After being rejected by Shen Yunmian, Yu Sheng's disappointment completely turned into anger.
Endless compromise would only make Shen Yunmian think she was easy to bully, so she decided to take the initiative.
Only by making things troublesome enough for Shen Yunmian would she be forced to compromise.
Based on memories from her past life, Yu Sheng knew that Shen Yunmian's most trusted right-hand in the future was named Su Qingyu.
She was also her university classmate.
Su Qingyu was extremely capable, but her life had been full of hardships.
At this very time, her family was facing a major crisis—her mother had been diagnosed with a serious illness, requiring enormous medical expenses and long-term care. It was the most difficult and helpless period of her life.
Shen Yunmian had learned of this by chance, and extended an olive branch with a high salary and advance payment.
A timely rescue, winning Su Qingyu's loyalty completely.
Because it had been so long, Yu Sheng couldn't remember the exact date or hospital.
She could only specifically check on Su Qingyu's recent situation, and found that her mother had already been hospitalized and diagnosed. At this time, no fundraising had started among their alumni circle, and Shen Yunmian had not yet learned of her situation.
Just a little bit earlier.
Fortunately, this time even fate seemed to be helping her.
Yu Sheng let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Timing was fleeting—she immediately took action.
Yu Sheng directly carried a fruit basket to the hospital and appeared in the family waiting area outside the ICU.
There, a young woman with a pale, exhausted face—but still trying to remain composed—sat alone.
She held a stack of examination reports and payment slips, her fingers gripping them so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
Yu Sheng walked over, set down the fruit basket, and spoke gently, "Senior Su, are you alright?"
Su Qingyu looked up at her in confusion. "You are?"
Yu Sheng smiled warmly and explained, "Senior Su, you might not remember me. My name is Yu Sheng. I also graduated from Jingdu University, one year below you, from the School of Economics and Management. Back then, you were quite a prominent figure on campus. In your senior year, you won the gold prize in the National College Business Planning Competition. I was in the audience when you went on stage to accept the award—I really admired you."
Her tone was soft, carrying just the right amount of nostalgia and admiration, instantly closing the distance between them.
A faint light flickered in Su Qingyu's dull eyes. She pressed her dry lips together, a little embarrassed. "So you're Junior Yu. That was all a long time ago. I didn't expect you to still remember."
"Outstanding role models are always unforgettable."
Yu Sheng spoke sincerely, then glanced at the heavy stack of bills in Su Qingyu's hands and said with concern, "I happened to see news about your mother in the alumni group. I was nearby, so I thought I'd come see if there's anything I can help with."
At her words, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Su Qingyu's face.
Her family circumstances were not good. Her parents had divorced long ago, and her mother had raised her alone.
Now that she had finally graduated and could earn money, her mother had suddenly been diagnosed with a serious illness. The medical expenses were astronomical, forcing her to put aside all her pride and ask everyone she knew for help.
Even so, she was still far short of the required funds.
Seeing her distress, Yu Sheng immediately reassured her, "Senior Su, at a time like this, you mustn't carry everything alone. No one wants to face illness, but since it's here, you have to treat it actively. Your mother is blessed—she'll definitely get better. Right now, the most important thing is that you take care of yourself. If you collapse, what will your mother do?"
These considerate words suddenly broke through the psychological defenses Su Qingyu had painstakingly built.
Days of anxiety, helplessness, and immense financial pressure had nearly crushed her.
At this moment, the warmth and concern from a junior she barely knew made her nose sting, her eyes reddening instantly.
She quickly lowered her head, not wanting to lose composure. Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion: "Thank you, Junior Yu… really, thank you so much for coming to see me. Even though things are… very difficult right now, it will pass… eventually…"
It sounded like she was speaking to Yu Sheng, but more like she was encouraging herself.
"Yes, it will pass!"
Yu Sheng naturally seized the moment and suggested, "Look, I'm running my own company now, and I have some financial flexibility. How much are the remaining medical expenses? Please don't be polite with me—I can cover it for you first. Saving a life is the most important thing."
Su Qingyu was shocked. "Th-this… how can that be? We're not related—how could I…"
"Why not?" Yu Sheng interrupted, her gaze sincere. "Alumni should help each other. Besides, I've admired your abilities for a long time. This isn't just help—it can also be considered an 'investment' on my part. I believe that with your talent, once you get through this difficulty, your future achievements will be limitless."
"When the time comes, I might even need your help."
She cleverly reframed the simple financial help as something filled with expectation, greatly preserving Su Qingyu's self-respect.
Thinking of her mother's condition, all of Su Qingyu's refusals stuck in her throat.
After a long while, she said solemnly, "Junior Yu, thank you… truly, thank you. I don't even know what to say. I, Su Qingyu, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life."
