times. He led many of his students, who are now high-ranking officials, stabilizing the political scene and accelerating economic development, becoming a true behind-the-scenes hero.

Today, the Yang family is undeniably one of the Four Great Families. Although, in terms of overall power, the Yang family is not as wealthy or influential as the Ning, Li, or Tang families. However, the Yang family's hidden strength lies in the hearts of countless individuals in Yanxia's military and high echelons. No individual, no matter how powerful, can withstand an army of a million."

Yang Chen fell silent after hearing this. The family seemed full of glory and brilliance, yet those things felt so distant from him.

"Oh, I think I've talked too much," Tang Wan laughed at herself. "Among the great families of Yandu, the Yang family is my favorite. It's a family full of legends. By the way, your surname is also Yang. Does this make you feel excited?"

Yang Chen shook his head and smiled, "It's just like hearing an old story, and an outdated one at that."

"That's because you didn't live in that era. People my age remember the elegance of Yang Gongming," Tang Wan said, lamenting, "It's all your fault, making me think about my age again."

Yang Chen looked helpless and, seizing a moment when Tang Wan wasn't paying attention, pinched her face lightly. Her skin was delicate and smooth, with a pleasant softness.

"Such tender skin, Little Wan must be only eighteen, right?" Yang Chen teased with a mischievous smile.

Tang Wan rolled her eyes at him, then glanced at her watch. "We've finished our business and our idle chat. It's a bit late at one o'clock, but we still need to have lunch, don't we? May I have the honor of dining with Director Yang?"

Yang Chen looked around. They were still in the rest area of the racing club. "We're not going to eat boxed lunches here, are we?"

Tang Wan giggled. "Boxed lunches? Honestly, I've never had one, though I've been tempted to try. But I never had the nerve to ask someone to get me one."

"Should I go get one for you?" Yang Chen offered.

Tang Wan glared at him. "Do you really want me to eat a boxed lunch with you?"

"Then what do you want to eat?" Yang Chen was frustrated. Just say what you want to eat!

Tang Wan blinked, her alluring face full of mischief. "I'll eat whatever you like."

Yang Chen swallowed. This was different; a little bit of flirtation and he was ready to surrender. He laughed, saying, "Then you're in for it."

"Why?" Tang Wan asked, puzzled.

"Because what I like is already in front of me. I can eat it, but I don't know if you can," Yang Chen said.

"What do you mean?" Tang Wan looked around, confused. There was no food in sight.

"What I like is you. Can you eat yourself, Little Wan?" Yang Chen smirked.

Tang Wan's face turned bright red. She pinched Yang Chen's arm with her delicate fingers, and seeing that he didn't even pretend to be in pain and was still smirking, she said in frustration, "Could you at least pretend it hurts? Make me feel better."

"I'll say it hurts if you let me eat," Yang Chen said seriously.

Tang Wan's beautiful eyes sparkled. At that moment, she looked much younger, like a girl experiencing her first crush, radiantly youthful.

"I already said that night you could eat, but you left me hanging," Tang Wan said plaintively.

Yang Chen swallowed, laughing awkwardly. "You women, I don't know what to say. When you don't let me eat, I manage to eat; when you strip naked and tell me to eat, I get embarrassed."

This made Tang Wan laugh so hard she bent over, finding Yang Chen's mix of shyness and reluctance quite refreshing and amusing.

In the end, they settled for a casual meal at the club's restaurant. It didn't matter what they ate; they enjoyed each other's company, sharing flirtatious and shameless banter with perfect chemistry.

Yang Chen found that he actually had a lot to talk about with Tang Wan, even more than with his other close female friends. Tang Wan, being a woman of experience, not only had a mature charm but also a wealth of knowledge and insights. Although Yang Chen was younger, his breadth of knowledge far surpassed that of the average middle-aged man, especially regarding overseas culture, which he could recall with his photographic memory.

Their conversation flowed seamlessly, bridging the age gap, and they felt like kindred spirits. This unique connection brought immense satisfaction to both Tang Wan and Yang Chen.

As they chatted through the afternoon, sipping Blue Mountain coffee, the sky gradually darkened. Yang Chen checked the time; it was already four o'clock, and people at the office were probably getting ready to leave. He decided to head straight home.

"I'll drive you back to your company," Tang Wan offered as she stood up. Although she was reluctant to part, she knew Yang Chen wouldn't just devour her on the spot.

Yang Chen didn't hesitate and took Tang Wan's car back to Maple Forest Group. After retrieving his own car, he bid Tang Wan goodbye. Although they didn't say much in parting, their eyes conveyed a newfound closeness, giving Yang Chen a mixture of happiness and concern. If this continued, he might genuinely fall for this understanding and mature woman, and then Tang Tang might end up calling him "Dad" instead of "Uncle," which gave him chills just thinking about it.

As Yang Chen was driving home, he received a call from his mother, Guo Xuehua. "Yang Chen, your mom and Aunt Wang are going for some facial treatments, and Hui Lin is going along too. That girl needs to take care of her skin since she's going to be a singer. So, you should have dinner with your wife tonight; we won't be cooking at home."

Yang Chen was taken aback. His mother was really pushing for him to reconcile with Lin Ruoxi. This attempt seemed overly contrived, but he couldn't ignore his mother's efforts and intentions. She didn't want to see him and Lin Ruoxi in a prolonged cold war, so he couldn't disregard her good intentions.

Turning his car around, Yang Chen headed back to the Yu Lei International building's parking lot. By now, Lin Ruoxi should be finishing work. Guo Xuehua must have already called her, so she wouldn't avoid going home just to dodge him.

As he pondered this, he saw two figures emerging from the parking lot elevator. One of them, a graceful figure, was indeed Lin Ruoxi. She wore a white European-style coat with a plush collar, eye-catching red skinny pants, and her long black hair was neatly styled on both sides, making her look gentler. Her beautiful face showed slight signs of fatigue.

The sight of the other person made Yang Chen almost slam his fist into the steering wheel. That slick, well-dressed man in a suit was none other than Ning Guodong, whom he had just met that morning! And this guy had the audacity to approach his wife while he wasn't around, and he was even holding a large bouquet of fiery red roses!