Three Sentences That Made My Ex-Wife Spit Blood (LILY, ABO) - Chapter 3

By the time Yan Qinglan saw it, Wen Huaxi had already opened the dessert box and was just about to dig into the pudding.

“Wen Huaxi!” Yan Qinglan was so anxious she didn’t even call her by her usual nickname. The way she rushed over was completely unlike her usual calm and composed manner.

But she was still a step too late. Wen Huaxi had already scooped out a bite of pudding with her own spoon.

“What’s wrong, Sister Lan?” Wen Huaxi asked, only turning to her after she swallowed the pudding. Her almond-shaped eyes shimmered with innocence.

That beautiful face, radiant and charming, stared right back at Yan Qinglan. But to her, it was like Medusa’s gaze, filled with something unspoken and quietly vicious.

Yan Qinglan was almost certain Wen Huaxi was doing this on purpose.

Yet the girl looked so innocent, as if she had no idea why Yan Qinglan was upset.

There was no time to figure out how Wen Huaxi had discovered her obsession with cleanliness.

Yan Qinglan’s fingers trembled slightly, hoping she could at least save a piece of untouched pudding.

But again, she was too slow.

“Didn’t you say the dessert was for me?” Wen Huaxi asked, scooping up another bite. This time she dug in from the other side, clearly determined not to leave anything for Yan Qinglan.

She really deserved her place in film school. Her acting was so convincing that even Yan Qinglan had to admit defeat.

Yan Qinglan pulled back her hand and clenched it tightly.

Her lips twitched as she tried to suppress the rising irritation of having her food taken. She sat down across from Wen Huaxi.

“It was for you, Xiaoxi. But isn’t it a little too much to not leave me a single bite?”

Yan Qinglan told herself that next time, she absolutely would not tell Wen Huaxi about any desserts.

Who knew the girl had suddenly developed a sweet tooth?

When they signed the marriage agreement, she had asked about this very thing. She had been trying to avoid exactly this kind of situation.

For once, Yan Qinglan pressed her fingers against her furrowed brow, smoothing out the wrinkle before it could fully form.

“Then this last bite is for you, Sister Qing,” Wen Huaxi said sweetly. She handed over the nearly empty pudding cup without hesitation.

What remained looked like the core of an apple that had been completely devoured, every inch clearly scooped through.

Just looking at it made Yan Qinglan feel sick. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and kept her face composed with a polite smile.

She pushed the cup back.

“You’ve already eaten it, Xiaoxi. It wouldn’t be right for me to take it now.”

“Don’t be like that, Sister Lan. Come on, be nice. We’re wives now. Are you saying… you’re disgusted by me?”

Wen Huaxi’s voice was full of mock concern, as if she was truly worried about being disliked.

But her actions told another story. She used her spoon to scoop up the last bite, giving Yan Qinglan a teasing glance from those amber eyes, as if she really wanted to share it with her.

Yan Qinglan felt like her veins were about to burst.

She gritted her teeth but still had to reply.

If she didn’t say something, this little troublemaker would probably cry, throw a tantrum, and threaten divorce in front of the entire Yan family.

That could not happen.

She had to keep the divorce talk away from the family at all costs.

“Of course not. I just think it’s not right for me to compete with you over food.”

Wen Huaxi nodded seriously and even complimented her.

“You’re so generous, Sister Lan.”

Yan Qinglan felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She almost fainted from the frustration.

Who was stealing food from whom?

Her newlywed wife had really changed a lot.

Just last month, when they signed the agreement, she had been so obedient and quiet.

If not, then no matter how compatible their profiles were, over 95 percent even, she never would have signed the agreement and gotten the marriage license.

Yan Qinglan had been certain Wen Huaxi liked her.

At just twenty years old, Wen Huaxi had the kind of youthful passion that couldn’t be hidden.

But today, it was clear that those feelings were gone.

Her gaze had changed. The light that once quietly followed her was no longer there.

What had happened over the past month of marriage?

What had made this once affectionate girl lose all hope in her?

Yan Qinglan did care. But not for the reasons most people would.

She simply found it easier to control someone who liked her and acted sweet and submissive.

At the very least, she wouldn’t have to worry about divorce during the contract period. That would give her time to solidify her standing in the Yan family and keep the other relatives from trying to take her place.

