Chapter 12: Irrefutable Evidence—Wen Ni's Adultery!

"What are you doing here?"

A voice as cold as winter, chilling the air around, suddenly rang out.

Shen Xue-ning jumped in fright.

She quickly hid her hands behind her back.

Turning around, she faced Zhou Jing-yi, who had appeared out of nowhere. Her cheeks flushed crimson in nervousness, and she stammered, "I... I didn't... It's nothing. I came to look for Wen Ni, but she's not here, so I'll leave now, Uncle."

Before she finished speaking, Shen Xue-ning was already eager to escape.

After leaving the sixth floor, Shen Xue-ning went straight to find Min Xian-shu.

---

Three days later.

Evening.

The old master had not yet returned.

Min Xian-shu, full of wrath, stormed up to the sixth floor with Sister Liu, heading straight to Wen Ni's workspace.

Wen Ni was startled.

Seeing Min Xian-shu suddenly appear, she frowned and asked, "Mother, what brings you here?"

Min Xian-shu slapped her.

Wen Ni's face was turned aside by the blow, her brows furrowed.

Min Xian-shu shouted, "Don't call me mother! I won't have a daughter-in-law who disgraces our family. Wen Ni, I saw through you long ago. Now, at last, I've caught you red-handed, haven't I?"

Wen Ni blinked.

She retorted, "Mother, you should speak with a clear conscience. What have I done?"

Min Xian-shu clasped her hands behind her back, pacing as she spoke, "You know perfectly well what disgraceful things you've done."

Min Xian-shu strutted about arrogantly.

Suddenly, she felt as if her legs were tripped by a rope.

She stumbled forward a couple of steps.

Instinctively, she reached to steady herself on the brocade frame.

But she hadn't expected the frame to be so fragile.

She ended up pulling down all the finished and unfinished brocade pieces, tangling them together and sending them tumbling to the floor.

It was a mess.

Min Xian-shu’s expression changed slightly.

But thinking of what she was about to accomplish, she waved it off, saying indifferently, "It doesn't matter. You're not the only one who can weave brocade. Today, you’re thrown out of the Zhou family, tomorrow new hands will step in. Who cares for these useless things?"

Wen Ni replied, "Mother, you’re always quick to accuse."

Min Xian-shu screamed, "Don’t call me mother! It disgusts me; I want nothing to do with you."

Wen Ni hung her head.

She murmured, "Mother, your emotions are so unstable... No wonder father said..."

Min Xian-shu strode forward, furious. "What did your father say about me behind my back?"

Wen Ni’s gaze was timid.

She dared not speak.

Min Xian-shu reached out, intending to grab Wen Ni for answers, but just then, Shen Xue-ning arrived, bringing the old lady with her.

The old lady surveyed the brocade strewn across the floor, her face darkening instantly. "What are you trying to do now?"

Min Xian-shu hastened to soften her tone, "Mother, it’s like this—Xue-ning and I found something Wen Ni dropped."

The old lady said, "If you found something, return it to Wen Ni!"

Min Xian-shu hesitated, embarrassed, and finally said, "Mother, the main issue is... it’s hard to speak of... it’s... it’s a condom!"

The old lady: "..."

She sat down.

Her gaze swept over everyone present.

Her voice was muffled, like the whistle of an old locomotive starting up. "Where did you find it?"

Min Xian-shu quickly answered, "It fell from Wen Ni, right here in the brocade room. Mother, tell me, what is a widow whose husband has died doing carrying a condom?"

The old lady said nothing.

Yet her gaze toward Wen Ni inevitably betrayed a trace of suspicion.

Min Xian-shu declared loudly, "Wen Ni is obviously meeting men in secret. My poor son Ming Fan has only been gone a few days. It looks like she didn’t wait until after his death to start her affair. I suspect she was unfaithful even while my son was alive."

With that, Min Xian-shu wiped tears from her eyes, her performance convincing, "My poor Ming Fan, perhaps he left to clear his mind after discovering the truth, and never returned. My poor son..."

At first, Min Xian-shu's tears were an act.

But as she went on, she truly wept.

The old lady was moved by Min Xian-shu’s grief, and a few tears fell from her own eyes.

She took out a handkerchief to wipe them away, then said, "Wen Ni, explain yourself. What is going on?"

Wen Ni stepped forward.

Sister Liu hurriedly interjected before Wen Ni could speak, "Madam, I've served this household for over twenty years. You know my character. Today, I must expose something."

The old lady frowned.

She said to Wen Ni, "Let’s hear what your Aunt Liu has to say first."

Sister Liu heaved a sigh and began, "The world is deteriorating. These past few days, I noticed something odd about the young mistress, so I kept an eye on her. I discovered an earth-shattering secret."

Before she could finish, Zhou Jing-yi returned.

He approached from the elevator.

He saw the crowd gathered on the sixth floor.

His gaze was icy.

His handsome features exuded an innate coldness and pride. "Mother, what’s going on?"

The old lady lifted a hand. "We’re borrowing your space to settle something; it’ll be over soon."

She then gestured for Sister Liu to continue.

Sister Liu reported in a low voice, "I've seen the young mistress go to the backyard more than once these past few days. Curious, I followed her a few times and saw... saw her meeting with a performer from the pear garden. I even took photos."

As she spoke, Sister Liu quickly produced her phone.

She showed the photos to the old lady.

The old lady flipped through them one by one, her eyes downcast. "Wen Ni, what do you have to say?"

Wen Ni replied softly, "I was feeling stifled and wanted a walk. I saw Mr. Zeng pruning the crabapple trees and picked up two branches. He told me that adding cola to a vase keeps the flowers fresh longer, so that afternoon he gave me a bottle of cola."

She paused, then continued, "I went to the backyard for the cola. Altogether, I spent only ten minutes there. What could happen in ten minutes?"

Shen Xue-ning whispered, "Ten minutes is enough for all sorts of things."

The old lady asked, "So, Wen Ni, you deny your mother-in-law’s accusations?"

Wen Ni nodded, "If you wish to condemn, you’ll never lack for an excuse."

Min Xian-shu pressed on, "Mother, I know a condom alone isn’t proof. How about this—let Xue-ning take people to search that performer’s residence. If anything improper happened, there’ll surely be traces."

The old lady took a deep breath.

She looked at Wen Ni again. Wen Ni stood tall and straight, a picture of innocence.

The old lady nodded in agreement to Min Xian-shu’s proposal.

Shen Xue-ning and Sister Liu prepared to leave.

The old lady turned to her trusted confidante, Wang Su-fang. "You go with them."

Wang Su-fang answered and followed.

Zhou Jing-yi understood.

A hint of amusement flashed in his half-lidded eyes as he leisurely regarded Wen Ni’s swollen cheeks.

This time.

How would she resolve the situation?

How could she resolve it?

For a brief moment, Wen Ni glanced at Zhou Jing-yi, her eyes flickering.