Avoid Falling into the Trap of Romantic Delusions

Jian Xiyan couldn't help but notice the changes in Lin Feiruo since they signed the divorce agreement. It became increasingly apparent, especially when, during dinner time, Lin Feiruo would actually fall asleep.

On mornings when she woke up late, there was no immediate explanation, and instead, she appeared unusually relaxed and carefree. What struck Jian Xiyan the most, however, was that even Lin Feiruo’s preferences had begun to shift.

Jian Xiyan could sense an internal battle between tension and relaxation within Lin Feiruo. The freedom of emotion was gradually gaining the upper hand. It seemed that, for Lin Feiruo, the divorce was indeed a long-awaited release.

Jian Xiyan recalled the scene two years ago when she had approached Lin Feiruo for a business collaboration.

Lin Feiruo had set three conditions: she would only cooperate in acting, with the understanding that secretive affection would be permitted; she requested support in terms of film and television resources; and, most importantly, she wanted the divorce to take place before Jian Xiyan’s birthday.

All three conditions, as Jian Xiyan soon realized, were motivated by one person alone. There were times when Jian Xiyan found it difficult to understand how one could be so devoted to someone who cared so little about them. Was it truly worth it?

However, more often than not, she found herself looking down on Lin Feiruo’s sacrifices. A love without reciprocation, or worse, one that consciously exploited another’s affection, tainted the purity of love itself. To Jian Xiyan, a beggar for love was never a person to be admired.

Yet, she had no desire to involve herself in this matter. During the duration of their agreement, she turned a blind eye, and now that the agreement had come to an end, there was no reason to waste any more energy on the situation.

As long as Lin Feiruo and Yan Shan did not cause any trouble that could negatively affect the company’s stock prices, Jian Xiyan had no concern for whether they would turn into wind and sand.

But Lin Feiruo’s eagerness to rush toward Yan Shan left Jian Xiyan with a sense of discomfort.

When Lin Feiruo saw that Jian Xiyan still maintained her stern silence, a casual question she had asked earlier took on a more serious tone.

She moved a little closer, observing the face before her, still a source of overwhelming impact to her.

“Focus on your health first,” Lin Feiruo muttered to herself, reminding her inner self to stay attentive. Judging the situation was more important than judging appearances.

Jian Xiyan furrowed her brows. “What are you looking at?”

“Your complexion doesn’t look very good,” Lin Feiruo said with concern. “It seems you’re a bit sub-healthy.”

Jian Xiyan was momentarily stunned. Lin Feiruo’s words always seemed to surprise her now, always veering in directions she hadn’t predicted. It was as if… she was no longer the slippery eel that Jian Xiyan could easily grasp.

“I have a personal health consultant,” Jian Xiyan replied, dismissing her concerns.

With that, she turned to walk out, her steps as swift as they had been the day before.

Lin Feiruo hurriedly followed, carrying her luggage like a boy chasing the wind. Her bag was light, only containing a few simple changes of clothes. She had left behind all the luxurious designer items of the original owner.

The driver was already waiting outside, and when he saw them, he hurried over.

A slightly graying man, dressed in crisp uniform and white gloves, greeted them with an air of righteousness.

“Miss Feiruo, let me take care of it,” he said, gently lifting the luggage and placing it carefully in the trunk.

Jian Xiyan had already entered the car, and Lin Feiruo waited a moment before the driver walked past her, assuming she had further instructions. She nodded and smiled, “Thank you, Uncle Li.”

When the luggage was taken away, Lin Feiruo finally remembered who he was. Uncle Li was Jian Xiyan's personal driver, who had been with her since elementary school.

The book had only mentioned him briefly, describing him as a loyal and brave man. Lin Feiruo felt that such qualities were becoming increasingly rare in this day and age, which naturally led her to feel a certain fondness for him.

Uncle Li was taken aback by the unexpected gratitude, having never been shown such warmth by Lin Feiruo before. Although she was usually not one to act pretentious, this level of friendliness was indeed a first.

