Chapter 27

Lin Yuxi frowned slightly. 

They really did share everything. 

Next to her, Yu Jiaxiao, who had been eavesdropping during the red light, couldn’t hold back anymore. She snatched the phone from Lin Yuxi’s hand and, with an exaggerated, sweet voice, chimed in. 

“Oh my, so it’s Sister Jiang Nan! How come you didn’t let me know when you came back?” 

Jiang Nan was clearly confused. “And you are.?” 

“I’m Jiaxiao!” Yu Jiaxiao didn’t care whether she triggered any memories of herself memories that likely didn’t exist. 

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other! I’ve missed you to death! There’s no way we’d miss your welcome party. Even if it rains knives from the sky, we’ll crawl our way there! Just send the address, and we’ll see you tonight. Mwah!”  

With that, she hung up before Lin Yuxi could say a word. 

Lin Yuxi, rendered speechless, said, “What are you going for? To flip tables and pull hair?” 

Lin Yuxi had always disliked conflict since childhood and avoided it whenever possible because she knew she was different from others. 

She had no one to back her up. 

“Come on, do we look like those kinds of people?” Yu Jiaxiao glanced at the address Jiang Nan sent, then steered the car in that direction. 

“That woman clearly has something nasty brewing. If you don’t let her release it, she might end up damaging the precious digestive system of our highly educated returnee.” 

“Don’t worry, if it comes to pulling hair, I’ll handle it. You just make sure to find a good hiding spot,” Yu Jiaxiao added. 

Lin Yuxi was touched. “Xiaoxiao, you’re the best.” 

“Not really,” Yu Jiaxiao replied dismissively. “I’m just worried you’ll slow me down, you weakling.” 

Weakling Lin Yuxi:  

The party was at a private villa. When Lin Yuxi and Yu Jiaxiao arrived, Xu Songwan was just coming out of the kitchen. 

Xu Songwan was Song Yunfan’s girlfriend and had spent years chasing after him before finally making it official. 

Song Yunfan was one of Zhou Yanjing’s childhood friends, so Lin Yuxi had met Xu Songwan a few times, once over dinner. 

They weren’t exactly friends, but Xu Songwan would occasionally ask Lin Yuxi for favors sometimes to help her family get an appointment with a hard-to-book specialist, or for her cousins to have eye surgeries at a discount. 

Yu Jiaxiao particularly disliked Xu Songwan, saying she had a fake, sugary sweetness, despite being only half a month younger than Lin Yuxi, yet constantly calling her “sister.” 

Xu Songwan, holding a tray of fruit, widened her eyes in surprise when she saw Lin Yuxi. “Sister Yuxi?” 

She then glanced toward the second floor. 

Lin Yuxi followed her gaze. 

At that moment, they heard Shi Tang from inside say, “Isn’t my brother and Jiang Nan down yet? It’s been ages.” 

Someone nearby teased him, “Why are you in such a rush? Don’t go upstairs and spoil Zhou Yanjing’s fun.” 

The implication was crystal clear. How could Lin Yuxi not understand? 

Xu Songwan gave a hesitant look. “Sister Yuxi, you really shouldn’t have come.” 

“I told you she had something bad planned!” Yu Jiaxiao rolled up her sleeves, ready to storm in. “First time I’ve ever seen someone invite themselves to be caught in a cheating scandal. Watch me” 

But halfway through her march, Zhou Yanjing and Jiang Nan appeared, one after the other, coming down the stairs. 

Zhou Yanjing was as casual as ever, lazily adjusting his sleeves. 

Lin Yuxi noticed that the shirt he was wearing wasn’t the same one he had left the house in that morning. 

Under what circumstances would a man change his shirt in the middle of the day? 

Just then, Zhou Yanjing’s gaze swept over, pausing momentarily when he saw the fuming Yu Jiaxiao before looking past her. 

“Sister-in-law?” Shi Tang sounded puzzled. 

He had invited everyone there, but not Lin Yuxi. This was a welcome party for Jiang Nan, after all. Her presence was… awkward. 

Seeing Yu Jiaxiao, his expression soured even more. “Why are you everywhere? What are you even doing here?” 

His words silenced the room. 

The way he phrased his question made it sound like it was directed at Lin Yuxi, too. 

It was obvious he wasn’t welcoming her, and even more obvious that he was irritated. 

Everyone in Lin City knew Shi Tang had been Zhou Yanjing’s loyal sidekick since childhood. The fact that he dared to speak so disrespectfully to Lin Yuxi was proof that Zhou Yanjing didn’t value his wife at all. 

Shi Tang didn’t even realize what he had just done. 

Yu Jiaxiao, annoyed at the sight of him, rolled her eyes dramatically and started looking around. “Huh? Who’s the idiot talking right now?” 

Shi Tang, always quick-tempered, immediately flared up. “Who are you calling an idiot?” 

