Back in the bedroom, Yu Sheng locked the door behind her and leaned against the cold panel.
The nameless anger ignited by Shen Yunmian's absurd behavior still smoldered in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She walked to the window, pushed it open, and let the cool night air brush against her face, trying to disperse the sticky irritation.
"Don't get angry… don't let her affect your emotions…"
She muttered to herself, repeating it over and over like a calming mantra. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths again and again, forcing Shen Yunmian's incomprehensible actions out of her mind.
She reminded herself constantly: the goal was divorce, independence for Yushi Group, and a new life of her own. Anything Shen Yunmian did—whether hysterical outbursts or this current disgraceful entanglement—was nothing more than noise along the way to the end.
Gradually, with repeated mental conditioning and steady breathing, the burning anger faded slightly, carried off by the night wind. In its place, the image of Shen Yunmian's last expression—lost, helpless, as if her entire world had collapsed after being pushed away—rose clearly in her mind.
The corner of Yu Sheng's lips lifted faintly.
So this was what it felt like—to see someone who had once stood above everything, in complete control, reduced to such a miserable, fragile state, even debasing herself just to hold on. It brought a twisted sense of satisfaction. That satisfaction dulled the anger, even replacing it with a calm sense of control.
Now, the one holding the upper hand, watching the other struggle in the mire, was her—Yu Sheng.
With that near-cruel calm, she lay down and prepared to sleep. She even thought about making an appointment with her psychiatrist for a follow-up tomorrow, to check whether her emotional state was stable after all of Shen Yunmian's "disturbances." She couldn't let the depression from her past life affect her again.
She slept well through the night.
When Yu Sheng woke up, she felt refreshed.
She pushed open the bedroom door. The living room was quiet—Shen Yunmian was already gone.
A faint aroma of food lingered in the air.
Walking to the dining area, she found a neatly prepared breakfast on the table: warm milk, perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs, golden, crispy toast, and a small serving of fresh fruit salad.
Beside it lay a note in Shen Yunmian's familiar handwriting:
[I asked Aunt Yang to come make breakfast. Remember to eat.]
No salutation, no signature—concise, like a hotel service note.
Yu Sheng raised a brow, picked up the note, casually crumpled it, and tossed it accurately into the trash can in the corner.
Then she sat down at the table and ate without a trace of guilt.
After breakfast, Yu Sheng left for the company in a good mood.
In the office, Su Qingyu was already waiting with documents in hand.
After efficiently finishing their routine work, Su Qingyu closed the folder and casually mentioned, "President Yu, when I came up earlier, I ran into President Shen in the elevator."
Yu Sheng didn't pause her typing, responding offhandedly, "Mm."
Observing her expression, Su Qingyu continued, "President Shen looked… not very well. Like she didn't get much rest."
Only then did Yu Sheng look up. Her face remained expressionless, her tone as calm as if discussing the weather. "Probably just recovering from illness—her body hasn't fully bounced back yet." Clearly uninterested in Shen Yunmian's condition, she quickly shifted the topic. "Tomorrow is the important joint meeting for the two groups' first quarter. Are all the materials ready? This meeting concerns several key follow-up investments—we can't afford any mistakes."
Su Qingyu immediately grew serious. "Don't worry, President Yu. Everything is fully prepared. I've also gone over the process and possible issues with corresponding solutions."
"Good." Yu Sheng nodded, satisfied.
At that moment, the office door was pushed open, and Gu Wanqing strode in energetically. She had just wrapped up a closed shoot for a short drama project. Though there was a trace of fatigue on her face, her eyes shone brightly with enthusiasm.
"Dear President Yu! I'm back!"
She greeted cheerfully, then eagerly began reporting on the project's progress and proposed ideas about expanding into overseas markets, increasing investment, and building a longer-term industry chain.
The three of them fell into an animated discussion about this promising new direction, and before they knew it, it was noon.
"Let's go eat first—talk more over lunch," Yu Sheng suggested.
The three headed toward the elevator together.
When the elevator doors opened on the first floor, they happened to run into Shen Yunmian, who was about to head out with her secretary.
She looked noticeably thinner. Her once well-fitted suit now hung loosely, making the sharp lines of her profile even more pronounced—yet she couldn't hide her exhaustion.
Su Qingyu immediately put on a professional smile and greeted her, "President Shen."
Shen Yunmian paused slightly, her gaze first falling on Yu Sheng. Her eyes were complicated, like a tangle of threads. But as if recalling something, she quickly looked away and merely nodded to Su Qingyu in acknowledgment without speaking.
Yu Sheng, on the other hand, walked past her without a glance, not even sparing her a sliver of attention.
Meanwhile, Gu Wanqing, completely unaware of the situation, looked back and forth between the two, curiosity practically written all over her face.
