Mu Yanxi’s sleep was hazy. Perhaps the hospital’s companion bed wasn’t soft enough, perhaps it was the nurses coming in and out during the latter half of the night, or perhaps she was just worried about Yi Wulan.
In any case, she spent the entire night in a state of being half-awake and half-asleep.
During this period, compared to Yi Wulan, the one receiving treatment, Mu Yanxi, the companion, had clearly expended no less energy.
Although her upgraded special ability was more efficient in treatment, each time it was depleted and had to be replenished, it consumed a great deal of Mu Yanxi’s essence and spirit. While nothing showed on Mu Yanxi’s face, the fatigue inside her body accumulated more and more. It was no exaggeration to say that her essence had been drained dry by Yi Wulan.
But fortunately, she had gone to bed early enough last night, and that newly replenished energy was fed back into her own body. Even though her sleep quality wasn’t that high, her special ability allowed her body to achieve an unprecedented level of relaxation.
The night after Yi Wulan’s surgery also happened to give Mu Yanxi’s body time to recover.
The next day, as soon as Mu Yanxi opened her eyes, a nurse at her side saw her and immediately walked over. “Miss Mu, you’re awake.”
Mu Yanxi nodded and asked, “How was she last night?”
“Miss Yi’s vitals are all very stable, with no adverse symptoms. Once Miss Yi wakes up, Doctor Xiusina will give her a follow-up examination.” The nurse handed Mu Yanxi a chart filled with various specialized English terms. Mu Yanxi gave up after looking at just two lines.
Yi Wulan’s condition wasn’t something like muscle necrosis or bone damage, so her surgery wasn’t a traditional one that required extensive incisions. There weren’t many wounds post-op, and her recovery was relatively quick.
Mu Yanxi looked at Yi Wulan’s legs under the blanket and quietly asked a few questions about how to care for her.
The nurse seemed to understand Mu Yanxi’s intentions. After handing her a sheet of instructions, she added, “If you need anything, Miss Mu, you can call us in to help at any time.”
“Okay, thank you.” Mu Yanxi was very satisfied with the service attitude of this private hospital. After the nurse closed the door and left, Mu Yanxi slowly sat down by Yi Wulan’s bed.
Bright rays of sunlight streamed in through the window beside the bed. Yi Wulan’s complexion had returned to a normal pale white, and her light pink lips were free of any chapped lines. It was clear the nurses had taken very good care of her last night.
Mu Yanxi felt relieved. She first went to wash up before returning to the bedside. Sensing the still-abundant energy in the core of her special ability, she planned to transfer a little to Yi Wulan.
But as soon as she shifted her gaze upward, she couldn’t help but recall what had happened last night, and she stared blankly at Yi Wulan’s face, lost in thought.
For a little peacock like Mu Yanxi, who had always considered her own beauty to be number one in the world, she had never paid much attention to other people’s faces. After all, whether they were good-looking or not, they weren’t as good-looking as her.
But at this moment, looking at the person lying on the bed, she felt that Yi Wulan seemed to be different from others.
She couldn’t quite put her finger on how she was different.
Taking advantage of the fact that Yi Wulan was still asleep, Mu Yanxi brazenly stared at Yi Wulan’s face, scrutinizing it endlessly.
Yi Wulan’s soft, long hair was spread out on the pillow. Her features were deep and defined, her eyelashes long and slender, and the corners of her peach blossom eyes tilted up slightly.
When she was awake, her coldness and aloofness made people afraid to approach. But when she was sound asleep, her face clearly showed a softness that had not yet been tainted by time and circumstance, revealing a rare, gentle side.
As Mu Yanxi watched, even her breathing subconsciously lightened. Unsure if she had been bewitched by Yi Wulan’s appearance, she raised her hand and gently traced the contours of Yi Wulan’s face.
After her fingertips had made a full circle, they inexplicably arrived at Yi Wulan’s lips.
The warm touch from her fingertip made the side of Mu Yanxi’s neck flush. The shame of failing to ‘bully’ her last night and being bitten instead, combined with the guilt of ‘bullying’ a patient, surged up once more.
