Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 462: Awaiting

After breakfast, Yang Chen, feeling a bit complicated, couldn't figure out what Lin Ruoxi and Rose would talk about, so he decided not to think about it anymore.

Driving to the company, he took the elevator and arrived at his office. When he opened the door, he saw a familiar figure he hadn't seen in a while.

Dressed in a sharp suit and looking spirited, An Zaihuan was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, humming a little tune, seemingly in a great mood. His usual secretary, An Xin, was nowhere to be seen.

Hearing the door open, An Zaihuan quickly turned around. Seeing that it was Yang Chen, he immediately put on a fawning smile, his face wrinkling in the process, making him look like he was greeting a close relative.

"Director Yang, I've been waiting for you," An Zaihuan said, even bending slightly at the waist as he spoke.

Yang Chen found this quite amusing. He lazily walked to his large swivel chair, sat down, and gestured for An Zaihuan to sit as well. "Waiting for me in my own office, Uncle An, that sounds a bit strange."

"Yes, yes, I misspoke. I apologize for coming so early to see Director Yang, I was a bit nervous," An Zaihuan said with a smile, pulling a chair to sit down.

Yang Chen was somewhat annoyed by An Zaihuan's sycophantic attitude. Technically, this man was An Xin's father, making him one of his fathers-in-law, but Yang Chen found it hard to respect him as an elder. After all, this was a man who could sell his own daughter. In all the time Yang Chen had known him, he had never done anything noteworthy.

Yang Chen even thought that the best thing this man had done in his life was having a good daughter.

"Uncle An, now that you've taken over the Biyun Group from the Liu family, you must be very busy. Coming to my office so early, it can't just be to play around, right?" Yang Chen asked directly.

An Zaihuan nodded quickly. Being a seasoned businessman, he could tell Yang Chen wasn't in the mood for small talk. "Not really that busy, just keeping myself occupied. The Liu family had a lot of hidden assets, and it's a bit daunting to take it all in at once. Today, I actually came to ask Director Yang about something."

Yang Chen frowned. If An Zaihuan had a question, why didn't he send An Xin? Could it be he wanted to improve their relationship?

"It must be something important if you came so early to ask," Yang Chen said noncommittally.

An Zaihuan's smile became a bit stiff. He bit his lip and lowered his voice, "Director Yang, I heard you have some connection with President Liu Qingtian of the Qinglong Association?"

Yang Chen narrowed his eyes, silently staring at An Zaihuan.

Liu Qingtian, of course, was someone he had met a few days ago, Liu Mingyu's father, another of his fathers-in-law. This man, who had been based in Yanjing, led the Qinglong Association, a prominent underworld organization. Yang Chen had heard of it, but had little interest in it.

He only knew that Rose was currently collaborating with Liu Qingtian to expand their influence, but he had no desire to know the details.

Now, An Zaihuan, who seemed to have no connection to Liu Qingtian, was asking about him, which puzzled Yang Chen.

Being stared at by Yang Chen, An Zaihuan started to feel scared to his bones. He had already experienced Yang Chen's terrifying side in Hokkaido, Japan. If it weren't out of necessity, he wouldn't dare to appear in front of Yang Chen. He knew very well that Yang Chen didn't think much of him.

After a long while, Yang Chen finally asked, "Yes, I do have some connection with him. But where did you get this information?"

An Zaihuan breathed a sigh of relief, forcing a smile as he said, "To be honest, it's a bit embarrassing. A few days ago, President Liu came to see me. He hopes that the An family's consortium can collaborate with the Qinglong Association and the Red Thistle Society in business operations."

Yang Chen nodded. "That's a good thing. The underworld can't openly conduct certain activities. In essence, they want you to help them launder money. You would also benefit greatly from it. Are you scared and don't dare to agree?"

An Zaihuan sighed, smiling, "To be honest, I am a bit scared. But the potential profits are very tempting."

Yang Chen almost understood the situation. He couldn't help but marvel at how An Zaihuan epitomized the self-serving opportunist, always looking for the next advantage.

Liu Qingtian and Rose were collaborating, intending to consolidate the underworld forces between Yanjing and Zhonghai to establish a larger power base. Naturally, this required sufficient financial support, and compound interest was the best way to achieve that.

