Chapter 10: The Noble Scandal

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Latest Report from Kang Chen Daily, February 4, 3031: Yesterday, following a government banquet, an insider revealed that Feng Duanmu, Executive Director of the Government Decision Department, was involved in a scandalous three-person encounter at a three-star hotel with the husband of an employee and another government official. The extent of their indiscretion was unparalleled. The informant claimed that the three had long been involved secretly, but no one had discovered it until a junior reporter accidentally uncovered and photographed the scene. The photograph is as follows…

A large newspaper boldly displayed a clear image of the three, bare-chested and embracing each other, sound asleep; two of them were key government personnel.

Qin Rou set the newspaper down, paused in silence for half a second, then grabbed it and dashed toward the grocery store, ignoring the bookstore clerk’s calls reminding her the paper was unpaid.

Though the bookstore was about five minutes away from the grocery store, Qin Rou took only two minutes to reach it. Catching her breath, she pushed open the glass door.

Gu Xinyao was focused on packing a portion of beef jerky for a customer. Hearing the door open, she looked up and saw Qin Rou. Without missing a beat, she smiled wryly and quipped, “Sister Qin, did you just finish a marathon and are using this as your final sprint?”

Qin Rou glanced at the waiting customer, frowned slightly, and fell silent, standing by the counter.

“Take care, and please come again!” Gu Xinyao politely bid the customer farewell, then turned to Qin Rou with a mischievous wink and asked, “Sister Qin, what good news do you have?”

Qin Rou studied Gu Xinyao’s calm expression. She wished she could see her reaction upon hearing the news.

“I have something to tell you, but please don’t get anxious after you hear it!” Qin Rou softened and decided to prepare Gu Xinyao before revealing the bad news.

Gu Xinyao, already suspecting Qin Rou’s love for mysteries and curiosity, wondered what could possibly be so upsetting. Then she thought of Yibo Dugu and quickly asked, “Is it about Dugu Yibo? Did something happen to him?” She grabbed Qin Rou’s hand, noticing the newspaper she held.

“Hey! Don’t get upset after seeing this!” Before Qin Rou could speak, Gu Xinyao’s eyes were already fixed on the front-page headline and photograph.

She snatched the paper, her eyes widening as she stared at the image.

The photo was well angled, capturing all three in the frame. She noticed Dugu Yibo, bare-chested, lying to Feng Duanmu’s left, and suddenly felt as if something pierced her heart—painful and unbearable.

“You… you better stop looking, ah!” Qin Rou saw Gu Xinyao’s brow furrowing deeply, her eyes practically burning with fire. Worried, she tried gently to pull the paper away, but no matter how hard she tried, unless the paper was torn, she couldn’t retrieve an intact sheet from her hands.

Gu Xinyao kept staring at the photo, unblinking, for half an hour. Then Qin Rou noticed a spark in her eyes—a flame of new hope.

“I knew it. He’s not that kind of person.” Qin Rou didn’t understand what Gu Xinyao meant but sensed she viewed the matter differently now.

“Look, if he were truly asleep, his eyes wouldn’t be shut so tightly. Besides, he doesn’t like being held while sleeping.” Gu Xinyao pointed at Dugu Yibo, who was embraced by Feng Duanmu. She recalled their last close encounter and knew that he disliked being held—maybe a hand on the waist was tolerable, but a hand on the shoulder would earn a cold glare. Perhaps he saw being held at the shoulder as a sign of weakness.

Qin Rou’s expression shifted several times, looking at Gu Xinyao strangely. Maybe Ge Yue was right—they were indeed quite close, and not just ordinary friends as she had claimed.

“Ah Yao, how do you know all this?” Qin Rou hesitated to pry into her private affairs, but if she got entangled in this noble scandal, things would not end well.

Gu Xinyao wanted to explain more but stopped when Qin Rou asked, realizing she shouldn’t share too much. Dugu Yibo was noble, a man of high status; revealing too much about him to outsiders could only worsen his situation.

