Chapter 40

Lin Feiruo went to the guest room to wash up. By the time she returned, Jian Xiyan had also finished getting ready. Today, she wore a beige leisure suit, which carried a bit more “life” than her hospital attire.

Lin Feiruo took over the wheelchair from Xiao Ning. “Any work plans for today?”

In the hospital, Jian Xiyan had been forced to rest. Work matters were mostly handled by Jian Shenyao, who communicated with her periodically but forbade her from looking at too many documents in the ward. Although Jian Xiyan hadn’t explicitly said things would be different back at He Garden, Lin Feiruo had already guessed it.

Her urgency to be discharged, besides a dislike for the hospital atmosphere, was likely a desperate desire to sneak back into work. Persuading a workaholic to rest is about as difficult as persuading a slacker to study—Lin Feiruo just wanted to be mentally prepared.

Jian Xiyan remained aloof. “Nothing special today. Liqing will be over around ten-thirty.”

Oh, if Liqing is coming, that means work is definitely happening, Lin Feiruo thought. Clearly, our definitions of ‘plans’ are different.

During the day, with other things to distract her, the pain from the leg injury wasn’t as obvious. Jian Xiyan’s performance in front of others was worlds apart from the woman who, last night, was covered in sweat and desperately searching for pain meds.

Aunt Shu asked a few concerned questions, but Jian Xiyan simply replied that her condition was stable and they needn’t worry. Lin Feiruo watched all of this; it seemed she was the only one who knew the vulnerable Jian Xiyan. Yet she couldn’t feel smug about it at all; she didn’t think keeping such a secret was a good thing.

She simply felt that Jian Xiyan was holding on with great effort.

But in front of everyone, as the person living in the same room, she couldn’t expose her. So, Lin Feiruo also managed a smile and reassured everyone: “Yes, Xiyan is doing quite well. No need to worry too much.”

Lin Feiruo felt Jian Xiyan give her a faint glance before quickly looking away. She couldn’t tell if Xiyan was satisfied with her cooperation or not.

After breakfast, Lin Feiruo pushed Jian Xiyan to the garden to get unauthorized copy some sun. Xu Liqing arrived half an hour earlier than expected. After delivering Jian Xiyan to the study, Lin Feiruo tactfully offered to leave.

“You two take your time. Call me if you need anything.”

After her soft instructions and a nod to Xu Liqing, Lin Feiruo exited the study. Xu Liqing watched her close the door and turned back with a smile. “Xiyan, Lin Feiruo is quite attentive to you.”

Jian Xiyan gave the thin blanket over her legs a light tug. “Go lock the door.”

Seeing her like this, Xu Liqing knew it was time for serious business. She put away the jokes and quickly locked the door. “President Shenyao is personally overseeing the Qinghe project now, but there are still many issues.”

Xu Liqing hadn’t visited the hospital frequently, but she had executed everything Jian Xiyan had assigned her perfectly. “This is the recent performance of several department heads. Take a look at how you want to handle them.”

Jian Xiyan reviewed the materials carefully; it was mostly as she had expected. “The PR department is doing well; keep them steady. Give the Marketing department a warning.” She paused on the Promotion department page for a long time. “As for the issues with the Promotion department, summarize them and give an official copy to Second Uncle.”

“Xiyan, the Promotion department consists of President Shenyao’s old subordinates. If you do this, won’t it…?”

“Precisely because they are his old subordinates, I’m letting Second Uncle take action first. If I handle it directly, it would be even less respectful to him.”

Xu Liqing noted her instructions and moved on to the next matter. “I’ve set an appointment with Director He. He’s free for a phone call at ten tomorrow morning.”

Jian Xiyan nodded. “Good.”

Xu Liqing finished reporting the work matters, but her face didn’t look relaxed at all. Jian Xiyan turned to her, guessing what she wanted to say. “Still no clues?”

Xu Liqing felt guilty and helpless. “Everything that could be checked has been checked thoroughly. Still no lead.”

Jian Xiyan froze for a moment, then said calmly, “Expected.”