However, the Qinglong Association and the Red Thistle Society weren't experts in financial investment. Therefore, partnering with a powerful consortium was the best choice. The An family, which lacked official background but was very strong, became the ideal partner.

An Zaihuan, being an experienced old fox, knew the economic benefits of money laundering. Even the dividends from investments would be a substantial sum. He certainly didn't want this lucrative opportunity to slip away.

However, the other party was an underworld organization known for shady dealings. If they collaborated, he would end up on the authorities' blacklist. Unlike Japan, where the Yakuza is legalized, or some Western countries where the mafia is deeply entrenched, if the authorities in China wanted them gone, they would be forced to flee.

Moreover, could he trust Liu Qingtian to honor the terms of their cooperation? The law held no sway over the underworld. If Liu Qingtian decided to go back on his word and take over the An family, An Zaihuan had no means to resist.

"After President Liu came to see me, I had someone secretly investigate his family. I found out that his daughter seems to have a close relationship with you, Director Yang," An Zaihuan said, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he forced a stiff smile. "It seems like you have a good relationship with her."

Yang Chen smiled. "No need to be so nervous. I'm not that bad-tempered. Yes, Mingyu is my woman. I've had meals with their family."

"So, about our matter..." An Zaihuan looked at Yang Chen expectantly.

Yang Chen shrugged. "I understand your concerns. You can confidently collaborate with the Qinglong Association and the Red Thistle Society. If anything goes wrong, I'll step in. But I don't think Uncle Liu is that kind of person; he wouldn't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. As for Rose, you needn't worry either. She's also my woman."

An Zaihuan's jaw dropped. Only now did he realize that the leader of the Red Thistle Society was also one of Yang Chen's lovers.

"Surprised?" Yang Chen asked with a smile.

An Zaihuan quickly closed his mouth, shaking his head vigorously. "No, no, no. For a man like Director Yang, having multiple wives is quite normal. Only incapable men stick to one woman."

Yang Chen's smile faded, and he looked coldly at An Zaihuan.

An Zaihuan's heart skipped a beat, not understanding what he had said wrong.

"Uncle An, although I have many women around me, I don't think men who stay loyal to one woman are incapable. You have a daughter, and An Xin is your only daughter. Do you think it's a good thing for her to be with a man with multiple wives? If I had a daughter and her man wasn't devoted to her, I would definitely be dissatisfied with that man. Of course, whether I could do anything about it would depend on my capabilities. But I certainly don't think praising such behavior is right."

An Zaihuan was stunned, remaining silent for a while before lowering his head, no longer saying anything.

"You might think I'm being hypocritical, given that my actions don't align with my words. But believe it or not, this is truly how I feel," Yang Chen said, ending with a carefree smile. "I've said what I wanted to say. If there's nothing else, Uncle An, I'll see you out."

"No need, no need," An Zaihuan hurriedly got up, awkwardly waving his hand. He walked towards the door by himself. "I can see myself out, Director Yang. You must be busy."

As An Zaihuan opened the office door, he found An Xin, dressed in a light pink business outfit, standing outside.

Father and daughter exchanged glances for a moment. An Zaihuan then turned his head away, gently patted An Xin's shoulder, and quickly walked past her.

An Xin entered the office, closed the door, and with an unreadable expression on her radiant face, gracefully walked to Yang Chen's side. She wrapped her arms around Yang Chen's neck and leaned close to his face.

Yang Chen smelled a light, elegant orchid fragrance and inhaled it with enjoyment. "Why the sudden artistic style? It's not like you."

An Xin didn't smile at the little joke. Instead, she pursed her full lips and said, "I heard what you said just now."

"I didn't realize the office had such poor soundproofing," Yang Chen said, pretending to be annoyed.

"Originally, Dad wanted me to ask you, but I refused. I told him if he wanted to know, he should come himself. Now I think that was the right decision. Otherwise, I might never have heard you say those words," An Xin said softly.

Yang Chen chuckled and gently patted An Xin's cheek.

At that moment, Yang Chen's phone, which was on his desk, started ringing.

An Xin let go of Yang Chen and brought the phone to him. However, when she saw the caller's name, she displayed a sly, fox-like expression, looking at Yang Chen with amusement.

Yang Chen stroked his chin, took the phone, and answered it calmly. "Tang Wan, what's up?"