"What if he's actually trying to fight for the inheritance? You should hold off on the divorce! That way you can get a bigger settlement and support me!" You could practically hear the gears turning in her head. Lin Yuxi calmly shattered her fantasy. "Are you still dreaming? It's the middle of the night. We signed a prenup." "...Damn it." Yu Jiaxiao's get-rich-quick dream crumbled, and she soured on the world. "In that case, he better not get a dime of the inheritance, or I'll be so pissed!" Lin Yuxi really had no idea what Zhou Yanjing was planning. It was true that Zhou Qizhen had been planning to step down recently. As far as Lin Yuxi knew, he intended to pass the reins to his eldest son, Zhou Sheng'an. It was no wonder that Zhou Yanjing's quiet return at such a sensitive time had sparked so much speculation. But he and his older brother had always been close. Besides, his own investment firm, Boyu Capital, had been on an incredible winning streak for the past few years. Brothers turning against each other? Lin Yuxi found it unlikely. Then why had he really come back? For the divorce, probably, Lin Yuxi thought. He must have been itching to get it over with. At one point, Yu Jiaxiao went to the restroom. Lin Yuxi was focused on her food and had only taken a couple of bites when a voice interrupted her. "Fancy seeing you here." She looked up to see Song Yunfan walking into the bar with a woman on his arm. He was Zhou Yanjing's childhood friend. Song Yunfan glanced instinctively toward the private rooms on the second floor, a strange expression flashing across his face before it vanished. "Here by yourself?" "I'm with Jiaxiao," Lin Yuxi said. "What a coincidence, you're here too." "Just a get-together with some friends." Song Yunfan's reply was brief, and he made no move to invite her to join them upstairs. Lin Yuxi didn't know him well, so after a few more pleasantries, the conversation died. Song Yunfan led his companion upstairs. A moment later, Yu Jiaxiao rushed back, her expression grave. "Honey, you'll never guess who I just saw." Lin Yuxi took a wild guess. "Mr. Moneybags?" Yu Jiaxiao was in no mood for jokes. "Your husband!" Lin Yuxi froze. No wonder Song Yunfan had seemed so hesitant. "He's with a bunch of girls, all dolled up and looking trashy! That son of a bitch! So this is why he never comes home—he's out screwing around with other women. He has no decency at all!" "You seem to be under a misconception. When has he ever had any decency?" Lin Yuxi replied as if nothing was wrong, her eyes fixed on the potato wedges she was eating. His mother had just given Lin Yuxi a lecture at noon, and here he was, having a grand old time. Yu Jiaxiao's anger flared. "He's only been back for a few days and he's already fooling around! What, were there no women in America? Did he come back completely sex-deprived or something?" "Forget him," Lin Yuxi said. "Just drink." While she could remain seated, Yu Jiaxiao was restless. She kept glancing up at the second-floor private rooms, growing more agitated by the second. Finally, she slammed down her glass and stood up. "I'm going to the restroom again." Twice in five minutes. That was probably something she should see a doctor about. "Shouldn't you get your bladder checked out?" "Nope, both my bladders are working just fine." "...Then you definitely need to see a doctor," Lin Yuxi said, "because people only have one." Before she could finish, Yu Jiaxiao was already gone. Less than two minutes later, a commotion erupted on the second floor. A security guard was trying to block someone. "Ma'am, this is a VIP room. You can't go in." "Why the hell not? Go ask the people inside if they dare to stop me!" With that, Yu Jiaxiao shoved the guard aside, threw open the door, and stormed in. Lin Yuxi froze for a second before scrambling to her feet and racing upstairs. Before she even reached the door, she could hear Yu Jiaxiao's voice, dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, excuse me, I must have the wrong room. My, my, you handsome gentlemen look so familiar. In fact, you look exactly like my best friend's good-for-nothing husband and his pack of asshole friends." Lin Yuxi: "..." That reckless fool, Yu Jiaxiao. Not a single person in that room was someone you could mess with. Every one of those rich boys came from a powerful family. If they got pissed, they could crush her with a flick of their finger. For a fleeting moment, she considered turning around and leaving Yu Jiaxiao, that damn troublemaker, to her fate. Weren't best friends supposed to buy you breakfast, not take a bullet for you? When disaster strikes, it's every woman for herself. A grim voice cut through the room. "Yu Jiaxiao, what the hell is