After The Divorce, My Ex-Wife Is Consumed By Regret - Chapter 2

Divorce?

Ji Xiran stared at Chu Yuan in utter silence.

If Chu Yuan were truly going to divorce Yan Dai, she would absolutely support it with both hands and both feet. She was without a doubt the person who wanted to see Chu Yuan and Yan Dai get a divorce more than anyone else in the entire world. No contest.

Ji Xiran had always been highly tolerant of women and rarely found herself genuinely disliking any of them, except for Yan Dai.

Who could blame her? Ever since Yan Dai married Chu Yuan, she had constantly kept Chu Yuan in a state of perpetual insecurity, always worrying about gains and losses.

Chu Yuan was her best friend, her dearest confidante, and the second most important person in her life right after her own mother, Ji Yuanlan.

As far as Ji Xiran was concerned, absolutely nothing about Yan Dai was pleasing to the eye. After all, how could anyone who bullied her best friend be a good person?

Chu Yuan was so beautiful, so cute, so talented, so… (the list of her virtues was simply endless). Yan Dai’s failure to cherish her was proof that she was completely blind!

But would Chu Yuan really have the heart to go through with a divorce? Ji Xiran didn’t believe it for a second.

Feeling rather speechless, Ji Xiran said, “I don’t believe you.”

Because when it came to getting a divorce, Chu Yuan had already said it more times than anyone could count!

The problem was that every single time, the moment the words left Chu Yuan’s mouth, her “love-brain” would kick in the very next second, and she would start finding excuses to comfort herself.

Yan Dai must just be too busy, that’s why she forgot my birthday;

Yan Dai mentioned before we got married that she’s a germaphobe, so that’s why she won’t let me touch her;

An arranged marriage doesn’t have an emotional foundation to begin with. If I just persist a little longer and take the initiative, maybe Yan Dai will grow to like me…

And so on and so forth.

No matter how deeply Yan Dai broke Chu Yuan’s heart one moment, Chu Yuan would always find some sort of excuse to soothe herself the next.

Ji Xiran could have plenty of beautiful older sisters and cute younger sisters surrounding her, but the only little princess in her heart was Chu Yuan.

In her eyes, a pampered young lady like Chu Yuan, who had been raised in luxury and showered with affection from thousands since childhood was used to having the entire world revolve around her. When had she ever been so subservient to anyone else?

Chu Yuan raised her foot, fiercely grinding her heel into the luxury designer handbag on the floor to vent her frustration. She said resentfully, “I mean it this time. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Ji Xiran played along. “Alright, then I believe you. If you go back on your word and don’t get a divorce, you’re a puppy.”

Chu Yuan: “…”

She sniffled and fell silent.

Frustrated by her friend’s lack of resolve, Ji Xiran raised her voice. “Chu Yuan! You really have no spine at all! She clearly doesn’t want to pay any attention to you, yet you’re still rushing to throw yourself at her feet like a dog!”

Chu Yuan gave her a resentful, aggrieved look and complained, “Why do you have to put it so harshly…”

Isn’t it completely natural to coax one’s own wife? What’s all this talk about dogs and cats.

Furthermore, a wealthy marriage alliance like theirs wasn’t as simple as just a legal union between two individuals, it also involved the intersection of commercial interests and cooperative ventures between two entire clans.

Thus, Chu Yuan found a flawless excuse for herself: “Even if I want a divorce, my mother wouldn’t agree to it.”

Ji Xiran let out a cold laugh. “Heh.”

As the prestigious eldest miss of the Chu family, naturally pampered and willful from birth, whether she had been dissatisfied and reluctant to go through with the arranged marriage back then, or wanted a divorce now, since when did she actually need to consider family interests?

It was purely because she couldn’t bear to let go of Yan Dai as a person.

Ji Xiran sighed. “I knew that whatever you say while drunk can’t be taken seriously. If the day ever comes when you actually divorce her, I’ll rent out an entire plaza just to set off fireworks in celebration.”

Chu Yuan corrected her, “I’m not drunk.”

This part was actually true. She really wasn’t drunk, just a little dizzy at most.

If she could get completely wasted on just that tiny bit of alcohol earlier, it would mean the young miss of the Chu family had wasted her last twenty-four years of social life!

Ji Xiran unbuckled the seatbelt she had just fastened. “Since you’re not drunk, let’s head back to my lounge to keep playing. Whether you like mature, elegant women or sweet, cute girls, my place has them all.”

“Isn’t yours a respectable bar?”

“Naturally, it is as proper as proper can be. Is it a crime to make a few close, like minded friends outside? Besides, you just finished your book signing event and rushed all this way to my place, what else did you want to do?”

