Thus, President Shen lowered herself for the first time and went to Yu Sheng's office on her own initiative.
The door wasn't fully closed. At a glance, she saw Yu Sheng and Gu Wanqing leaning close together in front of a computer, talking about something.
They were chatting and laughing, and Yu Sheng wore a relaxed smile she hadn't shown in a long time.
That scene was inexplicably irritating.
Shen Yunmian gave a light cough and pushed the door open.
The two women who had been chatting looked up at the sound.
The moment she saw her, the smile on Yu Sheng's face instantly faded.
Meanwhile, a flash of obvious disdain quickly passed through Gu Wanqing's eyes.
These synchronized reactions were like two fine needles stabbing sharply into Shen Yunmian's proud self-esteem.
She felt displeased but had no way to vent it.
Keeping a straight face, she forced herself to speak calmly, "Yu Sheng, I need to talk to you about something."
Yu Sheng said nothing, only looking at her, signaling for her to continue.
Gu Wanqing, perceptive as ever, immediately stood up. "Sheng Sheng, I'll head out first. You two talk."
With that, she quickly slipped out, thoughtfully closing the door behind her.
Now only the two of them remained in the office, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
In truth, Shen Yunmian hadn't even figured out what she wanted to say.
She had intended to find an excuse to break the ice, but when the words came out, they turned stiff and questioning. "I heard from Ruoyan that you're setting up a short drama department? And that you overruled everyone to put Gu Wanqing in charge?"
The moment Yu Sheng heard that, she assumed Shen Yunmian had come to question her on behalf of her "beloved little sister."
Her expression immediately turned cold, and she replied curtly, "Yes. President Shen is very well-informed. What, are you afraid your dear little sister will suffer? That her resources will be taken away?"
Before Shen Yunmian could respond, Yu Sheng continued with sharp sarcasm, "If you really feel sorry for her, you can just set up another company specifically to promote her. After all, President Shen has plenty of money. But Qiyun Film belongs to me now. What projects I choose to do is my freedom. I'm not interested in throwing money away anymore to play her childish Best Actress game."
Shen Yunmian felt a tightness in her chest, blocked by Yu Sheng's barrage of sarcasm.
Sensing the anger in Yu Sheng's words, she tried to explain, "That's not what I meant. I just…"
She faltered halfway, unable to find the right words.
Was she supposed to say, "I just wanted an excuse to talk to you"?
She couldn't.
Yu Sheng had no patience for her, clearly looking like she wanted her gone.
After a few seconds of stalemate, Shen Yunmian stiffly changed the subject. "It's almost noon. Let's have lunch together. We can… talk properly."
This was practically the greatest extent of initiative she could muster.
However, Yu Sheng only looked at her as if she were absurd and refused without hesitation, "No time. I've already arranged to meet with Wanqing. We have a project meeting later to go over details."
She glanced at the clock, her expression clearly saying, "Why are you still here wasting my time?"
The taut string in Shen Yunmian's heart snapped with a sharp crack.
The repeated frustration, being ignored, being rejected—everything she had been suppressing burst through her rationality.
She suddenly stepped forward, her voice rising uncontrollably, laced with anger, "Yu Sheng, how long are you going to keep this up?"
The sudden outburst made Yu Sheng pause for a moment.
Then, as if she had heard something utterly ridiculous, a cold, mocking smile curved her lips.
Looking at Shen Yunmian's expression—one that seemed to accuse her of being unreasonable—she found it absurd to the extreme.
Taking a deep breath, she pointed straight at the door and snapped even louder than Shen Yunmian:
"Shen Yunmian! This is my office. What kind of nonsense are you throwing here? If you want to act like a president, go back to your own office! Get out!"
That final "Get out" rang clear and sharp, piercing through the not-so-soundproof door.
Outside, the busy employees instantly pricked up their ears, exchanging shocked and gossip-filled looks.
Shen Yunmian's face turned ashen at that shout.
She had never suffered such humiliation in her life—especially not in public.
Her strong pride and need to save face made it impossible for her to stay any longer.
In the end, without saying a word, she turned sharply and slammed the door behind her!
The loud "bang" echoed, making the entire floor seem to fall silent for a moment.
Yu Sheng looked at the still-vibrating door and let out a cold scoff.
She couldn't help but recall that night when she was drunk—when Shen Yunmian shamelessly tried to kiss her, and she deliberately mocked her for being terrible in bed. Even after such humiliation, all Shen Yunmian did was put on a cold face, slam the door, and leave.
After all this time, she hadn't seen her use any other tactics.
Heh, so the lofty President Shen was only capable of impotent rage.
She suddenly felt that in her past life, she had been unbelievably foolish, actually suffocating herself into depression.
Soon, Yu Sheng tossed the matter to the back of her mind.