“Ah? I just noticed when I took care of him after he got drunk that time. Oh, Sister Qin, I remember the grocery store has some candy to pick up; could you watch the store for a bit?” Not wanting to stir more speculation, Gu Xinyao balled up the newspaper and dashed out immediately.

Left behind, Qin Rou watched the glass door close and released a deep sigh of worry.

***

At 10 a.m., in the government reception room.

The long tables and chairs had been rearranged into a straight line. Seated from left to right were four elderly women, dignified and vigorous despite their gray hair, showing no signs of aging.

Opposite them sat Feng Duanmu and Dugu Yibo. Feng Duanmu’s face was grave, while Dugu Yibo appeared somewhat dazed.

“Ahem, Feng Duanmu, how do you plan to handle this matter?” The woman seated at the far left was clad in a Tang suit, appearing kindly but serious, though not overly strict in tone.

Feng Duanmu exhaled slowly, then said, “Grandmother, this is clearly a setup. I won’t rest until we find the mastermind behind it.” She recalled drinking only a soda yesterday, then waking up this morning in a hotel bed with Yibo and an unknown man.

“Feng Duanmu, you claim to be framed, but how do you explain the bodily fluids found on both that man and Yibo which matched yours?” The second woman from the left was an imposing lady with white hair pinned behind her head with a golden hairpin, reminiscent of a matriarch from the Republican era. Her sharp almond eyes widened with feminine fierceness, though her ample figure clashed somewhat with her commanding aura.

Feng Duanmu turned to the speaker, curling her lips into a mocking smile before calmly replying, “Madam Shangguan, surely you know bodily fluids aren’t always evidence of such acts. If someone wanted to ruin me, obtaining my fluids wouldn’t be surprising. Such tricks are not uncommon—I recall Miss Shangguan San is an expert at this kind of thing. Perhaps I should consult her on how to differentiate.”

The second woman was none other than Madam Shangguan Bulu, matriarch of the Shangguan family, who had long experience in the pleasure quarters. Her granddaughter, Shangguan Lü, had inherited her skills in manipulating men but was utterly unscrupulous.

Shangguan Bulu’s veins bulged in anger but she couldn’t find words to respond.

At the head of the table sat a meticulous woman with silver short hair and sharp, clear eyes. Although elderly, her appearance remained striking and her demeanor surpassed the others.

She raised her hand to interrupt Madam Shangguan’s stammering and looked toward Dugu Yibo.

“Yibo, you are also involved. What do you have to say?”

Dugu Yibo, still dazed, did not answer immediately. The woman repeated her question, and he finally came to his senses, his expression somewhat despondent.

“Grandmother, I can only say we did nothing inappropriate. I will investigate this with Feng Duanmu.” He had awakened in Feng Duanmu’s arms that morning, half-naked, which startled him deeply.

Feng Duanmu herself was confused but suspected they had been framed. Unfortunately, this time, he wasn’t lucky enough to avoid the trap. The thought of what might have happened pained him strangely. Only now did he realize his allowing her to touch him wasn’t purely self-indulgence—there might have been something more, though he hadn’t recognized it.

The short-haired elder was Grandmother Dugu, the shrewd matriarch of the Dugu family. She looked at her exceptionally talented grandson with a mix of admiration and regret, wishing he were a girl.

“Children, you are thinking too simply. The four great families stand proud and unblemished, ruling the country. Such a scandal is unprecedented and intolerable. You may investigate, but the most important thing is to marry immediately to quell the scandal’s impact. Also, that employee’s husband cried before the media claiming you forced him. I expect you to give him an explanation.” As leader of the four noble clans, the Dugu family would not tolerate this. The best remedy was a swift marriage.

“No!”
“Impossible!”
Feng Duanmu and Dugu Yibo rejected the proposal without eye contact, instinctively.

“Feng Duanmu, Yibo, you must understand Grandmother Dugu’s reasoning. You were born into nobility, enjoying its glory and privilege, so when it calls upon you, you must obey without hesitation.” Beside Grandmother Dugu sat the matriarch of the Ji family, an old friend who supported the proposal.

Dugu Yibo clenched his fists, holding fast to his beliefs, yet now those had been shattered by this conspiracy.

