After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 17

There were quite a few people on the street, and Lin Feiruo followed at a casual, natural distance, avoiding any suspicion from those around her. Up ahead, the elderly couple—supporting each other and chatting incessantly—had no idea they had a little “tail.”

Lin Feiruo had a habit: before buying a big-ticket item or committing to a major expense, she had to research the information thoroughly herself. She wasn’t the impulsive type, and she certainly wouldn’t be swayed by a salesperson’s smooth talk.

Today was for scouting, narrowing down her favorite neighborhoods. She would hire an agent for actual viewings later; that way, she would feel much more certain.

Following the couple’s pace, Lin Feiruo wound back to a neighborhood she had just walked through not long ago. It was indeed one of her top choices, though not the absolute best.

She saw them enter a supermarket near the entrance of the residential area and followed them in. The store was noticeably quieter than the street; office workers were still busy making money, and seniors usually stayed indoors to avoid the heat. Occasionally, a young person would drift in just to buy a drink.

The owner seemed well-acquainted with the couple, greeting them as they entered. Lin Feiruo consciously drifted over to the snack aisle.

She grabbed a bottle of milk tea and waited behind the couple to check out. Only then did she see that they were buying produce on clearance—mostly the leftovers from the morning rush.

“That’ll be 20.50,” the owner said, leaning on the counter with a strange expression.

The old woman smiled. “Come on, knock off the change.”

The owner looked helpless, seemingly wanting to say something. But looking at the two seniors and then at the meager pile of vegetables they were buying, he irritably waived the fifty cents.

“I can’t do this every time! Once a day for a month adds up to a lot,” the owner muttered under his breath after they left.

Lin Feiruo thought about the health supplements in the woman’s hands. The price of those two bags likely equaled countless “fifty cents.”

Furthermore, the vegetables they bought were mostly greens and weren’t very fresh; they probably couldn’t even meet basic nutritional needs. From Lin Feiruo’s professional perspective, this was “penny wise and pound foolish.” Basic nutrition was failing, so those supplements wouldn’t do a damn thing.

Outside the supermarket, the couple had already entered the residential complex. She didn’t continue following them, feeling a bit heavy-hearted.

Suddenly, a flyer was shoved into her hand. She looked down to see a picture of an impossibly slender beauty. Before she could even look up, an enthusiastic sales pitch rang in her ear: “Beauty, would you like to hear about our shop’s latest ‘Radiant Upgrade’ plan?”

Beauty and Wellness, Infinite Charm.

Looking at the words on the flyer, Lin Feiruo couldn’t decide which was more nonsensical: this, or the text on the supplement bags.

She smiled and scanned the plan description. Good grief—the “Basic” plan was 6,999, and the “Elite” plan was 69,999!

She sucked in a breath. “That’s too expensive; it’s not really for me.”

The salesperson was a young woman, appearing not much older than herself. Although the pitch was polished, a closer look revealed a certain rawness in her eyes.

“You’re young and have a great foundation; the basic plan is enough for you.” She pulled out a pen. “Plus, we have a special discount right now: buy two, get one free. That means…”

Lin Feiruo interrupted with a smile. “I don’t have a need for this at the moment.”

The other girl froze, but she was persistent. “You might not have graduated yet, so you don’t know how it is out there. Competition in job interviews and blind dates is fierce—you need to enhance your appearance.”

Lin Feiruo didn’t suffer from “looks anxiety”—not because she thought she was a great beauty, but because she felt there was no point in over-focusing on it. She was quite decent-looking anyway and had never considered “upgrading.”

Moreover, she disagreed with the salesperson’s logic. “Interviews and dates aren’t just about looks. Unless someone needs corrective surgery for a specific reason, ordinary people shouldn’t spend so much money on this.”

The salesperson, seeing her engage, thought the “fish” might bite and became even more proactive. “Most people think that way at first, but by the time reality hits you, it’s too late. There’s always a smart minority who understands the value of a shortcut from the start.”

Lin Feiruo just shook her head, too lazy to argue. She simply didn’t feel that way.

“Your features are lovely. If you just do a face-slimming lift and a breast-enhancement course, you’d be absolutely stunning.”

Lin Feiruo couldn’t listen anymore. Must a woman’s definition be limited to her face and cup size? “Thanks for the info, but I really have no need.”

She hadn’t walked far before she heard the same familiar pitch start up again behind her. After walking a bit further, she looked back. To her surprise, someone had actually been swayed.

It was a well-dressed office worker, appearing to be in her thirties. From her face, Lin Feiruo saw a professional exhaustion similar to Jian Xiyan’s, but she lacked Jian Xiyan’s innate composure and resolve.

Looking at the flyer she hadn’t thrown away yet, Lin Feiruo folded it and tucked it into her bag.

Walking all the way to the subway station, she paid close attention to the shops along the street. Aside from food, pharmacies were the most common, occasionally interspersed with beauty salons and early childhood training centers. The slogan for the toddler training was even more exaggerated: Win at the starting line—the earlier they train, the longer their legs will grow.

