Chapter 25: Examination

Ji Fengxue was at a loss for words, thinking to herself that this girl really knows how to ruin the atmosphere.

The audience, however, was amused by their interaction. How could Xia Linxia, who was so unromantic, have managed to win over an actress? They were eager to learn her ways!

The host laughed as well, saying, “Today is not only a surprise appearance by Ji Fengxue but also a reunion of Miss Dream! Yuran, you probably haven’t seen each other for a while, right? What did you think of Linxia’s performance just now?”

Everyone looked towards Xiao Yuran and Fu Xiaoxuan. Xiao Yuran nodded and smiled, “Yes, it’s been a while since we’ve met. Everyone has been busy. But Linxia has always been amazing. Watching her performance just now was very touching, especially the ending… Linxia, you were great. Keep it up.”

“It’s rare to see Miss Dream together. How about a little performance for everyone?” The host turned to the audience, “What do you all think? Should they?”

The audience’s response was overwhelmingly positive.

Thus, Xiao Yuran and Fu Xiaoxuan joined Xia Linxia on stage, standing beside her.

Ji Fengxue turned her head and exchanged a glance with Xiao Yuran, both smiling at each other.

Ji Fengxue was about to say something when she felt a sharp gaze. Looking down at Xia Linxia, she saw a warning look in her eyes and couldn’t help but laugh.

Mission accomplished, Ji Fengxue stepped down from the stage and returned to her seat, watching the three perform. Xia Linxia sat in a chair, Xiao Yuran and Fu Xiaoxuan standing on either side, and they sang their group’s hit song.

[This scene is so touching! Looking forward to a full Miss Dream reunion!]

[This is satisfying for the fans! Despite past conflicts, seeing them sing together still moves me, as they were the first girl group I followed.]

[I’m tempted to become a fan of this group, but they’ve disbanded!]

[Xia Linxia and Xiao Yuran seem to get along well. Could past conflicts have been fabricated?]

[Please, the conflicts were real. Xia Linxia used to criticize Xiao Yuran in interviews.]

[Maybe it was overinterpreted. Xia Linxia’s persistence in finishing her performance impressed me. She doesn’t seem like a schemer, just a bit outspoken.]

[No matter what, her talent gives her confidence to speak out.]

[What moved me most was Ji Fengxue’s cheer. I want someone to cheer for me when I’m hurt too!]

[Their bond is enviable! It made me cry!]

At this moment, while singing, Xia Linxia suddenly turned her head and stared at Ji Fengxue.

The audience around Ji Fengxue immediately became excited: “Here, here, look here! Your wife is right here!”

[Oh my God, that look! I’m swooning!]

[What a beautiful love! You cheer for me, and I gaze deeply at you. It’s dog food everywhere!]

[So clever, so clever. Is she singing or expressing love?]

[Everyone, let’s get this trending! See you on the hot searches!]

Xia Linxia was indeed looking at Ji Fengxue, but she was checking to see if Ji Fengxue was sneaking glances at Xiao Yuran. If she dared to do that in front of so many people, she would definitely get a scolding.

Thankfully, Ji Fengxue behaved herself, not once looking at Xiao Yuran, instead making a small heart gesture towards Xia Linxia with her thumb and forefinger.

“…” Xia Linxia turned back, smiling as she sang. After a moment, she couldn’t help but turn back to check again. Ji Fengxue made another heart gesture.

[Xia Linxia is struggling to contain her smile.]

[You two, enough already! I can’t handle any more of this dog food!]

[Ah, it’s so sweet, I’m hooked! Summer Season is real!]

[I’m one of the original shippers of Summer Season! I always thought they were perfect together! My life’s peak is shipping this CP. It’s so sweet, I can’t function!]

Ji Fengxue didn’t know what the girl was looking at, but each time she glanced over, Ji Fengxue would respond with encouragement. It seemed to work; Xia Linxia’s voice was full of joy.

Such a reckless person.

