"I..."

Wen Bingtao just opened his mouth, but the prayer beads in Ye Qingmei's hand were directly hurled at his face.

The enormous force made him spit out a mouthful of blood mixed with tooth fragments.

"Do you match up now?" Ye Qingmei taunted.

Wen Bingtao cupped his hands together and forced out the word "match" from between his teeth.

Ye Qingmei retrieved the prayer beads and glanced at everyone present: "Who else has anything to say? Step forward and let me see."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone, including Wen Bingtao, subconsciously stepped back two paces, looking as if they were facing cold despair.

"A bunch of bullies afraid of the strong, laughable."

Ye Qingmei sneered, then handed the prayer beads back to Qin Chuan: "Little Chuan, show them out."

Saying that, she turned and walked into Tongde Hall.

Qin Chuan frowned, then looked at Wen Bingtao and the others: "Remember what I said, all of you get lost!"

After he spoke, he immediately turned and followed Ye Qingmei's steps.

Seeing this, Shi Qing was the first to follow, and soon after, Meng Wantang hesitated for a moment but also went along.

"Aunt Qiu and Qinyi, come inside with me, everyone else guard this door, don't let anyone step in," Jiang Banxia instructed, then she led Aunt Qiu and Li Qinyi into Tongde Hall.

"Aunt Mei!"

As they reached the corner, Ye Qingmei's body softened and she collapsed into Qin Chuan's arms.

Upon seeing this, Qin Chuan quickly carried her to the sickbed and transferred spiritual power to stabilize her injuries.

Just now, Ye Qingmei was merely holding on to support Qin Chuan.

Although Qin Chuan used the 'Fox Guide' to suppress the force within her, it had already erupted once.

To be able to exhibit such skills was already the limit for her.

"It's fine, Aunt Mei knows her own condition, she won't die," said Ye Qingmei, managing a gentle smile despite her pale face.

Qin Chuan's face showed a trace of guilt: "It's all because of me, Aunt Mei."

"Silly child, we're family, why talk about causing trouble or not."

Ye Qingmei reached out and touched Qin Chuan's face, consoling him: "Don't do such foolish things anymore. Although you've established your authority with the prayer beads, those people aren't really afraid of you, especially that Wen. If I hadn't shown up, he wouldn't have let it go."

Ye Qingmei had seen too many people who outwardly submit but are inwardly reluctant. Qin Chuan seemed to have suppressed Wen Bingtao, but it wasn't enough to make him truly fearful.

What he dreaded was merely the experts brought by Jiang Banxia and her group.

Only by Ye Qingmei personally intervening, showing enough strength and protective nature, could he be truly cautious.

"Thank you, Aunt Mei," Qin Chuan expressed his gratitude.

"Silly child."

Ye Qingmei's lips curled into a gentle smile, then she addressed the people at the door: "You all don't just stand there, come in and sit."

Upon hearing this, Shi Qing and the others hesitated for a moment, then under Shi Qing's lead, they entered the room arranged for Ye Qingmei by old master Jiang.

"Who's the confidante of our Little Chuan?"

Ye Qingmei teased with a smile: "Or is it all of you?"

"It's not me," Jiang Banxia was the first to speak.

Then Meng Wantang also said: "Senior, it's not me either."

Grinning, Aunt Qiu added, "There's no need to ask this old lady, Mr. Qin probably wouldn't be interested in my kind."

With her remark, the initially awkward atmosphere lightened up considerably.

"Ah, Demoness Senior, I am Shi Qing, Qin Chuan's confidante," Shi Qing admitted frankly.

Initially, she had wanted to address her as Aunt, but remembering there was another sister present and that Ye Qingmei asked about confidantes, she respectfully used 'Demoness Senior.'

"The name Demoness, I haven't used it in years."

Ye Qingmei said softly: "Since you're Little Chuan's confidante, you can just call me Aunt Mei like him."

"Aunt Mei, thank you, Aunt Mei, your voice is so lovely," Shi Qing complimented, her words full of flattery.

Seeing this, Meng Wantang found it hard to believe what she was witnessing.

Was this still the decisive and cold Shi Qing she knew?

How did she seem like a completely different person?

So obedient.

Surrendering like a new bride.

Could a man indeed bring such a huge change in a woman?

While Meng Wantang was puzzled, Ye Qingmei spoke to Li Qinyi, who had been silent, "Young girl, why don't you speak? Are you shy?"

Assuming Li Qinyi was bashful in front of elders, Ye Qingmei intended to sound as gentle as possible, to avoid pressuring her.

Unexpectedly, being pointed out only made Li Qinyi even more flustered.

She hadn't done anything with Qin Chuan, even though he had seen her body, they hadn't taken any significant step.

Thus, she didn't consider herself as what Ye Qingmei referred to as a confidante.

However, her cousin, Jiang Banxia, didn't think so.

In Jiang Banxia's eyes, she and Qin Chuan had done everything they should and shouldn't have done.

To claim she wasn't Qin Chuan's confidante would practically be admitting to Jiang Banxia that she and Qin Chuan were deceiving her.

What to do, who could rescue her now?

As she was at a loss, Qin Chuan suddenly took her hand, leading her to Ye Qingmei: "Aunt Mei, this is Li Qinyi, she's my confidante."

Hearing this, Li Qinyi's heart raced, a warm feeling inexplicably rising as she gratefully looked at Qin Chuan.

Initially, she thought Qin Chuan was a philanderer, surrounded by women, even more so than Chen Shimei.

But after several interactions, she completely overturned her previous judgments.

Qin Chuan was a righteous and kind gentleman, who dared to take responsibility.

Indeed, there were many women around him, but he was sincere with each one.

Even a queen-like woman such as Shi Qing was willing to become his confidante.

Clearly, Qin Chuan was truly charming, and this charm was deeply affecting Li Qinyi herself.

"Ah, hello, Aunt," Li Qinyi stammered awkwardly.

"Good girl, you're both like Shi Qing, good kids. If Little Chuan ever does anything wrong, just tell Aunt Mei, and I'll take care of him," Ye Qingmei teased.

Just then, Aunt Qiu, who had been watching, suddenly recalled something, eyeing Ye Qingmei suspiciously: "Miss Ye, have you ever been to the southern capital?"

"I spent a year there."

Ye Qingmei regarded Aunt Qiu with a thoughtful expression and asked: "Are you from the southern capital's Jiang Family?"

"Indeed!"

Aunt Qiu's eyes lit up, and she earnestly bowed to Ye Qingmei: "This old woman greets the Clan Guardian!"

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