Chapter Thirty-Seven: Refusal

"I know, it's too abrupt to ask you to answer this question now. Even though we've known each other for more than ten years, even though I've been pursuing you for half a year since returning from abroad, our relationship has only stayed at the stage of friendship. We've never experienced mutual understanding, love, and affection, so how could I expect a girl to trust me or be willing to entrust her lifelong happiness to me..." Without giving Lin Yuxin a chance to speak, Chen Feiyang continued on his own, not raising his voice deliberately, nor showing excessive emotion. His magnetic voice carried a gentle melancholy, calm yet tinged with sadness. He remained kneeling on one knee, gazing up with sincerity written all over his face, his eyes full of tenderness—how could anyone bear to interrupt him?

"Yuxin, I know you're not a vain girl. I've never thought my decent family background could make you look at me differently. I only hope that we can see each other as equals, support each other in our careers, rely on each other in life. I know you're already married, and that your integrity makes you unwilling to break a three-year marriage contract. I respect you and am willing to wait."

He paused, and a gentle smile spread across his face, tinged with a hint of innocence and longing. "I remember when we were children, the elders said that if you make a birthday wish with sincerity, it will come true. The wish I made just now is the most heartfelt one of my twenty-seven birthdays. I'm not greedy enough to hope it comes true immediately; I only ask that you don't close the door of your heart entirely. Leave a crack in it for me, let our friendship as the starting point, and give us a chance to begin."

"Yuxin, please, say yes. Would you?"

At the end of his words, the bouquet of fiery red roses was gently raised and placed right beneath Lin Yuxin's eyes.

Her beautiful eyes contracted slightly, as if stung by the vivid red. She didn't reach out to take it, nor did she reject it outright. Her gaze dropped, her face showing a thoughtful expression.

According to the usual script, after being spectators for so long, it was now time for everyone to play their part in supporting the proposal. Indeed, that's how it went, but not in the way commonly seen on TV, where everyone chants in unison, "Say yes, say yes..."

Instead, Shi Jie was the first to start clapping, and soon everyone joined in. That wasn't all; Liu Qian and another woman had reddened eyes, sniffling as they tried to hold back tears, while the men wore expressions of approval and blessing.

The atmosphere was beautiful, a man kneeling with passionate sincerity. But Lin Yuxin didn't feel her heart leap—rather, she felt an inexplicable pressure, one that grew heavier with every passing moment.

Because, on a personal level, she had no affection for Chen Feiyang, had never considered accepting him—not even as an attempt.

If she were still a student, she could act on impulse; a simple, apologetic "I'm sorry" would suffice to draw the boundaries between them. But now, as she navigated the business world, such impulsiveness was no longer allowed. Often, a decision made from the heart could bring consequences too heavy to bear!

Just like that time with the Liu family—she'd had to swallow her pride and ask Chen Feiyang for help to save Hongchen, agreeing to pretend to be his girlfriend. And now, Chen Feiyang's confession was almost humble and pleading. If she rejected him, it wouldn't just be his pride that suffered, but the Chen family's as well. Their retaliation could leave the Lin family battered and bruised. If Chen Feiyang retaliated, it wouldn't be difficult for him to cut off her cooperation with Hongcheng Group, which could change her fate—and her family's fate.

As Lin Yuxin wrestled with her inner turmoil, the door of the private room swung open and a figure slipped inside, unnoticed by anyone, his footsteps muffled by the ongoing applause. It wasn't until the figure reached Lin Yuxin's side and took the bouquet of roses from Chen Feiyang's hands that anyone realized he was there.

"Nice flowers, but unfortunately my wife is allergic to rose pollen. Guess I'll have to keep them for her," Hongchen leaned in and inhaled the fragrance, a look of contentment on his face, then glanced apologetically at Chen Feiyang.

The applause ended abruptly. Chen Feiyang's expression froze, his face slowly darkening as everyone exchanged uncertain glances, the atmosphere suddenly turning strange.

Lin Yuxin felt relieved, but her nerves quickly tightened again.

