After the conflict at the old residence, Shen Yunmian was thrown into complete turmoil over the divorce.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the rumors about their marriage had been going on for some time, yet no concrete results had surfaced, which made her increasingly irritable.
The internal line rang—it was her special assistant.
"Miss Shen, regarding… those recent false rumors, we've found the source." The assistant's voice came through the receiver, carrying a trace of hesitation.
Shen Yunmian's spirits lifted, and she sat up straight. "Say it. Who is it?"
There was a brief silence on the other end, as if choosing words carefully. "It's… Miss Lin Ruoyan. The anonymous accounts we tracked and the flow of funds all point to her and her studio manager."
"Who?" Shen Yunmian thought she had misheard, her brows knitting tightly. "Say that again."
"It's Miss Lin Ruoyan," the assistant repeated stiffly. "And according to further investigation, the previous… scandals about you and her were also initiated by her. She contacted paparazzi herself and deliberately spread them to generate hype."
The news hit Shen Yunmian like a heavy blow.
She leaned back in her chair, stunned, her face full of disbelief.
Lin Ruoyan? That "adopted sister" who always acted so innocent and dependent in front of her? The rumors she had thought were just baseless gossip from unscrupulous media… were actually all orchestrated by her?
A surge of anger from being deceived and played flooded her mind, shattering her composure.
She suddenly stood up. "Immediately! Bring that paparazzo who took the money to me! I want to question him personally!"
An hour later, a terrified-looking man was brought into Shen Yunmian's office.
Under Shen Yunmian's icy gaze and the evidence presented by her assistant, he quickly broke down and confessed everything—confirming the investigation results: how Lin Ruoyan paid him to take misleading angle shots, fabricate scandals, and manipulate public opinion.
"Get out!" Shen Yunmian forced the words through clenched teeth.
The paparazzo scrambled out as if pardoned from death.
The pressure in the office was suffocating.
Shen Yunmian's chest rose and fell violently. She grabbed the internal phone, her voice cold enough to freeze. "Have Lin Ruoyan come to my office. Now. Immediately."
Less than half an hour later, Lin Ruoyan arrived.
She had clearly dressed up carefully. The moment she entered, she spoke softly, "Sister Yunmian, you called me so urgently—did something happen? Is it… another disagreement with your wife? She just has a bit of a temper, you should comfort her more…"
"Shut up!" Shen Yunmian snapped, her voice trembling with suppressed fury.
She grabbed the stack of investigation reports and the paparazzo's testimony from the desk and slammed them hard in front of Lin Ruoyan!
The papers scattered across the floor, the text and images clearly visible.
The smile on Lin Ruoyan's face froze instantly. The color drained from her face at a visible speed, turning deathly pale.
She glanced at the evidence in panic, her body swaying slightly.
"Sister Yunmian, this… this isn't true… listen to my explanation…"
Her voice immediately turned tearful, tears falling at will. "Someone framed me! It must be Yu Sheng—yes, it must be her! She couldn't stand how good you were to me, so she set this up to drive us apart! Sister Yunmian, you have to believe me…"
"Frame you?" Shen Yunmian let out a cold laugh. "Lin Ruoyan, at this point, are you still treating me like a fool? These fund flows, these chat records—did Yu Sheng forge those too?!"
Frightened by her presence, Lin Ruoyan took a step back, stammering as she continued to play pitiful. "No… Sister Yunmian… I… I was just too scared… after my father passed away, I lost my sense of security… I wanted to succeed so badly… I wanted to prove I was worthy of your care, that I wasn't someone living under your protection forever, looked down upon by others. I just lost my way for a moment… I really know I was wrong…"
She cried miserably, trying to use her late father and their years of connection to move Shen Yunmian.
In the past, Shen Yunmian might have softened.
But now, looking at that face full of calculation and tears, she only felt deep disgust.
"Insatiable greed." Shen Yunmian spat the four words coldly, cutting off her act entirely. "Out of past ties, I've already given you more than enough. Lin Ruoyan, no one can lie on past merits forever. The favor your father left you is not a lifelong immunity you can squander."
