After hearing Ling Chen recount what had just happened, Su Lin seemed to recall the incident. Rubbing the bruise on her forehead, she muttered, "I just wanted to take a bath, but who knew the floor was so slippery that I fell."
"Be more careful in the future, it’s fortunate that I was here this time. Alright, you just rest here, I’ll be back shortly after I step out for a moment."
Leaving the Nanrong Family’s residence, Ling Chen drove out of Wealthy Manor and went to a pharmacy on the street to purchase several boxes of cold medicine and fever reducers.
Back at home, he brought a warm cup of water to Su Lin’s bedside, "Here, take the medicine."
Su Lin obediently swallowed the medicine, her face flushed red as she looked at Ling Chen, seeming hesitant to speak.
"What’s the matter, something you don’t dare to say? That doesn’t seem like you, Lady Su," Ling Chen teased.
"That... did you... did you just give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"
Ling Chen touched his nose, privately thinking, ’Does this girl want to trouble me because I took her first kiss?’ Despite his thoughts, he replied, "Yes, is there a problem?"
Su Lin glanced at him, her eyes flitting away as she stammered, "No... no problem."
"Then rest well. I’ll be in the living room. Call me if you need anything."
As Ling Chen turned to leave, Su Lin hastily called out to him, "Don’t tell Wanqing about what happened today. If she knows, she will definitely scold me."
Ling Chen, nonchalant, nodded, "Got it."
At noon, Ling Chen stayed at home for lunch and planned to take a nap before heading back to the company to pick up Nanrong Wanqing. However, at this moment, Su Lin descended from upstairs, neatly dressed and lightly made up, looking ready to go out.
"You’re not well yet, where are you going?"
"I’m going to school."
Hearing this, Ling Chen looked at her with confusion and asked, "Why do you need to go to school? Is there a handsome guy waiting for you?"
"Definitely not, I don’t have eyes for any of the men there." Su Lin explained patiently, "Today, Tang Shiyun is back at school. She’s now a hot celebrity, and I missed her concert in Beijing last time. I can’t miss this chance again. Aren’t you acquainted with her? I asked you to come back because I wanted you to accompany me to school. With you there, we’ll certainly be able to see her."
So this girl insisted on going to school despite being sick, all for the sake of meeting Tang Shiyun.
Tsk, I must say, Tang Shiyun’s charm is indeed extraordinary, even Su Lin is smitten, turning into a crazy fan.
"Will you come with me, please?" Su Lin, fearful that Ling Chen would refuse, tugged at his hand, pleading.
"Alright, alright." Ling Chen had no other choice but to agree due to her persistence.
"Yay!" Su Lin was all smiles with excitement.
Once they were in the car, Su Lin couldn’t resist her curiosity and asked, "How close are you with Tang Shiyun?"
"If you’re close, we could invite her to have dinner. Don’t worry, I’ll foot the bill, and you won’t have to pay a penny."
"I can’t promise that. Eh, why is she returning to East Sea University this time?"
"It seems like she’s here to take a leave of absence. She’s now the hottest star in the country, and everyone wants her for movies or reality shows; she doesn’t have time to come back to school. How did you get to know her?"
"We used to be neighbors."
Su Lin said enviously, "You’re so lucky."
Ling Chen shrugged, noncommittal.
Twenty minutes later, the two drove to East Sea University. Ling Chen parked the car on the side of the road, and as he looked at the exceedingly crowded university gate, he couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.
At this moment, the entrance to East Sea University was jam-packed with onlookers and numerous journalists and cameramen armed with their equipment. Even Tang Shiyun’s fan club had come out in full force, gathering together with homemade placards held high, bearing the words "I Love You" in large print—the scene was bubbling with excitement.
If it weren’t for the police officers who had been deployed to assist, the school’s security staff alone would have undoubtedly failed to hold back these frenzied fans.
Ling Chen was aware that Tang Shiyun was popular, but he hadn’t anticipated fame of this magnitude. A girl who had just turned eighteen reaching such heights was unprecedented, if not altogether unparalleled, in the country.
After getting out of the car, Ling Chen led Su Lin to the outskirts of the crowd to try entering the school. However, the entrance was completely blocked by the crowd, making it impossible to get through. Moreover, the police had set up a cordon, forbidding anyone from getting close to the gate.
Su Lin looked at Ling Chen with a plea for help, signaling him to think of a solution.
Ling Chen spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. There were too many people at the gate; even if they managed to squeeze through, the police would stop them. Plus, people were guarding the outside of the school wall to prevent anyone from climbing over into the school.
"Let’s just wait out here honestly."
Standing on the outside of the crowd, Ling Chen folded his arms and looked at the reporters guarding the entrance, chuckling, "This is quite the spectacle. It’s attracted even the reporters from the East Sea Daily." East Sea Daily was a publication focused on public welfare and never engaged in entertainment news, priding itself on earnestness. Besides that, he noticed that journalists from some provincial news stations had also arrived.
"Know what?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled.
"They’re not here to compete for entertainment headlines, but because of the suicide incident that happened a few days ago."
"A suicide incident? What suicide incident?" Ling Chen asked in surprise.
"It’s all because the fans are too crazy. After having his declarations of love rejected, one of them took it to the extreme," Su Lin said while walking to a nearby newsstand. She bought a newspaper and handed it to Ling Chen, "Read it for yourself."
Ling Chen couldn’t wait to unfold the newspaper and find the news about the fan’s suicide.
Halfway through reading, he found it unbearable to continue. The paper stated that a male fan in his twenties was insanely obsessed with Tang Shiyun, sending her a love letter each day to her company, and even repeatedly showing up where Tang Shiyun lived, waiting desperately in hopes that Tang Shiyun would accept his love.
After being rejected several times, the disheartened fan was overwhelmed with sorrow. After leaving a message on Weibo that looked suspiciously like a suicide note, he jumped off an overpass, ending his life.
Since the incident, neither Tang Shiyun’s company nor she herself had made any statements, which was why all major media outlets were eager to nab the headline and secure an interview with Tang Shiyun for her comments on the matter.
Ling Chen shook his head. It was clear that the incident wasn’t Tang Shiyun’s fault—the fan was the one who had been unreasonably infatuated, not cherishing his own life.
As he pondered, the noise at the school gate grew louder, with the police and school security beginning to clear the area.
At the same time, a stretched Lincoln slowly drove out from inside the school. Immediately, all fans and reporters rushed forward, encircling the Lincoln Sedan.
Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out. Ling Chen looked up just in time to see the glass of the Lincoln’s window shatter.
Following that, an arm reached out from the crowd, holding up a beer bottle that had been lit, and threw it into the car through the window.
In a flash, towering flames erupted from inside the car, instantly forcing the surrounding crowd to retreat.