Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 682: Chapter 685: The Hacker

Yang Chen spent the entire afternoon accompanying Mo Qianni around town, lifting her spirits and helping her put aside her worries.

When they got home after work, they found Lin Ruoxi watching TV with Guo Xuehua and Wang Ma.

Lin Ruoxi gave Yang Chen a look that was hard to decipher, but it was clear she was displeased.

"Mom, I'll go serve the dishes," Lin Ruoxi stood up and headed straight to the kitchen without greeting Yang Chen.

Yang Chen was puzzled. They had just reconciled yesterday and had grown closer. Why was she giving him the cold shoulder again?

He followed her into the kitchen, picked up two plates, and followed her, smiling, "Darling, your husband is home. Why no greeting? It's not very harmonious."

Lin Ruoxi placed the dishes on the table, turned around, and scoffed, "What were you doing this afternoon?"

Yang Chen was at a loss for words. Judging by her expression, she must have found out about him spending the afternoon with Mo Qianni.

"Can't say? Let me tell you then. The whole company is talking about why Director Yang disappeared all afternoon with Vice President Mo. Wu Yue even came to my office to ask if I knew about it," Lin Ruoxi glared at Yang Chen. "How do you think I should answer? Should I say I didn't know? That would be ridiculous—how could I not know my husband is out on a date with the vice president right under my nose? Should I say I did know? Then what kind of situation is that?"

Yang Chen shrugged helplessly, "I didn't think it through. We didn't do anything inappropriate. You know, Qianni has been in a bad mood lately, so I took her out for lunch and a walk."

"You don't need to report to me. I can't control you, and I don't want to be a jealous wife. Do whatever you want, just don't leave me speechless in front of our subordinates," Lin Ruoxi said.

Yang Chen smiled apologetically, "How about this? I'll spend a day with you tomorrow. The company's busywork is done, and I have some free time."

Lin Ruoxi glanced coldly at him, "Oh, how considerate of you. Sorry, you're free, but I'm not."

With that, she turned and went back to the kitchen to get more dishes, ignoring Yang Chen.

Yang Chen scratched his head, unsure how to make Lin Ruoxi happy again. It was understandable that she felt awkward being questioned by Wu Yue about this matter.

Dinner was tasteless for Yang Chen, as Lin Ruoxi didn't say a word to him and went upstairs to work in the study right after eating.

After clearing the table, Guo Xuehua took off her apron and called Yang Chen before he could go upstairs, "Son, come to my room."

Yang Chen wondered what his mother wanted but nodded and followed her.

In her room, Guo Xuehua had Yang Chen sit on the bed and looked at his face carefully for a while before smiling kindly, "I overheard some of what you said to Ruoxi earlier. You're in the wrong here. You can't put Ruoxi in such an awkward position. It's one thing for us family to know, but if outsiders find out, it would negatively impact both Ruoxi and Qianni."

Yang Chen nodded silently, "I've thought about it. I was too hasty. But I've been so worried about Qianni that I couldn't wait."

Guo Xuehua sighed softly, "Do you really like that girl so much? Even though her mother is against it, you still won't let go?"

Yang Chen shook his head and smiled, a hint of emotion in his eyes, "If I could let go now, I wouldn't have accepted her in the first place. Call me selfish or hypocritical, but I don't want to experience losing someone I love again."

Guo Xuehua was slightly surprised. She could tell Yang Chen was hinting at something, but she knew it wasn't a pleasant memory. So, she skipped over it, "Don't be impulsive. This can't be rushed."

Yang Chen smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Mom. I know Ma Guifang is the most important person to Qianni. I'll consider her feelings and handle this carefully. I'll talk to her and even if she chases me away, I'll endure it. Although this approach frustrates me, it's the only way now."

Guo Xuehua patted his hand, relieved, "I was worried you'd be too reckless. Hearing this, I'm reassured. You know, Yang Chen, when I first met you before recognizing you, your way of handling things was like a ticking time bomb, always making me uneasy. Maybe it's because you were used to being alone abroad, or the environment you grew up in made you that way—dominant, tough, sometimes even unreasonably bossy. I always saw the kindness in you, but your actions often made people have mixed feelings about you. Now, you consider others more and are much more thoughtful. As you said, you might feel constrained, but living with connections and responsibilities is what life is about, isn't it?"