Mu Yanxi took a deep breath, reflexively wanting to pull away, but someone else’s movement was faster than hers.
With a soft sound, Mu Yanxi’s wrist was suddenly seized.
Mu Yanxi’s pupils shrank slightly. The previously sound-asleep Yi Wulan had suddenly opened her eyes.
As if she had caught a clue, Yi Wulan’s gaze burned as she looked at Mu Yanxi’s hand, yet her face was filled with cold indifference. She asked, “What are you doing with your hand so early in the morning?”
Mu Yanxi was speechless.
Mu Yanxi twisted her hand, picked up a disposable wet wipe from the bedside, and said with a straight face, “The nurse left. You need to be cleaned after surgery, so it’s my turn to help you wipe down.”
Yi Wulan’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you go blaming the nurse.”
Mu Yanxi retorted, her confidence belying her lack of justification, “Then I can only blame you. Why did you have to wake up so early? If you had slept a little longer, I would have been done by now.”
Yi Wulan pursed her lips and reached for it. “I can do it myself.”
“You took care of me when I had a fever those few times. If I don’t even help you with this, I’d feel too embarrassed.”
Mu Yanxi couldn’t help but bring up old scores again, her tone tinged with complaint. “Although you were fierce when you took care of me and always used a commanding tone, I’ll graciously not hold it against you.”
Yi Wulan was speechless.
Yi Wulan closed her eyes, not wanting to deal with her.
Mu Yanxi, committed to her act, actually took the wet wipe and began to wipe Yi Wulan’s face. Once, twice, three times… then she continued down along her chin.
Yi Wulan finally couldn’t take it anymore and once again gripped Mu Yanxi’s wrist, accidentally catching a few strands of her own hair in her grasp. Her voice was helpless yet tinged with panic. “Didn’t you say you were tired these past few days? If you’re tired, go get more sleep.”
“It’s fine.” Mu Yanxi looked utterly baffled, seemingly finding it hard to understand Yi Wulan’s reaction. “The nurse just instructed me to do this, to help you wipe down. What are you hiding from?”
Yi Wulan’s upper body quickly shifted to the side, trying to distance herself from Mu Yanxi. “Really, you don’t have to.”
Mu Yanxi moved closer to Yi Wulan, wanting to make up for her recklessness last night. “You haven’t been wiped down since the surgery. Let me help you.”
Yi Wulan clutched the bedding tightly, her pupils constricting slightly, her expression one of disbelief.
She didn’t understand how Mu Yanxi, who had just suffered a loss from her teasing last night, could be trying the same trick again so early in the morning.
But it didn’t quite seem like the same trick. Because usually, Mu Yanxi was full of flirty nonsense, but right now she was being completely serious… about actually wanting to wipe her body?
Perhaps it was a case of once bitten, twice shy. When the word ‘serious’ appeared in her mind, Yi Wulan couldn’t help but find it a bit absurd.
Yi Wulan fell silent. She could be cold to a deliberately flirty Mu Yanxi, but she couldn’t refuse a well-intentioned one. For a moment, she didn’t know how to say no.
She could only close her eyes in frustration.
Mu Yanxi was somewhat baffled. She tentatively reached out to touch Yi Wulan’s forehead. “Yi Wulan, what’s wrong with you? Are you uncomfortable somewhere? You don’t have a fever from inflammation.”
When Yi Wulan didn’t speak, Mu Yanxi even started to lift Yi Wulan’s blanket on her own. “Is it your leg that’s uncomfortable? Do you need me to call the doctor over?”
Mu Yanxi’s eyes were filled with concern. Looking at the leg still wrapped in a layer of gauze, she wanted to touch it but didn’t dare, just lightly tapping near Yi Wulan’s leg as if scratching an itch through a boot.
The nerves in Yi Wulan’s calf had just been repaired. Although not fully healed, they were extremely sensitive at the moment. She finally couldn’t help but gasp, her voice turning cold, “Don’t touch!”
“Are you really okay?” Mu Yanxi asked very seriously.
