Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 549: No Big Problem

With her son and daughter-in-law off to Paris Fashion Week, the house had been particularly quiet these past few days.

For Guo Xuehua, however, this peace was a delight. She enjoyed her daily routines with Wang Ma, shopping for groceries, chatting with neighbors about whose son was getting married or which couple had quarreled. This simpler, more ordinary life was something she found quite enjoyable, free from the burdens of being the Yang family's eldest daughter-in-law or the wife of a high-ranking official, constantly surrounded by bodyguards. That seemingly glamorous life had left Guo Xuehua exhausted over the years.

Now, she had handed over the charitable orphanages she managed to a foundation and fully embraced her domestic life.

Despite the unresolved issues within the Yang family, and having had her first major fallout with Yang Pojun in over twenty years of marriage, Guo Xuehua felt fortunate to have found her eldest son after twenty years. Even if this son often caused her worry, she felt grateful to the heavens.

Leaving aside the fact that one of Yang Chen's lovers lived next door, Guo Xuehua actually liked Rose quite a bit. Compared to the cold and distant Lin Ruoxi, Rose was much more likable and considerate. Even though she knew Rose had a background in the underworld and was the queen of the Hongmeng Society in Zhonghai, Guo Xuehua didn't believe that being part of a gang made someone inherently bad. She wasn't a narrow-minded, inflexible woman.

Moreover, as a mother who had been absent for many years, Guo Xuehua felt she had no right to interfere with her son's love life. Even if she could, she wouldn't want to. She preferred to turn a blind eye. If Yang Chen ended up with both women, she would grudgingly accept it, even if she disapproved. In high society, it wasn't uncommon for men to have a mistress or two.

Whoever could win her son's heart would have to fight it out among themselves, and as a mother-in-law, she had the right to show her preference.

With this mindset, Guo Xuehua often brought delicious dishes to share with Rose, and the two became much closer than she was with Lin Ruoxi, her official daughter-in-law.

Recently, Guo Xuehua also discovered that another young woman, equally beautiful and charming, was living at Rose's house—Mo Qianni. After an introduction, she learned that Mo Qianni was Lin Ruoxi's close friend and the vice president of Yu Lei International, which made Guo Xuehua even more amazed at the gathering of beautiful women around her son.

Mo Qianni, being more mature and sensible than Rose, won Guo Xuehua's favor even more. Compared to Rose, Mo Qianni seemed like the perfect candidate for a good wife and mother, an ideal city woman.

The only headache was why her son ended up with the coldest and most difficult girl, Lin Ruoxi, as his wife. For a mother, the appearance of her daughter-in-law was not the most important thing.

All this seemed like a twist of fate. Guo Xuehua would never have imagined that Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi's marriage was initially a contract marriage that evolved over time, with their feelings growing increasingly complicated, resulting in their current situation without mentioning the original arrangement.

Today, after returning home from grocery shopping with Wang Ma, Guo Xuehua, even though Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi were not home, wanted to prepare something nice for Zhenxiu, who was preparing for her college entrance exams. They treated her like their own daughter, trying to make her life as comfortable as possible. The poor girl had been in a daze since the visit from Park Jung-hoon of Korea's Star-Moon Group, making the family feel sympathetic and concerned for her.

As soon as they put the meat and vegetables in the kitchen, they heard the phone ringing.

It was rare for the home phone to ring, as Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi didn't have many friends. Most calls were wrong numbers.

Since Guo Xuehua was closer to the door, she answered the phone, assuming it was another misdial.

To her surprise, after a moment of silence, a soft, somewhat shy female voice came through the line.

"Hello, is this Yang Chen's home?" It was An Xin speaking, her heart pounding and her voice trembling.

Guo Xuehua was slightly surprised, recognizing it as a young girl's voice. Someone calling for Yang Chen? She immediately paid attention and replied seriously, "Yes, this is Yang Chen's home. I am his mother. Miss, do you need something?"

An Xin's breath quickened. It was indeed Yang Chen's mother. Trying to calm herself, she said, "Hello, Auntie. I wanted to inform you that Yang Chen has been arrested and taken to the West District police station."

