The Substitute Bride - Yizhan

Chapter Twenty-Five 💐

Right when she was about to make her move, the door opened and Yibo came out. If it were any other time, Zhan would've laughed at how quickly her face changed. One second, she was fuming, and the next, she was all smiles as she said hi to Yibo.

Zhan sighed worriedly. He didn't believe that Zhou Fei would leave and go back to Paris. She had just waged a war between them. So, war it would be. He'd get hurt. He was aware of that. But he would not back down from the fight she had set up for him, even if it meant facing defeat.

Shortly after, they were all gathered around the dinner table. Zhou Fei chose to sit directly to Yibo's right. She also took control of the conversation.

Zhan couldn't care less. He didn't care about her efforts to keep Yibo's attention to herself. What hurt him deep inside was Yibo's indulgence toward her, as if they were still lovers.

He had a tough time holding himself back from getting up and leaving the table. Struggling to be polite, he turned to Haoxuan, which, in his estimation, was deliberately trying to grab his attention and flirt with him. He didn't understand what Haoxuan was saying as he kept his head down, focused on his food. And he didn't even realize that, in Yibo's view, Haoxuan was whispering something to him.

Once they finished their meal, they headed to the living room, leaving him behind to tidy up the table and wash the dishes.

"Leave that," Yibo said.

"Let him be, honey," Zhou Fei said, pulling Yibo back to the living room, which was just a few steps away from the dining room/kitchen. "He's doing her wifely duties. Let him. I should be the one in his place, right? And I would gladly do my duty."

Zhan didn't know how he endured and got through the moments that followed. By the time the cousins finally left, it was already past midnight.

He silently picked up the wine glasses, the bottle, and the ice bucket, taking them to the sink and washed them. He could feel Yibo's gaze on him, but he had no clue why. When he glanced at Yibo, he caught a glimpse of concern in Yibo's eyes. He didn't know what it was for, he chose to stay silent and focused on what he was doing.

"Why did you drink with Haoxuan?" Yibo asked after a short silence, then helped him wipe the dishes Zhan had washed.

"What's wrong with that? They're your friends, aren't they?" Zhan retorted sharply. "And what were we supposed to do while waiting for you and Zhou Fei?"

Zhan felt snappy and irritable. They made him look like a fool. The consolation was, he and Zhou Fei both knew the score. And he made it clear to Zhou Fei that he was not the type to sulk in a corner. He would make sure to learn whatever game Zhou Fei was playing.

He wasn't the bitchy type. But he could be, if necessary.

"I'm familiar with Zhou Fei, but not his cousin. And you're not used to drinking. If we had taken any longer, you might have gotten drunk," Yibo remarked as he opened the cupboard to put the dried dishes inside.

"So, you didn't take your sweet time in that sense, huh?" Zhan said mockingly, slamming the clean dishes onto the drying rack.

"What do you mean by that?" Yibo asked in a dangerous tone.

"Nothing!" Zhan snapped.

"This is the fourth night since we got married, and until now, I still can't understand the change in your behavior," Yibo said wearily. Then he took the dish towel from his hand. "Leave that and let's go to sleep."