When Li Che returned to the room with a glass of water, he saw Zhou Yushen still sitting where he was, one hand supporting his head.
His complexion had already returned to normal.
Handing him the water, Li Che thought for a moment but ultimately chose not to ask what had happened earlier.
After taking a sip, Zhou Yushen said calmly, “Bring Dr. Qin to Fengcheng.”
Li Che’s expression changed instantly.
Qin Wu was the doctor who had treated Zhou Yushen’s mental illness years ago.
Ever since Zhou Yushen recovered, he had never sought him out again.
Now that he wanted Dr. Qin to come, the implication was obvious.
“Yushen, tell me honestly. How are you doing right now?”
His tone grew involuntarily serious.
Lowering his eyes, Zhou Yushen’s deep gaze flickered with strange, unreadable emotions.
After a long silence, he finally said, “I’m fine.”
“Do you only consider it a problem when you’ve completely lost your mind?”
Zhou Yushen glanced at him indifferently.
Li Che immediately raised both hands in surrender.
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop talking. I’ll get Qin Wu here as fast as possible.”
His eyes lingered on Zhou Yushen for a few more moments, making sure he wasn’t about to lose control again.
Only then did he leave to make the call.
Once alone, Zhou Yushen pressed a hand against his forehead and closed his eyes.
The look Shen Nanyue had given him before leaving replayed endlessly in his mind.
Fear.
Shock.
Disappointment.
A dense ache spread through his chest.
He was afraid too.
And disappointed in himself as well.
Shen Nanyue rushed downstairs in a hurry.
After getting into her car, she drove away immediately.
The lingering sensation on her lips still left her breathless, and a faint flush colored the corners of her eyes.
The first time she and Zhou Yushen had become involved, she had been the one who forced the issue.
Now it was his turn.
Biting her lip, she fixed her bright eyes on the increasingly empty roads of the night and sped all the way home.
The next morning.
Shen Nanyue had already prepared herself mentally and pushed the events of the previous night to the back of her mind.
Her mood was already poor.
The moment she stepped outside and saw Chen Mu’s car parked nearby, it became even worse.
Wearing a trench coat, Chen Mu’s tall, lean figure appeared even straighter and more imposing.
He stood there with his head slightly lowered, looking exhausted and dispirited.
When he saw Shen Nanyue emerge, he turned toward her.
Then he walked over.
“Last night, did you leave with Zhou Yushen?”
Standing in front of her, he looked as though he were demanding an explanation.
Shen Nanyue let out a mocking laugh.
“Who I leave with has nothing to do with you. Don’t tell me you think that just because I agreed to be friends with you, you suddenly have the right to interfere in my life?”
She showed him no mercy.
Chen Mu’s face darkened even further.
“Zhou Yushen isn’t a good person—”
It was the same argument as always.
Not wanting to waste another word on him, Shen Nanyue moved to walk around him.
Chen Mu stepped in front of her.
“Fine, forget about him. Are you free today? Let’s have a meal together.”
“Send me the location.”
Without looking back, Shen Nanyue got into her car and drove away.
Chen Mu remained where he stood, watching the car disappear into the distance.
A smile slowly formed at the corner of his lips.
At least she was still willing to be friends with him.
A commotion came from the entrance of the Shen residence.
It was Shen An’an’s voice.
“Butler Huo, my sister forgot some documents. I have something important to do right now, so please deliver them to her for me. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with it.”
As she hurried outside, she gave instructions to Huo Zhu, who was following beside her.
The moment they stepped through the gates and saw Chen Mu, Shen An’an’s expression turned icy.
“Butler Huo, from now on, don’t let stray dogs stand around the Shen family’s entrance.”
Standing behind her, Huo Zhu lowered his head and remained silent.
Chen Mu looked at Shen An’an and gave an awkward smile.
“An’an…”
Shen An’an didn’t spare him a single glance.
As soon as the driver arrived, she got into the car and left.
Chen Mu stood there stiffly, thoroughly embarrassed.
Throughout the entire encounter, Huo Zhu kept his gaze lowered and never once made eye contact with him.
Only after Chen Mu had returned to his own car did he receive a message from Huo Zhu.
Miss Shen came home last night.
Only then did Chen Mu finally relax.
As long as she hadn’t stayed out all night, there was no way anything could have happened between her and Zhou Yushen.
….
Ever since that kiss, Shen Nanyue had not seen Zhou Yushen for several days.
She couldn’t quite tell whether she felt disappointed or relieved.
Just like three months ago, Zhou Yushen had come to Fengcheng with a purpose.
And she was merely one of the entanglements he had in this city.
When it came to matters of the heart, she had always been sensitive.
Adults could play around, but investing genuine feelings was something that required careful consideration.
She could not throw herself headlong into a sweet romance again the way she had three months ago.
Finishing up her work in a hurry, she was preparing to leave for the day when she stepped out of her office and ran into Zhou Yu.
Since Zhou Yu’s surgery and discharge from the hospital, Shen Nanyue had not visited her again.
This was the first time the mother and daughter had met since then.
Assistant Xu said to Shen Nanyue, “Mrs. Zhou arrived quite a while ago. Seeing that President Shen was busy, she waited outside the entire time.”
“Got it.”
After speaking with Shen Nanyue, Assistant Xu left for the day.
The office fell silent.
Shen Nanyue spoke first.
“Feeling better?”
Zhou Yu nodded.
There was a sense of closeness in her eyes that Shen Nanyue couldn’t quite understand.
“Much better.”
An awkward atmosphere lingered between them.
Shen Nanyue found it unbearable.
“What did you come to see me about?”
“Do you have time? Would you like to have a meal together?”
Not knowing what Zhou Yu was up to this time, Shen Nanyue noticed that her complexion wasn’t particularly good and chose not to refuse.
She nodded and followed Zhou Yu to a restaurant.
The moment she stepped inside, Shen Nanyue frowned.
Not because of the restaurant itself, but because this was the restaurant where Zhou Yu had taken her for her fifth birthday.
It was also here that Zhou Yu had shattered her innocent and happy childhood.
Zhou Yu skillfully ordered several dishes, almost all of them Shen Nanyue’s favorites.
Shen Nanyue’s frown deepened.
“About the surgery… thank you.”
Zhou Yu looked uncomfortable, but she still forced herself to say the words.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shen Nanyue’s heart.
She shot Zhou Yu a strange glance, though her expression remained composed.
“It’s nothing.”
Unable to figure out what Zhou Yu really wanted, Shen Nanyue remained silent.
There was still some time before the food arrived, and the mother and daughter sat in silence.
It was a small private restaurant known for its excellent food rather than its size.
During the period when Zhou Yu and Shen Nanyue’s father had been deeply in love, they had often come here to eat.
Only later had Shen Nanyue learned that this restaurant was also where her parents had first fallen in love.
They sat in the main dining hall.
Around them were families gathered together, couples enjoying each other’s company, and friends chatting happily.
The room was filled with laughter, conversation, and warmth.
Only this mother and daughter sat facing each other, unable to exchange even a single affectionate word.
Finally, Zhou Yu broke the silence.
“What’s going on between you and that Zhou Yushen?”
“Right now, we’re business partners.”
The first thing that flashed through Shen Nanyue’s mind was the kiss they had shared that night.
She frowned and forcefully pushed the lingering memory out of her thoughts.
“Business partners?” Zhou Yu looked puzzled.
“Isn’t he just an employee working for Huansheng Group? What kind of partnership could the two of you possibly have?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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