"From today onward, Shen Corporation and all businesses under my name will terminate all investments in you. Take care of yourself."
"No! Sister Yunmian, don't!" Lin Ruoyan screamed in terror, as if struck by lightning, lunging forward to grab her hand—only for Shen Yunmian to avoid her in disgust. "I know I was wrong, I'll never dare again! Please, for my father's sake, give me one more chance!"
Shen Yunmian turned away, no longer looking at her, and pressed the call button.
Two security guards immediately entered.
"Escort her out." Her voice was tired and cold, devoid of emotion.
"Sister Yunmian! Sister Yunmian!!" Lin Ruoyan's desperate cries faded away, eventually disappearing behind the closed door.
The office finally returned to silence.
But Shen Yunmian felt as if all her strength had been drained, slowly sinking back into her chair.
As the anger receded, what rose was something deeper, sharper—a chilling fear.
She suddenly thought back to all those years when rumors about her and Lin Ruoyan had spread wildly… At that time, how had Yu Sheng felt while reading those reports? Listening to those whispers?
What had she done?
A casual "it's just media nonsense, don't mind it," perhaps even tinged with annoyance at being talked about.
She had never truly stood in Yu Sheng's position to understand that kind of silent pain.
Yet she herself, over vague rumors about Yu Sheng and Su Qingyu, had lost control—going to warn and question her.
Back then, when Yu Sheng had faced those vivid, long-lasting scandals alone, how much must she have suffered? How isolated must she have been?
She had… completely ignored her feelings.
So naturally accepting her "understanding" and "trust," yet never giving her the security and protection she deserved.
A wave of belated guilt and heartache surged over her like a tsunami, nearly suffocating her. For the first time, she seemed to truly touch the anger and despair Yu Sheng had endured all those years.
She sat there for a long time—until the sky outside gradually darkened.
Finally, as if making a decision, she stood up and walked out, her steps slightly unsteady. She had to apologize to Yu Sheng—for her past neglect and foolishness, for all the harm Lin Ruoyan had caused.
She knocked on Yu Sheng's office door, almost awkwardly.
"Come in." Yu Sheng's calm, emotionless voice came from inside.
Shen Yunmian pushed the door open and saw Yu Sheng sitting behind her desk reading documents, not even looking up at her.
"What is it?" Yu Sheng's tone was indifferent, carrying a faint trace of distance and mockery. "Miss Shen graces me with her presence—what project has gone wrong this time? Or are you here again to remind my assistant to watch her boundaries?"
The cold attitude pricked Shen Yunmian's heart like needles—but she knew she deserved it.
She took a deep breath, walked to the desk, her voice dry and strained. "Yu Sheng, I… I'm here to apologize."
Yu Sheng finally looked up from the documents, raising an eyebrow at her, somewhat surprised but still devoid of warmth. "Oh? An apology? What has Miss Shen done wrong that requires apologizing to me?"
"The rumors… about you and Assistant Su, and… and before, about me and Lin Ruoyan…" Shen Yunmian spoke with difficulty, her face burning. "I've investigated everything. It was all Lin Ruoyan… she orchestrated and spread them. I… I neglected your feelings too much before. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let her hurt you like that, and I shouldn't have… doubted you."
She looked up, her eyes filled with remorse and pain.
Yet Yu Sheng only watched her quietly, her face expressionless, as if listening to something unrelated to herself.
After a few seconds, she let out a light laugh. There was no real emotion in it—only a sense of detachment after everything had passed. "So it's about that. I already knew—or rather, I had already guessed. Still, thank you, Miss Shen, for coming all this way to tell me."
She paused, her tone almost "forgiving." "It's fine. It's all in the past. I already… don't care anymore."
That "I don't care anymore" frightened Shen Yunmian more than any accusation. It meant she had already lost the right to stir any emotions in Yu Sheng.
