novelraw Chapter 400
Chapter 400
Although Ji Fei had been the one to uncover the truth behind a few prior divorces, this particular one had absolutely nothing to do with her. She was purely here as a spectator this time.
It really seemed like the Qin family’s feng shui was cursed.
This time, Ji Fei obediently sat back to watch the drama unfold. Since she hadn’t even seen the couple in question, she had no idea what exactly had happened.
Qin Dad and Qin Mom, along with two uncles, were visibly upset.
"That Zhao Jianghe guy—what a disappointment! I used to think he was a decent person. Before marrying Fifth Sister, he kept his hands clean and had no interest in women. And now, look at this—he’s divorcing her for someone else."
"Fifth Sister has managed the household so well, kept everything in perfect order, and even supported him in his career. How could he be so blinded by selfishness and fall for another woman?"
"Who knows! Fifth Sister didn’t explain much. We’ll have to interrogate them when they get here."
"What about the Zhao family? What’s their stance?"
"The Zhao family knows they’re in the wrong and hope the couple doesn’t divorce, but they haven’t taken any action to kick the other woman out either. That family’s ethos is ‘the red flag at home stays up, and the colorful flags outside can wave all they want.’ They want Fifth Sister to remain as the matriarch of the Zhao family, while the other woman stays close to Zhao Jianghe where he works."
Ji Fei frowned as she listened. Qin Xian noticed and softly explained, "The Zhao family’s main business is in third-world countries. After marrying Zhao Jianghe, Fifth Aunt moved to the wealthiest and most developed country on that continent to live with his family. But Zhao Jianghe’s work often requires him to be stationed in a dangerous country, and he only comes home two or three days a month when transporting goods."
[I see. They want Fifth Aunt to act as a prestigious figurehead for their family while indulging their hardworking son with a ‘close companion’ at his side. That’s why they think there’s no need for Fifth Aunt to divorce him. But unfortunately for them, women raised in the Qin family can’t play along with those high-society games where husbands and wives lead separate lives. Divorce is the only option. And honestly, if Zhao Jianghe is willing to cut his losses and agree to the divorce, it might be the best outcome for Fifth Aunt. Betrayal taints everything. Staying in such a marriage would only waste her life.]
Initially, Qin Dad and Qin Mom were fuming with righteous indignation. But after hearing Ji Fei’s murmured analysis, they began to think that recognizing someone’s true nature early and walking away might not be the worst outcome after all.
Now calmer, they focused on figuring out how to secure the best possible settlement for Fifth Aunt. After all, if Zhao Jianghe was the one at fault, there was no reason for her to leave empty-handed.
With limited information, the family’s heated discussion eventually ran out of steam. They decided to wait until the next day when the couple arrived to get the full story.
The following morning, Ji Fei woke up early.
Qin Xian, who rarely got to stay in bed longer due to work, was reluctant to let go of his wife, who was stirring to get up.
"What’s going on? Why are you up so early?"
"I need to get ready! Fifth Aunt and her family are arriving today," Ji Fei replied, clearly excited.
Qin Xian chuckled. "Don’t get too eager about the drama. Remember, Fifth Aunt is going through a divorce. She still has feelings for Zhao Jianghe—they’ve been married for two decades, after all. They were in love once."
Ji Fei paused, then gave him a simple smile.
[Tch. There’s really nothing exciting about Fifth Aunt’s situation. It’s the same old story of a man falling for another woman, cheating, and divorcing his wife. It’s so predictable it’s almost boring. What I’m actually excited about is figuring out whether there’s more going on with Fifth Aunt’s family—not just for the gossip.]
Qin Xian blinked, his heart inexplicably warming at her inner thoughts. His gaze toward her softened.
Just as Ji Fei was about to get out of bed, Qin Xian pulled her back into his arms.
When her face landed on his firm abs, Ji Fei couldn’t resist taking a playful bite.
To her surprise, her little tease only made Qin Xian refuse to let her leave the bed.
By the time the two of them finished their flirtatious tussle, both breathing heavily, it was almost too late. The car carrying Fifth Aunt’s family was already pulling through the front gates.
As they made their way downstairs, Ji Fei calmly took a seat under the amused gazes of the rest of the family. "Relax. It still takes five minutes to drive from the gate to the main house. We’re not late."
The others exchanged knowing smiles, commenting that this pair seemed to be the only ones enjoying marital bliss amidst the Qin family’s current streak of bad luck.
Qin Xian went to grab breakfast for Ji Fei. While the rest of the family rushed outside to watch the drama unfold, Qin Xian insisted Ji Fei finish eating first.
"Isn’t this rude of us?" Ji Fei asked, a bit concerned.
"They’re probably going to argue for a while," Qin Xian replied calmly, pouring her a glass of milk.
Sure enough, the sound of shouting came from outside, and it didn’t stop until Ji Fei had finished her breakfast.
She gave Qin Xian a thumbs-up. "You called it perfectly."
"My dad, Third Uncle, and Uncle Xi are all very protective of Fifth Aunt. She’s their sister, after all," Qin Xian explained.
In other words, there was no way they’d let Zhao Jianghe off without a confrontation.
"Let’s go," Qin Xian said, leading Ji Fei toward the main house.
On the way, they ran into Qin Yi.
"You two are so relaxed," Qin Yi said, wiping sweat from his brow. "You missed it—this was the first time I’ve ever seen the uncles get physical."
"What happened?" Qin Xian asked.
Qin Yi summarized, "Zhao Jianghe wasn’t hurt, but someone else got injured—awkwardly, it was a woman. She was just taken to a guest room to rest."
"A woman?" Ji Fei asked, surprised. "But Fifth Aunt only has one son. Where did this woman come from?"
As she spoke, she covered her mouth in shock and looked at Qin Yi. "Don’t tell me… did he bring her here?"
Qin Yi laughed. "No, no, you’re overthinking it. The woman is a close friend of Auntie’s from that side. Her name’s Lu Yunqing, and she’s practically like a godmother to Zhao Chengle."
Ji Fei grimaced dramatically.
"What’s wrong?" Qin Xian asked, amused.
"I don’t know… the words ‘godmother’ and ‘foster’ just give me bad vibes now," Ji Fei replied.
Everyone remembered the last time someone nearly became an adopted daughter, and they couldn’t help but feel uneasy too.
"This one should be fine," Qin Yi reassured them. "Apparently, she’s been trying to convince them not to divorce and has been speaking on behalf of Auntie."