The phone vibrated on the desk. Shen Yunmian stared at the word "Mother" on the screen but didn't answer immediately.
The ringtone persisted, as if it wouldn't stop until it got what it wanted.
In the end, Shen Yunmian slid her finger to accept the call.
"Yunmian…" Zhou Yaqin's voice came from the other end, cautious, even slightly ingratiating. "I've thought a lot these past few days. I was wrong… I was too foolish before. I didn't raise Xingyao properly and let her cause such a disaster… and I've treated you poorly too…"
Shen Yunmian listened in silence, her fingers unconsciously tightening. Her mother rarely spoke to her in this tone.
"I know I was wrong. I'll change—I'll learn to be a good mother… Xingyao knows she was wrong too. She cries every day, saying she misses her sister… Yunmian, will you come home for dinner? I'll cook your favorite dishes myself. Let's talk properly, okay?"
Something rigid in Shen Yunmian's heart seemed to crack open just a little under this rare softness.
Raised strictly by her grandmother as an heir, her emotional needs had always been suppressed by reason and responsibility. This almost pleading reconciliation from her mother was like a small stone dropped into still water, stirring faint ripples.
The refusal that had reached her lips lingered, but in the end, she couldn't say it.
Zhou Yaqin continued coaxing her on the other end, her voice brimming with expectation.
After a long moment, Shen Yunmian let out a faint sigh. "...I understand."
After work, she drove back to the villa.
The house was brightly lit, filled with the aroma of food.
But the moment she stepped into the dining room and saw Lin Ruoyan, her footsteps halted, her expression instantly darkening.
Seeing this, Zhou Yaqin quickly got up with a smile, hurrying over to take her arm. "Don't misunderstand, Yunmian! Ruoyan just happened to come visit me. I felt bad seeing her alone, so I asked her to stay for a simple meal… nothing else!"
Lin Ruoyan also stood up at the right moment, her eyes slightly red, her voice sincere with remorse. "Yunmian, I'm sorry. Before, I was confused and used some improper methods… I truly know I was wrong now. From now on, I'll rely on myself and focus on acting. I won't cause you any more trouble."
She lowered her stance completely, her tone earnest.
Shen Yunmian studied her for a moment, her tense expression easing slightly. In the end, considering their past ties—and with her mother repeatedly backing her up—she said nothing more and sat down in silence.
Zhou Yaqin quietly breathed a sigh of relief and signaled for the servants to bring out the dishes.
During the meal, Zhou Yaqin kept placing food into Shen Yunmian's bowl, her words full of concern and self-reproach. Shen Xingyao also behaved uncharacteristically meek, head lowered as she ate in small bites, occasionally choking back sobs as she promised she would never act recklessly again and wanted to return to school to study properly.
For most of the meal, Shen Yunmian remained silent, only responding occasionally, her appetite poor.
Facing her sister's cautious pleas, she frowned and remained quiet for a long time. In the end, she relented slightly. "Mm. Remember this lesson. Next Monday, the driver will take you back to school."
A flash of success crossed Zhou Yaqin's eyes as she immediately shot Lin Ruoyan a meaningful glance.
Understanding instantly, Lin Ruoyan stood up, personally scooped a bowl of steaming porridge from the pot brought by the servant, and gently placed it in front of Shen Yunmian with both hands. Her voice was soft and gentle:
"Yunmian, this is the lily chicken porridge Aunt made especially for you. You used to love it. It's been simmered for a long time—the heat is just right. Try some?"
That familiar aroma was indeed the taste she remembered—one of the rare times her mother had cooked for her.
Shen Yunmian's expression softened slightly. "Just leave it on the table."
Zhou Yaqin and Lin Ruoyan exchanged a tense glance, but neither dared to urge Shen Yunmian, afraid of arousing suspicion.
Fortunately, Shen Yunmian soon picked up the porcelain spoon and slowly finished the bowl of porridge.
After the meal, Zhou Yaqin and Lin Ruoyan flanked her on either side, pulling her to sit on the living room sofa, chatting aimlessly—clearly stalling for time.
At first, Shen Yunmian listened patiently, but gradually, she felt an inexplicable heat rising from deep within her body, her heartbeat growing erratic. At first, she didn't think much of it, only loosening her collar in mild irritation.
But the discomfort became more and more obvious.
The heat didn't come from outside—it originated within her, carrying an unfamiliar, unsettling restlessness.
Shen Yunmian abruptly stood up, her voice hoarse. "It's late. I'm going back."
Zhou Yaqin immediately grabbed her, her tone filled with exaggerated concern. "Why go back so late? Yunmian, your face doesn't look well—are you tired? Just stay the night. Your room is cleaned every day!"
Shen Yunmian was also worried it might not be safe to drive back. Frowning as she endured the discomfort, she finally nodded. "…Alright."
Without sparing them another glance, she turned and went upstairs to her bedroom.
The moment she closed the door, Shen Yunmian went straight into the bathroom, wanting nothing more than to take a cold shower and get rid of the strange discomfort.
But as the warm water ran over her body, instead of cooling her down, it seemed to ignite something. The heat beneath her skin intensified, and an indescribable desire coursed through her limbs, making it hard to stand.
She braced herself against the tiled wall, breathing rapidly, her reflection in the mirror showing an unnaturally flushed face.
Only then, in a flash of realization, a terrifying thought struck her—
That bowl of porridge…
Her mother's unusual submissiveness…
Lin Ruoyan's perfectly timed appearance…
All the clues connected, pointing to a truth that made her blood run cold.
She had been drugged by her own mother.
The cold water briefly cleared her mind. Shen Yunmian hastily dried herself, threw on a bathrobe, the belt tied messily.
She just wanted to leave this disgusting place immediately.
But the moment she opened the bathroom door, she froze.
The bedroom was dimly lit by a single wall lamp. Lin Ruoyan had somehow entered and was now sitting at the edge of her bed.
She wore a nearly transparent black lace nightgown, her skin faintly visible under the light. Seeing Shen Yunmian come out, she stood up at once, a soft, timid smile on her face, her voice cloyingly sweet:
"Yunmian… you're done?"
As she spoke, she began to approach.
"Stop!"
Shen Yunmian staggered back, her spine hitting the cold doorframe.
Summoning every ounce of strength to maintain her wavering composure, her cold gaze pierced straight into Lin Ruoyan. Still unable to believe her own mother's scheme, she demanded hoarsely, "Was it you who drugged me?"
Lin Ruoyan's smile stiffened, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes, quickly replaced by deeper obsession.
She forced herself forward another small step, speaking softly, "It… it was Aunt who helped me. Yunmian, I've liked you for a long time—long before Yu Sheng! I don't care that you're married, I don't need a title… I just want… I just want to be with you…"
"Shut up!"
Shen Yunmian cut her off sharply, her face filled with disappointment toward her own mother.
Her breathing was uneven, sweat beading at her temples, her fingers gripping the doorframe so tightly they turned pale.
Seeing the drug taking effect, her body trembling and resistance weakening, Lin Ruoyan grew bolder. Seizing the moment, she suddenly lunged at Shen Yunmian, arms reaching to wrap around her waist.
"Get lost!"
With the last of her clarity, Shen Yunmian staggered aside to dodge, then shoved Lin Ruoyan away with all her strength!
Caught off guard, Lin Ruoyan cried out and fell onto the carpet.
Shen Yunmian's eyes were bloodshot, a terrifying fury radiating from her as she forced out cold words through clenched teeth:
"Lin Ruoyan, don't push me… or I'll kill you."
Lin Ruoyan sat frozen on the floor, her face pale with fear, not daring to move again.
Shen Yunmian didn't look at her again. Enduring the raging heat and waves of dizziness inside her, she staggered out of the bedroom and rushed down the stairs, almost stumbling as she ran.
"Yunmian, where are you going!" Zhou Yaqin rushed out of the living room, trying to stop her.
Shen Yunmian didn't spare her a glance. She ran straight to the entrance, flung the door open, and plunged into the cold night.
She struggled to open the car door and dropped into the driver's seat, her fingers trembling so badly she could barely grip the steering wheel.
Only one thought screamed in her mind like a lifeline: find Yu Sheng.
She had to find her wife.
The engine roared to life, and the car disappeared into the night.
But the drug surged like relentless waves, each stronger than the last, battering her nerves. Her vision blurred, her palms slick with sweat, the unfamiliar desire inside her threatening to swallow her whole.
After only a few minutes of driving, the overwhelming dizziness and loss of control made her realize the danger.
Using the last of her strength, she slammed on the brakes and pulled over, turning on the hazard lights.
Inside the cramped car, only her ragged breathing remained. Sweat soaked her hair, clinging to her flushed cheeks. She curled up in the seat, her body trembling uncontrollably.
With shaking hands, Shen Yunmian fumbled for her phone. The screen's light stabbed at her eyes.
Her fingers struggled across the contacts list before finally pressing the name etched into her heart.
Fortunately, the call connected quickly.
"Shen Yunmian?" Yu Sheng's voice came through, cutting through her haze.
"Sheng Sheng…"
Her voice was hoarse beyond recognition, filled with a vulnerability and pleading she had never shown before. "Help me… please…"
Yu Sheng paused, clearly surprised. "What's wrong with you?"
Shen Yunmian struggled to form words. "I… I've been drugged…"
Panting, she used trembling fingers to send her location.
"My location… I sent it…" Curling up, her forehead pressed against the cold steering wheel, hot tears slipped down unexpectedly, mixing with sweat. Her voice was full of desperate dependence and pleading:
"Don't ignore me… please… Sheng Sheng…"
There was a brief silence on the other end—then the call was cut, leaving only the dial tone.
Shen Yunmian let the phone slip from her hand, letting it fall to the floor.
She lay back in the driver's seat, her body curling in discomfort, her consciousness drifting in waves of heat, growing more and more blurred. Outside the window, only the vague flicker of streetlights remained.
Every inch of her skin seemed to scream, the unfamiliar tide of desire nearly drowning her.
Again and again, unconsciously, she murmured like a dying prayer:
"Sheng Sheng…"
"Sheng Sheng…"
"Sheng Sheng…"
—
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