The nearly insane lust ebbed like a tide, leaving only ragged breathing and a mess in the room.
Yu Sheng slowly regained her senses, her eyes landing on the sleeping Shen Yunmian beside her.
Under the warm yellow light, Shen Yunmian's long hair clung damp to her neck, messy and bedraggled. Those usually aloof eyes were closed, long lashes still wet with tears, quivering slightly with each breath. Her fair skin, from neck to collarbone and down, was marked with sharp red welts and teeth impressions.
Yu Sheng's breath caught. Could this violent, destructive intensity really have come from her own hands? She hastily looked away, taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm the storm raging in her chest.
She needed to stay calm.
Almost as if fleeing, Yu Sheng stumbled out of bed, her steps unsteady, and entered the bathroom.
Amid the rising steam, Yu Sheng leaned against the cold tile wall, eyes closed, letting the water cascade over her face.
After the initial shock, a rationalization began in her mind.
Could she really be blamed?
Shen Yunmian had been manipulated by her own mother, called her for help, and had been the one to lose control first, clinging to her, teasing and begging her in that way.
Moreover…
A faint, self-mocking curve tugged at Yu Sheng's lips.
Hadn't Shen Yunmian tormented her enough? Not to mention back when they had just gotten married—she had no experience, yet she endured the pain and discomfort of cooperating with Shen Yunmian. But after all these years, Shen Yunmian's skills were still just as poor, never really giving her much pleasure. If anything, she had been tossed around so much that it left a shadow on her, almost turning her frigid.
So what if she slept with her once?
That thought carried a reckless, almost defiant satisfaction, quickly suppressing any lingering sense of morality.
Yes, exactly. There was no need for guilt or unease.
After repeatedly convincing herself, Yu Sheng slowly let out a breath and turned off the water.
She dried herself, wrapped in a bathrobe, and walked back into the bedroom.
Looking at Shen Yunmian still unconscious on the bed, Yu Sheng hesitated for a moment before resigning herself and stepping forward.
With some effort, she helped Shen Yunmian up, half-dragging and half-carrying her into the bathroom. Warm water cascaded down again; when it hit Shen Yunmian's face, she seemed disturbed, instinctively shrinking back, brows knitting in pain as she let out a hoarse, indistinct murmur:
"Don't… no more, Sheng Sheng… please spare me…"
That voice was filled with complete vulnerability and pleading—something that would never be heard from Shen Yunmian when she was conscious.
Yu Sheng's movements paused for a moment.
Looking at this person so defenseless, so completely at her mercy, that suppressed, strange feeling resurfaced—but it was quickly overtaken by a subtle, almost perverse sense of satisfaction.
So even someone as proud as Shen Yunmian… had a side like this.
That realization was like a spark falling onto dry ground, igniting a faint, shadowed sense of fulfillment.
Yu Sheng didn't dare look any longer at the marks covering Shen Yunmian's body, afraid she might do something even more excessive.
She hastily rinsed her off—hardly gentle—then dragged her back to the bed and pulled the blanket over her, covering those ambiguous traces.
Reaching out, she checked Shen Yunmian's forehead. The temperature felt normal—no sign of fever.
Yu Sheng withdrew her hand, didn't linger, and turned to leave, returning to her own bedroom and closing the door behind her.
She fell asleep quickly, though her dreams were far from peaceful.
Fragments flickered chaotically—Shen Yunmian's suppressed sobs, broken moans, tearful pleas… the sounds tangled together, echoing over and over.
That overly intense encounter, mixed with hatred and a sense of conquest, had ultimately etched itself deep into her subconscious.
The next morning, Yu Sheng woke a little later than usual, yet felt unexpectedly refreshed.
She got up and, almost unconsciously, walked to Shen Yunmian's room, gently pushing the door open.
The person on the bed was still asleep in the same position as last night, her face pale, faint shadows under her eyes, clearly exhausted to the extreme.
Yu Sheng merely glanced at her before withdrawing her gaze.
She had no intention of waking her. Instead, she went straight to the living room, took out her phone, and called the Shen family's regular private doctor.
"Dr. Chen, please come to Jiuxi Bay right away and check on President Shen."
After hanging up, Yu Sheng proceeded as usual—washing up, changing clothes, grabbing her car keys and briefcase, and heading out to work without hesitation.
As if everything from last night had merely been an accident—something that disappeared with the dawn.
—
It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Shen Yunmian was finally awakened by the soreness coursing through her entire body.
She struggled to open her heavy eyelids. Before her consciousness could fully return, the chaotic and intense scenes from the night before surged into her mind like a bursting dam.
