“Young master, where to?” After leaving the university district, Uncle Chen broke the silence inside the car.
Shen Yuxun pressed his fingers lightly against his forehead. A faint trace of fatigue showed between his sharp brows. “Back to Chaoming Residence.”
“Understood.”
He closed his eyes again, only to be interrupted by the ringing of his phone.
“Hello.” It was his childhood friend, Gu Cheng.
“Well, well, Young Master Shen,” Gu Cheng’s cheerful voice rang through the call. “You promised to show up tonight, but you bailed at the last minute. What’s the matter—got a beauty keeping you company?”
“Something came up. I’m not going,” Shen Yuxun replied calmly.
“I even spent a fortune inviting Jiade’s chief auctioneer for you. What a waste—you know I have zero interest in collectibles,” Gu Cheng said with a hint of regret.
“Jiade’s recent pieces have been quite good,” Shen Yuxun said. Collecting auction items was one of his hobbies. He owned a private gallery filled with pieces he had acquired from across the country—never open to the public, used only for occasional social purposes.
“So what exactly came up tonight?” Gu Cheng pressed, curious. This wasn’t like Shen Yuxun at all.
“I rescued a stray cat.” Shen Yuxun let out a low chuckle, as if amused by his own answer.
“A cat?” Gu Cheng thought he’d misheard. He had never known Shen Yuxun to like cats.
“Mm. A cat caught in the rain.”
Shen Yuxun recalled the fleeting moment—glancing out of the car to see that girl crouched by the roadside, feeding a stray cat. Then, moments later, she appeared again in the rain, illuminated by the car’s headlights.
It had been… an interesting day.
Uncle Chen, watching from the driver’s seat, felt a trace of confusion. He had followed his young master for nearly twenty years and knew his habits well. Today’s behavior—especially giving a ride to a random girl by the roadside—was completely out of character.
Ever since Shen Yuxun took over the company, Uncle Chen had never once seen a woman sit in the back seat of his car—aside from his mother. His life revolved entirely around the business. He never wasted time on personal matters.
Wanzhen Group was one of the country’s top retail corporations. Its flagship commercial complexes were known as symbols of high-end shopping, integrating hotels, office buildings, clubs, and shopping centers across dozens of cities.
Managing such a massive empire meant Shen Yuxun carried immense responsibility. In the years since taking over, he had acted decisively, pushing through resistance to lead the company’s digital transformation. His vision had earned the respect of even the most senior executives.
After hanging up on Gu Cheng, Shen Yuxun called his assistant.
“Assistant Jin, have the finance and marketing departments report to my office at 9 a.m. tomorrow with the fourth-quarter projections,” he instructed. “What’s on my schedule for tomorrow afternoon?”
“Mr. Shen, you have a meeting with Director Zhou regarding the eastern district land project. And in the evening, you’re expected back at Wangyuan for dinner.”
“Got it.”
After ending the call, Shen Yuxun stared quietly out at the night scenery.
His expression was distant, his sharp profile outlined against the dim light, lips pressed slightly together—detached, as if removed from everything around him.
Then suddenly, a flash of light crossed his vision.
In his mind appeared the image of that tall, slender figure—walking away under an umbrella.
Song Wanyi woke up at six in the morning, as usual. It was her habit—she always did morning reading.
After freshening up, she picked up her phone and typed “Wanzhen Group” into the search bar.
Shen Yuxun.
So that was his name.
She looked through the limited public information about him—only a few brief lines, not even a single photo. Clearly, he was someone who kept a low profile.
As she was lost in thought, a dull headache began to creep in.
And it quickly grew worse.
Had she caught a cold from the rain last night?
Just her luck.
In this state, she probably couldn’t go to work.
She sent a message to her manager asking for leave. There went her attendance bonus for the month.
From her drawer, she took out a box of Tylenol, popped a pill into her mouth, swallowed it with water, and lay back down, drifting into sleep again.
When she woke up, she wasn’t even sure what time it was.
Pulling back the curtains, she saw that the daylight was already bright—it was noon.
Her phone chimed.
It was a message from Shuqing.
“What’s wrong, cutie? Why didn’t you come to work today?” followed by a cute pig emoji.
“I got caught in the rain last night and caught a cold. Feeling a bit better now,” Song Wanyi replied.
“Good thing you didn’t come! There was a big inspection at the mall today. I heard some important people are coming to check things out. I had to clean every corner of the shop. And the manager showed up too—I was so nervous all day.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow. Do you know when we’re getting paid this month?” Song Wanyi asked.
“Probably in the next few days. The manager will let you know.”
There were only three days left before tuition was due.
Song Wanyi felt anxious.
She didn’t want to borrow money from her roommates. She knew they would lend it to her if she asked—but asking would mean admitting she was struggling, that she belonged to the most disadvantaged group.
And she didn’t want to be seen that way.
After hastily finishing lunch, Song Wanyi sat at her desk, took out Museum Collection Management, and buried herself in reading.
….
“Mr. Shen, this is the revised proposal from the investment department,” Assistant Jin said as he entered Shen Yuxun’s office.
“Leave it there.”
“The car is waiting in the underground garage. The chairman has called again to urge you,” Assistant Jin reminded him.
“I know.”
Shen Yuxun removed his gold-rimmed glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. His myopia wasn’t severe, but he wore glasses while working.
Ten minutes later, he closed the documents in front of him and set them aside.
On his left were the approved proposals.
On his right were those that needed revision.
He pressed the elevator button down to B2.
The Bentley was already waiting in its designated spot near the elevator.
