Chapter 35: She Wasn’t Pretending—She Was Really Ill!

Wen Ying caught the faint, familiar scent that was etched into her very bones. Weak and startled, she lifted her head, only to collide with Lu Jinchuan’s dark, fathomless eyes.

He watched her with an expression that was almost entirely vacant. That look made Wen Ying feel a profound sense of shame, as if… as if she had done this on purpose.

"I’m sorry." Gritting her teeth, she tried to stand. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and as the waves of illness washed over her, her limbs grew increasingly heavy and limp.

"Do you need me to carry you up?" Lu Jinchuan’s voice was neither cold nor warm, as indifferent as a bystander.

Wen Ying noticed the gazes around her shift, taking on a different tone. It was as if they believed she were putting on a show, deliberately choosing to fall into the arms of the most powerful man in the room.

"Ms. Wen, his girlfriend is right there. Are you incapable of standing on your own?" Cheng Mu sneered, speaking without a hint of restraint.

Su Nian watched Wen Ying calmly, neither angry nor annoyed, treating the entire scene like a joke. Huo Jinran, however, frowned; he truly felt that something was wrong with Wen Ying’s condition.

Just as he was about to speak, Cheng Mu suddenly exclaimed, "Su Nian, did you get burned?"

The words were barely out when Wen Ying felt a powerful shove against her lower back. She was yanked away, stumbling and forcing herself to grip the edge of the table to keep from falling.

Lu Jinchuan had already turned to look at Su Nian, his refined brow furrowed. "Are you burned?"

Su Nian raised her hand, revealing a patch of red on her fair arm. She glanced at Wen Ying and said, "It’s not a big deal. I’m not one to make a fuss."

It was not that Wen Ying hadn't noticed the anxiety on Lu Jinchuan’s face; it was simply that it was meant for another woman. She withdrew her gaze quietly, biting her lip to keep herself from collapsing.

"Are you really not feeling well?" Huo Jinran appeared before her, a trace of complexity on his handsome face. "Do you need me to help..."

Wen Ying could no longer hear what he was saying. The world went black, and her body tipped forward.

"Wen Ying!"

Several voices rang out in her ears, but she was unable to distinguish whose they were before she slipped into unconsciousness.

He Xichen moved with lightning speed, scooping her up and rushing out with a darkened expression. The scene descended into chaos.

Huo Jinran pulled back the hand he had reached out to steady her.

Lu Jinchuan’s gaze remained fixed on the doorway for a long time, his cold, sharp eyes deep and unreadable. Su Nian noticed his distraction and hesitated for a moment. But she soon understood: Wen Ying’s public attempt to throw herself into his arms to reveal their marital status was clear to everyone, and Lu Jinchuan must have been shocked by her audacity.

"What is her game?" Cheng Mu frowned. "Su Nian is right there, and she just lunged at him?"

"I bet the fainting was an act, too. Since Jinchuan didn't pay her any mind, she had no way to save face. Look at how worried He Xichen is—she’s truly calculating." Cheng Mu sounded disdainful.

Su Nian remained silent. She felt that Cheng Mu’s words held some truth. Trying to kill two birds with one stone, she had failed to get a reaction from Lu Jinchuan, but He Xichen had taken the bait.

Huo Jinran, lost in thought, suddenly said, "She wasn't faking it."

At this, both Cheng Mu and Su Nian looked at him. Even Lu Jinchuan shifted his gaze slightly toward him.

Meeting Lu Jinchuan’s questioning look, Huo Jinran recalled what Wen Ying had said to him outside the restroom—"I don't like you"—and felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.

"I ran into her outside more than half an hour ago. She looked terrible even then. She must be ill."

Su Nian frowned. Cheng Mu felt a moment of awkwardness but persisted, "With so many people around, why did she have to fall toward Jinchuan?"

"Jinran, what’s gotten into you? Why are you speaking up for Wen Ying?"

Huo Jinran looked at Lu Jinchuan, perplexed. "I’m just speaking based on the facts."

Lu Jinchuan, aside from that initial subtle reaction, showed no further ripples of emotion. There was no sign of worry for Wen Ying. He only looked at Su Nian and asked, "Does the burn still hurt?"

Su Nian felt the weight of his concern and curled her lips into a smile. "I’m fine."

Huo Jinran suddenly furrowed his brow, an inexplicable emotion rising within him.

***

He Xichen carried Wen Ying to the hospital emergency room.

Her temperature had already hit 39.2°C. When Wen Ying woke up, He Xichen was beside her, working on his laptop.

"Awake?"

He Xichen set his work aside. "I ran a blood count for you. The doctor said several markers are abnormal. What have you been doing to your body?"

Wen Ying tensed for a moment. Seeing that He Xichen didn't seem suspicious, she realized that the tests hadn't revealed anything specific. "I’m fine. I just caught a cold and developed a fever."

He Xichen looked at Wen Ying’s pale face, feeling both heartbroken and angry. "Is a person like him really worth you throwing away your life for three years?"