As soon as Ji Xiran finished speaking, she guessed Chu Yuan’s true intentions. “I think you were just in a bad mood and came to my place to throw a tantrum. Once you’ve vented all your frustration, you’ll just go back home submissively, won’t you?”

After all, Chu Yuan had done this more than once.

Whenever she suffered an injury to her pride from Yan Dai, she would come to Wink Bar to let off steam, and then head right back home once she was done.

If you’ve got the nerve, go lose your temper at Yan Dai instead!

The more Ji Xiran thought about it, the angrier she became. Without waiting for Chu Yuan’s response, she continued to twist the knife. “What’s wrong with going in to have some fun? Do you really think Yan Dai doesn’t have someone new while she’s abroad? How could she not?”

In their social circle, who didn’t have two or three girlfriends on the side?

Someone like Ji Xiran, who preferred to flirt around without ever committing to a relationship, doing whatever she pleased just to keep herself entertained, was already considered relatively proper.

And those who got married but still kept extramarital lovers were certainly not unheard of.

After all, if one’s wife didn’t like them, were they supposed to live like a widow for the rest of their days?

Yan Dai was so cold and indifferent toward Chu Yuan, it was obvious at a glance that she had found a new flame abroad.

Chu Yuan herself had long suspected this possibility, but having it explicitly pointed out by Ji Xiran made her defenses utterly crumble.

Amplified by the liquid courage surging through her veins, Chu Yuan no longer needed any further persuasion from Ji Xiran. She pushed open the car door, got out with an aura of aggressive determination, and marched right back through the front doors of Wink Bar.

Hmph, who says I can’t let go of Yan Dai?

Her wife treats her so poorly, if she doesn’t find someone new tonight, she really is a puppy.

Ji Xiran followed her out of the car.

The two of them returned to their original seats. The group from earlier was still sitting in the exact same spot, sipping Long Island Iced Teas and playing a game of Avalon.

Seeing the two of them return, the eyes of several girls lit up. They crowded around once more, chattering away in Ji Xiran and Chu Yuan’s ears.

“Boss Ji, who is this lovely lady? We rarely see her around here.”

“Sister Xiran, your friend is so beautiful! What’s her name?”

“Hey beautiful~ Are you single right now? Can I add you on WeChat?”

Because Chu Yuan had married right after graduating from university, she fell into the category of marrying precociously young. She still looked incredibly youthful, so it was impossible to tell she was a married woman.

Since Ji Xiran was a wealthy and generous woman, her friends were bound to come from affluent backgrounds and possess deep pockets. Combined with Chu Yuan’s harmless, sweet, and adorable face, she was a highly sought-after prize in the lesbian community.

Away from Yan Dai, Chu Yuan was still that highly anticipated, deeply adored little princess. As long as people were around her, they would endlessly dote on her.

Ji Xiran reached out and wrapped an arm around Chu Yuan’s shoulders in a natural, intimate gesture, introducing her on her behalf. “You can call her Xiao Yuan. She’s here to make some friends with everyone today.”

Xiao Yuan was Chu Yuan’s childhood nickname.

Ji Xiran avoided using her real name because in Beijing, everyone knew exactly who Chu Yuan was the sole, precious pearl of the prominent Chu family, who had entered a powerful alliance with another tycoon family, the Yans, right after graduation. And her wife was the eldest daughter of the Yan family, Yan Dai.

If her true identity were revealed, it was highly likely no one here would dare to approach her.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, but rather that they wouldn’t dare. Ordinary people rarely had the chance to cross paths with second-generation socialites of that caliber.

Ji Xiran was the exception. She loved flirting with all kinds of girls, and had opened Wink Bar largely to facilitate her own social life, so most of the patrons here had some level of connection with them.

Hearing Ji Xiran’s words, the others naturally assumed Chu Yuan was single and looking for a girlfriend, which made them gather around with even greater enthusiasm.

Chu Yuan looked at the girls who were actively approaching her. Their faces carried a hint of novelty, showing a genuine interest in her and a desire to become friends.

Each of these girls was beautiful in her own unique way, carrying a subtle, pleasant fragrance.

The round-faced girl was adorable, the one with bangs looked sweet and obedient, the girl with curved, smiling eyes possessed a natural playfulness while a poised, cool-headed mature woman displayed exquisite features and an extraordinary aura. Whether they were slender or voluptuous, fair-skinned or possessing a healthy, sun-kissed glow, every single one of them possessed a distinct beauty.

Yet, Chu Yuan simply could not find that specific, heart fluttering sensation she had experienced when she first laid eyes on Yan Dai.

Sometimes, the heart is incredibly small, capable of holding only one person.