She was clearly concerned about Yi Wulan, so why did this person act like she’d swallowed gunpowder the moment she woke up?
Mu Yanxi racked her brain and finally concluded that Yi Wulan was still angry about last night.
She obediently retracted her hand and met Yi Wulan’s gaze with a righteous expression. “I was out of line last night. In the future, I won’t say reckless things when you’re sick. I’m sorry.”
Yi Wulan opened her eyes, somewhat in disbelief. “Really?”
“Of course it’s true.” Mu Yanxi nodded sincerely, then added in a small voice, “At least I won’t until your leg is better.”
Yi Wulan was speechless.
Yi Wulan suddenly felt her blood rushing to her head, her breathing becoming labored.
She said coldly, “Stay away from me.”
Mu Yanxi looked at Yi Wulan’s cold face, quite worried that by the time Yi Wulan’s leg was better, she would have angered her into some other illness.
She fiddled with the wet wipe in her hand and finally closed her mouth. “Oh.”
The hospital room returned to silence.
Mu Yanxi was quiet, but Yi Wulan’s mind couldn’t calm down.
For so many years, Yi Wulan was accustomed to planning everything in advance. Even her marriage to Mu Yanxi was something she had reached a consensus on with Mu Yanqing long ago.
Last night was the first time she had acted on a momentary impulse, doing something as irrational as biting someone.
It was less about being angry at Mu Yanxi’s reckless teasing and more about being angry at her own wavering resolve.
She looked at Mu Yanxi, who was quietly reflecting beside her, and felt that her own attitude just now had been a bit poor. So she sighed and asked in a softer voice, “Have you had breakfast?”
“Huh?” Mu Yanxi was stunned by Yi Wulan’s sudden question. “Not yet.”
“Then go hurry them up. I want to sleep a little more.”
Mu Yanxi nodded mechanically. The moment she walked out of the hospital room, she turned back to look at Yi Wulan’s proud, straight back, still unable to figure out the reason for Yi Wulan’s mood swings just now.
Considering Yi Wulan said she wanted to sleep a little longer, Mu Yanxi didn’t immediately return to the room after getting the breakfast from the auntie. Instead, she first ate her portion in the adjacent suite.
Thinking of Yi Wulan’s rejection just now, even her favorite shrimp dumplings tasted somewhat bland, and a faint melancholy washed over her.
Mu Yanxi sighed and mechanically ate her sweet fermented rice balls, one spoonful at a time.
Actually, Yi Wulan being cold to her was no big deal; with Mu Yanxi’s years of thick skin, she didn’t take it to heart. Besides, Yi Wulan held no ill will towards her, and it could occasionally be seen as a source of amusement, a kind of flustered anger.
What Mu Yanxi was really bothered by was that after Yi Wulan bit her last night, her attitude this morning was still the same.
It was like a bad student who thought they had corrupted a good student, only for the good student to draw a clear line between them the very next day.
This left an indescribably subtle feeling in Mu Yanxi’s heart.
This subtle feeling wasn’t really anger, but more of a little peacock’s competitive desire regarding her own beauty.
After all, Mu Yanxi was extremely satisfied with every part of her body, and after Yi Wulan bit such a beautiful person like her… how, how could there be no reaction at all?
In TV dramas, don’t couples in a business marriage get closer because of some intimate contact?
Why had she and Yi Wulan instead regressed directly to the starting point of their marriage?
Therefore, this made Mu Yanxi have just a tiny, tiny bit of doubt about her own charm.
She had thought that once Yi Wulan’s leg was better, treating the blood clot in her brain would be met with more cooperation from Yi Wulan. For example, maybe she wouldn’t react so strongly to occasional physical contact?
But just before she left the room, Yi Wulan wouldn’t even let her touch her neck or leg. Mu Yanxi was really starting to worry.
What if Yi Wulan wouldn’t even let her on the bed in the future?
If she kept avoiding her, how could she transfer her special ability?
Mu Yanxi suddenly felt that the road ahead was long and endless.
