The Elite's Forbidden Romance

She took out her phone and, upon seeing Ye Qiao's call, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Xiaoqiao?"

"Xiaofei, I'm so sorry, I drank too much last night. I couldn't find you and just went home. Are you okay?" Ye Qiao's voice was husky with a hangover on the phone.

"I'm fine, I just woke up. Where are you?"

"Well obviously at home. My head is killing me. Good to know you're okay, I'm going back to sleep."

"Okay, you get some sleep."

Ning Xiaofei was worried Ye Qiao would ask about last night's events, so she quickly ended the call, already deciding that if Ye Qiao asked, she would deny everything, claiming she just went home to sleep because she didn't meet up with anyone.

Not long after the taxi pulled away, her phone screamed to life again.

This time, it was Ji Jing—her cousin—calling.

As soon as she picked up, Ji Jing started shouting at her, "Ning Xiaofei, where the hell have you been? Why aren't you here yet? Do you think you're so important because you married into the Mu Family, expecting us to beg and plead for you to show up?."

"I…" Ning Xiaofei first felt confused, then realized, "I… I'll be right there!"

"Hmph!"

Ji Jing hung up with a cold snort.

"Master, please turn around and head to... Jinxiu Building."

Today was her grandfather's 70th birthday, and they were having a celebration at Jinxiu Building at noon. She had completely forgotten about it due to the alcohol, and now it was too late to go back for the gift. She decided to head directly to Jinxiu Building, buying a bouquet of flowers from a nearby florist so she wouldn't arrive empty-handed.

Ning Xiaofei, holding the bouquet, immediately spotted her aunt's daughter—her cousin Ji Jing, who was only a year older than herself—dressed up flamboyantly, waiting for the elevator with a few friends.

With a splitting headache, Ning Xiaofei had no interest in bickering with Ji Jing, deliberately slowing down her steps, hoping Ji Jing would go ahead and she could take the next elevator up.

Unexpectedly, the girl standing next to Ji Jing turned around, saw her, and immediately stopped, "Hey, isn't that Mrs. Mu of the Mu family? Hurry up!"

Mrs. Mu?

At this title, the other two girls looked at Ji Jing in confusion.

"Jingjing, did your family really enter into a marriage alliance with the Mu Family?" one girl asked curiously.

"Hurry up, my hand is getting sore from pressing this!"

The girl pressing the elevator button complained dissatisfiedly. Ning Xiaofei knew she couldn't avoid them and had to hurry into the elevator.

Ji Jing glanced over Ning Xiaofei and let out a disdainful snort, "What Mrs. Mu? Mu Tianye never acknowledged this marriage. Going there is just a disgrace to the Ji Family!"

Ning Xiaofei, holding her bouquet in the corner of the elevator, turned to face Ji Jing when she heard this, "What do you mean by that, sis? How am I bringing disgrace to the Ji name?"

This marriage was forced upon her for the Ji Family's business interests; how could she be the one bringing disgrace?

Ji Jing rolled her eyes at her, "First off, there was no wedding ceremony, second, no public announcement, and he didn't even come back for the registration... It's clear he doesn't care about you at all. Isn't that disgraceful? Living like a widow in that villa, I can't believe you put up with it!"

Already in a bad mood and now faced with her sharp words, Ning Xiaofei couldn't hold back anymore.

"Am I supposed to report to you whenever my husband comes home?" Ning Xiaofei deliberately raised her neck and lowered the collar of her dress, exposing the ambiguous purplish bruises on her neck.