Night fell over Haicheng, the city lights just beginning to glow, while the Shen family's old residence was brightly illuminated.
A massive crystal chandelier refracted dazzling light, spilling onto the polished marble floor and the long dining table covered with a white tablecloth and set with exquisite silverware.
This was a family banquet held to "welcome Yu Sheng back," personally ordered by the old matriarch of the Shen family, with an exceptionally high level of formality.
Seated around the long table were the core members of the Shen family.
At the head sat the old matriarch. Today she wore a dark purple qipao embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns. Her silver hair was impeccably styled, and she wore a translucent jade necklace. Without anger, she still exuded authority.
To her left sat Shen Yunmian and Yu Sheng in order, while on her right were Zhou Yaqin and Shen Xingyao, both looking somewhat uneasy.
Lin Ruoyan was also invited, seated a bit farther away. She wore an elegant white dress, her makeup refined, her smile gentle, trying to maintain her composure.
Yu Sheng sat beside Shen Yunmian, wearing a well-tailored champagne-colored knee-length dress with a soft knitted cardigan over it. She lowered her eyes quietly, as if the surrounding commotion had nothing to do with her.
Beside her, Shen Yunmian tried several times to start a conversation, only to be stopped by Yu Sheng's cold gaze.
At the beginning of the banquet, the atmosphere was relatively harmonious.
The servants filed in silently, presenting one exquisite dish after another.
The old matriarch raised her glass first, looking kindly at Yu Sheng. "Sheng Sheng, it's good that you're back. You've suffered outside during this time—look how thin your face has gotten. Now that you're home, take good care of yourself. Whatever you want to eat or need, just tell me or Yunmian. Don't ever let yourself be wronged."
Yu Sheng lifted her eyes slightly, nodding, and gave a faint, polite smile. "Thank you for your concern, Grandma. I'm fine."
Seeing that her words were courteous but clearly distant, the old matriarch naturally understood that resentment still lingered in her heart.
Her gaze slowly swept over Zhou Yaqin and Shen Xingyao, her voice calm but instantly silencing the entire dining room.
"Since everyone is here today, there are some things I should say." Her tone was even, yet carried undeniable pressure. "There were some unpleasant incidents at home before, and Sheng Sheng suffered greatly. The Shen family has always valued rules. There is no reason for our own people to be wronged and remain silent about it."
Zhou Yaqin's face turned pale instantly, her hands unconsciously clenching the napkin on her lap.
Shen Xingyao instinctively shrank back.
"Yaqin," the old matriarch called out, "you are the mother-in-law. Xingyao is young and ignorant, but you've lived more than half your life—are you still ignorant? The child that was lost was Yunmian and Sheng Sheng's child, the Shen family's bloodline! Instead of showing concern and comfort, you blindly defended Xingyao. Where is your sense of propriety and decorum?"
Being scolded in public, Zhou Yaqin's face alternated between pale and flushed. "Mom, I… I was just worried about Yaoyao. She was so frightened at the time, and she knelt for several hours. She's already learned her lesson…"
"Silence!" the old matriarch cut her off sharply. "Is your concern really about right and wrong? Is your concern stabbing someone who just lost a child in the heart? Today, you must give Sheng Sheng an explanation and sincerely apologize!"
Overwhelmed by her mother-in-law's authority, Zhou Yaqin dared not defy her despite her unwillingness.
She turned toward Yu Sheng with difficulty, her voice dry, her gaze evasive. "Yu Sheng, I was wrong before. I was confused. You… don't take it to heart."
Yu Sheng raised her eyes and looked at her quietly, saying nothing, her face expressionless.
She neither accepted nor rejected it—her indifference only made Zhou Yaqin feel more embarrassed.
Seeing that Yu Sheng had no intention of responding, the old matriarch turned her gaze to Shen Xingyao, her tone even harsher. "And you, Shen Xingyao! You're twelve years old, not two! Your reckless behavior caused your sister-in-law to lose her child, and you still refuse to repent, even speaking rudely? Stand up!"
Shen Xingyao trembled, looking to her mother for help, but Zhou Yaqin could barely protect herself and could only signal her with her eyes.
She stood up slowly, her head lowered, tears welling in her eyes.
"Apologize to your sister-in-law! Loudly—say you were wrong!" the old matriarch ordered.
Shen Xingyao sniffled, her voice barely audible. "Sister-in-law… I'm sorry… I know I was wrong…"
"Did you not hear? Louder!" the old matriarch showed no mercy.