Her heart sank as she stepped forward urgently. "Yu Sheng, I know it's late to say this, but… give me another chance, okay? We… we can start over. I promise I won't make these mistakes again…"
"Alright."
Unexpectedly, Yu Sheng interrupted her plea and agreed without hesitation.
Shen Yunmian froze, hardly believing her ears. Ecstasy surged up instantly. "Y-you… what did you say?"
Yu Sheng leaned back slightly, her hands folded on the desk, a faint smile appearing on her lips. Since she had already decided to proceed with the "training plan," she naturally couldn't keep avoiding contact with Shen Yunmian. She might as well use this apology as an opportunity to smoothly push their relationship into the next stage.
So she looked at Shen Yunmian and said unhurriedly, "I said, alright. Let's see your performance."
Shen Yunmian nodded repeatedly, her tone filled with unprecedented urgency and promise: "Yu… Sheng Sheng, thank you, thank you for still giving me this chance! I definitely won't disappoint you again."
She was overjoyed, believing that their marriage had finally reached a turning point, that she could see a glimmer of hope for reconciliation.
Yu Sheng looked at her like this and let out a cold sneer in her heart. Her expression remained calm and unreadable, even carrying a trace of scrutiny and… faint amusement. It was as if she wasn't responding to a confession at all, but evaluating the value of an item.
But Shen Yunmian, completely overwhelmed by the immense joy, failed to notice this subtle abnormality.
Ridiculous—President Shen actually thought their marriage had taken a turn for the better, completely unaware that Yu Sheng, who had already leveled up, was preparing to train her like a dog.
"Mm, I'll be watching," Yu Sheng said lightly. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll get back to work."
"Okay, go ahead, I won't disturb you." Shen Yunmian was incomparably obedient now, even a little cautious, replying quickly, "Tonight… want to have dinner together? I know a newly opened—"
"We'll see." Yu Sheng lowered her head again, picking up her documents, cutting her off casually. "If I'm free, I'll let you know."
"…Alright, then I'll wait for your message." Shen Yunmian didn't dare object at all. She glanced at Yu Sheng before leaving the office with light steps, as if she had been reborn.
The door closed softly.
Yu Sheng looked up at it, and the corners of her lips slowly curved into a cold arc.
As Shen Yunmian walked out of Yu Sheng's office, her steps were lighter than ever before. Even the cold marble floor in the corridor seemed to glow softly in her eyes. She even gave a rare gentle smile to a manager trembling over incorrect report data.
"Recheck the data and submit it to me tomorrow," she said calmly.
The manager felt as if granted amnesty, almost unable to believe her ears, standing frozen in place.
The news spread through the senior management group chat like wildfire:
[Breaking news! President Shen didn't lose her temper today! Did the sun rise in the west?]
[More than that—I just went in to deliver documents, and she seemed to be in a great mood. I think the corners of her lips were even slightly lifted?]
[What happened? Did our company stock hit the limit up? Doesn't seem like it…]
Naturally, Shen Yunmian had no idea about her subordinates' discussions.
Sitting in her office, her fingers tapped lightly on the desk as Yu Sheng's words—"let's see your performance"—replayed over and over in her mind.
She began to "perform" with great enthusiasm.
Of course, someone like President Shen, who was used to being admired and flattered, had no idea how to "perform."
She disdained asking others for advice, so this 'naive' President Shen resorted to childish girlfriend-appeasing tricks she found online—having her secretary carry them out, no less. Trying to use those methods on someone like Yu Sheng, who had already sealed off her heart… was utterly useless.
Early the next morning, when Yu Sheng arrived at her office, she found an exquisite breakfast placed on her desk, along with a small bouquet of fresh white tulips—flowers she had once casually mentioned liking.
There was no signature on the card, just a printed line: "Remember to eat breakfast."
Yu Sheng glanced at it, then casually handed the flowers to her secretary who had followed her in. "Find a vase and put them in the meeting room."
As for the breakfast, she threw it straight into the trash, untouched.
