After Divorcing the Beautiful Richest Woman, She Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 31

Yu Qingci wore a deep gray professional suit today. Her shoulder-length hair was tied back simply, and she wore no flashy accessories; a pair of small diamond studs was the only finishing touch.

When Lin Feiruo first saw her, she thought Dr. Yu resembled a forensic doctor from a well-known TV drama—calm and rational, with features that weren’t necessarily stunning but possessed a great temperament that radiated professionalism.

However, after these two interactions, Lin Feiruo felt she was a bit warmer than a TV forensic doctor, more like the ideal homeroom teacher she used to imagine.

Yu Qingci didn’t place too many demands on her, only mentioning a few details to note later: for example, not to move around frequently, not to make loud noises, and to maintain a polite sitting posture.

Lin Feiruo nodded repeatedly. “I understand. It’s similar to the requirements for attending a lecture.”

Yu Qingci smiled. “A few of the senior professors care quite a bit about those things.”

There were staff members taking photos at the event, but there were also people who, like Lin Feiruo, had made the mistake of going to the wrong place. Fans usually keep their phones up at all times, liking to capture anything fresh or interesting.

Lin Feiruo was focused on talking to Yu Qingci. Knowing the salon was much more formal than she had anticipated, she was inevitably nervous and completely failed to notice someone taking photos in the distance.

The small theater wasn’t large and was already packed. Lin Feiruo was led by Yu Qingci to a reserved seat. The person next to her only gave her a brief glance without any particular expression.

The biggest difference between this salon and the previous forum was that the invited guests had mostly retired or no longer held any official titles. However, these were well-known figures whose experience and academic theories had gained high recognition; ordinary events might not be able to invite them even if they tried.

Lin Feiruo had assumed Dr. Yu was one of the guests, but to her surprise, she served primarily as the moderator tonight. While she didn’t know how to manipulate the audience’s emotions like a professional host and wasn’t good at creating eye-catching topics, it was clear from her smooth transitions and interactions that she was very close to the guests.

It was the kind of closeness born from mutual understanding, a blend of familiarity, admiration, and trust. Consequently, no one held back during the exchange.

This made the salon exceptionally sincere. The more Lin Feiruo listened, the more interesting it became; she only realized how fast time had passed as it neared its end.

The salon concluded amidst a round of warm, lingering applause. Many were reluctant to leave. Yu Qingci intended to take Lin Feiruo over to listen to the guests’ casual chat, hoping to see if some new sparks might fly.

Lin Feiruo stood up and stamped her feet. The only downside to sitting upright for too long was that her feet would go numb. The people on either side of her were in no hurry to move. On stage, Dr. Yu was busy talking to various people—guests, staff, and audience members who had snuck up.

She hesitated about whether to go over and say thank you. Without Dr. Yu’s help, she wouldn’t have been able to attend such a meaningful salon. She had truly learned a lot tonight—not just theories, but a fundamental shift in her way of thinking.

She looked toward the stage. It seemed Dr. Yu wouldn’t be free for a while. Lin Feiruo planned to wait, so she sat back down once the numbness in her feet subsided.

As the salon ended, everyone began turning on their phones. Lin Feiruo pulled hers out of her bag as well.

After Jian Xiyan was moved to the ward, the anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet, and she remained in a deep sleep. Jian Xiaomin was pushed to her bedside; beyond shedding tears, she remained silent.

Jian Shenyao stayed in the ward for a while before heading out. In the hallway, his phone never stopped ringing. After such a major incident, all parties had mobilized urgently, but often a final decision-maker was required.

Xu Liqing had frozen when she heard the news of Jian Xiyan’s accident. She immediately changed out of her pajamas and rushed back to the company. The PR department was already back at the office; Xie Anya was communicating with various media outlets.

She desperately wanted to go to the hospital to see Jian Xiyan, but she knew the company couldn’t be without someone in charge right now. Xu Liqing pinched her arm from time to time to remind herself to stay steady.

Xie Anya finished several calls in one breath, her throat so dry she didn’t even have time for water.

