For several days in a row, Yu Sheng hardly went to the company.
Shen Yunmian tried hard to control herself, attempting not to disturb Yu Sheng's life. Only when she was almost on the verge of losing her mind would she use work as an excuse to call Su Qingyu over, indirectly asking about Yu Sheng's whereabouts.
Su Qingyu, now afraid of provoking this fragile source of wealth, could only vaguely indicate that President Yu should be returning to the company soon.
Shen Yunmian felt a dull ache in her chest and could only wave her off, hinting not to let Yu Sheng know.
Su Qingyu nodded helplessly and left. Afterward, Shen Yunmian was the only one left in the office.
She maintained her stiff sitting posture for a long time before slowly leaning back in her chair, raising a hand to press hard against her throbbing temples.
Shen Yunmian didn't know how long she could keep control, and could only secretly pray that the girl named Sophia would hurry up and leave.
Fortunately, it seemed that fate finally showed her a bit of favor. Three days later, Yu Sheng returned to work.
Shen Yunmian was overjoyed. Although she hadn't seen Sheng Sheng all morning, just being closer to her made her previously listless spirit feel much better.
At that moment, the phone screen on her desk lit up—it was a message briefing from Secretary Li.
Shen Yunmian picked up her phone and skimmed through it.
The report was concise, routinely outlining Yu Sheng's schedule for the day: internal company meeting in the morning, meeting with a materials supplier for the "Smart City" project in the afternoon, no evening engagements, expected to return directly to Jingshui Bay apartment.
During the day at work, Shen Yunmian felt much better because Yu Sheng had finally returned.
But after work ended and she returned to Jiuxi Bay, an even deeper sense of emptiness swept over her.
She couldn't help but think of when Yu Sheng used to be there—at least the house wasn't so quiet, a silence so suffocating it brought despair.
She couldn't help but wonder whether that girl named Sophia was still staying with Yu Sheng.
What would they be doing together?
All kinds of speculation uncontrollably crept into her mind, like countless tiny mosquitoes biting at her sensitive nerves.
She suddenly stood up, pacing back and forth in the empty living room, trying to drive away these suffocating thoughts.
She couldn't think about it anymore.
She repeatedly warned herself, Dr. Chen's words echoing in her ears: "When you see happiness, shouldn't you feel at least a trace of comfort?"
Happiness?
After Yu Sheng left her, she did seem… more relaxed.
When Su Qingyu reported, she would occasionally mention that President Yu had been looking well lately, and the team atmosphere was very positive.
Wasn't that what she wanted?
Then why did her chest still hurt so much? Like being repeatedly struck by a blunt object?
Perhaps it was because none of this was brought by her. She had been excluded from Yu Sheng's happiness—what she brought her was only oppression, annoyance, and pain.
Shen Yunmian didn't dare think further. She simply couldn't accept this cruel realization.
In the end, as if escaping, she walked to the liquor cabinet, poured herself a glass of strong alcohol, and drank it in one gulp.
The burning liquid slid down her throat, temporarily numbing her churning stomach, but unable to extinguish the anxiety in her heart.
She needed to do something. She had to do something—to prove she wasn't completely useless.
She picked up the internal phone and connected to the director of the project department. "'Smart City' Phase One—the list of primary material suppliers selected by Yu Corporation—send it to me immediately."
Her voice was slightly hoarse from the alcohol, but her tone was unquestionable.
A few minutes later, the list arrived in her email.
Shen Yunmian quickly scanned it, then dialed another number, calling the head of Shen Group's investment department.
"The third company on the list, 'Chenyu Building Materials,'" her voice was calm without a trace of emotion, "investigate their actual controlling shareholder and cash flow over the past six months. I want a detailed report on my desk by 3 p.m."
"President Shen, this company… is there a problem with it?"
The other party was clearly a bit confused. This supplier was mid-sized, but had always maintained a good reputation in the industry.
"Just do as I say." Shen Yunmian didn't explain and hung up directly.
She could not allow any potential risk to appear in a project that Yu Sheng had poured her heart into.
Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she would eliminate it in advance.
It was an almost obsessive desire to protect—currently the only excuse she could find to intervene in Yu Sheng's life.
At 2 p.m. the next day, a detailed investigation report was placed on Shen Yunmian's desk.
As expected, "Chenyu Building Materials" appeared respectable on the surface, but its actual controlling shareholder had intricate connections with one of Yu Corporation's competitors. Moreover, its recent cash flow was abnormal, with suspected asset transfers.
Shen Yunmian let out a cold laugh and immediately took action.
She mobilized Shen Corporation's resources, using forceful measures to pressure the owner of "Chenyu Building Materials." At the same time, she leaked information about a higher-quality and more reasonable alternative supplier to the person in charge of Yu Corporation's project team through an indirect channel.
