After working overtime for an entire week, she opened her eyes each day only to work. She was just one step away from sleeping in the office.
During that week, an eerie silence settled around her.
Jiang Wanqing stopped showing up in front of her to flaunt herself or make trouble, and even Zhou Jiayan had completely disappeared.
She didn’t know whether it was because of her “helpful” phone call that day, which had finally made him realize that in Jiang Wanqing’s eyes, he was nothing more than a lovesick simp. Maybe he was drowning his heartbreak in alcohol after getting rejected, or perhaps he had decided to compete with Lu Yanzhou to win back his goddess, leaving him too busy to bother her.
As for the Zhou Corporation’s threat to withdraw its investment, nothing more was said.
Of course, there was no need for them to notify her in person. Pulling out of an investment only required a unilateral decision. After all, the promised one hundred million yuan had never actually reached Shen Corporation’s account.
On top of that, her flash-marriage husband hadn’t replied to a single one of her messages.
During her rare moments of free time, she even wondered whether he had happily accepted the one-million-yuan sincerity payment, run off with the money, and was now living it up somewhere, enjoying himself without a care in the world.
If he still didn’t show up after a month, who was she supposed to divorce?
For the entire week, Shen Shuhe never turned Do Not Disturb mode back on. She answered every unfamiliar number that called, afraid that Lu Yanzhou might finally contact her for that “meeting” and she would miss the call.
What she never expected was that the first people to come looking for her were actually her parents.
One afternoon, Shen Yanzhi and Wen Lingyi entered her office. They locked the door behind them and closed the blinds, shutting out all eyes from outside.
Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Shen Shuhe’s heart sank.
“Dad, Mom… what’s wrong?”
Walking over to her, Wen Lingyi asked with worry written all over her face, “Sweetheart, tell us the truth. At Miss Lu’s birthday banquet… you didn’t actually secure a new investor, did you?”
With a grim expression, Shen Yanzhi added, “It’s been almost ten days since Miss Lu’s birthday banquet. We haven’t seen you contact anyone, and no one has come to the company. Your mother and I even checked with the finance department. There isn’t the slightest sign that any investment funds are about to come in.”
Shen Shuhe quietly let out a breath of relief, her expression easing slightly.
“I already told you that night,” she replied. “There was never any guarantee the negotiations would succeed. I was going to tell you once everything was confirmed.”
Her new investor was Lu Yanzhou.
If she could successfully handle his “meeting” and clear Shen Corporation of any suspicion regarding the leaked Tianshu Project technology, she was confident she could secure a substantial investment from him.
Unfortunately, Lu Yanzhou still hadn’t contacted her, and she had no way of reaching him either.
Shen Yanzhi frowned.
“You’re still trying to hide it from us.”
Completely confused, Shen Shuhe felt her newly relaxed nerves tighten again.
“What exactly am I hiding?”
Could it be…
Had they already learned about the Tianshu Project’s technology leak?
Lu Yanzhou hadn’t contacted her—but had he gone straight to her parents instead?
“There is no new investor at all!” Shen Yanzhi analyzed calmly. “Your mother and I have looked into it. Ever since you came back from Miss Lu’s birthday banquet, you’ve been working overtime every day. All of your attention has been focused on the military’s Tianshu Project. If you had really secured a new investor, you should be preparing materials for asset evaluations, risk assessments, and due diligence.”
He stared directly at her, his expression taut.
“Tell me honestly, Shuhe. Why have you been organizing all the Tianshu Project documents—even digging up records from years ago? What exactly are you planning?”
Shen Shuhe wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but she thought she saw genuine nervousness in her father’s eyes.
The sight made it feel as though invisible hands were squeezing her throat, leaving her struggling to breathe.
Combined with Lu Yanzhou’s insistence that she keep everything from her parents, her father’s unusual concern over the Tianshu Project gave her an increasingly ominous feeling.
…No way.
…Could her father actually have something to do with the Tianshu Project’s leaked technology?
The thought drained the color from Shen Shuhe’s face.
Seeing this, Wen Lingyi’s heart ached. She lightly poked Shen Yanzhi and complained, “Why are you being so serious? You’re frightening our daughter! If you don’t know how to talk, let me do it.”
Then she wrapped an arm around Shen Shuhe and gently comforted her.
“We’re just worried you’re carrying all this pressure by yourself. Sweetheart, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t find a new investor at Miss Lu’s birthday banquet. You don’t have to hide it because you’re afraid we’ll be disappointed. We’re family. We face these things together. Don’t push yourself so hard all alone. Your father and I would only blame ourselves for not being able to help you.”
But Shen Yanzhi’s expression remained unchanged.
Looking straight at Shen Shuhe, he repeated, “Why have you been organizing the Tianshu Project documents? What exactly are you planning?”
Her eyelashes trembled before she answered, “It’s true that I haven’t found a new investor yet. That’s why I’ve been organizing the Tianshu Project materials, hoping to secure a military contract.”
Shen Yanzhi fell silent.
It was impossible to tell whether he was deep in thought—or weighing the truthfulness of her explanation.
Shen Shuhe said nothing more either, carefully watching every subtle change in his expression, her heart rising and falling with unease.
After a long while, Shen Yanzhi finally spoke meaningfully.
“Shuhe, the more difficult your circumstances become, the more firmly you must keep your feet on the ground. Success gained through shortcuts always comes with an exorbitant price.”
Shen Shuhe was baffled by what he meant and was just about to ask when her phone suddenly rang.
It was an unfamiliar Beijing number.
Her breathing caught.
…Was it Lu Yanzhou?
Why did it have to be now?
Because Lu Yanzhou had specifically instructed her not to tell her parents, she couldn’t answer the call in front of them.
If it really was Lu Yanzhou, she wouldn’t be able to keep the secret.
Holding her phone, she gently ushered Wen Lingyi and Shen Yanzhi toward the door.
“Alright, alright, I understand. Don’t worry about me anymore. Go on—you two should get back to work.”