After Faking My Death, My Iceberg Ex-Wife Went Crazy for Me - Chapter 27

“President Ye! I’m here! I’m here!”

The elevator doors slid open, and Xiao Xu sprinted out with a speed that would have made him a champion sprinter. He ran, shouting, “You have to hold on!”

He lunged to the edge of the flowerbed, ignoring the pain of the impact as he stretched his hands desperately downward.

“Miss Geng… hic!”

Empty.

The empty sea wind rushed into his mouth, triggering a sharp hiccup. Then, they came uncontrollably.

Xiao Xu’s shoulders trembled as hiccups erupted from his throat every five or six seconds. Occasionally, they synchronized with the fireworks, creating a comical effect, but no one could bring themselves to laugh.

Police officers who had been lying in wait nearby swarmed forward, setting up a perimeter.

Someone checked the pulses of the two robbers on the ground. “They’re both dead.”

“The kidnappers’ identities need to be confirmed. Take them away first.”

“Understood.”

The officer nodded to his partner, who retrieved body bags. They secured the corpses and carried them away.

Xiao Xu glanced at the departing officers, then turned to look at Ye Ling.

She remained motionless, silent. If the light were any dimmer, she might have been mistaken for a wooden statue from behind.

Only this statue had been mistakenly painted red, half its body dripping with the crimson hue.

Xiao Xu glanced at the Bodhi bead bracelet in Ye Ling’s hand. Half of the pristine white beads had turned bl00d-red, the sacred Buddhist object stained with a malevolent aura.

Xiao Xu shuddered, startled by her own morbid imagination, and the hiccups that had been plaguing her abruptly ceased.

After a moment’s thought, she suggested, “President Ye, if you won’t go to the hospital, should we call a doctor here?”

At the sound of her voice, the wooden statue seemed to regain a flicker of its soul. Its neck creaked as it turned, followed by its eyes, which fixed on Xiao Xu’s face.

Xiao Xu fought the urge to look away. After a few tense seconds, she spoke, “It’s you.”

“Yes, it’s me,” Xiao Xu replied, averting her gaze slightly and racking her brain for something to say. “The rescue team is searching diligently. Let’s get your wounds treated first. By the time we’re done, Geng Xiaoxiao might already be here.”

Ye Ling shook her head. “The view is clear from here. I’ll see any sign of her immediately. Xiaoxiao is an excellent swimmer. They’ll find her soon, very soon.”

Xiao Xu murmured something inaudible and fell silent.

“I think the headphones were yours, right?” Ye Ling asked.

“Oh, right, they’re mine,” Xiao Xu nodded.

Ye Ling remembered the call hadn’t ended yet. She pulled out her phone and saw that her conversation with Xiao Liu had ended some time ago.

She put her phone away, raised her right hand, and noticed the bloodstains. Using her slightly cleaner left hand, she reached for her right ear.

The hair hanging down on her right side was coated with hair styling product, making it feel like a thick cloth.

She slipped her fingers beneath the cloth, tracing the curve of her ear from the helix to the lobe.

Empty.

“I’m sorry,” she said apologetically. “I don’t know where the headphones went. You can ask Meng Lianqiu later; she’ll get you a new pair.”

Xiao Xu waved his hands frantically. “No worries, no worries! Those cheap headphones were only 39.9 yuan with free shipping on Pinduoduo. They were practically disposable. If they helped, then they died… heroically! Yes, they died a peaceful death!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Xu wanted to slap himself.

Why did I have to bring that up?!

Fortunately, Ye Ling didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps her emotions had already hit rock bottom.

Xiao Xu, acutely aware of his inadequacy as a comforter, dared not speak again, choosing instead to remain silently by Ye Ling’s side.

This was the instruction of the negotiation expert, who had warned that Ye Ling’s mental state was unstable after the recent shock. She advised that Ye Ling should not be left alone for the next 48 hours.

With Meng Lianqiu still rushing back, Xiao Xu found himself unexpectedly tasked with guarding Ye Ling.

Yet even the psychologically astute negotiation expert had failed to anticipate Geng Xiaoxiao’s impulsive leap.

Afterward, Geng Xiaoxiao sent a message through Xiao Liu’s phone, asking Xiao Xu to apologize to Ye Ling on her behalf.

What a burden to bear, Xiao Xu thought bitterly.

I didn’t make the decision. Why should I apologize for someone else’s actions?

Even if I were willing to take the blame, I’m not worthy of such a responsibility!

