After Faking My Death, My Iceberg Ex-Wife Went Crazy for Me - Chapter 29

“Later, the robbers demanded that President Ye make a choice.”

In the surveillance room, Meng Lianqiu explained the previous night’s events as concisely as possible.

“As you likely noticed when you arrived, Yuexin’s location is unique. When the terrace restaurant was built, it was extended several meters outward to create an immersive, over-the-sea dining experience. This also meant that nearly all nearby buildings were at a lower elevation.”

“Last night, police deployed snipers on the rooftop, in concealed positions directly across from Yuexin’s main entrance, and in the only building within 600 meters with a clear line of sight to the terrace restaurant.”

“However, due to hostages and other obstructions, simultaneous sniper fire was impossible.”

“The police initially planned to retreat strategically, allowing Li Du and his men to leave, hoping they would relax their guard in the open area below, where they could be shot down.”

“Unexpectedly, the robbers offered to release one hostage first. Considering the terrain and the hostages’ physical conditions, the police recommended rescuing Miss Shang first, as she was injured and emotionally unstable.”

“Then, Miss Geng… jumped into the sea. Her body hasn’t been found yet, and the chances of survival are slim…”

Meng Lianqiu’s voice grew strained as she delivered the final sentence.

Xue Jiqing listened blankly, as if unable to fully grasp what had happened.

“Miss Xue, the…”

“I’m going to find Ye Ling,” Xue Jiqing said, abruptly rising to her feet, cutting Meng Lianqiu off before she could finish the word.

“Why did she choose Shang Mi’er?” Tears streamed uncontrollably down Xue Jiqing’s face as she kicked over a chair. “I’m going to crack open that b1tch’s skull and see what kind of dogshit she’s thinking!”

“Miss Xue, please calm down!” Meng Lianqiu darted to the door and gripped it tightly. “No one could have predicted Miss Geng would do this. It was just the best solution at the time…”

“Bullshit! If Ye Ling were that obedient, I’d twist off my own head and give it to you as a toilet!”

“There’s no need for that… I mean, you won’t get any answers from her right now. President Ye nearly bled to death yesterday. To calm her down, the doctors gave her an excessive dose of sedatives, causing temporary amnesia.”

“Then make her remember! I’ll talk to her myself. Get out of my way! If you don’t move, I’ll force you!”

“Miss Xue…”

“Lianqiu, listen to her.”

The unfamiliar voice startled Meng Lianqiu. Before she could react, the door behind her was pulled open, and she stumbled backward several steps.

A hand steadied her as the door swung fully open, revealing Ye Ling’s pale, bloodless face.

Her voice was hoarse, as if scraped raw by gravel: “Ji Qing, let’s talk.”

 

Meng Lianqiu stood anxiously outside the surveillance room door, terrified that Xue Jiqing’s temper would flare and she would tear Ye Ling apart.

But inside, all was quiet, with no violent sounds for a long time.

Inside the room, Ye Ling sat down at the monitor and pulled up yesterday’s surveillance footage, playing it at eight times speed.

Xue Jiqing stared intently at her, his gaze shifting from the bl00d-soaked gauze on her right arm to the middle finger with its missing nail.

With each click of the mouse, the exposed flesh oozed bl00d, which quickly congealed into gruesome scabs.

A chill ran through Xue Jiqing’s stomach. He forced himself to look away. “I have only one question for you,” he said. “Last night, why did you choose Shang Mi’er?”

“We could have rescued Xiaoxiao first and sniped the robbers when they came downstairs.”

“Meng Lianqiu said that was the optimal solution, but I don’t believe you would cooperate so readily.”

“Tell me.”

“……”

After a long silence, Ye Ling said softly, “Because I was being clever, but I was utterly foolish.”

She asked, “If you were a robber holding two hostages and had to sacrifice one, would you keep the unimportant one or the more valuable one?”

“……” Xue Jiqing understood. “The latter,” he replied.

“Exactly. But unfortunately, we both thought the same way.”

 

At the gambling table, you must never reveal your hand.

Bluffing and deception are the most fundamental and effective tactics.

Li Du risked coming to Yuexin even after already capturing Shang Mi’er, driven by greed and the desire to gain an even greater advantage.

The “two choices” were merely a probe, a deliberate bait thrown out when the game reached a stalemate.

Who was chosen didn’t matter; what mattered was that Li Du would only offer the lesser-valued chip.