She smiled.

After the song, the host chatted with the three for a bit, playing on emotions before moving on to the next segment.

Xiang Huaimeng and several staff members helped Xia Linxia down from the stage, where medical personnel were waiting. After an examination, they confirmed no fractures, but she had sprains and bruises, making movement difficult.

As soon as the alcohol wipe touched her wound, Xia Linxia screamed like a pig being slaughtered, completely abandoning any semblance of composure.

Xiang Huaimeng, both worried and amused, said, “Miss Artist, please control your facial expressions. There may be fewer people now, but you can’t give up on expression management.”

Xia Linxia pounded on the table, howling, “You try it! It hurts so much! If I hadn’t saved the performance with all my might, you’d be getting scolded right now!”

“Yes, yes, you’re right. You’ve worked hard. Go ahead and shout as much as you want. If anyone dares to say your goddess image is ruined in private, I’ll take care of them.” Xiang Huaimeng patted her back, comforting her.

Xia Linxia took a deep breath, feeling a bit of relief from the pain, but then she started to feel scared again. “Gosh, that was the most humiliating moment of my life! How could I be so embarrassed!”

“It’s not embarrassing. Your recovery at the end was perfect! And it wasn’t your fault; it was the shoes.” Xiang Huaimeng continued to console her. “I told you those shoes were too high and prone to issues. Don’t worry, everyone saw it wasn’t your mistake. Didn’t you hear them all cheering for you?”

At the mention of this, Xia Linxia suddenly smiled, feeling a bit proud. “That’s true, hehe. They were all chanting my name, just my name. That feels so good.”

“Yes, it turned into an impromptu concert!” Xiang Huaimeng was also excited. “And when Ms. Ji called your name, I couldn’t help but scream! Ah, Ms. Ji is so great, so cool! Hey, where is Ms. Ji?”

Xia Linxia looked around but didn’t see her. She pouted, thinking to herself that Ji Fengxue, being an actress, was great at showing affection on stage but disappeared off stage.

“Shall I go look for her?” Xiang Huaimeng suggested.

“Why look for her? She’s a grown woman, she won’t get lost,” Xia Linxia huffed. It was obvious who Ji Fengxue had gone to see. She sighed, speaking earnestly, “Ah, love is a strong wine. Anyone who drinks it gets drunk, and Ji Fengxue is no exception. It’s foolish to throw away a bright future for love.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiang Huaimeng patted her shoulder, signaling her to be quiet and pointed towards the door.

She looked over and saw Ji Fengxue talking to someone outside. She didn’t know how long they had been there or how much they had heard. But she didn’t mind if Ji Fengxue heard her advice.

She actually felt quite sorry for Ji Fengxue.

When they first met, Ji Fengxue had just become the new actress on the rise, young and promising. Unfortunately, she was often reckless in love, frequently dropping other engagements to see Xiao Yuran. The opportunities she missed were during times when her popularity could have surged, so gradually, her fame wasn’t what it could have been.

If Xiao Yuran liked her, it would have been fine. But clearly, Xiao Yuran had many male suitors and never lacked attention. Although Xiao Yuran rarely dated, Xia Linxia had no good feelings towards someone who kept others in suspense.

She and Xiao Yuran just didn’t get along, so she also disliked those blindly pursuing Xiao Yuran, especially those who lost themselves in the process.

However, after spending time with Ji Fengxue recently, she felt that Ji Fengxue wasn’t just a love-struck fool; she had great wisdom. At least, considering how she never managed to bully her successfully and often got outsmarted, Ji Fengxue was definitely smart!

Yes, that’s it. It couldn’t be that she’s just dumb!

“Who is she talking to?” she asked Xiang Huaimeng, just as Ji Fengxue looked towards them.

She got startled, immediately clutching her back and pretending to cry in pain. “Ow, ow, it hurts!”

Ji Fengxue looked away.