With a silent sigh, Xiao Xu leaned against the waist-high flowerbed, his upper body jutting out slightly.

What was Geng Xiaoxiao thinking when she jumped?

No one could answer.

The sea, drawn by the moon’s gravitational pull, surged in relentless waves against the shore.

Rescue boats, their searchlights cutting through the choppy waters, scanned every inch of the turbulent surface.

The waves churned, ripples spreading in concentric circles, leaving no trace of her existence.

 

Several kilometers away lay a deserted, uninhabited beach.

Splash!

A dripping wet head emerged from the sea. Had anyone been there, they would have surely jumped in fright.

Lan Xiao struggled to wade ashore.

She wanted to collapse right there, but Xiao Ba warned her that the tide was rising and the beach was poorly maintained, littered with seashells, seaweed, plastic bags, and discarded cans—and judging by the state of things, possibly even human waste.

Lan Xiao was genuinely disgusted, even though she wasn’t exactly clean herself after just emerging from the water.

She stumbled a few more steps until she found a slightly cleaner spot and collapsed, lying motionless.

A tingling, electric sensation pulsed through her limbs and lower back joints.

Before the current intensified, Lan Xiao warned: If you shock me again, I’ll jump back in.

The electric sensation vanished instantly.

System 823’s explanation followed:  I was merely using the current to stimulate your body’s latent potential.

I know.

Without its help, she never would have made it this far.

But I’m ashore now. Let me rest for a bit.

Just for a little while.

Lan Xiao lay on her back, limbs splayed out in a starfish pose.

She was utterly exhausted, several times fearing her muscles would cramp, but Xiao Ba’s electrotherapy had proven somewhat effective.

The muggy sea breeze brushed against her face, and Lan Xiao yawned, nearly drifting off to sleep.

Forcing herself to stay awake until her clothes were half-dry, Lan Xiao sat up cross-legged and brushed the salt crystals from her arms and neck.

Her skin felt itchy and tight.

Reluctantly, she stood up and, guided by Xiao Ba, found an abandoned water faucet that still had water. She hastily rinsed off her exposed skin.

Have you found the online check-in guesthouse?

She was currently a “black户” without an ID card or even a phone. Fortunately, the System had already forged an identity for her, and it could directly access the necessary apps.

Found it. Check-in completed. Room code: ****** Distance: 400 meters.

“Let’s go, then.”

Lan Xiao shook the water from her hands. Her shoes had vanished during the swim, so she simply took off her socks and walked barefoot on the sidewalk’s stone tiles.

Each step was slow and cautious, like a toddler learning to walk, about to embark on a brand-new life.

 

Everything that happened tonight exceeded Meng Lianqiu’s wildest imagination.

When she discovered Shang Mi’er was missing from the hospital, she immediately realized it was a trap. She was grateful Ye Ling had turned back midway, preventing even greater losses.

But after that phone call, everything changed.

Kidnapping, robbers, Shang Mi’er, and Geng Xiaoxiao—Meng Lianqiu couldn’t even begin to understand how it had all unfolded.

Yet it had happened, in a brutal and devastating way.

Outside Yuexin Building, local tabloid reporters and self-media outlets swarmed the scene, drawn by the scent of a story.

The intervals between the fireworks and gunshots were short enough that an inattentive listener might mistake them all for fireworks.

But to those hungry for a scoop, it was a godsend of sensationalism.

Even if their initial guesses were wrong, the police streaming in and out of Yuexin Club, the bags being carried away that likely contained corpses—all this proved a major incident had just occurred.

In that context, the gunshots seemed perfectly logical.

And if one were inclined toward conspiracy theories, the fireworks might even have been a deliberate attempt to mask the gunshots.

Even if the reality was a case of mistaking cause for effect—

The incident had occurred suddenly. No one had notified the people waiting by the coast to set off the fireworks. Hearing the gunshots, someone, lost in thought, lit the fuse.

Then came the spectacle. By the time they finished and returned to Yuexin, they discovered the chaos.

Besides them, senior executives and managers enjoying their holidays were urgently recalled to handle the press.

Some even arrived in their pajamas, hastily changing into company uniforms upon arrival.

Dealing with the media was second nature to them. As a local hotspot for social media influencers, Yuexin’s relationship with the press had always been in a honeymoon phase.

Before arriving, most assumed they could easily brush off the reporters with a few vague statements. But upon arrival, they realized their honeymoon had gone too far—like a bond cemented with superglue.