Ye Ling was gambling, betting that Shang Mi’er’s identity and background, combined with her choice, would tip the scales in Li Du’s mind.

Li Du was gambling too.

He was betting that Geng Xiaoxiao held the key to determining the final outcome.

 

After the incident, Ye Ling replayed every moment in her mind, from each line of dialogue to every subtle glance.

She wondered where things had gone wrong.

Was it the way his gaze had locked onto hers from the very first moment? Was it the instinctive “Don’t hurt her” when he saw her wince in pain? Or was it…

No matter how she analyzed it, she seemed riddled with flaws.

A single misstep had cost her everything.

 

“I thought the worst-case scenario would be that I’d have to trade Xiaoxiao for myself.”

But this time, she still had no choice.

“Xiaoxiao is an excellent swimmer. I heard someone say that because she’s so confident in her swimming skills, she thought she could escape the kidnappers this way.”

“That’s impossible. Xiaoxiao is so smart. She must have guessed I was coming to stall the kidnappers and buy time.”

“If that’s the case, why would she resort to such a foolish plan…?”

“Besides, Yuexin is built on a five-meter-high cliff. Accounting for the building’s height, it’s over ten meters. If she didn’t break the water’s surface tension, the jump would be incredibly painful.”

“You don’t know—Xiaoxiao is terrified of pain. Once, when she was secretly making soup, she burned herself and got two huge blisters. When she heard they’d have to drain them with a syringe, she refused to go to the hospital out of fear. I ended up secretly treating them while she was asleep.”

“If she couldn’t even tolerate that little bit of pain, then why… why would she… cough, cough cough…”

Ye Ling covered her mouth, her coughs sharp and piercing like a whistle.

Xue Jiqing hurriedly handed Ye Ling a tissue, her face filled with concern. “With everything that’s been happening lately, Xiaoxiao’s impulsive reaction is…”

Before she could finish, she saw a vivid red stain seeping through Ye Ling’s fingers.

“You’re coughing up bl00d?! Is your stomach acting up? Should we go to the hospital?”

She frantically reached for her phone to call emergency services, but Ye Ling grabbed her wrist, forcing out a strained whisper, “I’m fine.”

After a moment to catch her breath, Ye Ling tossed the bloodied tissue into the trash bin, her voice even softer now. “Probably just a throat injury. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? How can you say that…”

Xue Jiqing’s mouth trembled, her eyes red-rimmed like a rabbit’s.

Ye Ling’s voice had always been so beautiful. Xue Jiqing often teased her, saying that if she hadn’t been born into a wealthy family, she would have become a renowned voice actress, dominating the industry.

But now that once-perfect voice was hoarse, rough, and even raspy, like a broken piano with its last string about to snap.

“I’m really fine. I know my own body,” Ye Ling insisted, pausing three times to finish the sentence.

Xue Jiqing gritted her teeth, poured a glass of water, and handed it to Ye Ling. “Soothe your throat.”

“Thank you,” Ye Ling whispered.

Clutching the glass, she lowered her head and remained silent for a moment before saying, “I’ve considered the scenario you mentioned, but it’s equally impossible. Teacher Jiang only has Xiaoxiao left. Xiaoxiao would never take her own life. There must be another reason—there has to be.”

After speaking at length, Ye Ling’s voice nearly failed her by the end.

“What other reason could there be?” Xue Jiqing stamped her foot in frustration. “Come to the hospital with me and get your throat checked.”

Ye Ling shook her head. “I think I know.”

“Stop thinking! Shh, don’t speak.”

Xue Jiqing stood up and tried to cover Ye Ling’s mouth, but her voice still rang out beneath her palm, fragmented and hoarse.

“Maybe that person was right. Xiaoxiao was trying to escape a situation.”

“If it wasn’t the kidnappers, then it seems… it can only be me.”

She tilted her head back and forced a bitter smile, her peach blossom eyes nearly drowning in sorrow.

“Ji Qing, this is her revenge against me, isn’t it?”

 

Meng Lianqiu glanced repeatedly at her wristwatch, hesitating whether to find an excuse to check on the situation inside. Just then, Xue Jiqing emerged.

She rushed to the front desk for water, her face ashen.

Meng Lianqiu cautiously asked, “How did your conversation with President Ye go?”

“Not well,” Xue Jiqing replied, thanking the receptionist before stepping away. “I know a very skilled psychologist. Ye Ling should consult them as soon as we get back.”