Shen Xingyao burst into tears and shouted through sobs, "I'm sorry! I was wrong! I won't dare do it again!"
For a moment, the only sound in the dining room was Shen Xingyao's crying.
At this moment, Lin Ruoyan, who had been quietly observing, spoke at the right time. Her voice was gentle, carrying just the right amount of persuasion. "Grandma, Godmother, Yaoyao, don't be too upset. Sister-in-law has always been the most generous and kind—she must have already forgiven Godmother and Yaoyao, right? We're all family; how could there be grudges overnight?"
Her words seemed to smooth things over, but in reality, they put Yu Sheng on the spot.
As if, if Yu Sheng didn't immediately express forgiveness, she would be seen as not generous, not kind, and overly petty.
If it were the old Yu Sheng, she might have forced herself to nod and say "it's fine" just to maintain appearances.
But the current Yu Sheng slowly lifted her gaze toward Lin Ruoyan, her eyes cool, even carrying a faint trace of mockery. "The way you put it, Ruoyan, makes it sound like I'm the one at fault. Whether I forgive or not is my right as the victim, not my obligation. Generosity and kindness are not tools to coerce a victim into forgiving. What do you think?"
Lin Ruoyan hadn't expected Yu Sheng to respond so directly. The smile on her face froze instantly.
She instinctively looked at Shen Yunmian, her eyes filling with grievance and helplessness. "Yunmian… I didn't mean it that way. I just wanted the family to be harmonious…"
Shen Yunmian frowned slightly, not yet having time to speak.
But Yu Sheng let out a light laugh and cut in again, her gaze still fixed on Lin Ruoyan. "Family harmony is important, of course—but only when right and wrong are clear. This is our family matter, so there's no need for outsiders to concern themselves too much."
That single word "outsider" was like a needle, precisely piercing the boundary Lin Ruoyan had been trying to blur all along.
Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.
Shen Yunmian looked at Yu Sheng's calm yet sharp profile, a trace of complex surprise flashing in her eyes.
She fell silent for a moment, and to everyone's surprise, when she spoke, she actually sided with Yu Sheng: "Xingyao was indeed outrageously wrong this time. An apology is only right, and she needs to be properly disciplined afterward. Mom, don't indulge her so much in the future."
Old Madam Shen also cast Lin Ruoyan a faint glance, her tone calm but distant: "Ruoyan, Sheng Sheng is right. Family matters have their own rules. Sheng Sheng has suffered grievances—how to handle it, we know. You don't need to say more."
The color drained completely from Lin Ruoyan's face. She could no longer maintain her gentle smile, and could only lower her head resentfully, her nails nearly digging into her palm.
A family dinner ended up turbulent beneath the surface.
Though Yu Sheng seemed to be the center of attention—her mother-in-law and sister-in-law forced to apologize under the grandmother's pressure, and even Shen Yunmian unexpectedly taking her side—she felt not the slightest bit of joy, only irony and exhaustion.
All this "attention" was built on the Shen family's reputation, not on Yu Sheng herself.
Just as the banquet was nearing its end and the atmosphere had slightly eased, Yu Sheng wiped her hands with a napkin and slowly stood up.
All eyes instantly focused on her.
She looked at the old madam at the head seat, her tone calm but firm: "Grandma, there's something I'd like to say while everyone is here today."
The old madam nodded kindly. "Go ahead, Sheng Sheng."
"After what happened this time, I feel that staying at home makes it easy for me to overthink and feel depressed, which isn't good for my recovery," Yu Sheng said slowly, her voice clear. "So I want to find something to do, to distract myself. I've thought about it for a long time—I want to go to the company and learn to do some work, even if I start from the basics."
As soon as she said this, the dining table fell silent—you could hear a pin drop.
The smile on Old Madam Shen's face faded slightly. She set down her teacup and looked at Yu Sheng, her gaze deepening. "Sheng Sheng, company matters are complicated and exhausting. What you need most right now is to rest. Once you recover, have another child—that's what matters."
Yu Sheng's heart sank slightly. It seemed the grandmother was unwilling to let her get involved with the Yu family's business.
Just as she was about to insist, Shen Yunmian, who had been silent beside her, suddenly spoke: "Grandma, since she wants to go, let her go."
Everyone looked at her in surprise.