When Mu Yanxi returned to the room with the thermal container, Yi Wulan had already fallen back asleep. The trash can was filled with used wet wipes; apparently, Yi Wulan had wiped herself down.
Someone who had just had surgery naturally needed ample sleep to recover. Mu Yanxi looked at the now-docile Yi Wulan and pouted. In the hospital, she couldn’t use any other methods to transfer her special ability, so she just placed her hand on the back of Yi Wulan’s head as usual.
Who knew that just as she was about to start the transfer, Yi Wulan would suddenly open her eyes, her gaze falling on Mu Yanxi’s hand. “Mu Yanxi, are you reaching out this time to wipe my body again?”
Caught red-handed for the second time in one morning, Mu Yanxi was speechless.
Seeing that her hand was already on Yi Wulan’s head, Mu Yanxi decided not to move it. Instead, she righteously accused, “You were pretending to be asleep?”
Yi Wulan turned her head, trying to avoid Mu Yanxi’s hand, and lay flat on her back. It was clear she was still very sleepy; even when she spoke, her eyes were half-closed. “To prevent a certain someone from getting handsy again while I’m asleep, I have to be a little cautious.”
“I brought you breakfast.” Mu Yanxi used her other hand to point at the thermal container she had brought. “Since you’re still sleepy, go back to sleep.”
After speaking, she took the opportunity to let her special ability flow from her fingertips, gently and slowly probing into Yi Wulan’s brain.
Yi Wulan’s hand grabbed Mu Yanxi’s wrist. “Don’t deliberately play dumb. Be good, take your hand…”
As the special ability gradually took effect in her brain, the drowsiness deepened, and Yi Wulan’s voice grew quieter.
Her breathing became steady again, and her grip on Mu Yanxi’s wrist slowly loosened, about to slip away.
Mu Yanxi promptly used her other hand to grasp Yi Wulan’s, placing it back inside the blanket and continuing to transfer the rest of her special ability.
The matter that had troubled her for so long was suddenly clear. So what if Yi Wulan rejected her? As soon as she received the special ability, wasn’t she at her mercy to do as she pleased?
Mu Yanxi’s little tail couldn’t help but start wagging again.
She studied Yi Wulan’s sleeping face and murmured triumphantly, “Yi Wulan, you’re the one who has to be good and listen.”
Three days later, after confirming that all her vitals had returned to normal levels, Yi Wulan finally began the next phase of her rehabilitation treatment.
Even Doctor Xiusina, who had helped countless patients stand up again, was surprised by Yi Wulan’s astonishingly fast recovery.
Although Yi Wulan’s surgery hadn’t involved many incisions, consisting of minor, minimally invasive procedures and the aid of equipment, it would normally require a week of recovery.
This was especially true since Doctor Xiusina had practically given Yi Wulan’s leg a death sentence a few months ago. Such a result was truly unexpected.
Doctor Xiusina was a believer in theology and kept praising God in exaggerated terms. Mu Yanxi, standing by, agreed on the surface but secretly took all the credit. When Yi Wulan cast a glance her way, she just looked away with a noble and cold expression.
Ever since Yi Wulan had been cold to her on that first day she woke up, Mu Yanxi had been throwing a little tantrum. While she still appeared to be a considerate and attentive wife, she was no longer clingy and flirty with Yi Wulan as before, having etched a noble and cold look onto her face.
Of course, this was just Mu Yanxi’s own perception of being cold.
In Yi Wulan’s eyes, it just looked like her little ancestor was throwing another tantrum.
However, there was nothing wrong with that statement.
For example, when Doctor Xiusina went to the rehabilitation room to wait, Mu Yanxi went to get Yi Wulan’s breakfast for the day.
The auntie was very thoughtful, preparing a different breakfast every day, which greatly whetted one’s appetite. After Mu Yanxi took out the food and arranged it, she obediently handed Yi Wulan chopsticks and would occasionally move the dishes that were farther away closer to Yi Wulan.
Yi Wulan had always been used to doing things herself. Even after the car accident, when she hired an auntie, she had never been served like this. After less than half a minute, she couldn’t help but ask, “…You, why aren’t you eating?”
