After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 26

Jian Xiaomin realized the severity of the problem. Daring not to probe further with a joking tone, she struggled to push down her shock.

Since the wedding, Jian Xiyan’s wedding ring had almost never left her hand; Xiaomin had even teased her sister about wanting to “gaze at the object to remember the person.” Knowing Jian Xiyan as she did, reaching the stage of taking off the wedding ring meant this relationship was truly on the edge of a cliff.

Suddenly, Jian Xiaomin didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly, as if afraid she might accidentally blow and snap this extremely fragile marriage.

The Dan Dan noodles were served. Aunt Shu said to Lin Feiruo very thoughtfully, “Miss Feiruo, if it’s not enough, just add another bowl. The kitchen has prepared plenty.”

Smelling the aroma, Lin Feiruo’s hunger was piqued, yet she remained polite: “I can’t eat that much.”

Jian Xiyan remembered a certain someone’s performance back at Pear Orchard and allowed her lips to curve slightly.

Aunt Shu didn’t expose her either, remaining attentive and considerate: “The bowls are small; eating two bowls isn’t considered much.”

Jian Xiyan ate relatively light today, but her appetite was good, so she ate quite a bit.

By comparison, Jian Xiaomin ate the least of everyone at the table, barely forcing down half a poached egg and half a slice of bread. Her expression looked as if she were facing a bitter, deep-seated hardship, like she had encountered an insurmountable difficulty.

Jian Xiyan assumed she was acting out because she had to go to the office later, so she didn’t engage, choosing to look past it.

Lin Feiruo sat opposite her; every time she looked up, she bumped into Jian Xiaomin’s resentful and worry-filled gaze. She couldn’t quite bear it.

Wiping the oil from the corner of her mouth, she asked with concern, “Xiaomin, why are you eating so little?”

Jian Xiaomin pursed her lips, reminding herself not to be impulsive! The current situation was no joke; she had to plan for the long term.

“I don’t know. I just suddenly don’t feel like eating.”

Lin Feiruo observed her seriously and noticed she had slight dark circles: “Did you stay up late last night?”

Everyone had been busy until the middle of the night, so technically everyone had stayed up late. But clearly, Lin Feiruo was referring to the more extreme kind.

Jian Xiaomin admitted: “I couldn’t sleep. I scrolled through some news about the film set for a while.”

Her recent focus was solely on Jiang Wanru’s movie; the news was naturally related to Ambience. Hearing her mention the film set, Jian Xiyan’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

Lin Feiruo froze, remembering their encounter outside the set that day. Fearing Xiaomin might accidentally mention it, she also tactfully avoided the subject.

“Oh. Staying up late is unhealthy.”

Hearing Lin Feiruo’s intent to end the topic, Jian Xiyan’s eyes flickered again.

Jian Xiaomin was in no mood to talk about the set either; right now, she had to save her sister’s marriage crisis. She loved Jiang Wanru, yes, but she loved Jian Xiyan more. In this world, besides her parents, her sister was the most important person!

“Sister Feiruo, did my sister sleep well last night?”

Lin Feiruo had just taken a sip of coffee and was caught off guard, her cheeks puffed out. Jian Xiyan caught the “hamster face” out of the corner of her eye and felt a strange urge to poke it. Her index finger on the rim of her cup twitched slightly, but she did nothing.

“Is there a need to ask someone else that question?” Jian Xiyan asked calmly while sipping her tea. “Can’t I be asked directly?”

Someone else. Her sister had actually called Feiruo “someone else” to her face! Jian Xiaomin’s sadness radar was currently hyper-sensitive; the worry in her heart grew heavier.

“Then Sis, did Sister Feiruo sleep well last night?”

Jian Xiyan was quite helpless: “Ask the person the question belongs to.”

Xiaomin turned her head rapidly, her eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge staring at Lin Feiruo.

“It was quite comfortable. It was a rare treat.”

The sofa in Jian Xiyan’s room was handcrafted in Italy, with a production cycle of over a year. Aside from not being able to fully accommodate Lin Feiruo’s long legs, it was beyond reproach.

Lin Feiruo knew very well that a sudden situation like yesterday’s would rarely happen again; she wouldn’t have another chance to sleep on the sofa in the richest woman’s room. To her, this experience was a first, and most likely, the last.

