Chapter 43. Without durian, he couldn't resist; he found it sweet and delicious. ...
She calmly replied, "Dog? What's wrong with you? I called you just now, but you didn't respond."
Sheng Yun Shen was completely awakened by the wonderful aroma and instantly remembered the whole story.
By the way, before he lost consciousness, he was listening to Li Yin's confession to Ling Shu in Ling Shu's mind.
Li Yin's words were sincere, showing that he truly cared about Ling Shu and had seriously considered how to build their future together. Sheng Yun Shen had no doubt that as long as Ling Shu agreed, Li Yin would keep his promise and bring her a happy life step by step.
Even if the end of the world comes, with Li Yin's methods, he will definitely protect Ling Shu's safety.
Sheng Yunshen thought and thought, but couldn't find any reason for Ling Shu to refuse.
And what right does he have to stop it?
Unable to utter a word, he could only remain silent, desperately awaiting Ling Shu's answer.
Before Ling Shu could answer, he felt as if he were sinking into a swamp, getting deeper and deeper into the darkness until he lost consciousness.
Has the confession ended?
How exactly did Ling Shu answer Li Yin?
He had countless questions he wanted to ask, but for a moment he didn't know where to begin.
After a few seconds of silence, he answered Ling Shu's question first.
"There might have been an error just now, I disconnected."
"oh."
Ling Shu's voice was unreadable, seemingly calm, "Doggy, the quality of your system isn't very good."
Sheng Yunshen remained silent, then tried to change the subject: "Host, my data is a bit messed up right now, I need to correct the time. What time is it now?"
Ling Shu picked up her phone and looked at it: "Eleven o'clock."
11 o'clock?
It's already so late?
So, has Ling Shu returned to the Sheng family now?
Before Sheng Yun Shen could ask another question, Ling Shu preemptively asked, "Don't you find it smelly?"
"I……"
Just as Sheng Yun Shen was about to answer, he suddenly became alert.
He had just woken up and was a little dazed, but his intelligence was still intact.
His current identity is merely that of a system, making it impossible for him to possess any sense of smell.
At this moment, it was Sheng Yun Shen, not the system, who was being overwhelmed by the unpleasant smell.
"I don't understand what you're saying, host."
No wonder it smells bad. Could it be that Ling Shu is testing him?
This taste...
Right, he remembered, it smelled like durian.
Sheng Yun Shen almost gave himself away just now, and now he feels both scared and helpless.
There was also a touch of joy.
It was probably because Ling Shu was still by his side.
He doesn't know how much longer this companionship can last, and he wants to cherish every minute and every second.
Ling Shu was still asking, "You really can't smell it?"
Sheng Yun Shen had completely calmed down: "Host, I am a system, I have no physical form, and I certainly don't have a sense of smell. But what kind of smell are you trying to describe?"
Ling Shu chuckled softly but did not answer.
During the time she waited for Sheng Yun Shen to wake up, she had already finished off both plates of durian.
As expected of Musang King, the taste is superb.
She was now completely satisfied and slowly stood up.
"I'll talk to you later."
Sheng Yunshen subconsciously asked, "What is the host going to do?"
Ling Shu chuckled: "Brush your teeth."
Sheng Yun Shen: "?"
Something feels off.
What are we going to talk about? Do we have to brush our teeth first?
While Ling Shu was brushing her teeth, he tried to sort out his thoughts.
He had a feeling that Ling Shu had already become suspicious of him; otherwise, she wouldn't have used the smell of durian to test him. The key now was to keep his disguise secret and absolutely not reveal that the system was actually Sheng Yun Shen.
He has no idea how to face Ling Shu using the identity of Sheng Yun Shen.
Moreover, he had been deceiving Ling Shu for so long.
We must not... we absolutely must not let this slip.
Even if he stays by her side using the system's identity and listens to her and other people's exciting lives, he will never give himself away.
Although it will be tough, he will get used to it.
Having figured out how to deal with the situation, Sheng Yun Shen calmed down completely.
This time, she didn't sit directly on the bed, but sat on the round stool next to him, her voice very close to his.
Do you know what happened tonight?
Sheng Yun Shen cautiously replied, "Hmm?"
"Your sudden high fever scared your older brother, sister-in-law, and Junjun. Fortunately, the doctor treated it in time, and the fever subsided quickly."
