Everyone turned.
A man, dressed in a sharp black suit walked into the room. At once, all the employees straightened their backs and smoothed their expressions.
This was none other than Hu Chengyu.
Their boss.
His eyes scanned every face before landing on his wife who was wailing and screaming in pain. He quickly rushed over, his eyes filled with worry. "Dear, what's wrong? What happened? Did someone hurt you?"
Seeing him, Mrs. Hu burst into fresh tears. The rage that had possessed her moments ago melted into pitiful sorrow. Clutching her arm dramatically, she whimpered, "Chengyu... my hand....my hand..... she broke my hand... It hurts so much!"
Hu Chengyu's eyes darkened. "Who did this?!" he roared, his voice heavy with fury. "Who dared to lay a hand on my wife?!"
All eyes turned to Xia Yuqing. Hu Chengyu followed their gaze, his sharp expression softening when it landed on her calm, steady figure. "Yuqing, why did you?" he murmured, a faint hint of tenderness in his voice.
Hearing the way her husband spoke another woman's name so tenderly, a fire rose in her chest. Mrs. Hu's pushed him away, her eyes burning with fury. "Isn't this all because of you?! You betrayed me for this slut, and now she wants to kill me! Tell me, Chengyu, am I nothing to you?! Do you want me gone too?"
Hu Chengyu's expression darkened. He could not afford to let this spiral out of control—not when everyone was watching. "Dear, what are you saying? I love you. How could I possibly—"
"Don't lie to me!" she hissed, grabbing his collar. "I found her earrings on our bed!" Her voice cracked with betrayal. "If you didn't bring her there, then how did her earrings end up in our bed? Did they walk there on their own?"
Hu Chengyu exhaled heavily. "Dear, listen to me..."
But, Mrs. Hu wasn't ready to listen. She knew no matter what he said, it would be a lie. She could do nothing to him because he was her husband and she needed him, but Xia Yuqing.... she could deal with her easily.
"You betrayed me for this bitch, right?" she yelled. "I am going to kill her..."
"Dear, stop this," Hu Chengyu grabbed his wife's hand, his eyes pleading but she pushed him away and lunged forward.
Xia Yuqing stood calmly. She has almost understood the entire situation. She was ready to counterattack as the woman approached, but just then, Hu Chengyu moved slightly, positioning himself between her and his wife.
It was a small move, but powerful.
One that screamed: I am protecting her!
The air grew heavy and suffocating. A printer beeped somewhere in the background, but no one moved. The implication of Hu Chengyu's action was clear. The employees exchanged wary glances, their breath barely audible.
Meanwhile, Xia Yuqing remained still, her eyes flickering between the enraged woman and the man who had just stepped in front of her. She resisted the urge to scoff. It was so damn predictable.
She has seen many such things happening in the harem. Also, among the many disdain, contemptuous, and shocked gazes, there was one look that stood out. Jealousy. It was coming straight from the woman in red.
It was clear—this man was having an affair with the woman in red. And his so-called 'protection' was nothing but a setup to frame her.
Watching her husband's action, a sharp gasp left Mrs. Hu's lips. "You... you're defending her?" Her voice cracked, raw with betrayal and hurt. She staggered back, clutching her chest. "I sacrificed everything for you, Chengyu! Everything! And now, you are throwing me away like some piece of trash?! Just because she's younger? Just because she's prettier?"
"Am I that old and useless to you?! Are you going to leave me for her?" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Many employees especially women felt pity for her. They couldn't help but glare at Xia Yuqing, the vixen who was the reason behind all this chaos.
Li Xinran smirked slightly before she stepped forward. She placed a comforting hand on Mrs. Hu's shoulder, her voice gentle. "Mrs. Hu, please calm down. The boss loves you. He didn't stop you because of Xia Yuqing—he stopped you because of your injury. Look at your hand—it's swollen. If you hurt yourself further, who would that benefit?"
She threw a fleeting glance toward Xia Yuqing before continuing, "The boss is worried about you. And as for her..." she gestured subtly toward Xia Yuqing, "...you shouldn't let a woman like that come between you and the boss. What is she? No one. But you, Mrs. Hu, you are the boss's wife. No one can take that position from you. Right, boss?"
Hu Chengyu seized the opportunity, nodding fervently. "That's right. Dear, I admit. I did sleep with her. But trust me, I didn't want to..... I was drunk... when she threw herself at me, I thought she was you..." He sighed, his voice dripping with remorse. "I slipped. I made a terrible mistake. And, I lied because I was afraid that I would lose you...."
"Please dear," he pleaded, taking her hand. "Punish me, hate me, but please... please forgive me. I swear, in front of all my employees, it will never happen again.... please forgive me..."
A collective gasp rippled through the office.
By admitting to the affair, he had sealed Xia Yuqing's fate.
Had he denied it, there might have been a sliver of doubt, a small chance for Xia Yuqing to fight back. But now? The narrative was set in stone.
Xia Yuqing—the seductress.
Xia Yuqing—the homewrecker.
Contempt. Disgust. Judgment attacked her from all sides.
Yet, Xia Yuqing remained utterly unfazed. She did not lower her gaze, nor did she offer any defense. She simply stood there, calm and poised, as if none of it mattered. As if their opinions were as insignificant as dust. As if she wasn't the one they were talking about.
Mrs. Hu sneered at her indifference. The woman's calmness was like a slap to her already bruised pride. "I will forgive you, Chengyu. But her..." She turned sharply, pointing a trembling finger at Xia Yuqing. "She has to go! Fire her!"