After Transmigrating, I Lived with the Charismatic/Beloved Female Lead - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Wei Yue initially didn’t notice the state of her head.
After all, Lan Shangui’s six-foot-plus body slammed directly into her. The massive impact and weight instantly threw her off balance, knocking her to the ground.
Lu Yuanqiu, who was the intended target, fared much better. She was pulled away by Wei Yue, and Wei Yue absorbed most of the impact. Thus, she was only thrown down by inertia, far less disheveled than the two people on the floor.
“Wei Yue!”
As the center of the storm, Lu Yuanqiu reacted quickly. She frowned deeply and began checking on Wei Yue.
It was only after falling that Wei Yue felt a sharp pain in her head. She heard Lu Yuanqiu’s exclamation, forced her eyes open through the pain, and met the anxious look of the person before her. She mumbled, “Nngh, I-I’m fine… are you? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Don’t speak, and don’t move yet,” Lu Yuanqiu said with unusual sternness.
When her hand touched Wei Yue’s face, Wei Yue shivered, realizing Lu Yuanqiu’s fingertips, which had been warm during the dance, were now chillingly cold.
She must have been scared too…
Wei Yue thought groggily, feeling the pain in her head intensify.
It was then that Lu Yuanqiu also noticed something amiss. When her hand touched Wei Yue’s hair, she distinctly felt a sticky sensation. Raising her hand, she saw her fingertips stained red.
“Oh my God!”
“What happened!”
After the incident subsided, the people in the hall seemed to finally react, but few were willing to step forward. Most stood where they were, casting curious glances. Only a few waiters scurried over.
“Please call a doctor!”
Lu Yuanqiu had no time to worry about the opinions of others. Seeing the bl00d on her hand, she called out to a waiter who was hesitating to approach, instructing him to call for the private doctor.
At large banquets, influential families often prepared private doctors in advance to handle various emergencies.
Seeing Lu Yuanqiu so decisively call for a doctor, those nearby realized the matter was probably more serious than they thought, and some people began to step forward to check the situation.
“Yueyue!”
The first to rush over was Wei Ling. She had been discussing business with others far from the scene. When she noticed the surrounding crowd gradually quiet down and look in one direction, she saw her daughter collapsed on the ground.
“Auntie Wei! Wait, don’t move Wei Yue easily right now…” Seeing Wei Ling’s distress, Lu Yuanqiu, worried she might make a sudden move, tried to dissuade her.
They didn’t know the state of the wound on Wei Yue’s head. Although there was bleeding, the amount was small. The greater concern was the shattered glass… If shards were lodged, it would be troublesome.
“What happened?!” Wei Ling’s eyes were red, but she managed to maintain some composure, asking through gritted teeth.
Just then, a deep male voice spoke: “What’s going on?”
Lu Yuanqiu looked up and saw Lu Hong and Lan Rong, both with grim faces.
“Just now… Lan Shangui suddenly rushed over for some reason…” Zhou Ling, who had witnessed the entire process from the side, said tremulously. “And then Wei Yue, she pulled Lu Yuanqiu away and was knocked down herself…”
“What did you say?!” Lan Rong roared, somewhat losing control. He looked at his son on the ground, whose face was flushed and appeared unconscious.
This rebellious son!
“Lan Shangui’s wine glass hit Wei Yue. She seems to be bleeding from the head now… We must have the doctor take a look,” Lu Yuanqiu added from the side, her expression filled with concern.
Hearing this, Lan Rong’s face worsened, and Lu Hong was in no better state.
They were just about to announce the marriage alliance when this happened. As one of the hosts of the banquet, Lan Shangui had lost all composure on the spot and even injured someone else.
Regardless, under these circumstances, their plan to directly announce the engagement had to be abandoned.
“…It is my failure to properly discipline. We will personally offer our deepest apologies afterwards!” Despite his internal rage, Lan Rong had no choice but to grit his teeth and apologize to Wei Ling in front of everyone.
But Wei Ling was unwilling to spare him any attention at the moment. After hearing Lu Yuanqiu say Wei Yue had been hit, she was clearly more panicked but dared not move rashly.
The scene fell silent. The other guests at the banquet lost their desire to socialize, focusing their attention on the incident.
Fortunately, the waiter was fast, and the Lu family’s private doctor was quickly led over.
Lu Yuanqiu briefly explained the situation to the doctor, who was highly experienced. He gently parted Wei Yue’s hair and skillfully began examining her.
“No glass shards were found on the scalp. Although there is minor bleeding, there doesn’t seem to be a major problem right now. However, it’s best to rest and observe. If she experiences dizziness or nausea later, she should go to the hospital for a check-up.”
Seeing the doctor confirm there was no immediate danger, Wei Ling let out a heavy sigh of relief.
“Auntie Wei, given Wei Yue’s condition, why don’t you both rest here at the villa tonight?” Lu Yuanqiu suggested after a moment’s thought. “There are many rooms in the villa; it won’t be any trouble.”
