I Married My Heartless Ex-Wife’s Black Lotus Sister - Chapter 10

Afterward, the two parties involved, Zheng Yili and Song Qi’an, tacitly maintained their silence, ignoring each other, so the others didn’t dare say much more.

Zheng Yili kept smiling, chatting happily with old friends, while Song Qi’an remained bent over her phone, engrossed in a conversation with who-knows-whom.

Zheng Yili stole a glance and quickly pieced together the answer.

Tonight, Lin Xiaoxiao had suffered some grievances. Though she wouldn’t say it outright, she would surely find a roundabout way to express it, seizing the chance to win Song Qi’an’s sympathy. And given Song Qi’an’s attitude toward Lin Xiaoxiao, she would undoubtedly comfort her with soft, gentle words.

One was willing to play the victim, the other eager to console—it was a perfect match. Looking back now, Zheng Yili, who had once stubbornly tried to tear them apart, truly seemed like nothing more than an unwelcome obstacle.

Zheng Yili picked up her glass and gave a quiet, self-deprecating laugh.

Her laughter wasn’t loud, yet Song Qi’an still caught it with sharp awareness.

When the woman abruptly lifted her head, her deep, unreadable gaze fixed intently on Zheng Yili, it felt as though a wolf cub had locked onto its prey. A surge of intense danger prickled down Zheng Yili’s spine.

Her fingers tightened around the glass as she desperately tried to ignore Song Qi’an’s stare. To evade it, she deliberately angled her body slightly, using the long hair draped over her shoulders as a shield.

Song Qi’an noticed the subtle maneuver, her eyes narrowing.

Zheng Yili no longer wanted to engage with Song Qi’an. The banquet hadn’t even officially begun, yet she already felt the urge to flee. She had been too careless—careless enough to assume Song Qi’an wouldn’t stir any emotions in her anymore. But even if they were merely acquaintances, the woman was enough to unsettle her.

So she masked her discomfort by continuously reaching for the wine glass on the table, downing one cup after another.

The strong liquor burned her throat, its sharp bite making her cough twice before she quickly acclimated to the taste.

Song Qi’an watched silently as the woman, whose striking beauty resembled that of a celestial mural, displayed unusual behavior tonight. She had drunk too much, her fair cheeks now dusted with a faint, adorable flush.

Zheng Yili had always been lively, especially around Song Qi’an—persistent, even when Song Qi’an found her irritating, clinging to her like an unshakable shadow. It had been both endearing and frustrating.

Endearing, because her fiancée’s eyes held only her. Frustrating, because that same devotion sometimes felt suffocating.

As her thoughts drifted, she noticed the intoxicated woman reaching for another glass of champagne. Instinctively, Song Qi’an moved to stop her, but someone else was quicker, intercepting Zheng Yili first.

“Yili, you’re drunk.”

Most people would vehemently deny it—”I’m not drunk!”—but Zheng Yili merely paused for a moment before obediently setting the glass down. “My apologies,” she murmured, blinking slowly. “I really don’t hold my liquor well.”

The other person chuckled, unable to resist ruffling her hair like one would soothe a small animal. “Why don’t you go rest for now, alright?”

They spoke with genuine respect, phrasing it as a gentle suggestion rather than a command.

Zheng Yili’s head was heavy and muddled, making her feel quite unwell. Without much thought, she nodded in agreement, “Then enjoy yourselves—we’ll meet up again next time.”

As she stood up, dizziness overwhelmed her, making her steps unsteady. Her friends quickly reached out to steady her while urgently signaling Song Qi’an with their eyes.

Throughout the evening, Song Qi’an had been quietly engrossed in her phone, exchanging messages with someone, never joining their conversations. Occasionally, a faint, ambiguous smile would flicker at the corners of her lips—something was clearly off.

Having been friends for so many years, they knew each other inside out. While they wished Zheng Yili would kick Song Qi’an to the curb and thrive on her own, they couldn’t bear to see the two part ways like this.