After getting in, Shen Yuxun picked up his phone.
There were no new messages.
And no new friend requests either.
The car soon arrived at Wangyuan Estate.
As he stepped inside, he saw an elderly man with graying hair but a vigorous presence standing by a waterside corridor, holding a white porcelain lotus-patterned cup and tossing fish food into the pond.
The water in the garden was crystal clear, reflecting the surrounding pavilions and terraces. Rare flowers and plants were everywhere, along with rock formations, root carvings, and stone pillars—altogether giving off the refined charm of a classic Suzhou-style garden.
At the same time, the estate blended in modern elements: the buildings had geometric designs, with granite roofing. At the entrance stood a massive illuminated water curtain wall, showcasing the owner’s grandeur and status.
“You’re here,” Shen Wenliang said as he spotted his son approaching.
“Father,” Shen Yuxun replied.
“It takes three reminders just to get you home for a meal these days. Next time, should I wait for you at the company entrance myself?” Shen Wenliang complained.
“I’ve been busy with company matters.” Shen Yuxun took the fish food from him, watching the koi compete in the pond.
“I heard you’re planning to acquire that piece of land in the eastern district?”
“It’s still under negotiation. The bidding process is underway.”
“Stop talking and come eat,” Li Qiuyue called from inside.
Li Qiuyue was Shen Yuxun’s mother.
“All you ever think about is work. You don’t even care about your son’s personal life. Look how long it’s been since he’s dated anyone,” she said with a hint of reproach.
“…At thirty, it’s time you think about settling down,” Shen Wenliang added from the head seat. “Let your mother arrange a few suitable matches for you to meet.”
“I don’t have the time,” Shen Yuxun replied flatly.
The atmosphere quickly grew tense again, so Li Qiuyue hurriedly changed the subject.
“Where has that girl A’Li gone? You finally come home, and she’s not even here to eat with you,” she said, referring to Shen Li, his younger sister.
“Let her be,” Shen Yuxun said, pretending not to know. In truth, Shen Li had spent the afternoon shopping at Wanxiang Mall in the west of the city, browsing autumn collections from various brands. She had even called him, jokingly asking her brother to sponsor her spree.
He had been in meetings and ignored her.
Only after the meeting ended did Assistant Jin send him the spending records, revealing exactly what she’d been up to.
The meal turned out dull and uneventful.
Before eight o’clock, Shen Yuxun had already left Wangyuan Estate.
Back at Chaoming Residence, he stood before the floor-to-ceiling window on the twentieth floor, overlooking the skyline of the city center. For the first time in a long while, he felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion.
His phone rang on the coffee table.
It was Gu Cheng.
“You free tonight, Young Master Shen?” The noisy background suggested he was at a nightclub.
“Got it,” Shen Yuxun said. He had intended to decline, but after a brief pause, he agreed.
At nine, the nightclub wasn’t particularly lively yet. Only a few people lingered on the dance floor.
Upstairs, in a VIP private room, Shen Yuxun pushed the door open, led by several attentive attendants. Inside felt like an entirely different world.
A massive bar counter was lined with all kinds of liquor and beer.
Under the dim lights, men and women gathered in small groups, leaning close and whispering intimately.
Shen Yuxun didn’t actually enjoy places like this. But after repeated invitations from Gu Cheng, he decided to show up briefly out of courtesy. After all, this nightclub was Gu Cheng’s main business venture now. He had no intention of staying long.
The room fell silent the moment he entered.
Curious and probing gazes turned toward him.
No one seemed to dare speak loudly, as if waiting for him to take the lead—like he was the true owner of the place.
“Make yourselves comfortable,” Shen Yuxun said casually, one hand in his pocket as he walked toward Gu Cheng, intending to greet him, have a drink, and leave.
“You finally showed up, Young Master Shen.” Gu Cheng patted his shoulder and grinned. “We’ve got some new girls lately. Want to take a look?”
“Not interested.” Shen Yuxun had never cared for such distractions.
“Customers these days love college girls. We’ve got a few new ones—why not check them out?” Gu Cheng persisted.
“College students…?” Shen Yuxun paused, the whiskey glass in his hand momentarily still, as if recalling something.
Taking this as an interest, Gu Cheng quickly called over a few girls.
They lined up neatly, dressed in revealing outfits, their smiles polished and practiced, eyes fixed on the man seated at the center of the sofa—slowly swirling his drink.
“You girls, introduce yourselves. Whoever catches President Shen’s interest tonight gets all the commission from this room’s drinks,” Gu Cheng announced loudly, leaning back on the sofa.
The first girl stepped forward. “President Shen, my name is Xiao Ai. I can keep you company however you like.” She smiled sweetly, her bare arm marked with the nightclub’s logo.
Seeing no reaction, she tried to reach for him.
Shen Yuxun subtly moved his arm away and gestured for her to step back.
He rubbed his brow, about to ask Gu Cheng to send them all away—
But the second girl eagerly spoke up, “President Shen, my name is Song Wanyi. Let me stay with you tonight.”
She wore a strapless sequined mini dress, her makeup so heavy it obscured her original features.
Shen Yuxun stopped swirling his glass and looked up at her.
Not her.
The girl from yesterday had also said her name was “Song Wanyi,” but he didn’t know which character it was.
Strangely, her figure had been lingering in his mind these past few days.
He took a sip of whiskey, suppressing the inexplicable restlessness rising within him. Ignoring Gu Cheng’s attempts to stop him, he stood and walked out of the nightclub.
Hucheng University, huh…
Looks like he’d have to pay a visit there next time.