Chapter 54: Heartbreak
It felt like Shen Shuyi had been dreaming a very long dream.
In the dream, he seemed to return to the day he was fifteen.
The sunlight outside the window was just right, the greenery around the old Shen family mansion rushed past, and it was a silent summer.
The heat waves rolled outside the window, and Shen Shuyi sat in the garden room, heavy with thoughts.
He watched his fifteen-year-old self in the dream from a third-person perspective and suddenly remembered what day it was.
It was six years ago, the fifth day after Yan Chi confessed to him. And that day was also Yan Chi’s birthday.
Years later, Shen Lu once asked him why, back then, when his grandfather first wanted to send Yan Chi away, he had cried and protested so much, but then suddenly relented.
It was just because that afternoon, when Shen Shuyi brought the birthday gift he had prepared for Yan Chi to the suburban villa where Yan Chi was staying, he overheard Yan Chi talking with his friends.
A few of them were sitting in the living room smoking. One of Yan Chi’s friends said: “You confessed to Shen Shuyi just for the Shen family’s property? Damn, you’re bold.”
Yes.
That was what Shen Shuyi heard.
There were actually harsher things said afterward, but Shen Shuyi had selectively forgotten them for many years.
That was his personality—whether it was good or bad, anything that made him unhappy, he would try to forget quickly.
Or perhaps, pretend to forget.
After Yan Chi said, “Enough, don’t say it so harshly,” his friend continued: “Brother Chi, just sacrifice yourself a little. Shen Shuyi is totally love-brained; if you really get him, won’t you end up controlling Shen Lu too? Look at your so-called elder brother—would he dare show attitude again?”
“Exactly! Everyone in Hong Kong knows he’s just a pure little useless guy. Don’t tell me, back when Old Master Shen brought you home, he didn’t have other intentions?”
“Hahaha, it’s because Shen Shuyi is hopeless. They saw your potential and are raising you as a son-in-law!”
“Get lost. Our Brother Chi isn’t interested in men!”
Shen Shuyi had been standing at the door, stunned by all of it.
Shen Shuyi was soft-hearted. After Yan Chi confessed, even though he didn’t like him, he didn’t want his good friend to be sent away by his grandfather.
But his sincere attempts to hold Yan Chi back—the whining and tantrums toward his grandfather and brother, the shameless acting cute and capricious—were met with Yan Chi and his friends laughing at him like he was a joke.
As if the sincerity he gave was nothing but a joke.
In the dream, for some reason, this scene gradually overlapped with the scene in the hospital today.
Shen Shuyi’s eyes blurred as he saw Yan Chi’s face change into Zhao Yuheng’s.
Their words changed too, reaching Shen Shuyi’s ears: “Cousin, you’re really vicious, coming up with this trick. Now Shen Shuyi can finally feel what it’s like to be utterly miserable!”
The dream scene was wildly embellished, transforming into Zhao Yuheng’s casual smile, eyes full of disdain: “Just playing. He’s stupid and got tricked himself.”
…
Does Shen Shuyi really have no charm at all? Do people only like him for the Shen family’s wealth and benefits?
Shen Shuyi thought painfully, his heart twisting in pain, and he woke from the dream.
The corners of his eyes were wet, his pillow damp.
He felt so sad.
Why is it always like this?
Why does someone always trample on another person’s sincere feelings?
“Little Shu!”
The first thing he saw was Shen Lu’s worried face.
Shen Lu cared most about his image. Usually the image of an elite and successful man, now looked somewhat disheveled and haggard.
“Brother.” Shen Shuyi was stunned for a moment, unable to recall exactly where he was or what had happened before.
“You fainted in the hospital.” Shen Lu touched his cheek, worry evident, “The doctor said your emotions fluctuated too much. Little Shu, what happened? Who made you so upset?”
Shen Shuyi looked at Shen Lu, unable to speak a word.
He didn’t want to recall that night in the hospital, which felt no different from a nightmare.
Oh… he seemed to remember a bit.
He had argued fiercely with Zhao Yuheng and passed out—or rather, gotten so angry he passed out.
Shen Shuyi didn’t speak, staring blankly at the blanket for a long time.
Finally, he whispered, “I’m fine, bro.”
He paused, as if gathering all his strength, then slowly made a decision, “I want to go back to America.”
In the following days, Shen Shuyi stayed in the hospital to recover.
The emotionally exhausting fight had drained him; he was lethargic and eventually developed a fever.
Probably from being exposed while taking care of Zhao Yuheng.
The viral flu hit hard, and Shen Shuyi stayed in the hospital for a full week.
Having been so carefully cared for by the Shen family all his life, this was his first serious illness, and he felt terribly uncomfortable.
The physical pain even eclipsed the psychological hurt.
A week later, he was finally discharged.
During this time, besides Shen Lu’s frequent visits, Shen Shuyi didn’t expect that his seemingly shallow rich-kid friends would come to see him too.
He was genuinely shocked; he had thought their friendship was just casual social-media-level acquaintance.