Shen Yunmian's expression didn't change, her tone as calm as ever: "Staying at home does make it easy to overthink. Going to the company for a change of environment is fine—consider it relaxation. If there's anything she doesn't understand, I can teach her."
Yu Sheng turned her head and glanced at her, sneering inwardly: Shen Yunmian, you're quite perceptive.
This woman probably still thought she was just throwing a tantrum, finding something to do, or trying to gain more attention.
Yu Sheng mocked inwardly, but showed nothing on her face. She simply followed her words and nodded to the old madam: "Grandma, Yunmian is right. I just want a change of environment. With her teaching me, you can rest assured."
Old Madam Shen's sharp gaze moved back and forth between the two of them. Since Shen Yunmian had already spoken, she couldn't oppose too strongly. She forced a smile: "Since Yunmian says so… fine. Sheng Sheng, go familiarize yourself first. Do what you can, and don't overwork yourself."
"Thank you, Grandma." Yu Sheng sat down again, her manners impeccable and beyond reproach.
For the rest of the time, Yu Sheng and Shen Yunmian maintained a seemingly "mutually respectful" harmony.
Shen Yunmian seemed to want to take advantage of the eased atmosphere to talk to Yu Sheng, asking about her recovery.
But Yu Sheng's responses remained cold and distant.
"Mm."
"I'm fine."
"…"
Short replies—polite, yet completely devoid of warmth. She didn't even bother to look at her.
Shen Yunmian's attempts at conversation were repeatedly cut off in silence. Looking at Yu Sheng's calm, emotionless profile—those eyes that once held warmth now filled only with cold indifference—an inexplicable irritation and sense of loss rose in her again.
On the surface, the dinner seemed harmonious, but underneath, tensions surged.
Yu Sheng felt like she was acting the whole time, utterly exhausted, and couldn't help drinking a couple more glasses.
At first, it was just to go along with the occasion. Later, it was driven by the lingering frustration and helplessness in her heart.
Thinking about how she had to remain in this cold marriage, putting on a facade with Shen Yunmian, relying on her power to plan for the future, a strong sense of self-loathing and irritation surged up.
Perhaps alcohol could temporarily numb that suffocating feeling.
Her tolerance was low. After two glasses of red wine, a flush quickly spread across her fair cheeks.
Her eyes grew slightly unfocused, no longer cold and distant as usual, but instead covered with a faint mist, giving her a soft, almost dazed gentleness when she looked at people.
Shen Yunmian's gaze occasionally fell on her.
This version of Yu Sheng felt unfamiliar, yet faintly familiar.
It was as if she had returned to long ago—when they had just gotten married. Back then, Yu Sheng would occasionally drink lightly at social events and show this same obedient, slightly muddled demeanor, following her side dependently, her eyes full of trust.
When the dinner ended, Yu Sheng stood up and swayed slightly.
Old Madam Shen immediately signaled: "Yunmian, Sheng Sheng seems a bit drunk. Hurry and help her back to rest."
Shen Yunmian responded and stepped forward, naturally reaching out to support Yu Sheng's arm.
Her palm was warm. When it touched Yu Sheng's slightly cool, smooth skin, both of them seemed to pause imperceptibly.
Yu Sheng didn't push her away—perhaps she lacked the strength, or perhaps the alcohol had temporarily lowered her guard. She simply steadied herself with her support and murmured softly, "I… I can walk by myself."
Her voice carried a faint hoarseness from the alcohol, brushing past Shen Yunmian's ear.
She hummed in acknowledgment, helped her, said goodbye to the family, and led her toward the parking lot.
On the way back to Jiuxi Bay, the car was silent.
Yu Sheng leaned against the passenger seat with her eyes half-closed, looking quiet, even docile.
Shen Yunmian drove, occasionally glancing at her.
In the dim light inside the car, her slightly intoxicated profile looked soft. Her long lashes lowered, hiding the sharpness and coldness, giving rise to a peaceful illusion.
As if the arguments, the slap, the resolute departure had never happened.
The irritation in Shen Yunmian's heart caused by Yu Sheng's recent coldness seemed to be soothed slightly by this brief calm.
She even began to think that perhaps Yu Sheng had simply figured things out, had vented enough, and returned.
That the sharpness she showed at the dinner tonight was just a bit of temper after being wronged, and everything would return to normal.
Until half an hour later, the "confident" President Shen, trying to kiss her wife, was once again met with a fierce slap and harsh humiliation—only then did she finally realize that everything had changed.
Her wife truly despised her.
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