Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules - Chapter 12

Of course, it might just be Xu Zhen’s imagination.

Xing Yan didn’t invest much thought into Xu Zhen. After giving her a light, fleeting glance, she averted her gaze as if it had been nothing more than a casual look.

Sister Zhen Zhen scratched her head awkwardly. “Sister Zhen Zhen, have some drinks.”

Just then, the waiter brought over the exquisitely prepared pastries. Sister Zhen Zhen quickly arranged them on the plate, adjusting the angles. “The desserts here are absolutely delicious, Sister Zhen Zhen. You have to try them.”

“Not too sweet, not too heavy light, fluffy, and won’t make you gain weight. We’ve come here countless times already.”

Sister Zhen Zhen was a very thoughtful Omega. She had deliberately arranged everything in a way that made it easy for Xu Zhen to take photos. From Xu Zhen’s perspective, the pastries looked stunningly beautiful. It would be a shame not to snap a picture for keepsake, so she pulled out her phone.

Under Sister Zhen Zhen’s expectant gaze, Xu Zhen took a few careful shots. “They look pretty good.”

“They taste even better.” Sister Zhen Zhen enthusiastically handed Xu Zhen a small spoon. “If you like them, we can come here more often. Actually, I’ve wanted to hang out with you for a long time, but Jiang Ruan wouldn’t let me.”

Sister Zhen Zhen began tattling. “She said I’m too scatterbrained and talk too much, that I’d disturb your work, so she never allowed me to bother you.”

“The worst part is she wouldn’t even give me your personal contact info.”

After getting married, Xu Zhen and Jiang Ruan rarely interacted with each other’s friends. On one hand, Xu Zhen was busy with work, and on the other, Jiang Ruan never brought it up. Xu Zhen had always been tactful since childhood and wouldn’t impose by asking to integrate into the other’s social circle.

So the matter was simply overlooked, and it wasn’t until today that Xu Zhen finally had the chance to talk more with Sister Zhen Zhen.

“It’ll be better later. I’ll have more free time than I do now.” Xu Zhen took a bite of the dessert. Just as Sister Zhen Zhen had said, the sweetness was just right not cloying at all. She couldn’t help but take a second bite.

Sister Zhen Zhen paused. “Is it because of the contract termination?”

As a seasoned internet user, Sister Zhen Zhen was well-informed about every little stir online. “Your contract with Jiahua is about to expire. Once it does, Jiahua won’t be able to control you anymore. You’ll be free to take on scripts and could even earn more than before.”

“But given the pettiness of Jiahua’s CEO, he’ll probably try to block you from getting new work.”

Sister Zhen Zhen knew Jiahua’s CEO her parents were acquainted with him and had dined together a few times. To distract Xu Zhen and cheer her up, Sister Zhen Zhen unhesitatingly spilled all the dirt on the CEO.

In just ten minutes, Xu Zhen learned everything, down to the exact time he had fought with his wife.

Thanks to Sister Zhen Zhen’s relentless gossip, Xu Zhen’s mood did improve significantly. She was completely absorbed by the juicy details and even ended up exchanging some industry secrets of her own.

Sister Zhen Zhen listened in wide-eyed shock, covering her mouth repeatedly. “This is just unbelievable!”

Her reactions were priceless, providing ample emotional satisfaction. Xu Zhen smiled faintly, finding Sister Zhen Zhen’s personality delightful and amusing. So she took the initiative to exchange contact information with her.

Sister Zhen Zhen was overjoyed and casually asked, “A few of us have a small group chat. Should I add you.”

“No need,” Xu Zhen politely declined.

Her being out of place was one thing, but whether she and Jiang Ruan could last until the end was another. With so many uncertainties, Xu Zhen didn’t want to invite trouble.

Sister Zhen Zhen considered for a moment. “I was too abrupt. You can join us later when you’re more familiar with everyone.”

Xu Zhen smiled faintly, offering no further comment.

Spending time with Sister Zhen Zhen was comfortable and pleasant. The two of them sat together on the terrace, bathed in the warm golden sunlight. The blinds sliced the light into delicate fragments that danced across the space, creating a beautiful play of shadows.

Jiang Ruan soon ended her time with Xing Yan and approached Xu Zhen, using a glance to dismiss Sister Zhen Zhen. “Do you like the taste?”

“It’s alright,” Xu Zhen replied. “Better than I expected.”

“I’ll bring you here often in the future,” Jiang Ruan said, gazing at the Beta whose skin was illuminated by the sunlight. “Sister Zhen Zhen is a good person. You can hang out with her when you’re bored, she has plenty of free time.”

Sister Zhen Zhen’s family had sheltered her well. Like most Omegas, she didn’t need to work hard to earn money; her parents and family supported her comfortably, providing her with ample living expenses.

So Sister Zhen Zhen spent her days eating and playing, free from any pressure.

Xu Zhen acknowledged this before turning to ask, “What’s going on with Xing Yan?”

“What?” Jiang Ruan reflexively countered.

“I heard Xing Yan was in a bad mood today,” Xu Zhen said, looking directly into Jiang Ruan’s eyes. “Why?”

She tried to get an answer from Jiang Ruan but failed. “It’s probably related to her family, but I don’t know the specifics this time.”

Xu Zhen couldn’t tell whether Jiang Ruan genuinely didn’t know or was lying to her. She stared unblinkingly, her lips trembling several times, but in the end, she said nothing.

Forget it. She couldn’t be bothered to press further.

Xu Zhen gave Jiang Ruan a deep look. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

“She won’t tell me,” Jiang Ruan shook her head, as if this were routine. “If Ayan doesn’t want to talk, even holding a knife to her throat won’t make her speak.”

The familiarity in Jiang Ruan’s tone made Xu Zhen’s chest tighten uncomfortably, as if something were lodged there.

Jiang Ruan didn’t notice and continued, “You might think Ayan and I are close because of those baseless rumors, but the truth is the opposite.”

“Although we grew up together and often caused chaos in our reckless youth, after we both presented, we rarely interacted.”

“When she first presented, her condition wasn’t stable, so she was forced to stay home. Later, when she finally improved, she was sent abroad without delay.”

Jiang Ruan’s voice as she spoke was pleasant calm and clear, a stark contrast to the husky, magnetic tone before she took suppressants. “We don’t know what happened to her during her time abroad. As I said before, she has no intention of sharing.”

“After I finished my studies and got busy with work, we contacted each other even less.”

Ultimately, the reason they distanced themselves and were no longer as close as before was their secondary genders. Alphas and Omegas were different, and for Xing Yan, Jiang Ruan, as an Alpha, was a dangerous presence.

For Jiang Ruan, Xing Yan’s pheromones as an Omega were equally dangerous something that could easily make one lose rationality.

For the safety of both parties, they had tacitly agreed to cut off contact.

Or so it seemed. Xu Zhen’s gaze lingered on Jiang Ruan’s long, upturned lashes, sensing that Jiang Ruan was hiding something from her.

Though their spiritual and deeper-level exchanges had been few, her intuition told her the situation wasn’t as simple or superficial as Jiang Ruan was making it out to be.

Xu Zhen stared unblinkingly. The Alpha, perhaps feeling somewhat guilty, didn’t dare meet her eyes. “Want some fruit?”

“No,” Xu Zhen refused bluntly before adding, “Take me to meet Xing Yan again.”

Jiang Ruan’s head snapped up, eyes wide with shock.

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