Amidst the chaos, a middle-aged man with graying hair appeared like a divine savior, forcibly dispersing the swarm of reporters and influencers like flies.

It was at this moment that Meng Lianqiu arrived.

She parked her car, tapped her Bluetooth earpiece, and ended the call.

The middle-aged man’s subordinates stood guard at the entrance. As Meng Lianqiu approached, a tall woman raised her hand in a gesture forbidding entry.

Before Meng Lianqiu could explain her identity, the man who had been chatting with the manager noticed her.

“Hold it. This is a friend.”

At his words, the tall woman immediately froze, then quickly shifted to a more relaxed stance.

Plainclothes officers or military personnel, Meng Lianqiu swiftly concluded, glancing at the man who had intervened.

“Director Sun,” she said, stepping forward to shake his hand, forcing a professional smile. “I haven’t had a chance to congratulate you on your promotion yet.”

“Deputy Director, Deputy Director,” Sun Zhiguo corrected her, his expression clearly pleased. “The congratulations aren’t important. It’s just a coincidence—I was invited by the local police to discuss a case and happened to run into you…”

“Ah,” he sighed, “have you seen Xiao Ye yet?”

“Not yet,” Meng Lianqiu replied.

“You should go quickly. I heard her condition isn’t good…”

 

It wasn’t just “not good”; it was utterly disastrous.

Outside the terrace restaurant, Meng Lianqiu froze, unsure whether to approach.

She had never seen Ye Ling like this before.

In Meng Lianqiu’s past impressions, Ye Ling had always been rational, composed, and effortlessly in control. Though she lacked warmth, she was a natural-born businesswoman.

Not like this.

On the verge of a mental breakdown, her face was drained of color, marked only by dried bloodstains.

Half her shirt was dyed crimson. In her struggles, the congealed wound on her arm repeatedly tore open, bl00d dripping continuously.

“I’ll say it again: let me go.”

Only her voice remained calm.

Meng Lianqiu almost wished she would scream, cry, or curse—anything to release her pent-up emotions. Managing emotions was like managing water: it’s better to channel them than to block them.

But Ye Ling didn’t.

When her words went unanswered, Ye Ling refused to waste any more energy speaking. She silently resisted the police officer restraining her.

Though the two were of similar build, with Ye Ling even slightly thinner, her desperate, animalistic struggles nearly overwhelmed the officer.

The officer turned and muttered something to her colleague, who nodded and hurried away.

Meng Lianqiu turned back, almost shouting into Ye Ling’s ear, “Stop moving! Your arm needs bandaging and stitches! Forget about joining the rescue—even if you just ignore the wound and go to sleep, you could die! Do you understand?”

Ye Ling didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. Meng Lianqiu knew she had heard, but didn’t want to listen.

Taking a few more steps closer, Meng Lianqiu noticed Ye Ling’s lips moving constantly, as if she were silently reciting something.

Leaning in closer, she heard a string of numbers:

“…296, 295, 294, 293…”

The perfectly even intervals and monotonous tone sent a chill down Meng Lianqiu’s spine.

Ye Ling must have been reciting for a long time. Her usually plump lips had lost their luster, dehydrated by the constant repetition, resembling a withered flower—soft, yet covered in wrinkles.

Meng Lianqiu opened her mouth, unsure what to say.

Xiao Xu spotted her and quietly pulled her aside, explaining, “We still haven’t found Miss Geng. It’s getting dark, and the tide will be rising soon, making the rescue even more difficult.”

“The Captain wants to evacuate early for the safety of the rescue team. Based on her experience, she believes that since we haven’t found any trace of Miss Geng after so long, the chances of… well, you know… are high. Besides, Miss Geng jumped in herself…”

“Then President Ye got a bit agitated. She insisted she had experience piloting boats and diving, and wanted to search herself. If the police hadn’t arrived quickly, I almost couldn’t stop her.”

“…”

This was practically suicide.

Meng Lianqiu closed her eyes briefly. “What numbers was President Ye muttering?”

“I didn’t understand at first, but after thinking about it, I realized it must be the remaining time in the golden rescue window.”

Meng Lianqiu murmured, “So, less than six minutes left.”

Xiao Xu nodded, his nose stinging with emotion. “With so little time left, what difference can President Ye make? Besides, Miss Geng’s situation isn’t her fault. She was just following the police’s instructions… No one could have predicted this.”

“Special Assistant Meng, could you please try to persuade her? President Ye has lost so much bl00d.”

“…I can’t persuade her,” Meng Lianqiu said with a bitter smile, shaking her head.

