Mrs. Zong froze, her face turning pale.

Qin Xian’s gaze was sharp and unyielding as he said, “Ms. Ji’s path is hers to choose. Whether it’s right or wrong is not for an outsider to judge.”

The board member’s hair stood on end, realizing that Qin Xian was genuinely furious.

“Throwing around an accusation of supporting a mistress so casually… do you realize the damage this could do to Ms. Ji’s reputation? I suggest that Mrs. Zong find solid proof to back up her claims, or we’ll need to involve a lawyer.”

The last sentence almost knocked Mrs. Zong off her feet; she barely managed to stay upright with the board member’s support.

This wasn’t what she had expected. She’d assumed that if she accused Ji Fei of supporting a mistress, President Qin would at least demand an explanation and lecture her. She hadn’t anticipated this reaction at all.

And his response sounded eerily similar to what Ji Fei had said earlier when she asked her for evidence.

From afar, Qin Rong marveled, “Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard my brother talk like that!”

Qin’s Mom, stunned at first, couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s funny?” Qin Rong asked, puzzled.

Qin’s Mom replied, “It’s just… your brother seems to have changed a bit. Normally, he would let Ji Fei handle herself in these situations. But this time, he jumped in immediately.”

Qin Rong thought for a moment. “Didn’t he always stand up for her?”

Qin’s Mom smiled knowingly but didn’t elaborate. While Qin Xian had always protected his wife out of a sense of responsibility, he had never acted so instinctively to defend her without hesitation, leaving no room for anyone to challenge Ji Fei.

This reaction seemed to come from the heart, an automatic response, unrelated to duty.

Even Qin Xian’s assistant, who was accustomed to his composed demeanor, was a bit taken aback.

With Qin Xian’s words ringing in her ears, Mrs. Zong realized there was no room for argument. Despite her frustration, she had to recognize the reality and ultimately apologized alongside her cousin for her inappropriate remarks.

But Qin Xian didn’t soften. “If similar rumors spread about Ms. Ji in the future, we’ll pursue the matter to the fullest extent.”

With that, he turned to Ji Fei and asked softly, “Ready to head back?”

Ji Fei was looking up at him, her clear eyes reflecting his image.

Curious, Qin Xian paused as he heard her inner thoughts.

**"Dang it, he totally nailed that CEO line! So cool… I think I might actually be swooning a little."**

The remnants of Qin Xian’s cold demeanor melted away, and his face heated up.

What should have been a straightforward moment now felt unexpectedly embarrassing, thanks to Ji Fei’s commentary.

Truly, when it came to ruining a mood, Ji Fei was a pro.

With a light pat on her shoulder, Qin Xian signaled her to stand up. He instructed his assistant to gather up the gifts, ensuring Ji Fei’s unexpected haul wasn’t left behind.

As they reached the doorway, Qin Xian stopped, then turned to a nearby booth. “Mom, Rong.”

Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong were startled, thinking he hadn’t noticed them.

Awkwardly, they removed their sunglasses and greeted him.

Ji Fei’s eyes widened in surprise—she hadn’t known they were here.

The other women were equally taken aback. They had no idea that the CEO’s mother and sister had been present the whole time, hearing every unpleasant remark about Ji Fei firsthand. This was far worse than a mere report; they’d witnessed it all with their own eyes and ears.

Yet, the fact that they hadn’t intervened to defend Ji Fei made the wives wonder if there was tension in the family. Perhaps they wouldn’t hold it against them…

They were lost in nervous speculation until they saw Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong leave their seats, eagerly rushing forward to stand beside Ji Fei, each linking an arm with her.

“When did you get here? Why didn’t you call me?” Ji Fei asked, surprised.

“We came just in time to catch the show. We were curious to see who had the guts to boss our Ji Fei around,” Qin’s Mom replied, grinning.

“Second Sister-in-Law, we were all set to make a grand entrance, but Big Brother beat us to it!” Qin Rong chimed in.

“What? You guys wanted to steal the spotlight too?” Ji Fei laughed.

With laughter and chatter, the three of them left, leaving Qin Xian dutifully opening doors and guiding them out.

Meanwhile, the wives were left behind, their faces ashen. They could only hope the gifts would be enough to placate the family.

The board member, fed up with Mrs. Zong’s stubbornness, unceremoniously urged everyone to leave.

At the main entrance, the other wives couldn’t help but grumble at Mrs. Zong.

“Enough! If there’s any backlash, I’ll take the blame. Now stop bickering. Or have you all given up on the idea of blacklisting Yu Rouyin?” Mrs. Zong snapped.

“Then what do you suggest? We can’t risk provoking them again.”

A fierce look crossed Mrs. Zong’s eyes. “I don’t need their help. I’ll make sure that fox is torn apart by public opinion.”

At the same time, Pei Mingxuan, who had just started managing Ji Fei’s files, received a surprising call.

“Ms. Yu, are you asking for my help? You want to join our studio? But the terms you’re offering… aren’t you selling yourself short?”

Meanwhile, Ji Fei and the others returned to Qin Xian’s office. It was nearly the end of the workday, so they decided to wait while Qin Xian finished up a few tasks before heading home together.

Seated on the large office couch, the three of them eagerly discussed the recent drama while unpacking the gifts they’d received.

Even though none of them needed the money, there was a certain thrill in the unexpected windfall.

Qin Xian, having just sat down at his desk, nudged his mouse, and the computer screen lit up.

His gaze caught on something, and then he looked over at Ji Fei, who was comparing jewelry prices with Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong.

“Ji Fei, come here,” Qin Xian called calmly.

Assuming he needed help with something, Ji Fei happily skipped over.

“What’s up?”

Qin Xian pointed at the screen.

Turning to look, Ji Fei’s smile froze.

**"Crap, I totally forgot about this."**

Qin Xian’s mouth twitched, and a shadow crossed his eyes. “Reply to it.”

Ji Fei gave him a blank look. “Huh?”

**"He wants me to reply? What am I supposed to say? Doesn’t he realize this is an email from his ex? He should, right? It’s pretty obvious from the date and the greeting…"**

Qin’s Mom and Qin Rong: !!!!!!!

Wait—ex-girlfriend? An email?

The Qin family knew little about Yu Zhi, only that Qin Xian had dated someone during college, but he’d never brought her home. In fact, they hardly ever heard her name, nor did they see him act out of character for her. She seemed no different than any of his other friends.

They’d always trusted Qin Xian, so they never paid much attention to his love life. By the time they learned about her, the relationship was already over. Since Qin Xian showed no signs of heartbreak, there hadn’t even been an opportunity to offer comfort. It was over before they knew it.

The recent mention of her had only come up because of Secretary Jin’s situation.

So why would she still be reaching out, especially since she had to know he was married? And now Ji Fei had seen it? This was domestic drama waiting to explode!

The tiny bit of progress Qin Xian had made with Ji Fei couldn’t be jeopardized!

Both women froze, ears perked as they tried to listen in.

Ji Fei suddenly felt like she was in a battlefield of sorts and couldn’t quite decide how she should respond.

She swallowed nervously and said cautiously, “Fine, just tell me what you want me to reply.”

Qin Xian looked at her. “Not for me to reply—you should do it yourself.”

Ji Fei’s eyes widened.

**"Did the gossip just turn around and hit me in the face? What kind of game is he playing? I’m going to overheat just processing this! She’s asking to meet you in two weeks—what am I supposed to say to that?"**

“Reply… with what?”

Qin Xian’s gaze was intense. “You already know who sent the email, don’t you? As my wife, don’t you know what to say?”