Returning to their seats, the individuals who had been busy since early morning could finally sit down for a meal.
During the meal, Zhan Yichen noticed that Mu Linjing's face was a little red. Thinking she wouldn't be shy, he guessed she might be unwell.
"Linjing, why is your face red? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
Mu Linjing replied, "No, maybe it's just a bit warm."
They paid no mind until Wei Yumeng inadvertently saw a large patch of redness on her exposed back. Mu Linjing was also constantly scratching herself, which made them feel something was amiss.
"Linjing, what's wrong? Are there any dishes here that you're allergic to?"
As she spoke, she asked Zhan Yichen to take off his jacket and drape it over Mu Linjing's shoulders, covering the rash on her body.
Mu Linjing quickly reviewed the dishes. There were no ingredients she was allergic to, but her itching worsened, clearly indicating an allergic reaction.
Wei Yumeng then picked up the bouquet next to her. "There are lilacs in here. Aren't you allergic to lilac pollen?"
None of them had noticed this. Fortunately, Mu Linjing's allergic reaction wasn't rapid, or she might have had difficulty breathing by now.
"Let's go, I'll take you to the hospital."
Zhan Yichen immediately moved to pick her up, but she stopped him.
"Don't rush. I'm not that severely allergic. Wouldn't you ruin someone's wedding by rushing out like this? Wait for me to change, and we'll leave through the back. Let's not disturb anyone."
She also didn't want to draw more attention. The Zhan and Qiao families hadn't provided an explanation for their previous issues, and had directly announced the wedding. If there was a commotion at the wedding now, it would likely be exploited by those with ulterior motives.
She had truly experienced the power of the internet and didn't want to be embroiled in it again.
Zhan Yichen saw that besides the rash, she showed no other unusual reactions and agreed with her suggestion, accompanying her to change.
However, outside the fitting room, he waited and waited, but Mu Linjing didn't come out. Although the formal dress was a bit difficult to remove, it shouldn't have taken over twenty minutes.
He couldn't help but step forward and knock. "Linjing, are you done?"
There was no response from inside. He waited a few more minutes and asked again, still no response.
This made him start to worry. He banged on the door forcefully, which attracted reporters, but still no response from Mu Linjing.
Something must have happened inside. He had to ask the hotel staff for a key to open the door.
Pushing the door open, he saw a floor covered in bloodstains. Mu Linjing lay on the ground, her face turned to the side.
Zhan Yichen panicked. He lunged forward and scooped her up. Her face was covered in blood, and he didn't know where she was injured. He dared not move her face casually.
He could only hold her and rush to the hospital. Wei Yumeng only managed a quick glance.
Many people rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Reporters were at the forefront, all holding cameras to take pictures. However, Zhan Yichen couldn't manage anything else but to get Mu Linjing to the hospital.
Zhan Mohan maintained order at the scene, preventing the reporters from following them.
The theme of the day was the wedding, and with such an incident, it was difficult for the wedding to continue. Fortunately, the crucial parts had already been completed, so the wedding wasn't entirely ruined.
Zhan Mohan approached the Qiao parents to express his apologies. "No one expected this sudden incident during the wedding. I apologize for the impact on the Qiao family."
The Qiao parents were understanding, as such things were unpredictable.
"Please investigate this matter. It's very likely not an accident. The young lady's face..."
Old Mr. Qiao's words made Wei Yumeng feel very uneasy. She knew Mu Linjing was injured in the face. Even a single wound on the face could greatly affect one's appearance.
If she was truly injured on the face and was left with a scar, Mu Linjing would surely not be able to bear it.
After the wedding, the Qiao family quickly dismissed the guests. After communicating with the hotel, the hotel also closed its doors to cooperate with the investigation.
Wei Yumeng and Qiao Ningzhi, worried about Mu Linjing's condition, changed out of their formal attire and rushed to the hospital. The hotel affairs were left to Zhan Mohan and the others.
They arrived at the hospital to find Zhan Yichen still waiting outside the operating room. Wei Yumeng stood still for a long time, lacking the courage to ask him about Mu Linjing's current situation.
It was Qiao Ningzhi who stepped forward to inquire, "How is Linjing now? Her face..."
Mentioning this, Zhan Yichen's eyes welled up. "Her face was covered in glass shards, deeply embedded in the flesh. The doctors have to pick them out one by one, so the surgery will take a long time."
Wei Yumeng listened, almost breaking down. No wonder she saw Mu Linjing's face covered in blood when she was carried away. How many large and small wounds would glass shards embedded in the flesh leave? She couldn't bear to imagine.
All of them had already anticipated how devastated Mu Linjing would be when she found out. They sat in the corridor in silence, feeling that words were powerless at this moment.
However, they didn't expect that the reporters would arrive faster than Mu Linjing coming out of the operating room. Soon, they were surrounded.
"Miss Qiao, today is your wedding. Such a thing has happened. What are your thoughts?"
"Miss Qiao, your previous arrangement with Young Master Zhan was left unresolved, and now you've suddenly announced your marriage. Is it because Miss Mu interfered, forcing you to give up on Young Master Zhan?"
"Miss Qiao, Miss Mu appeared in the fitting room due to a flower pollen allergy. Some say this was your revenge against Miss Mu. What do you have to say about this?"
...
All sorts of speculations arose. To grab headlines, everyone racked their brains. An accident they didn't know the origin of was quickly spun into so many versions.
Qiao Ningzhi had to admire the current imagination of domestic reporters. This was also the first time she had a furious outburst in front of the cameras.
"May I ask if any of the reporters here have friends?"
She spoke, and naturally, everyone fell silent to listen. However, her words were not an explanation but a condemnation.
"Linjing is my friend, and she is in danger. Yet you are here speculating? I tell you, this incident has nothing to do with any of us. As for whether it was an accident or not, we will announce the results once we find out. But for now, I don't want to hear your noisy speculation here!"
She pointed at the operating room door. "My friend is undergoing surgery, so I ask you to leave. Respecting the patient inside is everyone's responsibility, and it is not an exception due to your profession as a reporter! I hope you won't tarnish your profession and leave on your own."