Chapter 101
The atmosphere eased a little.
Shi Mingyue was listening to Yun Zhan say something with her head down, a rare faint smile on her lips, her fingers gently holding the other's hand. The two stood side by side in front of a rose bush, looking intimate and quiet.
Not far away, under the corridor, Shi Ke stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the two of them, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He had been watching for a while, and as his daughter's tense expression gradually relaxed, and as she showed dependence on Yun Zhan, he sighed softly in his heart.
It seems she's been awake for a while...
He knew that Shi Mingyue's mental state had been unstable these days, and that Yun Zhan's presence was both her comfort and her obsession. Therefore, he didn't disturb her, but simply watched quietly for a while before turning and leaving.
The afternoon sunlight gradually softened. Shi Mingyue had just accompanied Yun Zhan back to their room when the housekeeper informed her that her father was waiting for her in the study.
She felt a little uneasy, but she still straightened her clothes and walked quickly towards the study.
Pushing open the door, Shi Ke was sitting behind his desk, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and holding a document in his hand, seemingly reading it carefully.
But Shi Mingyue knew that her father had actually noticed her coming in long ago, but was just waiting for her to speak first.
She stood in front of the desk, her hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes, the only sound in the air being the soft rustling of papers turning.
After a long while, Shi Ke slowly put down the documents, took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, looked up at Shi Mingyue, and asked calmly, "Miss Yun, are you awake?"
Upon hearing the words "Miss Yun," Shi Mingyue trembled violently, as if stung by something. She instinctively held her breath, a suffocating tension rising in her chest.
In her eyes, Yun Zhan's existence was like a secret; if anyone other than her knew about it, it would mean danger...
She was afraid that someone would try to take Yun Zhan away, and that the peace she had so painstakingly maintained would be shattered.
But since the father asked, it means he already knew.
Shi Mingyue was silent for a few seconds, then finally nodded slightly, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Mm."
"Now that you're awake, you should go out and relax more. Staying in your room all the time isn't good either."
Shi Ke paused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and continued, "I have some work in the south in a while, and I'll take her with me so she can have a change of scenery."
"She is your wife, and these occasions are unavoidable."
"Can't!"
Shi Mingyue shouted the words almost subconsciously, then suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with panic and resistance, and even her voice trembled slightly.
“She hasn’t fully recovered yet and can’t leave here. I… I’ll keep her company so she can relax. Don’t bother your father.”
She absolutely could not let Yun Zhan out of her sight, not even if it was her father's suggestion.
Shi Ke looked at Shi Mingyue's suddenly tense expression, and a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.
He naturally knew his daughter's thoughts; her almost obsessive possessiveness towards Yun Zhan was already evident in her every move.
He had hoped that the job in the south would allow both of them to change their environment and ease their relationship, but given Shi Mingyue's current reaction, there was clearly no room for any risk.
He swallowed the words back, not pointing out the unusual resistance. He simply nodded, picked up the documents on the table again, and said in his usual calm tone, "I understand. You can go now."
He knew that if he forcefully refuted her at this moment, it would only make Shi Mingyue's emotions more unstable. It would be better to go along with her wishes first and then make a plan.
Shi Mingyue was stunned for a moment, not expecting her father to compromise so easily. However, the tension in her heart did not ease at all. She always felt that her father had only temporarily stopped mentioning it and might still be planning something.
She tightened her grip on the hem of her clothes and whispered, "I understand."
Shi Mingyue turned around and walked quickly out of the study, her movements as she closed the door were somewhat hurried.
After leaving the study, Shi Mingyue's nerves were stretched to their limit, and she dared not relax for a moment.
She almost ran back to Yun Zhan's room, and when she opened the door, she saw Yun Zhan sitting by the window reading a book. Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down a little, but was immediately enveloped by a deeper unease.
Would Father take Yun Zhan away without my permission...?
"He wouldn't do that, but...I..."
Shi Mingyue was having some difficulty breathing. She covered her chest with her palms, and a few beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She was really scared.
She feared that the moment she turned around, her father would send someone to take Yun Zhan away.
From that day on, Shi Mingyue never returned to her own room. Instead, she moved her bedding to Yun Zhan's room and slept on the soft couch next to it at night. She could only feel at ease when she closed her eyes and confirmed that Yun Zhan was within her sight.
Even worse, she secretly had a miniature surveillance camera installed at the door of her room, with the footage constantly connected to her phone. Even when she was temporarily away to handle matters, she would check the screen from time to time, fearing that something might go wrong.
Yun Zhan noticed the bloodshot eyes in her eyes that had been bothering her for days, and the new surveillance equipment at the door. She knew that Shi Mingyue's unease was all because of her, so she didn't say anything more.
That night, Shi Mingyue woke up in the middle of the night, grabbed Yun Zhan's hand, and pulled her into her arms.
Yun Zhan did not resist, but gently held her hand and said softly, "You had a nightmare, didn't you? It's okay... I'm here, I will never leave."
Yun Zhan used this gentleness to soothe her heart, which was filled with fear.
The two shared a bed for the night, but the next morning, their phone suddenly rang.
Shi Mingyue had just been lifted into Yun Zhan's arms, her hair disheveled. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, frowned, and answered the phone.
The secretary's anxious voice immediately came through the receiver: "Ms. Shi, there's a problem with the company's books. We need you to come back in person to handle it, otherwise it will affect the subsequent audit."
Shi Mingyue's face instantly darkened, and her fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on her phone.
