Chapter 178: A Piece of Recording

(Happy Weekend! Thanks to the readers who support "Mixed" even on the weekend.)

After listening to Li Yan’s sophistry, Zhang Yurong couldn’t help but say coldly, "So, do you think you’re very reasonable? Are you trying to emulate Tang Bohu and at least fill two mahjong tables, or follow Xu Zhimo’s example of having a wife while still being unfaithful, and eventually end up divorced?"

Usually, Li Yan wouldn’t deliberately bring up this topic with Zhang Yurong, so now that he had the chance, he casually expressed his rebellious mindset. Not that he expected to brainwash her, but he wanted to offer her a different perspective against her fixed thinking. However, he also knew that such matters couldn’t be rushed. Seeing that she was getting annoyed, he chuckled and prepared to brush it off.

"Haha, how would I dare? Those people are all talented scholars, and I’m not one, probably just a wolf at best. Besides, you know the outcome of brother Zhimo, isn’t that like cursing me?"

Zhang Yurong snorted and said no more. With her intelligence, it was easy to tell that his answer was insubstantial and evasive. However, she believed that Li Yan wouldn’t dare to aim to be like Tang Bohu, wanting a whole harem. Even the most famous scholars today couldn’t manage that; this isn’t a feudal society anymore, right? But Xu Zhimo’s way was still highly possible!

"Have you finished talking?"

"Well, yes, sort of... but..." Li Yan suddenly laughed, "I realize talking on the phone with you isn’t too bad either. It seems like we usually only talk on the phone when there’s something to say. This is the first time we’re just chatting like this, right?"

"Hmph! Do you think everyone is as idle as you, Manager Li?" Zhang Yurong was upset to the point of hanging up immediately. Starting work early in the morning, and he was already blabbering on without beginning work! Who has time to chat endlessly with him?

"OK! Since you don’t like it, I won’t joke around. I’ll get to the point and say one last thing." Li Yan got serious:

"Yurong, although we didn’t know or understand each other before, we’ve known each other for nearly a year now. You should understand a bit about my personality by now, whether you call it loving many or being a playboy, or even shameless, I’ll admit it. But I must say, character is hard to change in a short time. Whether our relationship can last depends on mutual effort. I hope you’ll be a bit more tolerant of me. I know, it’s a shameless request. But just like when we first met, I didn’t interfere with you either, like with Liu Yuyang. As long as it’s normal social interactions, as long as it’s not like before with gift exchanges like rings, I can accept it."

He wasn’t pretending to be magnanimous; he was speaking honestly. Zhang Yurong is not and cannot be exclusively his. She is the leader of a conglomerate, the CEO of the Paradise Group. Her identity ensures that even if she dislikes socializing, there are many unavoidable events. Liu Yuyang is a family friend, a schoolmate. Demanding her not to interact with him would be excessive, so he openly said this.

Yurong was slightly taken aback. This was about his issue, what did it have to do with Liu Yuyang? But then she recalled how Liu Yuyang had come to her house just the other day, acted very familiar, and even gave her a ring as a gift, which was quite inappropriate. What did he mean by this? Was he jealous?

She initially wanted to say, "I wouldn’t be as casual as you," but seeing there was a hint of jealousy from Li Yan, she held back. All along, she had been passively troubled by his philandering; it was rare for him to be troubled! Making him jealous brought her a peculiar thrill.

"Alright, as you say!"

Seeing her agree so directly, Li Yan felt a slight regret. Wouldn’t this trigger her revenge mentality? I have slept with other women; if this woman decided to take revenge... Of course, he was confident in Zhang Yurong. Even when they had titles, parental recognition, and later sentiments, they hadn’t gone that further. She most likely wouldn’t get too close to other men to provoke or retaliate against him. Besides, if she had feelings for Liu Yuyang all along, they could have developed long ago.

Yet, being a man, he’s selfish about his wife. Even with confidence in Yurong, he must prevent the likes of Liu Yuyang from misbehaving. If Yurong fell into a trap due to their relationship’s lack of defense, it’d be too late even if he killed him. Hence, he made a remark: "Don’t say I badmouthed him, but Liu Yuyang is no saint; he’s full of schemes."

