Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules - Chapter 13

“Is that not allowed?” Xu Zhen took in the Alpha’s reaction with a cold, mocking smile.

Jiang Ruan didn’t outright refuse but tactfully replied, “Let’s do it another day.”

“Why does it have to be another day?” Xu Zhen pressed on, unusually insistent and aggressive. “Isn’t it convenient right now?”

A faint unease flickered across Jiang Ruan’s face. After a moment of silence, she forced out a seemingly reasonable excuse, “Ayan isn’t in a good mood today. If I bring you over unannounced, there’s a high chance she’ll lash out.”

“How about I introduce you two properly once she’s feeling better?”

Her tone carried a hint of pleading, barely masking her reluctance. Xu Zhen stared at her coldly. “How long is ‘another day’? Give me a clear answer. Never mind.”

Suddenly, Xu Zhen lost the will to argue. “Forget it.”

Forcing others wasn’t her style. If Jiang Ruan wasn’t willing, she wouldn’t push further.

Xu Zhen stood up and walked away, leaving Jiang Ruan behind. Sister Zhen Zhen, noticing the subtle tension between them, approached with excessive concern. “Xu Zhen, want to play pool?”

The pool room was right beside them, separated by transparent floor-to-ceiling glass. Xu Zhen glanced over. “Sure.”

Jiang Ruan remained on the terrace, her gaze following Xu Zhen inside. Ignoring her, Xu Zhen picked up a cue and moved with Sister Zhen Zhen. While Sister Zhen Zhen focused on the game, Xu Zhen subtly scanned the room, her eyes lingering on Xing Yan.

Even after parting with Jiang Ruan, Xing Yan sat alone, keeping a noticeable distance from the others.

“Aside from Xing Yan, are the rest all Alphas?”

Sister Zhen Zhen looked up, realizing Xu Zhen was addressing her. “Yes,” she confirmed. “Among our close group, apart from me and Ayan, everyone else presented as Alphas.”

“That’s why we’re usually careful about boundaries when interacting with others.”

There was an unspoken implication in her words, but Xu Zhen pretended not to notice and continued, “So you don’t meet up often?”

“That’s how it is with Ayan and us,” the Omega replied, unconsciously glancing at the wealthy Alpha woman laughing nearby. “After she was sent abroad at eighteen, her personality changed drastically. Even we can’t figure her out now.”

“We used to invite her enthusiastically, but she turned us down nine times out of ten. Eventually, the rest of us four started gathering more often.”

“Jiang Ruan rarely joins either. She’s too busy.”

Sister Zhen Zhen briefly summarized their dynamics, giving Xu Zhen a clearer picture. Satisfied, Xu Zhen stopped probing.

As silence fell, Sister Zhen Zhen belatedly realized she had revealed too much. Flustered, she focused on the pool table, sinking ball after ball without another word.

Xu Zhen studied Xing Yan thoughtfully, a sudden, inexplicable curiosity rising within her.

A drastic personality shift in such a short time meant something significant must have happened. Could that be the real reason Xing Yan was hastily sent abroad?

Xu Zhen watched her Xing Yan was unnervingly quiet.

She wasn’t as tall as Xu Zhen, so in Xu Zhen’s eyes, the Omega resembled an exquisite yet fragile porcelain doll, sitting obediently and alone in the corner, exuding an aura of delicate vulnerability.

Xu Zhen couldn’t quite explain why she felt an inexplicable urge to protect Xing Yan.

After some thought, she concluded it might be because the other woman was simply too beautiful and petite.

Xu Zhen always had more patience for beautiful things and people which was also why she had endured the rumors about Jiang Ruan and Xing Yan for a full six months.

When Xu Zhen first saw the gossip about Jiang Ruan and Xing Yan online, she didn’t believe it. Though she hadn’t spent much time with Jiang Ruan, their three-year relationship had at least given her a basic understanding of the woman.

Jiang Ruan was busy with work, and aside from that, her only focus was coming home to Xu Zhen for intimacy. Assistant Lu’s daily schedule updates were proof enough.

Xu Zhen didn’t think Assistant Lu would help Jiang Ruan hide anything from her. She had met the assistant before, a good person, almost rigidly principled in her honesty.

Whenever Jiang Ruan had unrealistic ideas or disagreed with her, Assistant Lu would criticize her bluntly, like a stern elder.

Given all this, Xu Zhen had always been skeptical of the rumors. But over time, Jiang Ruan chipped away at her trust, leaving Xu Zhen wavering, anxious, and eventually convinced.

The online articles were detailed and convincing, and coupled with Jiang Ruan’s odd behavior over the past six months, Xu Zhen could no longer deceive herself.

She wasn’t the type to lose herself in love. The moment she sensed something was wrong, she wanted to pull away and cut ties completely.

But the love and emotions she couldn’t sever physically kept her trapped in hesitation, unable to make a firm decision. She was waiting for a breaking point one that would extinguish her hopes for their marriage once and for all.

Xu Zhen had always been pessimistic about her future with Jiang Ruan. Yet after tonight’s gathering, she had picked up on the ambiguous dynamic between Jiang Ruan and Xing Yan.

The rumors between them seemed more like a smokescreen, deliberately released to hide and deceive…

Xu Zhen’s expression darkened. Sister Zhen Zhen, observing her discreetly, regretted her loose tongue yet again. She should’ve known better, what seemed like a simple task was anything but.

Fidgeting nervously, Sister Zhen Zhen startled Xu Zhen back to the present. “Are you uncomfortable?”

“Y-yeah, a little.” Sister Zhen Zhen forced a dry laugh, making up an excuse. “My clothes are itchy today.”

There were no spare clothes for Sister Zhen Zhen to change into, Xu Zhen glanced around and concluded as much. Noticing this, Sister Zhen Zhen quickly added, “It’s fine, probably just the tag. Cutting it off should help.”

Xu Zhen nodded and called for a pair of scissors, carefully snipping off the irritating label herself.

“Much better.” Sister Zhen Zhen sighed in relief. “Thanks, Qin-Qin.”

Xu Zhen dismissed it with a polite response.

Restless and energetic, Sister Zhen Zhen soon grew bored of pool and dragged Xu Zhen to sing. Coincidentally, the wealthy woman and two other Alphas were there too. After brief greetings, Qin Qin’s efforts to liven things up eventually made the atmosphere somewhat less awkward.

Jiang Ruan’s friends were easier to get along with than Xu Zhen had imagined, so she quickly relaxed.

As the atmosphere grew harmonious, Sister Zhen Zhen stood up to change the song. Suddenly, the wealthy woman leaned close to Xu Zhen with an inscrutable tone, “Did you know that back then, Jiang Ruan’s grandmother’s favorite granddaughter-in-law was actually Ayan?”

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