“Liqing, I’ve coordinated with the Shanghai Daily and Shanghai News. They’ve agreed to wait for our official press release before publishing. But there are too many social media accounts. The photos of Xiyan’s accident… we simply can’t delete them all.”

Xu Liqing’s face was somber. Formal media was easy to deal with, but independent social media was a nightmare. “Have you contacted the major platforms? What do they say?”

“They agreed to lower the trending heat, but they refuse to delete the posts.”

Xu Liqing thought for a moment. “Keep communicating. Try to bring the heat down as quickly as possible. And finish the draft of the press release soon; I need to send it to President Shenyao for review.”

Xie Anya also looked solemn, not daring to slack off for a second. She had looked at some of the scattered photos online, taken from various angles. The blurry ones were okay, but some were truly gruesome; her heart ached every time she looked.

The overwhelming news online left Jian Shenyao exhausted. Many CEOs with business ties to the Jian Group called personally to ask about the situation. At a time like this, though it was annoying, he had to pull himself together to deal with each one.

Xu Liqing sent the draft over, asking for his opinion: “President Shenyao, does this look okay?”

“Yes, release it in the company’s name as soon as possible. Find more legitimate media to repost it. Don’t let those speculations ferment any further.”

Hanging up, Jian Shenyao casually clicked through a few mainstream platforms. The news wasn’t on the front pages anymore, but with a few scrolls, the news of Jian Xiyan’s accident inevitably popped up. In the era of self-media, news simply cannot be suppressed; Jian Shenyao could only use other methods to balance it.

He walked outside the ward and looked in through the small window. Yu Shuyi was sitting with Jian Xiaomin, both looking heavily at Jian Xiyan. Xiaomin wanted to send a message to Lin Feiruo, but remembering something, her gaze dimmed and she put her phone back.

Likely because of Jian Shenyao’s earlier words, Yu Shuyi didn’t proactively mention Lin Feiruo either. Mother and daughter sat quietly by the hospital bed.

When Lin Feiruo turned on her phone, several messages popped up in succession. Since she had transmigrated, it was the first time her phone had been so busy.

Qi Min: [Feiruo, how is Jian Xiyan? Is it serious?]

Qi Min?

Lin Feiruo looked at the chat window that had appeared from some corner of her memory. It was a friend of the original owner, but the friendship had faded because the original owner was a brainless “simp” for Yan Shan. When Lin Feiruo got married, she had only sent a red envelope.

In the two years since the marriage, this was the first time Qi Min had proactively asked about Jian Xiyan’s condition.

Lin Feiruo felt it was strange. Scrolling down, another person she hadn’t contacted in years jumped out with a similar question to Qi Min’s.

What happened to Jian Xiyan?!

Lin Feiruo instinctively checked Jian Xiaomin’s chat—no message. She checked Jian Xiyan’s—none there either. Feeling inexplicably uneasy, she searched online.

As soon as she typed “Jian,” the words “Jian Xiyan suspected in serious car accident” leaped into view.

Lin Feiruo’s fingertips paused; she was momentarily stunned. She licked her lips, clicked the link, and her heart sank instantly. Just then, an unknown number called. Lin Feiruo answered immediately.

“Miss Feiruo?” A young man’s voice came from the other end, his tone somewhat cautious.

“It’s me.”

“I am President Jian’s bodyguard. Miss Xiyan was in a car accident and is at the hospital. You…”

“How is she now?”

“She has finished surgery and is in the ward.”

Lin Feiruo wanted to ask about the specific injuries, but realized there were too many questions to ask. “Send me the address.”

She hurriedly grabbed her bag to leave just as Yu Qingci walked toward her.

“Lin Feiruo, if you have nothing else to do, you can come over for a chat. I just mentioned you to a few professors, and they are quite interested in you.”

Lin Feiruo only wanted to get to the hospital as fast as possible. Although she hadn’t known Jian Xiyan for long, the woman had been good to her. Plus, since she was still using the original owner’s identity, she had to go no matter what.

“Sorry, I have to go.”

Seeing her anxious expression, Yu Qingci didn’t try to keep her, asking with concern, “Is everything okay?”

“An… important person is hospitalized. I have to go see them.”