And Shen Yunmian, too, had no face left to try and reconcile again.
The two returned to a cold war—or rather, a one-sided cold war from Shen Yunmian.
Days passed one after another.
Yu Sheng poured more of her energy into the short drama project; at least this was something she could fully control.
The busyness helped her temporarily forget the heavy burden that was the Yu Group.
That day, they had just finished an intense brainstorming session.
Gu Wanqing stretched and complained, "I'm exhausted! Sheng Sheng, I feel like my brain's been completely wrung dry!"
Yu Sheng rubbed her aching temples and forced a smile. "Almost there. If we prepare thoroughly in the early stage, filming will go more smoothly later."
"Got it, President Yu!" Gu Wanqing leaned in, wiggling her eyebrows. "But seriously, the way you look when you're working—you really do seem like the real deal. Super charming!"
Yu Sheng was amused by her and was just about to say something when her phone rang.
It was a number from the Shen family's old residence.
Her heart tightened slightly. She signaled for Gu Wanqing to continue working and stepped aside to answer.
As expected, it was Grandmother.
The old woman's voice was as kind as ever, but carried a hint of probing: "Sheng Sheng, you and Yunmian have both been busy lately, haven't you? You haven't come home for dinner in quite a few days."
Yu Sheng used the excuse she had already prepared: "Yes, Grandma, there's been a lot going on at the company lately. Once things settle down, I'll come back to see you."
There was a brief silence on the other end before she spoke slowly, "Busy is fine, but you still need to take care of your health. You two… need to be understanding toward each other. Yunmian has a cold personality—you should be more accommodating."
Hearing this, Yu Sheng only found it deeply ironic, though she replied obediently, "Mm, I understand. Don't worry, Grandma."
After hanging up, the fatigue on her face could no longer be concealed.
Grandma's call was like a silent urging and supervision, reminding her that the constraints of this marriage were far from over.
On the top floor, Shen Yunmian had also just finished a similar "concerned" call from Grandma.
She was better at dealing with her, but after hanging up, her mood was even more irritable.
Although Grandma hadn't said it outright, every word implied that she should take the initiative to ease the relationship.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, a deep sense of helplessness gripping her.
At that moment, her private phone rang.
It was a long-unseen number.
She paused for a moment before answering.
A brisk, slightly teasing female voice came from the other end: "Hey? What are you busy with? I'm back—hurry up and bring your wife to pick me up!"
A rare trace of softness appeared on Shen Yunmian's face.
It was Qiao Wei.
Her only true childhood friend, and someone who also got along well with Yu Sheng—a rare person familiar to both of them.
Perhaps… she could offer some advice?
An hour later, at the airport.
Qiao Wei pushed her luggage cart out energetically and immediately spotted the striking Shen Yunmian in the crowd.
She grinned exaggeratedly. "Yo! You actually came? I thought I'd have to wait for your secretary to call me a car!"
Shen Yunmian remained expressionless. "Enough nonsense. Let's go."
In the car, Qiao Wei chattered nonstop about her travels.
Shen Yunmian mostly listened in silence, occasionally responding with a quiet "mm."
Qiao Wei finally noticed something was off. "Something's wrong. Your face looks as grim as if your company's about to go bankrupt. What's up?"
Shen Yunmian pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Qiao Wei grew even more interested. "Not work? Then it's personal? Let me guess… the only personal matter that could trouble you this much—other than your gentle, lovely little wife—who else could it be?"
At the words "gentle, lovely," Shen Yunmian's lips twitched.
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. After a long pause, she spoke with difficulty, her voice slightly hoarse: "She… seems like a different person."
"Oh?" Qiao Wei's eyes lit up. "How so? Finally couldn't stand your awful temper and rebelled?"
Ignoring her wording, Shen Yunmian briefly recounted what had happened recently.
Of course, she left out the humiliating details—being slapped, mocked for her skills, and told to "get out."
She only emphasized that Yu Sheng had become cold, difficult to communicate with, even somewhat… unreasonable.
As Qiao Wei listened, the teasing on her face gradually faded, replaced by something more thoughtful.
When Shen Yunmian finished, she clicked her tongue. "How did I never realize you're such an idiot when it comes to relationships?"
Shen Yunmian frowned. "What do you mean?"
"It means you deserve it!" Qiao Wei said bluntly. "From what I hear, Yu Sheng hasn't done anything wrong!"
"Your little sister's been spoiled rotten and caused her to lose her child! Your mother can't tell right from wrong and plays favorites! And you? All you do is throw money and companies at her, telling her to 'be rational' in that cold, detached way!"
"If it were me, I'd have gone crazy too! The fact she didn't hit you means she's got a good temper!"
Thinking of her recently scratched face, Shen Yunmian's expression darkened. "I've already handled it! I apologized! What more does she want from me?"