Mu Yanxi didn’t stop scooping the tofu pudding, simply saying, “You have rehab later. You’re more important.”
Yi Wulan frowned slightly upon hearing this. “Why?”
Mu Yanxi turned her head, saying nonchalantly, “For President Yi’s leg to get better sooner, of course, you have to be the center of attention.”
As she spoke, she couldn’t help but reveal her true thoughts. “It’s fine to be hungry for a while. It’s better than a delicate woman like me being ruthlessly pushed away again.”
Yi Wulan was speechless.
Yi Wulan pushed the portion of tofu pudding Mu Yanxi had prepared towards her. “…You should eat with me.”
Mu Yanxi looked at the portion of tofu pudding she had carefully seasoned to her own taste and said reluctantly, “Then I’ll eat a little with you.”
Yi Wulan held back a laugh. “Yes, thank you for your hard work, Yanxi.”
After breakfast, Mu Yanxi pushed Yi Wulan to the rehabilitation room. Doctor Xiusina first checked and changed the dressing on Yi Wulan’s surgical wounds as usual.
Mu Yanxi looked at Yi Wulan’s legs, slightly nervous. “Doctor, how is the situation?”
“Same as I said before, there are no problems,” Doctor Xiusina replied, then asked about Yi Wulan’s own feelings. “Miss Yi, how do you feel?”
Yi Wulan answered honestly, “It was a bit painful the first few days. Now it’s a bit numb and also a bit itchy.”
In fact, compared to the previous state where her calves had no sensation, these feelings were a long-lost, rediscovered treasure for Yi Wulan. Although they were hard to endure, they also brought her pleasant surprise.
“We will create a detailed rehabilitation plan for you. Even when you return to your country in a few days, you can follow it.” Doctor Xiusina was all business. “Miss Yi, a successful surgery doesn’t mean everything. This is just the first step to a successful start. Please continue to maintain the same positive attitude and actively cooperate with the treatment for a speedy recovery.”
Yi Wulan nodded. “I understand.”
Doctor Xiusina first called Mu Yanxi into her office to give instructions on future rehabilitation and maintenance, while Yi Wulan first received a pre-rehab massage in the rehabilitation room to relax her muscles.
By the time Mu Yanxi came out of the office with a stack of documents, Yi Wulan was almost finished. The medical staff, having completed their work, all left the rehabilitation room but arranged for someone to wait at the door in case of need.
When Mu Yanxi entered, Yi Wulan was already back in her wheelchair. Seeing her, she beckoned. “Want to see me stand up?”
“Are you tired?” Mu Yanxi crouched in front of Yi Wulan, using a tissue to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead, and studied her legs. “Can your legs really stand? It’s only been a few days since the surgery, won’t it be too much of a strain?”
“Yes, the doctor said it’s okay.” Yi Wulan didn’t hide it from her and proactively sought Mu Yanxi’s help. “Help me try to stand up.”
Mu Yanxi extended her hand, then retracted it, confirming again, “Really?”
“Really.”
Hearing this, Mu Yanxi first pushed the person to the side of the wall, then carefully lent her strength to Yi Wulan.
Little by little, she watched as Yi Wulan left the wheelchair and stood up.
Just performing this single action seemed to consume a great deal of Yi Wulan’s strength. Her hand gripped Mu Yanxi’s arm tightly, and her calves, unused for so long, trembled slightly as she barely maintained her balance while standing.
But fortunately, she had truly stood up again.
Mu Yanxi was used to bending down and looking up at Yi Wulan. Now, seeing Yi Wulan at almost the same height as herself, she was momentarily excited and amazed. Her lively fox-like eyes seemed to be filled with twinkling starlight. “Yi Wulan.”
“Mm.”
“I’ve discovered you are indeed very good-looking.” Mu Yanxi looked Yi Wulan up and down, not wanting her to get too proud. “But, you’re still a little bit behind me.”
The string that had been taut in Yi Wulan’s heart for years finally loosened. She smiled. “Yes, you’re the most beautiful.”
