After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 24

Seeing so many pairs of eyes fixed on her, Jian Xiyan simply agreed. If she didn’t, she would have to expend effort coming up with another excuse.

“Alright.”

Her cool tone didn’t stop the atmosphere in the room from soaring instantly. Lin Feiruo was naturally happy to have secured an opportunity for practice. Jian Xiaomin felt her efforts of running out late at night to “capture” someone hadn’t been in vain; her sister had finally softened. Shu Wanxia felt that no matter how tough the Young Mistress acted, she still needed looking after, and Miss Feiruo’s thoughtfulness was a perfect match for her.

Lin Feiruo specifically washed her hands with warm water and rubbed her palms together until they were warm. She sat sideways on the edge of the bed, intending to pull away the pillow Jian Xiyan was leaning against.

Usually, physical contact between the two was limited, and when Jian Xiyan was in her loungewear, close contact was even rarer. Both appeared somewhat constrained, filled with a wordless awkwardness.

However, in the eyes of Jian Xiaomin and Aunt Shu, this was perfectly normal. People in a cold war act exactly like this: neither wants to be the first to soften, both want to reconcile but refuse to be the first to lower their heads.

Jian Xiaomin was silently complaining that Lin Feiruo wasn’t being bold or proactive enough, while simultaneously marveling at how cute her sister looked in her “tsundere” pride.

It really makes one nervous! Jian Xiaomin unconsciously clenched her fists, itching to step forward and help.

Hurry up and hug! If a hug can’t solve it, a kiss definitely will! And if a kiss doesn’t work, then…

“Mm…”

Lin Feiruo’s fingertips had just touched Jian Xiyan’s temples when she heard a low hum from her nose, causing her to stop immediately.

“Does it feel uncomfortable?”

Jian Xiyan was essentially leaning back toward her embrace. Although the space behind her back was mostly empty and she was mainly supported by her arms, looking at Lin Feiruo from this angle still counted as looking back over her shoulder.

“There’s a stabbing sensation.”

Lin Feiruo lightened her pressure and pressed gently a few more times before asking again: “How about now?”

“That works.”

Jian Xiaomin and Shu Wanxia watched from the side with growing gratification. Although it wasn’t a passionate display, the relationship had clearly softened significantly.

Shu Wanxia tugged at Jian Xiaomin’s sleeve, signaling that the two of them should stop being “lightbulbs.” Jian Xiaomin understood perfectly and tiptoed out of the room.

Once downstairs, Jian Xiaomin could no longer contain her joy and pulled Aunt Shu over to gossip: “Did you see that just now? When my sister turned her head to look at her, she looked so… delicate.”

Even as a sister, it was rare to see such a side of her. Jian Xiaomin sighed once more: “Lin Feiruo is truly impressive.”

Shu Wanxia was older and didn’t have much interest in the fiery passions of youth, but she agreed with Jian Xiaomin’s point. “Miss Feiruo is indeed very important. With her around, the Young Mistress doesn’t have to push herself so hard alone.”

Only now did Jian Xiaomin have the chance to learn the details of what had happened recently; it turned out the problems had started back when they visited the Main Residence. No wonder Lin Feiruo had moved into a hotel after her sister left for the business trip. Jian Xiaomin felt depressed; to think she had helped keep the secret for so long—she was basically doing the opposite of helping!

Jian Xiyan had originally intended to tell Lin Feiruo to stop once the onlookers left, but after being massaged for a few moments, it actually felt effective. The headache eased, and even her scalp felt a sense of relaxation.

She actually felt… a bit reluctant to end it now.

She naturally closed her eyes, immersing herself in the rare comfort and relaxation. Perhaps because her eyes were closed, her sense of smell became dominant; she could occasionally catch the scent of Lin Feiruo’s body wash, mixed with a hint of the coolness brought in from the outside air.

In the past, Lin Feiruo favored fruit-scented body washes that left a heavy, sugary trail. Jian Xiyan couldn’t say she hated it, but she certainly didn’t like it. Tonight, the scent radiating from Lin Feiruo was a bright lime—crisp and refreshing. Jian Xiyan found no resistance to it.

In sharp contrast to Jian Xiyan’s increasing relaxation, Lin Feiruo hadn’t dared to take a deep breath. Her arms were stiff, acting as a brace for Jian Xiyan to lean against. While the tactile sensation at her fingertips was beautiful, she was in no mood to savor it.