“This? I really can’t impose…”
“Nonsense, Auntie. This is my birthday banquet. It’s my negligence that Wei Yue was injured at the event. Right, Dad?”
Lu Yuanqiu finished speaking and looked at Lu Hong, who had been standing on the side, speaking with genuine sincerity.
“…Um, yes! That’s right, Wei Ling. You and Wei Yue should rest here at the villa tonight. Then we can decide whether to send Wei Yue to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow,” Lu Hong, reluctantly put on the spot, had no choice but to agree.
Lu Yuanqiu’s proposal was sound. After all, they were the hosts, and the Wei family was also a prominent family in K City. They couldn’t be treated dismissively.
Not wanting her daughter to endure a rough journey while injured, Wei Ling agreed.
The emergency was largely handled. The onlookers in the hall began whispering and conversing again. However, the topic had shifted to various gossip about these influential families. Most people praised Lu Yuanqiu’s calmness and appropriateness.
An ordinary person encountering such an incident would be somewhat bewildered. Lu Yuanqiu not only quickly reacted to check the situation and call a doctor but also handled the matter so properly, despite being a partial victim herself.
They talked and remembered Lu Hong had brought back an illegitimate son within six months of Lu Yuanqiu falling into a coma, lamenting the Lu family’s callousness—why would they look for an illegitimate son when they had already raised such an excellent daughter?
As for Lan Shangui, though people were puzzled by his sudden behavior at the banquet, seeing Lan Rong offer no defense, everyone assumed he was genuinely drunk and lacked self-control, severely damaging his reputation.
“Speaking of which, wasn’t there supposed to be an announcement about the Lu family’s marriage alliance today?”
“Yes, judging by their conversation just now, it was likely with the Lan family.”
“After today’s incident, will the Lu family still be willing to ally with the Lan family? If I had a daughter like Lu Yuanqiu, I wouldn’t bear to let her marry someone like Lan Shangui!”
“If we had to choose, it would be better than the previous engagement with the Zhou family…”
Amidst the spreading rumors, Lu Yuanqiu remained unconcerned. She and the doctor helped Wei Yue up. Xu Mengning and Jiang Yun Juen, who had been observing from the side but couldn’t approach due to the situation, quickly ran over to ask about her condition.
The grand birthday banquet ultimately ended abruptly due to this incident, leaving everyone feeling rather dispirited. Even though Lu Hong and Lan Rong tried to maintain order afterward, it still felt like a hasty conclusion.
Wei Yue was taken to a separate villa. This villa was far less glamorous than the main one, with a very simple and somewhat austere decor.
“Auntie Wei, you and Wei Yue will rest here tonight. This villa is under my name, so you don’t have to worry about anyone disturbing you,” Lu Yuanqiu said softly. She then pointed to the woman who came out of the villa to greet them. “This is Auntie Liu. If you have any problems, just call her. I also asked Dr. Li to stay here so she can respond promptly if anything happens.”
The middle-aged woman named Auntie Liu bowed slightly to them, offering a kind smile: “Miss has already informed me of the situation. Please rest assured, I will do my best to take care of you both.”
“This is really too much trouble, Yuanqiu,” Wei Ling gave a grateful look. “Even though you were also startled… and you still have to do all this. We adults have been remiss.”
“You speak too highly, Auntie. Wei Yue was injured while saving me; it’s what I should do,” Lu Yuanqiu comforted Wei Ling as she and the doctor helped Wei Yue toward the guest room.
However, Wei Ling could not discern the complex emotion in Lu Yuanqiu’s eyes as she looked at Wei Yue.
The private doctor, Dr. Li, re-examined Wei Yue’s head to confirm there were no glass shards, then applied medicine and bandaged the wound. After giving a few instructions, she left the room.
After this period, Wei Yue’s somewhat groggy head gradually cleared. Seeing Wei Ling sitting by her bed full of worry, she comforted her, “It’s alright, Mom. I’m fine. You should go rest too.”
“Yueyue, next time…” Wei Ling held her hand, about to say, “Don’t do that again,” but realizing Lu Yuanqiu was still present, she swallowed the words and instead instructed, “You must be careful from now on. Your mother can’t handle such a fright.”
“It was an accident. Don’t worry too much,” Wei Yue smiled at her, indicating she was genuinely alright.
Once Wei Ling left, only Wei Yue and Lu Yuanqiu remained in the room.
“Next time…” Lu Yuanqiu looked up at her, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. “Don’t do that.”
Wei Yue just took it as a polite remark and, adhering to her character setting, comforted her: “I’m not the kind of person who likes to play the hero. It was just a reflex in an emergency. Don’t overthink it.”
“Mm, that’s good,” Lu Yuanqiu sighed. “But thank you so much for helping. Otherwise, I might have faced more serious consequences.”
