After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 21

Lin Feiruo irritably dropped her final sentence and continued walking out without looking back. She didn’t care in the slightest about Yan Shan’s reaction, let alone feeling the heart-aching concern she once would have felt at even a slight knit of Yan Shan’s brow.

“Lin—”

A breath caught in Yan Shan’s throat. She stood there with her arms crossed for a moment, only to find the person walking further and further away. She stomped her feet in rage.

Furious and anxious, she almost called out Lin Feiruo’s full name. She caught herself just in time, remembering they were outside; it would be trouble if anyone overheard. Even if people hadn’t met Lin Feiruo in person, many had heard the name.

She stopped abruptly, but the frustration in her heart didn’t diminish. The sight of that resolute, rapidly retreating back gradually vanished from Yan Shan’s view, and certain dreams were shattered instantly.

With no other outlet, Yan Shan vented her anger on a nearby crumbling wall. After two kicks, she realized that even a crumbling wall was harder than her shoes. Her foot hurt.

“She really is trying to kill me with anger!” Yan Shan gnashed her teeth, yet she was completely powerless against Lin Feiruo.

Nian Jia approached cautiously. “Sister Shan, are you alright?”

Yan Shan felt scorching hot; her whole body was uncomfortable. Her head ached, and her foot ached! “Does it look like I’m alright?!”

Once Yan Shan and Nian Jia were far away, a face emerged from a nearby shadowed corner. Over-the-shoulder long hair was tied back casually, and a large pair of sunglasses hid most of her face, but the curve of her lips was much more elegant than Lin Feiruo’s.

“Truly spectacular. A pity it was so short—just a snippet of a play.”

Another person stood in the shadows. They didn’t lean out to look, but they cast a few extra glances in the direction Lin Feiruo had left. Due to the angle and distance, only a receding back was visible.

The woman who had enjoyed the show straightened up. “That person surnamed Lin is quite interesting; she actually used your own words to shut Yan Shan down.”

The person in the shadows finally looked up, lowering the cigarette in her hand, her tone indifferent. “That’s just common sense. I happened to have said it before, but it’s not my patent.”

“But isn’t that exactly your opinion of Yan Shan? You only have the right to pick scripts once your professional ability is up to par,” Lian Qinghe raised an eyebrow. “Resource-pick actors… they love dragging everyone down the most.”

Jiang Wanru had filmed a scene with heavy emotional fluctuations today. She had a habit: after such scenes, she’d find a deserted corner to smoke a cigarette to soothe her mood. Lian Qinghe followed primarily to keep watch and ensure she didn’t smoke too much.

The Best Actress was perfect in every way except for her habit of keeping things bottled up, often suffering from internal exhaustion. Someone had to keep an eye on her nicotine intake—this was Lian Qinghe’s biggest worry.

They had “accidentally” overheard the entire argument just now. Suppressing their laughter had been hard work.

Seeing that Jiang Wanru didn’t reply, Lian Qinghe added, “Laugh if you want to. Yan Shan looked pretty hilarious. I won’t tell anyone.”

Jiang Wanru’s lips curved into a very faint smile. “I’m not as fond of gossip as a certain someone.”

Lian Qinghe took the cigarette from her hand and put it out. “Your mood should be pretty good now. No more smoking.”

Jiang Wanru didn’t deny it and didn’t light another. Her mood was indeed much better; that little interlude had been quite refreshing.

After returning, Xiao Tao brought over a temporary adjustment to the shooting schedule. Lian Qinghe clicked her tongue again. “Yan Shan has quite the ‘face.’ She claims her eyes are uncomfortable, so she’s taking tomorrow off.”

Jiang Wanru was calmly doing yoga on a mat, her perfect swan neck making it impossible to look away. “Didn’t you already find out? She got into the crew because she has a big backer. There’s nothing strange about it.”

“Yeah, I just can’t wrap my head around it! When did she ever get connected to the Jian Group?”

Lian Qinghe had discovered that this role was a favor Fang Qiyuan did for the Jian Group, but she didn’t know Jian Xiyan had personally requested it, nor did she think in that direction. If Yan Shan truly had the ability to get someone of Jian Xiyan’s status to help personally, she wouldn’t be stuck at her current level.

Lian Qinghe suddenly thought of something else. “The Jian Group approached me once saying they wanted you to endorse a new jewelry line, but there’s been no news since. Yan Shan didn’t intercept that too, did she?”

Jiang Wanru finished her last set of movements and unhurriedly stood up to wipe her sweat with a towel. “I heard a major project of the Jian Group ran into trouble. They probably don’t have time to focus on endorsements right now.”

“You’re better informed than I am? Impressive.” Lian Qinghe relaxed and looked at her with a grin. “Are you really not planning to go back and take over the family business eventually?”

“I have no interest in business,” Jiang Wanru paused. “And no talent for it.”

Lin Feiruo walked out of the film city like the wind, no longer caring about the heat. However, when she tried to call a taxi, she found the nearby roads were temporarily blocked; the driver couldn’t get through.

She figured she could make do by taking a bus to the subway station. Just as she found where the bus stop was, someone poked her. She turned around alertly to find Jian Xiaomin.

The world is huge, yet Shanghai isn’t big enough for me and Jian Xiaomin. Lin Feiruo was even more shocked than when she met her near the bank. Then she remembered—Xiaomin had said she was coming to visit the set. But what a coincidence!

“Xiaomin, you came to see Jiang Wanru?”

“Finished! Now I’m heading back to the city.” Jian Xiaomin looked full of blissful satisfaction. She hadn’t recognized Lin Feiruo at first, but the jacket looked familiar. Besides, who wears this much in the middle of summer? She couldn’t help but take a second look.

