Chapter 47: The First Day Without Big Brother
"If you wanna know if I can do it or not, why don’t you introduce me to your hookup buddies? I’ll give you a live demo."
Shi Jingyan joked casually. The guys around him were his usual crowd. A bunch of spoiled rich second-gens who shared the same bad habits.
One of them, Wang Lei, was the original novel’s male lead’s wingman and strategist. And as luck would have it, the restaurant Shen Xi was sitting in just happened to be owned by his family.
None of them had any idea that Shen Xi was actually sitting just a few seats away.
They took a table right next to hers and started chatting.
"The goddess Shen Xi hasn’t contacted you lately? Maybe her husband found out."
Wang Lei smirked teasingly.
The moment Shi Jingyan heard Shen Xi’s name, he felt an inexplicable irritation. Lately, that woman had gotten more and more under his skin.
She had mastered the art of playing hard to get, keeping just enough distance to drive him crazy. Unlike last time, she hadn’t blocked his number. She just wasn’t calling him anymore, which only made him want her more.
He thought that if Shen Xi threw herself at him again, he’d just go with the flow and finally have her. A way to make up for his regret from their university days.
But even though he had already broken up with Lin Yueyue, Shen Xi still hadn’t reached out to him. She wouldn’t even pick up his calls.
Of course, in front of his "brothers," he couldn't lose face. So Shi Jingyan put on a relaxed look and scoffed,
"Shen Xi keeps calling me at night, but I don’t even bother picking up."
The guys around him grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Brother Shi, you’re the man! Not giving in at all."
"Shen Xi must be lonely at night now that her husband’s not home. That’s why she’s calling you."
Wang Lei nodded in agreement.
"Exactly! Jingyan, your charm is just too much. We’re all jealous!"
"Imagine being able to make someone as gorgeous as Shen Xi obsessed with you, and then still playing hard to get. That’s just legendary!"
Hearing all this, Shen Xi’s expression darkened.
This male lead is just as shameless as ever…
Across from her, Su Kexin, who had been listening in, instantly switched to "evil sidekick mode." She gritted her teeth and was about to stand up.
Shen Xi quickly grabbed her hand, pressing a finger to her lips to signal "stay quiet."
She sighed inwardly.
Keke was really willing to throw herself into battle for her, even if it meant walking straight into the male lead’s gunfire.
Most of the time, she was a soft, sweet JK girl, but the moment the male and female leads appeared, it was like she triggered some kind of special program that made her volunteer to be the target for their face-slapping moments.
For now, Shen Xi decided to just sit back and watch the show, curious to see how far they’d take their bragging.
The bigger they talk, the harder they’ll fall later.
Wang Lei had only met Shen Xi once, but ever since then, she had haunted his dreams.
The woman's voluptuous curves and stunningly beautiful face, along with her unfathomable cleavage, had lingered in his mind for a long time. He had dreamed of her countless times.
Honestly, he could never understand Shi Jingyan’s taste.
Why would he choose Lin Yueyue when he could have Shen Xi?
In Wang Lei’s opinion, even if you offered him seven or eight Lin Yueyues, he wouldn’t trade them for one Shen Xi.
That said… he was glad Shi Jingyan and Shen Xi weren’t actually together.
Otherwise, if this guy kept parading his goddess around in front of them, he’d probably die from jealousy.
Wang Lei suddenly remembered something and asked,
"Oh yeah, Jingyan, is Shen Xi’s husband that guy from the Gu family? Have you met him?"
"The Gu family is one of Su City’s biggest noble families. They say they’re rich enough to rival entire countries. Marrying into that family for money? Shen Xi really struck gold."
Just hearing the name "Gu" made Shi Jingyan’s chest tighten a little.
But then, the image of Shen Xi, naked, sitting on that Gu guy’s lap flashed through his mind.
A strange feeling of jealousy surged through him, so much so that it made him bold.
After all, the man wasn’t here in person. What was there to be afraid of?
Shi Jingyan sneered, his face full of disgust and contempt.
"Of course, I’ve seen him. That old man’s name is Gu Hanling. He’s way older than us, short and fat, with a belly so big he looks nine months pregnant."
These words were a direct copy of what Lin Yueyue’s roommate had said before.
Wang Lei sucked in a sharp breath, then shook his head in mock pity.
