Song Ruyu explained, “To provide the Wu family with safe and reliable wives, Song family men must enter society, conceal their identities, and marry ordinary women. After the women give birth, the men take the children back to the Song family and vanish from their lives. So, those women never know who they truly married.”
Ye Chen suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
Song Ruyu wasn’t wrong. In a way, he was like the Song family men, hiding his identity from his partner.
But he wasn’t as ruthless. If Xiao Churan ever had his child, he would never abandon her.
Seeing Ye Chen fall silent, Song Ruyu realised her comparison might have been inappropriate and quickly said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Ye, I’m not great with words. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Ye Chen gave a self-deprecating smile, “You spoke the truth, no need to apologise.”
Noticing Ye Chen’s complex expression, Song Ruyu guessed he had his own struggles and refrained from probing further.
The car soon reached Shanghai’s bustling downtown. Song Ruyu admired the city’s nightscape as they arrived at the Buckingham Palace Hotel in Shanghai.
Tawana and her team were also staying there.
Ye Chen parked the car and took Song Ruyu via elevator to the hotel’s top floor.
This time, he had Chen Zekai reserve a 300-square-metre luxury suite with two separate suites and a large living room. One suite was for him, the other for Song Ruyu.
It wasn’t his intention to share a roof with Song Ruyu, but he still had some wariness towards her and didn’t want her out of his sight.
In the elevator, Ye Chen told Song Ruyu, “The room I reserved has two separate suites, each with its own bedroom, living room, and bathroom, so we won’t disturb each other. The only shared space is the living room for entering and exiting. I hope you don’t mind, Miss Song.”
Song Ruyu immediately said, “Mr. Ye, rest assured, I don’t mind at all. I’ll follow your arrangements.”
She understood Ye Chen didn’t fully trust her yet. Since he had made such arrangements, she would do her best to earn his trust.
Seeing she was unbothered, Ye Chen nodded and continued, “My work in Shanghai over the next few days will mostly be at night, so you’ll come with me. I’ll introduce you to the team as my assistant.”
Song Ruyu asked curiously, “What exactly are you doing here, Mr. Ye?”
Ye Chen said, “I’m working as a feng shui director for an American singer holding concerts in China.”
Song Ruyu’s mind filled with question marks. She said, puzzled, “American singer, feng shui director, those two terms don’t seem to go together at all. Do Americans believe in feng shui?”
Ye Chen laughed, “Some do, but whether my employer believes in it, I don’t know. She didn’t hire me to actually read feng shui.”
Sensing there was more to the story, Song Ruyu asked curiously, “Mr. Ye, your employer wouldn’t happen to be a female singer, would she?”
Having been at sea with no contact with the outside world and unaware of global events or news in Syria, Song Ruyu didn’t know about Tawana’s concerts in China.
Ye Chen didn’t hide it, saying casually, “My employer is Tawana Sweet. I don’t know if you’re familiar with her, Miss Song.”
Song Ruyu’s eyes widened, instantly transforming into an ecstatic fan, “Tawana Sweet?! My goodness! Mr. Ye, you’re not joking, are you?!”
Ye Chen asked curiously, “What? Even someone like you, a cultivator, knows about singers?”
Song Ruyu said awkwardly, “Though I’m a cultivator… I… I do listen to music sometimes. I was quite a fan of Tawana Sweet during my teenage years… I even planned a few times to sneak off to her concerts, but my family was strict, so I never got the chance…”
Her expression turned hopeful and excited as she cautiously asked, “Mr. Ye, do I have a chance to meet Tawana Sweet?”
Ye Chen, seeing her genuine tone and no hint of jest, felt a twinge of empathy.
Even the once ruthless Song Ruyu was just a young woman in her early twenties. No matter how callous she might have been towards others’ lives, she surely had her own girlish dreams.
So, he said lightly, “You’ll have a chance to meet her tomorrow. And if you’re interested, you can watch her concert up close from the stage wings.”
“Really?!” Song Ruyu said, thrilled, “That’s amazing!”