“…I’ve considered that myself,” Meng Lianqiu sighed. “You remember what happened last year, right?”

“The supplier suddenly backed out, cutting off the material supply chain and leaving us with tens of thousands of backlogged orders.”

“President Ye worked non-stop for over a month to resolve it. She ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. Even after surgery, she insisted on being discharged immediately. When we refused, she continued working on her laptop, nearly worsening her condition.”

“It was only when Miss Geng smashed her laptop in a fit of anger that President Ye finally agreed to cooperate with treatment.”

“If she treats her physical ailments this way, how could she possibly ‘waste time’ on mental health issues that are invisible? We can’t exactly tie her up and drag her to therapy.”

Meng Lianqiu, fearing the atmosphere had become too heavy, cracked a joke. To her surprise, Xue Jiqing nodded gravely.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“Miss Xue…”

“Relax, we don’t need such drastic measures yet. Ye Ling will definitely see the psychologist I recommended.”

Xue Jiqing spoke with unwavering certainty, but Meng Lianqiu remained skeptical.

Before she could decide whether it was a joke or not, Xue Jiqing suddenly asked, “I’ve heard Ye Ling mention several times that she wishes she hadn’t left last night. I was afraid of straining her voice further, so I didn’t ask. Why did she leave last night?”

“Because…”

“Because I received a phone call saying Shang Mi’er had been in a serious car accident and was dying.”

Ye Ling emerged from the inner room, holding a crumpled A4 sheet covered in messy handwriting.

“Check with the police. See if there’s any special evidence in the phone of Li Zhu, the robber from last night—photos, recordings, anything.”

“Okay, but what do you mean by ‘special evidence’?” Meng Lianqiu asked.

“Something Shang Mi’er said or did herself, something that would have a significant deterrent effect on her.”

 

“Look here.”

Back in the surveillance room, Ye Ling froze the surveillance footage and zoomed in.

“Shang Mi’er was at least three meters away from the kidnappers, meaning she had temporarily escaped their grasp.”

“After creating that distance, the kidnappers didn’t immediately pursue her, as if they knew she wouldn’t run.”

“Then there’s Li Zhu’s actions. He took out his phone but didn’t look at it, keeping his eyes fixed on Shang Mi’er. Immediately afterward, Shang Mi’er helped them get inside.”

Xue Jiqing tilted her head, considering. “It seems that’s what happened, but why would they have leverage over Shang Mi’er?”

Ye Ling succinctly replied, “Scapegoating.”

Xue Jiqing frowned, pondering for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. “You and Xiaoxiao are secretly married! If the kidnappers knew about your relationship with Xiaoxiao, it could only be because Shang Mi’er told them! She must have said something to draw them to Xiaoxiao!”

Ye Ling nodded.

“With this evidence…” Xue Jiqing’s eyes lit up, then dimmed. “It doesn’t seem like we can do much. She’s the victim. She could just claim she was too scared or acting in self-defense…”

“The evidence itself isn’t important,” Ye Ling said. “I have a hypothesis that needs verification.”

As she finished speaking, Meng Lianqiu entered the room. “I’ve already asked. They said they’ll provide a response shortly.”

Ye Ling nodded, clicked her mouse, and switched between different surveillance camera angles, playing the footage at double speed.

Xue Jiqing, remembering she still had a question, asked Meng Lianqiu, “Who called last night to report Shang Mi’er’s car accident?”

“It was likely Miss Shang Yafan,” Meng Lianqiu replied.

“Shang Yafan?” Ye Ling frowned slightly. “Does the Shang Family have someone by that name?”

“She’s the Shang Family’s illegitimate daughter. President Ye, you’ve met her twice.”

Illegitimate daughter…

If she remembered correctly, Shang Yangheng’s younger brother had died in a car accident, after which the illegitimate daughter was brought back into the family.

Ye Ling picked up a pen and drew two short lines on a piece of paper. “Investigate the other party involved in Shang Yangheng’s brother’s car accident and their connection to Shang Yafan.”

“Yes, but why?” Meng Lianqiu asked, confused by the sudden shift in topic.

Xue Jiqing pondered for a moment, then said, “Do you suspect the person they hit is connected to Shang Yafan?”

“Mm,” Ye Ling replied slowly. “When she called me, her voice was filled with panic. She said she didn’t know who else to turn to for help. That overwhelming anxiety practically radiated through the phone.”

