She knew very well that Aunt Lin Na was her benefactor. She had worked for their family for so many years, though nominally a servant.
Mark had always respected her.
Seeing his silence, Shen Qing Qing understood his stance. She handed her phone to Fu Jing Shu, "This test requires you to do it."
Fu Jing Shu instantly grasped his wife's intention. He couldn't help but glance at Mark. Although this matter didn't directly concern him, the mistake was made by someone under his charge, and he was on Ai Qi's side.
...Whatever blow he received seemed well-deserved.
Fu Jing Shu dialed Ai Qi's number.
The voice on the other end was cold, "Hello."
Fu Jing Shu held the phone in his left hand and rested his right hand on his wife's shoulder, idly twirling a lock of her hair. "Mark, your admirer."
"You know?" Ai Qi's cold demeanor seemed to thaw slightly. "Why ask about this all of a sudden?"
"He caused me trouble before." Fu Jing Shu's voice was already deep and magnetic, and by deliberately lowering it, it became even more seductive. "Don't you have anything to say about that?"
Ai Qi found his attitude peculiar. He had been indifferent to her before, yet now he was calling her proactively, even mentioning her admirer...
Wait!
She suddenly understood. "Fu Jing Shu, are you jealous?"
Fu Jing Shu remained silent.
Ai Qi became even more certain. In that instant, her joy and delight were indescribable. She felt as if she would give him her life if he asked. Her voice softened even further.
"Does being jealous mean... you already have feelings for me?"
Fu Jing Shu's voice was as calm as ever. "I won't go easy on Mark anymore."
Won't... go easy again?
Hearing those words, Ai Qi couldn't help but overthink. "You mean you've gone easy on him before? Why? You're not the type to go easy on your enemies."
She paused and made a bold guess.
"Is it because of me?"
"No."
The more Fu Jing Shu denied it, the more Ai Qi felt her guess was true. "I knew it, you're not that kind of cold-hearted man. I love you deeply, how could you remain unmoved..."
Mark, listening to the woman he loved confessing her feelings for another man over the phone, felt as if his heart was being twisted with a knife, making it difficult to breathe.
Fu Jing Shu looked at him, a cold curve playing on his lips. "So you won't mind whatever I do to him."
Ai Qi said without hesitation, "Of course not. As long as you have me in your heart, I'll support whatever you do!"
"Understood."
Fu Jing Shu hung up after saying that.
Mark was heartbroken and lost.
Lin Na couldn't bear to see it and stepped forward to support him, disbelief etched on her face. "Young Master, how could she treat you like this?!"
Mark felt utterly humiliated, being so cruelly rejected in front of so many people, and Ai Qi hadn't even said a word of plea for him.
Her heart and mind were filled with Fu Jing Shu!
Lin Na was still indignant on his behalf. "I'm going to settle this with her right now! I'll ask her why she's treating you, Young Master, like this!"
"Don't!"
Mark's angry roar successfully stopped Lin Na in her tracks.
"Young Master?"
Mark ignored her and turned to Shen Qing Qing. The pain and turmoil in his eyes were hidden, leaving no trace. "I know your goal is to drive a wedge between us, but I won't let you succeed. Since I've come here with her, I will protect her well."
Seeing his continued stubbornness, Shen Qing Qing couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore. She merely warned him, "Do as you wish. But please remember, if you interfere with Ai Qi's affairs again and target us, whether intentionally or not, I will immediately contact your uncle."
"You think he'll help you?"
"Whether he helps me or not, I don't know. But to prevent you from clashing with us, he will definitely send you back abroad."
Shen Qing Qing said with a smile.
Mark gritted his teeth in anger. "You win!"
He turned and left.
Shen Qing Qing added, "And this aunt beside you, you can't take her away. We're sending her to the police station to be dealt with by the authorities."
"You!"
Mark turned back and glared at her.
The smile on Shen Qing Qing's face vanished instantly. "I advise you not to act rashly, because this matter is already set in stone, and there's no room for negotiation. If you push me too far..."
She glanced at Lin Na, her calm eyes tinged with indifference, as if the person before her was not a human, but a pebble by the roadside or a blade of grass.
"Don't blame me for being ruthless."
Mark stared at her for a long time before finally realizing that this woman was as heartless as she claimed and truly capable of such actions. He looked at Lin Na.
Lin Na spoke up proactively, "Young Master, you don't need to worry. I haven't done anything major, just bribed someone. No lives were lost, so the consequences won't be too severe. Young Master, you should go back quickly."
Mark gave her a deep look and turned to leave.
As soon as he left, police officers arrived and took Lin Na away.
As for her fate...
Shen Qing Qing would not take her life, nor would she seek excessive revenge, but she would certainly make her pay the price for her actions.
However, the design drafts were never recovered, nor were they leaked by anyone.
When the press conference day arrived, Shen Qing Qing decided to proceed with the plan as intended and release her designs.
As all the reporters gathered, Shen Qing Qing took the stage with her design drafts. Her arm had not fully recovered, but she was beautiful, and her face alone drew everyone's attention. No one paid attention to her arm.
But as she announced that her designs were completely finalized, the reporters erupted in an uproar.
"Mrs. Fu, this is plagiarism!"
"Are you aware that an hour ago, this design was already announced to the world as the work of designer Nicole?"
Shen Qing Qing narrowed her eyes abruptly.
The reporters' questions came like a barrage.
"You previously said your design drafts were lost. Was that just paving the way for today's plagiarism?"
"I suppose your next statement will be that Nicole plagiarized your design, right?"
Even under the glare of the spotlights and camera flashes, facing the questioning gazes of so many people, Shen Qing Qing remained calm. "That's right. I don't know that Nicole, but I am certain of one thing: she plagiarized me."
"But if she plagiarized you, why did her design come out before yours?"
"And you told everyone your designs were lost. That in itself is very strange. What designer loses their drafts and doesn't report it to the police but tells reporters?"
Shen Qing Qing's gaze swept sharply across the reporters. Those who asked questions retreated back into the crowd after a single sentence, clearly unwilling to be seen.
A brilliant smile spread across Shen Qing Qing's face. "If I dare to say it, it's because I have absolute confidence. I have evidence to prove that I am the one who was plagiarized."