“Are you here to… visit the market?” Jian Xiaomin remembered her words from last time. Since she hadn’t seen Lin Feiruo during her visit, she didn’t think much of it.

Lin Feiruo’s lip twitched. “Something like that. Learning about the target customer base.”

Jian Xiaomin knew she wasn’t cut out for business, so she tactfully didn’t pry. “Are you finished?”

“Just finished.”

“If you didn’t drive, come with us. There’s an extra seat.”

Only then did Lin Feiruo see a white Porsche parked nearby, with a girl about Xiaomin’s age standing next to it. “Won’t I be interrupting your other plans?”

“I don’t have plans.” Jian Xiaomin signaled for her to get in. “But I do now that I’ve met you! Let’s eat together.”

“Ah?” Lin Feiruo glanced at the stranger.

“She has to go home; it’s her grandfather’s birthday.”

Lin Feiruo walked to the car and gave a simple greeting. Jian Xiaomin didn’t waste words, simply introducing her as a friend she happened to run into, not even mentioning their relationship.

Once they reached the city and the other girl got out, Jian Xiaomin spoke to Lin Feiruo. “My secrecy work is pretty good, right?”

Lin Feiruo gave her a thumbs up. Jian Xiaomin was so satisfied the corners of her mouth curled up high. They chose a quiet corner in a western restaurant with few people.

Lin Feiruo expected Xiaomin to talk non-stop about her visit to the set, but the topic went directly to Jian Xiyan.

“My sister is absolutely miserable on Tara Island. I really want to take a spaceship and bring her back right now!”

Lin Feiruo was startled. “What happened to her?”

“I heard from Sister Liqing that President Bu is just playing around, finding ways to stall my sister without actually talking business.”

Jian Xiyan naturally wouldn’t tell Lin Feiruo these things, so she knew nothing. But remembering how Jian Xiyan had worked all night before the trip, she was genuinely curious and concerned about her progress. “And then?”

Jian Xiaomin gripped her fork and angrily stabbed her steak. “What else? She had to return empty-handed. There’s a mountain of work waiting for her at the company!”

Lin Feiruo felt a pang of pity for Jian Xiyan. “I see.”

Jian Xiaomin suddenly raised an eyebrow at her. “When my sister gets back, you’ll coax her properly, right?”

Lin Feiruo was awkward. “How am I supposed to ‘coax’ her?”

“How should I know? I can’t ask too many questions about what goes on behind your closed doors.” Jian Xiaomin said this, but her expression said otherwise. Her eyes were sparkling, seemingly expecting Lin Feiruo to share some “insider” details.

Lin Feiruo hadn’t expected to see Jian Xiyan again so soon, let alone have the ability to fulfill Xiaomin’s wish. But hearing that Jian Xiyan’s trip went poorly made her feel quite sad.

“We’ll see. Besides, your sister is so strong, she doesn’t need coaxing.”

“Tsk, she doesn’t need it from others, but you’re different! She loves you! No matter how strong a person is, they need someone by their side.”

Lin Feiruo really wanted to shove her own steak into Xiaomin’s mouth. Which eye saw ‘love’ exactly?

Just then, a notification popped up on her phone. Lin Feiruo immediately engaged in a flurry of rapid operations. It ended in failure again, and she put her phone down gloomily.

Jian Xiaomin thought she was messaging Jian Xiyan, but seeing her face, she realized she was wrong. “What’s wrong?”

“I was trying to snag a resale ticket, but I missed it.”

“Whose concert?” Jian Xiaomin thought of several stars performing recently, but none seemed that hard to get.

“It’s for a wellness forum. The guest speaker is quite an authority.”

“Send me the name of the event.”

Lin Feiruo’s eyes lit up. “You can get tickets?”

“Let me see first.”

Once Jian Xiaomin saw the name of the event, she let out a hum. “Wait, I think the Jian Group has tickets for this. Let me ask.” She made a few calls and quickly settled the matter. “I’ll give them to you in a couple of days when I get them.”

“It’s that simple?” Lin Feiruo felt that making more friends was indeed necessary; things get done much faster.

After dinner, they parted outside the restaurant. Before leaving, Jian Xiaomin reminded her again: “My sister arrives the day after tomorrow in the afternoon. Go back early to coax her.”

“Drive safely. Bye.”

Jian Xiaomin didn’t notice that Lin Feiruo hadn’t actually agreed; she just took it as a given.

Two days later, Jian Xiyan returned from Tara Island and went straight to the company. A mountain of documents waiting for her signature had piled up; after handling the most urgent batch, she brought many more home.

Aunt Shu and Xiao Xuan were already waiting for her at He Garden. Jian Xiyan said a few words and went straight to her study. She didn’t mention Lin Feiruo, nor did she say when she was going back to Pear Orchard, which felt a bit subtle.

Aunt Shu thought to herself: I’m afraid the argument from last time hasn’t been fully resolved. The two were in a cold war and seemingly living apart.

As she and Xiao Xuan prepared dinner in the kitchen, she thought for a moment and brewed a cup of tea, following a photo on her phone. “I’ll bring a cup of tea to the Young Mistress.”

Xiao Xuan was confused. “Didn’t you just bring her one?”

“Floral tea is better for refreshing and reducing internal heat. She probably needs it more.”

Shu Wanxia knocked on the study door and heard Jian Xiyan’s slightly irritable voice. “Young Mistress, try this tea. It might help your mood.”

Jian Xiyan’s brow was still knit; her current mood likely couldn’t be smoothed over by a mere cup of tea. “I don’t—”

Before she could finish, the familiar fragrance drifted over. Jian Xiyan put down her pen and brought the cup closer to catch the scent. She had an inkling of the answer, but she asked anyway: “This tea?”

Aunt Shu smiled. “Miss Feiruo taught me. She specifically instructed me to brew this for you when you’re too busy.”