Zhu Lingling was actually quite pretty, though her spoiled temperament made her appear somewhat fierce. She must have hurriedly dressed up just now, as she no longer looked as disheveled as she did after the fight.
She took a deep breath, as if unwilling to miss another chance, and loudly declared, "Qin Xian, I love you, I truly love you. I've loved you for ten years, since the first time I saw you in freshman year. Before, I was deceived by Yu Zhi and didn't want to ruin your happiness, so I never tried to pursue you. But now I can't hold back anymore - I want to be with you!"
Everyone was stunned, staring at Zhu Lingling in disbelief.
"Is this normal? Isn't this bizarre?"
"Even Yu Zhi tried to steal him secretly!"
"His legitimate wife is right there, and Zhu Lingling is publicly declaring she wants to steal someone's husband - how can she be so brazen? Couldn't she at least be discreet about it?"
"She must have really lost her mind, her mental state is quite something."
"She was always quite... bold."
"Tonight she's really gone all out."
"If I were her parents, I'd be furious."
"That's not quite right - this kind of personality isn't something ordinary parents could cultivate."
"Come to think of it, I'm quite impressed that Yu Zhi used to be able to keep Zhu Lingling in check."
Naturally, Zhu Lingling's earth-shattering confession also shocked Ji Fei and Qin Xian.
[I really thought she was just here as muscle tonight. What's this? The cannon fodder became the boss? I've seen many types of dramatic confrontations, but this is a first. I have to say, being this direct somehow makes it hard to see her as a shameless homewrecker. Is this what happens when you abandon all morals - you don't feel the need to hide what you're doing? There's always a bigger fish! I'm impressed!]
Qin Xian had never encountered this kind of situation either!
[At a time like this, if I were to step in and slap her, would it count as justified self-defense and emergency response? No, no, no - Newton's Third Law means my hand would hurt too. Though netizens call me the Slapping Sister, those were all fake slaps.]
While Ji Fei was lost in her thoughts, her hand was suddenly grabbed by Qin Xian beside her and held up in front of Zhu Lingling.
"Miss Zhu, can't you see my wife is right here beside me?" Qin Xian's tone carried displeasure, notably addressing her as 'Miss Zhu.'
This immediately brought tears to Zhu Lingling's eyes, but she was more aggressive than Yu Zhi.
She glared fiercely at Ji Fei and said, "I'm more suitable for Qin Xian than you. I'm the only precious daughter in my family, and all of the Zhu family's assets will be mine in the future. Our Zhu family's business perfectly complements the Qin Corporation. If he marries me, it would be a powerful alliance. As long as Qin Xian is willing, I and everything the Zhu family owns can be dedicated to him."
Zhu Lingling held her head high as if looking down on Ji Fei.
But everyone around looked at Zhu Lingling as if she were crazy.
[Damn, is this what they call extreme love-brain syndrome? You're really killing your parents with this filial piety.]
Just as Ji Fei was about to make some sarcastic remarks.
Zhu Lingling said, "Just name your price to divorce Qin Xian!"
Ji Fei froze.
[Huh? What?]
Qin Xian immediately looked at Ji Fei.
"Several hundred million or whatever assets, I can afford it all, as long as you agree to divorce him."
[Several hundred million... that means at least 200 million, right?]
Qin Xian's eyes narrowed dangerously.
[Wow, never expected this - to think this classic 'throw money at someone to leave' scene would actually happen to me! Kind of exciting!]
Qin Xian took a deep breath, "Miss Zhu, what do you take me for, a commodity to be traded? My wife doesn't need a few hundred million."
Ji Fei quickly glanced at Qin Xian. She certainly couldn't make such a deal in public, after all, Zhu Lingling wasn't a good person either, and she couldn't be so unprofessional as to sell her husband. Though she felt a tiny bit of regret.
After all, in her original world, during those difficult times, how she had wished for such a scene to play out!
She had even imagined the dialogue back then.