Calling her “wife” felt inappropriate, and “ex-wife” didn’t work either. Lin Feiruo didn’t want to mention Jian Xiyan’s name at this moment. The words on the trending search were exaggerated enough; she didn’t want to use Jian Xiyan’s misfortune as a topic of conversation.

Exiting the little theater, Lin Feiruo tried to call a taxi, only to find the event at the Grand Theater next door had also just ended. Fans were pouring out in droves; not only could she not get a car, but the traffic was jammed.

Lin Feiruo had to rely on her own two feet to walk out of the congested area. To her frustration, many fans were blocking the intersections, saying they were waiting for the film crew’s cars!

“Damn it!”

Lin Feiruo irritably broke into a run, heading for the outer ring. She hadn’t run far when she heard a burst of cheers behind her. Someone unaware might have thought they were cheering for her running.

Then she saw a minibus moving slowly past her. A group of crazed fans was chasing it, hitting the windows and taking photos incessantly. The car drew the crowd away, which actually improved the road conditions for Lin Feiruo. She moved closer to the inner curb to save some distance.

The curtains of the minibus were being drawn one after another. One curtain noticeably stayed open for a while before being closed, causing the fans to cheer even more enthusiastically.

Lin Feiruo hurried to the hospital. Entering the ward, she found the Jian family was all there. She wanted to see Jian Xiyan’s condition, but her view was blocked by Jian Xiaomin’s back.

Jian Shenyao spoke first: “So you finally showed up?”

On the way, Lin Feiruo had scrolled through many news reports. Although they said all sorts of things, they basically clarified where the accident happened and how critical the situation was. Lin Feiruo knew Jian Shenyao was not a good person and that in the original plot, he was going to seize the family fortune—but there was no car accident in the original plot!

She wasn’t sure if it wasn’t written or if she just didn’t remember, so she stared at Jian Shenyao, wondering if it would trigger a new plot memory.

Seeing her silence and her staring at him instead, Jian Shenyao felt as if he were the one being blamed. He became even more dissatisfied. “Where have you been all night? Xiyan was seriously injured, and news is flying everywhere online. Do you mean to say you didn’t see it?”

In modern times, except for mandatory airplane mode, few people could go hours without checking their phones. Even if you don’t answer calls, you don’t go online?

Lin Feiruo withdrew her gaze, unsure if the accident was related to Jian Shenyao. Yu Shuyi walked to his side, her voice raspy. “Shenyao, now is not the time to dwell on these things. Let Feiruo go over and see Xiyan first.” After saying that, she signaled Lin Feiruo to go over. “Xiyan’s anesthesia will wear off soon. It’s best if you can be with her when she wakes up.”

Lin Feiruo nodded and walked between Jian Shenyao and Yu Shuyi. Jian Xiaomin’s back was motionless, like a statue. She must have heard the conversation just now, but she had no reaction, as if she had completely tuned everything out.

Lin Feiruo walked to the bedside. Seeing the sleeping Jian Xiyan, her heart felt heavy. There were no major injuries on her face; she looked much as she did during dinner. But… she heard her leg was injured, very seriously. Remembering Jian Xiyan’s elegant posture, a mix of pity and sorrow washed over her.

Xiaomin still hadn’t spoken. Lin Feiruo felt it was strange and looked down at her. “Xiaomin…”

She found the girl’s eyes filled with tears and her expression blank, completely different from how she was at dinner. Her right hand was in a cast and she was sitting in a wheelchair, yet compared to Jian Xiyan, she was considered to have light injuries.

Lin Feiruo sighed in her heart: This was clearly intended to be fatal. Such a ruthless move!

Jian Xiyan’s anesthesia gradually wore off. The pain made her frown as she woke. Lin Feiruo quickly leaned over. “You’re awake?”

Jian Xiyan struggled to open her eyes. Seeing the face before her slowly become clear, she gave a soft “mm.”

Lin Feiruo turned and said, “Xiyan is awake.”

The moment she spoke, Lin Feiruo felt the hand she had placed by the bed being lightly pressed. She looked down and saw Jian Xiyan’s hand moving toward her with great effort, barely managing to place her fingertips on top.