“It’s no trouble,” Uncle Li responded, a bit flustered. “It’s my job.”

He opened the car door for her. “Miss Feiruo, please get in.”

As Lin Feiruo slid into the car, she found herself gazing directly into Jian Xiyan's cold, contemplative eyes.

“I... I just wanted to say hi to Uncle Li,” Lin Feiruo smiled, unable to come up with a more refined reason.

Jian Xiyan withdrew her gaze, still lost in her own thoughts. She had vaguely heard Lin Feiruo tell Aunty Shu not to work too hard in the future and to reduce internal conflicts. Just now, she had waited in the sun for Uncle Li just to say a simple thank you.

These were trivial remarks, yet Lin Feiruo treated them as if they were important tasks.

The reason was simple: she was bidding a serious farewell.

Jian Xiyan understood this now, and it was no surprise. Indeed, the time for parting had come.

Seeing it this way, Lin Feiruo did not seem to entirely despise these past two years. Jian Xiyan’s mood lightened slightly.

However, once they arrived at the mansion, the people there would have more complicated relationships and statuses compared to Aunt Shu and Uncle Li.

Jian Xiyan felt the need to remind Lin Feiruo, so she wouldn’t keep performing the same farewell scene at the mansion.

“Click!”

A sudden crisp sound broke the silence in the car, sharp and decisive, like the blade of a guillotine cutting to the end.

Lin Feiruo looked up, only to see a carbon-black, golden-threaded partition being lowered and locked in place.

A delicate, jade-like hand quickly withdrew before she had a chance to fully register what had happened.

“I have something to discuss with you,” the voice came, cold and serious.

Lin Feiruo straightened her back instinctively, her hands placed neatly on her lap, like a well-behaved student caught daydreaming during class.

Jian Xiyan suddenly recalled the contrast between Lin Feiruo’s serious expression now and her slightly puffed cheeks when she was eating noodles earlier. The difference was almost comical.

Realizing she was about to smile, Jian Xiyan swiftly suppressed it, instead tightening her lips.

Lin Feiruo raised an eyebrow. What could be so important that it required such preparation?

Jian Xiyan noticed they had been making eye contact more frequently today. She slightly tilted her head.

“There’s only Aunt Two at the mansion today,” Jian Xiyan said calmly, each word measured and deliberate. “Uncle Two’s flight is tomorrow afternoon, and Xiao Min will be a day late.”

It was clear now: the others at the mansion were not all present. Lin Feiruo relaxed a bit. “Alright, I understand.”

Jian Xiyan’s fingers tapped lightly on her leg. “I don’t want them to notice anything, so…”

She looked back at Lin Feiruo.

Lin Feiruo, whose memories of Jian Xiyan and the original owner returning to the mansion were faint, realized this moment was more important than she had anticipated.

Whether it was a lack of recollection or truly rare visits, all she needed to know now was what Jian Xiyan expected from her this time.

“So... act like you’re still in love?” Lin Feiruo asked, her tone slightly uncertain.

Jian Xiyan pressed her lips together, completely unprepared for Lin Feiruo to say this.

Before the divorce, Lin Feiruo rarely played the role of being affectionate, and Jian Xiyan had never asked for much—just that others believe their relationship was stable. It didn’t need to be overly sweet or romantic.

But now that they were divorced, what did this mean? Was Lin Feiruo toying with her?

Jian Xiyan maintained her indifferent tone. “Just act like you always have.”

She spoke without much confidence. Something about Lin Feiruo now made her feel unsure. Was this a deliberate act, or was it something else entirely?

“And don’t show any signs of farewell.”

Lin Feiruo, now fully relaxed, had initially thought the extra days were meant to create more of a ritualistic farewell. It seemed, however, she had misunderstood Jian Xiyan's intentions.

