"I don't love you anymore."
Those five short words stunned Shen Yunmian far more than being told to get out. She froze in place instantly.
The office was dead silent.
Looking at Shen Yunmian's lost and shaken state, Yu Sheng only found it laughable—what was there for her to be surprised about?
After everything that had happened, if she still loved her, she would despise herself.
She suppressed her anger, hoping Shen Yunmian would calm down and leave on her own.
But the usually composed Shen Yunmian seemed unable to process this information.
After a long pause, she finally moved her eyes stiffly, her voice dry and strained. "You… what did you just say?"
Yu Sheng didn't want to argue anymore. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and tried to soften her tone. "I lost control of my emotions just now. My words were too harsh. If there's nothing else, please leave. I still have a lot to handle."
But Shen Yunmian acted as if she hadn't heard, stubbornly repeating the same question. "You said… you don't love me anymore?"
Her voice trembled with an inexplicable persistence.
Yu Sheng's last bit of patience was gone. She found Shen Yunmian utterly unreasonable.
Wasn't this obvious?
"Yes, I don't love you anymore." Yu Sheng enunciated each word clearly. "So whatever you do now, whoever you're with—whether it's gratitude or anything else—it has nothing to do with me. Do you understand?"
"I don't believe it!"
Shen Yunmian's voice sharpened, laced with panic she didn't even realize. "Are you still angry? Because of the child? Because of my mother and Xingyao? Yu Sheng, what do you want me to do for you to calm down?"
Yu Sheng laughed in disbelief.
"Shen Yunmian, do you not understand human language, or do you only believe what you want to believe? I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm busy—I don't have time to play these pointless games with you."
"If it's not a tantrum, then what is it?"
Shen Yunmian pressed on stubbornly. "We were clearly… clearly doing fine before…"
Even she felt how hollow that sounded.
"Doing fine?"
Yu Sheng sneered, deciding to use her own logic against her. "Do you need me to remind you what you said before we got married?"
Leaning forward, her gaze sharp, she repeated word for word:
"You said, 'Miss Yu, what I need is a wife who is emotionally stable, capable of managing the household, and able to let me focus on my work without worries. In return, I will provide a wealthy life and the dignity you deserve. Between us, we may not need too much emotional entanglement. Clear responsibilities and obligations are better for both of us.'"
After repeating it, Yu Sheng mocked, "See? What you needed was never a lover—just a 'wife' who met your requirements. I was foolish before, I didn't understand. Now I do. And I'm willing to follow your rules and fulfill my end of the agreement—maintain appearances, uphold your reputation and the Shen family's image, be a 'qualified' wife. So President Shen, please be rational and follow the rules you set yourself. Stop making a scene—it's embarrassing."
Every word was like a slap across Shen Yunmian's face.
She wanted to refute it, to say it wasn't like that—but her past actions seemed to prove Yu Sheng right.
Her current panic and persistence only made her look like someone unwilling to accept defeat.
A crushing sense of powerlessness overwhelmed her.
All her questions and anger deflated like a punctured balloon.
Looking into Yu Sheng's completely cold eyes, she finally understood—whether she believed it or not—
Yu Sheng's heart had truly changed.
Shen Yunmian had nothing left to say. She looked at Yu Sheng deeply one last time, then fled the office in a near panic.
Her retreating figure was disheveled.
The door closed softly behind her, separating inside from out.
Yu Sheng stood there, taking deep breaths, suppressing the turmoil brought on by the confrontation.
She had no time to dwell on Shen Yunmian's breakdown—reality pressed too urgently.
She quickly set it aside, picked up the internal phone, her tone returning to calm. "Wanqing, come to my office. Let's discuss the short drama shooting details."
Not long after, Gu Wanqing knocked and entered.
At a glance, she noticed Yu Sheng's off expression—traces of lingering irritation and fatigue between her brows.
"What's wrong?"
Walking to the desk, she lowered her voice. "I just saw Shen Yunmian leave your office—she looked terrifying. Did you two… argue again?"
"Don't even mention it. I don't know what's gotten into her lately—she keeps showing up like a ghost looking for trouble."
Yu Sheng rubbed her temples, her tone serious. "Things between us… probably can't drag on much longer. I'm running out of patience. I need to speed things up and prepare earlier."
Gu Wanqing reassured her, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I'll always have your back."
Yu Sheng nodded and pushed the short drama project file over. "Enough about her. Look at this—how's the production prep going?"
Gu Wanqing was immediately distracted, flipping it open excitedly. "Don't worry! When I handle things, efficiency is top-notch! The director, leads, and locations are basically confirmed. The script's been revised according to our last meeting—take a look…"
She reported in detail, organized and well-prepared.
Yu Sheng listened carefully, occasionally asking questions, all of which Gu Wanqing answered smoothly.
Seeing her friend's dedication and professionalism, Yu Sheng felt relieved, much of the gloom lifting.
A genuine smile appeared on her face. "Wanqing, I'm entrusting this project entirely to you. I trust your judgment and ability. Whatever support you need, just ask—funding, resources, I'll coordinate as much as I can."
Hearing that, Gu Wanqing was deeply moved.