"What?!" Guo Xuehua couldn't believe her ears and hesitantly said, "Miss, you must be mistaken. My son is named Yang Chen, but he is currently on a business trip in Paris. How could he be arrested by the Zhonghai police?"

"It's true, Auntie! Yang Chen came back early this morning. Something happened at the company, and the police just took him away," An Xin explained, her voice growing softer. She wished she could disappear, dreading the inevitable questions about why Yang Chen was arrested. How could she explain that he was arrested because of her? Guo Xuehua would surely think she was a troublemaker, not only harming Yang Chen but also bringing misfortune to him.

Despite feeling disheartened, An Xin knew she had to continue communicating with Guo Xuehua to rescue Yang Chen.

Guo Xuehua, having calmed down, was no ordinary housewife. Her years of experience and prestigious background quickly made her realize the urgency of stabilizing the situation before worrying about why Yang Chen had returned or why he was arrested. Her priority was ensuring her son didn't suffer in the police station.

She knew Yang Chen's abilities were extraordinary, capable of taking on national secret forces. However, if he acted out, the trouble would only snowball.

"I understand," Guo Xuehua said seriously. "I will handle this. However, I need to know the details later. May I ask for your name, Miss?"

"My name is An Xin."

Guo Xuehua repeated the name to herself. It sounded nice, as did the voice, suggesting another pretty girl. She acknowledged that her son was not particularly handsome, but he was surrounded by beautiful women.

"Miss An Xin, I will go to the West District police station shortly. Could you come as well? I would like to meet you and get a clear understanding of the situation," Guo Xuehua's mind was clear. If this girl called about Yang Chen, she must be someone significant to him, and it was essential to meet her, regardless of the reason.

An Xin felt extremely nervous, both happy and fearful. Happy for the chance to meet Yang Chen's mother, but fearful of being disliked, especially as the third party. She feared being labeled a homewrecker.

An Xin worried too much. Despite her feelings, Guo Xuehua, with her refinement, wouldn't say such harsh words to a young girl.

"Okay, Auntie, I will definitely come," An Xin agreed, despite her fear. She wanted to ensure Yang Chen's release from the police station, as she couldn't be at ease otherwise.

After hanging up, Guo Xuehua told Wang Ma in the kitchen, "Yulan, I have some errands to run. Just make a simple lunch, don't wait for me. We'll make something nice for dinner when Zhenxiu comes back."

Wang Ma, knowing that Guo Xuehua had other responsibilities to manage, didn't question it and agreed.

Guo Xuehua wouldn't let Wang Ma or Zhenxiu know about Yang Chen's arrest. She aimed to get Yang Chen out and resolve the matter quietly.

Leaving the house, Guo Xuehua took out her phone. Though she believed her status as the Yang family's eldest daughter-in-law should suffice to secure Yang Chen's release, she wanted to verify the exact reason for his arrest to be thorough.

In Zhonghai, the most influential person she knew was her husband, Yang Pojun. But Guo Xuehua wouldn't call him. Ever since Yang Pojun ignored Yang Chen during the incident with Yan Buhui, Guo Xuehua resented him deeply and wouldn't easily seek his help.

So, Guo Xuehua called her sister-in-law Yang Jieyu. After all, Yuan Hewei and Yang Jieyu, as a couple, controlled the largest branch of the Yuan family in Zhonghai, making them the most powerful local power. They commanded respect from all sides.

Of course, Guo Xuehua had another motive in calling Yang Jieyu. Yang Jieyu was protective of her family, much more sentimental than Yang Pojun. If she found out that her nephew Yang Chen had been arrested, even if she and her husband couldn't immediately rescue him, Yang Jieyu would surely contact Yang Gongming, the father of her daughter in Yanjing, disregarding all consequences.

Guo Xuehua knew that she hadn't done enough for her father-in-law as a daughter-in-law, so she didn't dare to directly ask Yang Gongming for help. Instead, she thought of indirectly persuading Yang Jieyu to inform the old man.

Yang Gongming acknowledged this grandson and felt equally guilty. As long as Yang Gongming took action, Guo Xuehua believed that no one would dare to harm Yang Chen. Although she didn't know how powerful her father-in-law really was, the fact that the Yang family, despite its small number, still ranked among the top four families in Yanjing, indicated that Yang Gongming was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface.