Yu Sheng had just returned to her own hospital room not long ago and was about to lie down to rest when the door was gently pushed open.
She looked up in surprise, only to see Shen Yunmian standing there alone, holding onto the doorframe. Her face was frighteningly pale, and the loose hospital gown made her look even thinner, as if a gust of wind could knock her over.
She had only just woken up not long ago, with thick bandages still wrapped around her head—and she ran over like this? A surge of helplessness and irritation rose in Yu Sheng's heart. What on earth was she doing now?
She suppressed the turbulent emotions inside her and asked, "Why did you come here? Did the doctor allow you to get out of bed?"
Shen Yunmian didn't answer immediately. She simply leaned against the doorframe, breathing lightly, her deep eyes fixed intently on Yu Sheng's face, filled with emotions Yu Sheng couldn't understand.
After catching her breath, she finally spoke softly, "I… I heard Qingyu say your foreign friend… Sophia, has arrived?"
The question was cautious, yet carried unmistakable concern.
Yu Sheng frowned, feeling a bit amused. She came all this way just to ask this? Her tone turned cold. "She has. So what? What exactly are you trying to say?"
Shen Yunmian was momentarily choked by the blunt question. A trace of embarrassment flashed across her pale face. She lowered her gaze, avoiding Yu Sheng's sharp eyes, her voice even softer. "Sheng Sheng, could you… not get too close to her?"
"No." Yu Sheng didn't hesitate at all, answering decisively. "Shen Yunmian, Sophia is my friend. Who I associate with doesn't seem to be your concern. Aren't you overstepping?"
It felt like Shen Yunmian's heart was being pierced by needles, an intense, dense pain spreading through her.
How could she not know how ugly she looked right now—just like those jealous and narrow-minded people she had always despised? But the moment she thought of Yu Sheng smiling at that blonde girl, overwhelming panic seized her, making it impossible for her to stay calm.
She tried to come up with clumsy excuses. "I'm not trying to interfere with you. I'm just worried about your health. You need rest. That Sophia… she has a rather lively personality. If she visits you, she might disturb your rest. It wouldn't be good for your recovery…"
She rambled on, even finding her own reasons weak and unconvincing.
Yu Sheng listened quietly, then suddenly let out a soft laugh, her tone laced with clear mockery. "Shen Yunmian, how do you know Sophia has a lively, outgoing personality? Did you investigate her?"
Shen Yunmian was instantly speechless. A flicker of guilt flashed across her face as she hurriedly looked away.
Her reaction was as good as an admission.
The irritation in Yu Sheng's heart deepened. The patience she had barely maintained after the car accident was now completely exhausted.
She lifted her eyes and looked straight at Shen Yunmian, piercing through the pretense with each word: "Shen Yunmian, after going in such a big circle and saying so many grand-sounding reasons, there's really only one true reason. You're jealous, aren't you?"
To Yu Sheng's surprise, Shen Yunmian neither denied it nor became angry.
She looked up and met Yu Sheng's gaze. Those eyes, usually calm and restrained, were now filled with pain and a frank, almost humble vulnerability. "Yes, I'm jealous… Sheng Sheng, it hurts. I feel like I'm going crazy."
Her voice trembled, as if she had cast aside all her pride, laying her most unsightly and fragile self bare before Yu Sheng. "I know I look terrible like this… but I can't control it. Just thinking about you smiling at someone else, getting close to someone else, maybe even… liking someone else—I…" She raised her hand and pressed it hard against her chest, "it feels like my heart is being cut by knives."
Yu Sheng listened quietly to her near-confession, her face showing no trace of emotion—only a calmness so deep it seemed unfathomable.
The hospital room fell into a brief silence, filled only with the faint sound of their breathing intertwined.
After a long while, Yu Sheng finally spoke slowly, "Shen Yunmian, you lost that right a long time ago."
That light, almost weightless sentence slammed heavily into Shen Yunmian's heart.
Her body trembled violently, curling in slightly. The hand pressed against her chest tightened further, her knuckles turning pale from the force. She lowered her gaze, her long lashes casting faint shadows over her pale face, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "…I know."
"It's good that you know." Yu Sheng looked at her like this, feeling no satisfaction—only a deep exhaustion. "Between us, it already ended long ago. The marriage we maintain now is nothing but an empty shell. Divorce is only a matter of time. I hope you can recognize that reality."
She paused, her cool gaze settling on Shen Yunmian's pale face as she continued stating the cruel truth. "So whether Sophia and I are just friends, or in the future… I really do end up liking someone else—it has nothing to do with you. You have no position, and no right, to interfere in my private life or relationships."