Now the scene had arrived, but she couldn't take the role.
[Sigh, actually... I do need it.]
Just as Ji Fei casually sighed, she felt the hand holding hers suddenly tighten painfully, though it quickly loosened again.
"We won't divorce," Qin Xian suddenly spoke, then pulled Ji Fei to face him, as if speaking only to her, and seriously repeated, "We won't divorce."
Ji Fei was stunned by Qin Xian's sudden earnestness.
Qin Xian's eyes were very dark, and under the night lights, they sparkled with scattered light, like the depths of the night sky that one longed to explore yet feared getting lost in.
"Ji Fei will be my only wife."
While Ji Fei was still in a daze, Qin Xian had already announced this to everyone present.
It was final.
His wife would only be Ji Fei, never anyone else.
Zhu Lingling looked at Qin Xian with hurt in her eyes, "Qin Xian, everything I said is true. You're a businessman, don't you understand weighing pros and cons?"
Qin Xian let out a derisive laugh: "Ji Fei is my wife. I don't know what kind of family education you received, but our family didn't teach us to weigh pros and cons when it comes to our wives. Besides, even if I were to weigh things, you'd be worthless in my eyes."
Perhaps speaking like this would offend the Zhu family, but Zhu Lingling had offended them first.
If you don't mess with me, I won't mess with you - Qin Xian was never one to be pushed around.
Being publicly rejected by her love interest like this, Zhu Lingling naturally couldn't hold back anymore and glared angrily at Ji Fei.
"You're just an orphan abandoned by your family, living off others' charity, dependent on the Qin family's goodwill. How dare you compete with me for Qin Xian?"
The moment those words left her mouth, her already swollen face received another slap.
Everyone was shocked.
After a whole evening of drama, Ji Fei, the female lead and Mrs. Qin, had finally taken action!
"You can say what you want about me, but bringing up my deceased family means you're asking for a beating," Ji Fei said coolly.
People thought it was over, but another slap followed.
"And insulting my in-laws is also not allowed. They've been so good to me!" Ji Fei was truly done this time.
But after hitting her, she felt a bit scared inside. So she slightly hid behind Qin Xian.
When Zhu Lingling came to her senses and was about to explode in anger, she saw Qin Xian standing in front of Ji Fei, saying coldly, "Miss Zhu, please show some self-respect. Also, don't appear before my wife and me again."
This statement was meant for everyone to hear, essentially announcing the severance of ties with the Zhu family.
In the future, they need not be invited to any events where Zhu Lingling would be present.
Everyone was surprised that even Yu Zhi's actions hadn't resulted in such consequences, yet Zhu Lingling merely said one thing about Ji Fei, and this happened...
It seemed Ji Fei wasn't just a wife Qin Xian acknowledged - it was more than that.
Soon, their car arrived, and Qin Xian left the venue with Ji Fei.
The journey was quiet until Qin Xian transferred some compensation money to Ji Fei for damages to her reputation, which finally brought her back from her thoughts about what had just happened.
"I'm sorry about tonight's events. It was all because of me," Qin Xian apologized sincerely.
Ji Fei, having received the money, naturally smiled cheerfully. "It's fine, it's fine. You've had it rough too, with your true love treating you like this! And having a stalker eyeing you."
Qin Xian frowned, his expression turning unpleasant, "Still don't believe me? Yu Zhi is not my true love."
Ji Fei immediately said, "I believe you, I really do."
[I believe it, I must believe it. If this turns out to be another stubborn love tangle, what awaits won't be just a dramatic scene but dancing on my grave!]
[It's good though, Qin Xian is a good person. It's better that he's not being deceived by bad women.]
Qin Xian drove while waiting to hear Ji Fei's inner thoughts.
But all the way home, there was complete silence.
Qin Xian: ...Is that it? Nothing more? Hasn't she thought about my other words tonight, my other actions?
Qin Xian's lips moved slightly, his heartbeat gradually accelerating, as if the entire car could hear his heartbeat.