Xia Linxia breathed a sigh of relief, sneakily peeking outside at the person in the shadows, then saw Ji Fengxue and a middle-aged man walking away.

It wasn’t Xiao Yuran!

Wow, she didn’t go to Xiao Yuran given such a good chance. Why not?

Curious, she asked her manager, “Why didn’t she go find Xiao Yuran?”

“Because Xiao Yuran is still on stage. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t,” Xiang Huaimeng answered straightforwardly.

Xia Linxia: “…” Oh, got it!

Meanwhile, Ji Fengxue didn’t chat for long before moving on, saying, “As you saw, even though Linxia finished the performance, her injuries are not minor.”

The man, sweating, nodded, his tone weak. “Yes, yes, we bear some responsibility.”

“If it was her own mistake, her body would be aware, but obviously, she didn’t expect this to happen.” Ji Fengxue said calmly, “When I went on stage, I glanced at the shoes the staff picked up. The heel was cracked, the cut uneven, clearly tampered with.”

The man, the show’s planner, knew this was serious and promised a thorough investigation.

They entered the surveillance room and called a few more people to review the footage from the dressing room. Starting from before the performance, they rewound the footage. It didn’t take long to find a suspect.

A girl with a staff badge walked in, rummaged around, then took the performance outfit and left.

“Was this for Linxia to try on?” the planner asked.

Ji Fengxue frowned. “No, rewind further. The shoes seem to disappear.”

They rewound again, and sure enough, they saw the shoes disappearing with the outfit, likely hidden by the clothes and switched.

“Check which department she’s from,” the planner ordered, then looked awkwardly at Ji Fengxue. “We will give an explanation for this. All of Xia Linxia’s medical expenses will be covered by us, and we’ll handle the follow-up press releases.”

Ji Fengxue looked at him indifferently.

Soon, the girl was brought in, clueless about the situation. “What’s going on?”

The planner pointed at the footage. “Did you tamper with Xia Linxia’s shoes?”

“No, I was just told to bring them for her to try on,” the girl said.

“Who told you?” Ji Fengxue pressed.

“Fu Xiaoxuan. She said Xia Linxia was unhappy with the outfit.”

Ji Fengxue and the planner exchanged looks, each calculating their next move.

Outside, the show had ended, and the new girl group was performing their debut dance. Passing through backstage, Ji Fengxue didn’t feel uplifted by the cheerful atmosphere, but rather, weighed down.

She knocked on the door and saw Xiang Huaimeng struggling to help Xia Linxia stand up. She pushed the wheelchair she had brought over. “Sit in this. Let’s go to the hospital for a thorough check-up.”

Xia Linxia was taken aback. “Where did you just go?”

“I borrowed a wheelchair from the show crew.” Ji Fengxue helped support her as she sat down, then pulled Xiang Huaimeng aside and whispered, “I’ll take her to the hospital first. You can go to the program team and get the details sorted. They’re responsible for this, so see if you can negotiate any terms. Get as much as you can.”

Xiang Huaimeng looked at her gratefully. “Thank you. I’ve been so overwhelmed. I’ll go get the details now and give Linxia and Mr. Jiang an explanation.”

Xia Linxia, sitting in the wheelchair, felt a bit ignored and was about to complain when Xiang Huaimeng left.

“Hey, where are you going?”

Without turning back, Xiang Huaimeng said, “I’m going to the program team. Let Ms. Ji take you to the hospital.”

“…”

Xia Linxia glanced at Ji Fengxue and then quickly looked away, turning her head in another direction.

“Let’s go. We’ll get an X-ray at the hospital to check the injury.” Ji Fengxue pushed the wheelchair out, with Xia Linxia’s assistant following with the bags.

The program team arranged a car for them, but getting in was tricky. Xia Linxia sat like a lord, looking at the car and saying, “How am I supposed to get in? Don’t you have a ramp to push me up?”

Ji Fengxue walked in front of her and opened her arms. “Come on, I’ll carry you.”

Xia Linxia instinctively said, “No need.”

