Chapter 12. An Ex-Husband Turning Into a Brother-in-Law Isn’t a Big Deal
The words of these so-called girlfriends stabbed into Bai Xiyi’s heart like sharp daggers, one after another.
The pain was excruciating, tearing through her chest.
Yet, she couldn’t even explain herself.
Because, deep down, she still felt humiliated.
Bai Xiyi’s face twisted slightly, her expression turning almost distorted.
Her girlfriends didn’t notice, too busy batting their eyelashes at Ye Chen.
“Hey, handsome, since your sister’s here, why don’t you come join us?”
“Yeah, don’t be shy!”
“What’s your name? Do you have a girlfriend?”
“How about I be your girlfriend?”
Women could be shameless, but when they ganged up, they were downright brazen.
At this point, they were just short of jumping into the water, dragging Ye Chen over, and having their way with him.
But despite their boldness, Ye Chen wasn’t interested.
After all, once you’ve tasted the finest delicacies, ordinary food might be edible—but never truly appealing.
“Heh, thanks for the offer, but I’m a married man.”
“If you want to be my girlfriend, you’ll need my wife’s permission first.”
Instantly, the women gasped in shock.
“Damn! What a waste!”
“Handsome, what were you thinking, getting married?”
“Isn’t being free and single better?”
“Come on, cutie, you’re joking, right? If you have a wife, where is she? I don’t see her.”
Before Ye Chen could respond—
Bai Xiyan, who had gone back to use the restroom, heard the commotion and stepped out.
Standing at the yacht cabin’s entrance, she called out sweetly, “Sis, what are you doing here?”
Her sudden appearance shattered the atmosphere.
Bai Xiyi’s girlfriends froze, their expressions shifting to disbelief.
“Holy shit! Did I just stumble onto something huge?”
“You’re only realizing it now? I sensed something was off ages ago!”
“Isn’t that… Bai Xiyi’s sister? Then this guy—holy crap! Is he Xiyi’s ex-husband?!”
“No wonder he looked familiar!”
“Damn! No wonder Xiyi kept him hidden—he’s this hot and loaded?”
“But girl, what were you thinking? Divorcing a husband this handsome and rich?!”
The women were floored, unable to resist voicing their shock right to Bai Xiyi’s face.
Their words stabbed into her already bleeding heart, twisting the knife deeper.
Her face paled, but she stubbornly held her ground.
“Hah! What’s the use of looks?”
“A man’s worth isn’t in his face—it’s in his character!”
One of her girlfriends muttered under her breath—
“But his character’s great too!”
“Yeah! Even though we’ve never met him before, his reputation in Shanghai’s business circles is solid!”
“If he’s lacking in character, then what does that make rich second-gens like Zhou Jiancheng? Trash?”
Aren’t they just there to twist the knife?
As long as they got their jabs in, who cared if she was hurting?
Bai Xiyi’s composure was crumbling.
Her face darkened, and she let out a cold snort before turning toward the yacht cabin.
“This is pointless. I’m going back.”
Her girlfriends exchanged glances, smirking.
“Aww, why leave so soon?”
“Yeah, we finally got out on the water—don’t ruin the fun!”
“Xiyi, you always said you were a queen. What’s with this attitude?”
“Exactly! So what if your ex-husband’s now your brother-in-law? It’s no big deal.”
“You’re not… scared, are you?”
Their relentless teasing was like pouring salt on her wounds, pushing her to the brink of snapping.
Clenching her fists, she barely held back the urge to strangle them all.
“Scared? Why would I be scared?”
“If they’re not afraid, why should I be? Ridiculous!”
The girlfriends grinned, their eyes glinting with amusement.
“That’s what I thought! A free spirit like you wouldn’t chicken out!”
“Right? Xiyi’s the queen—we’re just small fry compared to her!”
“Xiyi, show them your confidence! An ex turning into a brother-in-law is nothing!”
Bai Xiyi was being backed into a corner, but she couldn’t explode.
Her entire persona was built on being the untouchable, carefree queen—if she lost it now, the image would shatter.
So, no matter how much she seethed inside, she had to keep smiling.
“True. An ex-husband becoming my brother-in-law isn’t a big deal.”
“At the end of the day, he’s just a man I threw away.”
She tilted her champagne glass with a poised smile, raising a brow at Ye Chen.
Ye Chen chuckled, shaking his head.
He could practically read Bai Xiyi’s mind—her act wasn’t fooling him.
But Bai Xiyan wasn’t about to let it slide.
Leaning against the yacht’s railing, she met her sister’s gaze with a sweet smile.
No arguments, just an invitation.
“Sis, since we’ve run into each other, why not join us for lunch?”
“See that sailfish? Your brother-in-law and I caught it together. Fresh sailfish is rare even in high-end restaurants.”
Bai Xiyi’s eyes flickered.
Her lips pressed together as she stared at the fish.
“No need. We brought our own—”
Before she could finish, her girlfriends cut in.
“Wow! A live sailfish?!”
“Quick, bring the boat closer! I want pictures!”
“Hehe, Xiyi, you don’t mind if we go over for photos, right?”
Bai Xiyi was speechless.
Of course I fucking mind!
But she couldn’t say that. Instead, she forced a breezy smile.
“Go ahead. It’s not a big deal—as long as they don’t object.”
Then, with a sharp glance at Ye Chen, she silently warned him.
Ye Chen smirked, waving at the women.
“Why stop at photos? It’s almost noon—join us for fresh sailfish sashimi and some fish soup. Great for the skin!”