Only after doing all this did she finally let out a long breath, leaning back in her chair, feeling as if the burning flame in her chest had subsided somewhat.
See, she was still useful.
She could clear obstacles for her in the shadows, escort her forward—not just annoy her.
That evening, Secretary Li's internal line rang again. "President Shen, President Yu has finished meeting with the supplier and has returned to the company. She seems… to be in a good mood." There was a trace of barely concealed relief in Secretary Li's voice, as if this also brought a bit of good news to her gloomy boss's day.
"Got it." Shen Yunmian responded lightly and hung up.
In a good mood… was it because a hidden danger had been eliminated?
Would she guess that it was her pushing things from behind the scenes?
No. It would be best if she didn't know.
She should enjoy the sense of accomplishment from solving problems with her own ability.
This kind of shadow-like protection, hidden in the dark, became Shen Yunmian's new addiction.
She began to obsessively indulge in this pattern: closely monitoring everything about Yu Sheng through various channels, predicting the difficulties she might encounter, and then using all her resources to quietly resolve them for her. From small matters like a troublesome partner's manager being inexplicably transferred away, to major issues like a potential bottleneck in project approval being smoothed out in advance.
She was like a skilled puppeteer behind the scenes, carefully erasing all traces of her interference, just so Yu Sheng's path ahead could be a little smoother. And she herself, in this twisted form of devotion, drew a pitiful bit of sustenance to maintain her nearly collapsing mental state.
She ate less and less, her sleep still dependent on medication, and her whole body grew visibly thinner.
Only late at night, when she drove to the bottom of Jingshui Bay and looked up at the light from Yu Sheng's window, did she feel a trace of morbid calm.
That night, the lights in Yu Sheng's apartment stayed on very late.
Shen Yunmian sat in her car downstairs, from the moment the city lights came on until the dead of night.
She saw that the study light remained on, imagining that Yu Sheng might be working, or reading, or… chatting with Sophia.
Her chest still stung, but at least she knew she was there, in a place she could see.
Only after the study light went out, and some time later the bedroom light also went out, plunging the entire apartment into darkness, did Shen Yunmian seem to have all her strength drained. She slowly started the car and silently drove into the deep night.
This stolen "companionship," separated by distance, was the only reason she could barely fall asleep each day.
However, this fragile balance was soon broken by an accident.
That day, Yu Sheng personally led the project team to inspect the construction site of Phase One of the "Smart City" project. The weather suddenly changed, and heavy rain poured down. The soil at the site became extremely unstable under the downpour, and a partial collapse suddenly occurred at the eastern edge of a foundation pit.
The news reached Shen Yunmian almost simultaneously—
The people she had arranged to follow Yu Sheng's team as "peripheral security" immediately sent an emergency briefing.
The wording of the report was urgent: the collapse area was close to the inspection route. While organizing personnel evacuation, President Yu pushed away an engineer who was about to slip into the pit, but lost her balance herself and was struck by falling soil and rocks, injuring her leg. The scene was chaotic, the injured were waiting for ambulances, and Yu Sheng's injuries were not yet clear.
The moment Shen Yunmian saw the message, her mind went blank, her heart seeming to stop beating.
She suddenly stood up from her chair, her vision going black as she nearly fainted.
A collapse? Hit by falling debris! Injured!
Yu Sheng must be seriously hurt?
How serious? Does it hurt badly?
Was it treated in time?
Countless terrifying thoughts exploded in her mind like bombs, and panic flooded over her like a tidal wave.
All restraint, all reason, all principles of "silent protection" collapsed completely in that instant.
She grabbed her car keys and rushed out of the office like a madwoman, even forgetting to take her coat.
"President Shen! President Shen, where are you going? There's an important meeting in ten minutes!" Secretary Li called anxiously from behind her.
"All meetings are canceled!"
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Shen Yunmian rushed in, repeatedly pressing the button for the underground parking level, her fingers trembling violently. She could not—she absolutely could not—go through the torment of losing the one she loved again.
At this moment, there was only one thought in her mind: go see her! Immediately! Right now! She had to confirm with her own eyes that she was safe!
The car shot out of the underground garage like an arrow released from a bow, merging into traffic. The windshield wipers swung frantically as Shen Yunmian gripped the steering wheel tightly, weaving through the slick roads.
She only knew that her Sheng Sheng was injured, in danger—she had to get to her side immediately.
All that nonsense about keeping distance and silent protection—at this moment, it could all go to hell!
At this moment, she was no longer the calculating President Shen, nor the shadow hiding in the dark, humbly watching. She was only someone completely seized by fear, desperate to return to her master's side—
An out-of-control dog.
—
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