“Uncle Two said he hasn’t had dinner with us in a long time, and he wants to see you. So, just focus on getting through that dinner in the next three days.”

Just a dinner. Lin Feiruo started a three-day countdown in her mind.

The mansion was located in an old villa district in Huhai City, where most of the residents were from families that had been wealthy for several generations. Although only twenty minutes away from the bustling downtown, the area was extraordinarily quiet.

Lin Feiruo wore a simple, plain white T-shirt that day. Her height of 1.72 meters, coupled with her slim waist and long legs, made her naturally fresh and vibrant, even without any deliberate effort at dressing up.

Jian Xiyan, slightly shorter but wearing high heels, stood beside her, and there wasn’t much difference in their height.

Today, she wore a white shirt that was more casual than yesterday’s business-style one. Her long hair was pinned up, but it wasn’t as formal as yesterday. She didn’t wear earrings, but her small, translucent ear lobes glowed with a soft radiance.

As they entered, the sound of footsteps approached them. Even before the sound of footsteps reached them, the compliments had already arrived.

“I knew it! You two must be in love. You come back for dinner, and you’re wearing matching outfits!”

Aunt Two, Yu Shuyi, approached with a beaming smile, clearly having been waiting for a while.

Lin Feiruo glanced down at her outfit, then subtly looked at Jian Xiyan, who was quietly changing her shoes. Aside from both wearing white, she couldn’t find anything that could prove this was a couple’s outfit.

From Jian Xiyan’s composed response, it was clear this was not the first time.

Lin Feiruo smiled and nodded at Yu Shuyi, greeting her with a soft “Aunt Two.”

Yu Shuyi looked well-preserved, her skin tight and radiant, exuding a soft, graceful aura, very much embodying the image of a pampered woman from a wealthy family.

However, as Lin Feiruo’s hazy memory became clearer, she couldn’t help but look at the woman with a little more focus.

Yu Shuyi, the wife of Jian Xiyan's Uncle Two, Jian Shenyao, and mother of Jian Xiaomin, had been a well-known pianist in her youth.

She had been moved by Jian Shenyao’s ardent pursuit during her global tour and had retired early at the peak of her career to marry and have a child.

She was, without a doubt, a romantic.

This wasn’t just Lin Feiruo’s evaluation; the book had described it the same way. She had blindly believed in her husband’s sweet words, leading to a disastrous end.

She was falsely accused of infidelity, divorced, and even her daughter became ashamed of her. Eventually, she turned to Buddhism for solace.

Lin Feiruo now understood why she didn’t feel any awkwardness despite the dissonant praise Yu Shuyi had just given them.

Yu Shuyi truly believed it. Her eyes sparkled with faith in love, and in her view, everything she saw was true love.

Lin Feiruo sighed quietly. Since she had chosen to lock her away in a dream, why had she chosen to break it herself?

Good dreams are easy to wake from, but even easier to shatter.

Suddenly, Lin Feiruo remembered the wish she had made, wondering whether it could be called a beautiful dream. If it shattered, would it mean Jian Xiyan would discover her true identity and come to collect a debt?

Jian Xiyan had already changed into slippers. When she saw Lin Feiruo still standing there, her expression full of complexity, she realized they were in the mansion now and couldn’t afford to act casually.

She walked up to Lin Feiruo, speaking in a low voice, “Here, keep your wits about you.”

Now that Jian Xiyan was out of her high heels, she was about five centimeters shorter than Lin Feiruo. They stood very close together, and Lin Feiruo nearly leaned in, her lips almost touching Jian Xiyan’s.

Lin Feiruo snapped out of her thoughts, almost brushing against her lips.

The tension in the air made her breathing a bit heavier, and Jian Xiyan could hear it too, her heart missing a beat.

Yu Shuyi had walked ahead and noticed they had not kept up, so she turned back.

Seeing them so close together, whispering, she couldn’t help but laugh again.

“Is this what it’s like to be in love? Why talk about sweet nothings right now?”

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