The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 369 - 372. So it was him (second update)

Chapter 369: 372. So it was him (second update)

"Wait, Xi Yao, stop the car, quickly stop the car." Annie suddenly shouted, startling Wen Xi Yao. "What happened?"

"Quick, stop the car!" Annie said anxiously.

Wen Xi Yao, thinking it was an emergency, quickly pulled over. Annie got out of the car and chased after someone, but she stopped halfway, "I clearly saw him just now; how come he disappeared in the blink of an eye? You jerk, are you hiding from me on purpose?!"

Annie stomped her feet in frustration and unwillingness, surveyed her surroundings again but did not see the person she was looking for, and could only return to the car resentfully.

Wen Xi Yao looked at her, "Who did you see that has you looking like a frostbitten eggplant?"

Annie shook her head, "I was mistaken, let’s go."

Wen Xi Yao drove them to the restaurant Annie mentioned, but throughout the meal, her mind was clearly elsewhere, surely because of the person she thought she had seen earlier.

After leaving the restaurant, Wen Xi Yao asked her, "Shall we go for a walk nearby?"

Annie shook her head, then nodded, "Yes, we should digest the food after eating."

**

Jin Enxi and Eden arrived at the hospital while Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi were having lunch. The meal was prepared and delivered by Aunt Liu from their home. Fu Hengyi was to undergo his third leg surgery the next day; they had admitted him today to prepare for tomorrow’s crucial and even more challenging surgery. According to an expert, whether Fu Hengyi’s leg could recover to its pre-injury condition or not depended entirely on the success of tomorrow’s operation.

"An, I’ve come to see you," Jin Enxi entered. She had met Fu Hengyi many times before, and Fu Hengyi knew their identities, so there was no need for any reservations between them.

Shen Qinglan was just about to start packing up when Jin Enxi stepped forward to help her, "Sit down, you’re pregnant; I’ll pack."

Eden did another check-up on Fu Hengyi, "Hmm, you’re in good condition. There should be no problem with the surgery tomorrow, which I have already arranged for the first one in the morning."

Fu Hengyi sincerely thanked Eden. Even though the man harbored feelings for Shen Qinglan, his gaze was honest. He deeply buried his affection, choosing instead to stand by her as a friend, and even willingly helped the man she loved. Fu Hengyi respected such transparency and deep affection—it was friendship worth cherishing.

Eden smiled, "No need to be so formal. You’re An’s husband and thus my friend. I will definitely help when my friend needs it. Although I can’t guarantee a 100% recovery to the former condition of your leg, a 90% recovery is certain. So, you really don’t need to worry too much."

"That’s very good," Fu Hengyi said. When he was injured in the rainforest, he had already prepared himself for the possibility that his leg would be permanently disabled, as it had reached a state of complete numbness towards the end.

Later, experts also said his leg was essentially ruined and couldn’t recover to that condition, which is why the upper management had no choice but to agree to Fu Hengyi’s withdrawal from Sharp Blade.

Previously, Fu Hengyi had asked Eden to conceal his leg’s recovery condition to smoothly exit from Sharp Blade.

After confirming Fu Hengyi’s physical condition was alright, Eden left as he still had many things to attend to.

Jin Enxi had finished packing and sat to the side, glancing at Shen Qinglan with a hesitant expression. Shen Qinglan spoke indifferently, "Just say what you want to say."

"An, are we really not going to look for Qin Yan anymore?" Qin Yan had left Nancheng and remained untraceable to this day, something that made Jin Enxi feel very frustrated, as it was like she had slipped away right under their noses.

Shen Qinglan’s expression was indifferent, "No need, since she was able to leave without a trace, she must be confident in hiding her tracks. Such an investigation has completely lost its meaning now; it’s just a waste of time."

Jin Enxi knew, but she couldn’t help feeling unwilling.

"How is Nancheng now?" Shen Qinglan asked.

