[Qin: I believe you.]
The moment Shi Ning saw this message, the unease weighing on her heart instantly settled.
Qin Heye… believed her. He had sent her a message in such a short time.
Not bad.
All these days of “training” hadn’t been in vain.
[Huh? The Villain actually believed the Evil Female Supporting Character.]
[He didn’t hide away and cry, didn’t mourn that his wife didn’t want him, didn’t spiral into paranoia thinking she’d take his house, his wealth, and him along with the divorce?]
[Could it be the Villain was actually panicking—afraid the Evil Female Supporting Character had already run off—so he sent this message as bait to trick her?]
[That way, he could quickly rush over, capture her, and lock her in the attic.]
[Not impossible! After all (spoiler alert for the third reread), the Villain later did use this exact trick on the Evil Female Supporting Character.]
[Oh, and don’t forget—the Villain had a gold chain custom-made just two days ago, in the Evil Female Supporting Character’s size. Can’t wait for it. Imprisonment play incoming.]
Shi Ning’s heart, which had just calmed down, tensed again.
Is this really how things are going to unfold?
She wanted to reply to Qin Heye with a message, but after hesitating for a moment, she decided to call him instead.
But—
When she dialed, all she heard was a cold, mechanical voice: “The number you have dialed is busy.”
“…Forget it. Let’s get the account back first.”
Shi Ning was on the verge of tears. How could someone hack her account—and post something so outrageous, celebrating her divorce?
She didn’t even have time to think about the motive. All she could do was focus on getting it back.
Meanwhile, Mu Tiantian and Mu Zhenrong were still locked in their scuffle. Mu Tiantian had been slapped several times, unable to fight back or even out-insult her.
Mu Zhenrong, pushed to the brink, lashed out again and yanked Shi Ning aside.
“Mu Tiantian! Grandma is sick, she’s dying—yet you’re still so arrogant. Isn’t it just because you’re clinging to Shi Ning, and hiding behind Master Qin’s power?”
“When Shi Ning divorces him, do you think Dad will still tolerate you in the Mu family? Master Qin won’t let Shi Ning—who cheated on him—off so easily. After the divorce, she won’t even know how she died…”
At that moment, a chilling, commanding voice rang out from the doorway—cold enough to freeze blood.
“Who said I was going to divorce Aning?”
The sudden words made Mu Zhenrong feel as though blades of ice were stabbing into her spine. Her whole body froze.
She didn’t dare look back, praying desperately it was all an illusion.
To speak ill of Master Qin behind his back—what kind of terrible fate would that bring?
Shi Ning, still focused on her phone, jerked her head up the instant she heard that familiar voice.
There he was.
Qin Heye stood tall at the doorway, his aura sharp and domineering, his gaze like knives of ice as they cut into Mu Zhenrong.
Mu Zhenrong felt as if the executioner’s blade was already hanging over her head. Her body shook uncontrollably.
“Q–Qin… Master Qin.” Her voice trembled as badly as her body.
Mu Tiantian too sensed the terrifying aura rolling off him—more suffocating than even the notorious Tiandihua Club (a powerful underworld organization).
“It wasn’t me, it was her!” Mu Tiantian quickly shoved Mu Zhenrong forward like a shield. “She’s the one who said it. If you’re going to hit someone, hit her, not me!”
She almost wished this wasn’t a clothing boutique—otherwise, she would’ve handed Qin Heye a hanger right then and there.
Mu Zhenrong nearly cried as she tried to push Mu Tiantian in front of her, but Mu Tiantian was stronger. She couldn’t escape.
Qin Heye stepped inside, his every movement steeped in icy authority. “Who told you Aning and I are divorcing?”
Each word was like a blade, stabbing straight into Mu Zhenrong’s chest.
She hadn’t cried when Mu Tiantian beat her.
But now—faced with Qin Heye’s killing intent—her tears spilled over. She pointed at Shi Ning, her voice desperate. “She posted it herself! The whole internet knows. I didn’t make it up!”
Shi Ning had wanted a divorce, and she had even cheated. What did that have to do with her? Why was Qin Heye glaring at her like he wanted to kill?
“I’ll settle the score with you later,” Qin Heye said coldly.
Then, without sparing her another glance, he turned toward Shi Ning.
In an instant, the frost on his face melted into warmth, as if winter had turned to spring. The lethal aura around him dissipated, replaced with a gentleness that could almost fool someone into thinking he’d never been terrifying at all.
Mu Tiantian and Mu Zhenrong: ???
Qin Heye walked straight to Shi Ning. She was still fiddling with her phone, beads of sweat on her forehead.
When he had appeared at the door, she had only glanced at him before quickly looking down again.
Unlike the past few days—when she would run straight into his arms like a little bird fluttering into its nest, calling him “husband” with sweetness and joy.
“Wife, I’m here.”
Mu Tiantian and Mu Zhenrong’s eyes went round again: ???
That gentle, aggrieved voice—was this really the same man who’d just spoken like a god of death moments ago?
It almost felt like this was a fake Mr. Qin.
Shi Ning still didn’t look up. Instead, she stepped aside, putting distance between them.
“What are you doing here?”
Her tone made it obvious—she was angry.
Qin Heye immediately followed her step for step, lowering his head. “I’m sorry. I came late and made my wife angry.”
“I’ll let you pinch my cheeks and pull my ears, just please don’t be mad, okay?”
He bent down, lowering his tall frame, tilting his head toward her. His handsome face, his ears—both offered to her within reach.
He remembered well: when she was angry, she liked to pinch his face and tug his ears.
It was something he’d trained himself to accept.
Shi Ning stared at him—at his posture bent low before her—and her anger began to ease.
Finally, she lifted her gaze. “I’m not angry because you were late.”
Qin Heye’s brows softened further. “Then what did I do wrong? Tell me, and I’ll change.”
Mu Tiantian and Mu Zhenrong were struck dumb again.
It was one thing for Mr. Qin to be gentle. But humble?
Shi Ning was the one supposedly divorcing him. Supposedly betraying him for another man. Shouldn’t she be the one apologizing?
But here—it was the opposite.
In Qin Heye’s eyes, if something had gone wrong, it was his fault. Never hers.
Even if she didn’t love him, even if she wanted to leave him—it was because he wasn’t good enough. That was the logic he lived by.
Mu Tiantian finally understood why Shi Ning was so sure Qin Heye had secretly loved her for ten years.
Was it really “secret”? No. It was an open, blatant love—carved into every action.
She felt happy and relieved. Her Ningning truly had found a good man.
Mu Zhenrong, meanwhile, was burning with envy and jealousy—but she dared not show it.
Shi Ning looked at Qin Heye, her lips pressed together. “I’m angry… because you don’t believe me.”
She shoved her phone into his hands. “My account was hacked. I didn’t post that update. I never said I wanted a divorce.”
The thought of that false status nearly sickened her.
Qin Heye frowned, confusion flickering in his eyes. “Didn’t you get my message?”
Shi Ning nodded. “I did.”
He had sent her: I believe you.
But…
Qin Heye’s gaze deepened, puzzled. “Then why did my wife say I don’t believe her?”
Shi Ning pursed her lips, raised her head, and asked directly:
“If you believe me, then why did you order a gold chain? Specially tailored for me. A whole set of gold chains!”
Her voice trembled.
“Isn’t it obvious—you want to imprison me? To lock me in the attic?”