At noon, Shen Yunmian's message arrived on time: [There's a new Japanese restaurant downstairs. The ingredients are very fresh. Want to try it together?]
Yu Sheng replied: [I'm discussing a project with Qingyu. Can't leave.]
After reflecting, Shen Yunmian felt that having her secretary deliver breakfast in the morning lacked sincerity, so she decided to go herself.
That afternoon, while Yu Sheng was listening to a report from the marketing department, the front desk called through the internal line, sounding hesitant: "President Yu, President Shen… President Shen is here, says she brought you afternoon tea."
Yu Sheng pressed her temples. "Ask her to leave it at the front desk."
"But… President Shen said she has something about the East City project she wants to discuss with you in person…" The receptionist's voice grew even quieter.
Yu Sheng fell silent for two seconds, then sighed. "Let her in."
The office door opened. Shen Yunmian walked in personally carrying a beautifully packaged food box, followed by an awkward-looking marketing director. As if she didn't notice anyone else present, Shen Yunmian's gaze went straight to Yu Sheng, her tone carrying a faint, barely noticeable anticipation: "You've been busy all day—take a break? This is almond tea and pastries from Fu Ji. You used to like them."
The marketing director stood to the side, completely at a loss.
Yu Sheng's expression instantly turned cold.
She raised her eyes and looked at Shen Yunmian sharply, her voice not loud but crystal clear: "President Shen, this is work hours. If you have business matters, please make an appointment through my secretary. If it's personal—" she paused, her tone even colder, "I'd prefer you not disturb my work. Leave."
The last word was merciless.
Shen Yunmian's fingers tightened slightly around the food box. Looking at Yu Sheng's emotionless eyes, then glancing at the marketing director who wished she could disappear into the floor, a wave of humiliation flushed her face.
"…Alright, I won't disturb you." She said softly, turning to leave in a hurry, even forgetting to put down the food box.
The office door closed quietly, and the marketing director didn't dare breathe.
Yu Sheng, however, acted as if nothing had happened, picking up the report again. "Continue."
From that day on, Shen Yunmian truly didn't dare appear casually in Yu Sheng's office anymore.
She became cautious, only sending good morning and good night messages every day without fail, persistently inviting her to meals, occasionally sharing industry news she thought Yu Sheng might be interested in.
Yu Sheng rarely replied. Leaving messages on read became the norm.
This one-sided "effort" continued for nearly a week.
The small joy Shen Yunmian had regained was gradually replaced by unease and anxiety. Yu Sheng's indifference was like an invisible wall—she couldn't find a way through.
The turning point came on a Wednesday morning.
Su Qingyu walked into Yu Sheng's office with a project proposal, her brows tightly furrowed.
"President Yu, the North City smart community project is stuck."
Yu Sheng looked up from her documents. "What's the issue?"
"The technical side is complete, but in the final data integration and municipal approval stage, we need to get through a key figure—Academician Li Han. She's an authority in this field, and all related projects have to pass her review." Su Qingyu placed the proposal in front of Yu Sheng and pointed to a name. "We've tried many standard channels, but her threshold is very high. Appointments are booked three months out—it'll be difficult to meet her anytime soon."
Yu Sheng took the proposal and skimmed through it quickly. "No other way?"
"We've exhausted conventional methods." Su Qingyu shook her head, then her tone became slightly meaningful. "However… I found that this Academician Li seems to have a close connection with President Shen. She had a close relationship with President Shen's university mentor, and through that, President Shen has frequent contact with her. It's said they're quite familiar privately. Several major government projects for Shen Group were facilitated by her."
Yu Sheng's finger paused mid-page.
Observing her expression, Su Qingyu added softly, "If President Shen is willing to step in and make an introduction—even just a dinner—the situation could be completely different."
The office fell silent.
Yu Sheng's gaze drifted toward the window, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly against the desk.
Use Shen Yunmian? The thought instinctively repelled her, but Su Qingyu was right—this was the fastest and most effective method. She recalled Su Qingyu's words: "Treat her like… a dog that needs to be trained." Since Shen Yunmian insisted on dragging out the marriage, there was no need for her to cling to useless moral restraint anymore.
