After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 23

Under the cover of night, Jian Xiaomin’s expression was fittingly somber. Lin Feiruo greeted Uncle Li before taking a seat beside her.

Even with an empty seat between them, Lin Feiruo could clearly feel a volcano beside her ready to erupt at any moment. Jian Xiaomin turned to look at her several times; Lin Feiruo didn’t avoid it, meeting her gaze candidly.

Ultimately, Jian Xiaomin conceded, saying weakly, “That innocent look of yours doesn’t work on me!”

Lin Feiruo was truly confused this time. “What did I do?”

Jian Xiaomin shook her head and waved her hands. “Forget it, forget it. I’m not going to dwell on that.” She turned her body seriously to face Lin Feiruo directly. “Sister Feiruo, what exactly is going on between you and my sister?”

Lin Feiruo hesitated. This wasn’t a question she could answer haphazardly—at least not before seeing Jian Xiyan. She needed to coordinate her story with Jian Xiyan first; if they were clearly inconsistent, it would be even more troublesome.

Lin Feiruo had to fudge an answer. “Even teeth and lips clash sometimes. Some things can’t be explained clearly in a short time.” After saying this, she irritably turned her head to look out the window, mostly to prevent Jian Xiaomin from noticing the flicker in her eyes.

For a novice who had never even been in a relationship, explaining the reasons for a marriage hitting the red light was truly a challenge.

Fortunately, Jian Xiaomin was equally inexperienced. She had never been interested in romance—how could dating be better than fan-girling? Who could be more attractive to her than Jiang Wanru?!

So, the moment Lin Feiruo turned her head, Jian Xiaomin assumed she was remembering something sad and was hurting. She had been fuming and prepared to interrogate Lin Feiruo about why she wasn’t coming home, but now, touched by that pitiful and innocent look, she actually felt a pang of sympathy.

“You… don’t be too sad,” Jian Xiaomin found herself at a loss for words, offering stiff comfort. “My sister isn’t an unreasonable person. She’s just too busy and might be lacking a bit of patience.”

Lin Feiruo realized she had successfully bluffed her way through and turned back.

Seeing her emotions had stabilized, Jian Xiaomin continued, “I hope you can be understanding and give in to her a little.”

Lin Feiruo didn’t want to delve deeper into the topic and nodded. “Alright.” She prepared herself mentally: if Jian Xiyan criticized her for violating their agreement later, Lin Feiruo decided she wouldn’t take it to heart for the sake of Xiaomin’s words.

The car drove smoothly into the underground parking lot of He Garden. This place was foreign to Lin Feiruo, as it wasn’t in the original owner’s memory either.

Seeing her expression shift, Jian Xiaomin reminded her, “My sister basically hasn’t returned to He Garden since the wedding. For her to be angry enough to move back here, you can’t afford to ignore it.”

Following Jian Xiaomin through the front door, Lin Feiruo was struck by a sense of aesthetic wonder. The decor style was a clever blend of luxury and refinement—neither as dazzlingly grand as the Main Residence nor as gaudily blinding as Pear Orchard. It felt inexplicably comfortable.

As Lin Feiruo admired the surroundings, she thought that if it were her, she’d much rather live here too. After all, Pear Orchard was truly eyesore-inducing in its extravagance—that style was something the original owner had deliberately mimicked based on Yan Shan’s tastes to please her.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but marvel at Jian Xiyan’s tolerance. Not only could she endure the “nouveau riche” style of Pear Orchard, but she had actually lived there during their fake marriage. If it were Lin Feiruo, she would have found an excuse to stay away long ago.

After finishing her admiration, Lin Feiruo felt a bit of sympathy for Jian Xiyan. Even the richest woman in the city had to endure such grievances; it seemed money wasn’t a cure-all.

Crossing the living room, Jian Xiaomin led Lin Feiruo upstairs, encountering Aunt Shu just as she was coming down. Seeing Lin Feiruo, Shu Wanxia’s eyes lit up. “Miss Feiruo!”