Whether Wen Huaxi truly had feelings for her or not, she didn’t care.

If Wen Huaxi found someone new, Yan Qinglan would even let her go.

But only after the contract ended. Until then, marriage was off the table for either of them.

All she needed were a few years to secure her position. She had never intended to trap Wen Huaxi for life.

Yan Qinglan lowered her eyes and swallowed the last tasteless bite of porridge, then prepared to leave this battlefield of words and glances.

It didn’t matter if Wen Huaxi no longer liked her.

It might be troublesome, but she could handle it.

She only hoped Wen Huaxi would behave. It would be better for both of them.

“Will you be home tonight, Sister Lan?”

Just as she was about to leave, Wen Huaxi smiled and asked the question with a soft look that seemed a little shy.

That moment of tenderness confused Yan Qinglan.

Could it be that Wen Huaxi was just upset because she came home late, or because she saw her flirting with someone else last night?

Maybe she was just throwing a tantrum.

Maybe she still liked her.

“I will. But it’ll be late. Don’t wait for me at dinner.”

Since Wen Huaxi still seemed manageable, Yan Qinglan answered gently.

Her tone made her sound like a caring, considerate partner.

Wen Huaxi also smiled brightly and agreed with a cheerful nod.

But the moment Yan Qinglan turned around, the expression in Wen Huaxi’s eyes changed completely.

Her gaze turned cold, emotionless.

She had already given up all hope. She had made up her mind long ago to leave Yan Qinglan.

She would not be fooled again by sweet words.

Still, after stealing so many of Yan Qinglan’s desserts this morning, Wen Huaxi felt a little guilty.

Yan Qinglan didn’t just like sweets. She needed them. Her bl00d sugar was low, and desserts helped keep her stable.

Even if she no longer had feelings for her, Wen Huaxi didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

She would find a way to make it up to this so-called ex-wife.

But she would only buy what she liked.

That morning, Yan Qinglan clearly looked worse than usual.

She was busy and had no time to buy more desserts. She didn’t want to settle for glucose, either.

Yan Qinglan knew her body well. She wasn’t at the point of needing sugar to stay functional, but she really wanted something tasty.

She was just about to settle for some chocolate when her secretary informed her that someone had sent her desserts.

“Bring it up. Did they leave a name?” Yan Qinglan’s mood noticeably improved.

She wondered which thoughtful girl had gone out of her way today to bring her sweets, as if sensing her craving.

Leng Yueshan? That was unlikely. She was too reserved and delicate, not someone who would boldly deliver gifts straight to her office.

Meng Qingzhou? Also unlikely. That girl had little interest in her. They were simply companions when neither had anyone else around.

Then a ridiculous but strangely reasonable name came to her mind: Wen Huaxi.

“No, President Yan. But the sender did leave a note.”

The secretary’s next words confirmed her guess.

“She said, ‘Thank you, Sister Lan, for the dessert. This is a return gift.’”

The secretary read it professionally, her voice completely emotionless, as if she didn’t find anything awkward about it.

“Got it. You can go. There’s a meeting at three. Help me get the materials ready,” Yan Qinglan said with a wave of her hand.

Only Wen Huaxi would go out of her way to call her “Sister Lan” so sweetly.

Thinking back to the emotionless tone of the secretary and comparing it to Wen Huaxi’s soft, deliberately sweet voice from that morning, Yan Qinglan couldn’t help but feel the entire mood had been ruined.

Such a romantic sentence, and the flat reading had stripped it of all charm.

And Wen Huaxi too. She had come all that way to deliver dessert and hadn’t even come inside. Did she really think Yan Qinglan would treat her badly?

At the moment, Yan Qinglan was in a good mood. Her thoughts weren’t as cynical as usual. She simply assumed that Wen Huaxi had been throwing a little tantrum in the morning, then felt guilty and sent her a dessert as a peace offering.

Until she opened the box.

Inside was a taro and chocolate mille crêpe cake and a tea pastry. The order had a special note that said “low sugar.”

Yan Qinglan nearly passed out right then.

Her most hated type of dessert was one that wasn’t sweet. What was even the point?

Especially chocolate. Most types were bitter already. And now it was paired with taro, which barely had any flavor at all.

And then, on top of that, less sugar.

Yan Qinglan took a bite of the tea pastry, her eyes almost brimming with tears.