Yu Jiaxiao feigned sudden realization. “Oh, turns out it’s you, the idiot!” 

“You little!” 

Shi Tang’s face darkened. Just as he cursed, someone kicked him in the backside. 

Zhou Yanjing retracted his leg, his gaze cold as he lifted his eyes, a hint of warning in them. “If you can’t speak properly, then sew your mouth shut.” 

Shi Tang swallowed his anger and, pointing at Yu Jiaxiao from afar, said, “Just you wait!” 

Yu Jiaxiao blew him a kiss and formed a heart with her fingers. “I’ll be waiting.” 

Shi Tang nearly coughed up blood in frustration. 

By now, the others in the room had noticed Lin Yuxi’s arrival. 

Shi Tang, Song Yunfan, and Zhou Yanjing’s childhood friends were all there, along with some people Lin Yuxi didn’t recognize. 

Seeing her, surprise was written on everyone’s faces. 

After stepping inside, Lin Yuxi took off her coat, revealing a white knitted dress underneath. 

This kind of dress looks simple, but it’s actually very revealing of one’s figure any flaw would be easily exposed. 

Due to her job, Lin Yuxi rarely put much effort into dressing up, usually opting for comfort over style and never wearing anything overtly sexy. 

What no one except Zhou Yanjing knew was that despite her slim appearance and lightweight frame so light he could pick her up with one hand she actually had an incredible figure, with all her curves in the right places. 

The knitted dress perfectly accentuated her body’s beautiful, alluring curves. Her waist was impossibly slender, smoothly transitioning into her full hips, creating an ideal waist-to-hip ratio. 

Lin Yuxi had always carried herself with impeccable posture her shoulders and neck gracefully straight, and her hair pulled back into a shark clip, exposing her elegant swan-like neck. 

Men, being visual creatures, couldn’t help but let their gazes linger on her a little longer. 

Whatever else could be said, Lin Yuxi’s beauty had never been in question. 

A young man, recently connected to Shi Tang through family business, whispered with envy, “I really envy Zhou Yanjing’s luck with women. The two most famous beauties in Lin City, both in his grasp.” 

His companion responded, “Is that something you can envy? Try having a bank in your family first.” 

“That may not be necessary. Now that his old flame is back, Lin Yuxi might get tossed aside any day.” 

“I’d advise you not to mess with anything that belongs to Zhou Yanjing. Even if he does throw her away, she won’t be yours to take.” 

“So what if I try? A woman like that, even just once would be worth it. Look at that tiny waist and those hips imagine grabbing hold of that.” 

The man rubbed his chin, his gaze heating up as he stared at Lin Yuxi, adjusting his posture in a restless manner. 

Zhou Yanjing walked over to Lin Yuxi, glanced at her dress, and felt a bit displeased, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. 

The dress reached down to her calves, revealing nothing, yet somehow it drew more attention than if it had. 

“Why are you here? Finally decided to come out of hiding?” 

“Weren’t you the ones who invited me?” Lin Yuxi glanced behind him. 

“Maybe you should all get your story straight do you want me here or not?” 

At that moment, Jiang Nan walked over. 

“I’m the one who invited Yuxi. Why are you being so harsh?” 

She smiled warmly at Lin Yuxi. “Don’t mind him. You arrived just in time everyone’s been waiting for you.” 

Her tone implied a familiarity with Zhou Yanjing, as if Lin Yuxi were the outsider. 

Jiang Nan was wearing a red dress that was bold but not gaudy. As the pampered princess of the Jiang family, such striking colors suited her well. 

“Waiting for me?” Lin Yuxi glanced around. No one had ever cared much about her presence before. 

“Since when did I become so important?” 

Jiang Nan, who had only intended to say something polite, hadn’t expected Lin Yuxi to be so blunt. Her smile faltered for a moment. 

“Yuxi, you’ve really changed.” 

“Yeah,” Lin Yuxi replied. “I’ve been on a medication regimen.” 

She used to expend her energy on herself, but now she found it much more satisfying to direct it outward. 

Jiang Nan didn’t know how to respond. 

“I didn’t bring a gift, since I came on short notice,” Lin Yuxi said. “But I doubt there’s anything I could give you that you’d need.” 

Jiang Nan held her gaze for a few seconds, then smiled. “It’s enough that you’re here. No need to be so formal. It’s rare for everyone to be together come join us!” 

She affectionately linked arms with Lin Yuxi, leading her inside, as if Lin Yuxi were some honored guest, introducing her to the group. 

Some people who were meeting her for the first time politely shook her hand. 

After all, Lin Yuxi was still the second daughter-in-law of the Zhou family, and no one would lose out by treating her kindly. 

Lin Yuxi was always someone who reciprocated courtesy. When others were polite, she responded in kind. 

However, when one of the younger men shook her hand, he subtly squeezed her fingers, whether intentionally or not. 

When Lin Yuxi looked back at him, his expression was completely neutral.