Yang Chen smiled brightly, "Mom, are you giving me a tranquilizer? Don't worry, I'll be more considerate from now on. I used to be a carefree bachelor, but now I have a family to take care of. I understand the importance."

Guo Xuehua tapped his forehead lightly, "Good. Now go rest. I'll cut some fruit and bring it to you."

The next morning, Yang Chen had a brief meeting with Zhao Teng and Wang Jie in his office. After the meeting ended around nine, An Xin walked in, her steps unsteady.

Yang Chen frowned, smelling the scent of alcohol, "An Xin, did you drink last night?"

An Xin's face looked a bit pale as she forced a smile, "Yes, I attended a friend's birthday party and drank a bit too much. Don't worry, I'm fine. But don't dock my pay for being late."

Yang Chen sighed, walked over to her, and held her delicate hand. He slowly infused her meridians with his true essence. After breaking through to the Xiantian realm, his true qi had transformed into a more fundamental true essence, retaining the powerful restorative properties of the "Wang Nian Derivative Sutra," making it easy to heal damaged tissues.

An Xin felt a warm sensation throughout her body, making her want to drift into a deep sleep. In an instant, her fatigue and weariness vanished.

An Xin, already familiar with Yang Chen's miraculous abilities, chuckled, "Husband, you're like a Doraemon, truly omnipotent."

"Don't compare me to non-human things," Yang Chen joked, then reminded her, "Even if you want to party with friends, don't drink too much. Next time I catch you, I'll punish you and not restore you so quickly. You'll have to suffer for a bit."

An Xin pouted and said, "Got it."

With things settled, Yang Chen was about to go out to see Ma Guifang to discuss Mo Qianni when his subordinate, Wang Jie, rushed in frantically.

"Bad news, Director Yang! Something happened at the head office!" Wang Jie exclaimed, panic written all over her face.

Yang Chen and An Xin were both taken aback. Yang Chen frowned and asked, "The head office? What's wrong with Yu Lei?"

Wang Jie hesitated, unsure how to explain, before running to Yang Chen's desk, opening his computer, and saying, "Director Yang, come and see for yourself. The whole company is in an uproar!"

Yang Chen and An Xin walked over to the computer, looking at the screen. Yang Chen was puzzled, not understanding what he saw, but An Xin's face changed, her eyes showing disbelief.

The screen displayed numerous documents and files uploaded to a public network drive for anyone to download.

"How can this be possible?" An Xin murmured.

Wang Jie, looking distressed, said, "Miss An Xin, the whole company is going crazy. How could this happen?"

Yang Chen, not understanding, asked, "An Xin, what are these documents? Procurement plans, bidding documents?"

An Xin sighed heavily, "These documents are Yu Lei International's procurement plans, bidding plans, negotiation strategies, and some acquisition plans for the next six months. There are also client details, product design blueprints, and the company's internal financial budget and distribution plans."

"I understand the words, but what's the big deal?" Yang Chen asked, confused.

An Xin explained bitterly, "In simple terms, these documents contain Yu Lei International's most critical business secrets. If any of these reach our competitors, it would be devastating. With so many documents now publicly available online, it means that our operations for the next six months are almost transparent. Imagine negotiating with someone who already knows your offer, or trying to purchase materials only to find them bought up by others. Even if Yu Lei doesn't go bankrupt, we could be set back by years or even decades."

"How did such important documents end up online? Could it be a hacker?" Yang Chen asked, finally grasping the severity of the situation.

Wang Jie shook her head, "Director Yang, these crucial documents are usually kept as physical copies to prevent cyber threats, especially for a large company like ours, which is a prime target. These documents are stored in the offices of senior executives, in secure safes with anti-theft and alarm systems."

Yang Chen narrowed his eyes, a thought crossing his mind, "Do we know who leaked these documents?"

Wang Jie looked troubled, "Most of these documents involve negotiations and bids, as well as market plans. According to protocol, they're stored in the PR department at the head office, which is currently under Director Liu Mingyu."