Chapter 56

Yang Chen smiled and nodded to Aunt Wang, then said to Xu Zhihong, "Young Master Xu is really thoughtful, even coming earlier than I, her husband."

Xu Zhihong replied with a calm and modest smile, "Mr. Yang, you're joking. I've had a close relationship with Ruoxi for many years. When I heard she was sick, I rushed over."

"Oh..." Yang Chen's face showed a look of realization as he leaned in with a mischievous grin, "Since you came to visit, you must have brought some gifts, right?"

Xu Zhihong inwardly cursed, "Shameless," and said, "I only brought some fruit." He pointed to the fruit basket beside him, "I know Ruoxi doesn't like extravagance, so I just brought a simple token of my heart."

Yang Chen walked over to the basket, picked up a rosy apple, and weighed it in his hand, then said disappointedly, "It's a real apple."

Xu Zhihong asked suspiciously, "Of course it's a real apple. What do you mean by that, Mr. Yang?"

"Hehe," Yang Chen said with a hint of regret, "I thought a rich man like Young Master Xu would bring a golden apple. Who knew it would just be a regular apple. No other meaning."

Xu Zhihong felt his lungs tighten. What kind of brain does this man have!? A golden apple!?

Rascal! Scoundrel! Rogue!

"Mr. Yang, you really know how to joke, hehe," Xu Zhihong forced a smile.

Lying on the bed, Lin Ruoxi had not turned to look at the two men, but now she glanced over. Seeing Xu Zhihong's forced smile, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

If it weren't for the powerful Xu family and their business cooperation, Lin Ruoxi would have wished Xu Zhihong would disappear from the world. After all, if it weren't for his actions, Lin Kun wouldn't have caused so much trouble, making her already weary heart even more exhausted. Now, lying in the hospital, she could only hope that things would get better. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything outrageous to Xu Zhihong, so Yang Chen's behavior was, in a sense, what she hoped to see.

Yang Chen clearly wasn't going to let it go so easily. He waved his hand and said, "I know Young Master Xu's capabilities. A golden apple would be no problem for you. It's just a matter of whether you're willing to give it. Of course, such a valuable thing, though it might not be much to you, isn't appropriate to give to someone you're not close to. So, we as a couple don't insist. We're grateful for the real apple you brought."

After saying this, Yang Chen took a tissue and wiped the apple in his hand, then took a big bite, savoring it, "Not bad, very sweet. Young Master Xu is good at picking apples. Maybe you should consider changing careers and becoming a farmer someday."

Xu Zhihong was almost fuming. He had seen shameless people before, but never someone this shameless! After a few words from this rogue, he was made to look like a miser, a miser, a snob, and even a farmer! He came to visit, not to be insulted!

And, damn it, a sweet apple! How could that be one I picked!?

Of course, Xu Zhihong wasn't stupid enough to say, "The apples were bought by someone else," which would clearly show his lack of sincerity.

Realizing he would go mad if he stayed any longer, Xu Zhihong forced a smile and said, "I have a meeting this afternoon, so I won't disturb Ruoxi's rest. I'll come to see you again when I have the chance." With that, he immediately left the ward.

Aunt Wang, who had been holding back, finally couldn't help but laugh, "Son-in-law, you really know how to talk. That young master of the Xu family will probably be angry for days."

Yang Chen took a big bite of the apple and said, "No, if he gets angry over something like this, he should have given up on Ruoxi long ago."

"Ah..." Aunt Wang glanced at Lin Ruoxi, who was silent and seemed not to be in the room, "I'll go out for a bit. Son-in-law, talk to Miss."

After Aunt Wang, who had been thoughtful, left, Yang Chen finished the apple and sat down on the edge of Lin Ruoxi's bed, smiling, "My dear Ruoxi, this apple is good. Do you want me to peel one for you?"

Lin Ruoxi continued to look out the window expressionlessly, as if she hadn't heard anything.

Yang Chen nodded in satisfaction, "This time you didn't stop me from calling you that, which is progress. And you even agreed to eat the apple, showing some coquettishness, which is even more progress. I'll reward you by peeling the apple for you."

Although Lin Ruoxi had seen this contract husband's shamelessness many times, she still felt she had underestimated him. She hadn't said a word, and it was already considered coquettishness!?

"Can you be serious for a moment?" Lin Ruoxi sighed and turned to face Yang Chen, wanting to have a serious talk.

"Serious? I'm always serious. What's not serious about a husband peeling an apple for his wife?" Yang Chen smiled and took a fruit knife. The shiny knife spun several beautiful 360-degree rotations in his palm, as if it were stuck to his hand.

Lin Ruoxi was about to say more but was intrigued by Yang Chen's skill and watched closely.

Yang Chen picked up a good-looking apple and held the fruit knife in his other hand. After a brief pause, the knife moved quickly over the apple's skin.

Yang Chen's hands were so fast that Lin Ruoxi, even at such close range, couldn't clearly see the exact movements. The small knife turned into countless flashes of light, continuously peeling around the apple.

Peeling the apple skin became an art, like sculpting or wood carving. You couldn't know the final result until the last moment.

In less than half a minute, Yang Chen stopped and handed the peeled apple to Lin Ruoxi, "Here, a gift from your husband."

Lin Ruoxi looked at the peeled apple and was stunned for a moment. A strange feeling welled up inside her, and she became entranced...

The originally rosy apple now had most of its skin removed, but on the peeled apple, a few thin strips of skin remained, forming beautiful red characters: "Wishing my wife good health."

Lin Ruoxi felt her eyes moisten and quickly controlled her emotions, saying, "You're just good at these tricks, doing something so trivial and sentimental."

"Hehe," Yang Chen blushed, "I admit it's a bit sentimental, so my dear wife, you should eat it quickly. Or do you want me to feed you?" He offered the apple to Lin Ruoxi's porcelain-like lips.

"I'll do it myself," Lin Ruoxi quickly took the apple from Yang Chen. But when she looked at the red characters on it, she hesitated, reluctant to take a bite.

Yang Chen pretended, "Are you reluctant to bite such a beautiful apple? No problem, I can peel another one for you, but what should I write this time..."

"Stop daydreaming," Lin Ruoxi took a small bite, "I just wondered if you washed your hands."

Seeing Lin Ruoxi start to eat the apple he had peeled, Yang Chen stopped teasing her. He found it somewhat cute to see the ice queen holding the apple and chewing quietly.

"Thank you," Lin Ruoxi suddenly said softly.

Yang Chen thought he had heard wrong, "What?"

"I said, thank you, for everything you've done for me," Lin Ruoxi looked up, her eyes like autumn pools, "I realize I don't hate you as much as I used to."

Yang Chen smiled bitterly, "No need to thank me. I'll be grateful to heaven and earth when you like me and become my real wife."

Lin Ruoxi didn't get angry at his words. After thinking for a moment, she answered seriously, "That's hard."

"..."

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