Mu Yanxi averted her gaze and changed the subject. “So, can you take a couple of steps? Or maybe just one step is fine.”
Yi Wulan looked troubled. “I probably can’t do it on my own.”
Mu Yanxi immediately understood the key point and volunteered, “Do you need me to hold you?”
Yi Wulan thought about the distance Mu Yanxi had been keeping these past two days and deliberately waited for the noble and cold Mu Yanxi to proactively offer her hand before placing her own on it. “Yes, come a little closer.”
Mu Yanxi stepped forward. Originally, Yi Wulan was just resting her hand on her wrist, but now she had placed her arm on the lower half of Mu Yanxi’s arm.
“How about this? Is it easier to walk?” Mu Yanxi asked again.
She could actually walk already, but Yi Wulan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Mu Yanxi with guilt in her eyes, apologizing, “I might need to be a little closer. You know my legs aren’t very convenient right now.”
Yi Wulan had just managed to stand up. How could Mu Yanxi bear to see such an expression? She immediately moved forward again, proactively letting Yi Wulan place her hand on her shoulder. “How about this?”
The two were very close, their breaths occasionally intertwining. As Mu Yanxi leaned in, strands of her hair would sometimes fall onto Yi Wulan’s collar, and they pressed closer and closer.
Yi Wulan looked down. “Mm, I’ll try.”
After taking just a couple of steps, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Yi Wulan’s forehead. Mu Yanxi saw this and asked, “Are you still okay? Do you want to rest?”
“I’m… I’m fine.”
Even though she said that, the sweat on Yi Wulan’s forehead slid down her brow and dripped onto the back of Mu Yanxi’s hand.
Mu Yanxi hesitated for a moment before holding Yi Wulan even tighter. “Maybe we should stop here for today and continue tomorrow.”
Yi Wulan shook her head, her voice also becoming a bit hoarse. “It’s fine, let’s continue.”
Even though it had only been half a year since Yi Wulan’s car accident, for someone who had been in a wheelchair for so long, relearning to stand and walk was a slow and arduous process.
Although the nerves in Yi Wulan’s calves were being efficiently repaired by the special ability, and her recovery was far beyond that of a normal patient, every time Yi Wulan exerted force, she could feel a pain spreading from her calves, like tiny electric currents exploding inside her legs.
And Mu Yanxi also had a very difficult time controlling the speed.
It couldn’t be too slow, as that would exhaust Yi Wulan’s strength after just a few steps, failing to achieve the effect of rehabilitation. It also couldn’t be too fast, as Yi Wulan’s legs couldn’t handle overly strenuous exercise so soon, which would be counterproductive.
The sun outside the window rose higher and higher, and both of them became exhausted. Not only was Yi Wulan panting from exhaustion, but even Mu Yanxi’s back was slightly sweaty.
By the time they had completed one lap and returned to the wheelchair, both felt exhausted yet relieved.
While walking, most of Yi Wulan’s body weight had been pressed against Mu Yanxi, consuming a great deal of her strength. After helping Yi Wulan sit back in the wheelchair, Mu Yanxi had just straightened up when she felt dizzy and nearly collapsed.
Yi Wulan hastily pulled her, causing Mu Yanxi to fall right onto her lap.
There was no one else in the rehabilitation room, so Mu Yanxi simply sat on the floor, her upper body leaning against Yi Wulan’s legs, and murmured, “I, I’ll rest for a bit.”
Yi Wulan softly called Mu Yanxi’s name, “…Yanxi.”
Mu Yanxi hummed in response, rubbing her head lightly against Yi Wulan’s calf.
The warmth of her breath spread across Yi Wulan’s calf, and through the thin layer of the patient gown, it stimulated the already sensitive nerves, making the skin there feel hot.
Yi Wulan’s fingertips curled slightly, but she didn’t push the person away.
This little ancestor was truly carefree and completely unguarded.
She had clearly put on an act of keeping her distance at breakfast, but now that she was exhausted, she instinctively sought closeness with her.
A helpless yet indulgent smile flashed in Yi Wulan’s eyes.