Lin Feiruo wanted to ask how Jian Xiyan was feeling, but every time she looked down, she saw a face of quiet, calm beauty with closed eyes. She looked so lovely, yet so tired; Lin Feiruo couldn’t bear to disturb her. Fearing her breathing might wake Jian Xiyan, Lin Feiruo could only reduce her breathing frequency, which was a real struggle for her abdominal muscles.

Although Jian Xiyan’s eyes were closed, her senses were not diminished. She was actually well aware of Lin Feiruo’s every move; she just hadn’t expected the person to be holding her breath. Since they had put on many acts in public before, it was easy to figure out why Lin Feiruo was acting this way now.

Fearing Lin Feiruo might pass out from holding her breath, Jian Xiyan spoke.

“It’s okay to breathe normally.”

The cool voice suddenly rang out in the silent room, making Lin Feiruo’s fingertips tremble. She quickly realized she had been caught and panted slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I thought you were asleep.”

Jian Xiyan smiled faintly: “You can breathe normally even if I’m asleep.”

She reopened her beautiful eyes. This time, the fatigue was lessened, and she looked back at Lin Feiruo with a shallow trace of teasing. “I’m not that strict.”

After catching her breath, Lin Feiruo grinned: “I just wanted you to get some good rest. You must have been very tired lately, right?”

She was thinking of the scenes of Jian Xiyan working overtime back-to-back, combined with what Jian Xiaomin said about the Tara Island trip going poorly. She guessed Jian Xiyan definitely hadn’t slept well.

Unexpectedly, this unintentional sentence struck a soft chord in Jian Xiyan’s heart. She never complained to others about these things because, in the eyes of many, since she stood in that position and enjoyed so much glory and wealth, she should bear the hardship. Aunt Shu cared for her, but because Jian Xiyan didn’t want to worry her, she said nothing.

She didn’t expect that her former “fake spouse” would be the one to understand this best.

Lin Feiruo’s hands were getting a bit sore and she wanted to rest, but seeing that Jian Xiyan seemed to be enjoying it, she persisted.

“You shouldn’t always compare yourself to a ‘Steel Woman.’ When you’re tired, you still need to rest. Lack of sleep easily leads to a bad mood, and mood is the number one killer of health.”

Jian Xiyan pursed her lips and glanced at her. “I heard from Xiaomin that you’ve been interested in wellness lately?”

Lin Feiruo froze. Had the news of the Wellness Center leaked?

Jian Xiyan continued leisurely: “She thought you didn’t attend the gala tonight because it clashed with a forum. I only found out about the tickets tonight.” The implication was that she hadn’t intentionally pried into Lin Feiruo’s recent life.

Lin Feiruo smiled: “Mainly because the guest speaker at the forum is excellent; I didn’t want to miss it.”

The Jian Group frequently sponsored various activities organized by the Health Association. Jian Xiyan recalled signing expense reports for them, but she didn’t remember the specifics.

“Who was the speaker?”

“Yu Qingci, Dr. Yu. Do you know her?”

Jian Xiyan thought back and admitted honestly: “Not very familiar.”

Lin Feiruo wasn’t surprised: “You’re so busy, it’s normal not to pay attention to this field. And Dr. Yu is so young; it’s also normal she isn’t a household name yet.”

In the past, Lin Feiruo’s world seemed to consist only of Yan Shan; she had almost never heard her mention another person’s name with such an admiring tone. Although she hadn’t asked the gender, Jian Xiyan’s intuition told her it was a woman.

“How old is she?”

Lin Feiruo recalled the data: “Hmm, about thirty-two.”

“She is indeed young.” Jian Xiyan paused. “However, being a guest speaker at a forum at that age means her level and achievements far exceed her peers.”

“Right, right! That’s exactly what I think!”

Especially after hearing the speech in person, Lin Feiruo felt Yu Qingci was much more impressive than her former balding supervisor. Seeing her get more excited as she spoke, Jian Xiyan couldn’t help but feel curious. Has this Dr. Yu already eclipsed Yan Shan?

“Then…”

Jian Xiyan stopped herself immediately, not wanting to ruin the current atmosphere. Bringing up Yan Shan would only make Lin Feiruo act erratically again; Jian Xiyan preferred to keep listening to the topic of Dr. Yu.

