Avian Flu?

“To hell with your avian flu!”

Shang Xinglu was almost breathless from the frustration caused by these women. She felt like she was about to spit out blood.

Lin Heng nearly couldn’t hold in his laughter.

He clenched his fist and covered his mouth, clearing his throat twice.

There was amusement in his eyes as he picked up his coat and said, “You all take your time talking, I’ll head to the company first.”

He placed the bowl down, grabbed his coat, and walked out.

The ladies noticed that Lin Heng was as clean and fresh as ever, not even wearing a mask.

Xue Shaoying couldn’t help but ask, “It’s not avian flu?”

Shang Xinglu shot back, “I might as well have African swine fever!”

The women were all wearing their face shields and protective gear, which completely covered their faces.

In the heat of summer, even with the air conditioning, it was stuffy, and worse still, none of these ladies would go out without makeup.

Even if it was just a tea gathering in their own yard, they’d still have to put on makeup.

With the mask trapping the heat and humidity, staying in it for long periods made them feel miserable and caused their makeup to melt.

At first, the women were considering removing their gear, thinking it wasn’t avian flu.

But when they heard Shang Xinglu’s “African swine fever,” their movements came to a halt.

They quickly put their gear back on with lightning speed.

Shang Xinglu: “…………”

Another round of them making fun of her, huh? Fine!

She sighed, realizing these were the “sisters” she was stuck with!

At that moment, the five or so women dressed like they were in simplified space suits surrounded Shang Xinglu’s bed, standing there.

Shang Xinglu: “…………”

This scene was even more unbearable than the earlier spider demon’s lair!

She could only sincerely say, “I assure you, I don’t have avian flu, and I don’t have African swine fever.”

The ladies: “Oh, I see.”

They looked at each other, then started to remove their protective gear.

First, they took off their goggles, then the large protective coats they wore, and when they were about to remove their gloves and masks, Shi Rui asked, “But you’re still sick, right?”

“Yeah.” Shang Xinglu replied dryly. After plunging into ice-cold water and then stepping back into the summer heat, could she not catch a cold?

Hearing this, the ladies quickly stepped back, not touching their masks or gloves anymore.

Shi Rui said, “Then we should keep our distance.”

Even the usually gentle Xue Shaoying added, “Better to keep a distance, better to keep a distance.”

Another one said, “Don’t get us infected.”

Shang Xinglu: “…………”

Are these people here to visit her?!

Ah!!!

So mad!!

The ladies all sat on the long couch at the door—the farthest from Shang Xinglu’s bed, yet directly facing her.

They looked at each other, then looked at her.

It was an awkward silence.

Shang Xinglu thought to herself, This is what “sisters” are like.

sisters? Yeah, right!

These are plastic sisters!!!

One of the plastic sisters, Xue Shaoying, immediately contributed some real gossip, instead of any “plastic” content.

“When we came into the hospital just now, we bumped into Shen Wang and Yin Yao in the courtyard.”

Of course, Shen Wang and Yin Yao had just left, and right after them, these plastic sisters arrived, so it wasn’t surprising that they ran into each other.

“Yes, yes, I saw them too…” Shi Rui added. “But I remember a while ago, these two were involved in some gossip?”

Shang Xinglu couldn’t help but scoff, “Yeah, and it was you who spread it.”

Shi Rui: “……”

Shi Rui coughed awkwardly. “Maybe I misunderstood back then. After looking closely over the past month, it doesn’t seem like there’s anything going on.”

Shang Xinglu was suddenly shocked.

Nothing’s going on?

Shen Wang and Yin Yao, how could there be nothing going on?

They were the male and female protagonists of the original story!

They were supposed to fall madly in love with each other and have a sweet and passionate relationship, eventually having a big, happy family!

Shang Xinglu couldn’t help but say, “Did you get it wrong?”

“This sort of thing, sister, you’re just too oblivious, my antennae are much more sensitive than yours, so don’t question me!” Shi Rui shot her a look. “Just now, when they were talking downstairs, it was totally professional, like a business meeting. Shen Wang even seemed a bit irritated. After they finished talking, they each got in their own cars and left.”

Shang Xinglu started to get anxious. “So, after they finished talking, they just left, what else could they do?”

Xue Shaoying understood what Shi Rui meant and explained, “It’s not about whether they left or not, it’s about the atmosphere. You know, when a man likes a woman or vice versa, their gestures and demeanor are completely different from when they have no romantic thoughts. Before, Yin Yao and Shen Wang might have had something going on, but now, it really doesn’t look like they do.”

At this point, Shang Xinglu’s voice became dry and hoarse, “But that’s not…”

Xue Shaoying narrowed her eyes. “You seem anxious, what’s going on? Are you still looking at your own bowl while eyeing the pot?”

Shi Rui also seemed to have figured it out. “Speaking of which, what was Shen Wang doing at the hospital?”

Shang Xinglu was in the hospital, and Shen Wang also came to the hospital? If that’s just a coincidence, then it’s a really big coincidence.

