Wen Yan stammered, trying to explain:
“It’s not like that, Zhizhi… listen to me, things aren’t what you think… I…”
“Not what I think? Then what is it?! Are you saying I’m being petty and wrongly accusing you?! No wonder I’ve only ever seen you texting him but never met him—you know this relationship is something that can’t be shown in public!”
Once-close friends had turned into enemies. Zhizhi’s words pierced straight into Wen Yan’s heart, leaving her eyes red with tears.
“It really isn’t what you think… it’s because of my mom, that’s why I…”
Wen Yan never imagined things would escalate this far.
She hadn’t intended to hide it forever—she had been waiting for the right time to tell Zhizhi. But the timing never seemed right, so it dragged on until now.
At a loss, she could only explain her mother’s situation again.
But Zhizhi’s next sentence froze her in place.
“No wonder your dad died early, and your mom ended up a vegetable. Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be loved!”
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her.
Wen Yan’s blood seemed to freeze, her whole body trembling from the cold.
She had treated Zhizhi as her closest friend, confiding everything without reservation.
And now, that trust had turned into a blade stabbing straight back at her.
Her throat felt torn open by those words. She sobbed, unable to form a complete sentence.
After that, everything became a blur.
She only vaguely remembered Zhizhi throwing her belongings out and telling her to get out. Neighbors gathered, watching her with strange, judgmental looks.
Later, she seemed to have called Lin Yizhi for help.
At a time like this, she didn’t dare contact Fu Linchuan.
Just thinking of him filled her mind with Zhizhi’s cruel accusation—
“mistress.”
How could she dare?
She didn’t dare to reach out to him anymore.
Clearly, Shen Yunli’s second “gift” had been successfully delivered.
At that moment, Wen Yan sat in the living room, while Lin Yizhi was in the kitchen making porridge for her.
Soon, he placed a steaming bowl in front of her.
“Here, have some while it’s hot. It’ll warm your stomach.”
Wen Yan’s thoughts were still in chaos. She nodded instinctively.
“Thank you, Manager Lin.”
After finishing the bowl, her mind gradually cleared.
She realized it wasn’t appropriate for her to stay here and stood up.
“Manager Lin, thank you for taking me in so I didn’t have to sleep on the street. I’m feeling better now—I’ll go stay at a hotel so I won’t trouble you further.”
Lin Yizhi didn’t insist.
“There’s a hotel nearby. I’ll take you there.”
She didn’t refuse.
After dropping her off, she thanked him again:
“Manager Lin, thank you. You’re really a good person. Without you today, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
Receiving yet another “good person” card, Lin Yizhi smiled helplessly.
He recalled what Shen Yunli had said to him in the café, and Wen Yan’s distraught state tonight.
He didn’t know what exactly had happened, but he felt regret.
Maybe he should have accompanied her home after all.
“Actually, I…”
He wanted to say that he wasn’t this kind to everyone—that his feelings were only for her.
But seeing her current state, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
He didn’t want to burden her.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. Get some rest. If anything happens, you can call me.”
Worried she might misunderstand, he added gently:
“My place is nearby, so I can help if needed. You’re my employee—this is my responsibility.”
Wen Yan smiled faintly, thinking he truly was a good boss.
She wanted to talk to someone about how she felt—but clearly, he wasn’t the right person.
Just then, her phone rang.
Lin Yizhi caught a glimpse of the screen—
It was Fu Linchuan.
Wen Yan’s expression changed slightly. She didn’t answer, turning and walking into the hotel.
Lin Yizhi hesitated, wanting to say something—but in the end, said nothing.
He had wanted to tell her:
Fu Linchuan wasn’t the right man for her. If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t leave her in such an awkward position.
He also wanted to ask if she had her own difficulties—
But he was afraid of touching a sore spot.
In the end, not a single word came out.
Late at night, as Lin Yizhi walked home, he picked up his phone several times, wanting to send a simple “good night.”
But he didn’t dare.
Those words felt too intimate.
He didn’t want to burden her.
A few days passed.
