“Mom, Dad, this is Duan Yi,” Qin Tiantian cheerfully introduced as she rushed to her parents.
However, Sixth Uncle Qin and his wife were utterly devoted to their daughter. As soon as they saw her, they first showered her with concern, asking how her day had been, before shifting their attention.
“Duan Yi, right? I remember you—Tiantian’s childhood friend. My, how you’ve grown! You’ve become even more beautiful,” Sixth Aunt said gently with a warm smile.
“Tiantian won’t be staying here for long, so cherish the time you have together. You’re always welcome to visit our home,” Sixth Uncle Qin added, his demeanor kind and approachable, like a friendly uncle.
Duan Yi couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy at the scene. Qin Tiantian truly had wonderful parents, and they hadn’t changed a bit over the years.
She liked Qin Tiantian’s parents—she really did. But as her own mother had said, perhaps this was just fate.
Duan Yi politely greeted them.
Meanwhile, Aunt Mao stood to the side, her face pale and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. In fact, ever since Duan Yi arrived, Aunt Mao had seemed uneasy, though Ji Fei hadn’t thought much of it at the time.
Aunt Mao kept urging Duan Yi to leave.
Thinking Aunt Mao might have some urgent matter at home, Sixth Uncle Qin and his wife didn’t prolong the conversation and offered to arrange a car to take them home.
But Aunt Mao quickly waved her hands, insisting they didn’t need it—she would take Duan Yi on her electric scooter.
Then, she hurriedly pulled Duan Yi away, as if afraid the girl would stay even a second longer.
If one were to say she was just being overly cautious, it might make sense, but her behavior toward the Qin Family, who were so kind-hearted, seemed excessive.
That evening, the young people continued their usual fun and games, dispersing when it was time.
Qin Zhao wanted to leave, but Qin Rong kept hinting for him to stay, suggesting that Ji Fei had something to say.
However, Ji Fei and Qin Xian were cozily watching videos on the couch, and even after finishing, they showed no intention of speaking up.
[Alright, time to rest. Oh, and later, I’ll share some gossip with my husband.]
Qin Rong, who had been holding back her curiosity for hours, thought to herself: So, when sister-in-law said she wanted to discuss something with everyone, she really just meant with Second Brother?! How unfair!
Qin Zhao: What are we even doing here? I’m so sleepy!
Once back in their room, Ji Fei and Qin Xian began chatting while getting ready for bed. Ji Fei brought up the strange things she had noticed that day, and due to her lack of caution, she accidentally let slip information that only a system could have uncovered. If anyone else had been listening, they could have exposed Ji Fei on the spot.
But Qin Xian pretended not to notice anything unusual, patiently waiting for his wife to finish.
“You don’t need to worry. Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt may seem easygoing, but when it comes to their daughter, they’re extremely protective. Today, Tiantian wasn’t hurt, but if something had happened, they would have gone to great lengths to ensure her safety. And if it’s a long-term friendship, they’d definitely dig deep into the other person’s background.”
Ji Fei was taken aback. “They’re that strict?”
“Well, she’s their treasure,” Qin Xian replied with a smile.
“Then Tiantian’s future partner is in for a tough time.”
Qin Xian raised an eyebrow.
Suddenly, Ji Fei cupped Qin Xian’s face and said with a grin, “But it’s not easy for Tiantian to find someone, especially since her standards are set by you. Our Qin Xian is a rare gem in the world—where could she possibly find someone like you?”
Qin Xian’s face flushed, and he turned to kiss Ji Fei’s palm. “I’m not that great. You’re the amazing one. I’m just lucky to have found the best Ji Fei in the world.”
Ji Fei’s cheeks turned red, and she couldn’t resist leaning in for a kiss.
After a moment of intimacy, Ji Fei couldn’t help but bring up Duan Yi’s behavior again.
Qin Xian sighed but indulged his wife.
However, he did share his own suspicions.
“Compared to Duan Yi’s reaction, I find Aunt Mao’s behavior even more puzzling. It seems like she’s hiding something,” Qin Xian said.
“Really?” Ji Fei was about to investigate but suddenly realized she didn’t even know Aunt Mao’s full name. Embarrassed, she said, “Uh, what’s Aunt Mao’s name again?”
One of the things Ji Fei loved most about Qin Xian was that no matter how strange her requests were, he never questioned them and immediately acted on them.
So, late at night, the butler received a message asking for Aunt Mao’s full name.
Though the butler found it odd, he complied without hesitation, as the master had spoken.
As soon as Ji Fei saw the name, she connected with her system.
[Let me see… What on earth is this self-loathing lunatic thinking? The reason she treats her daughter this way is because… AHHHHHHHH!]
Ji Fei practically leapt out of Qin Xian’s arms, visibly shaken.
Qin Xian immediately sat up and held her. “What’s wrong? Did you… think of something?”
But Ji Fei’s inner voice was still screaming.
[Oh no, what do I do? Is this really true? That sweet Tiantian… and that selfish, narrow-minded Duan Yi… Why?! How could something so absurd happen? Is the Qin Family about to face a crisis? Are we dealing with some kind of switched-at-birth, true and fake heiress drama? Aunt Mao is truly despicable! How am I supposed to handle this?!]
Now Qin Xian was shocked too.
He had thought the situation with his eldest sister was already bizarre enough—swapping a child out of revenge after the mistress’s son died, raising the real child with the mistress for ten years while his sister believed she had no child, only to reunite later.
But this… an eighteen-year-long switch, with the child raised and cherished as their own.
If this came to light, it was hard to imagine the devastation it would cause.
Ji Fei’s mind was still in turmoil. She almost regretted discovering this secret. As an outsider, the weight of responsibility and the consequences were overwhelming.
To be honest, everyone has their biases, and Ji Fei, who had no blood relation to the Qin Family and had only recently gotten to know Tiantian as a little sister, found it hard to accept that Tiantian wasn’t a Qin, while Duan Yi was.
But reason told her that this was deeply unfair—Duan Yi’s behavior stemmed from the life that had been stolen from her.
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