Broken fragments—heated breaths, entangled bodies, and… Yu Sheng's eyes burning with something dark.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she instinctively lowered her head to look at herself.
Her sleepwear was long gone. Beneath the blanket, her body was completely bare. From her neck and chest down to her waist and inner thighs, it was covered in varying shades of red marks. Most striking of all were the obvious marks around her wrists, silently telling of last night's frenzy and… roughness.
Her heart pounded violently, tangled with shame, shock, and a faint, hidden flutter.
Yu Sheng… how could she…
That person who had always been gentle, even in anger restrained—last night, she had seemed like someone else entirely, filled with a kind of cruelty and aggression Shen Yunmian had never seen before. Her body still seemed to retain the trembling sensation of being completely taken, completely at the other's mercy, making her toes curl in shame, her fingertips trembling.
But soon, that shame was replaced by something stronger—expectation.
It had been a long time since they had been this intimate.
Even if it was nothing like the gentle tenderness she had imagined—if anything, it had been almost brutal.
Still… wasn't this a breakthrough?
Did it mean… there might still be a chance to mend their relationship?
That thought flickered like a fragile flame in the depths of Shen Yunmian's despair.
Enduring the soreness and discomfort, she struggled to sit up. Looking around, the room was empty—eerily quiet.
Where was Yu Sheng?
Her heart sank, that newly ignited hope wavering.
Maybe… she went to buy breakfast?
Clinging to that faint possibility, Shen Yunmian forced herself out of bed, poured a glass of cold water, and drank it in one go, trying to suppress the dryness in her throat and the unease in her chest.
She sat on the sofa in the living room, loosely wrapped in a robe that could barely conceal the marks on her body.
Every second stretched unbearably long. Her ears strained, catching any possible sound from outside the door.
Finally, there was a knock.
Her eyes lit up instantly. Almost eagerly, she stood and hurried toward the door—only to belatedly realize that Yu Sheng had facial recognition and wouldn't need to knock.
Her heart sank. The "Sheng Sheng" caught in her throat.
Through the camera, she saw that the person outside was Dr. Chen, carrying a medical kit and wearing a professional smile.
In an instant, all color drained from Shen Yunmian's face. The light in her eyes was extinguished like a candle blown out by the wind.
So… it wasn't her wife.
She quickly understood—before she woke up, Yu Sheng had calmly called the doctor, and then… left without a second thought, as if handling a routine matter.
Shen Yunmian let out a bitter smile, forcing herself to remain composed as she spoke hoarsely, "Dr. Chen, please wait a moment."
After going back to change her clothes, she opened the door like a wandering ghost.
"Good morning, President Shen. President Yu asked me to come check on you," Dr. Chen said politely.
Shen Yunmian moved like a puppet, mechanically stepping aside, mechanically cooperating with the examination.
"A slight fever, nothing serious. Mainly exhaustion and… some soft tissue injuries," Dr. Chen said, glancing at the marks on her neck and wrists, his tone turning slightly awkward as he tactfully added, "President Shen, you and President Yu… it's good that young people are affectionate, but sometimes you should… exercise a bit of restraint and be mindful of your approach."
Shen Yunmian listened expressionlessly, offering no response.
How ironic.
She didn't even have the strength to feel embarrassed anymore—only a deep, bone-weary exhaustion and emptiness.
In the end, as her body felt too unwell, she followed the doctor's advice and was admitted to the hospital.
Lying on the stark white hospital bed, Shen Yunmian closed her eyes, yet sleep wouldn't come.
To Yu Sheng, was everything that happened last night really just… an accident?
And she, foolishly, had allowed herself to harbor hopes she shouldn't have.
Overwhelming disappointment and humiliation swallowed her whole. She pulled the blanket over her face, as if that could block out the world—and the pitiful version of herself.
—
Yu Sheng sat behind her wide office desk, a document spread out before her.
Leaning back slightly in her chair, she pressed her temple absently, trying to avoid drifting off in thought.
Yet the chaotic images from last night still surfaced intermittently—Shen Yunmian's pale, sweat-damp face, her trembling lashes, and the marks covering her skin, especially the striking red imprints on her wrists.
A clear sense of discomfort lingered in her chest.
It wasn't guilt, nor softness—but wariness toward losing control.
Last night, being swept up by raw impulse and pent-up emotions, that almost predatory behavior had deviated from her usual composure and restraint. That unfamiliarity with her own actions unsettled her. She examined it like a flaw in a system—something that needed to be identified and understood to prevent it from happening again.
More practically, there was Shen Yunmian's physical condition.