He lowered his head, overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, unwilling to concede but unsure who could stand with him.

“…” Feng Duanmu fell silent, fully aware of her duties. That was why she had agreed to the marriage with the Dugu heir, but now she wondered if she should force him.

She looked at Dugu Yibo beside her—head bowed, pale hand clenched tightly.

“Grandmother Dugu, please give us some time, won’t you?” She stood and bowed deeply before the matriarch.

Since childhood, Feng Duanmu had never bowed to anyone, not even her own grandmother. This bow was submission—not weakness but stubbornness yielding. It was a rare concession from a proud soul.

Grandmother Dugu’s face softened with satisfaction and nodded. Her word was final.

“Very well. Ten days. If you cannot resolve this matter within ten days, you must marry without objection. Understand?” Her eyes hardened. She cherished her grandson deeply, fighting alone for years. If Feng Duanmu truly cared for him, marriage would be fitting—and the Duanmu family was worthy of the Dugu name.

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“Ten days, Grandmother Dugu. Thank you.” Feng Duanmu bowed again, this time in gratitude.

The four elder women thus reached an agreement with Feng Duanmu. Finding the discussion satisfactory, they silently left the reception room as they had come.

“I… I will not marry you.” Feng Duanmu stood by the door watching the four leave. She closed the door but hadn’t yet let go of the handle when the defiant young man’s voice came from behind.

She turned to see him sitting upright, resolute but with something broken in his eyes.

She approached him, wanting to comfort him, but found her words powerless.

“I know! I won’t make things difficult for you.” Feng Duanmu forced a smile, feeling drained, her usual composure shattered by this sudden turmoil. She wanted to protect him but the more she cared, the worse things became.

“Sorry, I need to get some fresh air!” Seeing her sorrowful face, Dugu Yibo felt suffocated. He didn’t want to bear anyone’s feelings, yet fate had entangled him. He needed space to think.

With that, he stood and headed for the door.

“You…” Wait for me, I’ll go with you. But she didn’t finish; her raised hand fell limply. What more could she say? She smiled bitterly to herself and let him be.

The scandalous three-person game report stirred a media frenzy, overwhelming even the building’s staff who couldn’t keep the journalists at bay.

Just as Dugu Yibo exited the reception room, reporters broke through the line and demanded, “Mr. Dugu, have you been involved with Executive Director Feng for long? Mr. Li claims you forced him—is that true?”

Dugu Yibo brushed aside the microphone, unprepared for the media’s swift arrival.

As he reached the steps, a reporter surged from the crowd, almost knocking him down. Fortunately, someone caught him, preventing a headfirst tumble.

“Enough! He’s not as the papers say. Why don’t you investigate the truth?” Gu Xinyao’s anger flared like never before. How could reporters abandon all ethics for a scoop?

Dugu Yibo, stunned by the near fall, caught fragments of Gu Xinyao’s defense. His eyes watered—only she believed in his innocence after all this time.

“Who are you? Are you Mr. Dugu’s lover? How long have you been involved? Do you know about him and Executive Director Feng? Aren’t you angry? Or will you tolerate this for the Dugu family’s money?” The reporter who nearly knocked him down pressed on aggressively, ignoring Gu Xinyao’s furious expression.

Their questions were sharp and relentless, determined to leave no doubt or shelter.

“I’m not his lover. Just a friend. Can’t men have female friends? Or do you have many lovers appearing at different times, hence your question?” Gu Xinyao shot back, her eyes razor-sharp, as if to cut through flesh.

The female reporter went pale, recalling her own many lovers unknown to her husband.

Her hesitation led other reporters to swarm, inquiring about Gu Xinyao’s identity.

Gu Xinyao, disgusted by the swarm of reporters like locusts, quietly pulled out a pocket-watch-like device.

The reporters expected some vital evidence, but to their surprise, a thick white smoke billowed forth, emitting a choking odor.

Coughing violently, the reporters staggered back. Seizing the moment, Gu Xinyao covered both her and Dugu Yibo’s noses and fled the scene.

On television, viewers saw only a cloud of smoke with no one visible behind it.

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