Young Devious Wife of Mr. Qin

The morning air in the Qin estate was still, as if the entire mansion held its breath. The sun had barely risen over Baicheng, casting long shadows across the elegant corridors. The faint scent of sandalwood and aged paper lingered in the air—a scent that always reminded Qin Lei of home, though today, it felt suffocating.

His footsteps were measured, yet each step toward Qin Yejun's study felt heavier than the last.

For a year, he had buried every resentment, every unanswered question, and every wound that had never truly healed. But today, something inside him felt dangerously close to breaking.

Without knocking, he pushed open the heavy wooden door.

Inside, Qin Yejun stood by the window, dressed in his usual sharp black suit, an air of effortless authority surrounding him. The golden morning light framed his profile, making his usually calm, calculating eyes unreadable. A steaming cup of tea sat untouched on his desk.

Qin Lei closed the door behind him, his voice even. "We need to talk."

Yejun turned slowly, his expression unreadable. "So talk."

A flicker of irritation passed through Qin Lei's eyes. "You're back after more than a year, and that's all you have to say?"

Yejun exhaled, walking toward his desk. "What else should I say, Lei?"

That indifferent tone—that same composed expression he always wore—it made something inside Qin Lei snap.

His hands clenched into fists. "I needed you, brother." His voice, though steady, held an underlying sharpness. "I was left bleeding in the middle of Fengxi City, abandoned like a damn stray dog, and you—"

He stopped, his breath uneven.

And then, for the first time in a year, his control shattered.

"But you weren't there when I needed you the most!"

The words echoed in the study, loud and raw, slashing through the usual stillness.

For a split second, Yejun's grip tightened around his phone which he was holding. His shoulders stiffened, and a shadow crossed his gaze.

But then, just as quickly, he masked it with calm indifference. "And yet, here you stand."

Qin Lei stared at him in disbelief. "That's all you have to say?"

Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.

Yejun met his gaze but didn't respond.

That was it.

That lack of reaction—that refusal to acknowledge anything—made Qin Lei's chest tighten with frustration. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed out.

What Qin Lei didn't know… was that Yejun had been on a call before he entered.

And the call was still going.

From the other end, a calm yet sharp voice spoke up after a long silence.

"Master Yejun… you clearly were the one who—"

Yejun cut him off immediately, his tone cool but firm. "That's enough, Shen Wuhen."

A beat of silence.

Then, Shen Wuhen sighed. "Understood. I won't mention it again."

Yejun sat down, rubbing his temple, the weight of unspoken thoughts pressing down on him.

Then, after a moment, he spoke again. "Give me the reports on all the new students around Lei."

Shen Wuhen hesitated but answered promptly. "Of course, Master."

Yejun leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. His mind was elsewhere.

Lin Yuxi sat in the university's central library, the glow of her tablet screen reflecting in her eyes as she scrolled through a list of Professor Liu Jian's top students.

Each name was accompanied by records of academic performance, project involvements, and brief personality profiles. Most of them were brilliant , but not the type to grant her easy access to the professor.

Then, she found Xiao Yuelin.

A name that stood out.

Top of Liu Jian's class. A specialist in AI-driven robotics and weaponry systems, already working on advanced research under the professor's guidance. Highly trusted—trusted enough to be involved in confidential projects. More importantly, she had a rigid sense of logic and discipline, someone who followed reason rather than emotions.

And that was exactly what made her the perfect target.

Yuelin was known for keeping to herself, rarely engaging outside of academic circles. She wasn't the kind to be easily influenced by gossip or social games. Which meant—if Lin Yuxi wanted to get close to Liu Jian, she needed to approach through logic, not charm.

Yuxi's lips curled slightly. "Perfect."

But approaching a senior student from a different department wasn't easy. It would raise questions—questions she couldn't afford.

She needed a reason. A flawless excuse to pull Xiao Yuelin into her orbit.

And what better place to create an opportunity than where she thrived the most?

The campus robotics lab was a hub of innovation, filled with students testing their projects—mechanical limbs, high-speed drones, self-learning AI interfaces. The air buzzed with a mix of excitement and frustration.

Yuxi walked in casually, her eyes scanning the room. Her target was already here.

Xiao Yuelin.

She stood in front of a workstation, her sharp eyes fixed on a sleek drone prototype, fingers adjusting circuits with practiced ease.

