Chapter 20: Chen Yixin

“Was that woman just now the current Mrs. Ning? And is she really your sister? You only greeted her lightly, so why would she bully you?”

The other two nodded in agreement. “Exactly, exactly.”

An Sheng lowered her head, a flicker of satisfaction shining in her eyes, but her words told a different story. “No, my sister must be feeling down after her recent divorce. Don’t speak ill of her; she’s really a good person and quite beautiful.”

No one could look at Ning Chu’s appearance without being stunned, though envy was even more prevalent.

“Hah! So she’s divorced. Even though she’s so beautiful, she was still abandoned by a man!” Zhang Liuru sneered. Thinking of the woman she had just seen, indeed, she was pretty, but what use was that?

An Sheng said, “Don’t say that, Liuru. Sorry for holding you up from eating.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Let’s go eat somewhere else. Your sister and her people are there. What if she bullies you? It’s none of your business anyway. Let’s go.”

Ning Chu and Zhou Ran didn’t return home until after ten o’clock, then she enjoyed a bath and went to bed—how carefree she must have felt.

The next morning, when Ning Chu woke up, the security guard called to say a woman was looking for her and asked if she should be allowed in.

“What’s her name?”

“She said her name is Chen Yixin.”

Ning Chu’s eyes curved into a smile. “Let her in.”

“All right.”

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Aunt An opened the door. Ning Chu sat in the living room, admiring her manicure. “Why are you here?”

Chen Yixin entered, took a quick look around, then turned at the sound of Ning Chu’s voice. She came over and examined Ning Chu for a while. “Tsk tsk, have you been possessed by a ghost?”

Ning Chu looked up and nodded. “Yes.” Her soul had returned—wasn’t that possession?

Chen Yixin was momentarily speechless, not expecting her to admit it so readily. She sat down beside Ning Chu. “Wasn’t marrying Dantai Chao something your mother arranged? How come you divorced after just a year? Was that your mother’s doing too? Impossible, right?”

Chen Yixin knew exactly what kind of person Mrs. Zhou was.

Ning Chu said, “No, it was my own decision.”

Chen Yixin looked at her. “You actually stopped listening to your mother? You used to listen to everything she said, even when she forbade me from playing with you.”

Ning Chu glanced at her. “I did let you in just now, didn’t I? That’s disobedience, isn’t it?”

Chen Yixin thought for a moment. That was true...

Just then, Aunt Zhou brought the breakfast in. “Miss Ning, breakfast is ready.”

Ning Chu nodded and stood up, inviting Chen Yixin, “Would you like to have breakfast with me?”

Chen Yixin had already eaten when she arrived, but since Ning Chu invited her, she naturally accepted. Now that Ning Chu was defying her mother, Chen Yixin wanted to find out how this change came about—Ning Chu was different!

“Let’s eat!” Chen Yixin followed Ning Chu into the dining room and sat beside her.

Aunt Zhou prepared congee, steamed dumplings, soy milk, and pancakes. Ning Chu picked up a steamed dumpling and bit into it, the inside filled with rich broth.

Chen Yixin tried one too. “You’re actually eating such a normal breakfast now? I thought you were surviving on boiled eggs and vegetable salads.”

Ning Chu hesitated. “I did before.”

Chen Yixin asked, “So, what made you change? This breakfast is delicious.”

Ning Chu said, “I just felt it wasn’t worth it anymore.”

Chen Yixin put down her chopsticks and clapped. “I’ve always thought what you were doing wasn’t worth it. Why did you keep obeying your parents? Doing whatever they told you, without any thoughts of your own? Now that you’ve finally figured it out, heaven must be blessing you.”

Ning Chu admitted, “I didn’t understand before. I thought they loved me, so anything they did was okay.”

Chen Yixin laughed, “Love can feed you, huh?”

Ning Chu smiled faintly. “Seems so. Family love is still love.”

“But why did you divorce Dantai Chao? You’ve figured things out and stopped listening to your parents, but that guy... in our circle, he’s a legend. Did he mistreat you?”

Ning Chu shook her head and took a sip of the perfectly sweet, not cloying soy milk Aunt Zhou made.

“Or did he cheat on you? I heard rumors about him and that Wanyan Yu. Did you finally stop tolerating his womanizing?”

Ning Chu shook her head again. “No, those rumors might not even be true.”

Chen Yixin pressed on, “Could it be that he’s just not good in bed? You’ve been married a year and have no children.”

Ning Chu ate another steamed dumpling. “It’s not that he’s incapable, just that his technique isn’t good. Ultimately, I just didn’t like him. If you don’t like someone, it’s pointless.”

Chen Yixin gaped. “He really isn’t good? With that face... and yet not good?”

Ning Chu replied, “I meant his technique isn’t good.”

Chen Yixin waved her hand. “Same thing. A man with no skills isn’t any good. If he can’t make a woman happy, he’s useless.”

Ning Chu said, “...So you came to find me just to know why I divorced?”

Chen Yixin smiled mischievously. “What else? Do you know what people are saying in the circle? They’re all saying you were finally dumped by Dantai Chao. Laughable. They talk as if your divorce means they can swoop in and take your place.”

Ning Chu lowered her eyes but wasn’t surprised. “What else are they saying?”

“There’s talk that the Ning family is finished. Oh, and your WeChat must be flooded with messages, right? I sent you a message, but you ignored me.”

Ning Chu said, “I didn’t check. Too many messages.”

Chen Yixin pressed, “So what really happened with the divorce? Who initiated it?”

Ning Chu said, “I did! I just realized I didn’t want to be trapped by this marriage. Dantai Chao wasn’t bad to me, but I prefer freedom.”

She was still young; she shouldn’t be so confined. The Dantai family was big and strict, with many rules. She was always either at gatherings with older wives or attending charity events. Constantly wearing a fake smile was exhausting. If she stepped out of line even a little, the older generation in the family would come down on her with lectures.

Chen Yixin wore a triumphant expression. “See? You’re the one who didn’t want Dantai Chao. Everyone else said you were dumped—laughable!”

Ning Chu was so outstanding—who would abandon her?

In their circle, no one outshined Ning Chu. Though Chen Yixin had been prejudiced against her at first, Ning Chu was simply too remarkable. Everything seemed effortless for her, and she was beautiful. The only flaw was that she always obeyed her parents and wouldn’t hang out with Chen Yixin.

But now that Ning Chu no longer listened to her parents, that one flaw had vanished.

After breakfast, Chen Yixin stayed with Ning Chu, watching as she pulled out her phone and started playing a casual game—the very match-three puzzle game.

“You’re playing games?” Chen Yixin’s eyes widened as she pointed at the phone. “What level are you? Only 200? Hmph, I’m already level 400.”

Ning Chu said, “I’ll catch up with you.”

Chen Yixin laughed, “No way you will. I play too. By the way, people are also saying your divorce is because of your family’s illegitimate daughter. Is that why you changed?”

Ning Chu asked, “Everyone knows about my father’s illegitimate daughter?” She hadn’t expected the news to spread so quickly.

Chen Yixin nodded. “Word spreads fast—one tells ten, ten tells a hundred. Almost everyone knows, but no one says it openly.”