Imperial Capital International Airport.
Three figures emerged from the VIP channel, looking somewhat fatigued after nearly a day and night of flying.
The foremost figure, a man in a dark gray suit, sported a pair of silver-rimmed glasses that concealed his deep eyes. His lips were lightly pursed, revealing a perfect jawline. Despite the weariness, his aura commanded admiration from those around him.
However, his aloof demeanor deterred many admirers from approaching, even though they were initially inclined to seek his attention.
He Zho followed closely behind his boss, holding a newly activated phone, his face showing signs of inner conflict.
As an all-purpose assistant, he was meticulous in his work and also needed to keep track of his boss's personal affairs.
However, upon turning on his phone, he was greeted with an entertainment news notification. Initially intending to dismiss it, he was intrigued by a familiar name and clicked on it.
That's when he saw news of his boss's nominal wife being hospitalized due to an injury.
The reason he referred to her as nominal was because he genuinely didn't know how to evaluate the relationship between his boss and his boss's wife.
Despite having a legitimate marriage certificate, they hadn't held a wedding or lived together. His boss's actions seemed like a mere formality to satisfy their elders.
What puzzled him most was that the Imperial Capital was teeming with wealthy young ladies and socialites. As long as his boss nodded, there would be no shortage of individuals willing to become Mrs. Shen in military, political, or commercial circles.
However, his boss chose to take a different path, entering the entertainment industry and finding a relatively unknown starlet solely for her looks.
Moreover, he had never seen his boss show any interest or concern for his nominal wife. Now he wasn't sure whether he should report this news.
"What's the matter? Just say it," Shen Yunqing said without turning around, sensing his assistant's hesitation.
Seeing this, He Zho quickly stepped forward, clearing his mind of distractions, and swiftly reported, "Boss, I just stumbled upon an entertainment news article. It says... your wife, she's been injured and hospitalized."
Before he could finish speaking, his hand was empty.
He looked up to see his phone had been transferred to the hand of the other wrist wearing a discreet watch, and his boss was now looking down at the phone screen, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Change course. Let's not go back to the mansion. Go to the hospital first."
Imperial Capital Third Hospital.
Outside the ward, a commotion was followed by silence in the corridor.
Lu Zhenzhen, playing games with her phone on silent mode, noticed something amiss and looked up towards the ward's entrance. After a moment's thought, she stood up and walked over to open the door, wanting to see what was happening outside.
Shen Yunqing, who was about to knock on the door, paused as he lowered his eyes to meet the wide-eyed gaze of the young woman in front of him.
"Hello," Lu Zhenzhen couldn't help but swallow nervously before finding her voice, "Sir, may I ask..."
Before she could finish the phrase 'who are you looking for', a hand reached out and pulled her aside.
Turning her head to look, she saw the solemn and cautious expression on Tong Yue's face.
"Mr. Shen, Zhenzhen is Ms. Xiaoxi's assistant. She joined not long ago and is now responsible for taking care of Ms. Xiaoxi. She's been looking after her when I'm not around."
Shen Yunqing nodded politely. "Thank you both."
"You're welcome, please come in."
Lu Zhenzhen watched in astonishment as the man who had left her speechless just a moment ago entered the ward she had just exited. She then cautiously glanced at the two equally imposing men in suits standing outside the ward before whispering, "Ms. Tong, Xiaoxi has just fallen asleep."
"If she's asleep, then let her rest."
"What about that person just now...?" Lu Zhenzhen couldn't help but scratch her head in frustration; she needed to know more!
Seeing that she didn't have to face Mr. Shen directly, Tong Yue regained her usual confidence. "It's normal that you don't know. The person you just saw is Xiaoxi's husband."
"Husband!"
Lu Zhenzhen covered her mouth to stifle her gasp, worried that she might have just broadcasted her surprise to the entire corridor. "Xiaoxi is married?"
When it came to her artist's marriage, Tong Yue was also at a loss. "She's registered as married, but as for the rest—why they got married and who Mr. Shen really is—I suggest you don't inquire."
"Why not?"
Tong Yue shrugged helplessly. "Because even I don't know."
When Jiang Lingxi suddenly informed her that she was married, it was like a bolt from the blue for Tong Yue.
Afterward, Tong Yue had considered investigating who Jiang Lingxi's partner was. However, she soon discovered that Jiang Lingxi's marriage seemed like a sham. Apart from a marriage certificate and a complimentary house, there was no trace of the rumored spouse.
After gathering some information about Mr. Shen through various channels, Tong Yue suspected that there was more to this marriage than met the eye.
How could their mischievous artist possibly be suitable for such a person!
Moreover, this was the second time she had seen Mr. Shen!
Each time, she was first captivated by his appearance, but then overwhelmed by his presence. Despite sensing that he was trying to tone it down, she couldn't help feeling nervous every time.
Lu Zhenzhen: "..."
She couldn't help but silently review every moment from when she started following Jiang Lingxi until now.
As her personal assistant, she had installed security measures at Jiang Lingxi's residence. She frequently visited to deliver meals, clothes, and other items, and sometimes helped with cleaning and laundry.
Yet, in the past six months, she hadn't noticed any signs of a man's presence at Lingxi's residence.
Furthermore, Lingxi had never mentioned being married.
So, what kind of marriage was this!
Thinking about it, she couldn't help glancing at the door separating the room from the corridor, wishing she had X-ray vision to see how those two interacted.
On the other side, He Zho was equally curious.
He had always believed that his boss didn't care about his wife. It was understandable if there was no concern in their daily lives; they were both busy professionals in their respective fields. But given the Shen family's status in the industry, even a casual mention from his boss would have helped his wife's career in the entertainment industry.
However, with his wife injured, his boss had ignored his exhaustion from the journey and headed straight to the hospital to visit her, leaving He Zho uncertain.
So, what exactly were this couple up to?
In reality, the room was quieter than they imagined.
Surrounded by a calm and peaceful atmosphere, free from worries about national affairs, combined with the effects of medication, Jiang Lingxi slept deeper than ever. She didn't even notice when someone quietly took a seat in the chair next to her bed.
When Shen Yunqing entered and saw her asleep, he made no attempt to wake her. Instead, he sat quietly, watching her sleep peacefully.
One person slept soundly, while the other watched intently, maintaining an eerie harmony between them.
After a while, Shen Yunqing stood up slowly, removed his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose to relieve fatigue, put them back on, took a step forward, and hesitated to reach out and lightly touch the person's cheek on the bed.
But when his fingertip was about a centimeter away from her slightly upturned nose, he withdrew his hand.
Without hesitation, he turned and left.
No matter how similar they looked, she was not her!