Chen Feiyang had chosen to confess while Hongchen was absent, clearly arranging it that way, but Hongchen's unexpected return disrupted his plan. True, she no longer had to weigh the pros and cons of a difficult choice, but that didn't mean she'd been saved from trouble—in fact, it might bring even more serious consequences.

If she rejected Chen Feiyang herself, he'd lose face and be hurt, but as a woman, he might still maintain his gentlemanly demeanor and not retaliate openly. But if Hongchen stepped in instead, things would be different. Men rarely yield to other men, especially rivals in love—there was almost no room for compromise...

Bang! The door opened again, much louder than before. Unlike Hongchen's gentle entrance, this time the noise drew everyone's attention. Lu Ke'er burst in, panting, and when she saw Chen Feiyang still kneeling before Lin Yuxin, but the bouquet now in Hongchen's hands, her eyes narrowed suddenly, a wave of shame and anger rising in her heart.

She'd been played by this man!

There were six bottles of champagne in her trunk, the large kind, weighing nearly a hundred pounds. Hongchen said two bottles would be enough, but she disagreed, pulled out a trolley, then turned around to find Hongchen—and the champagne—gone. She stood puzzled for a moment, then guessed what might have happened and hurried back to the room. Sure enough, he was already there, and, as it turned out, had ruined Chen Feiyang's moment.

"Hongchen, what's wrong with you? I asked you to help move things, and you left without a word. Have you no sense of responsibility? Where's the champagne?" Lu Ke'er demanded, her tone accusatory—though she wasn't foolish enough to blame him for disrupting the proposal.

Hongchen glanced sideways at her, then nodded toward a certain spot, "Isn't it right over there?"

Lu Ke'er followed his gaze and was stunned. A box of champagne lay quietly in the corner. It had been no more than three minutes since she'd noticed Hongchen missing, less than three hundred meters away, and yet he'd carried nearly a hundred pounds and returned before her. How was that possible? Did Hongchen teleport?

"Yuxin, since you don't like roses, I prepared something else for you. I arrived at the club at five, and happened to run into a senior executive from Hongcheng Group. I recommended your company to him, and he agreed to accept Lin Feng Trading's letter of intent for cooperation. As long as you pass the qualification review, you'll be given priority consideration."

Chen Feiyang's voice drew everyone's attention back again. In just a moment, he had regained his gentle demeanor, still kneeling and looking up at Lin Yuxin, though now his eyes held not only tenderness, but a sharpness as well.

Hongchen's appearance hadn't made Chen Feiyang back down, but instead had ignited his fighting spirit, prompting him to reveal his trump card ahead of time.

Through an insider at Lin Feng Trading, he had learned that Lin Yuxin placed great importance on cooperation with Hongcheng Group, and had even applied for a loan from the finance company that Lin Feng Trading's current status couldn't possibly get approved by the bank.

He didn't believe Lin Yuxin could resist such a tempting offer.

"A useless husband bound by a three-year marriage contract, versus an outstanding man willing to give everything for you, and capable of helping your career. Yuxin, honestly, I don't understand what you're still hesitating for." Li Chen chimed in immediately, wearing a pained expression, as if he wished he could become Lin Yuxin himself.

"Yuxin, if it were me, I'd say yes. It's simple—compared to Feiyang, he's completely outmatched. Are you really going to waste your life on a loser, just because he's your contract husband?" Liu Qian pointed a finger at Hongchen, her tone light but with a faint, barely detectable sourness.

Others echoed their sentiments, all their criticisms directed at Hongchen. Hongchen was truly speechless—even though he was Lin Yuxin's husband, even if theirs was a contract marriage, they were legally married, yet it seemed he was being treated as an unwanted third party. Meanwhile, the true third party, Chen Feiyang, was receiving unanimous support.

Lu Ke'er strode over and glared at Hongchen, her eyes full of disgust, her voice sharp: "Hongchen, if you're still a man, then you should—"

"Chen Feiyang, I'm sorry. I can't accept." The words were cut short—because Lin Yuxin, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.