Even if there were reasons—she had been drugged and had acted first—her own response had indeed gone beyond what was necessary. If it caused serious harm, it would not only create unnecessary trouble, but more importantly, it went against her personal principles.
No matter how much she despised Shen Yunmian, she was not someone who would stoop to revenge in such a way.
At that thought, her irritation toward Shen Yunmian deepened further. If not for Shen Yunmian stubbornly refusing to divorce, she wouldn't have been pushed to such a loss of control. In the end, Shen Yunmian had brought it upon herself.
"Knock, knock, knock." The steady sound interrupted her thoughts.
"Come in." Yu Sheng instantly reined in her exposed emotions, straightened her posture, and her expression returned to its usual calm composure.
Su Qingyu walked in with a report in hand, her steps crisp and efficient. She placed the document in front of Yu Sheng and began giving a clear, organized update on the project's progress. After a few sentences, she sharply noticed her boss's distraction.
"President Yu," Su Qingyu paused her report and asked with concern, "you don't seem quite right today."
Yu Sheng was slightly taken aback, then waved it off. "It's nothing. Probably didn't rest well last night. Go on."
But Su Qingyu didn't immediately continue. Her gaze casually swept over Yu Sheng's neck. Even though the shirt was buttoned all the way up, a faint scratch mark was still barely visible, extending from behind her ear into her collar.
A flicker of understanding passed through Su Qingyu's eyes—she wasn't some naïve girl.
The corners of her lips lifted slightly, her tone turning teasing as she dragged out her words, "Didn't rest well, huh? Looks like last night… was pretty intense?"
Caught off guard by the blunt teasing, Yu Sheng froze for a moment, heat instantly rising to her cheeks. She didn't have much experience in this area to begin with, and given how unusual last night had been, it carried an added layer of unspeakable chaos. Being called out so directly inevitably made her feel awkward.
Subconsciously, she raised a hand to adjust her collar and gave a vague reply, "…Don't talk nonsense."
It was as if Su Qingyu had discovered something entirely new. She probed in disbelief, "President Yu, you… don't tell me… you cheated?" In her view, given how much Yu Sheng disliked Shen Yunmian now, the other person had to be someone else.
"What are you talking about!" Yu Sheng frowned instinctively and refuted her.
"Not cheating?" Su Qingyu looked even more shocked. "Then… then it was with President Shen?! You two made up…?" Her face was full of incredulity—this simply didn't match what she had seen of Yu Sheng's rejection toward Shen Yunmian.
Yu Sheng had no intention of explaining something as disgraceful as Shen Yunmian being drugged, so she spoke vaguely, "It was just an accident." Then her tone lowered slightly. "Do you have too much free time at work to be gossiping like this?"
Sensing she had pushed far enough, Su Qingyu immediately dropped the teasing and returned to a professional demeanor. "Understood, President Yu. I'll get back to work."
She picked up the files and quickly left the office.
The room fell silent again, but Yu Sheng realized that the lingering irritation hadn't faded. It felt like a tiny thorn, subtly but persistently affecting her efficiency and inner calm.
She disliked this kind of unresolved feeling.
After rational consideration, she decided it was necessary to confirm the outcome and eliminate the disturbance entirely.
So she picked up her phone and called Dr. Chen to ask about Shen Yunmian's condition.
On the other end, Dr. Chen briefly summarized: excessive physical exertion had caused a mild fever, along with multiple soft tissue injuries; she had already been admitted for observation and rest. He emphasized again that it wasn't serious.
"Alright, I understand. Thank you," Yu Sheng responded succinctly and hung up.
Hearing that there was "nothing serious," the thorn in her mind was easily removed. She set her phone aside and refocused on the merger documents on her desk.
This time, all distractions were gone.
—
Shen Yunmian didn't wake until noon. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting mottled shadows across her pale face. As she shifted her stiff body, sharp pain shot through her collarbone and neck.
"President Shen, you're awake?" Secretary Li's cautious voice sounded from nearby.
She was holding several documents, clearly having waited for quite some time.
"…Mm." Shen Yunmian's voice was hoarse. She braced herself and sat up, but the movement pulled at her injuries, making her frown involuntarily. Secretary Li immediately stepped forward to support her, a flash of shock crossing her eyes—after years of working with President Shen, she had never seen her in such a… disheveled state.
"Get me a glass of water," Shen Yunmian said hoarsely.
Secretary Li hurried to pour one, unsure where to look.
Shen Yunmian took the glass and sipped, forcing her attention onto work.