Sheng Yunshen felt a slight tremor in his heart.
Sudden high fever?
It turns out he wasn't asleep, but had lost consciousness.
Indeed, how could he possibly sleep after Li Yin confessed his feelings?
Ling Shu continued, "The doctor said you are in good health, and the sudden high fever is most likely caused by psychological factors."
Sheng Yun Shen: "?!"
Even he took several seconds to accept the news.
Psychological factors...
This deduction was like a lightning bolt, illuminating his thoughts and allowing him to instantly understand the cause and effect.
Perhaps, the sudden high fever was a manifestation of his inner despair.
In that situation, he was indeed...afraid to hear Ling Shu's answer.
Despite the bitterness in his heart, Sheng Yun Shen remained calm: "Host, I don't understand what you're saying."
Ling Shu shook her head and chuckled: "Are you still going to pretend you don't understand? Sheng Yun Shen? How long are you planning to keep playing the system before you dare to be honest with me?"
Sheng Yun Shen's tone remained completely unchanged, as if he were truly a heartless and emotionless system: "Master, have you misunderstood something? I am the system, not Sheng Yun Shen."
"Yeah?"
Ling Shu raised an eyebrow.
"Then why do you know so much about Sheng Yun Shen's past? You can even answer whether he has ever liked anyone?"
Sheng Yunshen: "These are all contents in my database. Besides Sheng Yunshen, I am also clear about the emotional history of Sheng Yunqi and Sheng Zhujun."
Ling Shu asked again, "Then how do you explain that your investment style is exactly the same as Sheng Yun Shen's? Dog, a database can store a person's past history, but it can't store their style of doing things, right?"
Sheng Yunshen was prepared for this: "Sheng Yunshen is one of the best investors in the world. The system generates a decision-making model based on his investment history data and provides suggestions to the host based on the model. It is normal for their styles to be similar."
Ling Shu's lips curled slightly.
She then asked, "Then how do you explain the shooting that happened at '3 p.m.'?"
Sheng Yun Shen was slightly taken aback: "What?"
“When we were chatting yesterday, I said I wanted to go to the underground trading market in the south of Beijing, but you stopped me, saying that there had been a shooting there.”
Ling Shu smiled. "I asked you what time it happened, and you answered three in the afternoon. Do you remember now?"
After her reminder, Sheng Yun Shen did indeed remember.
A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in his heart.
"In fact, the shooting happened at 11 a.m. I had Uncle Wang create fake news and play it in your hospital room. Of course, nothing was changed except for the time of the incident. See, you really didn't notice anything unusual."
Sheng Yun was secretly alarmed.
His mind was connected to Ling Shu's, allowing him to hear all her conversations with others. When did she make such arrangements? Why was he completely unaware?
As expected of Ling Shu, she is sharp and quick-witted; even he was caught off guard and fell into her trap.
But he won't give up easily.
After a two-second silence, Sheng Yunshen responded, "Host, my functions are incomplete, and my channels for obtaining information are very limited. I just happened to be listening to the TV in Sheng Yunshen's ward and got incorrect information from it, which is normal."
Ling Shu: "Is that really true?"
Her voice carried a faint smile.
Sheng Yun Shen continued stubbornly, "That's exactly it."
The explanation abruptly ended.
Sheng Yunshen's mind went blank.
The lips felt a soft touch he had never experienced before, which struck him like an electric shock, instantly clearing his mind.
Ling Shu had no intention of listening to his long-winded explanation. Seeing that he was still being stubborn, she simply leaned down and kissed Sheng Yun Shen's lips. Her technique was very clumsy, mainly just touching lips to lips, a straightforward and somewhat rough kiss.
After kissing for a moment, Ling Shu raised her head and looked down at Sheng Yun Shen's peacefully sleeping face, a wicked smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
She leaned down again, close to Sheng Yun Shen's ear, and whispered, "Why aren't you saying anything? Keep making things up."
A warm breath brushed against his earlobe, and Sheng Yunshen's hair stood on end. A current surged through him, making his very soul tremble.
At this moment, all stubbornness vanished.
Fireworks seemed to explode in his mind.
It was only through the willpower he had honed over a decade of struggling in the world of fame and fortune that Sheng Yun Shen managed to regain his senses.
No, he absolutely cannot admit it.
