Yu Sheng went to bed early.
After the miscarriage, her body felt hollowed out. A dull, persistent pain lingered deep in her lower abdomen. The physical discomfort and mental exhaustion made her fall into a deep sleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Yet even in sleep, her brows remained slightly furrowed, as if she couldn't escape the pain of losing her child even in her dreams.
She didn't sleep peacefully.
In her haze, she felt as though a gaze was fixed on her—watching, assessing.
The feeling of being watched grew stronger and stronger, until it finally broke through her drowsiness.
Yu Sheng suddenly woke up, her heart pounding.
In the darkness, a tall, blurred figure stood silently by her bedside, almost blending into the night.
"Ah—!"
Yu Sheng let out a short scream, instantly breaking into a cold sweat, all traces of sleep gone.
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she finally recognized the person under the faint moonlight filtering through the window.
It was Shen Yunmian.
She was still dressed in a neatly pressed silk shirt and trousers, clearly having come straight from the company without even changing.
After the shock subsided, a surge of anger flooded Yu Sheng.
She was a patient. She needed rest. She needed quiet.
What exactly was Shen Yunmian doing now?
Standing there like a ghost in the middle of the night to scare her?
"Shen Yunmian!" Yu Sheng's voice was hoarse from just waking, filled with undisguised anger. "What are you doing? Standing here silently in the middle of the night—are you trying to scare me to death?!"
Shen Yunmian was clearly stunned by the sudden outburst.
In her expectations, Yu Sheng might feel wronged, might cry, might need comfort—but not like this… not so aggressive.
She was so shocked she even forgot to respond immediately, simply standing there, trying to make out Yu Sheng's expression in the dim light, searching for anything beyond anger.
The air froze for several seconds, filled only with their slightly hurried breathing.
Before Yu Sheng could speak again impatiently, Shen Yunmian finally seemed to find her voice.
"…Are you still angry?"
What a ridiculous question. What a light, dismissive tone.
Yu Sheng almost laughed from anger.
The fire that had been building inside her since she woke up was instantly ignited, burning through her entire being.
Angry? It was far more than anger.
Her unborn child had turned into a pool of blood because of Shen Xingyao's recklessness. She was shattered, physically and emotionally.
And her wife—the child's other mother—had calmly informed her of the outcome, "comforted" her by saying the child wasn't important, then handled it like a business matter: promising to discipline her sister and offering compensation.
And now, in the middle of the night, she appeared like a ghost—not to ask if she was in pain, but to start a conversation with such a meaningless question?
A wave of bleak absurdity washed over Yu Sheng.
She didn't want to waste another word on Shen Yunmian.
Trying to talk about feelings with someone who could never empathize, who lived entirely within her own logic, was a waste of life.
So she simply closed her eyes, using silence as her firmest refusal.
Seeing her completely unwilling to communicate—even unwilling to spare her a glance—Shen Yunmian felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest.
This complete loss of control made her uncomfortable.
She was used to Yu Sheng's gentleness, tolerance, and emotional stability.
Now, Yu Sheng's coldness and sharpness were like needles, leaving her restless.
Shen Yunmian took a deep breath, trying to steer the conversation back onto familiar, rational ground.
She stepped forward slightly, her voice softening into the tone she often used in negotiations.
"Yu Sheng, I know you've suffered a great deal this time. I'll have Xingyao personally come and apologize to you."
She paused, watching for a reaction.
But Yu Sheng didn't even flicker her eyelashes.
Shen Yunmian could only continue, laying out her prepared "compensation."
"For this matter, I'll compensate you. The newly developed resort project in the east of the city—I remember your family is interested. I can transfer my personal shares to you. And the tech company collaboration we discussed before—I can adjust the profit distribution to give your side an additional ten percent."
"How about that?"
She listed these benefits—enough to make many people envious—thinking it would show her sincerity.
But even after she finished, Yu Sheng remained motionless, silent as ice.