Zhang Yurong almost laughed. And you say that’s not badmouthing? You’ve only met him once, where he was very polite, yet you conclude he’s not good and full of tricks?

"Oh? Really?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Of course, I’ll send you a recording later, and you’ll understand. Don’t call me despicable, I just want to protect you." Li Yan hesitated a bit, but he said it.

The audio was actually recorded the night he was confronted by Liu Yuyang, before parking and their conversation. He had anticipated what Liu Yuyang might say, and while texting with Yurong then, he just turned on the recording in his phone. He had mainly recorded their conversation until he had to drive and push Liu Yuyang’s car to close the recording.

Originally, it was just a whim for evidence, not intending to give it to Yurong, as that might seem like tattling, affecting both their impressions negatively. But recent concerns made him decide to send it, even if it tarnished his image slightly.

Yurong hadn’t received or seen the audio file, unsure of its despicableness. But she grabbed his words and teased: "Just now, someone said, ’Liu Yuyang is also not a good person, also full of tricks.’ Why use two ’also’s? Does that mean someone else is also not good, also full of tricks?"

"Ahem..." Li Yan said that referring to Liu Yuyang being like Ye Jiahong and many other outstanding men, eyeing Yurong’s beauty and family background. But he didn’t want to elaborate now, just coughed, "Dear wife, watch your image! You’re a female CEO, yet your words are more roguish than mine?"

"Tch!" It was rare for Zhang Yurong to win against Li Yan in a verbal spar, improving her mood substantially, alleviating most of her depression earlier. "You know I have an image; you know I’m your boss, right? So call me President Zhang properly. What’s with ’dear wife’? Sounds terrible. And you emphasize ’female’ in female CEO, as if the title is gender-specific?"

"Sweat... Generally, when talking about CEOs, people assume they’re male, so if I don’t emphasize female CEO, wouldn’t there be misunderstandings? In fact, I should be emphasizing ’beautiful female CEO, dear wife’..."

"Hanging up!" Hearing Li Yan continue, Zhang Yurong promptly hung up. Once she checked the time, realizing he had delayed her for quite a while. She hummed lightly, expressing her discontent.

However, she felt quite comforted. This time felt worth the delay, at least releasing most of her mental burden, allowing her to focus on work.

Just then, her phone beeped. Seeing the multimedia message, she remembered Li Yan’s mention of the recording.

After a short pause, she started playing the audio file, listening to the conversation between both men that night.

Hearing Liu Yuyang’s mocking of Li Yan as a kept man, a poor loser who married into the Zhang Family, and vulgar language made her frown deeply. Liu Yuyang’s gentlemanly image shattered.

When he heard Liu proposing 5 million yuan for Li Yan to leave, saying Li wouldn’t get what he would, and he could control or even take over Paradise Group, it made Zhang Yurong feel incredulous. Was he disguised for years? But it wasn’t impossible. Although familiar for years, his visits to the Zhang Family were countable, and meetings with her weren’t frequent or long. Disguising wouldn’t be hard. Li Yan and she acted for half a year with these ways (though it stopped being acting later).

The last part, hearing Liu mention using 50,000 yuan to teach Li Yan a lesson, infuriated her!

Of course, when hearing Li Yan refusing to give her up, saying ’Yurong is such a good girl, and she treats me well, I won’t quit for your 5 million, I’d give you 5 million not to bother her, would you agree,’ gave her some comfort. However, it didn’t move her much, as it was a statement he made during recording, deliberately saying it out loud.

Knowing recording was inappropriate and purposefully exposing Liu Yuyang’s nasty side to her didn’t improve impressions, but she didn’t expect greatness from Li Yan, and it didn’t reduce much. Conversely, someone she once saw as an excellent family brother, Liu Yuyang, drastically lost standing, appearing despicable now.

After listening, Yurong deleted the audio file. Then she exhaled deeply, remarking on the morning’s frustrations before starting work.

She shook her head, leaving personal issues behind, ready to tackle her day. Just as she did, her phone rang again. Assuming it was Li, asking about the audio, she sarcastically answered, "What is it?"

But she quickly changed her tone, discovering it was Yue Yao calling. Shocked, she exclaimed, "What? You’re leaving?"

(Thanks for yesterday’s rewards: reader 100226104037619, dongmin8061, CP Pampas, zjun971210)

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