"No!" That final sentence seemed to instantly ignite the most sensitive nerve in Shen Yunmian's mind, touching her deepest fear. She suddenly raised her head, her emotions spiraling out of control as she retorted sharply, her voice fractured and shrill. "You're my wife! You can't like someone else! You can't—"
The violent surge of emotion aggravated her internal injuries. Before she could finish speaking, a wrenching fit of coughing overtook her. She covered her mouth, her body trembling violently as she bent over, coughing as if she might cough up her very organs.
Shen Yunmian's vision went black, the world spinning around her. All strength drained from her body, and along with the indescribable heartbreak and despair, she collapsed forward limply.
"Shen Yunmian!"
Yu Sheng's expression changed drastically. She rushed forward to catch her falling body and called anxiously toward the door.
It wasn't long before medical staff arrived quickly and rushed the unconscious Shen Yunmian back to her room for emergency treatment.
Yu Sheng stood in the corridor, looking at the door that had closed once again, her emotions too complicated to describe. She hadn't meant to anger her on purpose—those words were simply, in her view, the most rational and necessary truths to lay out clearly given their situation.
After a while, the attending physician came out of the room and walked over to Yu Sheng, speaking with a hint of restrained helplessness. "Miss Yu, President Shen's condition is still very weak, especially with internal injuries. Her emotions really shouldn't be too agitated. This episode was caused by a surge of anger affecting the heart, combined with her unhealed injuries, which led to coughing up blood and fainting. Fortunately, it was handled in time and she's stable now. Please… try not to provoke her for the time being."
Yu Sheng opened her mouth as if to explain something, but in the end only nodded. "I understand. Thank you."
The doctor looked at her, then added, "President Shen has already regained consciousness. Would you… like to go in and see her?"
Yu Sheng silently shook her head. "Forget it. If she doesn't see me, she might recover faster."
After confirming Shen Yunmian was no longer in danger, she turned and quietly returned to her own room.
Back in the empty room, Yu Sheng leaned against the head of the bed, feeling utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.
Every interaction with Shen Yunmian felt like fighting a draining battle, leaving her deeply worn out.
After an unknown amount of time, the door was gently knocked on, and then Su Qingyu entered with Sophia.
"Sheng!" The moment Sophia walked in, she rushed eagerly to the bedside. Her blue eyes were full of worry as she asked anxiously in accented Chinese, "How are you? Where are you hurt? Let me see!"
"Sophia, I'm fine." Yu Sheng forced a reassuring smile. "Really, just a mild concussion and some superficial injuries. I'll be discharged in a couple of days."
"I'm sorry, Sheng. I shouldn't have come at a time like this and disturbed your recovery…"
Looking at Yu Sheng's slightly pale face, Sophia lowered her head guiltily.
"Don't say that. I'm happy you came to see me." Yu Sheng patted the back of her hand gently and said softly, "Your aunt Dale and my mom will be back tomorrow. You can stay at my apartment in the city first, and we'll talk after they arrive, okay?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Sophia nodded obediently, her mood unusually low.
The two had a simple dinner in the hospital room.
During the meal, although Sophia couldn't help talking about things she had seen along the way, she lowered her voice significantly and kept glancing at Yu Sheng's expression, afraid of tiring her. Watching her careful behavior, Yu Sheng felt both amused and warmed.
After dinner, Yu Sheng arranged for a driver to take Sophia to her apartment to rest.
—
On the other side, Shen Yunmian woke from her daze, her eyes once again meeting the stark white ceiling of the hospital.
The metallic taste of blood still lingered in her throat, and the dull ache in her chest came in waves, reminding her of everything that had happened before she fainted.
Every word had been like a poisoned dagger, carving into her heart. Intense jealousy and fear coiled like a venomous snake in her chest, gnawing at her sanity.
The bowl of nutritional porridge the nurse had brought sat by the bedside, long since cold, but she didn't even glance at it—she had no appetite at all.
Her mind was filled with one thought: if Yu Sheng really fell for that foreign girl, what would she do?
Let go? No—absolutely impossible!
Just imagining that scene made it hard for her to breathe, as if she would suffocate to death.
But if she didn't let go, what could she do?
To Yu Sheng now, she was nothing more than a clingy and irritating prelude. Her attempts to hold on and her ridiculous jealousy seemed only to push Yu Sheng further away, serving no other purpose.
This kind of despair—knowing the outcome yet being powerless to change it—was a thousand times more painful than her physical injuries.
Shen Yunmian curled up on the hospital bed, letting despair slowly consume her, unable to sleep.
In another room, Yu Sheng was equally sleepless.
She truly couldn't understand Shen Yunmian now, even wondering if she was a masochist. Back then, she had devoted herself entirely to her, putting her first in everything like a complete lovestruck fool, only to be ignored for years. Now that she had finally come to her senses and decided to let go, aiming for a clean and peaceful separation, Shen Yunmian instead seemed like a different person—relentless, emotionally volatile to the point of coughing up blood twice from anger.