Yu Sheng didn't offer any polite refusals, instead going straight to the point: "Senior Su, may I ask where you're currently working? Perhaps… I can offer you a more flexible job opportunity that also guarantees your income?"
Su Qingyu looked at her in confusion.
Yu Sheng handed over her business card and said sincerely, "To be honest, Yu Corporation is currently in need of talent like you. I know it may not be the best time to talk about this, but I truly hope you'll consider it. We can discuss salary and benefits."
Every word Yu Sheng said struck right at Su Qingyu's heart.
She looked at the business card, then at Yu Sheng's sincere eyes, and quickly made the best decision.
"President Yu, thank you for thinking so highly of me. It's just that I need some time to handle my mother's situation. After that… I'll contact you?"
"Of course, I understand." Yu Sheng nodded, then took out a bank card and handed it to her. "A small gesture—use it for emergencies. Consider it an advance on your salary. Let's stay in touch."
Su Qingyu accepted it decisively and said sincerely, "Thank you. I'll join as soon as possible."
"No rush. Take good care of your mother."
When Yu Sheng left the hospital, she let out a long breath.
She had secured Su Qingyu before Shen Yunmian could—this move was the right one.
It meant that when she eventually fell out with Shen Yunmian, she would have an important card in hand.
At the same time, she had found a potential pillar for Yu Corporation.
Su Qingyu was capable, ambitious, hardworking, and most importantly, she desperately needed money and opportunity right now.
She was practically a "chosen worker," tailor-made for her.
Yu Sheng could even offer 20% of Yu's Corporation shares to Su Qingyu, letting this "chosen worker" charge into battle.
She would use the very thing Shen Yunmian valued most—her career—to strike at her.
Shen Yunmian, since you refuse to part on good terms, then let's see this through to the end!
Shen Yunmian had no idea that her "foundation" had already been undermined; she was drowning in a different kind of turmoil.
Her mind was consumed by a single thought: how to make Yu Sheng abandon that terrifying idea of divorce.
That cold, resolute "divorce" Yu Sheng had said that day stuck in her like a thorn, making her restless.
She was truly afraid.
Afraid that the moment they met, Yu Sheng would bring up those two words again.
She didn't know how to face it.
To the point that she, like an ostrich, avoided going to Yushi's floor for several days, afraid of running into her wife.
This kind of avoidance was unfamiliar and humiliating to her.
With no other options, Shen Yunmian finally thought of someone—Doctor Chen Jing, who had previously provided psychological counseling to Yu Sheng.
She pressed the intercom, her voice concise and cold: "Secretary Li, contact Doctor Chen Jing. Ask her to come to my office."
An hour later, Doctor Chen Jing appeared in Shen Yunmian's spacious office.
Shen Yunmian didn't stand, only gesturing for her to sit on the reception sofa.
She herself walked out from behind the desk and sat across from her. Though she still carried the aloofness of someone in power, a closer look revealed lingering anxiety between her brows.
Chen Jing spoke first: "President Shen, what can I help you with?"
"Doctor Chen. Since the miscarriage, my wife's emotions have been very unstable. Her personality… has changed significantly." She carefully chose her words. "It has seriously affected our marriage. I hope you can provide professional guidance to help her… recover."
Hearing this, Chen Jing immediately thought of Yu Sheng's calm yet sharp demeanor.
Unstable emotions?
No—that was someone completely clear-headed, a wife who had simply given up entirely on her partner.
But she didn't dare say that.
Shen Yunmian was a major donor to the hospital—she couldn't afford to offend her.
Maintaining a professional and gentle expression, she said tactfully, "President Shen, based on my last interaction and assessment of your wife, her thinking is very clear. In my view, her sudden emotional changes and shift in attitude may stem more from… long-term accumulated issues in daily life."
She paused, watching Shen Yunmian's slightly furrowed brows, and carefully suggested, "In this situation, perhaps… having both of you participate together in open, guided communication might be more effective than one-sided treatment. It could help both of you understand each other's feelings and needs, and is an effective way to ease the relationship."
Joint counseling? Honest communication?
A flicker passed through Shen Yunmian's eyes. She could almost imagine how unbearable that scene would be.
Yu Sheng would mercilessly say things in front of a third party that she couldn't handle—she instinctively resisted the idea.
But Chen Jing's suggestion seemed like the only viable "solution" at the moment.
She fell silent for a while, her features tense.
Finally, she responded stiffly, "I understand. I'll… consider your suggestion and try to persuade her to accept it. Thank you for coming. Secretary Li, see Doctor Chen out."
After Chen Jing left, Shen Yunmian stood alone before the floor-to-ceiling window.
An overwhelming sense of helplessness clung to her.
She realized that all the methods that had made her unstoppable in the business world were completely useless when it came to her wife, Yu Sheng.
She wasn't facing an opponent she could analyze or negotiate with.
She was facing a blade determined to sever everything.
—
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