After a long moment, she withdrew her gaze, picked up her phone, and found that familiar number.
Her finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds before finally dialing.
The call was picked up almost instantly.
"Yu Sheng?" Shen Yunmian's voice came through, carrying obvious surprise and a hint of barely concealed delight.
This was the first time Yu Sheng had called her in a while.
Yu Sheng's tone was businesslike, devoid of emotion: "Are you free at noon? Let's have a meal together."
There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by Shen Yunmian's almost hurried reply: "I'm free! Where? I'll make a reservation!"
"Let's just go to the Western restaurant downstairs from the company. Twelve-thirty." Yu Sheng hung up without waiting for a response.
Listening to the dial tone, Shen Yunmian held her phone in a daze for several seconds before a surge of overwhelming joy rushed over her.
She immediately pressed the internal line: "Move the 1:30 meeting to 3:00!"
She stood up, pacing her office with rare nervousness, then walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, using the reflection to adjust her already neat collar and hair. It was only a little past ten, yet she was already checking the time repeatedly, her thoughts entirely fixed on lunchtime.
By eleven-thirty, Shen Yunmian couldn't sit still.
She went downstairs early, personally confirming the quiet reserved seat at the restaurant.
At 12:25, Yu Sheng appeared at the entrance.
Shen Yunmian immediately stood up and pulled out a chair for her.
"Been waiting long?" Yu Sheng asked flatly as she sat.
"No, I just got here too," Shen Yunmian replied quickly, even though she had already been waiting for nearly half an hour.
After ordering, the atmosphere fell into a brief silence.
Shen Yunmian tried to find a topic. "Recently… the weather seems pretty nice."
"Mm."
"I saw on the financial news that the central bank might introduce new policies…"
"Really?"
"You… you seem to have lost some weight recently. No matter how busy work gets, you still need to rest."
Yu Sheng raised her eyes, glanced at her, and said nothing.
Shen Yunmian immediately felt a bit awkward and fell silent. She realized that all the topics she had racked her brains to come up with seemed so pale and powerless in front of Yu Sheng. It felt as if there was a thick pane of glass between them.
The food was served.
Shen Yunmian couldn't taste anything; all her attention was on the woman across from her quietly cutting her steak.
Yu Sheng didn't eat much and soon put down her knife and fork. She picked up her napkin, wiped the corner of her mouth, and finally got to the point.
"I asked you here today because there's something I'd like your help with."
Shen Yunmian immediately sat up straight. "Tell me." As long as she could do it, she was willing to do anything.
"The North City smart community project is stuck with Academician Li Han. I heard you're quite familiar with her?" Yu Sheng looked at her, her gaze calm and unreadable. "Could you help make an introduction and arrange a dinner?"
The anticipation on Shen Yunmian's face froze instantly.
Academician Li Han? Make an introduction?
Her sharp business instincts immediately tensed.
The resources and connections in Li Han's hands were also crucial to Shen Group. Many collaborations were built on her mentor's personal relationship with Li Han. Yu Sheng now wanted to bypass Shen Group and directly connect with Professor Li—she instantly weighed the risks involved.
Her joy receded like a falling tide, replaced by a businesswoman's calm and vigilance.
"I… do know Academician Li," Shen Yunmian said carefully, her tone unconsciously becoming more cautious. "But her schedule is very full, and… many of the projects she's involved in are confidential. Arranging a direct meeting might not be appropriate and could easily cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
She looked at Yu Sheng, trying to explain, "It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just…"
"I understand." Yu Sheng cut her off. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes instantly turned cold. She picked up her bag and stood. "Sorry to trouble you, President Shen."
With that, she turned and left without hesitation.
"Yu Sheng!" Shen Yunmian hurriedly stood to chase after her, but knocked over a glass of water on the table, drawing glances from nearby diners.
By the time she finished dealing with it and rushed outside, she only saw Yu Sheng's car speeding away.