She turned her head to look at Yun Zhan, who was sitting on the soft couch reading a book. Her eyes were full of hesitation. She had been by his side for the past few days and had long been used to keeping him within her sight. Now that she was about to go out, she felt as if a piece of her heart had been hollowed out.
But she couldn't neglect her work, so she took a deep breath, kissed Yun Zhan on the forehead, and whispered, "I'm going to the company to take care of something. I'll be back soon."
After saying that, she quickly put on her coat and hurried towards the door, but stopped the moment she grasped the doorknob.
She glanced back at the brand-new lock on Yun Zhan's room door, which she had specially had installed a few days ago for an extra layer of security.
Her gaze lingered on the door lock for a moment, her brows furrowed even more, her fingers unconsciously curled, and finally she gritted her teeth, turned around and walked out, making sure to check that the latch was secure as she closed the door.
Upon arriving at the company, Shi Mingyue threw herself into her work. The problems in the ledgers were more complicated than she had imagined. By the time she finally finished dealing with them, it was already getting dark outside. She rubbed her throbbing temples and immediately took out her phone, her fingertips trembling as she opened the monitoring software.
She needed to confirm that Yun Zhan was still alive before she could feel at ease.
But the image that appeared on the screen made her blood freeze instantly.
The room was empty. There was no familiar figure on the soft couch, and no one was by the bookshelf. Only sunlight shone through the window screen onto the floor, casting a desolate glow.
Shi Mingyue's heart suddenly clenched, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, instantly tightening to her throat.
"No...it's impossible..."
She muttered to herself, her fingers frantically refreshing the screen, but all she saw was an empty room.
Countless thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant.
Has Yun Zhan left?
Did her father take her away while she was away?
Did you not lock the door properly?
Panic engulfed her instantly like a tidal wave; the whole world seemed to be collapsing. Her vision blurred, and a buzzing sound filled her ears. The secretary's voice and the sound of keyboards in the office all became distant and indistinct; she couldn't hear anything clearly.
"Mr. Shi, what's wrong? You look terrible. Are you feeling unwell?"
The secretary noticed her unusual behavior and quickly went to ask her what was wrong, but Shi Mingyue suddenly stood up, grabbed her coat from the back of the chair without saying a word, and walked quickly out the door in her high heels.
The sound of her high heels clicking on the ground was rapid and chaotic, as if venting her out-of-control emotions.
She rushed into the underground parking garage, her movements trembling as she opened the car door, the engine roaring loudly as it started.
The car sped out of the garage, the sound of tires screeching against the ground particularly jarring in the night.
Shi Mingyue gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, her eyes filled with crimson.
She had only one thought: to get home quickly, find Yun Zhan, and confirm that she was still there, otherwise she would really go completely crazy.
Shi Mingyue almost staggered as she pushed open the car door, her high heels clicking rapidly on the stone steps. She forgot to close the car door and stumbled into the house.
"Yun Zhan! Yun Zhan!"
As she shouted, she rushed toward Yun Zhan's room, her fingers trembling as she turned the lock. The moment she pushed the door open, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
The room remained empty; the books on the soft couch were still open, and the water in the cup had long since gone cold, but the familiar figure was nowhere to be seen.
Shi Mingyue's gaze swept frantically across the room, tears welling up uncontrollably in her eyes. Just as she was about to break down and cry, her gaze suddenly fell on the bedside table.
There lay a neatly folded letter, unsigned, yet it exuded a familiar aura.
She stumbled over, picked up the envelope, and the moment her fingertips touched the paper, her heart sank.
Unpacking the envelope and unfolding the letter, familiar handwriting came into view...
The powerful strokes, imbued with a steady strength, are characteristic of Shi Ke's handwriting.
"Bright Moon".
The letter began gently, yet it struck Shi Mingyue's heart like a boulder.
"By the time you read this letter, I will have already left with Yun Zhan. It's not that I want to take her away from you, but seeing your recent state, I'm really worried."
Shi Mingyue's fingers gripped the letter tightly, her knuckles turning white, and tears dripped onto the writing, blurring the ink.
She continued reading, and her father's words were like a gentle knife, dissecting the obsession in her heart: "There should never be a relationship of control and being controlled between partners. You keep Yunzhan by your side, binding her with chains and surveillance. It seems that you have kept her by your side, but you have forgotten that she should also have her own world and room to grow."
"She should be independent and outstanding, able to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in the sunlight, not a kitten or puppy in your palm, an appendage that you can control at any time."
Upon seeing this, Shi Mingyue's shoulders trembled violently as various past scenes flashed through her mind.
She locked Yun Zhan's ankles, installed surveillance cameras in the room, and forbade anyone to approach her. It turned out that in her father's eyes, all of this was such absurd control.
At the end of the letter, Shi Ke's handwriting carried a hint of earnestness: "I understand you're afraid of losing her. But true retention is never about binding her, but about trust. When you're willing to believe she won't leave and willing to give her freedom, she will truly stay by your side."
“I took her to the South so that she could see the world outside, and also so that you could think carefully about what you really want: a controlled ‘possession’ or a lover who can understand you.”
The letter slipped from Shi Mingyue's hand and fell to the ground.
She slumped to the edge of the bed, tears streaming silently down her face, her father's words echoing repeatedly in her mind.
The panic had not yet subsided, but at this moment, a crack appeared in the thick layer of prejudice in my heart.
Of course she knew that what she had been protecting all along was actually locking Yun Zhan away.
But she was too selfish, too scared...
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