"Damn… How could she go for such an old man? They say older and fatter men get worse in bed. I wonder if our goddess Shen Xi can even feel anything… with his little toothpick. Hahaha!"
"Hehehe!"
"Pfft—Hahahaha!"
The group burst into laughter, cracking up over their crude joke. Then they sighed in fake sympathy.
"No wonder you can’t find any photos or news about Gu Hanling online."
"Turns out, he’s just too ugly to show his face!"
"So, that explains everything. Otherwise, why would Shen Xi, a wealthy lady, keep clinging to Jingyan, who’s already taken?"
At that moment, a crisp, pleasant female voice rang out from the next table.
"Oh? Who exactly am I clinging to every day?"
The laughter at Wang Lei’s table instantly stopped. Everyone slowly lifted their heads.
Shi Jingyan’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Shen Xi. He froze for a moment, then quickly assumed she must have known this restaurant belonged to his friend Wang Lei.
So, she was waiting here for him to show up?
Shen Xi looked as usual, without any intentional effort to dress up. Her slightly curled long hair draped casually over her shoulders, and she wore a simple V-neck T-shirt that fit snugly over her curves, making her look effortlessly sexy.
Her expression was cold, her aura sharp and distinct. She crossed her arms and swept a frosty gaze over Shi Jingyan and his friends.
At this moment, she finally understood why the original Shen Xi had turned into a "villainous woman." If anyone were constantly subjected to this kind of slander and shameless gossip, they wouldn’t be able to take it either.
Initially, she had held back an impulsive Keke, hoping to avoid unnecessary trouble. But now, their blatant arrogance was pushing her patience to its limit.
Keke wanted to get up and confront them, but Shen Xi gently held her back. She didn’t want her friend to get involved and provoke the so-called "protagonist group" because of her.
Wang Lei squinted slightly as he stared at Shen Xi. Her icy, untouchable demeanor, combined with her natural beauty, only made her more tempting in his eyes.
Even so, he still feigned indifference, wearing a disdainful smirk.
"Shen Xi, have some self-respect. Jingyan already has Yueyue. Stop clinging to him like a lost cause."
Even as he spoke, his eyes roamed greedily over Shen Xi’s figure, sliding from her delicate, fair face down to the deep neckline of her shirt. His mind wandered, imagining what lay beneath the fabric.
He couldn’t understand why a goddess like her would be into Shi Jingyan. He wasn’t any worse, after all. If Shen Xi was willing to be his woman, he wouldn’t hesitate to stab Shi Jingyan in the back.
Shen Xi was so stunned by his words that she laughed in disbelief. Shaking her head, she sighed,
"Hah, this is ridiculous. I’d be more than happy if those two stayed together forever, okay?"
She then turned to Shi Jingyan, her tone full of mockery.
"You said I call you every night? Is that right?"
Shi Jingyan’s gaze wavered slightly, his mouth opening as if to speak, but no words came out.
The corners of Shen Xi’s lips curled up in a cold smile. Casually pulling out her phone, she opened her blocked contacts and showed it to them.
"Jingyan, this was your old number. I blocked it ages ago."
"And this—" she scrolled down, pointing at another number, "—is your new one. Calling me in the middle of the night, hoping my husband would misunderstand?"
She let out a scoff.
"Too bad for you, Mr. Gu trusts and loves me completely. He’s the one who hung up on you."
Her sharp gaze locked onto Shi Jingyan like a knife.
"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Just now, you were running your mouth in front of your ‘good brothers’ like you owned the place."
Wang Lei and the others exchanged uneasy glances, not knowing what to say. Shi Jingyan abruptly stood up, forcing out a cold laugh.
"You knew this was Wang Lei’s restaurant, yet you still came here. Don’t act so innocent. Weren’t you just waiting for me on purpose? You think I don’t know what you’re up to?"
With that, he turned and stormed out. His friends quickly followed, though Wang Lei took a few lingering glances at Shen Xi’s chest before finally leaving as well.
"Slow down, Jingyan! Wait for us!"
Shen Xi watched them leave, a mocking smile playing on her lips. But as she kept smiling, her expression gradually dimmed, and her head lowered slightly.
An unexpected wave of frustration washed over her. She frowned, feeling confused.
'Since when did I, a full-grown "man," start feeling so emotional?'
‘Big brother, when are you coming back? It’s only been one day, and those people are already bullying me…’