She stood there, staring in the direction the car had disappeared, her heart cold and bitter.
—
"So, this means the dog-training failed, right?"
Back in her office, Yu Sheng spoke to Su Qingyu, who was waiting for her, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery. "She's still Shen Yunmian—the President Shen who puts interest first. Trying to influence her business judgment with personal feelings? We were too naive."
Su Qingyu smiled, poured her a glass of water, and said, "President Yu, don't rush. This is just the beginning. When training a dog, you have to alternate between punishment and reward. You've only just given her a bit of kindness, and immediately asked for such a big 'gift.' It's normal for her to hesitate."
"Then what do we do next?"
"Keep her cold," Su Qingyu said lightly. "Just like training a dog—if it makes a mistake or refuses to obey, you starve it for a few meals and let it figure things out on its own. You just go about your business as if nothing happened. I'd bet she'll be the one who can't hold out first."
Yu Sheng was half-convinced, but still nodded. "Alright, I'll trust you."
So, over the next few days, Yu Sheng completely treated Shen Yunmian like air.
She didn't answer calls, didn't reply to messages. When Shen Yunmian came to Yu Group under the pretense of discussing projects, the front desk turned her away with reasons like "President Yu is in a meeting" or "President Yu is out." Even when they occasionally crossed paths in the company corridors, Yu Sheng would only give a faint nod without slowing her steps, as if Shen Yunmian were just an irrelevant stranger.
This cold indifference was, as expected, more tormenting than outright scolding.
Shen Yunmian knew she had refused Yu Sheng—hurt her, or rather, hurt that small trace of warmth Yu Sheng had just shown her.
She replayed the lunch scene over and over in her mind, regret wrapping around her like vines. Had she been too cautious? Although sensitive, things with Academician Li weren't entirely impossible to handle…
Her rational business mind and emotional impulses clashed fiercely.
She tried to make amends, going to find Yu Sheng again and again.
Once, she brought a carefully prepared win-win cooperation proposal.
"Yu Sheng, regarding the North City project, I've reconsidered. Perhaps Shen Group and Yu Group could cooperate under a different model—" she hadn't even finished speaking.
Yu Sheng interrupted without looking up, "For specific cooperation details, please coordinate directly with Assistant Su. I'm very busy, sorry." She then pressed the internal line. "Qingyu, come to my office. President Shen has a proposal to discuss with you."
Su Qingyu quickly came in, smiling politely. "President Shen, shall we move to the meeting room?"
Shen Yunmian looked at Yu Sheng, who still hadn't spared her a glance, and could only stiffly follow Su Qingyu out.
Another time, she learned that Yu Sheng had an evening engagement and waited in the underground parking garage.
When Yu Sheng saw her car, she didn't even pause, walking straight to her own.
Shen Yunmian lowered the car window. "Yu Sheng, can we talk?"
Yu Sheng opened her car door, her tone indifferent. "There's nothing to talk about."
The car drove off without hesitation, its taillights cutting a resolute red line through the dim garage.
Shen Yunmian sat alone in her car, utterly defeated by those words—"nothing to talk about."
A few days later, Yu Sheng rubbed her temples in her office and said to Su Qingyu, "I think she won't compromise. Maybe your method doesn't work. We'll have to find another way to reach Academician Li."
Su Qingyu calmly flipped through reports. "President Yu, want to make a bet? I bet within three days, President Shen will contact you herself and agree to make the introduction."
"You're that confident?" Yu Sheng was still doubtful. "Someone as rational as her…"
However, that very afternoon, Yu Sheng's phone rang.
The name "Shen Yunmian" flashed on the screen.
Yu Sheng raised an eyebrow, glanced at the composed Su Qingyu across from her, pressed answer, and turned on speaker.
On the other end, Shen Yunmian's voice carried a determined urgency:
"Yu Sheng… I've arranged it with Academician Li. Tomorrow evening at seven, Yayin Private Kitchen. I'll pick you up."
—
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