For the first time, Shen Yunmian felt a sense of helplessness.
She sighed softly, believing she had already made the greatest concession.
"Yu Sheng, tell me—what do you want? As long as it's something I can do, I'll agree. Don't stay silent like this."
Listening to her "clearly priced" compensation, the last trace of expectation in Yu Sheng's heart completely extinguished.
Even now, Shen Yunmian still believed their problems could be measured and resolved with money.
She was still treating the loss of their child like a business negotiation.
Fine.
Yu Sheng's heart turned completely cold, yet she felt a strange calm.
Their marriage had always been a union of benefit, backed by a thick prenuptial agreement, everything clearly divided.
If Shen Yunmian wanted to throw money at her, then so be it.
She would see just how far Shen Yunmian's "compensation" could go.
A thought flashed through her mind—tinged with malice, with testing, with release.
Yu Sheng slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze was calm, almost emotionless. A faint, nearly mocking smile curved her lips.
"Since President Shen insists on compensating me, to show your sincerity…"
She deliberately paused, watching Shen Yunmian's brows knit slightly, before leisurely stating her condition:
"Then give me Qiyun Film and Television."
As expected, the composed expression on Shen Yunmian's face instantly shattered, replaced by unmistakable shock.
"Qiyun Film and Television? Why?"
As if realizing something, Shen Yunmian's brows furrowed even tighter, her tone carrying a hint of probing suspicion. "Is it because of Ruoyan?"
Qiyun Film and Television was a rapidly growing entertainment division under the Shen Group in recent years, one that Shen Yunmian had poured immense resources and effort into. And Lin Ruoyan—her sworn younger sister who had once saved her life—was precisely the artist the company heavily promoted, with nearly all top-tier resources tilted in her favor.
Yu Sheng's demand did indeed sound like a legitimate wife finally unable to endure it any longer, stepping in to deal with a "close confidante."
Looking at Shen Yunmian's surprised expression—as if she had already figured out the reason—Yu Sheng only found it deeply ironic.
She couldn't be bothered to explain, nor did she need to.
Did everything she wanted have to be because of another woman?
In Shen Yunmian's world, did everything have to have some utilitarian motive?
But this time, she didn't want it for any reason at all—just for her own happiness. In this life, she only wanted to make herself happy.
Yu Sheng simply repeated calmly, with a nonchalant tone, "Just tell me—yes or no? If not, forget it. Pretend I never said it."
Shen Yunmian fell silent.
She stared at Yu Sheng, her gaze sharp, as if trying to find even a trace of jealousy or pettiness on her face.
But Yu Sheng was too calm.
So calm that it made Shen Yunmian uneasy.
Qiyun Film and Television was indeed extremely valuable and still on the rise, with enormous future potential. Stripping it away would be like cutting flesh from her own body.
But… she had just promised that "anything within her ability" would be agreed to.
Yu Sheng had lost her child and was emotionally unstable. If she refused now, she couldn't predict what might happen.
"…Alright. I'll give it to you." Shen Yunmian nodded, regaining some of her decisiveness as a business elite. "Tomorrow, I'll have my secretary prepare the equity transfer agreement and proceed as soon as possible."
The goal had been achieved so "smoothly," yet Yu Sheng felt no joy—only emptiness and absurdity.
See? This was Shen Yunmian.
She always knew how to solve problems in the most "efficient" way—including using an entire company to silence her wife.
Yu Sheng responded with a disinterested "Mm," then closed her eyes again, silently issuing a dismissal.
She was tired—physically and mentally exhausted. She only wanted to be alone.
However, Shen Yunmian clearly didn't understand her meaning at all. She seemed to think that reaching a "compensation agreement" laid the foundation for easing their relationship.
She actually turned around and walked straight into the en-suite bathroom as if it were the most natural thing in the world!
Hearing the bathroom door close, followed by the sound of running water, Yu Sheng's eyes flew open again. She froze, almost unable to believe what was happening.