Jin Enxi knew she was referring to the Yan Family. She started, "Zhao Jiaqing’s death was so sudden, Yan Shengyu demanded an autopsy, and the results have yet to come out, but it should happen in these next couple of days. Ya Xi is in a bad state, fell ill directly, and is still hospitalized. Yan Shengyu is worried something might happen to her and hasn’t left her side."

In just one short month, Ya Xi had fallen seriously ill twice, a state of health that worried Shen Qinglan. Fu Hengyi saw her concern and took her hand; Shen Qinglan reciprocated the gesture.

"What about Yan Anbang?" Fu Hengyi asked.

"Yan Anbang, unable to find Qin Yan, reported her missing after forty-eight hours, but the police also have no leads. Yan Anbang only knew about Zhao Jiaqing’s death because someone informed him. He went to the hospital to see Zhao Jiaqing, but Yan Shengyu wouldn’t allow it, and especially Ya Xi. Seeing Yan Anbang, she became very agitated, and Yan Anbang had no choice but to leave."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes were slightly cold—Yan Anbang, even now, was still fixated on Qin Yan.

"Enxi, once Zhao Jiaqing’s autopsy results are out, check if it was Qin Yan who had a hand in it. If it was, kindly remind our Chief of Staff Yan so he can truly recognize the nature of his beloved."

Her tone was very cold. Jin Enxi nodded, "Don’t worry, I’ve been keeping a close eye on it. Right, I heard from Daniel yesterday that your paintings will be on exhibit at the Xueli City Art Station in July. Are you going to Xueli City again then?"

Daniel had called her about this a couple of days ago, "Hmm, but I won’t go." It would be July, and although she would have finished her confinement period, the baby was still too young, and Fu Hengyi’s leg wouldn’t have recovered that quickly. She didn’t want to leave them.

Compared to her family, these worldly gains were things Shen Qinglan could easily forsake.

Jin Enxi had anticipated this outcome as well. Shen Qinglan’s indifference toward these things truly made her a rare person—one she had never seen before. There was a very good opportunity last time, but Shen Qinglan had given it to a person named Jonathan.

She knew that Shen Qinglan and Daniel wanted to boost Jonathan to strike at Catherine. But now, Catherine had already been disgraced in the art world, so continuing in this manner wasn’t very meaningful; that opportunity didn’t have to be given to Jonathan, but Shen Qinglan still passed it on.

Because of this incident, the public speculated whether there was a problem between Daniel and Shen Qinglan. Daniel, who had been exclusively managing Shen Qinglan for so many years, suddenly started promoting someone else’s works.

Some even theorized that it was because Shen Qinglan’s value had greatly increased and her popularity had risen, so she had started to disdain Daniel and wanted to go solo.

Regarding this matter, there were people who were suspicious, some who took pleasure in the misfortune, and more who were just observing or watching the drama unfold.

The two people at the heart of the incident were indifferent, letting the outside world wildly speculate, until news broke that Shen Qinglan would release a new piece to participate in the Xueli City Arts Festival.

This new work differed from Shen Qinglan’s usual small-scale pieces; it was a large painting, both long and wide, a project that always took a great deal of time and effort.

Even Daniel did not know the content of this painting, Shen Qinglan had only mentioned that it would be completed before the art exhibition.

Fu Hengyi had seen parts of the painting, as he was often by Shen Qinglan’s side when she painted, passing her the pigments and occasionally helping mix colors. Watching Shen Qinglan paint had significantly heightened his sensitivity to color; recently, the colors he mixed for Shen Qinglan had increasingly met her approval.

**

Wen Xiyao and Annie realized they had reached the hospital where Fu Hengyi was staying after getting close. Wen Xiyao slapped her forehead, feeling foolish, no wonder the name "Jingang Road" seemed familiar when Annie mentioned it earlier. Now, seeing the hospital, she immediately understood that this road was right behind it.

Having come all this way, Wen Xiyao naturally wanted to enter. She bought some fruit from a nearby store and then purchased a bouquet of flowers.

"Xi Yao, who are you visiting?" Annie asked curiously.