Mu Yanxi accompanied Yi Wulan in Boston, peacefully rehabilitating. Over the next few days, thanks to Mu Yanxi’s special ability, Yi Wulan’s recovery speed became faster and faster. As her post-operative wounds healed, she was already able to stand on her own.
This was undoubtedly good news.
During rehabilitation, they didn’t need to stay in the medical center all day. No matter how high-end a hospital was, it always evoked a sense of depression.
On the second day of Yi Wulan’s rehabilitation, Mu Yanxi asked the doctor for permission and moved with Yi Wulan to a hotel outside. Apart from Yi Wulan’s scheduled rehabilitation time each day, the rest of the time became Mu Yanxi’s.
The two of them went to many places that didn’t require physical exertion, as if on vacation. Of course, they didn’t miss the show that Mu Yanxi had been longing for. Perhaps because this time she had Yi Wulan, the credit card machine, by her side, Mu Yanxi was even more unrestrained when picking out clothes, and Yi Wulan, who was paying, was honored to receive two outfits as well.
Just as Mu Yanxi was planning to ask her manager for a few more days off to continue their vacation life, news about the Shuilin Fang incident finally broke online, urging Yi Wulan and Mu Yanxi to return to the country ahead of schedule.
Although Mu Yanxi had been abroad these past few days, she had been keeping an eye on the news from home and was somewhat puzzled by the delayed scandal of the Shuilin Fang project.
Counting the days, in her previous life, the Shuilin Fang incident also happened in the autumn. It made no sense that this event would be skipped just because of her rebirth in this life.
When she saw the topic #ShuilinFangIsSomethingIBetIDontDeserve# hanging high at the top of the trending list, Mu Yanxi actually felt a sense of relieved liberation.
The cause of the matter was, in a way, related to Mu Yanxi.
Ever since Mu Yanxi’s trending topic for her heroic act overshadowed Jiang Tong and stole his thunder, Jiang Tong had been aggressively marketing himself, as if he was determined to compete with Mu Yanxi.
Mu Yanxi had taken many photos in Boston during this time, and even when attending the fashion show, she didn’t bother to censor much, posting them directly online and continuing to operate her social media in her usual way.
Jiang Tong seethed with anger looking at Mu Yanxi’s Weibo. Didn’t they say Mu Yanxi wore fakes and loved to show off? Then he, a true rich second-generation heir, had to crush Mu Yanxi in this aspect before the variety show they were both on started, so that he could fight for a special feature later on.
When Mu Yanxi posted on Weibo, he posted too. When Mu Yanxi didn’t post on Weibo, he still posted. At first, the rich second-generation persona did attract some gold-digging fans, but if the frequency was too high, it would instead ruin his reputation with the general public.
The netizens’ dissatisfaction with Jiang Tong finally erupted:
【Here we go again, here we go again, he’s here with his trending topic again.】
【Is there something wrong with Jiang Tong, being on the trending list all the time? If you have so much money you don’t know where to spend it, why don’t you do some charity?】
【Did Sina just give Jiang Tong a yearly subscription to the trending list? He trends every time he steps out the door, I’m really sick of seeing it.】
The controlled comments from either the water army or real fans quickly followed: 【Haters, watch your mouths. It’s all just marketing accounts not doing their jobs.】
【If marketing accounts want to drive traffic, can they stop staring at my idol? Hands off my idol, let him be beautiful alone.】
【If you guys like to watch celebrities’ assembly-line Weibo posts, then go watch them yourselves. I love watching Jiang Jiang share his daily life.】
Jiang Tong’s water army quickly got into a fight with the netizens.
Those “righteous” netizens, having torn through every celebrity in the entertainment industry, already had their own set of methods for targeting a particular artist. Seeing that they couldn’t win the argument, they immediately turned to digging through Jiang Tong’s past Weibo posts, trying to find something to kick him while he was down.
As it turned out, they didn’t have to dig far. Someone noticed that the high-end resort Jiang Tong had shown off that day was none other than the Shuilin Fang wetland in Yuncheng.
