Upon hearing that Mu Linjing's injuries were not limited to her face, Wei Yumeng's heart sank. "Doctor, please explain more clearly, what do you mean by chemical burns?"
The doctor was direct. "Sulfuric acid burns, caused by a low concentration drop. It has damaged the scalp. We have already treated it, but that section of the scalp has necrotized and cannot grow hair again."
Wei Yumeng didn't know how she would tell Mu Linjing these details when she woke up. This was tantamount to disfigurement.
Seeing their silence, the doctor sighed. At Mu Linjing's age, she was at the peak of her beauty, and encountering such an event was a huge hurdle.
She shook her head and re-entered the operating room. Soon, Mu Linjing was wheeled out, still unconscious, her entire face wrapped in bandages, revealing only her eyes. It was wrapped similarly to how people looked after plastic surgery on television.
They followed her to the ward in silence, neither knowing what to say. Should it be powerless consolation or shared indignation?
Both seemed out of place. Wei Yumeng couldn't bear to see Mu Linjing in this state and escaped the ward on the pretext of buying some daily necessities.
As soon as she was out of the ward, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst into tears. She had thought that after the wedding, Mu Linjing and Zhan Yichen could finally usher in a period of stable happiness. But now, with this incident, she feared it would become a lifelong shadow for Lin Jing.
Yet, beyond repeatedly asking Zhan Mohan to find the best doctors and medicine for Lin Jing, she was helpless.
This feeling of powerlessness made her breathless, as if she were enveloped by a vast gloom.
Zhan Mohan followed her out and saw her curled up in a corner, her shoulders trembling. He knew she would be sad in private, so he walked over and gently held her in his arms.
"I've already sent people to find the best experts in the country. They will arrive tomorrow."
Wei Yumeng nodded silently, tears streaming down her face. Lin Jing would wake up sooner than the experts arrived. She truly couldn't imagine what the situation would be like when Lin Jing woke up.
She bought some daily necessities outside, and Zhan Mohan brought back some food.
The atmosphere in the ward remained heavy. Zhan Yichen sat silently by the bed, holding Mu Linjing's hand. He was not worried about Mu Linjing's life, but rather about her psychological resilience.
When the doctor came to check on her, he was the first to speak. "Please have someone remove the mirror from the bathroom."
Given Mu Linjing's current condition, it was best for her not to see herself. Considering this, the doctor did not refuse and quickly found someone to remove the mirror.
Qiao Ningzhi and the others had intended to wait for Mu Linjing to wake up, but by late at night, she still showed no signs of stirring.
Qiao Ningzhi was already uncomfortable due to her pregnancy, and it was their wedding day. Thus, Wei Yumeng persuaded them to leave.
As she saw them to the door, Lin Jia also offered some comfort. "I've also contacted foreign experts. Although they can't come back, they can help with prescribing ointments if we send them the medical records. We also bear some responsibility for this oversight."
Wei Yumeng shook her head. "Someone deliberately wanted to harm her. It's impossible to guard against everything. You can't be blamed. Go back quickly and get some rest."
Although the incident happened in the hotel, and perhaps Lin Jia and the others missed some details during their inspection, it was clear that someone had planned this. After all, it wasn't a secret that Lin Jing was allergic to lilac pollen. One couldn't be a thousand-year guard against thieves.
Thinking this, she suddenly realized that perhaps she could start by investigating those who knew about Mu Linjing's allergy to pollen. While it wasn't a complete secret, it wasn't something one told everyone. Moreover, the people Mu Linjing interacted with daily were limited. Besides home and work, she spent all her time with Zhan Yichen. Therefore, the most suspicious individuals were likely those in the office.
Just as she was pondering who was most likely involved, she suddenly heard Zhan Yichen's voice from inside – Mu Linjing had woken up!
She rushed in and saw Mu Linjing slightly opening her eyes. Zhan Yichen was watching her anxiously by the bedside, urgently pressing the call bell.
"What happened to me?" Mu Linjing asked, her voice barely audible. She then felt a needle-like pain on her face and reached out to cover it, only to touch thick bandages.
She began to panic. "What happened to my face?"
Her voice rose, further aggravating her wounds. Her expression suggested she had already guessed some of it, but no one around knew how to answer her question.
"Give me the mirror," she extended her hand towards Zhan Yichen.
Zhan Yichen could only turn his head away. "Lin Jing, there's no mirror here."
Her outstretched palm slowly curled back into a fist. She stopped speaking, clearly understanding what had happened to her face.
The doctor, alerted by the call, arrived, breaking the silence in the room.
After another examination, the doctor deliberately avoided the topic. "Everything is normal. Take good care of her during this period."
She intentionally did not mention the scarring. However, as the doctor was about to leave, Mu Linjing asked, "Doctor, am I disfigured?"
The doctor was startled by the question, unsure how to respond. After much stammering, Wei Yumeng finally intervened.
"Lin Jing, you're just injured. We've already contacted experts in this field, and everything will be alright."
The doctor had already used this opportunity to slip away. Mu Linjing watched her almost fleeing back and snorted, "It must be serious indeed, or why would they need to find experts?"
Wei Yumeng was at a loss for words. She was terrible at lying, and Mu Linjing had clearly guessed the truth; she couldn't be deceived.
Everyone remained silent. Only Zhan Yichen silently took Mu Linjing's hand. "With me here, everything will be alright. I will also bring the person who harmed you to justice."
Mu Linjing turned her face, a thoughtful expression on it, and actively recalled what had happened after she entered the fitting room that day.
"As soon as I changed clothes, someone covered my mouth from behind. Then I felt groggy. After that, it seemed something exploded, and I felt pain all over my body, but then I lost consciousness and remember nothing."
Hearing her proactively change the subject, Wei Yumeng breathed a sigh of relief.
Her account perfectly matched Wei Yumeng's suspicions, indicating that the perpetrator had been hiding in the fitting room, waiting for Mu Linjing.
Since the person knew Mu Linjing would enter, it meant the bouquet was problematic, and they were aware of Mu Linjing's allergy to lilac pollen.