Having been by Ye Ling’s side for so many years, she had never succeeded in changing her mind about anything, unless Ye Ling herself was willing.

“What do we do now?” Xiao Xu sobbed, wiping his face.

Having grown up in peacetime, few people had ever witnessed unnatural deaths. Xiao Xu’s tears were likely for reasons even he couldn’t fully understand.

“Tomorrow, you, Xiao Liu, and the other staff on duty should all get appointments with the psychology department,” Meng Lianqiu said.

“Huh?” Xiao Xu wiped his face, confused.

“The company will cover the expenses,” Meng Lianqiu explained. “For now, we can only wait.”

“……”

The elevator at the end of the corridor opened, and two sets of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall.

“They’re here.”

Meng Lianqiu pulled Xiao Xu aside to clear the way. The police officers who had left earlier returned, this time accompanied by a doctor.

The doctor’s eyes widened at Ye Ling’s condition. “What’s going on? Why call me only when it’s this serious?!”

The officer accompanying her offered an apologetic smile. “It was an accident. We thought we could get her downstairs.”

They had indeed wanted to take her downstairs, but not for treatment.

Once outside, she had bolted for the open road. With no other options, they had been forced to restrain her.

“Let’s stop the bleeding first,” the doctor said, pulling a tourniquet from her medical kit. She approached Ye Ling. “Pretty girl, give me your arm.”

Ye Ling glanced at her and ignored her.

“Quite the temper you have,” the doctor said, pointing to someone. “You, come here and straighten her arm for me.”

“Huh? Me?” Xiao Xu pointed at himself, still processing the request, but Meng Lianqiu had already stepped forward.

“President Ye, I apologize,” she said, and before Ye Ling could react, Meng Lianqiu swiftly straightened her injured arm.

Another officer, who had been standing by with empty hands, immediately moved to restrain Ye Ling, preventing her from struggling.

The tourniquet was wrapped around Ye Ling’s upper arm. The doctor leaned in to examine the wound closely, frowning. “No, this needs stitches and a tetanus shot. Take her downstairs.”

“We can’t move her,” the officer restraining Ye Ling said with a wry smile, switching to a thick local dialect to communicate with the doctor.

Meng Lianqiu only half understood, but she guessed they were planning to sedate Ye Ling. “President Ye isn’t in good health,” she quickly interjected. “Please use a smaller dose.”

The doctor had already prepared the medication, the needle glinting sharply under the light. “She barely has any meat on her bones. Too much medicine would be too much for her to handle.”

“You two, grab her left hand—and hold tight!”

The sedative needed to be injected intravenously. Fearing Ye Ling’s struggles, the doctor called for several more people to help hold her down before finally inserting the needle.

After the syringe was withdrawn, everyone broke into a cold sweat.

They cautiously released their grip, watching Ye Ling’s reaction.

First, the murmuring from her mouth slowed. Then, she shook her head violently, her blinking grew less frequent, and the intervals between her blinks lengthened.

The doctor sighed in relief. “The medication is working. It’s taking effect.”

Seeing this, Meng Lianqiu hurriedly dragged a chair over. Just as she set it down, Ye Ling’s body went limp.

The doctor swiftly caught her and tossed her into the chair. “Good, she’s asleep. Get her into the ambulance. Her face looks pale from bl00d loss—we need to take her back for a checkup.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ye Ling’s eyes snapped open. She shakily stood up and stumbled toward the door.

“Xiaoxiao…”

“Xiaoxiao? What ‘Xiaoxiao’? I think you’re about to lose your own life!”

The doctor turned to prepare another dose. “Keep her restrained. Increase the dosage. I’m making sure she sleeps tonight!”

With another injection, Ye Ling’s turbulent emotions were forcibly suppressed, and she finally lost consciousness.

 

“I gave her a few more injections tonight… The dosage… might have side effects…”

“…Temporary amnesia, confusion… Avoid… Keep an eye on her.”

“Understood. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Hard work? What hard work? Ah, the poor thing.”

Who was speaking?

On the hospital bed, Ye Ling’s eyebrows twitched, her face and lips almost the same pale color.

She opened her eyes, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling.

This… is a hospital?

She tried to sit up, bracing herself on the bed, but a sharp pain shot through her arm.

Gritting her teeth, Ye Ling used her other arm to push herself up.

After completing this simple movement, she leaned back against the pillows, letting the dizziness in her head subside.

Meng Lianqiu, her mind heavy with worry, returned to the hospital room and saw this scene.

