Chapter 34: Zhang Xiluo Is the Other Woman

“Mr. Li, isn’t that Sister Zhang?” Zhou Yao immediately recognized Zhang Xiluo across the way. “Sister Zhang looks so beautiful today.”

“Let’s go inside,” Li Mingye glanced in Zhang Xiluo’s direction and saw her laughing and chatting with Ouyang Chen. He quietly clenched his fist.

Zhang Xiluo was oblivious to all this. The moment she stepped into the exhibition hall, she was stunned by the artwork before her. The host’s main display featured a floral piece that seemed to transport her straight into the dreamscape of Impressionism.

On the vast canvas, light and color intertwined, conjuring a magical, fairy-like vision that seduced and confused, blurring the line between reality and dream.

“Alice’s Dream Garden,” Zhang Xiluo murmured. “No wonder he’s called a master of Impressionism.”

“I didn’t expect you to understand art,” Ouyang Chen remarked.

“There are plenty of things you didn’t expect,” Zhang Xiluo replied, turning with a confident smile.

In their eyes, she was worthless, endlessly chasing after Li Mingye.

Not just them—even Li Mingye himself only noticed the side of her that seemed irritating.

But in truth, she was talented, self-assured.

Zhang Xiluo moved from painting to painting, her eyes shining ever brighter. The clash of colors, the fusion of reality and dream, stirred in her a powerful urge to break free and be reborn.

Ouyang Chen walked alongside her, appreciating the paintings and sharing insights.

At noon, Jiang Xueting called, inviting Zhang Xiluo to lunch. Ouyang Chen had another appointment and didn’t join them.

Jiang Xueting picked another trendy restaurant, and they chose a spot with an excellent view.

“Hangover’s killing me, my head is pounding,” Jiang Xueting rubbed her temples. “Luoluo, how did you get us home last night?”

“Ouyang Chen helped.”

“So my embarrassing moments were seen by him?” Jiang Xueting gasped. “Oh no, my ladylike image is ruined.”

Zhang Xiluo and Xu Xinyi exchanged a smile. Zhang Xiluo poured Jiang Xueting a glass of water. “Drink some warm water.”

Suddenly, Jiang Xueting’s eyes widened as she set down her glass and pointed behind Zhang Xiluo. “Luoluo, this is unreal. That jerk and Zhou Xiaosan are here too!”

Zhang Xiluo saw him, was startled at first, then frowned.

His dark expression seriously affected her mood.

In the past, she shamelessly tried to create opportunities to meet him, yet rarely succeeded. Now, she’d gone abroad, and still ran into him.

Zhou Yao wore a pristine white chiffon dress and a bun, flanked by Li Mingye, Ouyang Chen, and Zhao Chengyi, looking every bit the little princess from a fairytale.

They noticed Zhang Xiluo as well. Zhou Yao was the first to greet her, “Sister, what a coincidence.”

Zhang Xiluo didn’t respond. She was uncertain about Zhou Yao’s character now and had no intention of befriending the woman who had stolen her husband.

Li Mingye acted as if he hadn’t seen her and sat directly behind her.

Zhou Yao obediently fell silent, sitting beside Li Mingye. Zhao Chengyi quickly took his seat.

Only Ouyang Chen approached Zhang Xiluo, pulling a bookmark from his pocket.

“You left in such a hurry, I forgot to give you this.”

“Thank you.”

Zhang Xiluo accepted it, smiling happily at the signature. She loved the style of the exhibition and hoped to meet the artist someday.

“Brother Li, Dr. Smith’s assistant is asking when we’ll arrive,” Zhao Chengyi handed his phone to Li Mingye. “Yao Yao’s check-up is scheduled.”

“We’ll go after lunch.”

“Alright, I’ll reply,” Zhao Chengyi took back the phone.

Jiang Xueting listened to their conversation, furious. “Some people shamelessly play the homewrecker. Others act like dogs, wagging their tails for their master.”

“Who are you calling a homewrecker? Who’s the dog!” Zhao Chengyi stood, ready to argue.

“Everyone knows who they are,” Jiang Xueting stood as well, hands on hips, her tone forceful. “The world is going downhill.”

Zhou Yao’s expression grew complicated. She lowered her head, lips bitten, face pale, tears falling one after another.

“Mr. Li, I need to use the restroom,” Zhou Yao fled.

“Jiang Xueting, say that again and I’ll beat you up,” Zhao Chengyi rolled up his sleeves.

“Go ahead, I’ve been irritated by you for ages.” Jiang Xueting hurled a cup at him, hitting his forehead and leaving a bump.

Zhao Chengyi was stunned, never expecting Jiang Xueting to actually get physical.

Jiang Xueting left the table, grabbed his ear, and hauled him up. “Didn’t you want to fight me? Let’s go!”

“I—I don’t hit women,” Zhao Chengyi realized he shouldn’t have provoked her.

But it was too late.

“I hit men—and especially useless men!” Jiang Xueting kept hitting him as he broke free and ran outside.

She chased relentlessly, cursing and striking.

“Xueting!” Seeing this, Zhang Xiluo quickly got up to intervene, with Xu Xinyi following.

“What are your plans?” Ouyang Chen rarely meddled in Li Mingye’s private matters, but this time he couldn’t help himself.

Li Mingye glanced at him coldly, saying nothing.

The outfits Zhang Xiluo and Ouyang Chen wore seemed like couple’s clothes, and Li Mingye felt an urge to tear them apart.

Ouyang Chen met Li Mingye’s gaze, his eyes frank. “She’s your wife—where do you place her?”

“At least you remember she’s my wife.” Li Mingye’s words vented his displeasure.

Zhang Xiluo returned just in time to overhear their conversation. Both men looked at her; she froze in place.

The tension was palpable. Li Mingye and Ouyang Chen remained silent, and she didn’t know what to say.

In the end, she chose to ignore them, picked up her bag at the table, and turned to leave.

“Zhang Xiluo, Ouyang Chen is standing up for you,” Li Mingye said coldly. Zhang Xiluo stopped.

“Ouyang Chen, you’re a good man. Let me treat you to dinner sometime,” she said with a radiant smile, determined to annoy the dog-man even more.

Li Mingye’s face darkened instantly, wishing he could strangle her.

It took all Zhang Xiluo and Xu Xinyi’s effort to pull Jiang Xueting and Zhao Chengyi apart.

“Let’s go, Xueting, stop hitting him.”

“If you help him again, I’ll beat you too!” Jiang Xueting warned Zhao Chengyi.

He dared not retort—he’d just learned Jiang Xueting practiced karate. If she got serious, he’d only suffer more.

“Sister, can we talk?” Zhou Yao chased after her, looking innocent and aggrieved. “You misunderstood me and Mr. Li. We’re not like that.”

Jiang Xueting was about to explode at the sight of her, but Xu Xinyi dragged her aside.

“I understand,” Zhang Xiluo replied calmly. Zhou Yao no longer had the aura she did when they first met.

“Sister,” Zhou Yao hesitated, “I have a question, but I’m not sure if I should ask.”

“If you shouldn’t, then don’t.”

Zhou Yao froze, hesitated for a few seconds, then shouted, “Sister, I’m not the third wheel between you and Mr. Li—but you are between me and Xiao Ming! You’re the reason he broke up with me!”

Zhou Yao trembled, emotionally accusing Zhang Xiluo.