He was a man without a future, unworthy to be by Ling Shu's side. Once he acknowledged his identity, he could no longer interact with her as the "system," nor could he suppress the love that had been tormenting him day after day.
Taking a deep breath, Sheng Yunshen tried his best to keep his voice calm.
Before he could finish explaining the reason he came up with on the spot, he was stopped abruptly again.
Because Ling Shu kissed him again.
Unlike the last time when she only scratched the surface, this time her nimble tongue roamed over his lips, tracing the outline of his handsome, pale lips.
Ling Shu has always been a quick learner. Although she had no experience, she gained some insights from each attempt and planned to make even bolder attempts.
The delicate tip of the tongue rests on the center of the lips, like a nimble fish, slowly exploring deeper into the mouth.
As she went deeper, the refreshing scent of mint spread between his lips and teeth.
He was like a small boat caught in a raging storm, utterly powerless to resist, trembling helplessly under her onslaught, oblivious to the world around him. All pretense, all excuses, vanished in an instant.
Sheng Yunshen's mind went blank again, and he unconsciously gasped for breath.
The playful little fish was finally satisfied and swam away from his lips.
Ling Shu raised her head and stepped back slightly.
Sheng Yun sighed inwardly, every cell in his body greedily savoring that fleeting, almost illusory touch, wishing he could chase after that retreating softness.
When he finally realized he had lost his composure, a scalding heat spread from his ears to his neck, almost burning him to ashes.
Ling Shu cupped Sheng Yun Shen's face in her hands, her eyes shining brightly, gleaming with the cunning of someone who had succeeded in their scheme.
"System? Disconnected?"
She gently shook his face, her tone clearly teasing, "Your system isn't very reliable. It disconnects after just one kiss? Sheng Yun Shen, do you need me, the host, to personally restart it for you? Hmm?"
That "Sheng Yun Shen," tinged with a mix of teasing and intimacy, struck him like a hammer, precisely breaking through the deepest defenses in his heart. With a "boom," the dam of his resolve completely collapsed.
She held him in the palm of her hand, and he couldn't break free from this sweet embrace.
Sheng Yun Shen tried to struggle, but to no avail.
All he could think about was the minty scent on her lips.
...No wonder she brushed her teeth just now.
Intense emotions surged within him, ultimately converging into an incredibly clear and utterly helpless realization.
He liked Ling Shu treating him this way.
He couldn't resist it and enjoyed it immensely.
They had no choice but to surrender.
...If this is the result she wants, then he should grant her wish.
Sheng Yunshen cleared his throat, realizing he could no longer maintain that cold, monotone electronic tone. His voice was hoarse and dry, trembling slightly: "...I'm sorry."
Ling Shu said, "Sheng Yun Shen, the person you've wronged the most isn't me, it's yourself."
Sheng Yun remained silent.
She's right.
From beginning to end, the most tormented and repressed person was himself. He almost cruelly suppressed his feelings for Ling Shu, forcing himself to play the role of an emotionless system. The pain accumulated in his heart bit by bit, which eventually erupted in the form of a sudden high fever.
If he continues to suffer like this, he might not even live to see the end of the world.
For a moment, Sheng Yunshen was at a loss for words.
To say he was insecure and anxious? To say he was hopeless about the future?
Unable to express his feelings in words, he could only repeat softly, "I'm sorry."
Ling Shu said, "You don't need to apologize anymore, I forgive you."
"It's all because of me... huh?"
Sheng Yunshen was stunned.
Ling Shu didn't say much, released her hands from his cheeks, and stood up from the bedside.
She thoughtfully tallied up her thoughts: "The Musang King durian they delivered today was pretty good. I'll have two more plates tomorrow morning. Tomorrow at noon, I'll have snail rice noodles with stinky tofu, and for dinner, I'll have chive pancakes with garlic."
Sheng Yun Shen: "..."
Sheng Yun Shen: "???"
Ling Shu pointed a finger at his forehead, her tone full of threat.
"I'll forgive you this time, but this is the last time. If I find out you lied to me again, I won't brush my teeth when I kiss you."
Sheng Yun Shen: "…………"
So, will there be a next time between them?
His mind started to overheat again, and his logical abilities completely collapsed at that moment.
But then Ling Shu asked, "Was that your first kiss?"