Lin Feiruo flashed a smile. “Hello, Aunt Shu.”

Jian Xiaomin looked at the noodles on the tray and asked worriedly, “My sister didn’t eat?”

“The sobering tea was a bit strong. The Young Mistress said she had no appetite and won’t eat for now.”

“Fine, we’ll go see her first and send it back up later.”

As Shu Wanxia passed Lin Feiruo, she slowed down intentionally. “Miss Feiruo, it’s truly wonderful that you’re back.” Hearing the weight in her voice, Lin Feiruo felt an inexplicable pressure on her shoulders, as if a burden had been placed upon her. This wasn’t the time to explain anything, so Lin Feiruo just gave a reserved nod and continued to play along.

Jian Xiaomin gently pushed open Jian Xiyan’s bedroom door and gestured inside, signaling for Lin Feiruo to enter first. Lin Feiruo pursed her lips and instinctively adjusted her clothes to tidy her appearance.

Jian Xiyan didn’t have any major issues; she had planned to rest, eat a little, and go to bed—her usual routine after a social event. Today, for some reason, her stomach felt inexplicably uncomfortable, and after hearing Xiaomin had gone to get Lin Feiruo, her head began to ache as well.

When Aunt Shu came to deliver the late-night snack earlier, Jian Xiyan found out Xiaomin had left. It was likely too late to call her back. Jian Xiyan was so annoyed she didn’t want to eat anything; she closed her eyes, thinking about how to handle seeing Lin Feiruo.

The worst-case scenario was that Lin Feiruo wouldn’t come, since she was no longer obligated to cooperate. Given Xiaomin’s temper, she would likely press for a reason, and if she provoked Lin Feiruo, there was no telling what might be revealed.

But Jian Xiyan also felt this possibility was extremely low. She felt Lin Feiruo would come tonight, likely thinking that people who eat like hamsters aren’t usually heartless.

The remaining task was to consider what she would do once Lin Feiruo arrived. Should she continue the previous cooperation, or use this chance to officially announce their separation? These were two completely opposite paths, and Jian Xiyan found herself unusually indecisive. Despite not being very drunk, she felt increasingly weak and miserable; the emotional weight had surpassed the alcohol.

The door opened again. Jian Xiyan instinctively sat up a bit straighter. Aunt Shu had just left, so she couldn’t return so soon. Xiaomin wouldn’t enter without making a sound. So, the person approaching silently… who else could it be?

She slowly opened her eyes and turned toward the sound of footsteps. Lin Feiruo was looking at her, those bright eyes staring seriously and cautiously. She looked even more nervous than Jian Xiyan, which suddenly made a smile touch Jian Xiyan’s heart.

The room was dim, with only the bedside lamp on the opposite side lit. From Lin Feiruo’s angle, the light on either side of Jian Xiyan’s face was uneven. But strangely, it didn’t detract from her beauty at all. People with superior features can withstand a gaze from any “death angle,” and naturally, they can withstand a critical eye.

“Sis, I brought Sister Feiruo back.” Jian Xiaomin entered behind her. Seeing neither of them speaking, she took the initiative to break the silence.

Lin Feiruo snapped out of it, looking down to hide her straying focus.

Jian Xiyan finally spoke, her voice a bit raspier than usual. “You go out first.” This was clearly directed at Jian Xiaomin, though Lin Feiruo wished it were directed at her.

Once Jian Xiaomin obediently closed the door, Jian Xiyan truly began her conversation with Lin Feiruo. “Apologies, I didn’t know Xiaomin went to…” She weighed her words. “It’s my fault for disturbing you so late.”

Lin Feiruo felt uncomfortable seeing her acting as formal as she had been on the phone from Tara Island. “She was just worried about you.”

Lin Feiruo took two steps forward, studying the person leaning against the headboard. “Your complexion really doesn’t look great. Are you truly that drunk?”

Jian Xiyan shook her head. “Xiaomin is just being overly anxious. A gala like this is nothing.” Compared to the Qinghe Highway project, this was minor; to get that project through, Jian Xiyan had no idea how many social events she’d attended or how much alcohol she’d consumed.

