Chapter 82: Haven't Bathed Yet

"Absolutely," Lin Yang replied with a cheeky grin, though inwardly he was grumbling to himself. Damn it, to raise such a remarkable child, how could his mother possibly be an ordinary woman? Still, what Lin Yang was really curious about was the boy's father. From what Mrs. Wang, Yu Qianqian, had hinted, it seemed that the boy's mischief, his unpredictable temperament, and even his penchant for flirtation were all inherited from his father. Such an extraordinary and intriguing father—if he didn't meet him at least once, Lin Yang would truly feel a sense of loss.

Once Mrs. Wang had left, Tang Yixue dropped all pretense. She sat down on the sofa, her tone grave and direct. "Xiao Yang, what exactly is going on? Now's the time for you to give me a proper explanation!"

Knowing there was no way to hide from Tang Yixue's discerning eyes, Lin Yang fished a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, taking a slow drag before beginning his explanation. He hadn't smoked for a while, and the craving had crept back.

Lin Yang recounted every detail, leaving nothing out. Tang Yixue's delicate brows knit tighter and tighter as she listened, her expression darkening. Yet, while Lin Yang spoke, she wisely kept her silence.

By the time half a cigarette was spent, Lin Yang had eloquently laid out the entire sequence of events, his account inevitably tinged with personal emotion. Whenever it came to the Fang family, their bullying and ambition, his righteous indignation overflowed. Any chance to tarnish the Fang family's reputation, Lin Yang seized with relish—after all, words cost nothing, so why hold back?

"The one in charge of the Fang family in Jinhai is Fang Tianyu. Last time, you got into a conflict with him. At the police station, he probably realized Bai Jing was your friend, so he couldn't act directly against you. That's why he shifted his focus to harm your friends," Tang Yixue analyzed, her intelligence on full display. "In a sense, the Bai family has been caught in the crossfire because of you."

She continued, "I've told you before, Fang Tianyu is a petty man, vengeful to the core. He won't let this go easily. You need to be careful dealing with him in the future."

Lin Yang understood all too well. But he also knew that even if Bai Jing hadn't shown up at the police station, the Fang family would have found some way to swallow up the Bai family's Baifu Pharmaceuticals. It was an inevitable encroachment, only the timetable might have been delayed.

"But sooner or later, the Bai and Fang families were bound for a head-on confrontation. You were just the fuse that sped things along. So you don't need to feel guilty about it. This business war was unavoidable for the Bai family, unless they chose to withdraw from the pharmaceutical industry altogether," Tang Yixue concluded, her analysis as precise as a computer.

Lin Yang understood her points, but he also knew that if it hadn't been for his involvement, the Bai family might have held out longer, and the Fang family wouldn't have retaliated so recklessly. If the Golden Silkworm Powder had been properly prepared before launch, it could have made a grand entrance rather than being hastily released to market.

"Alright, let's not get sidetracked. Tell me, what's the main reason you came to see me?" Tang Yixue took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and looked at Lin Yang with a seriousness that couldn't hide a certain lingering affection. At the very least, when he needed help most, she was the first person he thought of—and that was enough for her.

Women are indeed strange creatures, she thought, to find comfort in such convoluted logic.

"I want to use the Tang family's network in Jinhai—its political connections, its underworld influence—to spread the word about the miraculous effects of Golden Silkworm Powder. I want it to become the city's hottest rumor overnight, just like a tabloid scandal," Lin Yang declared passionately, as if announcing the rise of a new star in the pharmaceutical world.

Tang Yixue was somewhat bewildered by his enthusiasm but patiently pressed further, "Xiao Yang, can you tell me—do you want Golden Silkworm Powder to take the professional route, or the mass-market approach?"

Now it was Lin Yang's turn to be confused. Professional route? Mass-market approach? What on earth was she talking about? The Lin family was a titan in the business world, but he'd always been obsessed with the Thirteen Heavenly Blades, his mind full of ways to make beautiful women even more stunning. He really did have the makings of a rake.

Seeing Lin Yang's puzzled look, Tang Yixue was tempted to crack his head open just to see what was going on inside. With growing impatience, she explained once again.

After learning that the professional route targeted high-end clientele while the mass-market approach meant low-cost, broad appeal, Lin Yang fell silent. Ever since he’d decided to collaborate with the Bai family to promote Golden Silkworm Powder, he’d intended to be a hands-off partner. He’d never really thought about strategy—so long as there was money to be made, that was enough. His main focus had always been on improving his own skills, advancing his mastery of the Thirteen Heavenly Blades.

The sudden illness of Zhang Zifeng, and learning that the old master had also contracted the HSV virus and could fall ill at any time, only strengthened Lin Yang’s resolve to improve the Thirteen Heavenly Blades as quickly as possible.

Having learned the difference between the two approaches from Tang Yixue, Lin Yang was relieved. Without another word, he pulled out his phone, found Bai Jing’s number, and called her. He felt that such a nuanced decision should be left to the capable and beautiful Bai Jing, who handled the business side of things. He was just the one who provided the formula; all other troubles could be left to the business genius.