Jiang Tong had recently been showing off some private clubs that required exorbitant membership fees to enter, in order to flaunt his different social status. In fact, this had already drawn a lot of complaints from netizens, but due to the strong fighting power of his fans, nothing major had come of it.
But as luck would have it, the sharp-eyed netizens discovered a scenic spot mixed in that had been on the trending list just last month.
At that time, Shuilin Fang had appeared in the public eye because of Yi Jingming fawning over Bai Yu’an, and the scenic spot had been highly anticipated by many. Netizens were not unfamiliar with it, and someone immediately started mocking Jiang Tong:
【No way, no way, isn’t he a young master from a wealthy family? Why does he have to use filler content even for his Weibo posts?】
【Speaking of fake, for some reason, the first person I thought of was our little vase.】
【Hahaha, the person above me, I know that look. We’re all family. I wonder where our little vase got that Boston harbor background picture she used for her photoshoot recently.】
【The rich second-generation persona is probably the easiest one in the entertainment industry, right? To even mess this up, Jiang Tong is too careless.】
【It’s over, it’s over. Confirmed fake rich second-generation.】
When Jiang Tong saw these comments, he was so angry in the dressing room that he could have coughed up blood. The photos of him at Shuilin Fang were taken back when it was still in the hands of the first bidder.
Furthermore, now that Shuilin Fang was in the hands of Rongjia Group, even if Mu Yanxi wanted to stage a photoshoot, she wouldn’t be able to get in. He had initially posted this set of pictures with that thought in mind.
He never expected this group of netizens to be so ungrateful.
When Jiang Tong used to hang out with Yi Jingming and the others, he had heard the two from the Yi family mention in passing that the bidding price for Shuilin Fang was high, and that all the bidders were aiming to create a private high-end resort, and so on.
Therefore, Jiang Tong quickly composed himself and directly posted a very innocent Weibo message:
【Jiang Tong: I don’t know what I did wrong. Shuilin Fang really is a private VIP system.】
It was full of feigned innocence, and the meaning of the Weibo post was also very clear, which translated to:
You ignorant netizens saw a promotional picture of Shuilin Fang and really thought anyone could get in? My family is rich, so I went in and took some pictures for you, and you still have the nerve to imply I’m using filler content. If you’re so capable, why don’t you go in yourselves?
Sure enough, his fans also left comments in his defense:
【Brother, we believe you. Don’t pay attention to those ignorant people.】
【Exactly, they just make random judgments because they haven’t been there themselves. I think you guys are just jealous, right?】
Thus, the conflict between the fans and haters intensified. What’s more, a few Douban netizens claiming to have “some connections” boldly revealed in a certain happy gossip group: 【This tea is legit. During the bidding for Shuilin Fang, all the bidding proposals were aimed at creating a private high-end club.】
Subsequently, a “certain high-level executive from Rongjia” also revealed: 【The Shuilin Fang project is a wedding gift from our president to the president’s wife. Anyone with eyes can tell it’s not for public use, right?】
There was even a “certain gossip-loving netizen who loves exploring” who went to the Shuilin Fang wetland to live-stream and seek the truth, confirming that Shuilin Fang was indeed inaccessible.
With that, public opinion shifted once again.
But what Jiang Tong didn’t expect was that the water army he had spent a fortune on, while turning the situation around, didn’t bring him any attention at all. Instead, it directly sparked a discussion among netizens about Shuilin Fang.
The topic #ShuilinFangIsSomethingIBetIDontDeserve# also shot up the trending list. Netizens and the water army guiding the topic overtly and covertly expressed that Shuilin Fang was a characteristic natural landscape of Yuncheng and should not be controlled by capital and closed off to the public.
The public outcry grew louder. Jiang Tong’s manager saw that this trend was not right and promptly had the water army guide the topic, trying to shift the netizens’ attention away from Jiang Tong.
It’s unclear whether it was due to the high level of attention from netizens or if others were muddying the waters, but the public opinion was indeed diverted to the Shuilin Fang project.
And so, Rongjia Group, the owner of Shuilin Fang and a well-known corporate representative in Yuncheng, was completely pushed into the eye of the storm.
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