If this really wasn’t an accident, the person daring to hit her in the middle of the street like that was definitely not simple. They were either ignorant to the extreme or arrogant to the limit.

“Xiyan, I’ll continue to step up the investigation. Do you have any other thoughts? Perhaps we should change direction and start from somewhere else.”

Jian Xiyan knew that, but she didn’t have a new line of thought yet. “I need to consider it further.”

After Xu Liqing left, Jian Xiyan only had Xiao Ning accompany her to the bathroom once before returning to the study. Lin Feiruo guessed she was working and didn’t disturb her.

To her surprise, Xiyan even had her lunch sent into the study. Lin Feiruo took over from Aunt Shu to deliver the meal. As expected, Jian Xiyan was back to her old ways, the desk covered in documents.

Lin Feiruo took a breath, reminding herself to stay calm. “Time for lunch. Pause the work for a bit.” She walked to the desk, waiting for Jian Xiyan to clear a space for the tray.

Jian Xiyan casually moved a few documents. “Put it here.”

She appeared extremely dismissive, as if she had no intention of eating right now. Lin Feiruo sighed. “You’re still a patient. Eating is more important.”

Jian Xiyan’s pen paused. Perhaps the word “patient” instantly pulled her back to reality. These were recovery meals specifically prepared for her according to medical advice; once they got cold, both the taste and nutritional value would suffer.

Lin Feiruo took advantage of her distraction to quietly pull away a few documents and push the tray in front of her. “You need to be full to have the energy to keep working, right?”

The aroma of the food piqued Jian Xiyan’s appetite, and she realized she was indeed hungry. She picked up her chopsticks, only to find Lin Feiruo [unauthorized copy]standing there empty-handed, watching her. “Aren’t you eating?”

“I’ll eat later.”

Jian Xiyan acknowledged this and casually tucked her hair. Part of her long hair had been cut, but the quality was still excellent. “You don’t need to stand guard over me. I’ll notify Aunt Shu when I’m finished.”

Lin Feiruo pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, propping her chin on one hand. “Watching you eat is quite interesting.”

Jian Xiyan was always elegant, even when eating. Even while injured, she tried to maintain her usual poise. But after staying in the hospital for a while, many sides of her that had never been shown to others had been seen. She was a bit sensitive. “How is it interesting?”

Seeing her suddenly turn serious, Lin Feiruo instinctively straightened her back. “Don’t misunderstand. I just mean the way you eat looks very nice. Watching you eat is more enjoyable than watching those mukbang streamers.”

Jian Xiyan had never been compared to such things—at least no one had dared say it to her face. But she knew Lin Feiruo meant no harm; it just felt strange to be stared at while eating.

Realizing Jian Xiyan didn’t like it, Lin Feiruo withdrew her gaze. She shifted into a more relaxed posture, leaning back with her arms hanging casually at her sides. Today she wore a light blue pullover hoodie—a style she rarely wore in the past. But her height and looks actually suited this sporty-casual style very well. It suited her much better than the “forced maturity” of the flashy clothes she used to wear.

Jian Xiyan hadn’t paid much attention to what Lin Feiruo wore at home before; she only gave notice on how to dress when they needed to act. But from last night until now, Lin Feiruo’s style had changed significantly. Jian Xiyan had noticed more than once.

“What’s with you lately?” Jian Xiyan asked casually as she put down her napkin.

“What’s with what?” Lin Feiruo sat up, preparing to clear the tray.

“The sudden change in style.” Jian Xiyan glanced at her clothes as if she’d just noticed the difference. “You didn’t use to wear these styles.”

Lin Feiruo thought: Do you have to be this sharp, President Jian? You’re a patient; do you really [bailiantales.com]have the energy to worry about this?

But she remained composed. “The cooperation ended, after all. Naturally, I want to go back to being myself.” Feeling Jian Xiyan freeze for a second, she added, “But I’ll still treat the new cooperation with the same seriousness as always, don’t worry.”

