After Faking My Death, My Iceberg Ex-Wife Went Crazy for Me - Chapter 49

Her dark hair fell forward, casting a shadow over Ye Ling’s eyes.

She clenched her fist so tightly that even though her nails couldn’t break the skin, the pain felt like a searing, heart-wrenching agony.

Lan Xiao’s attitude toward Qin Shaowan, and the social distance between them, sent Ye Ling a clear message:

Qin Shaowan was different from Wendy.

Observing Lan Xiao and Wendy’s interactions, it was easy to sense a subtle tension in Lan Xiao’s demeanor.

Even when Wendy’s declaration, “Lan is my girlfriend,” had momentarily blinded her with anger, a calm assessment revealed that the relationship between Lan Xiao and Wendy lacked genuine affection.

Thus, Ye Ling, in a self-deceptive act of denial, deliberately ignored a certain possibility.

Three years had passed. Xiaoxiao had found someone new to love, a romantic partner. It seemed, it seemed…

A sudden, sharp pain gripped Ye Ling’s stomach, forcing her to double over in agony, her body nearly folding in half.

Meng Lianqiu startled, immediately rummaging through her emergency kit and rushing to Ye Ling’s side, trying to support her.

“President Ye, are you alright? Where does it hurt?”

Ye Ling didn’t respond. Her eyes were tightly shut, and a bead of cold sweat trickled from her brow.

Realizing she was clutching her stomach, Meng Lianqiu quickly retrieved the appropriate medication and twisted open a bottle of mineral water. “Should I call a flight attendant?”

Ye Ling shook her head slightly, a stray strand of hair trembling in the air.

She slowly straightened her back, maintaining pressure on her stomach, and leaned back against the seat.

Her eyes remained closed, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her chin tilted slightly upward, the tense curve extending down to her heaving chest.

Her breaths were shallow and rapid, but her exhales were long and drawn out, as if a heavy weight were lodged in her chest, refusing to be expelled.

Meng Lianqiu hesitated, unsure whether to offer the medication or retreat. Suddenly, she felt a gentle tug on her palm. Ye Ling had reached out and taken the bottle from her hand.

She opened the cap and shook out the prescribed dose, but her trembling hand sent one pill flying sideways, where it was crushed under a uniformed shoe.

Ye Ling’s eyelashes fluttered. She tipped the remaining pills into her mouth, accepted the water Meng Lianqiu offered, and swallowed them down.

“Ma’am, is there anything I can assist you with?” A flight attendant paused beside them, her expression concerned.

“Just a cup of warm water, please,” Ye Ling said softly, her eyelashes damp, as if cold sweat had dripped into her eyes.

“Also, could you dispose of this for me?”

The flight attendant took the thermos from her, looking slightly flustered but still agreeing. “Of course. If you need anything else, just press the call button.”

Ye Ling nodded slightly, letting out a faint nasal sound.

No one would mistake her behavior for disrespect; they would only assume she lacked the strength to speak properly.

As the flight attendant walked away, she couldn’t help but glance back repeatedly.

Most of Ye Ling’s body was obscured, leaving only the back of her hand visible on the armrest—pale and fragile.

Meng Lianqiu put away the medicine bottle, hesitated, then pulled out another. “I have painkillers too, but you should wait an hour before taking them.”

Ye Ling didn’t take it. Judging by her complexion, it was hard to tell if her condition had stabilized or if it couldn’t possibly get any worse.

In any case, she took no more medicine and didn’t ask Meng Lianqiu to stay.

“Go back. I just need to rest for a while,” Ye Ling said.

“Okay…”

Meng Lianqiu returned to her seat and watched Ye Ling lower the window shade, adjust her chair, put on an eye mask, and pull up her blanket, turning her head toward the side where she wouldn’t be seen.

A flight attendant soon approached with a cup of warm water, hesitating when she saw Ye Ling apparently asleep.

Meng Lianqiu called out, “Give me the water.”

She didn’t believe Ye Ling had fallen asleep so quickly, but it was clear she didn’t want to be disturbed.

“Certainly.”

Recognizing they were together, the flight attendant agreed and turned to leave, only to be stopped by another passenger.

“What’s going on over there?”

When the passenger pointed toward Ye Ling, the flight attendant replied, “She seems to be having a stomach issue and isn’t feeling well.”

The passenger nodded. “Thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

“No, thank you.”