Wasn't it obvious she wanted her to leave?
They had just gone through the tragedy of losing their child. She had just practically extorted a major subsidiary from her. And yet Shen Yunmian could still calmly take a shower and stay the night here?
At that moment, Yu Sheng realized clearly—
Shen Yunmian hadn't accepted her change at all. She probably thought Yu Sheng was just throwing a tantrum, something that could be soothed with compensation, after which everything would return to normal.
She didn't realize that their relationship had already developed an irreparable crack.
No. Absolutely not.
Yu Sheng clenched her fists tightly.
She couldn't lie in the same bed as Shen Yunmian anymore. Even being in the same space made her feel suffocated and disgusted.
All she wanted now was to quietly recover, restore her body, and then calmly plan for divorce.
She had to make Shen Yunmian understand completely—
They were over.
At least, from her side, it was already over.
Taking advantage of the time while Shen Yunmian was showering, Yu Sheng lay on the bed, frantically stirring up her emotions, rummaging through her mind for every hurtful word she could think of.
She had to make a scene.
A fierce, no-holds-barred argument—one that would completely tear things apart, establishing that they had broken up over the child and must live separately.
She would release all the grievances and anger accumulated over two lifetimes tonight!
The sound of water stopped.
The bathroom door opened, warm steam drifting out.
Shen Yunmian stepped out in a silk robe, drying her still-wet hair with a towel.
She walked to the bedside, naturally about to sit down, as if intending to continue the "progress" she thought they had made.
Just as she was about to touch the edge of the bed—
"Get away!" Yu Sheng suddenly shouted sharply, full of disgust and rejection.
Shen Yunmian froze instantly, half-bent over, her motion of drying her hair halted.
She turned her head in disbelief, her face showing, for the first time, a stunned expression.
She clearly hadn't expected such a direct and harsh rejection.
After a long moment, she finally found her voice, her tone carrying suppressed anger at being offended. "Yu Sheng! Be rational!"
That phrase again.
She was always the calm, rational one.
The last thread of rationality in Yu Sheng snapped completely.
All the grievances, pain, unwillingness, and resentment from two lifetimes erupted like a volcano!
"Rational?!" Yu Sheng shot up from the bed, her eyes bloodshot, glaring at Shen Yunmian like a cornered beast, her voice trembling with emotion. "Shen Yunmian! Are you even human?! My child is gone! Gone! Because of your precious sister! Other than a light apology and some compensation, what else can you do? Have you ever once asked if I'm in pain? If I'm hurting? You haven't!"
She lashed out without restraint, throwing every harsh word she could think of:
"You cold-blooded creature! You don't deserve to be human! You don't deserve to be a mother! I must have been blind to marry you! You're completely selfish! An asshole! A scumbag!"
By the end, she was nearly hysterical, tears streaming uncontrollably.
But these weren't tears of sadness—they were flames born from extreme rage.
She seemed completely unhinged, suddenly leaping off the bed and charging at Shen Yunmian, clawing wildly at her face and neck!
Her nails scraped across skin, leaving sharp, stinging pain.
Shen Yunmian was utterly stunned.
She had never experienced such chaos and violence in her entire life.
Instinctively, she raised her arms to block and dodge, but her face and neck were already burning with pain.
She couldn't reconcile this frenzied woman with the gentle, composed wife she remembered—someone who had never even raised her voice.
"What are you doing?! Yu Sheng! Have you gone mad?! Stop!"
Shen Yunmian was both shocked and furious, trying to grab Yu Sheng's flailing hands. The scene descended into chaos.
At that moment, the bedroom door burst open—
Aunt Yang had rushed in after hearing the commotion.
The moment she saw the scene, she was terrified out of her wits.
Yu Sheng, in her nightclothes, hair disheveled, was panting heavily, still trying to attack.