“President Ye, you’re awake?” she rushed over.

“Mm,” Ye Ling frowned, her gaze shifting from her arm to the bed, then to Meng Lianqiu’s face. “How did I end up in the hospital? And injured?”

“You don’t remember?” Meng Lianqiu exclaimed in surprise.

Should I?

Fragments of chaotic memories flashed before her eyes, quickly coalescing into an incoherent mess. Even the scene before her began to blur, as if her body was trying to shield her from the truth.

Then there was the pain in her chest. Ye Ling pressed her hand against her left br3ast. Beneath her palm, a sharp, fragmented ache radiated from her heart, as if some unknown entity were gnawing at it.

Pale-faced, Ye Ling struggled to suppress the surging, inexplicable emotions. She analyzed calmly, “I can’t remember anything clearly, and my head feels a bit dizzy. Is it a concussion?”

“Yes, that’s right, exactly.” Meng Lianqiu repeated the affirmation three times. Ye Ling studied her, suspicion gnawing at her, yet she couldn’t pinpoint the crucial detail. “But why does my heart hurt too? What exactly happened last night?”

“Someone… someone saw Yuexin closing up and assumed no one was inside. They tried to rob the place. We happened to be there. They had knives and accidentally cut you. The concussion was from hitting your head when you fell.”

“…Is that so? I think I remember someone shouting to call the police.” Ye Ling rubbed her temple. “Were they caught?”

“The police arrived in time and took them all away,” Meng Lianqiu replied.

“That sounds dangerous. It’s lucky Xiaoxiao arrived today,” Ye Ling sighed in relief, completely unaware that Meng Lianqiu’s body had stiffened instantly.

Ye Ling threw back the thin blanket and swung her legs over the side of the bed. As she took her first step, her body swayed uncontrollably.

Meng Lianqiu rushed to steady her. “Where are you going? The doctor said you should stay in bed for the next few days.”

“I know my own body. I’m just a little dizzy, nothing serious,” Ye Ling insisted. “The proposal setup isn’t finished. If I don’t complete it, we’ll have to postpone the proposal. Xiaoxiao might think I’m playing her and get angry with me.”

As she spoke, her eyes crinkled with a smile, but for a fleeting moment, a hollow, bewildered look flickered through her gaze.

“I wonder if Ji Qing’s plan will work. Will Xiaoxiao still be mad at me?”

A sudden, sharp pain gripped Ye Ling’s heart. She doubled over, the thin hospital gown revealing the sharp outline of her spine.

In just one night, she seemed to have grown noticeably thinner.

This time, the pain struck with such ferocity that it took Ye Ling over a full minute to recover.

“Tomorrow or the day after, perhaps. The weather forecast says it will be cloudy tomorrow, not too hot—perfect for shopping. Xiaoxiao probably hasn’t explored Hai City yet. Make an appointment for me the day after tomorrow for a color Doppler ultrasound.”

“…Alright.”

Ye Ling’s voice echoed intermittently through the hospital corridor.

“Keep an eye out for news about the Antarctic expedition. Xiaoxiao has always wanted to see penguins.”

“I will.”

“Oh, and the aurora borealis too. But the best viewing time has already passed. I wonder if we can still see it in August… Maybe we should go to the Netherlands instead. It’s not as hot there.”

“Mm.”

“Mo Yuan Technology is running smoothly now. After next month’s new product launch, I might need to take some time off. I’ll leave the company in your hands. Is that alright?”

“No problem.”

Meng Lianqiu took a half-step back, her eyes filled with an unyielding sorrow.

Even after the tide receded, the search and rescue efforts continued.

There was still no news of Geng Xiaoxiao.

Meng Lianqiu didn’t know how to explain this to Ye Ling. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, she desperately wanted to keep the truth hidden, hoping the drug’s side effects would last a few more days… and then she’d figure something out.

“I seem to be talking a lot today.”

Ye Ling let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I don’t know why, but I just felt like if I didn’t say it now, I’d never get another chance.”

Meng Lianqiu clenched her jaw, her eyelids trembling.

“Before, I was always busy with investments, competing with my mother for business. Then I threw myself completely into founding Mo Yuan Technology.”

“I don’t even know why I was so busy…”

As Ye Ling walked out of the hospital, she tilted her head back, gazing blankly at the sky.

Dark clouds churned overhead, and two streams of clear tears slid down her cheeks, like an early morning rain.

“Why couldn’t I ever… find the time?”

Did she think Ye Ling would never leave?

Would she?