Sheng Yunshen, whose logic seemed to have failed him, honestly replied, "Yes."
Only after answering did he belatedly realize that he had betrayed himself.
...
That's it, we're doomed.
Ling Shu nodded in satisfaction, turned around, and walked to the other side of the hospital bed: "Go to sleep."
A fulfilling day has come to a perfect end; it's time for a good night's sleep.
Sheng Yun Shen couldn't possibly sleep right now.
“Ling Shu…”
Ling Shu closed her eyes and calmly asked, "Do you still want to talk to me?"
Sheng Yun Shen: "...Hmm."
Other questions can be addressed tomorrow, but there's one question he absolutely needs to know the answer to.
Ling Shu: "Then beg me."
Sheng Yun Shen was caught off guard: "?"
After a two-second silence, he gave in: "...Please."
The person in a vegetative state didn't realize that when he said those two words, his voice inexplicably trembled slightly, sounding soft and delicate, which was extremely pleasing to the ear.
Ling Shu couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile, and out of kindness, said, "Speak."
"Are you... are you afraid of me? Like this?"
Having someone constantly on your mind, sharing your feelings and experiences, participating in every detail of your life, with no privacy whatsoever—that sounds terrifying.
This was also a major reason why Sheng Yun Shen didn't dare to reveal his identity at first.
Ling Shu replied quickly, "I'm scared, scared to death. So you have to coax me nicely, otherwise I'll touch anything when I'm scared."
Sheng Yun Shen: "?"
I feel like I've been teased.
His thoughts drifted involuntarily, shifting from anxiety and worry to pondering restrictive questions like "Where would she dare to touch me?"
The part of his lips that she had touched seemed even hotter.
Ling Shu closed her eyes, placed her hand on his arm, and gently shook it.
"I'm sleepy, dog, go to sleep."
Sheng Yun Shen: "??"
Dog?
Ling Shu seemed to sense Sheng Yun Shen's confusion and explained with a smile, "It used to be a dog system, now it's a dog man, no difference... Okay, dog, goodnight..."
She was truly exhausted; as she spoke, her voice grew increasingly indistinct until it gradually faded into silence.
Sheng Yun Shen did not make another sound to disturb him.
He listened quietly to her even breathing, recalling every word they had exchanged that evening... and every kiss.
Sheng Yunshen belatedly realized that from beginning to end, he was completely swept up by her rhythm and had almost no power to fight back.
Ling Shu has always been like this; once she strikes, it's always a kill.
His painstaking forbearance and perseverance were utterly futile against her attacks.
But it's okay.
He...likes it very much.
-
It was late at night when Ling Xinyao returned home drunk, carelessly tossing her handbag in the entryway before staggering into the living room.
The living room was completely dark. She fumbled on the wall for a long time before finally finding the light switch and turning it on.
The phone in her pocket kept vibrating. Ling Xinyao slumped on the sofa and slowly took out her phone.
"Hello? Dad?"
On the phone, Ling's father suppressed his anger: "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you answer all these calls?"
Ling Xinyao chuckled: "I was having drinks and chatting with President Zhang and President Wang just now, and I didn't notice the phone ringing."
Ling's father was even more dissatisfied: "What Mr. Zhang, Mr. Wang? Communicating with these people is a waste of time! I'm asking you, have you gotten Ling Shu's contact information yet?"
Ever since Ling Shu received 5% of the Sheng family's shares, her parents have been trying to find an opportunity to repair their relationship with her. However, they don't even have Ling Shu's new phone number, and the Sheng family won't let them into the manor, so they can't contact her at all.
Just then, the Ling family's business in Shenzhen ran into some tricky problems, and Ling's parents had to rush to Shenzhen to deal with the issues, leaving them no time to bother Ling Shu.
This "important task" was then assigned to Ling Xinyao.
Ling Xinyao curled her lip dismissively and casually replied, "No, the Sheng family is very arrogant and they rarely show up at banquets. I didn't get a chance."
She wouldn't go even if she had the chance.
Ling's father sighed helplessly.
"What about President Li? I heard that he displayed great power today, thwarting Old Master Li's schemes and completely seizing control of the Li family. Have you found a chance to get close to him?"
Speaking of this, Ling Xinyao's lips pursed even more.
She wanted to, but Li Yin's assistant had a sense of smell that was even more acute than a dog's. She simply couldn't get close to Li Yin; the assistant would always politely block her way.
