The air in the car thickened in an instant.
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Xie Manyu couldn't help but turn her head to look at Xie Chengxiao again.
She couldn't help but chatter and complain:
"Brother, don't you hate picking out clothes for people the most?"
"Every time I drag you to the department store to buy clothes and ask you which one looks good, you always just brush me off."
"How come you're picking them out for Bai Liuyue now? You're too biased!"
Bai Baozhu pursed her lips, thinking to herself: She and Xie Chengxiao had been married for so long, yet he had never picked out clothes or even a small gift for her.
Did he need to take revenge so thoroughly?
Bai Liuyue's almond-shaped eyes lifted slightly, and she instantly perked up.
People are always excited when they are doing something bad.
Her voice was soft and sweet as she took the opportunity to chime in:
"That's not all. Brother-in-law picked out a lot of qipaos for me."
"Oh, right, he also had several sets custom-tailored for me."
Xie Manyu exclaimed, "What?!"
She was even feeling a little jealous.
Unable to control her facial expression, she wondered if this was still her cold, mask-wearing brother.
Bai Baozhu took a deep breath, still trying to comfort herself.
Or rather, brainwashing herself.
"Xiaoyue is a younger sister from our hometown; it's only right for Chengxiao to take care of her."
"Manyu, your brother is usually so good to you."
"Your walk-in closet is about to overflow with clothes, and he accompanied you to buy all of them."
Xie Manyu nodded repeatedly, feeling a bit more at ease in her heart.
"That's true."
She then turned her gaze to Xie Chengxiao, who hadn't said a word, and said, "Brother, say something. Am I your most beloved sister?!"
"Yeah."
Xie Chengxiao nodded perfunctorily.
Xie Manyu wasn't satisfied and pressed, "What do you mean by 'yeah'? Am I or not? Between me and Bai Liuyue, who is your most beloved sister?"
Xie Chengxiao rested his hands in the driver's seat, his slender fingers stroking the leather steering wheel.
He said in a flat tone:
"It's different."
"You are my biological sister."
Xie Manyu: "...Huh?"
What did he mean by different?
She was his biological sister, so what was Bai Liuyue?
A sweetheart?
Bai Baozhu smoothly joined the conversation, saying, "That's right, Bai Liuyue is my cousin from my maiden home. She's a relative."
Unexpectedly, Xie Chengxiao, who had been taciturn earlier, interrupted her.
"Not a relative, but family."
And also his future wife.
"Family?" Xie Manyu muttered.
This term could mean a lot or a little.
It could be innocent, or it could be ambiguous.
It just depended on how you understood it.
Xie Manyu certainly didn't understand. How did her sister-in-law's cousin become "family" when she had been at their Northwest Marshal's Mansion for less than half a month?
Her brother must have been seduced!
The vehicle arrived.
Everyone entered the Marshal's Mansion. Xie Chengxiao was about to head to the study when he was stopped by someone behind him.
Bai Baozhu's voice carried a hint of pleading.
"Chengxiao, can we talk alone?"
"Regarding the incident when I left with Xu Yanci last time, I think there's a misunderstanding."
"Even if you hate me, for your own sake, you should hear me out."
"Don't you want to get an answer?"
It had to be said that Bai Baozhu's words were quite skillful.
Anyone who was a bit soft-hearted or more curious would have actually followed her for a private chat.
But Xie Chengxiao was different.
"I've given you a letter of divorce, and we will soon publish our divorce in the newspaper."
"Our current statuses make it inappropriate for us to be alone together. It will cause misunderstandings."
Misunderstood by whom?
Bai Baozhu's gaze darted to Bai Liuyue not far away.
Of course, it was this cousin of hers.
What did this mean?
Could it be that Xie Chengxiao cared a bit about her now?
Seeing him turn around to leave again, Bai Baozhu hurriedly called out to him, saying:
"Wait! I'll say it right here. Since Manyu and Xiaoyue are both present, let them be witnesses."
Listening to gossip?
Bai Liuyue loved it the most.
Xie Manyu had actually heard it once already, but since her sister-in-law wanted to explain to her brother, she, as his strongest backer, definitely had to stay by his side.
She repeatedly agreed:
"Yes, yes. Brother, just listen to what Sister-in-law has to say. You won't lose anything anyway."
Xie Chengxiao's eyes were ice-cold.
Right.
He wouldn't lose anything.
Because the losses he was meant to suffer had already been suffered back then.
He couldn't imagine leading a group of Northwest Army subordinates to search for his wife, only to finally see her tangled up with another man on a southbound ferry.
Seeing that Xie Chengxiao didn't leave, Bai Baozhu figured he must have been persuaded.
So she adjusted her emotions and hurried to explain:
"I actually knew Xu Yanci from way back. We met at the overseas fellow townsmen association when we were studying abroad. He was a very nice person back then."
"We were wandering students from the new Republic studying abroad. He was a few years older than me, and he not only took care of me but also took care of others in the association."
"At that time, in my heart, he was like a knowledgeable and understanding older brother."
"Later, when I returned from studying abroad, I found out that my grandfather had arranged a marriage for me."
"But I didn't grow up reading the 'Rules for Women' or 'Admonitions for Women'. What I learned abroad were advanced ideas and Marxism-Leninism. How could I accept a traditional marriage?"
"Of course, that was because I didn't know you yet, Chengxiao. To me, you were just a blurry shadow, so I was afraid."
"In the poetry society established in Jinzhong, I met Xu Yanci again. I confided my troubles to him, and he guided me like a reliable older brother, but he also deceived me."
Xie Chengxiao sneered coldly. "Deceived?"
"Yes!"
Bai Baozhu's tone was indignant, and her resentful expression didn't seem faked. She continued:
"Xu Yanci knew that our family had powerful influence in Jinzhong and that it was even more impossible for me to escape my grandfather's control."
"So he gave me a terrible idea. He told me to marry into the Northwest and then find a chance to sneak away."
"The first time, I had just run to the train station when you found me."
"The second time, Xu Yanci took the initiative to write to me, saying that I could leave via ferry and wouldn't be easily discovered by others. I foolishly trusted him, never expecting that he was just using me."
Xie Chengxiao narrowed his eyes.
His eyes, as sharp as a falcon's, darted toward Bai Baozhu, who was speaking through her tears.
"So you're saying... there was no illicit affair between you and Xu Yanci?"
Bai Baozhu shook her head vigorously. She knew that to deceive others, she first had to deceive herself.
She raised her hand and swore:
"Xu Yanci and I are completely innocent. There have never been any romantic feelings between us."
"If I'm lying, then let me have no next life and never be able to reincarnate."
The reason Bai Baozhu had the confidence to make such a vicious oath was precisely because she had already been reborn; this was her second life.
She had already gained from it.
As long as she lived a happy and fulfilling life in this lifetime, she didn't care about anything else.
Xie Manyu was almost moved to tears listening from the side, and she persuaded:
"Brother, see? I knew Sister-in-law was deceived by that bad guy Xu Yanci."
"He took advantage of Sister-in-law's innocent nature and her lack of defensiveness toward others, instigating her to run away and ruining your relationship."
"That kind of person should be dragged out and shot!"