What exactly did she have to do to break free from this exhausting entanglement? Did she really have to wait until Shen Yunmian destroyed herself in this hospital bed before she could gain true freedom?
Each of them, burdened with their own thoughts, suffered silently in the darkness until the faint light of dawn appeared on the horizon.
Early the next morning, Yu Sheng woke with faint dark circles under her eyes, a slight throbbing still lingering at her temples.
She picked up her phone and first called her mother, Wen Jing.
"Mom, what time does your flight land?" Her voice carried a trace of hoarseness and fatigue from staying up late.
From the other end came Wen Jing's concerned voice immediately. "Sweetheart, we'll arrive at exactly 11:30 noon. How are you feeling? Is your head still dizzy? Did you eat breakfast properly?"
"I'm much better, don't worry." Yu Sheng tried to make her tone sound lighter and steadier. "I've arranged for driver Xiao Zhang to pick you up. I'll send you the license plate number on WeChat in a bit. You and Aunt Dale must be tired from the long flight—go rest first when you get back. I'm really fine. The doctor said I'm recovering well."
"How could that be okay!" Wen Jing immediately objected. "If I don't see you safe and sound in front of me, how can I be at ease? We'll go straight to the hospital to see you. It's settled! Stay in your room and wait obediently."
Yu Sheng knew her mother's personality—there was no point in persuading her further, and it would only make her more worried. She could only compromise helplessly. "Alright then, be careful on the way. Just come straight to my room."
After hanging up, Yu Sheng rubbed her temples and let out a long breath.
Not long after, the attending physician came with a nurse for rounds. After carefully checking Yu Sheng's condition and testing her responses, the doctor nodded. "You're recovering well. The symptoms of the concussion have basically subsided, and the bruises and cuts on your body are healing. We'll observe for another two days. If there are no issues, you can be discharged tomorrow."
Yu Sheng thanked her, and just as the doctor was about to leave, she asked, "Doctor, next door… how is Shen Yunmian? Is she stable now?"
The doctor flipped through the records and replied in a businesslike tone, "She had a slight fever late last night, but it subsided after medication. Her vital signs are stable now, and her intracranial pressure has come down. It's just that her emotions… still seem unstable. Excessive worry is not good for her recovery. She needs absolute rest."
Hearing that Shen Yunmian was stable, Yu Sheng felt relieved.
Since there was no danger to her health, she had even less reason to meet her—better to avoid awkwardness, or accidentally triggering Shen Yunmian's fragile nerves again and causing another "coughing blood and fainting" episode. That would only make the divorce even harder.
Around noon, familiar footsteps and hurried conversation came from outside the hospital room.
The door was pushed open, and Wen Jing and Dale arrived, travel-worn, their faces showing both the fatigue of a long flight and obvious concern.
"Sheng Sheng!" The moment Wen Jing entered, she quickly walked to the bedside, cupping her daughter's face nervously and examining her carefully from head to toe. "Let mom take a good look! Are you still uncomfortable anywhere? Does your head still hurt? Are there any other injuries? What did the doctor say?"
"Mom, I'm really fine. Look—I'm full of energy." Yu Sheng moved her arms cooperatively, forcing a relaxed, reassuring smile onto her face. "The doctor said I'm recovering well. I can be discharged in a couple of days. Don't worry."
Only then did Wen Jing feel relieved. She took out the insulated container she had brought and carefully unscrewed it. "Sheng Sheng, look what Mom brought you—your favorite chicken and corn porridge. I had Aunt Zhang cook it fresh in advance. It's been simmered for a long time, the rice grains are all melted—it's light and nutritious. Eat some while it's hot."
The moment the container was opened, a warm, sweet aroma immediately filled the somewhat cold hospital room.
Seeing the concern and lingering fear in her mother's eyes, Yu Sheng felt a warmth in her heart. She took the spoon Wen Jing handed her and scooped up a mouthful. The temperature was just right, the savory chicken and sweet corn blending perfectly, soothing both her stomach and her heart.
"Thank you, Mom. It's really good."
While Yu Sheng ate, Wen Jing sat by the bed, chattering on, her tone full of lingering fear and heartache. "…When I heard the news, I was scared out of my wits. How could something like a car accident happen out of nowhere? Has the person responsible been caught? It's really too frightening…"
Yu Sheng listened patiently, occasionally responding to comfort her mother.
Then she turned to Dale, who looked concerned, and smiled. "Aunt Dale, I've already arranged for Sophia to stay at my apartment in the city. It's very safe, so don't worry."
Dale nodded gratefully and said gently in fluent Chinese, "Thank you, Sheng Sheng. Sorry for troubling you. Sophia is just too impulsive—she does whatever comes to mind. When I see her, I'll definitely talk to her properly."