Because Yan Dai lived inside it, looking at anyone else felt like looking at mere background noise.

The more Chu Yuan thought about it, the more unsettled she felt.

In short, her emotions were a tangled mess. Yan Dai, oh Yan Dai, just what kind of spell did you cast on me to make me love you this much?

In Ji Xiran’s words, the way she had spent the last three years revolving around Yan Dai made her look exactly like a little puppy following its master around.

Perhaps out of spite, or perhaps because the resentment she had suppressed for so long had finally erupted in full force, Chu Yuan cast all caution to the wind. She brought up her QR code on her phone and placed it directly on the table.

With a few consecutive electronic beeps, several girls eagerly scanned her code and added her as a WeChat friend.

Ji Xiran displayed a gratified expression from the side and quickly urged everyone, “Come on, let’s keep playing!”

Under Ji Xiran’s enthusiastic prompting, the atmosphere became even more lively. The group switched to a different card game, one specifically designed with romantic and flirtatious prompts. Very quickly, everyone was having a blast, and the drinks flowed freely.

The round of Long Island Iced Teas on the table soon ran dry.

Normally, this particular drink was meant to be sipped slowly for its taste. Although it tasted sweet, tart, and refreshing, its actual alcohol content was exceptionally high.

It was widely said that beginners would pass out after just one cup of Long Island Iced Tea. Even those with a decent tolerance couldn’t hold out after a couple of glasses, though Chu Yuan, with her legendary tolerance, was an exception.

Nevertheless, the group managed to carry on until closing time before reluctantly dispersing.

By now, Chu Yuan was completely intoxicated, lacking even the strength to stand up and walk.

Ji Xiran stepped forward to support her.

When a person is semi-conscious, they become incredibly dead weight and difficult to lift, even if Chu Yuan wasn’t particularly heavy.

To make matters worse, Chu Yuan wasn’t the type to quietly go to sleep when drunk. Not only did she ramble incoherently about all sorts of nonsensical things, but she also started squirming and thrashing around as if she had suddenly developed hyperactive tendencies.

Ji Xiran had to call over two young girls working part time at the bar to help before they could finally manage to get Chu Yuan into the passenger seat of the car.

Ji Xiran obviously wouldn’t leave Chu Yuan to spend the night inside Wink Bar, no matter what, she had to take her home.

Except, she was taking her back to her own apartment.

Leaning over to carefully fasten Chu Yuan’s seatbelt, she noticed Chu Yuan’s wide, misty eyes staring at her fixedly. She remained frozen like that for a long, long time.

After about a minute, Chu Yuan’s lips puckered slightly into a deeply aggrieved pout. “You’re not my wife.”

Ji Xiran: “…”

She was truly reaching the limits of her patience.

During the games earlier, intimate actions like face to face closeness, holding hands, and locking eyes for ten seconds were completely standard.

After partying so hard for an entire night and getting turned completely inside out by alcohol, how on earth was Chu Yuan still thinking about that woman Yan Dai?

Ji Xiran couldn’t be bothered to argue with a drunkard. Without a word, she stepped on the gas pedal.

The car sped down the road, the outside scenery blurring past the windows.

Chu Yuan tilted her head slightly, resting it against the glass window. After muttering another long string of incoherent drunken ramblings, she suddenly said in a very soft, quiet voice: “I miss my wife.”

Ji Xiran: “…”

As a social butterfly who merely flirted through life, she possessed absolutely zero empathy for Chu Yuan’s hopeless romanticism.

Meanwhile, Chu Yuan was entirely at the mercy of the alcohol, completely focused on letting out her pent-up emotions.

Even though no one responded to her, she was perfectly capable of chattering away all by herself.

“I want to see her… I want her to come back to the country quickly… but she definitely doesn’t miss me. Maybe… maybe she even found a foreign girlfriend, wuuu…”

“Wuuu, why am I so pitiful? So many girls like me, but she’s the only one who doesn’t cherish me. I want to cry so badly.”

“We haven’t contacted each other in half a month. Every single time, I’m the one who initiates the conversation. Can’t she just take the initiative to say one thing to me for once~”

“It hurts… it hurts so much.”

Hearing this, Ji Xiran was exasperated to the core.

She really should have poured a few more glasses down Chu Yuan’s throat back at Wink Bar so she would have just knocked out completely.

Ji Xiran gritted her teeth. “I truly don’t get it. Why do you love Yan Dai so much?”

Why do you love her so much?

In truth, Chu Yuan didn’t really know the answer herself.

But even now, Chu Yuan remembered every detail of their very first encounter three years ago.

How could one describe that initial feeling?

There was probably only one phrase that could ever capture it perfectly.

A sudden, breathtaking flutter of the heart.