Jian Xiyan wasn’t worried about her changing her mind, but the phrase “being myself” reminded her. Did Lin Feiruo think the clothes she picked in the past were to accommodate her?

She frowned, wondering when she had given such an impression. Where on earth did Lin Feiruo get the idea that she liked those styles? Forget it; at least it was all in the past.

She replied in her usual aloof, nonchalant tone: “Just continue being yourself then.”

Lin Feiruo cleared the dishes and saw Jian Xiyan immediately pull back the folders she had moved away, giving herself no transition at all. She wanted to say something, but felt it would be useless.

In the afternoon, Aunt Shu went in to deliver fruit. When she came out, she said the Young Mistress was still working. Lin Feiruo felt a headache coming on but thought better of it; she’d been cooped up in the hospital for so long, maybe she just needed to release her passion for work.

However, this release lasted quite a long time. By nightfall, she was still at it! Only the location had shifted—from the study to the bedroom.

Lin Feiruo stood with her hand on her hip, her brow furrowed. “You don’t plan on pulling an all-nighter, do you?”

Jian Xiyan was exhausted—tired to death—but the backlog of work from her hospitalization was simply too much. Business was still moving, but the big-picture items needed a decision-maker. As the leader of the Jian Group, she had to be a step ahead of everyone.

She didn’t even look up, racing against the clock. “I won’t pull an all-nighter.”

Lin Feiruo felt she had still underestimated President Jian’s love for work. After taking several deep breaths, she decided to take action. “That’s enough for tonight. Early to bed, early to rise. Continue tomorrow.”

Jian Xiyan looked at the hand suddenly pressed over her documents. A surge of irritation from being interrupted rose, but she couldn’t find a way to criticize Lin read the original at bailiantales.com Feiruo. The woman was right; her concern wasn’t an exaggeration. She simply didn’t understand the anxiety and urgency in Jian Xiyan’s heart.

Jian Xiyan went silent for a moment, letting her emotions settle. “I have too many pending matters. I must catch up as soon as possible. I hope you understand.”

Lin Feiruo understood, but she didn’t budge. “My understanding is useless; you need to understand yourself. Some things cannot be rushed.”

Jian Xiyan pursed her lips and looked down. Lin Feiruo’s hand moved. Jian Xiyan thought she was letting go, but instead, she was helping her close the folders.

“Work is never-ending, and money is never-ending, but health won’t tolerate you infinitely.”

Jian Xiyan remained silent but didn’t stop her. The documents were collected and stacked. Lin Feiruo moved behind her and pushed her toward the bed. “You aren’t just President Jian right now; you’re also a patient. You can’t only care about one identity.”

She chattered away while getting a warm towel, preparing to wipe her face and hands before sleep, and casually poured a glass of water. Jian Xiyan wanted to tune out the nagging, yet she instinctively took the towel and glass, completing each bedtime preparation one by one.

Then, that familiar scent drew close again, and she was lifted steadily.

Jian Xiyan thought she would still be looking for medicine during the night, but she actually slept peacefully until morning. Lin Feiruo was very satisfied with her state and asked with a smile: “Sleep well?”

Jian Xiyan nodded, still recalling the situation from last night. Didn’t it hurt? It hurt a bit, but not enough to keep her awake. Why? Was it because she was too tired from work? But being too tired usually makes it hurt more… Why?

Xiao Ning came to help her wash up. Lin Feiruo went to the guest room to freshen up as usual. Jian Xiyan broke her usual silence and asked Xiao Ning: “Was there anything different about what I ate yesterday?”

Xiao Ning’s hand paused, her expression conflicted. Jian Xiyan’s face darkened. “What did you give me?”

“Nothing, really nothing.”

Jian Xiyan clearly didn’t believe her, but she hadn’t noticed any strange tastes yesterday. The more she thought, the more uneasy she felt. “Then why did I last night…?”

“Was it… because Miss Lin massaged you?” Xiao Ning probed.

“Massage?”

“Yes, she came to ask me. I said continuing to press the Shenmen point while you were asleep could help with sleep, so I let her try.”