Back at the hotel, Lin Feiruo was still thinking about what she’d seen. In the past, she spent most of her time moving between the campus and the lab, never having the chance to observe the rushing crowds like she had today.

Their faces all carried an indefinable exhaustion and despair, similar to how she felt leaving the lab. Yet, they were so quick to believe in products that promised a simple fix to their reality. It seemed… irrational.

It was a contradiction. They worked so hard to make money, yet in the blink of an eye, they wasted that hard-earned money so easily. Did it really not hurt?

She remembered how she once treated herself to a luxury weekend theme park package using half of her scholarship money after working overtime for two weeks straight. Back then… she was under immense pressure, highly anxious, and often felt hopeless about the future. Her classmates were the same; everyone was on the verge of a breakdown—it was just a matter of who went “crazy” first.

Anxiety. These businesses were selling anxiety. And the ones paying for it were the people trapped by that very anxiety. Because of that fear, both their bodies and their wallets were being harmed.

Lin Feiruo suddenly had a spark of inspiration. She wanted to do something she’d wanted to do before but lacked the means for: a Wellness Center.

Her center wouldn’t be about tricking people into expensive beauty packages or starch-filled supplements; she wanted to nourish life and truly experience the joy of living. Previously, her resources were limited, and it was just a daydream. Now, she wanted to practice it.

The thought immediately made her much happier. No pressure for profit—just let nature take its course. If it went well, she’d consider it buying her own fun; if not, she’d close the doors and cut her losses.

Having found a direction, Lin Feiruo bounced off the bed, full of energy. She searched online for relevant materials. Typing in “Health and Wellness” brought up a flood of information. She skipped the ads and was drawn to a forum promotion.

[Scientific Wellness: You Shouldn’t Spend Too Much.]

The title was perfect—it matched her philosophy. She clicked on it; it was organized by the Shanghai Health Association and looked quite legitimate. There was even a guest speaker, Dr. Yu Qingci.

Lin Feiruo habitually searched for who Yu Qingci was to see if her authority was genuine. The wiki page that popped up showed she was not only an authority but “unfairly” good-looking.

Yu Qingci, 32, Associate Chief Physician at Shanghai Henlian Hospital, and a young leader in the field of clinical nutrition in Shanghai.

Her perfect resume inspired instant trust, and the person in the photo made one feel refreshed just by looking at her. She wasn’t the “vividly striking” type, but wearing thin-rimmed glasses, even a photo of her radiated a captivating intellect.

Lin Feiruo wanted to attend the forum immediately. But after searching, she found it was either for association members or internal invitees; the small number of public tickets had long since sold out.

Sigh, what a pity.

Lin Feiruo leaned back in her chair, feeling a bit frustrated. Today seemed to be a constant cycle of anticipation and disappointment. She wasn’t in the best mood and wanted someone to talk to.

In the past, she would have vented to roommates or classmates. Now, flipping through her phone, she realized: she had no friends here. The people she knew best were the Jian sisters. The original owner had had a few good friends, but they had drifted away because of her brainless “simping” for Yan Shan. Lin Feiruo had zero common ground with those distant friends and didn’t even consider them.

For the first time, she felt lonely here.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the emotion to pass. But suddenly, the image of that figure standing by the window, calmly talking on the phone with her arms crossed, came to mind.

Jian Xiyan’s phone was never silent—either she was delegating tasks or receiving updates. She had endless matters to handle and countless people waiting for her word.

How could she ever be lonely? Lin Feiruo chuckled to herself, thinking she was just being petty, trying to drag Jian Xiyan into her own loneliness.

Tara Island was a summer resort year-round, but it had been bought by a private conglomerate years ago; it was no longer open to the public and only hosted VIP guests.

Bu Shenglong was one such guest. He spent a month on Tara Island every year. But this year, this was his second visit.

In the Cuiyu Restaurant, only one table was occupied. Aside from the servers, there were no other guests. Bu Shenglong ordered a “Summer Passion” and idly swirled his glass. When Jian Xiyan and Xu Liqing appeared, he took a shallow sip.

“President Bu, hello.” Jian Xiyan stopped at the table and elegantly extended her hand.

Bu Shenglong looked up and lightly touched her hand. “President Jian, hello. Please, take a seat.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Xiyan had already retracted her hand. Bu Shenglong savored the brief, smooth sensation for a moment before teasing the seated Jian Xiyan.

“President Jian, that wedding ring of yours is a bit too low-key. It doesn’t quite match your status.”

Jian Xiyan ordered a coffee, while Xu Liqing ordered a juice. Previous meetings had been in Shanghai—either at the office or at galas—so there were few opportunities to talk about something as private as a wedding ring.

Xu Liqing looked down. So President Bu shows his true colors the moment he hits Tara Island?

Jian Xiyan remained elegant, the curve of her lips as standard and perfect as if drawn. She expertly and casually turned the ring on her finger, as if touching an inseparable part of herself.

“In my eyes, a wedding ring represents mutual support and firm conviction. It doesn’t need to be magnificent. As long as I know it’s always there, that’s enough.”

Bu Shenglong paused. “Haha, it seems I was being superficial.”