your problem?" The speaker was Shi Tang, the most unruly young master of the Shi family, spoiled rotten and known for his terrible temper. He was the last person you wanted to cross in Zhou Yanjing's circle. He was glaring at Yu Jiaxiao, his legs crossed and his expression foul. "My problem? You're my fucking problem!" Yu Jiaxiao hadn't had much to drink, but her courage was running high, fueled by indignation. She'd stormed up the second she spotted Zhou Yanjing from downstairs. "Now that you see your grand-auntie, you should be on your knees!" "You must have a death wish!" Shi Tang slammed his glass down and shot to his feet. Yu Jiaxiao crossed her arms, a smirk on her face. "What, you gonna hit me? You ungrateful little shit. When the lightning comes, it'll strike you first." "Son of a bitch..." Shi Tang's face darkened as he lunged toward her. Just then, Lin Yuxi stepped out from behind Yu Jiaxiao, pulling her friend back. Shi Tang stopped dead in his tracks, the fury on his face vanishing. "...Sister-in-law?" At those words, the chatter and laughter in the room died down, and all eyes turned toward the door. A cigarette dangled loosely between Zhou Yanjing's fingers. His gaze, casual and light, drifted past Shi Tang and settled on Lin Yuxi. Lin Yuxi had a striking, vibrant kind of beauty. Even without makeup, she was captivating—her features bold yet delicate, a flawless combination. Bathed in the light of the crystal chandelier, her fair skin seemed to glow with a soft luminescence. "Sorry about that," she said. "She's had too much to drink and is acting out. Please excuse her." Had it been anyone else, Shi Tang would have already thrown them out. But glancing back at Zhou Yanjing, he swallowed his anger. "I'm not going to argue with an idiot." Yu Jiaxiao opened her mouth to retort, but Lin Yuxi pinched her hard, turning the curse into a yelp. Shi Tang scowled. "Well, since you're both here, why don't you sit down and join us?" Lin Yuxi glanced toward Zhou Yanjing. The rich scent of alcohol hung in the air of the opulent VIP room. A French crystal chandelier cast a champagne-colored glow over everything, making even the air feel more expensive than it was in the main lounge. On the table was a spread of imported liquors she couldn't name, and a circle of people occupied the large leather sofa. Half were the usual young masters from their circle; the other half were beautiful young women. Zhou Yanjing sat on a black sofa in the back, his long legs crossed, the dark fabric of his trousers accentuating their lean, elegant lines. Beside him was a very pretty woman. Lin Yuxi recognized her—it was the girl in the short skirt from the photograph. From the moment she'd walked in, the relaxed, playful atmosphere in the room had soured. "So this is what you call 'being busy' lately?" Lin Yuxi asked. Busy drinking and messing around with women? The hand holding the cigarette moved to rub his temple. Through the swirling blue smoke, the faint smile on his lips held a teasing, almost insolent quality. "We just got started and you already caught me. Keeping tabs on me, are you?" He said it so casually, as if ignoring her calls and not coming home for days was nothing. "Then by all means, keep being busy." Lin Yuxi pulled Yu Jiaxiao down onto a sofa. "I'll just wait here until you're free." The room fell silent. Shi Tang just sat there, staring blankly, until Song Yunfan kicked him under the table and hissed, "Are you an idiot? Why the hell would you invite them to stay?" "I was just being polite!" Shi Tang muttered defensively. "How was I supposed to know she'd actually do it?" Lin Yuxi, however, was quiet. True to her word, she said nothing more to interrupt Zhou Yanjing. She simply sat at a distance, calmly eating from a bowl of pistachios in front of her. Yu Jiaxiao hadn't expected Lin Yuxi to stay either and felt a bit lost for a moment. But she was incapable of stewing in silence for long. Soon, she was clutching a beer bottle and whispering furiously to Lin Yuxi. "God, this is so damn extravagant! Our whole table downstairs probably cost less than one of these glasses." "Then drink up," Lin Yuxi said, handing her another bottle. Zhou Yanjing had plenty of money. Since they were here, they might as well. "Young Master Zhou," the girl in the short skirt cooed beside him. "Why are you ignoring me?" With the cigarette still in his mouth, Zhou Yanjing looked languid, his gaze unfocused. "Tired," he murmured. "Should I help you to a room upstairs to rest?" The girls hired for the party didn't know Lin Yuxi's relationship with Zhou Yanjing, but from the earlier exchange, they could guess she was the wife. But if Zhou Yanjing himself wasn't bothered, why should they be?