The flight attendant smiled again and turned to leave.

Lan Xiao removed her hat, her expression thoughtful.

Qin Shaowan glanced over and yawned lazily. “Worried?”

“No,” Lan Xiao denied immediately. “Just curious.”

“Tch, I’ve never seen you so curious about me.”

Muttering under her breath, Qin Shaowan irritably pulled out a makeup remover wipe and began touching up her makeup in the small mirror. “All that planning wasted. She didn’t even see it.”

After striking the pose, she had looked over with her most smug “villain triumphant” expression, only to see Ye Ling bent over, collapsed on the floor.

Rounding up, it was completely useless and a waste of makeup.

“So, what’s really going on between you and Ye Ling? I told you, using me as a shield comes with a price, you know~”

“When did you say that?” Lan Xiao replied distractedly, her mind elsewhere.

“Just now.”

Qin Shaowan put down her powder puff, closed the mirror, and suddenly leaned in close to Lan Xiao.

Their eyes met, their breaths audible. Those light brown eyes reflected Lan Xiao’s face with crystal clarity, the intricate patterns of her irises faintly visible.

In an instant, Lan Xiao recoiled, creating distance, her gaze utterly clear. “What’s the price?”

“Well, that would be…” Qin Shaowan lowered her eyes, concealing a fleeting moment of disappointment.

Straightening up, she finished the sentence playfully, “Being my cuddle buddy for one night.”

“No way,” Lan Xiao wrinkled her nose, flatly refusing.

This wasn’t the first time Qin Shaowan had made such suggestive remarks. Knowing about her condition, Lan Xiao had not only brushed it off but had even gone out of her way to find a shop that would custom-make an oversized plush pillow for Qin Shaowan, using the softest fabric she found most comfortable.

As far as Lan Xiao could recall, Qin Shaowan hadn’t said anything like that since she’d given her the plush toy.

Remembering something, Lan Xiao asked, “What about the body pillow I gave you before? Did you bring it back to China?”

Qin Shaowan paused almost imperceptibly before replying casually, “I lost it. I shipped so much stuff back home, I couldn’t keep track of a single pillow.”

“Okay, I’ll get you another one made. Just give me the address.” Lan Xiao pulled out her phone, urging her with a look. The plane had Wi-Fi, so basic usage wasn’t a problem.

Qin Shaowan avoided her gaze, propped her hands behind her head, and said indifferently, “I’m swamped with work. I don’t even know where I’ll be tomorrow. Don’t bother.”

Lan Xiao continued as if she hadn’t heard, “Then I’ll order one just like the original, and maybe a smaller one that fits in your suitcase? Since it’ll take time to make, you can give me the address later.”

Qin Shaowan turned her head away, her lips curling into a slight pout. Lan Xiao took this as agreement, found the shop owner’s contact information, sent the order details, and placed another order.

“Done,” she announced to Qin Shaowan.

“Done what?” Qin Shaowan shot up like she was doing a sit-up, grabbed a mirror and makeup remover wipes, and began scrubbing off her makeup.

Lan Xiao blinked in confusion. “Didn’t you just say you were really happy with your makeup today and wanted to keep it on until tonight?”

“I’ve changed my mind,” Qin Shaowan said, grinding her teeth. “No one’s going to see it anyway.”

Lan Xiao barely caught the last part, but she could tell Qin Shaowan was in a foul mood.

Probably just stressed from being so busy lately, or maybe it’s hormonal fluctuations around her period, Lan Xiao thought. She wisely kept her mouth shut, but Qin Shaowan wasn’t having it.

Her makeup was only half-removed, black eyeliner still clinging to the corners of her eyes. “Do I look better with or without makeup?” she demanded fiercely.

This was a death trap of a question. Lan Xiao’s emotional intelligence kicked into overdrive.

“You’re naturally beautiful without makeup, and the makeup just enhances your features. You look stunning either way!”

“Fine, you pass.”

Qin Shaowan finished removing her makeup in the mirror, wiping her face clean with a wet wipe before applying skincare products.

Seeing Qin Shaowan busy with her routine, Lan Xiao finally relaxed and unconsciously glanced toward Ye Ling.

The chair back blocked her view, but she could sense that Ye Ling hadn’t moved much.

A stomach ailment… That’s been a chronic issue for her, Lan Xiao thought. Judging by Meng Lianqiu’s reaction, it probably isn’t too serious.

