novelraw Chapter 25 Take Care of Yourself
Chapter 25 Take Care of Yourself
The news spread like wildfire, instantly igniting the entire internet.
The hashtag #LingxueFoodPoisoning# was immediately followed by #Yunyuji#. Lingxue's massive fan base instantly erupted, their anger and worry surging like a tidal wave, heading straight for Yunyuji, which had just trended on social media because of their idol's recommendation.
The comment section was quickly flooded with various speculations and accusations:
[Recommended at noon, ended up in the hospital by evening! There must be something wrong with the ingredients at Yun Yu Ji!]
I heard that Yunyuji's original master craftsmen were all poached by Songyuji, and now they're only using inferior products!
That road is being demolished; the water source must have been polluted! It doesn't taste the same anymore. Those unscrupulous businesses!
My friend works at the Industry and Commerce Bureau, and they've already received a report. Just wait for the raid!
Some more extreme fans even took action.
Some people went to the entrance of Yun Yu Ji to protest with signs that read the shocking words "Black shop harms people";
The business complaint hotline was overwhelmed with calls; reservations that were originally booked until next week, which were incredibly full in the afternoon, suddenly turned into a flurry of cancellation notices, and even previously confirmed orders were being declined by phone.
In just a few hours, Yunyuji went from being a highly sought-after brand to becoming the target of public criticism.
Lu Xiran stared at the constant stream of messages popping up on her phone and the faint noise coming from the doorway, her fingers growing cold. She forced herself to calm down, clicked on the most widely circulated photo of "Ling Xue being taken to the hospital," and zoomed in on the details—the ambulance sign, the blurred background features of the hospital corridor… She quickly searched her memory and identified a private hospital known for its VIP services.
She had to get there immediately, regardless of the outcome, to at least apologize in person and clarify the situation.
Just as she grabbed her bag to leave, Xie Si'an's car pulled up outside the store. He had clearly seen the news; his brow furrowed, he opened the car door and said, "Ranran, get in, I'll go with you."
Lu Xiran was in a state of confusion at the moment, but she did not refuse. She whispered, "Thank you, Brother Si'an," and got into the passenger seat.
Gu Yanshen's eyes suddenly turned icy as he looked at the combination of the keywords "Ling Xue", "Yun Yu Ji", and "food poisoning".
He knew Song Zhihe's—or rather, Ling Xue's—way of doing things all too well.
Without a moment's hesitation, he drove directly to Xue Jingyan's private hospital. He entered the VIP ward without any hindrance.
Ling Xue sat leaning against the headboard, her face pale and delicate, carefully made up. When she saw Gu Yanshen, a triumphant glint flashed in her eyes, which was then replaced by a deeper sense of grievance.
"It's too profound..." she said weakly.
"Immediately post a clarification on Weibo, explaining that your health condition has nothing to do with Yunyuji." Gu Yanshen cut to the chase without any pleasantries.
Ling Xue's eyelashes trembled, and she turned her face away: "I'm still very dizzy, and the doctor said I need to rest... Besides, my fans are just concerned about me. If I clarify things now, won't they think I'm covering for someone else?"
Gu Yanshen picked up the medical record on the table. "An allergic reaction?"
"It might be... I wasn't careful with what I ate, and I had a slight allergic reaction." Ling Xue lowered her eyelashes, looking pitiful. "It's an old problem."
"What did you eat that caused an allergic reaction?" Gu Yanshen's calm tone was unsettling.
Ling Xue pursed her lips, her voice even softer: "...Mango."
Gu Yanshen's eyes suddenly turned cold: "Did Xiran ask you about your dietary restrictions when ordering from Yunyuji's menu today?"
"She...she did ask." Ling Xue looked up at him, her tone full of self-blame and grievance, "But I forgot to mention...and how could there be mango in Yun Yu Ji's dishes? I didn't expect it either...Yan Shen, don't blame Miss Lu, she's really nice and warm, it was my own carelessness."
"Forgot to mention?" Gu Yanshen took a step forward, his tall figure bringing an invisible sense of oppression. "Song Zhihe, you've known since you were three years old that you have a severe allergy to mangoes, and you always carry anti-allergy medication with you. You would 'forget' your fatal taboo?"
Ling Xue's face paled, and she gripped the bedsheet tightly with her fingers: "You...you suspect that I deliberately framed her?" Tears streamed down her cheeks; her acting was superb, making her seem pitiful.
"From childhood to adulthood, every time you go out, your assistant, nutritionist, and even the hotel kitchen receive your three-page list of things you shouldn't eat. Besides, given the severity of your allergies, if you had actually eaten mango pomelo sago, you'd probably be in the ICU right now, right? Just a few small red rashes, it's really just the right amount of allergic reaction!"
Ling Xue's face paled even more, and she gripped the bed sheet tightly, but her voice became even more pitiful: "Do you really have to think of me like this?"
"Song Zhihe, your recommendation could bring Yunyuji back to life, but your 'food poisoning' could destroy it forever?" He took out his phone and pulled up the information Lin Chen had just sent: "Are you going to clarify things on Weibo yourself, or should I post the chat logs of those 'leaking bloggers' that your assistant contacted before you were hospitalized online?"
Ling Xue's crying stopped abruptly.
"...What do you want?" She finally dropped some of her pretense, her voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor and stubbornness.
"Immediately, right now, use your account to issue a statement explaining that you were aware of your mango allergy but failed to inform the restaurant due to personal negligence. All responsibility lies with you and has nothing to do with Yun Yu Ji's ingredients or hygiene. Also, demand that your followers cease any attacks." Gu Yanshen spoke slowly, but each word carried immense weight.
"What if I don't agree?" Ling Xue raised her head, her eyes filled with a desperate stubbornness. "Gu Yanshen, are you really going to be so heartless to me for a woman you've known for less than a month..."
"Depending on this won't be good for you. You knew you were allergic to mangoes, yet you still ate mango pomelo sago? Add to that your assistant's chat logs, and you don't want your perfect image to be tarnished, do you?"
Gu Yanshen continued, "Song Zhihe, my promise to you will not change, and I will always be grateful to you. However, it's impossible between us now." Gu Yanshen interrupted her, his voice completely flat, "Releasing a statement immediately."
After a few seconds of hesitation, tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, feeling both unwilling and aggrieved, and finally took out her phone. She edited a Weibo post with a gentle tone, stating that she was only allergic to mangoes, and that it was due to her own negligence in not informing the restaurant that she had dined there. She thanked everyone for their concern and reiterated her appreciation for the taste of Yun Yu Ji's dishes.
After clicking send, she looked at Gu Yanshen with a complicated expression: "Are you satisfied now? You've pushed me this far for her sake."
"Take care of yourself." He left those words behind and turned to leave the ward.
He took the elevator directly to the underground parking garage, and just as he reached his car, another elevator door opened with a "ding".
Lu Xiran and Xie Si'an came out.
Gu Yanshen's movements stopped instantly. He saw Lu Xiran's slightly red eyes, her face filled with anxiety and guilt, while Xie Si'an was slightly turned to the side, walking beside her in a protective posture, whispering something.
An unnamed anger suddenly surged into Gu Yanshen's heart.
He was here cleaning up her mess, while she... never thought of him and went to ask another man for help?
He gripped the car keys tightly, the metal edges digging painfully into his palm. But in the end, he simply kept a straight face, opened the car door, and got in.