Just then, Aunt Shu brought in the juiced cactus—only half a cup. “If it’s not enough, I’ll go pick some fresh ones.”

Lin Feiruo stopped, and Jian Xiyan naturally sat up; the massage journey was officially over. When Shu Wanxia and Jian Xiaomin entered, they immediately saw the two still maintaining their previous positions and felt a great sense of relief that the atmosphere hadn’t been ruined.

Lin Feiruo took the cup, swirling it to check the purity. Compared to the photos Dr. Yu used as examples today, it was very close. Satisfied, Lin Feiruo handed the cup to Jian Xiyan.

“Try this, it’s very effective.”

Jian Xiyan had never drunk such a thing after alcohol. To be precise, she had never drunk it ever—who juices a cactus for no reason? Seeing her hesitation, Lin Feiruo explained with a smile: “This is a legitimate recommendation from Dr. Yu, not some nameless folk remedy.”

Hearing it had a formal origin, Jian Xiyan felt a bit more at ease. However, the thing didn’t look like it would taste good, and she frowned.

“The taste should be okay, too.” Lin Feiruo didn’t give up, extending the cup a bit further.

Jian Xiyan appreciated her proactive cooperation tonight, and since she already owed a personal favor, she didn’t want to embarrass Lin Feiruo in front of Aunt Shu and Xiaomin. She took the cup and took a very tiny sip.

The taste was completely different from what she imagined—not irritating at all. After sliding down her throat, it had a long-lasting, moistening feel. It was very mild and substantial, different from any juice she had ever had.

“How is it? I didn’t lie to you, right?” Lin Feiruo kept staring at Jian Xiyan, afraid to miss any real reaction.

Being stared at from such close range made Jian Xiyan a bit uncomfortable, but she couldn’t deny the taste. “Mm, it’s alright.” She took another sip, this time a normal one.

Shu Wanxia and Jian Xiaomin had also been a bit apprehensive, unsure if this thing would truly please Jian Xiyan. Earlier, Jian Xiaomin had tasted a bit with her finger and thought it was actually okay. But can this really sober someone up and warm the stomach? Is it an exaggeration?

After Jian Xiyan finished, Aunt Shu immediately handed her a wet wipe. Lin Feiruo added: “Please prepare some banana. Not too much, half a banana is fine.”

Jian Xiaomin was curious: “You plan to use half a banana as my sister’s late-night snack?”

“It’s good for the gastrointestinal tract.”

Aunt Shu did as instructed. After all the busyness, it was nearly 2:00 AM. However, Jian Xiyan’s state had improved; her head and stomach no longer ached, and even her mood had brightened significantly.

Lin Feiruo admired the results of her practice, feeling very satisfied: “A healthy life is the most important thing.”

Seeing Jian Xiyan get better, everyone was happy. However, Jian Xiaomin didn’t forget the most important mission: matchmaking.

“It’s late, we won’t disturb your rest. Sister Feiruo, thank you for looking after my sister tonight. Goodnight.” After saying this, she quickly pulled Aunt Shu away and thoughtfully turned off the main lights.

The room returned to the atmosphere of just a single bedside lamp, but because of Jian Xiaomin’s words, a bit of awkwardness was added. Lin Feiruo stood not far from the bed, looked at Jian Xiyan, and cleared her throat: “Um, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

There was a sofa in the room. It could barely fit Lin Feiruo, though the sleep would be cramped. He Garden had plenty of guest rooms; it certainly wasn’t lacking a bed for Lin Feiruo. It was just… tonight’s situation was too unique. If Lin Feiruo went to another room now, Jian Xiaomin would definitely find out, and today’s scenario would likely repeat tomorrow.

Jian Xiyan knew this was the optimal solution for now, but she felt bad for Lin Feiruo.

“Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s fine, one night passes quickly.” Lin Feiruo happily went to the cabinet to get a blanket and sat on the sofa quite cheerfully. “The decor and furniture here are very tasteful; sleeping here for a night is a treat.”

Hearing someone praise her aesthetic, Jian Xiyan was naturally happy, but thinking of the style of Pear Orchard, she fully believed Lin Feiruo said it intentionally. Their aesthetics had never been in the same direction.