Remembering the cup of brown sugar and motherwort tea, Lan Xiao closed her eyes and sighed inwardly.

Three years ago, I was too young and impulsive. In that moment of intense love and resentment, I chose the most extreme way to leave.

She had believed time would heal all wounds. After all, Ye Ling’s future held the female lead she was destined to fall in love with.

The guilt Lan Xiao felt toward “Geng Xiaoxiao” would eventually transform into deep affection for the female lead.

How had things turned out like this?

Was it because Ye Ling hadn’t met the female lead yet, or had something else happened that Lan Xiao was unaware of?

What exactly did Xiao Jiu mean by “Ye Ling is not cooperating with the plot”?

Moreover, according to Xiao Jiu, she could retire gracefully once her mission was complete. But this mission required her to get close to the female lead, Jian Xinci, in order to obtain Ye Ling’s pendant.

A sudden realization struck Lan Xiao.

According to the plot summary Xiao Ba had previously provided, Ye Ling’s next plot point was meeting the female lead and falling in love at first sight.

If “not cooperating” referred to this very plot point, then was Xiao Jiu’s request truly as straightforward as it seemed?

In the original novel, Ye Ling served as a catalyst for the romantic relationship between the female lead, Jian Xinci, and Shang Yafan, while also acting as a stumbling block in their careers. Could it be that Xiao Jiu’s true intention was for Lan Xiao to become a catalyst for Ye Ling’s feelings toward Jian Xinci?

Given how clingy Ye Ling was toward her, if Lan Xiao started approaching Jian Xinci, Ye Ling and Jian Xinci would inevitably have more contact.

So…

“Hmph.”

Lan Xiao let out a cold laugh.

What a clever scheme.

The plane landed in the early hours of the morning.

Due to the time difference, everyone except Qin Shaowan was relatively energetic.

The only odd thing was… Ye Ling was wearing sunglasses.

Even though the airport was brightly lit, wearing sunglasses at dawn was still a bit excessive.

Qin Shaowan never missed an opportunity to mock: “Lanlan, ‘The night has given you black eyes’—finish the proverb.”

Lan Xiao was retrieving her checked luggage and replied casually, “What?”

Qin Shaowan said darkly, “A freebie.”

“……”

Glancing sideways at Ye Ling, Lan Xiao gritted her teeth. “Don’t cause trouble.”

Qin Shaowan shrugged, noncommittal.

Although she hadn’t lowered her voice, none of Ye Ling’s group paid her any attention, which made things rather dull. For the rest of the way, Qin Shaowan remained quiet, only occasionally draping her arm around Lan Xiao’s shoulders.

Lan Xiao relished the peace and quiet. When they reached the car waiting area, she bid farewell to Meng Lianqiu and the others.

Looking at Ye Ling, Meng Lianqiu made one last attempt: “Miss Lan, we’ve arranged a hotel and transportation for you. You can check in immediately.”

Qin Shaowan was about to open her mouth, but fearing she’d say something reckless, Lan Xiao quickly tugged on her sleeve.

“I have a place to stay. Just let me know in advance when you need my cooperation. Besides, our car is here.”

As they spoke, a car pulled up to the curb and honked.

Qin Shaowan squinted at it. “That’s our ride. Let’s go?”

“Okay,” Lan Xiao said, glancing at the car before turning to Meng Lianqiu. “We’re heading out now. See you later.”

“…Alright. Be careful on the road. Please text me when you arrive.”

“Mm, you two stay safe too.”

Qin Shaowan, already tired of the formalities, tugged Lan Xiao away. “Do I look like a bad person? I gave you my business card. You can contact me if you need anything—though I’d prefer you didn’t. Bye~”

She shoved Lan Xiao into the car, climbed in after her, and as the car pulled away, rolled down the window to wave flamboyantly at them.

Meng Lianqiu sighed silently and turned to Ye Ling. “President Ye, shall we go too?”

Ye Ling nodded, her expression unreadable from her straight, tight-lipped mouth.

The bodyguards and secretary had already returned on the previous flight, leaving only the two of them.

Meng Lianqiu took the passenger seat, leaving the back for Ye Ling.

“Are you heading home or…?”

Ye Ling rasped out the name of a long-term rental hotel.

As the car started moving, dappled sunlight fell across her face, only to be swallowed by her dark sunglasses.

Beneath them, her eyelids were swollen from crying.