She didn’t even realize that as she spoke, she carried a faint sense of lingering regret, yet also a clear sense of finality.

Jian Xiyan frowned slightly, wondering if she had misinterpreted the meaning of those words. Jian Xiaomin’s brows knitted together directly—Lin Feiruo is saying goodbye!

So last night was their final commemorative celebration?

Lin Feiruo was the first to take off the wedding ring, and now she was the one clearly expressing a sense of finality. Was it really because her sister was too busy with work and Lin Feiruo couldn’t stand being neglected anymore?

After breakfast, Lin Feiruo said she needed to return to the hotel to organize her forum notes; she didn’t mention what she would do after that. Jian Xiaomin opened her mouth to speak, but seeing her sister made no move to stop her, she stayed silent.

Jian Xiyan only asked Lin Feiruo one thing: “Do you need a driver to take you?”

Lin Feiruo was blunt, not wanting to trouble others further: “The subway station isn’t far; I can manage on my own.”

Lin Feiruo truly had no intention of returning to He Garden.

The more Xiaomin listened, the colder her heart became. Even her refusal was a hurried attempt to sever ties; the difference between love and its absence was so obvious.

After Lin Feiruo left leisurely, Jian Xiaomin obediently sat in the car with her sister. The drive to the Jian Group wasn’t far, but the morning rush made traffic inevitable.

Jian Xiyan was checking emails on her phone. Xiaomin couldn’t chime in, but with her mind full of worries, she was sitting on pins and needles. At the third red light, the car slowed to a stop, and Jian Xiyan suddenly spoke: “If you have something to say, just say it. Aren’t you tired of squirming?”

Xiaomin was startled: “Sis, haven’t you been looking at emails this whole time?”

“With all that movement you’re making, isn’t it just to get me to notice?”

Xiaomin leaned over and grabbed Jian Xiyan’s arm, using the coquettish, innocent tone of her childhood: “Sis, why aren’t you wearing your ring today?”

Jian Xiyan’s gaze on the screen paused. Her peripheral vision caught the empty space on her ring finger. She had taken it off this morning while washing up; she had hurried into the bathroom specifically because she remembered this, not wanting Lin Feiruo to see her still wearing it after the agreement had ended.

She felt like she was “earning extra money” behind the contract partner’s back—it felt untrustworthy.

Seeing her silence, Xiaomin leaned in closer, her big eyes wide with feigned confusion: “You usually wear it all the time, so I was just curious.”

To avoid Lin Feiruo being kidnapped back to He Garden by Xiaomin again, Jian Xiyan decided not to mention the divorce yet. School would start soon; by the time winter break came around, the news of the divorce should be public.

Jian Xiyan turned her head, her tone extremely calm. “I was in a rush this morning and forgot.”

Seeing her sister still putting up a front, Xiaomin’s heart tightened painfully. Lin Feiruo’s ring had been off for a while, but her sister had kept wearing hers. Last night probably didn’t end in a reconciliation, and her sister had taken the ring off for the sake of her dignity.

Yet she was still keeping it a secret, which meant she still had lingering feelings for this marriage. Xiaomin knew that if her sister were truly disappointed in Lin Feiruo, she wouldn’t leave herself this kind of “way out.” Saying she “forgot” to wear it was actually her waiting—waiting for a chance to put it back on.

Xiaomin’s heart ached even more; this time, she truly wanted to give her sister a good hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around Jian Xiyan’s shoulders, full of pity.

Jian Xiyan was baffled by the sudden burst of emotion: “What is wrong with you today?”

It hurts so much, but I can’t say it. Xiaomin just shook her head silently, still hugging tightly and refusing to let go.

Jian Xiyan had to push her away: “I’m meeting an important client today. If you keep hugging me like this, I’ll have to go back and change my clothes.”

Only then did Xiaomin let go. Looking at her sister who worked all day, she felt powerless for the first time. “Sis, will me interning here just cause trouble for you?”

Jian Xiyan guessed her low mood was due to the internship. Since she brought it up, she would have a serious talk with her. “I know Professor Arnt; he will review your internship report seriously. If he finds out you never went to the company once, it will affect your graduation. Understand?”

The university Xiaomin was currently attending was also Jian Xiyan’s alma mater. However, compared to her sister who graduated with first-class honors, the younger sister wasn’t as brilliant.