Only after leaving the building did she lean in toward Yu Sheng and ask, "Shengsheng, what's going on with Shen Yunmian? Has she changed? She was… surprisingly restrained just now." It was completely unlike her usual domineering personality.
Yu Sheng only smiled faintly, offering no answer.
Beside her, Su Qingyu chuckled softly, teasing with understanding, "Director Gu, you've been on set so you don't know—President Yu has really 'disciplined' President Shen lately."
Gu Wanqing's eyes widened instantly, her curiosity ignited. "Seriously? Tell me everything!"
Yu Sheng shot Su Qingyu a glance, cutting her off. "Alright, let's eat first."
—
After that brief encounter at the elevator, Shen Yunmian truly quieted down completely.
She hardly dared to show herself in front of Yu Sheng anymore.
Even when returning to Jiu Xi Bay at night, she deliberately staggered their schedules—either she had already washed up and gone to bed before Yu Sheng got home, her door tightly shut, or she waited until deep into the night, confirming that Yu Sheng had fallen asleep before quietly slipping back.
In that vast house, the two of them somehow lived as if in parallel worlds.
Yu Sheng couldn't have asked for more. Without Shen Yunmian's interference, both her life and work flowed smoothly. She threw herself entirely into managing Yu Corporation and expanding new ventures, enjoying a long-lost sense of peace.
Yet beneath that calm surface, Shen Yunmian was enduring a purgatory-like torment.
In truth, she was constantly tracking Yu Sheng's every move: what time she arrived at the company, which clients she met, what she had for lunch, even whether she went straight home after work or had other plans… These trivial pieces of information flowed to Shen Yunmian through various channels, becoming both the sustenance that got her through long days and nights—and the poison that deepened her suffering.
She was like a clown hiding in a dark corner, unseen by the light, greedily peeking at her own wife.
At the same time, an incredibly awkward date—their third wedding anniversary—was approaching.
In previous years, it had always been Yu Sheng who prepared everything with eager anticipation. But this year, a strong thought took root in Shen Yunmian's mind: she wanted to give Yu Sheng a grand surprise.
But what could she give?
Jewelry? Designer clothes? Mansions? Yachts? These worldly treasures, in Yu Sheng's eyes now, were probably no different from dust. What she wanted was divorce, freedom, and complete escape from Shen Yunmian.
Shen Yunmian fell into unprecedented distress.
She tried to recall Yu Sheng's preferences, the small things she had once casually revealed she liked, only to realize—painfully—that her understanding of her wife was pitifully shallow.
In the end, at her wits' end, Shen Yunmian made a decision that even she found somewhat foolish—
She tried to find a breakthrough through Su Qingyu.
Under the pretext of discussing a collaboration project, Shen Yunmian invited Su Qingyu to her office.
After business was concluded, she deliberately softened her tone and carefully chose her words. "Assistant Su has been by President Yu's side for quite some time now… has President Yu been particularly interested in anything lately?"
Su Qingyu, sharp as ever, immediately understood her intent. Wearing a flawless professional smile, her tone was respectful yet distant. "President Shen, President Yu has recently been fully focused on company operations—especially overseas expansion of short dramas and investments in new technology fields. She's quite interested in those. As for personal preferences, as a subordinate, it's not appropriate for me to inquire too deeply. I'm not very familiar with President Yu's private matters."
A watertight answer—cutting Shen Yunmian off completely.
Shen Yunmian pressed her lips together, unwilling to give up so easily.
After a moment of thought, she extended a highly tempting offer: "Assistant Su is highly capable. Staying at Yu Corporation might be a bit of a waste. Shen Corporation happens to have a position perfectly suited for you. The authority and compensation could be several times what you have now. Would you be interested in considering it?"
It was a blatant attempt to poach her.
Hearing this, Su Qingyu's smile deepened slightly—but didn't reach her eyes.
Looking at Shen Yunmian, she remained composed, even faintly teasing. "President Shen is too kind—I'm very grateful. However…" She shifted tone, speaking clearly and slowly, "if my President Yu finds out that you're poaching her people right under her nose… I'm afraid she might get angry."
The words were like a soft thorn, precisely piercing Shen Yunmian's most vulnerable spot.
Her expression froze instantly. All the prepared arguments stuck in her throat as a sense of exposure and defeat surged within her.
In that moment, she understood—there was no breakthrough to be found with Su Qingyu.
This clever woman had already placed a clear price on her loyalty—and sold it to Yu Sheng.
Leaning back in her chair, Shen Yunmian waved her hand, her voice tinged with fatigue. "…I understand. You can go back to work."
Su Qingyu nodded slightly and left the office politely.
After the door closed, Shen Yunmian sat alone in silence, her fingers unconsciously curling.
This sense of helplessness suffocated her more than any blow from a business rival. She was like a trapped beast, struggling futilely within the cage called "losing Yu Sheng," unable to find an exit.
Slowly, Shen Yunmian felt herself on the verge of going mad.
—
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