Shen Youlin was hospitalized for his injuries, while Yu Shu, after a night of turmoil, developed a stomach illness and also had to be hospitalized.
It was Old Madam Shen's idea to have the two of them hide out in the hospital for peace and quiet. The Shen family was busy dealing with the Zhao family. Despite their many years of friendship, they hadn't intended to sever ties completely, but the Zhao family's greed and their feeling of injustice about the divorce left them no choice. Shen Yuxiao, the esteemed president of the Shen Group, not to mention the Shen family's assets, which must be worth billions, if not hundreds of billions. Yet Zhao Wenqian only received a meager portion in the divorce settlement. Were they trying to dismiss her like a beggar?
Old Madam Shen was fuming with anger. For years, she had stayed out of affairs, causing people to forget how ruthless she had been in dealing with Shen Lao Ye's illegitimate children.
Crushing the Zhao family was akin to squashing ants.
Yu Shu was still furious, refusing to share a hospital room with Shen Youlin.
One afternoon, after just waking up from her nap, she received a message from Shen Youlin: [Madam, the young master has been neglected by you for three days.]
Three days? More like three hours. They had lunch together just at noon.
Yu Shu replied: [Has he realized his mistake?]
Shen Youlin: [No, his online purchase of a washboard has arrived. Please come and witness the punishment.]
Shen Youlin: [Image]
Yu Shu laughed at the photo of the washboard and got out of bed to go to the next room. "Kneel down. You won't be let off the hook until you scrub some clothes."
Supporting himself on the hospital bed, Shen Youlin knelt tremblingly on the washboard.
Yu Shu sat leisurely on the sofa, saying, "Speak up, where did you go wrong?"
"Look at you, making it sound like I only kneel when I'm wrong. Can't I kneel for my wife even when I'm not at fault?"
Yu Shu sneered and looked away.
Seeing her ignoring him, Shen Youlin started enumerating his faults one by one: "I was wrong to leave my wife alone and act without consulting her, I was wrong to use the tactic of pretending to be hurt without discussing it with my wife..."
Yu Shu noticed a book under his pillow and casually pulled it out. Shen Youlin went silent instantly, like a duck with its throat squeezed.
In an instant, Shen Youlin thought up an excuse, "This... this is a novel they sent over, just something to pass the time."
Yu Shu flipped through the book calmly, "Hmm, I guessed as much."
"Huh?" Shen Youlin looked at her, bewildered.
"Have you checked who's at the top of your gift list?"
Young Master Shen, being a writer, never cared about the trifling gifts, so he never checked the gift list.
Shen Youlin stretched out his intact right hand to reach for his phone but couldn't reach it. He looked at Yu Shu pitifully, "Could you help me get it?"
"Get up, stop kneeling."
"Okay!"
Shen Youlin stood up cheerfully, picked up his phone, opened the app, and checked the top of the gift list - Yutree Knot.
"Wow, my wife is actually my devoted fan."
"Yes."
Yu Shu smiled, pressed him to sit on the sickbed, set up a small table, took out a laptop, and opened it on the tabletop.
"Please perform a rapid update for me. Let's start with an 80,000-word warm-up today."
"Huh?"
------------
Under the ruthless methods of Old Madam Shen, the Zhao family, along with their relatives, were exposed. Zhao Wenqian and her parents were sent to Singapore, where everything had been arranged in advance. As soon as they landed, their passports would be confiscated.
Feeling reluctant, Shen Yuxiao secretly planned to support Zhao Wenqian. Old Madam Shen, upon learning this, erupted in anger and summoned him along with Shen Chaowen to the study for a severe reprimand.
Old Madam Shen sat down, calmed her rapid breathing, took a sip of hot tea, and spoke slowly after a while: "Back then, your aunt had no choice but to marry. Although she later had a decent life with her husband, it was due to her good fortune. Her marriage had always been my regret, so I dared not interfere in your marriages."
"When you brought Zhao Wenqian home back then, I couldn't stand her. Lacking cleverness, wit, and a stable temperament, she spoke one way but thought another. I thought she was foolish, but since you were determined to marry her, I refrained from stopping you. Look at it now! Despite treating her well over the years, we raised a venomous woman."
"You couldn't control your wife, and now the family is in disarray. I remind you again, your younger brother was almost killed by her! Still hesitant? Still thinking of saving her? Do you consider yourself a savior? Utterly confused!"
Shen Yuxiao, with a pale face, dared not argue further.
"Either never remarry, or I will decide your next wife. As long as I'm alive, the Shen family will not fall into your hands. Go, take good care of your children; they are always innocent."
Exhausted, Old Madam Shen closed her eyes. She had made up her mind: with Shen Yuxiao's indecisiveness and poor judgment, the family's authority should not be handed over to him unless absolutely necessary.
After Shen Yuxiao left, Old Madam Shen opened her eyes again, looking at Yu Fanxing with a complicated expression. "Yuxiao's matter is partly my fault. Your matter, I interfered too much."
Yu Fanxing lowered her eyes, neither confirming nor denying.
Even now, she still fantasized about how things would be better if she hadn't given birth to Shen Youlin.
This child had been in her womb for ten months, yet she still felt like a stranger. Even after the incident with Zhang Yi, her guilt outweighed her motherly love for Shen Youlin.
Her love for Shen Youlin was thin and pitiful.
However, Shen Youlin didn't need her guilt and compensation. Mother and son were getting along like enemies.
Who decided that a mother must always love her child?
The truly selfish, cold-hearted person was herself. She loved herself the most, forever.
Shen Chaowen sighed, soothingly squeezing her fingertips. He addressed Old Madam Shen, "It's not just Fasting Star's fault; it's mine too. I haven't fulfilled the responsibilities a father should bear."
"What's the use of saying all this? It's too late," Old Madam Shen sighed lightly. "It's all too late."
The two years of suffering endured by Shen Youlin were the consequences of the entire Shen family, including her.
He didn't go mad; it was his strength and courage, along with the good upbringing and care provided by Shen Youfei.
"Find Zhang Yi as soon as possible, control her, and prevent her from causing any irreparable harm again."