Watching Lin Yang consult with Bai Jing on the phone, Tang Yixue couldn’t help but laugh so hard she bent over, silently cursing his shamelessness. How could he dump everything on the beautiful woman and play the carefree boss?

Three minutes later, after wrapping up the call, Lin Yang turned with a sly grin to Tang Yixue. "We'll start with the professional route, then expand to the mass-market approach later."

This answer was exactly what Tang Yixue had expected. After all, as a new drug, if Golden Silkworm Powder were launched immediately as a cheap mass-market product, it would be dismissed as just another face cream. Once the price dropped, it would be hard to raise it again.

"Alright, I understand. I'll get in touch with some of the most reputable beauty salons and pharmacies in Jinhai. When the product launches, we’ll sell it directly through their stores," Tang Yixue replied with a smile.

Lin Yang, grinning roguishly, sidled up to her. With the business settled, the two lovers, reunited after a brief separation, naturally gravitated toward the bedroom.

Just as Lin Yang, hungry as a wolf, was about to pounce on Tang Yixue, she stopped him with a blush, her voice low and shy: "What about the promotional video? Why haven’t you mentioned it? Don’t tell me it’s already done?"

Lin Yang was speechless. Damn it, at a time like this, she had to bring up advertising? Wait—advertising! It was as if a bolt of lightning struck him. His eyes widened, his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an egg. He cursed inwardly: How could he have forgotten such an important step? This was beyond ridiculous.

His face fell. He didn’t know any celebrities, had no experience with this sort of thing, and hadn’t the faintest idea where to begin. What to do? Of course—Bai Jing. He pulled out his phone again and, with practiced shamelessness, dumped the problem on her over the phone. By the time he hung up, all responsibility had been neatly pushed away.

"Yixue," Lin Yang said tenderly, gazing at Tang Yixue beside him.

Tang Yixue, her mind still occupied with plans to contact salon and pharmacy owners, replied absentmindedly, "What is it?" But when she turned and saw his expression, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Lin Yang, now covered in her spray of laughter, pretended to be indignant. "Hmph! How dare you attack me with your spit? I’ll have to punish you for this."

Moans and sighs filled the air, the kind of sounds that left little doubt as to the nature of Lin Yang’s so-called punishment.

"Xiao Yang… mm, ah!" Tang Yixue’s cries, mingled with moans, rose and fell.

"What is it?" Lin Yang managed to ask in a low voice, finally freeing his mouth, only to claim her cherry lips again, seeking the sweetness within.

"It’s still daytime," Tang Yixue murmured shyly, though her lips met his advances willingly.

"No matter, we’re in the room," Lin Yang replied, unfazed.

Moans and sighs followed, as Lin Yang’s hands shamelessly found their way to the curves of her chest, kneading with abandon, the fabric between them doing nothing to diminish his pleasure.

"No, not here—we’re in the living room!" Tang Yixue protested, her struggles only spurring Lin Yang on, his hands growing ever bolder.

"Fine, let’s go to the bedroom." Shamelessness is invincible, Lin Yang thought, finally understanding the wisdom behind the saying. His hands left her chest, wrapped around her smooth back in a tight embrace, then slid down to her rounded, supple hips. With a firm grip, he lifted her easily, stood, and, catching a glimpse of the bedroom door, staggered toward it with her in his arms.

The door creaked as he gently kicked it open, then hooked it shut with his foot. Quickening his pace, he laid Tang Yixue down on the bed, ready to consummate their passion—the age-old dance of man and woman.

With Lin Yang’s mouth covering hers, Tang Yixue could barely make a sound. When he finally paused for breath and she tried to speak, all that escaped were shy, seductive moans.

After several failed attempts to break free from Lin Yang’s fiery embrace, Tang Yixue steeled herself and bit down gently on his tongue as he pried open her lips.

The tongue is indeed the most sensitive; the light bite made Lin Yang’s eyes fly open as he stared at Tang Yixue, puzzled. "Yixue, what is it now? Don’t tell me your period’s come again?"

That was the last straw. Tang Yixue snapped, "Hmph, you’re the one whose period’s come!"

"Uh, I’m a man, that’s not going to happen to me, haha. No need to worry about me, Yixue." The shameless are truly invincible. No matter how she tried to rebuff him, Lin Yang paid no heed.

A little teasing was fine, but Lin Yang knew better than to push his luck. He withdrew his mischievous smile and, with a serious expression, raised himself off her, asking solemnly, "Then what is it? You keep resisting."

"I still haven’t showered," Tang Yixue muttered, her head lowered, wishing she could bury her face in her full chest from embarrassment.

Lin Yang burst out laughing, got out of bed, stood up, then bent down and scooped Tang Yixue into his arms once more.

Startled, Tang Yixue protested, "Xiao Yang, what are you doing now?"