"After all, she's at a crucial stage in her senior year of college. She needs to study. I can't hold her back, right?" Jiang Beihuai rubbed his nose, looking a bit obsequious.
"Awen, you should be free tonight, right?" He gently stroked his wife's lips with his hand and murmured hoarsely in her ear.
"Do you want to watch the movie Waterloo Bridge with me?"
Bai Wenxi subtly dodged his touch and offered an apologetic smile. "Beihuai, you know I want to get the Starry Art Museum on the right track."
Jiang Beihuai deflated instantly. "Fine, I know. Your career always comes first."
"Director Bai, even workaholics need some leisure. Don't you even have time to watch a movie?"
Bai Wenxi walked into the house with her hands behind her back, leaving Jiang Beihuai with a silent back view.
Hong Fang pulled Bai Wenxi aside and whispered, "Young Mistress, there was a call from your natal family just now."
Seeing Hong Fang's hesitant look, Bai Wenxi couldn't help but laugh. "What's so special about a phone call? There's no need to act so furtively."
"Ouch, don't let the Young Master find out." Hong Fang covered her mouth with her hand and complained in a hushed tone. "Anyway, there's something odd about it. You'll know when you call back later."
Jiang Beihuai followed Bai Wenxi closely. Just as he was about to strike up a conversation, Bai Wenxi quickly ran upstairs, brushing past him.
"Hong Fang, what were you talking to the Young Mistress about?" His chiseled face showed no expression. "Why does she avoid me like I'm a ghost?"
"You're overthinking it, Young Master. She doesn't, does she?"
Hong Fang tried to gloss over it. "I was just discussing with her what to cook in the kitchen tomorrow."
Jiang Beihuai narrowed his black eyes and said coldly, "You must report to me any activities of the Young Mistress at home."
Hong Fang nodded meekly in agreement.
Hearing the loud "bang" of the door closing upstairs, Jiang Beihuai exhaled a frustrated breath and slumped onto the sofa.
He took out a cigarette case and stretched out his long legs casually.
A cigarette, yet to be lit, was held between his slender fingers. His posture was lazy and aloof.
Jiang Beihuai seemed lost in thought. The lighter flame flickered on and off, casting circles of light on his face.
"Young Master? I've brought the ashtray." Hong Fang was intimidated by his tired and silent demeanor.
Jiang Beihuai tossed the lighter onto the table and said hoarsely, "No need. I won't smoke."
Then he strode silently into the study.
Hong Fang stood there, holding the ashtray with a puzzled look on her face. She was increasingly unable to understand the Young Master's actions.
Bai Wenxi dialed the landline number of Yao Chunmei's new home. She couldn't figure out why her stepmother didn't call her mobile phone directly.
"Hello? I'd like to speak to Ms. Yao."
On the other end of the phone was Bai Yunxi's aggrieved laugh. "Dear elder sister, I'm so glad I finally got in touch with you."
Bai Wenxi frowned impatiently and was about to hang up the phone immediately.
"Wait a minute. I want to tell you a secret." Knowing that Bai Wenxi didn't want to engage in small talk with her, Bai Yunxi dropped a bombshell right away.
"I've slept with your husband!"
Bai Wenxi remained calm. "You're Jiang Beihuai's ex-girlfriend. I've known about this for a long time."
Bai Yunxi was shocked. "You actually know?"
No matter how annoyed she was inside, Bai Wenxi would never show any weakness and let this stepsister laugh at her.
"What's your intention in bringing up the past now?" Bai Wenxi knew Bai Yunxi was up to no good and was very blunt. "You're already married into the Zhang family. It's better for you to behave yourself."
On the other end of the phone, Bai Yunxi was gulping down whiskey. "I've called you and sent you private messages. Why didn't you reply to me?"
"We're both married women now. It's better for us to have less contact."
"Do you still have feelings for Zhang Fuwen?" Bai Yunxi's voice was a mix of sadness and joy. "Damn it! Bai Wenxi, you stole my boyfriend!"
She was already drunk. "Do you know? Jiang Beihuai was my boyfriend. He loves me. He just sees you as my substitute."
Bai Wenxi hung up the phone immediately. She didn't want to waste her time arguing with a crazy person.
The phone rang again like a death knell. Bai Wenxi backed away to the door, but the ringing persisted throughout the room.
"Knock, knock, knock." Hong Fang knocked on the door. "Young Mistress, are you still in there?"
Bai Wenxi opened the door, wearing a bitter smile. "Now I know what's so odd about this phone call."
Hong Fang looked troubled. "She said she's your younger stepsister. Well, anyway, it just sounds so..."
"Do you want me to unplug the phone?"
Bai Wenxi was annoyed by the noise. "No, no. Just let it ring."
"But the Young Master just went into the study." Hong Fang was most afraid of Jiang Beihuai. "It'll be a big problem if it disturbs him."
"You'd better resolve this issue properly. What if the housekeeper or the Young Master answers her call? It'll be a disaster."
Bai Wenxi had no choice but to pick up the phone again. "You've married Zhang Fuwen as you wished. Why are you still bothering me?"
Bai Yunxi was almost crazy. "Because I'm not happy to see you a bit happy."
Bai Wenxi was so angry that she laughed in disbelief. She stared at the phone with wide eyes. "Are you crazy?"
"Why do you keep targeting me?"
At this moment, Bai Yunxi was unusually calm. "If I'm not happy, you won't be either."
Bai Wenxi could hear the sound of her gulping down alcohol on the other end of the phone.
"Are you drinking again?" Bai Wenxi's expression was solemn. She was shocked. "Didn't you promise Dad that you'd never drink again?"
"Mind your own business!" Bai Yunxi smashed the whiskey bottle against the phone receiver. "If you don't reply to my messages in the future, I'll call your house every day to harass you. If your husband answers the phone one day, don't blame me!"
Bai Wenxi's eardrums were hit by the explosion-like sound. She felt dizzy for a moment. "Bai Yunxi, I think you're really crazy!"
"I'm going to call your mother!"
Bai Yunxi laughed maniacally. "If you tell on me, I'll go crazy in front of you."
"Anyway, if I'm not happy, I'll make sure you're all unhappy."
She seemed to be completely drunk. The phone receiver fell to the side of the table, making a "beep, beep, beep" busy tone.
"Axi? Bai Yunxi?" Bai Wenxi endured the pain in her ear and called out several times, but there was no response.
After hanging up the phone, Bai Wenxi was fuming with anger. "Is she out of her mind? She stole my fiancé and now wants to steal my husband?"
She had inherited most of their father's estate, had her mother's full support, and had married into a wealthy family by stealing her fiancé!
Bai Wenxi really couldn't understand why she was still unhappy and wanted to hurt her.
In the pitch - black room, Bai Wenxi slumped on the sofa, too dejected to move.
She lowered her head in thought, trying to sort out the chaotic mess in her mind.
Jiang Beihuai knocked on the door twice and then walked in.
"Awen, why aren't you going back to the bedroom yet?"
Bai Wenxi propped her arms on her knees and glanced at him with a lowered brow. "I didn't say 'come in'."
Jiang Beihuai squinted his eyes lazily. "Don't be naughty. There's no place in this house that I can't enter. Even you belong to me."
"I need to talk to you about something serious."