The friends didn’t ask anything, just came to see him.
Shen Shuyi guessed Shen Lu must have instructed them not to ask a single word.
These rich kids grew up in high-society families, each with at least 200 schemes up their sleeve; they understood immediately. Don’t ask what you shouldn’t—this was survival in their circle.
Several groups of rich kids came. Whether sincere or not, Shen Shuyi felt touched.
Lu Zhiwei came the most. Seeing Shen Shuyi lying in the hospital bed, he was heartbroken.
Holding Shen Shuyi’s face in both hands, he sighed, “God! Even sick, you’re still so beautiful.”
Shen Shuyi rolled his eyes weakly, “Go away.”
“Don’t be like that, sweetheart.” Lu Zhiwei was always this overfamiliar. Shen Shuyi felt they weren’t close at all, yet Lu Zhiwei had persistently lingered for years, claiming to be his best friend.
Who gave him that title?
“What happened? Two days ago you were full of life, now you’re so sickly. Poor thing, it pains me to see you like this.”
Shen Shuyi ignored him.
Lu Zhiwei glanced around and suddenly asked, “What about your cheap boyfriend? Why didn’t he come?”
He recalled that Shen Shuyi, ever since dating that cheap fiancé, had been inseparable from him. Lu Zhiwei could hardly get a glimpse of him.
Previously, he could invite Shen Shuyi out shopping, sailing, enjoying the sea breeze.
Thinking of Zhao Yuheng reminded Shen Shuyi of that argument.
He didn’t want to think about it—but once he did, he felt a sting in his heart.
Lu Zhiwei, a seasoned man in matters of romance, immediately guessed, “You didn’t break up, did you?!”
“Break up? We never even dated!” Shen Shuyi said, defending his pride.
Saying this, his heart felt a stab of pain.
Okay, clearly it ended badly.
Lu Zhiwei quickly analyzed the situation.
He suggested, “Baby, want to go out and relax? I hear it’s effective for healing heartbreak.”
“I told you I’m not heartbroken.” Shen Shuyi frowned.
“Alright, then want to go shopping to ease your mood?”
Shopping wasn’t unacceptable.
Shen Shuyi had been so bored in the hospital, and idleness only made him dwell on Zhao Yuheng, along with the lingering sadness.
“Where to?” he asked.
After being “liberated” from restrictions on his cards, he suddenly felt like a mid-lower-class commoner post-reform, now with wealth at his disposal.
Lu Zhiwei wrapped an arm around him, “Leave it to me. I have a plan that will cheer you up!”
Heartbreak therapy had only a few methods: eat, drink, play, shop.
As the saying goes, no money, cry at home; rich, cry on a yacht.
Shen Shuyi and Lu Zhiwei were clearly the latter.
After his serious illness, Shen Shuyi needed a breath of fresh air.
Lu Zhiwei, a playboy, took him straight to Christie’s auction, where Shen Shuyi didn’t hesitate to swipe his brother’s card, spending millions without blinking.
He finally tasted life as a young master again.
His mood improved, and seeing the valuable diamonds, his “love-brain” was finally distracted by their brilliance.
All the suffering he endured earlier this year?
Was it just because he was poor and, besides romance, had no other ways to pass time—leading him to imagine enduring hardship with a cheap man?
So scary, Shen Shuyi!
He couldn’t even empathize with himself from a few days ago!
In the following days, Lu Zhiwei took him to stores, shopping, sailing, horseback riding, golf.
There were villa parties, but Shen Shuyi didn’t want to meet too many people, so Lu Zhiwei declined the invitations.
The last stop was a nightclub, where Lu Zhiwei excitedly pushed him into the top VIP room.
“I said I don’t like singing.” Shen Shuyi rejected sincerely.
Lu Zhiwei smiled mysteriously, “This isn’t singing, it’s venting.”
Venting?
Shen Shuyi was handed a microphone. How could singing vent?
Lu Zhiwei started singing loudly and dancing, a nonstop string of songs about heartbreak.
Shen Shuyi: …
Oh, so that’s what venting means.
Insane!
Shen Shuyi awkwardly tried to leave.
Lu Zhiwei shoved the mic at him, “Come on, dear, vent too!”
…I don’t want to vent!
“I’m not singing.” Shen Shuyi said, flabbergasted. He didn’t even know these old-fashioned songs.
“Shy? I’ll sing for you.”
Funny. Who asked you to sing for me?
Lu Zhiwei sang rain-soaked ballads, and Shen Shuyi, realizing he was being forced to, sat up, holding the mic awkwardly.
He sang haltingly, off-key: “Break-ups… should be dignified… no one needs to apologize…”
“Waaaaa… woooo…”
Lu Zhiwei asked: “Is that part of the lyrics too?”
Shen Shuyi shouted: “I’m FUCKING CRYING!!!”
Of course.
But baby, why are you crying so pitifully?
The alcohol took effect, releasing all his suppressed emotions. Hugging the mic, his crying was ten times more destructive than usual.
