The atmosphere was electric, still charged from Xia Xiaofu's daringly close dance.
"Miss Xia! Miss Xia!" a few people began chanting, half in jest, half in excitement.
Before the teasing could escalate, Jin Han reached out, his hand circling Xia Xiaofu's slender waist. With a firm tug, he pulled her against his chest, halting her movements instantly.
Startled, Xia Xiaofu looked up at him. "Young Master Jin, what are you doing?"
Jin Han bent down, his voice low enough for her alone. "There are too many eyes here. Stop dancing. Save it—and dance for me when we're alone."
Xia Xiaofu: "…"
With calm authority, Jin Han kept his arm around her and guided her back to her seat. Once seated, he casually took the place beside Nathaniel Fu.
Someone from the crowd called out, teasing, "Young Master Jin, why didn't you let Miss Xia finish her dance?"
Another chimed in, "I bet it's been two years since you've been away—Miss Xia's charm must've been too much for you to handle."
Laughter followed.
Xia Xiaofu flicked her hair and smiled with feigned carelessness. "How could that be? He's been gone for two years. Who knows if Young Master Jin had other women around him during that time?"
The crowd erupted louder. "Oh no, Young Master Jin! Madam Jin is jealous. You'll have to prove your innocence!"
Jealous? Hardly. In truth, Xia Xiaofu would have been relieved if he did have women elsewhere. If any mistress could bear him a child, she would gladly step aside and let her take on the role of caretaker.
Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, Jin Han's cold eyes softened with a hint of amusement. He looked at her, his voice calm but firm. "Madam Jin, don't make trouble. I don't have any women out there. Honestly, I'd be a fool to lie to you."
The seriousness in his tone startled her. In front of so many people, Jin Han had openly declared he had no other women.
But instead of satisfaction, Xia Xiaofu's heart sank. This wasn't the reaction she wanted.
Across the table, Yara Lu and Xia Ling exchanged ugly looks. They had always believed Jin Han cared little for Xia Xiaofu, that the marriage was hollow. Yet his words suggested something different.
The truth was, Jin Han and Xia Xiaofu had been bound by a marriage arranged between two powerful families. The Jin family was among the wealthiest in the imperial capital, while the Xia family was comparatively modest. No one truly understood why the Jin family had specifically chosen Xia Xiaofu. After all, the Xia family had other daughters, and many wealthy households had offered their own. Yet back then, the young master of the Jin family had sent word: he wanted Xia Xiaofu, and only her.
She had been forced into the marriage by her father, carried in the bridal sedan and taken straight to the grand bridal chamber at Repulse Bay.
Xia Ling could no longer hold back. She leaned forward, her voice sharp with malice. "Brother-in-law, you and my sister certainly look affectionate. It's enviable. But I've heard plenty of rumors… that your marriage has never been consummated. Isn't it true that on your wedding night two years ago—you didn't even touch her?"
Gasps spread across the table.
"What?!""Is that true? Young Master Jin, you never consummated your marriage with Lady Xia?"
Jin Han leaned back, lips curving into a faint, almost taunting smile. "That's something you should ask my wife. Ask her what she did to me that night."
Everyone's eyes swiveled to Xia Xiaofu, their curiosity burning hotter than fire.
Yara Lu and Xia Ling were stunned. What did he mean? They had always thought Jin Han had rejected Xia Xiaofu. Could it be the other way around?
Under the weight of so many stares, Xia Xiaofu simply raised a delicate hand, brushing her hair back from her cheek. She smiled mysteriously, refusing to say a word. The unspoken answer only made everyone more desperate to know the truth.
"I've had enough fun tonight. I'm leaving." Xia Xiaofu rose gracefully from her seat and walked toward the door.
"Sister, why are you leaving?" Xia Ling called out in frustration.
Xia Xiaofu paused, her eyes narrowing as she turned her gaze on her younger sister. Her voice was cool, her words cutting like a blade.
"Xia Ling, do you even realize the 'CC Noble Lady' outfit you're wearing… is a fake?"
The words dropped like a bomb.
The room instantly fell silent before erupting into murmurs.
"Fake?""Impossible… right?""That outfit was supposed to be the latest CC release. How could it be fake?"
All eyes turned to Xia Ling, their earlier admiration twisting into ridicule. Some even began to stifle their laughter, while others looked at her with open disdain.
Xia Ling's face drained of color, her hands instinctively clutching at the fabric of her dress as if to hide it.
Yara Lu's expression darkened as well—this was supposed to be Xia Xiaofu's humiliation, but instead, Xia Ling was the one being stripped of her pride in front of everyone.
And Jin Han, sitting in his seat, merely adjusted his glasses, his lips curving in the faintest trace of a smile.