"It's alright, Aunt Dale. She was just worried about me." Yu Sheng smiled.
After sitting for a while longer, Yu Sheng noticed that although Wen Jing was trying to stay energetic, the redness in her eyes and the exhaustion she couldn't hide made it clear she had reached her limit after the long flight and worry.
So Yu Sheng gently urged her to go back and rest. "Mom, look at you—your eyes are all red. You definitely didn't rest well on the plane. I'm really fine here. You and Aunt Dale should go back, adjust to the time difference, and get some proper sleep. If you get sick from exhaustion, I'll just worry more."
Wen Jing originally wanted to stay longer, but seeing the genuine concern in her daughter's eyes, and feeling waves of fatigue hit her, she finally relented under Yu Sheng's gentle yet firm insistence—and with Dale also persuading her to let Yu Sheng rest.
"Alright, alright. I'll go back and rest first, then come see you later. What do you want to eat? Mom will bring it for you." Wen Jing stood up and fussed over tucking in Yu Sheng's blanket again.
"No need to trouble yourself, Mom. The hospital has meals, or I can order takeout if I want. Just go back and rest well—don't worry about me." Yu Sheng quickly said.
After seeing her mother off—who kept turning back every few steps—Yu Sheng lay down and finally began to feel a bit sleepy.
—
Over the next two days, Yu Sheng and Shen Yunmian didn't see each other again.
After a full examination confirmed she only had a mild concussion and some superficial injuries, Yu Sheng completed her discharge procedures.
Standing at the door of her hospital room, she hesitated for a moment, then ultimately turned toward Shen Yunmian's room.
The door was slightly ajar. Yu Sheng gently pushed it open and saw Shen Yunmian half-reclining against the headboard, while Secretary Li stood beside her, reporting work in a low voice.
Shen Yunmian's face was still pale, with gauze at her temple, but her gaze was unusually focused—until the moment she looked up and saw the figure at the door. That focus shattered instantly, replaced by an almost overflowing joy.
"Sheng Sheng!" Shen Yunmian's voice was filled with obvious delight. Ignoring the IV line still attached to her hand, she instinctively tried to sit up straight, while quickly waving at Secretary Li to stop.
Secretary Li immediately fell silent and turned respectfully to greet Yu Sheng. "President Yu."
Yu Sheng gave a slight nod. Her gaze fell on Shen Yunmian's face, flushed faintly from eagerness, her tone calm. "I'm being discharged. Nothing special—I just came to let you know. You can continue." After speaking, she turned to leave, as if she had only come to fulfill a simple obligation.
"Wait!" Shen Yunmian quickly called out, awkwardly searching for an excuse. "Did you do a full checkup? Do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere? What did the doctor say? I've already finished handling work matters—it's not urgent."
Secretary Li, sharp as ever, immediately interjected, "President Shen, I've noted everything you instructed earlier and will handle it right away. You and President Yu can talk—I'll step out first." She gave Yu Sheng a polite smile and quickly left the room, even thoughtfully closing the door behind her.
The room was instantly left with just the two of them.
Shen Yunmian looked at Yu Sheng, who was still standing by the door. Carefully, almost in a whisper, she asked, "Sheng Sheng… would you like to come in and sit for a while?"
Yu Sheng said nothing and didn't move, clearly having no intention of further conversation.
Shen Yunmian lowered her gaze, speaking with difficulty, her voice thick with bitterness. "Sheng Sheng, give me a chance… let me make it up to you, okay? We—"
"Shen Yunmian." Yu Sheng interrupted calmly. "We'll talk about this after you're discharged."
At those words, Shen Yunmian's face visibly turned pale.
How could she not understand? "We'll talk after discharge" would never lead to anything good. Shen Yunmian forced a small smile. "When you go back… has Aunt Yang already cleaned everything at home?"
Yu Sheng gave a casual "mm," then said, "Rest well. I'm leaving."
As she turned again, Shen Yunmian instinctively reached out, trying to grab her wrist. Her fingertips had just touched Yu Sheng's slightly cool skin when Yu Sheng glanced at her, her gaze carrying a faint warning.
Shen Yunmian withdrew her hand awkwardly and said softly, "…Rest well when you get home. Don't overwork yourself."
Yu Sheng responded with a faint "mm," and without stopping, turned and left the room.
The door closed softly, separating two worlds.
Shen Yunmian remained in that stiff posture, staring at the door for a long time. A bitter smile curved her lips. Across two lifetimes, decades—she had owed her wife far too much.
And after her wife left in the previous life, those long, painful days had taught her a simple yet cruel truth:
No matter what Yu Sheng wanted to do, she had long since lost the right to say no.
Now, as long as Sheng Sheng was still alive and in front of her—that was enough.
—
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