*"Pfft, come on, admit it—awkward much? Doesn’t your face hurt?"* Ji Fei thought, amused as she continued her act of distress.

Her pitiful performance filled the air with exaggerated sobs, so blatantly fake it left the wives and the board member dumbstruck.

The ladies: She… she… isn’t some rich man’s canary! She’s actually the official wife of the Qin Group heir! Who would’ve thought a real CEO’s wife would be on a variety show instead of staying home managing the household?

The board member: Introducing women and speculating about her relationship with her brother-in-law… Cousin, what did I ever do to you for you to set me up like this?

Qin Xian could tell Ji Fei was putting on a show, so he could only stiffly play along, wrapping his arm around her as his eyes turned icy.

Even though Ji Fei could handle herself, Qin Xian wasn’t going to let anyone disrespect his wife.

“Everyone,” he said coolly, “my wife is young and doesn’t like to stir up trouble. But here you are, coming to the Qin Group to harass her. I think she deserves an apology.”

His voice was calm yet chilling, filled with an aura that left the women visibly shaken.

**"Nice line, Qin Xian. You’ve definitely got that CEO swagger. I’ll give you a thumbs-up for that."**

Qin Xian almost lost his serious expression as Ji Fei’s inner commentary disrupted his focus.

**"Look at their faces now—all colorful shades of regret! Bet they wish they could dig a hole and disappear."**

Ji Fei snuck a gleeful peek at the women’s expressions.

Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong, initially a bit disappointed they’d missed their chance to jump in, were now entirely focused on the unfolding drama, enjoying the wives’ panicked faces.

Coming to our turf and bullying our people—clearly, they were bored with their lives and wanted some excitement!

Though the wives held considerable sway in the entertainment industry, they were up against the real elite now. Realizing they’d just threatened the legitimate wife of the Qin Group heir, they felt a chill run down their spines. They wished they could rewind time, desperate to undo their blunder.

They knew their husbands often depended on investors to produce their projects. If they angered the Qin Group, it would be their husbands facing the blacklist, not the other way around.

Finally, the reality of their mistake hit them, and they scrambled to reverse course, standing up and changing their tone immediately.

“Ah, so you’re Mrs. Qin! If you’d told us sooner, we wouldn’t have dared to say so much. We thought you were new to the industry and just wanted to give a bit of guidance.”

“Yes, yes, it’s all a misunderstanding. Mrs. Qin, please forgive us. We were only joking.”

They piled on apologies with forced smiles, as if trying to erase the awkwardness through sheer denial.

**"While I admire their adaptability, I must say, I liked them better when they were ordering people around."**

When Ji Fei didn’t respond, they tried a new approach, pulling out their newly purchased jewelry and designer bags as peace offerings.

“We apologize for offending you, Mrs. Qin. Please, accept these as a gesture of our sincerity.”

Judging by their reluctance and forced smiles, these items were both expensive and dearly treasured.

Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong, observing from the sidelines, were equally surprised by the extravagant offerings. This was a real sacrifice—it was clear they were truly worried about offending the Qin Group.

Ji Fei finally released Qin Xian’s waist and turned her gaze toward the growing pile of gifts.

**"Actually, they look pretty good while making peace, too. Who doesn’t like unexpected windfalls? It’s just a few words, after all. No point in turning down a small fortune here… all this must be worth a few million, at least! Ka-ching!"**

Qin Xian: … I came to back her up, but she’s happily bending to the allure of wealth.

After a bit of false modesty, Ji Fei accepted the gifts, much to the wives’ dismay.

These treasures had been their prized acquisitions, barely in their hands long enough to enjoy, and now they had to watch as Ji Fei claimed them.

Initially, they’d thought to teach her a lesson, but here they were, paying the price for their own arrogance.

Meanwhile, they were shooting daggers at Mrs. Zong with their eyes. Why hadn’t she said anything? This whole mess was her doing—she was the one who misidentified Ji Fei and got them all into trouble.

Since they’d started out in the entertainment world, apologizing was relatively easy. But Mrs. Zong was different. She was already part of the social elite, and with her recent marital troubles, apologizing was harder than ever.

Yet under her cousin’s urgent signals, she managed to offer her own gift, though she remained visibly reluctant to apologize.

With clenched teeth, Mrs. Zong grumbled, “Yes, I misspoke earlier because I misunderstood Ms. Ji’s status. But honestly, Qin Xian, your wife’s behavior is quite disappointing.”

Her words left everyone stunned, and the board member looked miserable, fully aware that his cousin’s stubbornness was about to make things worse.

“Cousin, enough! You were rude to Mrs. Qin; apologize now.”

Mrs. Zong, however, clenched her jaw, saying, “All I did was ask her to join me in exposing a vile person. I thought Ms. Ji had proper values, but I see now that she’s lost her way, even defending a mistress. I was only trying to steer her in the right direction, though I admit my words were harsh.”

The board member looked at Ji Fei with newfound wariness. After all, Ji Fei’s reputation hadn’t been stellar in the past; only recently had she seemed to settle down.

**"Looks like her husband’s affair has really shaken her. She’s desperate to rally everyone to her cause against Yu Rouyin, as if every single person must side with her. And anyone who won’t help is an enemy. Well, lucky for her, I’m as stubborn as they come—let’s see her try to change my mind. Nyah, nyah!"**

Even though she’d accepted the gifts, Ji Fei had no intention of letting the slight pass. She was just planning her rebuttal when Qin Xian, after hearing Mrs. Zong’s words and picking up on a few key thoughts, stepped in with a frosty glare.

“Mrs. Zong, you chose to place your expectations on Ms. Ji and then turned to criticism simply because her views differ from yours. Isn’t that a bit presumptuous?”