Chapter 9

"Speak up, what's the matter?" Yang Chen said, propping one of his legs up on the leather seat, taking off his rubber slippers, and scratching his itchy feet with one hand. The heat made his feet itchy, and he was considering whether he should buy some ointment to apply.

Seeing this, Lin Ruoxi, who was about to speak, paused again, instinctively covering her cute little nose and frowning, "Can you not do such a disgusting action?"

Yang Chen smiled indifferently, "Hehe, if my feet itch, I scratch them. It's only natural. What's so disgusting about it? Why suffer needlessly?"

Lin Ruoxi swore that this was the first time in her life she had met such a shameless person. Although she had initially learned that he was just a lamb skewer vendor, so what? The fact that she was tied to him could not be changed. She had to make the best of the situation...

"Yang Chen..."

"Wait!" Yang Chen interrupted Lin Ruoxi again.

"What now?" Lin Ruoxi was somewhat annoyed, her cold face flushing with anger.

Yang Chen said somewhat embarrassedly, "Miss Lin, you know my name and that I was arrested by the police. Clearly, you've investigated me. But I don't even know your name, and you want to talk to me. Isn't that a bit..." As he spoke, he greedily glanced at Lin Ruoxi a few times and licked his lips. "Lin Ruoxi, 'Ru' as in 'if,' and 'Xi' as in 'stream'... Can we talk now?"

Lin Ruoxi suddenly regretted her decision. The man in front of her was full of mischief, completely different from the honest man she had imagined. However, she never changed her mind once she made a decision, so she steeled herself and decided to go through with it.

"Lin, Ru, Xi..." Yang Chen seemed to savor the name, repeating it a few times, "Not bad, the name suits you."

"My grandfather gave me this name, but that's not the point. I need you to do something for me," Lin Ruoxi felt that her name sounded disgusting coming from this scoundrel's mouth.

Yang Chen looked at Lin Ruoxi warily, "Miss Lin, you're not asking me to repay the favor of bailing me out, are you? I don't have money, just a worthless life."

Seeing Yang Chen put on a pitiful act, Lin Ruoxi felt a chill and turned her head, "Marry me."

"What?!"

"Marry me..." Lin Ruoxi's face was so red it seemed to be oozing with moisture, repeating it in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

Yang Chen still suspected he had heard wrong and cautiously leaned in, dryly asking, "Miss Lin, speak clearly. I feel like I'm hearing things..."

"You're not hearing things," Lin Ruoxi seemed to have made up her mind, her face returning to its cold expression, "I said, marry me! Get married immediately!"

Each word hit Yang Chen's ears, and he had to admit he wasn't hearing things. He couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "Miss Lin, this is too... too hasty. You can't just propose marriage because we had sex. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. I think you need to consider it carefully and not act on impulse."

This time, Yang Chen wasn't joking. He looked at Lin Ruoxi seriously, hoping she would understand.

Lin Ruoxi shook her head, "I'm not a child. I know what I'm doing. I'm not young anymore, and I should get married. I just haven't found the right person... Of course, don't think you're the right person. Because of certain reasons, what happened last night..." As she spoke, Lin Ruoxi's face involuntarily turned red, but she continued, "I can tell you clearly that I'm a very conservative woman. Rather than being forced to marry an unfamiliar and detestable man, I'd rather choose you. At least, I gave my first time to you."

Yang Chen fell silent for a moment, then sneered, "Miss Lin, I understand your meaning. You want a marriage that's just for show, and as the male lead in this act, I'm the easiest for you to control compared to the other candidates, right?"

Lin Ruoxi, having her thoughts exposed, felt somewhat uncomfortable but nodded without denying, "Yang Chen, I can assure you that if you cooperate, in three years, at most three years, once my career is completely stable, we'll part ways with no responsibilities. And I'll give you a large sum of money, more than you could make selling lamb skewers in ten lifetimes."

"Miss Lin..." Yang Chen's face turned cold, and he said with a mocking smile, "It seems you haven't understood something. I may be poor and just a lamb skewer vendor, but that doesn't mean I'll marry a woman I have no feelings for, even if it's fake. You can call me hypocritical, foolish, or self-righteous, but I have my principles. The word 'fake marriage' is not in my dictionary."

"You..." Lin Ruoxi really didn't expect that a lowly lamb skewer vendor would refuse her request, even for a fake marriage. Didn't he know that countless elite men in the entire city of Zhonghai had been rejected by her?!

Yang Chen continued, "If you're really a conservative woman and can't accept your chastity being taken by someone you don't love, I understand and feel sorry and guilty. If you're willing, I can seriously pursue you until you genuinely like me. Then we can get married, and I can accept that. As for whether I'll genuinely love you, you don't need to doubt. I think any normal man wouldn't doubt your charm. But... if you want me to be a mere shield for your career and pretend to be your husband for three years, I, Yang Chen, won't accept it."

"Hmph, pursue me... what makes you think you can pursue me? Your lamb skewers?" Lin Ruoxi was truly angry. This man's arrogance was inexplicable. From childhood, no man had ever refused any of her unreasonable demands, but now, a man as insignificant as a lamb skewer vendor was refusing to marry her!

Yang Chen seemed to return to his scoundrel demeanor, grinning, "Look, I'm so handsome, so manly, and my lamb skewers are delicious. My life is simple and traditional, with the virtues of a good man. More importantly, I'm very nice to women, and even better to my wife..."

"Enough!" Lin Ruoxi was afraid she would lose control if she heard more, "One billion! For three years!"

"This isn't about money..."

"One billion for two years!" Lin Ruoxi lowered her demands, fuming.

Yang Chen still shook his head, "Even a hundred billion won't change my mind. This is a matter of principle."

"Do you believe I can have you put back in jail for life after getting you out of the police station?" Lin Ruoxi's eyes were red, feeling a wave of委屈 (grievance), and she said resentfully.

Yang Chen laughed, "Why? Are you going to tell the police that I raped you last night? I clearly remember that Miss Lin initiated it many times..."

"You... I... I... You..." Lin Ruoxi's white teeth bit her tender lips, and tears of委屈 (grievance) and pain suddenly overflowed from her eyes, "Yang Chen, you're despicable!"