Shen Yunmian looked even worse—her robe disheveled, and most shocking of all, several clear red scratches marked her fair face and neck, with even one or two faintly bleeding.
"Oh my heavens! What is going on?! Young Madam! Eldest young lady! Stop! Stop fighting!"
Aunt Yang cried out, rushing forward and forcing herself between them, tightly holding Yu Sheng back.
"Young Madam! Calm down! Calm down! You just had a miscarriage—you mustn't get agitated! Your health is more important!"
Yu Sheng seemed to have exhausted all her strength. After struggling briefly, she went limp in Aunt Yang's arms, her chest still heaving violently, her breathing ragged. But her bloodshot eyes remained locked on Shen Yunmian, filled with hatred as she forced out three words:
"Get. Out."
Shen Yunmian touched her stinging face and neck. The dampness on her fingers told her she was bleeding.
Looking at Yu Sheng's crazed and unfamiliar expression, she blurted out, "Yu Sheng! You really are… completely insane!"
Aunt Yang patted Yu Sheng's back to calm her while anxiously turning to Shen Yunmian.
"Eldest young lady! Please say less! Young Madam is emotionally unstable right now—please, just go out for now!"
Shen Yunmian looked at Yu Sheng—who seemed ready to devour her—then at Aunt Yang's pleading eyes, feeling the sharp pain on her face. A deep sense of absurdity filled her chest.
She gave Yu Sheng one last look, then strode out of the bedroom without even taking her clothes.
Aunt Yang quickly followed, gently closing the door. Faintly, her lowered voice could be heard outside:
"Eldest young lady, please don't be angry. Young Madam is just too heartbroken… she didn't mean it… your face… you should go treat it…"
And Shen Yunmian's suppressed voice responded:
"…She's gone mad. Completely unreasonable."
Inside the bedroom, Yu Sheng, slumped by the bed, heard everything clearly.
"Mad?" she murmured.
Then she suddenly let out a low laugh, which grew louder and louder—mixed with tears, yet filled with an unprecedented sense of relief.
Yes. She was mad.
Driven mad by the Shen family.
But this kind of madness—this refusal to internalize everything, this direct release of all negative emotions—felt incredibly liberating!
It was as if all the pent-up frustration from two lifetimes had been released in that outburst.
The heavy stone that had long weighed on her chest seemed to loosen at last.
Sure enough—stop tormenting yourself, and that's the best cure for despair.
After dying once, she would rather be a shrew, a madwoman—anger others to death—than ever wrong herself again.
After a while, Aunt Yang carefully pushed the door open again, her face still filled with lingering fear and concern.
"Young Madam… are you… are you alright? Have some water to calm down…"
Yu Sheng had already calmed down. The outburst just now had drained her strength and taken away her intense emotions.
She even felt a little hungry.
She lifted her eyes, her gaze clear again, and said to Aunt Yang, "I'm fine. Aunt Yang, please bring me a bowl of soup. I'm a bit hungry."
Aunt Yang froze for a moment, then quickly responded, "Ah! Okay! Okay! The chicken soup has been kept warm, I'll bring it right away!"
Seeing that Yu Sheng really seemed to have calmed down, although she found the sudden shift in mood rather strange, she didn't dare ask more and hurried out.
Soon, the chicken soup was brought in.
Yu Sheng quietly finished the entire bowl. Warmth spread through her stomach, and her body seemed to feel a little better as well.
She handed the bowl back to Aunt Yang and said calmly, "Thank you, Auntie. I want to sleep."
"Alright, alright, you rest well." Aunt Yang quickly took the bowl and left softly, turning off the lights and closing the door.
The bedroom fell back into darkness and silence.
Lying on the bed, feeling the real exhaustion of her body, Yu Sheng soon fell into a deep sleep again.
This time, she slept much more soundly.
On the other side, Shen Yunmian, with scratches all over her face and looking completely disheveled, drove straight back to the old residence, filled with anger.
—
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