"Apologized? You call that an apology? That's issuing a notice!" Qiao Wei rolled her eyes. "Shen Yunmian, your wife is a person, not your subordinate! She has feelings—she can be hurt, disappointed!"
"It's completely normal that she doesn't want to deal with you now. It means her heart's gone cold. She can't even be bothered arguing with you anymore."
Something stabbed sharply at Shen Yunmian's chest as she asked blankly, "Then why did she suddenly go to the company?"
"Why? To get away from you!" Qiao Wei said bluntly. "Your two families are tied together so tightly—can she just leave? She has no choice but to endure it and keep up appearances with you while finding herself a way out!"
Those words were like a sharp blade, cutting open the bloody truth with precision.
Shen Yunmian fell silent instantly.
She had always avoided thinking too deeply about Yu Sheng's motives for going to the company.
Now that Qiao Wei had laid it bare, a chill rose from the depths of her heart.
So all of Yu Sheng's efforts, her ambition, weren't for this family, nor for her.
Maybe… they were to leave her as soon as possible?
That realization filled her with an unprecedented sense of panic.
Seeing her suddenly pale face, Qiao Wei sighed, her tone softening. "Yunmian, I know your upbringing made you both crave and fear relationships, so you've handled this terribly."
"But if you still want to keep her, sulking and playing cold war won't work."
"You need to feel her pain, understand her anger. Then show some genuine sincerity."
"But…" Qiao Wei paused and shrugged, "I think it'll be hard. That awful temper of yours probably won't change!"
Shen Yunmian drove in silence for a long time, staring at the night outside the window.
Qiao Wei's words echoed repeatedly in her mind.
"Her heart's gone cold."
"To get away from you."
"Show some sincerity…"
These phrases felt unfamiliar and jarring, challenging everything she believed.
Had she really… been wrong?
She had only been handling things in what she thought was the most correct and efficient way.
So why had it ended like this?
A deep confusion and uncertainty enveloped her.
For the first time, she began to doubt the way she had always believed a marriage should be managed.
"Watch the road," Qiao Wei said impatiently. "Come on, let's go get a drink. And then you can tell me in detail how you managed to lose your wife."
Snapping back to herself, Shen Yunmian drove to the quiet bar they often visited.
They took a booth. From the moment the drinks arrived, Shen Yunmian just drank in silence, not saying a word.
Qiao Wei couldn't help but laugh. "It's really rare to see you this lost and dejected."
After a moment, Shen Yunmian finally spoke, her tone carrying a rare trace of uncertainty. "Qiao Wei… if I want to fix things, but she completely ignores me, what should I do?"
Qiao Wei raised a brow and leaned forward with interest. "Tell me—how exactly is she ignoring you?"
Shen Yunmian briefly described Yu Sheng's current state: ignoring her existence, refusing to communicate, fully immersing herself in her own work. In the end, she gritted her teeth and even admitted the parts about getting scratched, being slapped, and being told to "get out."
Of course, President Shen's final shred of pride kept her from mentioning being mocked for her poor skills.
After listening, Qiao Wei stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… sounds pretty serious."
"But Yu Sheng probably still likes you. No matter how angry she is, there's always some softness left in her heart."
"I think, first, you need to lower your attitude. A sincere apology is step one. Second, words alone aren't enough—you need actions to show sincerity."
"It's important to cater to her preferences. What does she like lately? What does she care about? Start from there.
"For example, if she likes art, go to exhibitions with her. If she's focused on her career, see if you can provide support—resources, connections… Of course, some thoughtful gifts are necessary too. It's not about value, but about showing you've put in effort and that you care."
Shen Yunmian listened seriously, though her brows remained slightly furrowed.
What Qiao Wei said made some sense, especially "catering to her preferences" and "offering support."
As for apologizing… she had tried, but the timing and method seemed wrong.
And gifts… Yu Sheng didn't seem to lack material things.
Seeing her so serious, Qiao Wei laughed. "Hey, relax a little! Don't treat this like you're drafting a merger plan. Relationships sometimes need feeling and sincerity—not logic and efficiency."
Try it—anything is better than sitting here worrying like this.
Although she instinctively felt things wouldn't be that simple, with no better ideas, Shen Yunmian clutched at it like a lifeline.
She recalled hearing Secretary Li mention that Yu Sheng had been paying attention to an upcoming jewelry auction. In the catalog, there was a final piece—a Kashmir sapphire necklace, extremely rare.
Yu Sheng's mother had seemed to love sapphires. Perhaps…this could be an opportunity?
—
T/N: If you're enjoying this translation, feel free to check out my Patreon. If you're unable to support financially, you can still subscribe for free and receive chapters two hours earlier, along with updates and announcements. Paid tiers offer early access and daily chapters.
Thank you so much for reading!
patreon.com/Baenz