Lu Zhiwei’s ears rang. He admired Shen Shuyi’s resolve; cute but impossible to manage.
“Zhao Yuheng, you heartless bastard! I liked you so much, you lied… love… sincerely… the scene…”
Now really is not the time to remember unfinished songs!
Lu Zhiwei realized later that Shen Shuyi’s next words were lyrics, and found him pitifully adorable.
Exhausted from swearing, Shen Shuyi slumped on the sofa, seemingly ready to sleep.
Lu Zhiwei covered him with a blanket.
Leaning closer, he heard Shen Shuyi murmuring tearfully: “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you…”
A harmless curse.
Watching him, Lu Zhiwei even envied the person being hated.
This wasn’t hate—it was love being too painful.
Shen Shuyi found that Lu Zhiwei’s ridiculous method actually worked.
After crying in the nightclub, he felt a little lighter.
He no longer wanted to recall his drunken antics—fortunately, Lu Zhiwei didn’t mention them.
Soon, it was the day Shen Shuyi was leaving for the U.S.
He had been staying at Shen Lu’s house, resisting returning to Shuiwan One.
Too many memories there; he feared sentimental triggers.
But with the trip imminent, he packed his bags anyway.
He would stay in North America for maybe one to two years.
He owned a villa in Rhode Island, previously shared with Old Master Shen. After grandfather Shen returned to China, it became vacant.
The estate was scenic and seaside, perfect for Shen Shuyi to heal.
Shen Lu accompanied him to Shuiwan One, along with several bodyguards.
As the Bentley arrived at the shallow bay, Shen Shuyi’s left eye twitched; a bad premonition filled him.
After getting out of the car, the feeling intensified.
Shaking his head to calm himself, he kept walking. Suddenly, from the side, a familiar, low, hoarse voice called: “Shen Shuyi…”
He turned—Zhao Yuheng!
That was why his eye had been twitching.
Shen Shuyi had convinced himself over the past half-month, indulging in pleasures, that he had healed from heartbreak.
He even thought yesterday, facing Zhao Yuheng, he could remain calm and say, “Long time no see.”
But he had overestimated himself.
The first sight of Zhao Yuheng reddened his eyes, a sharp ache rose to his nose, and his heart ached.
He couldn’t describe his feelings accurately; half a year with Zhao Yuheng felt like a century, and a half-month apart felt like decades.
Even looking from afar, it felt like everything had changed.
The sweet moments from yesterday contrasted sharply with the harsh words from their fight.
“Where have you been the past half-month?” Zhao Yuheng stared at him, dark eyes unyielding.
Shen Shuyi noticed how haggard he looked, whether he had taken care of himself after falling ill.
His stubble hadn’t been shaved, his clothes weren’t tidy.
Shen Shuyi realized suddenly—Zhao Yuheng hadn’t been waiting at Shuiwan One every day for him, had he?
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence to run into him?
This look, perhaps, was from not daring to leave and risk missing him.
Shen Shuyi’s heart tightened, almost making him tear up again.
He had long regretted the hurtful, insincere words he said to Zhao Yuheng.
Now, he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly. He murmured: “I’ve been staying at my brother’s place these days.”
“What are you doing here?” he added.
Zhao Yuheng looked at him, eyes nearly breaking, and said: “Shen Shuyi, can we talk?”
Shen Shuyi didn’t know what they could discuss, but didn’t immediately refuse.
Shen Lu watched quietly, feeling uncomfortable at the sight of the two.
He had never approved of their relationship and, after learning from Zhang Jun the series of misunderstandings, certainly wouldn’t allow Shen Shuyi to be with Zhao Yuheng.
It was the first time he saw Shen Shuyi so heartbroken over a man.
All previous messy relationships or ex-boyfriends he had overlooked didn’t compare to Zhao Yuheng.
“I don’t think it’s necessary.” Shen Lu said coldly but firmly.
“Mr. Zhao, there’s nothing to discuss with my brother, right?”
“Zhang Jun, see them out.”
Zhang Jun nodded, signaling the bodyguards.
Zhao Yuheng was sober now; the bodyguards weren’t a match. A few shoves later, Shen Shuyi’s eyes stayed locked on Zhao Yuheng, fists clenched, helpless.
Already better after being sick, and now forced into a scuffle? His brother was too decisive.
Shen Lu sighed at Shen Shuyi’s pitiable state.
Recalling the potential alliance with the Zhao family, he felt even more troubled.
“Stop.” Shen Lu called out.
Zhao Yuheng’s gaze never left Shen Shuyi.
Shen Lu reluctantly said: “I’ll give you half an hour. Say whatever you need to say. After that, you won’t see each other again.”
Author’s note:
The little cat said something very unkind. The little cat also regretted it and secretly cried at home for a long time.
“Won’t see each other again” = if you meet again, I’ll call you brother-in-law.
Brother: … (clenches fist) (Why won’t this Zhao Yuheng linger?)