“Then you can climb up yourself?”

Hearing this, Xia Linxia immediately spread her arms. “Fine, carry me. Let’s see if I crush you!”

Of course, carrying her wasn’t done alone. The assistant carefully supported her from behind, and with the help of the staff around, Ji Fengxue managed to lift her up.

Xia Linxia put her whole weight on her and tugged her ear. “Am I heavy? Tell me, am I heavy?”

Ji Fengxue: “Heavy as hell.”

“Dare to say I’m heavy? You won’t make it home tonight!”

“Mhm.” Ji Fengxue responded perfunctorily, straining to put her in the seat. Once the wheelchair and bags were loaded, they headed to the hospital.

As soon as they sat down, Xia Linxia put her injured leg on Ji Fengxue’s lap. “Massage it.”

“…” Ji Fengxue took a deep breath, reminding herself that this was an injured person… an incredibly infuriating injured person.

“Hurry up. So many people are watching. Your girlfriend is in pain, and you’re being cold-hearted? Be careful, or you’ll lose fans.” Xia Linxia urged gleefully.

Ji Fengxue glanced around at the “so many people,” which were just the driver, the assistant, and two program staff members.

“Where does it hurt?” she asked.

“My leg.” Xia Linxia pointed to her knee and thigh, pouting pitifully. “It really hurts.”

The knee was tricky to massage, so Ji Fengxue looked at the bruises on her thigh, sighed, and warmed her hands with her breath.

Xia Linxia was startled. “What are you doing? Spitting?”

“…” Ji Fengxue ignored her and gently massaged the bruised area with her warm hands.

After a while, Xia Linxia let out a moan. “Ah… don’t stop, keep going, that’s the right pressure, it feels so good.”

Ji Fengxue: “…”

Others: “…” We heard nothing weird!

After getting an X-ray at the hospital and confirming no fractures, they all felt relieved. They collected some topical ointments and prepared to head home. At the hospital entrance, they lifted Xia Linxia back into the car and put the wheelchair in the trunk. Just as they closed the door, another car pulled up.

Seeing the familiar license plate, Ji Fengxue’s heart skipped a beat, and she stood still, watching.

Moments later, Xiao Yuran got out of the car and rushed over. “I just finished work. How is Linxia? Is she alright?”

“No serious harm,” Ji Fengxue replied.

Xiao Yuran, half a head shorter than her, looked up and smiled. “That’s good. I was worried it might be serious.”

“Thank you for coming all the way here.” Ji Fengxue smiled softly.

Xiao Yuran smiled back. “We’ve known each other for so many years, and now she’s your girlfriend. I had to come and check on her.”

In the car, Xia Linxia waited for a while but didn’t see anyone coming. Turning around, she saw them chatting and laughing.

She leaned out the car door and shouted, “Are we leaving or what?”

“Wait a minute. I need to talk to her,” Ji Fengxue replied, then led Xiao Yuran to a corner, hesitating to speak.

Xiao Yuran’s smile deepened. “Do you remember the last time you looked like this?”

Ji Fengxue was distracted and answered, “At your house, before I confessed.”

Xiao Yuran chuckled and looked into her eyes. “What do you want to say now?”

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Go ahead,” Xiao Yuran nodded.

Ji Fengxue hesitated. “I shouldn’t interfere with your friendships, but Fu Xiaoxuan has a heavy heart. You shouldn’t get too close to her.”

Xiao Yuran was puzzled. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”

“Today’s incident with Linxia was her doing. I don’t know if she might harm you too, but it’s best to avoid people like her.” Ji Fengxue advised.

Xiao Yuran was surprised by her nickname. “Linxia?”

“Yes,” Ji Fengxue said. “Is there a problem?”

Xiao Yuran shook her head, staring at her. “No.”

“I trust you can judge for yourself.” Ji Fengxue smiled, patting her shoulder. “Go back now. I’ll take her home.”