What kind of terrible luck had she drawn to end up with such a mischievous and unpredictable girl as her contract partner?

Among her many rich and reckless friends, some had rushed into marriage simply to appease family pressure. After marriage, the couples lived like strangers, never bothering each other, only appearing together on holidays to satisfy their elders.

Why was she the only one stuck with this clever little troublemaker?

Right then, a message from Wen Huaxi came through.

Yan Qinglan opened it, and her hand instantly crushed the tea pastry she was holding.

[Little Contract Girl: Sister Lan, did you get the dessert I carefully picked for you? Do you like it?]

Yan Qinglan closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a few seconds before brushing the crumbs off her desk.

When she came back, she saw more messages had come in.

[Sister? Sister Lan? Why have you been typing for so long? I’m crying here]
[You don’t like it? I worked so hard and followed all the online guides. Everyone says it’s good.]
[Sister. Sister. Sister. Sister. Sister. Are you still here?]

Yan Qinglan pressed her hand to her forehead. Somehow, reading that last message made her clearly hear Wen Huaxi’s voice in her head.

It echoed like a playful chant, and annoyingly, that soft, sugary tone was actually quite pleasant. It even made her heart soften.

She was supposed to keep her image intact.

Yan Qinglan let out a long breath and replied gently.

[Ex-wife: I was eating it just now. It was delicious. Thank you, Xiaoxi.]

At home, Wen Huaxi burst into laughter the moment she saw the reply.

Yan Qinglan was really good at pretending. No wonder she had survived the ruthless, ever-changing world of the Yan family. She was truly impressive.

Others might not notice, but after four years together, Wen Huaxi knew all of Yan Qinglan’s quirks.

She knew her love for sweets, her hatred for chocolate, and her distaste for taro.

So, she had deliberately picked those two items, and even asked for less sugar in the tea pastry.

As long as she could irritate her “ex-wife,” she was more than satisfied.

Smiling, Wen Huaxi curled up on the sofa and opened the script her agent had sent her.

Thanks to Yan Qinglan, she had successfully signed with Guangyue Entertainment.

She was already a student at the Film Academy. In her third year, she didn’t have many classes left. If the project was worthwhile, she could skip lectures as long as she passed her exams at the end of the semester.

But she still planned to attend class.

Her perfect GPA mattered to her. It was proof of her ability to learn. And if she ever wanted to change careers, it could be important.

As for the script, she thought back to her past life.

Back then, she had also been with Guangyue, but never fought for roles. She didn’t become famous until after graduation, when the director Qin Shuyue cast her in a major film and launched her career.

In this life, Wen Huaxi had no intention of waiting.

Her current agent couldn’t reach Qin Shuyue yet, but she had the director’s personal contact information.

She knew Qin Shuyue had held onto a specific script for years, waiting for the perfect actress. When she saw Wen Huaxi, she had finally decided to produce it.

Wen Huaxi sent an email to Qin’s private inbox and then opened her laptop to redraw the design draft she had never gotten to finish in her last life.

This design was for her sister. It had to be done well.

Their relationship had been another regret in her past life.

Now that she no longer had feelings for Yan Qinglan, there was no reason not to reconcile with her sister.

It wasn’t until after seven in the evening that she finished the drawing.

Even with memories from her previous life, recreating the design took a lot of time.

She hadn’t even realized how much time had passed, and she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.

Their housekeeper left at five, but the food had been kept warm in the thermal box. It was still hot.

As Wen Huaxi walked to the dining table, a sudden thought struck her.

She hadn’t locked the front door.

And she definitely couldn’t let Yan Qinglan come in tonight.

The more she teased her, the more annoyed she would get. Maybe then, Yan Qinglan would finally agree to the divorce.

Even if not, watching her “ex-wife” suffer was still very satisfying.

But just as she reached the door and placed her hand on the knob, the key turned and the door opened.

Yan Qinglan stepped inside. When their eyes met, Wen Huaxi looked surprised, and Yan Qinglan’s face immediately darkened.

Thinking of the frustration Wen Huaxi had caused her these past two days, she gave a half-smile filled with warning.

“Xiaoxi, were you planning to lock me out again?”

She leaned down and whispered into her ear, her voice low and dangerous. Her lips brushed her red earlobe as she gave it a gentle bite.

“What did I do to upset you this time, hmm?”