With great effort, they pushed Song Qi’an toward Zheng Yili, their expressions stern as they instructed, “Yili is in your hands now, Qi’an. You must see her home safely, understand?”

Zheng Yili wanted to protest, to say she had a driver and didn’t need Song Qi’an’s insincere escort.

But Song Qi’an suddenly agreed without hesitation, leaving Zheng Yili’s refusal stranded on the tip of her tongue, unspoken.

Her friends brightened and immediately nudged Zheng Yili into Song Qi’an’s arms. “You two go ahead then. Don’t worry, Yili—we’ll enjoy ourselves enough for you too.”

Zheng Yili forced a smile, struggling to steady herself as she pulled away from Song Qi’an’s embrace.

Song Qi’an didn’t stop her. She simply watched as Zheng Yili swayed like a wind-blown doll, her steps erratic as she leaned against the wall, inching her way out.

This Zheng Yili wasn’t the gaunt shadow from her past life, wasted away by years in a hospital bed, her skin pallid from relentless suffering.

Now, she was radiant and full of vitality, her complexion glowing with the healthy luster of a pearl.

Song Qi’an pocketed her phone, one hand tucked casually in her coat as she followed Zheng Yili out. Only once they were outside the private room did she abruptly ask, “Do you hate me now?”

Zheng Yili paused mid-step, shaking her aching head before turning back with a dazzling, artificial smile. “Congratulations—you guessed right. But no prize for you.”

Song Qi’an’s gaze darkened. “Why?”

This time, Zheng Yili merely looked her up and down, offering no answer.

“Is it because of Lin Xiaoxiao?” Song Qi’an took long strides forward, closing the distance as she loomed over her. “You don’t like how close I am with her—are you jealous?”

“You’re overthinking it.” Zheng Yili’s fingers clenched unconsciously, though her tone remained indifferent. “Who you get close to has nothing to do with me.”

Her slightly reddened eyes lifted. “Song Qi’an, don’t flatter yourself.”

Zheng Yili’s hostility was unmistakable. Song Qi’an lowered her head, scrutinizing her face as if searching for the slightest crack in her composure.

“Stop this,” Song Qi’an finally murmured after a long silence.

“You know I’d only ever marry you. If you’re feeling insecure, I can move the wedding date forward—just say the word.”

For a few seconds, Zheng Yili’s mind went blank before the meaning of those words sank in.

Fury erupted within her. She raised her hand and slapped Song Qi’an hard across the face, snapping her head to the side. “Aren’t you disgusting?”

“Do you really think I’m that cheap and self-deprecating in your eyes? You say we should postpone the wedding and we postpone it, you say we should move it up and we move it up. Song Qi’an, what exactly do you take me for?”

“Some kind of puppet you can manipulate at will?”

Zheng Yili’s chest heaved violently with anger as she glared at Song Qi’an, her pupils gradually reddening.

The slap landed with full force, leaving Song Qi’an’s face burning with pain. Her head turned to the side, a few strands of long hair disheveled and clinging to her cheek, giving her a pitifully delicate appearance.

Song Qi’an pressed her tongue against the slapped cheek, her thick lashes lowering to conceal the emotions in her eyes.

Fueled by alcohol, Zheng Yili shot Song Qi’an two vicious glares before turning away decisively. “If you dare show up spouting nonsense in front of me again, I’ll beat you every time I see you—”

Before she could finish, her wrist was caught by Song Qi’an.

Zheng Yili turned back impatiently, her tone icy. “Let go.”

Song Qi’an didn’t move, her dark eyes fixed unblinkingly on Zheng Yili. “No matter how angry you were before, you never laid a hand on me.”

Her voice was restrained, carrying complex emotions.

Zheng Yili had no intention of probing further. She looked at Song Qi’an and sneered, “That’s right. Before, I was too busy dealing with others to deal with you.”

“Song Qi’an, I’ll say this one last time—let go.”