Shen Yunli didn’t know what had happened between Wen Yan and Fu Linchuan, but judging from his gloomy expression, things between them had grown tense.
She watched coldly, but still instructed the cook to put more effort into preparing meals.
Strangely, the emotional neglect Fu Linchuan felt from Wen Yan was slightly soothed at home.
Even his attitude toward Shen Yunli improved.
Shen Yunli didn’t care.
It was just a classic divide-and-conquer tactic.
After pretending to comfort him for a bit, as soon as Fu Linchuan left for work, she went straight to Fu Qiwén’s courtyard.
Recently, she had been visiting more often, gradually becoming familiar with him.
She no longer addressed him formally as “Mr. Fu,” but instead called him “Uncle Fu” or “Little Uncle.”
However, to avoid making her intentions too obvious, she always first brought the old master along, suggesting they play chess together.
The old master and Fu Qiwén were both men of few words—especially Fu Qiwén, who could go half a day without speaking.
Though the old master cared deeply for this ill-fated child, he often felt helpless about how to interact with him.
Now, with Shen Yunli acting as a buffer, their relationship had eased considerably.
The old master and Fu Qiwén played chess while Shen Yunli watched, occasionally pouring tea or offering snacks.
One day, several unfamiliar faces arrived at Fu Qiwén’s residence.
He set down his chess piece and went into the study with the old master.
Likely business partners.
The bodyguard went in to serve tea, leaving Shen Yunli alone under the tree, playing chess by herself.
At that moment, Fu Qiwén came out of the study.
The bodyguard didn’t follow—apparently detained for some reason.
Fu Qiwén maneuvered his wheelchair toward the courtyard.
He was familiar with his surroundings and didn’t need assistance for this path.
So Shen Yunli didn’t approach, only greeting him:
“Uncle Fu, are you done? Shall we continue the game?”
He nodded.
Seeing this, she smiled brightly.
“Then I’ll set up the board—”
Before she could finish, her expression suddenly changed.
Without hesitation, she rushed toward him.
“Uncle Fu, be careful!”
The wheelchair hit a sharp stone, veering off course toward the steps leading to the pond.
In a split second, Shen Yunli threw herself forward, using her body to block the chair.
She grabbed him and pulled him aside—
Both of them crashed onto the sun-heated grass.
The wheelchair, now unblocked, rolled straight down the steps and splashed into the pond, startling a swarm of red-tailed fish.
Hearing the noise, the old master and others rushed over.
Shen Yunli’s entire body ached.
Beside her, the blind Fu Qiwén called her name, his voice tinged with urgency:
“Yunli, are you alright? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine… Uncle, I’m sorry—I forgot you could move the wheelchair yourself… I panicked and didn’t think…”
Her words came out jumbled.
“If I hadn’t pulled you, maybe you wouldn’t have fallen with me… did you hurt your eyes?”
He shook his head.
“I’m fine. Stop talking.”
He pressed his lips together and repeated softly:
“Don’t say any more.”
They were helped up.
Fu Qiwén only had minor scratches.
Shen Yunli looked far worse.
She had cushioned his fall, leaving her body covered in bruises and cuts.
The old master was distressed, immediately calling for the family doctor and carefully checking her injuries.
“Yunli, what happened? How did you and Qiwén fall like this?”
She pursed her lips.
“Grandpa… Uncle came out just now, and the wheelchair hit a stone. It suddenly veered toward the pond, so I…”
Then she blamed herself again.
“It’s my fault. I knew Uncle’s eyes were injured, yet I let him come out alone. I should’ve gone to help him when I saw him leave the study.”
She let out a breath, as if still shaken.
“Thankfully, Uncle Fu is alright.”
Hearing this, Fu Qiwén’s expression darkened.
He said nothing.
Shen Yunli quietly observed him, unable to fully read his emotions.
Because today—
This entire scene had been staged for him.
When he stepped out of the study, she had already noticed the stone.
But instead of warning him immediately, she waited—
Until the moment of danger,
Then used her own body to intervene.
Because sometimes,
Doing something unnecessary…
is exactly what pierces the heart the deepest.