“Ji Fengxue!”

Suddenly, a furious shout came from not far away, startling Ji Fengxue. She turned to see Xia Linxia sticking her head out. “Get back here right now!”

Ji Fengxue rubbed her forehead. “…”

Xiao Yuran couldn’t help but ask, “Are you okay? Is it alright being with her?”

Ji Fengxue laughed indifferently. “It’s fine. You should find a boyfriend quickly. I see your ex has already changed several times.”

“I…” Xiao Yuran bit her lip, looking into her eyes and then at Xia Linxia in the distance. A terrifying thought suddenly crossed her mind. “What if I…”

“Ji, Feng, Xue,” Xia Linxia called out, emphasizing each word. “I’ll count to three. If you’re not back here, this car is going to run over both of you.”

“Coming,” Ji Fengxue resigned herself to this little princess’s temper. But now, the injured person was the priority. She looked apologetically at Xiao Yuran. “I have to go. We’ll talk next time. Goodbye.” She then jogged back to the car.

Xiao Yuran stood there, watching the car drive away, her emotions flickering in her eyes as a wave of bitterness welled up in her heart.

The atmosphere in the car was tense. No one dared to make a sound, especially the program staff. It seemed the rumors about Xia Linxia’s bad temper and poor relationship with Xiao Yuran were true.

Just because Ji Fengxue spoke a few more words with Xiao Yuran, Xia Linxia got so jealous. This relationship seemed difficult to manage.

When they arrived home, only Ji Fengxue and the assistant helped Xia Linxia into the house.

As they reached the door, they saw Xia Linxia’s parents standing outside. As soon as they saw them, Xia Linxia’s mother ran over, her eyes red from crying.

“Xiao Bao! Xiao Bao, how are you? I saw the show and it scared us to death! Are you hurt? Let us take a look.”

“I’m fine.” Xia Linxia stood up from the wheelchair, forcing a smile, and even tried to do some exercises to prove it.

“Let’s talk inside,” her father said steadily.

Once inside, the assistant left, and the usually calm father immediately showed a different expression. “Xiao Bao, baby, are you hurt? Did you go to the hospital? What did the doctor say? Why are you in a wheelchair? Is your leg broken?!”

Xia Linxia’s face darkened. “I’m fine. The wheelchair is just convenient, and I didn’t want to walk.”

“Xiao Bao, don’t hide things from us,” her mother cautioned.

Xia Linxia secretly signaled her. “Don’t call me Xiao Bao.”

“We’re family. Why can’t we call you that?” her mother said. “We still call your brother Da Bao at home.”

Xia Linxia replied, “That’s why your allowance is so little.”

Her parents: Shocked! So that’s why!

Ji Fengxue smiled slightly and said, “Uncle, Auntie, here’s her ointment. I’ll be leaving now. See you next time.”

Xia Linxia’s mother looked bewildered. “Where are you going? Aren’t you living together?”

Both of them were stunned.

Xia Linxia’s eyes widened. “Why would we live together?!”

“You’ve been dating for so long,” her mother said earnestly. “We wouldn’t oppose you living together or having pre-marital relations.”

Ji Fengxue: “…”

Xia Linxia’s eyes continued to widen. “It’s not been that long! We’ve only been… not long!”

“Xiao Bao, tell me honestly.” Her mother suddenly crouched down and whispered in her ear, “Is it because you said Xiao Xue wasn’t good, so you’re not living together? You can’t be like that. Heartless girls don’t end well.”

Xia Linxia’s eyes practically popped out of their sockets, her soul beginning to leave her body. Weakly, she said, “Mom, do you know why a secret is called a secret? Because you can’t say it loudly; that’s why it’s called a secret!”

Ji Fengxue heard every word clearly and looked at Xia Linxia with deep meaning, making Xia Linxia wish she could hide in Xia Wudi’s turtle shell.

“I’m not good?” Ji Fengxue said slowly. “Xiao Bao, have you tried?”