Lin Feiruo saw that her thinking was clear and her speech was crisp; she indeed didn’t seem drunk. “Then…” Lin Feiruo didn’t know what to say.

“Sit down,” Jian Xiyan said after a thought. “Once Xiaomin leaves, I’ll have Uncle Li take you back.”

Lin Feiruo knew she meant well, but she likely didn’t realize Xiaomin’s intent. “I think Xiaomin won’t let me leave tonight.”

Jian Xiyan’s expression darkened.

“She thinks we’re having a fallout, which is why we aren’t living together. Calling me back tonight was actually an attempt to reconcile us.”

“It’s my fault for not handling these things better. I’ve been busy with business since I got back; I’ve dragged you into this.”

Seeing her wanting to apologize again, Lin Feiruo quickly stopped her. “Don’t say ‘sorry’ to me anymore. Even if we aren’t partners, we aren’t exactly complete strangers.”

Jian Xiyan pursed her lips. “Thank you.”

“So, what do you plan to do next?”

“I think…”

Just then, Jian Xiaomin’s voice rang out from outside the door again, so Jian Xiyan had to let her in.

“Sis, the kitchen prepared a new late-night snack. Do you want to try it?” She looked at Lin Feiruo. “One for Sister Feiruo too?”

“Bring it in.”

Lin Feiruo stood up to help place the food on the nightstand. But a closer look made her feel it wasn’t suitable for Jian Xiyan. The food was good, but it was too substantial. “It’s so late, and she’s been drinking. Eating this isn’t good.”

Both Aunt Shu and Jian Xiaomin were surprised. “It’s always been like this before.”

“It wasn’t very suitable before either, but that’s in the past.” Lin Feiruo looked at Jian Xiyan. “Change starts now.”

Jian Xiyan was amused by her serious look, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly; she didn’t care whether there was a scientific basis for it. “Then how should we change?”

“Do you have an appetite right now?”

Jian Xiyan admitted, “No.”

“Is your stomach hungry?”

“A little.”

“Any other symptoms or feelings?” Lin Feiruo suddenly became proactive, observing more closely.

Jian Xiyan assumed she was putting on a show for Aunt Shu and Xiaomin, so she naturally wouldn’t expose her. She had wanted to probe Lin Feiruo’s thoughts earlier, but Lin Feiruo had already expressed her stance through her actions. “I have a bit of a headache.”

The headache was real, just not severe enough to require help. But since they were acting, she had to say something.

Lin Feiruo seemed to be remembering something. After a moment, she turned to Aunt Shu. “Is there any cactus in the house? Fresh kind.”

Shu Wanxia didn’t know why, but there was some in the backyard. “A few plants.”

“Pick a piece about half the size of a palm, remove the spines, and juice it.”

Lin Feiruo moved closer, standing almost against the edge of the bed. She rubbed her hands together and asked tentatively, “How about I give you an acupressure massage?”

This was a key point she’d noted from Dr. Yu Qingci’s speech at the forum today. Although she hadn’t had time to fully organize her notes, she remembered this part. Massage was something she often did for classmates back in the lab; she felt her skills were decent. As for the cactus juice, she had heard before it could help with hangovers and stomach discomfort, and it was highly recommended by Dr. Yu tonight.

Since Dr. Yu said this was healthier than so-called “sobering tea,” she might as well let Jian Xiyan try it.

Jian Xiyan hadn’t expected her to act so much more earnestly than in the past—besides verbal concern, she was even planning to get hands-on. In the past, Lin Feiruo had been absolutely unwilling to have excessive contact unless it was unavoidable, possessing a stubbornness about “remaining pure” for Yan Shan.

Jian Xiyan frowned, hesitating over whether to agree. Lin Feiruo looked eager, truly hoping she would consent. Jian Xiaomin and Aunt Shu were anxious on the sidelines, desperately hoping Jian Xiyan would relen.