Lin Yuxi's gaze swept over the intricate wiring. A small, almost imperceptible flaw in the connection—one she could easily exploit.

Without hesitation, Yuxi strolled by, fingers moving deftly as she discreetly loosened a few wires when no one was looking.

Then, she waited.

It didn't take long.

Minutes later, a frustrated voice muttered, "This makes no sense…"

Bingo.

Yuxi turned casually, pretending to just notice.

She saw Xiao Yuelin, her brows furrowed, sleeves rolled up, hands slightly stained with grease from fixing circuits.

Her fingers were moving swiftly across the drone's interface, expression sharp and focused, but the error remained unsolved.

Time to move.

Yuxi stepped forward, her tone calm but confident. "You're overloading the power supply."

Xiao Yuelin's head snapped up, her icy blue eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"

Yuxi gestured toward the exposed wiring, tilting her head slightly with an innocent smile. "It's a misalignment in the current distribution. If you reroute it, it should stabilize."

Xiao Yuelin's gaze flickered between Yuxi and the drone, suspicion creeping into her expression.

"And you would know this how?"

Yuxi feigned modesty, her usual innocent demeanor slipping into place effortlessly. "I dabble in engineering."

A raised brow. "You're a first-year business student."

Yuxi shrugged gracefully. "Doesn't mean I can't have hobbies."

A pause.

Then, Xiao Yuelin let out a breath, the faintest hint of curiosity replacing her skepticism. "Fine. Show me."

Suppressing a smirk, Yuxi leaned over. Her fingers moved deftly, reconnecting the wires in mere seconds.

The drone whirred to life, its mechanics stabilizing immediately.

Xiao Yuelin blinked, clearly surprised.

"Huh."

Yuxi wiped imaginary dust off her hands, her voice light. "You're welcome."

For the first time, Xiao Yuelin actually looked interested. "You really know your stuff."

Yuxi pretended to hesitate, then added smoothly, "Actually… I was hoping to learn more about the department. I heard Professor Liu Jian's work is fascinating."

Xiao Yuelin studied her for a long moment, before finally nodding. "I suppose I could introduce you sometime."

Yuxi's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with success. "I'd like that."

As she walked away, her expression remained perfectly composed.

But inside, her mind was already weaving the next move.

Meanwhile, back at the Qin estate, Qin Yejun sat in his private study, fingers tapping against the desk in slow, deliberate movements.

His mind wasn't on the documents before him. Not even on the reports Shen Wuhen had sent earlier.

Instead, his thoughts were still lingering on the morning's conversation.

Qin Lei's anger, his frustration—for the first time in a year, his younger brother had let his emotions slip.

And yet, Yejun hadn't reacted.

Not because he didn't care.

But because… some things were better left unsaid.

A sharp voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Master, the reports on Royal Crest students have been sent."

Shen Wuhen's tone was professional, but his hesitation didn't go unnoticed.

Yejun's fingers paused. "Good."

He scrolled through the files, his expression impassive.

"Any irregularities?"

Shen Wuhen hesitated before replying. "Nothing too concerning… but there is one new student who stands out."

Yejun's gaze flicked up. "Who?"

"Lin Yuxi."

For a moment, there was silence.

Yejun's eyes darkened slightly. "Elaborate."

Shen Wuhen cleared his throat. "She entered Royal Crest under special admission. Extremely intelligent—cleared her entrance exams at seventeen, making her one of the youngest students. However… her background is clean. Too clean for Royal Crest"

Yejun's grip on his pen tightened slightly, though his voice remained calm. "Continue."

"She has no known family except a younger brother, Lin Xuan. Legal guardian—Kai, a supposed distant cousin. No financial struggles, but no extravagant wealth either. It's like she exists in a perfect balance between ordinary and exceptional."

Yejun's eyes remained on the screen, his expression unreadable.

Shen Wuhen hesitated before adding, "She seems to be drawing attention… but not in the usual way. It's actually quite the opposite—students around her seem to like her. She carries herself well, comes across as polite and unassuming. By all accounts, she seems... lovely."

Yejun tapped his fingers again, thoughtful.

"Keep an eye on her."

Shen Wuhen nodded. "Understood."

But even as he agreed, there was something in his master's voice that made him pause.

Because if someone was getting close to Qin Lei… Yejun needed to know why.