Lan Shangui had been charging directly at her. If Wei Yue hadn’t pulled her away, the direct collision would have left her in a much worse state than Wei Yue.
But what was even more unsettling to her was…
Lu Yuanqiu’s mind flashed back to the moment Wei Yue pulled her into her arms, and their momentary eye contact.
The genuine worry in those almond-shaped eyes truly made her feel disoriented.
Her long lashes trembled. As if to clear the swirling thoughts in her head, she closed her eyes.
“Ah, it was a lucky accident!” Seeing Lu Yuanqiu thank her so formally, Wei Yue felt quite awkward. She chuckled twice, waving her hand, “It’s getting late. You should go rest too!”
Lu Yuanqiu was also unwilling to engage with Wei Yue while her emotions were unstable. She nodded and, out of courtesy, raised her hand to turn off the bedside lamp for Wei Yue, who was lying down.
But Wei Yue wasn’t planning on turning off the light and going to sleep yet. She quickly stopped Lu Yuanqiu: “Hey, wait! I didn’t want to turn off the light yet!”
With that touch, she shivered—Lu Yuanqiu’s hand was too cold.
“Lu Yuanqiu, are… are you cold?” Although it was still September, the night was getting chilly, and Lu Yuanqiu was still wearing her gown. Wei Yue hesitated, “Your hand is too cold. Why don’t you put on some clothes?”
Hearing her words, Lu Yuanqiu smiled instead, but the smile looked somewhat desolate: “I’m not cold.”
“It’s just that I’m truly scared after seeing a scene like that… I’m so worried that someone else might get hurt because of me.”
After leaving Wei Yue’s room, Lu Yuanqiu walked directly to the third floor, to her own bedroom.
This bedroom was consistent with the villa’s overall style, looking very minimalist and somewhat desolate, clearly not lived in regularly.
A knock came from outside the door. It was Auntie Liu: “Miss, I’ve brought your soup.”
“Thank you for your effort.” Lu Yuanqiu walked out, but what she received from Auntie Liu was not “soup,” but the smartphone encased in a black phone cover.
She opened the phone, which already held several messages, all from the same person.
I’ve completed the task for you. There were some unexpected circumstances, but I suppose the goal was achieved!
Besides, you actually benefited from this. You not only tested Wei Yue’s attitude but also gained a good reputation and her mother’s goodwill.
Just don’t forget what you promised me!
Lu Yuanqiu didn’t rush to respond to the person’s demands. Instead, she typed: What did you do? Lan Shangui acting like that could be hard to explain if investigated.
That truly has nothing to do with me. Lan Shangui dug his own grave! Why do you think his father didn’t check on him? Because they both know the drugged wine was meant for you. I just swapped it!
I don’t know what kind of stuff that was. I thought it was some kind of tranquilizer or something. Who knew Lan Shangui would go crazy! I can only say his obsession with you is too deep.
Seeing this message, Lu Yuanqiu’s pupils contracted. She instinctively tightened her grip on the phone.
However, she knew the other person had no reason to lie about this, and since the marriage alliance was successfully thwarted, she didn’t prolong the conversation.
She typed a few words: I’ll give you the item the day after tomorrow.
Good, I’m waiting! Lu Yuanqiu, don’t even think about crossing me!
After replying to the message, Lu Yuanqiu let out a long breath. Her perpetually tense nerves finally had a moment to rest.
The groundwork for what she needed to accomplish was now in place. The next step was gradual development.
According to her original plan, Zhou Ling was an essential piece. She wasn’t relying on her to cause a massive stir or easily replace Zhou Jing, but she absolutely needed someone to infiltrate the Zhou family.
Zhou Ling, who was dissatisfied, eager for a chance to shine, and lacked opportunities, was the best candidate.
And Wei Yue…
Thinking of this person, Lu Yuanqiu felt a headache coming on.
She hadn’t initially planned to involve Wei Yue. After all, Wei Yue’s malice towards her was too intense and targeted. As long as Lan Shangui remained obsessed, Wei Yue would never stop opposing her.
However, for some unknown reason, the Wei Yue who entered college became completely different. Even though she often put on an arrogant facade, Lu Yuanqiu could tell that there was no malice in her.
Such a massive change naturally made Lu Yuanqiu see her as a critical variable. But the memories of how Wei Yue tried every means to harass her in the past were still fresh, and she absolutely could not fully trust her.
This was where Zhou Ling gained a new use. She could test Wei Yue, and Lu Yuanqiu could also use Wei Yue to covertly test her.
Unexpectedly, the banquet today was interrupted by this sudden incident. Without Wei Yue… she might not have been able to withdraw smoothly from the event.
The current development was beyond expectations, yet it brought Lu Yuanqiu new concerns.
She realized that the Wei Yue who brought such a significant change to her plans was a presence she had to approach yet was full of unknowns.