Xiaomin gave an “oh.” Professor Arnt was indeed famous for being strict and serious with an eccentric temper, but he truly loved talent. Upon learning she was Jian Xiyan’s sister, he had even given her extra guidance—which, specifically, took the form of a reading list twice as long as everyone else’s, with the note that Jian Xiyan had finished it in a month.

Once they arrived at the Jian Group, Jian Xiyan handed Xiaomin over to Xu Liqing: “I have meetings this morning. Xiaomin will stay with you. Give her some routine project reports to familiarize herself with.”

Xu Liqing knew the sisters’ capabilities inside out and thoughtfully found a few event expense approval reports for Xiaomin to look at. Before the meeting, Jian Xiyan also instructed Xu Liqing to keep an eye on matters related to the wellness forum.

Xu Liqing hadn’t paid attention to these before, so while Jian Xiyan was with the client, she pulled up past reports.

Xiaomin was curious: “Sister Liqing, why are you interested in wellness too?”

“President Jian instructed it. She said it’s for reserving tickets.”

“Ah? Have those tickets become that popular?”

Xiaomin thought about it and felt something was off. Her sister had never cared about these things before; how could she change overnight? Recalling Lin Feiruo’s cactus juice from last night, she determined something was suspicious.

“It’s for Sister Feiruo, isn’t it?”

Xu Liqing gave a hum: “President Jian didn’t say. I don’t know.”

Actually, she thought so too. Aside from Lin Feiruo, no one could make Jian Xiyan act abnormally time and time again. First it was the flash marriage, then the inexplicably gaudy renovations, and now wellness. But compared to before, wellness was a good thing; Xu Liqing felt Lin Feiruo was finally becoming reliable.

After returning to the hotel, Lin Feiruo showered and changed her clothes again. The previous clothes weren’t dirty, but since Jian Xiaomin had teased her, she felt they carried a certain “connotation,” and she felt uneasy wearing them.

Moreover, she felt the clothes still carried Jian Xiyan’s warmth and scent; if she didn’t change, she would keep remembering the image of them leaning against each other last night. She shook her head, stopping those thoughts from spiraling. She opened her laptop and began seriously organizing the key points from last night’s forum.

However, Jian Xiyan’s reaction and feelings were the focus of the communication with Dr. Yu. Should I ask Jian Xiyan?

Their contact info was still saved, and no one had said they should never talk again. But since leaving the Main Residence, they had tacitly agreed to have no more intersection. Last night was an accident. Lin Feiruo thought, if she contacted Jian Xiyan again today, would the woman think she was being a persistent ghost?

While hesitating, Jian Xiaomin’s chat window suddenly popped up.

[Sister Feiruo, are you busy?]

Lin Feiruo thought she was bored at the office and “slacking off”: [Probably a tiny bit busier than you.]

[I’ve already finished looking at five reports. You can beat me?] Xiaomin sent a defiant emoji, along with a photo of a stack of folders.

There were indeed several, but compared to Jian Xiyan’s desk, the power level was too weak: [You’re still far behind your sister.]

Xiaomin had originally only wanted to test Lin Feiruo’s attitude to see if there was room for a turnaround. She hadn’t expected the woman to proactively bring up Jian Xiyan, and with such a proud tone?

Xiaomin felt her suspicion was confirmed: Sister Feiruo is only acting so decisive because she’s pouting after being neglected. If she truly had no feelings for her sister, she wouldn’t be unable to go three sentences without mentioning her.

Xiaomin decided to keep pushing, continuing to build her sister’s presence while adding some sympathy points.

[My sister is so pitiful. As soon as she got to the office, she didn’t even have time to drink water before meetings. She didn’t even have a proper lunch.]

Lin Feiruo also wanted to know Jian Xiyan’s status today so she could write her email.

[Does her stomach hurt? Or is she uncomfortable anywhere else?]

Xiaomin clutched her phone, a smile growing. Sister Feiruo indeed still cared.

[My sister only ate a sandwich at noon. Her stomach doesn’t hurt, but I don’t think she’s getting enough nutrition.]

[Oh, as long as it doesn’t hurt.] Lin Feiruo recorded this in her notes, thinking of what else to ask.

[The first thing my sister did when she got to the office today was have someone save tickets for you—tickets for wellness events, all of them!] Xiaomin sent three red hearts in a row. [No matter how busy she is, she puts you first.]