With determined eyes, she said, "Sheng Sheng! I promise—I'll give it everything I've got to make this project a hit! I'll help you build enough strength to break free from that damn iceberg, Shen Yunmian!"
Yu Sheng smiled. "Alright. Let's work hard together."
—
Shen Yunmian returned to the top-floor office in a daze.
Yu Sheng's cutting words echoed repeatedly in her mind, especially "I don't love you anymore," like a relentless curse.
She waved her secretary away and collapsed into the large, cold leather chair.
Outside, the city was bustling. Inside, the office was eerily silent, filled only with her uneven breathing.
She had never imagined that a single sentence could throw her into such chaos.
She had always believed she only needed a stable, mutually beneficial marriage—a partner who would let her focus on her work without worries.
Love—something intangible and uncontrollable—had never been part of her plan. Deep down, she had even resisted it.
But why?
Why did hearing Yu Sheng clearly say she didn't love her feel like something had been ripped out of her chest, leaving an aching emptiness?
Why had she lost control, clinging and questioning like someone who couldn't accept defeat?
This didn't fit her logic. It was completely beyond her control.
She thought of Yu Sheng's earlier accusations.
She had known about the rumors between her and Lin Ruoyan, but since Yu Sheng never made a fuss, she hadn't taken them seriously—just dismissed them as tabloid nonsense.
She had even subconsciously thought Yu Sheng's lack of reaction meant trust… or maturity.
But now, paired with that line—"whatever you do has nothing to do with me anymore"—she suddenly realized those rumors she had ignored might have been like fine needles, piercing Yu Sheng's heart again and again.
Her inaction and indifference had, in Yu Sheng's eyes, become tacit approval and coldness.
Yu Sheng was drifting further and further away—and that realization made her panic.
This couldn't go on.
A strong urge to do something seized her.
Shen Yunmian suddenly pressed the intercom, her voice hoarse with urgency: "Secretary Li, come in immediately!"
Secretary Li quickly entered and stood respectfully before the desk. "President Shen, what are your instructions?"
Shen Yunmian took a breath, trying to keep her voice steady, but the fists clenched at her sides betrayed her inner turmoil. "Handle all the false rumors about Lin Ruoyan and me immediately. Contact the legal department—send lawyer's letters where needed, file lawsuits where appropriate. Use the fastest possible speed to clean up every bit of this mess. I don't want to see a single related report again!"
A flicker of surprise passed through Secretary Li's eyes, but her professionalism kept her from asking questions. She nodded at once.
"Understood, President Shen. I'll take care of it immediately."
But after giving the order, Shen Yunmian didn't feel any relief.
Secretary Li worked efficiently. Two hours later, she reported back, "President Shen, we've contacted five major media outlets, and the legal notices have been sent. Three gossip studios have agreed to take down their articles and issue clarification statements. However…"
"However what?"
"The source of the spread is too wide. Completely erasing it will take time, and… it may actually spark more speculation and discussion," Secretary Li said cautiously.
Shen Yunmian rubbed her temples. "I know. Just do it."
What she wanted was an attitude—an attitude for Yu Sheng to see.
The office fell silent again.
But Yu Sheng showed no reaction to her so-called "attitude," and instead seemed to grow even colder.
And Shen Yunmian no longer dared to approach her rashly, afraid that she would only receive even harsher humiliation.
As for the sapphire necklace Yu Sheng had casually thrown to Lin Ruoyan, Shen Yunmian locked it away in the very bottom of her office safe, as if trying to lock away that humiliation along with it.
Yet when she dragged her exhausted body back to the marital home in Jiuxi Bay late at night, the moment she pushed open the door, she was greeted by nothing but darkness and silence.
The faint, familiar fragrance in the air was gone. The figure who would softly ask, "You're back?" was no longer there.
The slippers in the entryway were neatly arranged—but only for one person now.
The living room sofa felt wide and cold. The kitchen was spotless, like a model display, devoid of any warmth of daily life.
For the first time, she felt how empty and cold this house was.
Before, when Yu Sheng was here, she had never thought there was anything special about it.
Only now that everything had disappeared did she realize, with a jolt, that it had all quietly seeped into her life—and now that it was gone, what remained was an unbearable emptiness.
Memories began to surface uncontrollably.
She remembered how, just after they got married, Yu Sheng would have the housekeeper make soup for her every day, saying it was good for her stomach.
Sometimes she would be too busy and forget to drink it. Yu Sheng never said anything, only kept it warm, waiting until she finished her work before bringing it to her.
Later, her stomach problems really did flare up far less often.
There was a time she had a severe cold and fever, working from home. Yu Sheng stayed up all night taking care of her, changing the towel on her forehead every so often.
Half-asleep, she had once grabbed Yu Sheng's hand—it was soft, warm.
The next day, when her fever broke, Yu Sheng's eyes were bloodshot, yet she smiled and said she was fine.
All those small acts of care she had ignored, taken for granted—now surged over her like a tide, gnawing at her bit by bit.
The realization filled Shen Yunmian with even greater panic.
She suddenly understood that, without noticing, she seemed to have lost something most important.
—
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