The women’s eyes turned into searchlights, trying to pierce through Shang Xinglu’s thoughts.

Shang Xinglu’s voice was still dry, “He came to see me.”

The women’s gazes suddenly became more charged with an ambiguous feeling.

Lin Heng had become so considerate, and now Shen Wang was also visiting Louise first thing in the morning due to her minor illness…

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Shang Xinglu again dryly said, “Yin Yao also came to see me.”

Her sisters: “…”

Shang Xinglu added, “She came with Shen Wang to visit me.”

Her sisters: “…………”

Together…

Alright! I take it back!

Shen Wang, that fool, likes the scheming Yin Yao!!!

At this moment, Shang Xinglu didn’t pay attention to her “plastic sister” group’s thoughts.

As she said this, she gradually began to understand some things.

Her cast had been removed, and there was about a month left until the deadline for her divorce in the original story.

It had been almost a month since the Lin family banquet.

If the original plot was followed, Lin Heng should already be in love with Yin Yao, and the relationship between Yin Yao and Shen Wang would also be progressing steadily.

Although they didn’t officially become a couple before Lin Heng and his wife’s divorce in the original story, it was clear that Shen Wang and Yin Yao had mutual affection and were probably in the ambiguous stage.

In the plastic sisters’ conversation, Shang Xinglu suddenly realized — while she had been focusing on the family bankruptcy and her divorce from Lin Heng, she had completely missed whether the male and female leads in the original plot… were progressing a bit slowly?

She couldn’t install a camera on Shen Wang and Yin Yao to know exactly how far they had gone, but as far as she and Lin Heng’s appearances in the original plot went, they had at least played their part, but the expected results hadn’t been achieved.

Shang Xinglu: “…………”

She took a deep breath.

She cupped her face, resembling the famous painting The Scream.

What… did I do?

Or rather, what did I not do enough of?!!!

Shang Xinglu buried her face in her hands. “I don’t understand… I really don’t understand…”

What did I do wrong???

Her actions were misunderstood by her friends.

Looking at Shang Xinglu’s bewildered expression, her friends thought:

Could it be that Yin Yao was holding hands with Shen Wang earlier, intentionally flaunting it?

While Shang Xinglu was lost in thought, her friends had already made a decision.

They… were going to make Yin Yao pay!

…

Yin Yao and Shen Wang were supposed to have a relationship, but no one really knew if it had started earlier.

They did indeed come downstairs together.

They did indeed talk before leaving.

But what they discussed wasn’t what Shang Xinglu or her friends imagined.

Yin Yao had just politely greeted Shen Wang and then proceeded to get into the car.

Shen Wang, however, called out to her.

He was in a state of disbelief, unsure if he had really come here. But in the hospital room, he found it even harder to believe what he had witnessed.

He wasn’t like Shang Xinglu, a naturally dense person who was oblivious to feelings unless they were explicitly stated.

He understood that girls who were close might greet each other or hold hands — that was normal.

He remembered once asking his cousin, who seemed to be isolated in high school, “What’s the big deal? Do you all go to the bathroom together too?”

His cousin had answered matter-of-factly, “Of course, shouldn’t we go together?”

Shen Wang: “…”

But this time, it was different.

He asked, “Yin Yao, I remember before you transferred schools in high school, you went to an all-girls school, right?”

Yin Yao: “Yes.”

Shen Wang: “I heard some rumors about your school back then…”

At this point, Yin Yao smiled.

It was a beautiful smile, but there was something darker in it this time.

Yin Yao replied, “Young Master Shen, we’re in 9102 now. Do you really think this could still be news? You can’t threaten me.”

Shen Wang was left speechless.

…Was that an implicit admission?

Yin Yao continued, “You should be thinking about Lin Heng. If he’s still around, what does that leave for us? Even if there is something between us, could you put Louise in a position where people would talk about her?”

Yin Yao added, “But compared to Edmond, I’d rather see Louise marry you.”

Shen Wang snorted.

He had always believed that it should’ve been him marrying Louise in the first place.

There had been some obstacles along the way, but it had nothing to do with Lin Heng!

Yin Yao stepped into the car, and with a slam of the door, she was ready to leave.

She noticed Shen Wang’s expression darkening, and as she recalled some gossip from two years ago, she paused and lowered the car window.

She said, “Because compared to Edmond, you’re definitely more my type to handle.”

Her smile was sweet and effortless, but her words were sharp as poison.

After saying this, she stepped on the accelerator and drove off.

In the hospital ward, Shang Xingyu and Xiao Zai, who should have left with Shen Wang and Yin Yao, were still in the ward.

They weren’t there just to queue up — they were really just passing through.

In fact, Shang Xingyu hadn’t even known his sister was hospitalized until Xiao Zai mentioned it earlier.

Today, Shang Xingyu and Xiao Zai had come to visit Xiao Zai’s father.

Xiao Zai’s father had been admitted to the ICU.

A critical condition notice had been issued last night.