That’s why she believed Shang Mi’er had been in a serious car accident.

It’s impossible to ignore something like that happening to someone you know. Later, Ye Ling’s messages to Xiaoxiao went unanswered, leaving her unsure whether Xiaoxiao hadn’t seen them or thought she was being deceived.

Afraid Xiaoxiao would leave without a word, Ye Ling doubled back and asked Meng Lianqiu for help.

“Someone who hasn’t recently experienced something similar couldn’t act so convincingly,” Ye Ling said.

Having spoken for too long, Ye Ling’s voice gradually faded. To maintain communication efficiency, she had Meng Lianqiu bring a laptop so they could type.

During this brief exchange, Xue Jiqing had already pieced together the situation. “Something’s definitely off. Forget the rarity of major car accidents—just consider Shang Yafan herself. Her sudden appearance is too convenient. We’ve never heard a word about her before.”

“I heard Shang Yafan used to rely solely on her mother,” Ye Ling replied. “But if the other party in the accident is her own father, who else can she turn to?”

After a moment’s thought, Ye Ling wrote three characters on a piece of paper: Shang Yangheng.

As Xue Jiqing stared at the name, a flash of insight seemed to strike his mind, too swift to grasp.

“President Ye, the police have responded.”

Meng Lianqiu returned with the computer. “They found nothing unusual on Li Zhu’s phone or dashcam. Either it’s unrelated to the case, or it’s just normal chatter among the robbers.”

Ye Ling lowered her gaze and opened the computer, typing: You only checked Li Zhu’s phone, right?

Meng Lianqiu paused, startled. “Yes.”

Covering up the truth.

Shang Yangheng has people within the Hai City police.

“Shang Yangheng,” Meng Lianqiu said, remembering something. “I saw Sun Zhiguo downstairs last night.”

Why would he be in Hai City?

“He said he was here for a case exchange. I looked into it later—he’s been here for a few days already. It must be a coincidence.”

Xue Jiqing glanced at the screen, then at Meng Lianqiu. “Someone explain to me: who exactly is Sun Zhiguo?”

Meng Lianqiu replied, “He’s the husband of Shang Mi’er’s biological mother’s cousin. A few months ago, he solved a cold case and got promoted to deputy director.”

Xue Jiqing had only dabbled in minor mischief, never taking over the family business, so he rarely interacted with such figures and hadn’t heard much about him.

“So, he’s protecting Shang Mi’er?”

With him in place, it would be easy to suppress minor clues that wouldn’t affect the case’s outcome.

 

“The patient’s physical condition is excellent, but her emotional state is unstable. Was she kidnapped when she was younger?”

“Yes, when she was six.”

“She likely has some PTSD. Your family should pay close attention to her emotional state and ensure someone is always with her.”

“I will.”

After saying goodbye to the doctor, Shang Yafan returned to the hospital room.

Shang Mi’er, her neck wrapped in gauze, watched her close the door and immediately asked, “Any news from Uncle? Was the recording deleted?”

“It’s all destroyed. No one will ever know,” Shang Yafan assured her gently.

Shang Mi’er pressed, her voice filled with helplessness, “Really?”

“Of course,” Shang Yafan smiled, pulling her into a hug. “Don’t worry, Sis. President Ye will never hear that recording.”

“I’m just so scared… I’m so scared…” Shang Mi’er murmured, her voice breaking into a sob. Shang Yafan gently stroked her hair, the corners of her lips curving into a cold smile.

Yes, Ye Ling won’t hear it. But what difference does that make?

If she can’t figure out what you’ve done, I’ll truly look down on her.

So stop daydreaming, my dear sister.

 

After coaxing Shang Mi’er to sleep, Shang Yafan tiptoed out of the room and returned the missed call in the empty hospital corridor.

The moment the call connected, a sharp rebuke came from the other end: “If Zhiguo hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known Ye Ling was already married! Are you and Mi’er trying to make a fool of me?!”

His own daughter lay ill in a hospital bed, yet his first words were about this.

A cold glint flashed in Shang Yafan’s eyes, but her voice remained as gentle as a lamb: “Sister really didn’t want to marry a stranger. You know she’s fond of President Ye, and you’d never believe it if we used someone else for the charade. We were truly out of options.”

“Hmph, I knew it! One minute I’m telling her to get closer to Uncle Yang’s son, and the next she vanishes, only to return claiming she’s engaged to Ye Ling.”