"My fiancé’s brother-in-law is hospitalized here, I’m going to see him," Wen Xiyao replied.

Annie hadn’t expected such a coincidence and said indifferently, "Then I’ll come with you, I don’t have anything else to do right now anyway."

"Aren’t you supposed to meet a handsome guy?" Wen Xiyao asked, recalling the phone call from her father just after they left the restaurant, where he mentioned arranging a blind date for her.

"I’m not in the mood for that now," Annie said, her mind still occupied by what she had seen on the road. If it wasn’t for that person blocking her number, she really wanted to confront the woman she had seen.

"Xi Yao, what do you think it means if a man won’t pay attention to you and is cold towards you, but is all smiles with another woman?" Annie suddenly asked.

Wen Xiyao paused, "What else could it be? If it isn’t that the man dislikes the woman, then it’s because he likes that other woman. Either way, it means he doesn’t like someone."

Annie’s expression darkened slightly.

Wen Xiyao looked at her, "Annie, does your doctor already have someone he likes?"

Annie shook her head, "I don’t know. When I met him, I asked the nurses at the hospital; they said they hadn’t heard about him getting married or seen him with a girlfriend, so I guess he’s still single."

Wen Xiyao held her forehead, "You’re guessing?"

"But even if he has a girlfriend, so what? As long as he’s not married, I still have a chance. People say, ’only a lazy hoe can’t dig around a wall corner.’"

"Annie, didn’t you say you wouldn’t get involved with a married man?"

Annie shrugged, "Yeah, and that hasn’t changed, but his hand doesn’t have a ring, which means he’s not married, so he’s not a married man."

Wen Xiyao was too tired to argue, "Just be careful. If he’s a married man, you should give up early to avoid hurting both parties."

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, I like handsome guys, but I wouldn’t really go without any standards," Annie said.

As they spoke, they reached Fu Hengyi’s hospital room. Wen Xiyao had called him earlier, so Shen Qinglan knew she would come, but was surprised by the person who came with her.

This woman she had seen at the Junlan Group’s annual meeting, a friend of Wen Xiyao.

"Sister Xi Yao, what brings you here today?" Shen Qinglan asked.

Wen Xiyao smiled, placing the flowers and fruits aside, "Had lunch nearby with a friend, remembered Hengyi was in this hospital, so came to visit."

"Miss Shen, it’s a pleasure to see you again," Annie said.

Shen Qinglan smiled, "Miss Annie, hello."

"An, today’s apples are really good, very sweet," Jin Enxi’s voice came from the bathroom, followed by her appearance in the room, raising her eyebrows slightly upon seeing the people inside.

Annie also spotted Jin Enxi, her eyes widening before she quickly approached her, "It’s you! You’re here; do you know where he is?"

Jin Enxi looked indifferent, shook her head, "I’m not close to him; I don’t know."

Annie stared intently at her, "He used you as a shield, how can you not be close? You must know where he is, right? Please tell me, I’ve been looking for him for a long time."

"You said it yourself, I’m just his shield. I never know where he goes, how can I tell you?"

Watching the scene unfold, Shen Qinglan looked puzzled at Wen Xiyao, who shook her head, indicating she didn’t know either. She only knew that Annie had been searching relentlessly for a doctor, and now it seemed this woman might know his whereabouts.

Recalling the question Annie had asked on the way there, could this be the woman she was talking about?

Annie continued pressing Jin Enxi, "No, you must know where he is, please tell me." She softened her voice, "I really like him, I followed him from M country to Y country, and then from Y country here just to see him. I know you are not in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with him; I don’t mean any harm, I just want to see him, I really miss him."

If Annie had remained aggressive, Jin Enxi would have firmly refused, but seeing her sincere, pleading look softened her heart. She sighed, "He doesn’t like you, why do you keep chasing him?"

Annie gave a bitter smile, "I know, but I still like him, I miss him terribly when I can’t see him. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t like me now, someday I will make him like me."

As they were talking, someone entered from outside. Annie’s eyes lit up, and she dashed forward, "I finally found you!"