Volume One, Chapter 20: He Yunshen Has Misspoken Again

Throughout the journey, it was clear that he was in a great mood, as if they had returned to the way they used to be.

Halfway through the drive, just as he was about to speak, his phone rang in his pocket.

Though he could have used the car’s Bluetooth to answer, he insisted on having Shen Zhi help.

“Wife, can you get my phone for me?”

Shen Zhi glanced over; the sound came from his pants pocket. She reached out but froze awkwardly, instead giving him a look to figure it out herself.

He smirked mischievously, then freed a hand to take out the phone and answered on speaker.

He was usually a fairly serious man, rarely saying anything that would make Shen Zhi blush or flutter.

Between them, they had always treated each other with utmost respect.

After answering the call, he glanced sideways at Shen Zhi teasingly: “Why are you shy?”

Shen Zhi was speechless.

If this had been before, she wouldn’t have thought much of it, but since they were still in a cooling-off period, it felt a little awkward.

“What’s the matter?”

“President He, there’s a contract that needs your confirmation.”

It was Assistant He calling.

“Put it aside for now; I’ll handle it when I get back. I have more important matters to attend to.”

He hung up calmly without further discussion.

His work was always busy, so this was nothing unusual. What was rare was that he spoke on speakerphone in front of Shen Zhi—a treatment she hadn’t seen before.

Lately, Shen Zhi had been increasingly sleepy; even before nightfall, drowsiness was already setting in.

He brought her to the restaurant where they had their first date.

Since he went abroad, Shen Zhi had often come alone, always ordering two sets of cutlery as if he were there beside her.

“What’s wrong? Come on in.”

He smiled warmly, gently urging her from the doorway where she stood frozen.

For a moment, she felt as if she were dreaming.

Recalling the recent coldness and heartbreak, she found it hard to adjust to this gentle version of He Yunshen.

She smiled in return and followed him inside.

As soon as they entered, she was surprised to see a special candlelit dinner laid out.

What should have been a long-lost little romance between husband and wife felt, to her, like a trap, filling her with unease.

“This is...?”

She gazed at the cozy scene before her, disbelief written across her face.

“Do you like it? I’ve wanted to bring you here for a long time but never found the chance.”

Shen Zhi smiled and took her seat.

Throughout the meal, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

After dinner, He Yunshen accompanied her on a long walk, though they spoke little.

Back home, Shen Zhi was nearly asleep; after showering, she lay down and soon drifted off.

In the middle of the night, a sudden thunderclap jolted her awake.

She reached out and slowly turned on the light, only to find the other side of the bed empty.

He Yunshen was gone.

She got up to close the balcony curtains but heard voices coming from outside.

It was He Yunshen’s suppressed, cold voice: “Don’t call me anymore. It’s raining heavily—rest well! I’m going to sleep too.”

“If you keep acting out like this, forget your father’s place, you might not even last long at the company.”

“If you’re really unhappy, I can arrange for you to go abroad. I’ll still take responsibility for your future.”

His voice lowered further as he added, “Take good care of... if it gets too bad, I’ll have someone take you to the hospital.”

Another thunderclap cracked, and she couldn’t catch the last part.

He stood with his back to the room, one hand resting on the railing. Lightning illuminated his silhouette, radiating irritation and bitterness.

Zhou Qin’s obsession with him was so intense; Shen Zhi felt helpless.

Why had He Yunshen suddenly stopped indulging her?

She turned back to bed, pretending nothing had happened.

Soon after, he returned quietly, slipped under the covers, and gently wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close as they fell asleep.

In the latter half of the night, she slept deeply, undisturbed even by the roaring thunder.

The next morning, when Shen Zhi awoke, He Yunshen was nowhere to be found.

She went downstairs and looked around; Aunt Wang was busy in the courtyard alone, the breakfast table still set with their familiar meal and a note.

At that moment, she felt as if the He Yunshen of old had come back.

Seeing Shen Zhi, Aunt Wang approached and said, “Young Madam, the master left early this morning. He reminded me to make sure you eat your breakfast.”

Shen Zhi was momentarily stunned, then smiled and nodded.

She considered calling him but decided against it—she didn’t want to seem clingy, especially since she hadn’t fully forgiven him yet.

Time flew by, and soon it was Sunday. Everything had been going well these past few days, except she had heard Zhou Qin had taken a short leave and hadn’t come to the company.

Early that morning, Shen Zhi got up, washed, and waited for He Yunshen to accompany her to pay respects at her grandmother’s grave before heading to the hospital.

But after everything was prepared, he still hadn’t appeared.

Just then, her phone buzzed; it was He Yunshen calling.

His voice sounded weary from the other end: “Wife.”

Shen Zhi sensed something was off and asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

“Can Aunt Wang accompany you to the hospital? I’m tied up with something here and might be a little late.”

In that instant, all her hopes shattered, like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, leaving her chilled to the bone.

She held the phone silently for a long moment without speaking.

He Yunshen had broken his promise again.

Though she had long anticipated that some unexpected event might ruin this moment of happiness, the reality still stung.

There was no doubt in her mind that the only thing that could make him cancel their plans was Zhou Qin. He couldn’t imagine anyone else.

So once more, he chose that woman and left her behind.

Offering her a little sweetness, then plunging her into darkness—“Is this fun, He Yunshen?”

She muttered to herself, or perhaps to the person on the other end of the line, then hung up.

He seemed to want to say more, but the call was already ended.

Perhaps she should never have placed her hopes in him from the start.

The more you expect, the greater the disappointment.

After breakfast, she drove alone to the cemetery.

She had only asked him to come to help him understand her better, to visit her grandmother.

As for the hospital visit, it was simply her yearning to have him by her side during her most vulnerable moments.

In hindsight, it was probably just her being sentimental.

Along the way, her mind wandered, involuntarily picturing Zhou Qin and He Yunshen together.

Suddenly, at a curve on the highway, she felt a sharp spasm in her stomach. Her grip loosened, and the car veered sharply to the roadside and screeched to a halt.

She clutched her belly, nearly fainting from the pain.

When she came to, the world spun around her. Seeing no one nearby and no passing vehicles, she summoned her remaining strength to call He Yunshen.

She could have called Shanshan or Fu Nanfeng, but she was used to putting He Yunshen first in her heart and didn’t want to trouble others.

Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t seek help from other men—that was her principle.

Even now, in this crisis, she chose to try calling him despite knowing she might not get the response she hoped for.

But no one answered.

As the pain intensified, sweat drenched her forehead and weakness overtook her body.

“He Yunshen, please answer!”

The phone rang for a long time before someone finally picked up.

But it wasn’t his voice—it was Zhou Qin’s.

“Sister-in-law, is something wrong? Yunshen’s busy cooking in the kitchen right now. Should I call him for you?”

The words hit Shen Zhi like a thunderclap.

Her trembling hands gripped the phone tightly, overwhelmed by disappointment and heartbreak. The pain in her stomach left her unable to speak.

“I’ve been unwell these past few days. I told him not to come take care of me, but he insisted... Are you listening?”

Zhou Qin’s voice was full of arrogance and mockery.

Shen Zhi was so angry she struggled to breathe, lacking even the strength to hang up.

Suddenly, her vision darkened, and she plunged into boundless darkness.

When she woke again, a crowd had gathered around her car.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“Is it serious? We’ve already called an ambulance...”

She couldn’t hear their voices clearly, only feeling dizzy.

Had her illness become this severe?