"This doesn't seem to be what Ruan Jia reserved, but she just happened to get her hands on it first. Maybe it doesn't even suit you, and besides, I've already decided to buy it." Wang Jiani spoke calmly, with a smile on her face, appearing completely at ease.

"So that's how it is. This wasn't a chance encounter; you came here on purpose, just to snatch it from me?" Ruan Jia's face turned ashen, clearly infuriated. "How shameless."

Although she was wearing sunglasses, one could still see Wang Jiani's expression twist for a moment.

"I'm not snatching anything. Some things are destined to belong to certain people, and forcibly trying to keep them won't do any good." As Wang Jiani spoke, she gently caressed the mermaid-style gown, her eyes full of affection.

Was she talking about the dress or a person?

The saleswoman holding the dress was already sweating profusely. Anyone could understand the verbal sparring between these two women, and both seemed like people she couldn't afford to offend.

[Hahaha, that saleswoman must be screaming internally: Someone save me!]

Qin Xian looked at Ji Fei, who was leaning on a nearby counter, trying to hide while watching excitedly. Then he glanced at the saleswoman who was about to come over to serve them, wearing an awkward smile.

Qin Xian could only helplessly wave off the saleswoman, indicating that she should wait to serve them and let his wife finish enjoying the drama.

The saleswoman breathed a sigh of relief and stood to the side, secretly observing the confrontation. After all, this kind of scene between a wife and a mistress was something they often witnessed in their line of work.

Just as she was thinking this, the sharp-eyed saleswoman sensed something unusual behind her. She turned around and was startled.

To her surprise, two women and a child were crouching behind a more distant counter, watching the scene unfold. They were even waving at her, as if she was blocking their view.

Since anyone who could enter the VIP room must be important, the saleswoman obediently followed their instructions and moved out of their line of sight.

Qin Xian sensed something and looked back, immediately breaking into a cold sweat. He saw his mom and older sister making shushing gestures at him, while little Xixi looked confused, not knowing what was going on.

It turned out that Qin's Mom and Qin Yan had wanted to observe how the couple interacted when alone, but as soon as they entered, they overheard the juicy gossip. Since one of the women was someone Qin Yan knew, how could they possibly not stay to watch the drama unfold?

Meanwhile, the argument continued.

Ji Fei had also drawn some conclusions from what she heard.

[It seems that Wang Jiani's online image of being beautiful, kind-hearted, intellectual, and academically brilliant is just a facade. She dares to provoke the wife right in front of her, and so aggressively too. It looks like Wang Jiani and Sheng Wenyue really do have something going on. Since I've seen her in person today, I might as well verify it.]

The Qin family members immediately perked up their ears.

[Ah, I see. This is one of those cliché stories where a childhood sweetheart can't compete with a new love. The couple had been in love for many years and married for three when Sheng Wenyue met his junior colleague who had just joined the company.]

[At first, they were just co-stars playing a couple in a drama, but as they acted, things started to feel a bit off. The elders of both families noticed Sheng Wenyue's special treatment of Wang Jiani. To maintain family harmony, they nipped the budding feelings in the bud before they could fully blossom. They made the decision to send Wang Jiani abroad to develop her career in the international entertainment industry.]

[Wang Jiani's life was put on pause. Faced with a choice between her career and her feelings, she chose her career. However, her career abroad didn't take off as expected. Instead, she ended up marrying a foreign director, only to find out he was a scumbag. After four years of torment, including being beaten so badly she miscarried, she finally divorced and returned home. She then sought out the now-influential actor who had taken control of the company's decision-making power, hoping to rebuild her career.]

[Moreover, Wang Jiani blames Ruan Jia for ruining her life. She believes that if she hadn't been sent away and had been allowed to develop her career properly, she would have become a top actress by now, instead of the awkward newcomer she is today. So she's come back not only to reclaim her career but also to steal back the man she believes should have been hers.]

[Wow! Are mistresses this brazen nowadays? Wasn't all of this her own choice?]

Qin's Mom and Qin Yan were also angered by Ji Fei's thoughts, especially Qin Yan, whose expression turned particularly grim because she knew Ruan Jia's situation best and felt especially sympathetic towards her.

At this moment, Ji Fei finally saw Ruan Jia's information, and she immediately drew in a sharp breath. Her internal monologue stopped, and she looked at Ruan Jia with a very complex expression.

[Sigh, although matters of the heart are beyond our control, how could one bear to hurt someone they've loved and been with for so many years?]

[I wonder what Sheng Wenyue is really thinking. Although he doesn't seem to have responded to Wang Jiani's romantic hints, he still protects her at every turn and works hard to advance her interests. Isn't this just a relationship hanging by a thread, with only a thin veil of propriety left? What is he waiting for? The right moment to cheat? It seems this reality show is going to have some major drama.]

Qin's Mom and Qin Yan couldn't help but feel angry. If there really was something going on, they wanted to find a way to expose it on the spot. A cheating man doesn't deserve any mercy! It was infuriating.

Qin Xian also frowned slightly.

[Tsk tsk tsk, indeed, you can't rely on men any more than you can expect a pig to climb a tree. Love is not to be trusted.]

Thinking this, Ji Fei cast a sidelong glance at Qin Xian beside her.

Qin Xian: ?

Please don't attack an entire gender!

In Qin Xian's view, once you've entered the sacred halls of marriage, there should be no place for infidelity. That would be a sign of a man with no self-control or moral compass, and such men are nothing but useless trash.

While they were relying on Ji Fei for the gossip, the argument on the other side had reached a boiling point. Finally, the saleswoman, fearing the situation might escalate further, quickly brought up store policy.

Although the situation was complex, the solution was clear: if Ruan Jia paid for the dress now, she could take it home.

Everyone thought Wang Jiani would continue to make trouble, but after hearing the price quoted by the saleswoman, she just smiled sweetly and said, "Oh my, that's so expensive. Can you afford it, Sister Ruan Jia?"

"Are you joking with me?" Ruan Jia finally seemed to gain the upper hand, triumphantly pulling out a black card and handing it to the saleswoman. The saleswoman also breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to process the transaction.

However, after a moment, the saleswoman's face froze. She awkwardly approached Ruan Jia and said, "Ma'am, your card isn't going through. We've tried several times, it seems to have been suspended."

Ruan Jia's already unhealthy complexion instantly drained of what little color it had left.

The only person who could suspend her card was Sheng Wenyue.

"Oh, Sister Ruan Jia, are you out of money?" Wang Jiani seemed to have been waiting for this moment. Her fair face flushed with excitement, looking beautiful and radiant. "It seems some things are just not meant to be yours."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, if you can't pay..." the saleswoman said awkwardly.

Ruan Jia looked as if she had been slapped in the face. She almost lost her balance but managed to keep her composure. Gritting her teeth, she took out all the cards and cash she had on her. She rarely used them, so there wasn't much. The dress was quite expensive, and even putting everything together, she still couldn't afford it.

The onlookers were stunned. They thought the situation had finally been resolved, but there was another unexpected twist.

[Damn! What a major plot twist! This is beyond cruel! Wang Jiani already knew Ruan Jia's card had been suspended because Sheng Wenyue had done it right in front of her, saying it was a lesson for Ruan Jia.]

The Qin family was shocked: What? How could this happen?

[I'm angry now. I want to see what made this seemingly noble and cold actor do something so stupid!]