"No."
Mr. Ling grew anxious: "You have nothing here and nothing there, Xinyao. You used to be the most worry-free child. Why have you become like this? Look at Ling Shu. She won the hearts of the Sheng family in less than a month after marrying into the family, and they even eagerly offered her shares. Don't you want to be like her?"
Ling Xinyao gritted her teeth.
Of course she wanted it, she was practically going crazy with longing for it!
But Li Yin...
She couldn't help but recall the distant glance Li Yin gave Ling Shu in the Li family banquet hall. His eyes seemed to hold a myriad of emotions, like magma surging beneath a glacier, a vast and powerful force hidden beneath a seemingly cold exterior.
Her heart clenched, and there was a hint of uncertainty in Ling Xinyao's voice.
"dad……"
On the other end of the phone, Ling's father's voice sounded somewhat distant: "What?"
Li Yin... seems to have feelings for Ling Shu.
Just as she was about to say those words, Ling Xinyao instantly became alert and swallowed them back: "...It's nothing."
She can't say it, she absolutely can't say it!
Ling's parents were already dissatisfied with her. If they found out that she couldn't even handle Li Yin and that Ling Shu had beaten her to it, Ling Xinyao couldn't imagine what would happen.
Ling Shu has the entire Sheng family behind her, but she... she only has her father and mother.
"It's okay, Dad. You should get some rest and not overwork yourself."
Without giving it much thought, Mr. Ling snorted heavily, "Don't worry about me, worry more about the future of the Ling family. Before we get back, you have to settle things with either Ling Shu or Li Yin."
The call ended, leaving only the beeping sound.
Ling Xinyao tossed her phone aside expressionlessly and collapsed heavily onto the sofa.
Li Yin... she'll find an opportunity eventually, after all, she even managed to win over Sheng Yun Shen.
If only I hadn't insisted on the arranged marriage. I thought Ling Shu would suffer terribly in the substitute marriage, but it turns out I'm the one who's miserable now…
-
Early in the morning, Ling Shu woke up from her sweet dreams.
She had barely moved her fingers when Sheng Yun Shen in her mind immediately spoke.
"Ling Shu, good morning."
"Um?"
Ling Shu stretched and said, "You didn't stay up all night just to say good morning to me, did you?"
Sheng Yun Shen: "..."
This has all been discovered.
He coughed calmly, "After being dizzy for so long, it's normal not to be able to sleep."
Ling Shu got up and said slowly, "I suspect you're deliberately trying to gain my sympathy and make me not eat durian this morning."
Sheng Yun Shen: "?"
How come you still remember the durian incident?
He simply admitted frankly, "Then will you sympathize with me?"
Ling Shu smiled and said, "You'll have to beg me."
Sheng Yun Shen: "..."
After everything was laid out, Ling Shu showed a playfulness she had never displayed before when she was with him.
This playfulness, like a light feather, stirred his heartstrings, making him willingly surrender.
"...Please."
Ling Shu chuckled, rolled off the bed, and stopped "bullying" him.
After washing up and changing her clothes, she went to the doctor next door to confirm that Sheng Yunshen was in good condition and could go out appropriately. Then she pushed the wheelchair to the ward and directed caregivers A and B to lift Sheng Yunshen into the wheelchair.
Sheng Yun Shen himself was confused: "We're going out?"
"Okay, time to get to work."
Ling Shu affirmed, "I haven't taken you out lately, are you feeling bored? It's a good opportunity to take you out to work together."
She pushed her wheelchair into the elevator and went down to the first floor. Butler Wang had already prepared breakfast, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.
Ling Shu happily sat down at the dining table.
While eating, he chatted with Sheng Yunshen.
"Can you feel the back of your hand getting warm? The sunlight is streaming in from the window and shining right on your hand."
Sheng Yunshen felt it.
The faint warmth on the back of my hand came from the morning sunlight.
Ling Shu added, "The duck blood and vermicelli soup tasted great today, with a rich broth and chewy vermicelli. The beef dumplings were also excellent. If it weren't for the apocalypse, I would really like to visit Nanshi and try the most authentic vermicelli soup."
She chattered on and on, sharing everything she felt with him.
There is no durian.
There was no durian in Ling Shu's breakfast today.
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