Secretary Li quickly reported on several key projects. Shen Yunmian listened absentmindedly, her fingers unconsciously tracing the cold surface of the cup. When the report ended, the room fell into brief silence.
In the end, Shen Yunmian couldn't hold back. Pretending to be casual, she asked, "President Yu… is she at the company today? What is she doing?"
Secretary Li's heart skipped a beat. Carefully, she replied, "At this time… President Yu should be in a meeting."
Shen Yunmian gave a quiet "mm" and didn't ask further.
She waved Secretary Li away to handle the assigned tasks and leaned back against the headboard, her gaze drifting out the window.
A tangled mix of grievance, anger, and humiliation coiled within her like vines.
She kept telling herself: Yu Sheng was just busy. Once she finished, she would definitely contact her. Last night… though humiliating, at least it was a kind of "progress," wasn't it?
She should at least… say something to her, right?
But time passed, minute by minute, from bright daylight to dusk.
Her expectations slowly collapsed, while anxiety and unease grew wildly like weeds.
Accustomed to lowering herself, President Shen, unsurprisingly, still couldn't hold her pride. She picked up her phone, found that familiar number, and dialed it.
It rang for a long time before being answered.
"Hello?" Yu Sheng's voice came through, with some background noise that soon quieted. Her tone was calm, emotionless. "What is it?"
All the words Shen Yunmian had prepared got stuck in her throat. She was stunned by Yu Sheng's composure, as if last night's intense encounter had been nothing more than her own illusion.
After a long moment, she parted her lips. The question—"After sleeping with me, don't you have anything to say?"—rolled on her tongue, but in the end, the overwhelming shame forced her to swallow it back down.
"What exactly is it?" Yu Sheng's tone carried clear impatience.
Shen Yunmian's heart sank to the bottom. She slumped against the pillow, her voice dry. "I… I've been hospitalized."
There was a two-second pause on the other end, then Yu Sheng's indifferent, almost cold reply came:
"Oh. Then rest well. I still have work here—if there's nothing else, I'll hang up."
"Wait…" Shen Yunmian tried to say more.
All she got in response was the busy tone after the call ended.
Her fingers tightened around the phone, knuckles turning white.
How could her wife be so dismissive, so… heartless?
A surge of fury mixed with overwhelming humiliation instantly shattered her rationality. She hurled the phone at the wall—an expensive device shattering into pieces on impact.
The pent-up anger had nowhere to go, raging through her chest, burning her from the inside out.
Thinking of her own mother, a cold disappointment flashed through Shen Yunmian's eyes. Her mother had always cared most about wealth and status. In the past, out of familial ties, she had chosen not to make things ugly, turning a blind eye to many things.
And Lin Ruoyan—because of her father's death, Shen Yunmian had taken care of her for years, providing resources, connections, money, never holding back. And what did she get in return? Escalating greed, rumors spread behind her back, manipulation and schemes!
Since she could give, she could just as easily take it all away.
A chilling light filled Shen Yunmian's eyes. She pressed the call button and said to the nurse who entered, "Please clean this up, and bring me a spare phone."
The nurse, used to high-pressure situations in VIP wards, handled everything calmly.
Once she had the phone, Shen Yunmian immediately called Secretary Li again.
The call was answered almost instantly.
"President Shen?"
"Secretary Li," Shen Yunmian's voice was icy, devoid of warmth, "handle two matters immediately."
"Yes, President Shen."
"First, freeze all secondary cards, financial accounts, and trust fund dividends under my mother Zhou Yaqin's name that are funded by me or the Shen Group. Effective immediately, stop all living expenses and additional subsidies. Inform the villa's housekeeper and staff to have her move out at once—only provide basic living support monthly."
Secretary Li was clearly shocked, but suppressed it. "Understood, President Shen."
"Second," Shen Yunmian's tone turned even colder, "have the legal department formally issue a lawyer's letter to Lin Ruoyan and her studio. Recover all funds that failed to meet contractual returns or were used improperly through Shen Group resources. At the same time, notify all affiliated partners and brands—Shen Group is terminating all cooperation with Lin Ruoyan."
"…." Secretary Li was momentarily speechless.
This wasn't just cutting off her income—this was driving her completely into ruin, leaving no chance of recovery.
President Shen had truly lost her temper this time, showing no mercy.
"Do you understand?" Shen Yunmian's voice carried undeniable pressure.
"Y-Yes, President Shen! I'll handle it immediately!" Secretary Li replied without hesitation.
After hanging up, Shen Yunmian closed her eyes wearily, leaning back against the pillow.
The anger in her chest eased slightly, but what followed was an even deeper exhaustion and emptiness.
—
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