Shang Yangheng’s tone shifted: “But now that Ye Ling’s wife is dead, your sister might still have a chance. It’s best not to rush into marriage.”

Shang Yafan’s face stiffened, and she silently cursed under her breath.

She found it impossible to reconcile the imbecile spouting such words with the brilliant, handsome, and wise man her mother had described.

No wonder the Shang Family had been declining. When those in power lack competence, they always resort to marrying off their daughters for political alliances.

Shang Yafan’s gaze turned icy as she continued Shang Yangheng’s train of thought.

After hanging up, she paused in the hallway before walking toward the hospital room.

When Shang Yangheng brought her back to the Shang Family, she had hoped it would be the start of a new life. Instead, things had become even worse than before.

Her nominal father had passed away, while her biological father ignored her completely. The old matriarch treated her like a plaything, hugging her and crying when she missed her son, only to kick her away once she was done.

Everyone in the Shang Family, even the lowest-ranking cleaners, felt entitled to trample over her.

Reaching out to Shang Mi’er was driven by her bl00d ties—a desire to connect with her sister and seek protection.

But when Shang Yafan discovered that Shang Mi’er wasn’t the person she had imagined, her years of longing for her sister twisted into jealousy and resentment. She wanted to drag Shang Mi’er down into the mud with her.

We’re sisters by bl00d, she thought bitterly. Why should one of us live in luxury while the other suffers?

The first step was to strip Shang Mi’er of her value in Shang Yangheng’s eyes.

And Shang Mi’er’s greatest value lay in her status as Ye Ling’s savior.

Shang Yafan couldn’t understand how Shang Mi’er could be so lucky. Even a near-fatal kidnapping had turned into an opportunity for her.

Fortunately, Shang Mi’er’s luck seemed to be limited to that one instance.

Under Shang Yafan’s guidance, Shang Mi’er had made numerous foolish mistakes.

Yet today, the situation had unfolded far beyond her expectations, all to her greatest advantage.

It was so smooth, it felt as if the heavens themselves were conspiring to help her.

If she were still in her shojo manga-obsessed phase, she might have even imagined herself as the protagonist of this world.

Shang Yafan curved her lips into a smile, returning to the hospital room in high spirits.

Shang Mi’er was still asleep. Shang Yafan gently pulled out her right hand from under the blanket and unfolded it.

In the rosy palm lay a coin-sized patch of skin, tightly contracted and blackened—a scar from a burn.

Is this the “token” of her savior?

Shang Yafan stared at the scar, her eyes gleaming with calculation.

Li Zhu had stolen her mother’s money, forcing her to work day and night as a Didi driver and delivery worker, which led to the car accident. She barely survived, but lost both her legs.

So Li Zhu had to die.

Then what price should Shang Yangheng pay—the man who had abandoned them at birth, ignoring them for over a decade, offering only meager handouts like scraps to beggars?

I might as well cut off my legs and beg on the streets.

Shang Yafan quickly reached this conclusion, followed by a wave of melancholy.

Her starting point was too low. If she relied solely on herself, it would take ages to set up her plans…

Without further hesitation, Shang Yafan pulled out her phone, aimed it at the scar, and snapped a clear photo.

Since Ye Ling had no memory of that period, fabricating a story should be…

“Ugh… don’t… don’t kill me…”

In her sleep, Shang Mi’er suddenly let out a sob.

Shang Yafan’s expression went blank as she stared dazedly at her hand being held.

Warm and soft.

The long-awaited void in her heart was filled, overflowing with a secret joy so intense it nearly made her hands tremble.

She had to exert every ounce of self-control to avoid waking Shang Mi’er.

On the hospital bed, Shang Mi’er’s brow was furrowed, tears clinging to her ear, the gauze around her neck like a shackle.

How fragile, Shang Yafan thought. I’ve changed my mind.

This was her sister, the sister she had longed for countless times, the only sister she would ever have.

As for Shang Yangheng, let him believe Shang Mi’er was still a useful pawn.

As for Shang Mi’er…

She would earn her trust, make her dependent, elevate her to the highest point, and then mercilessly crush her.

Just like taming a wolf or an eagle, with the right methods, even the fiercest creatures would wag their tails and beg for their master’s favor.

She would gradually mold Shang Mi’er into the image she desired—the image of her sister.

Her dear sister should trust her, rely on her.

And then,

become her greatest ally and nourishment.