The New Favorite

When Yin Wancheng saw her, he smiled with a meaningful look, “Well, well, didn’t come home last night, huh?” Xu Ke blushed, not knowing how to respond for a long while, feeling as if someone had spied on her activities from the previous night, which was quite embarrassing. Shen Mu returned home in the evening and brazenly slept in her bedroom, acting as if they were an old married couple. Naturally, he exhausted her that night, and the next day she slept until the sun was high in the sky due to back pain. Time flew by, and June arrived. On the 12th, it was both Yin Wancheng and Xu Ke’s birthday. Zhang Yueguang had long planned to celebrate their birthdays properly. The dinner was set for that night, and Zhang Yueguang had reserved the top floor. Among the guests were Yin Wancheng, Shao Yiping, Shen Mu, and Zhang Pianruo. Although it was a family dinner, it was grand and luxurious. The birthday cake was the largest Xu Ke had ever seen. While she was happy, she secretly felt it was a bit wasteful, but she understood it was Zhang Yueguang’s way of making amends for never having celebrated her birthday before. During the dinner, Zhang Yueguang gifted Xu Ke a pair of jade bracelets. Upon inspection, Xu Ke could tell they were quite valuable. Zhang Pianruo and Yin Wancheng also presented their gifts, but Shen Mu did not seem to have anything prepared. Xu Ke found it odd; he didn’t even bring a bouquet of flowers? After dinner, back at the Rong Residence, Shen Mu still made no gesture. Xu Ke was a bit disappointed. After taking a bath, she saw Shen Mu on the bed and “invited” him to leave. Shen Mu raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, “It’s your birthday today, why do you look unhappy?” She was unhappy because there was no gesture from him, not even a flower. He sat up, pulling her into his arms, then turned off the lights in the room and switched on the bedside lamp. Xu Ke glanced at the lamp and suddenly noticed a rose with golden petals on the bedside table, its center glittering. Was this his gift? Her lips curved into a smile. She didn’t care what the gift was, only the thought behind it. He took her hand and placed it on the rose. The touch of her fingers sent a shock through her; was it made of gold? She was both surprised and delighted, as she had never seen a gold rose before, and under the light, it looked stunning. She pulled out the rose and, under the bedside lamp, clearly saw a sparkling diamond ring nestled in the center of the petals. Another surprise. “Do you like it?” “I love it.” She was at a loss for words. Shen Mu whispered, “This rose will never fade.” She nodded sweetly, understanding the deeper meaning—that their love would never fade. Unexpectedly, he added with no sense of romance, “This saves money, it’s a one-time investment, no need to keep buying flowers.” She couldn’t help but smile, knowing his awkward nature when it came to romance. Without hesitation, he slipped the ring onto her finger, fitting perfectly. The style was exactly what she had always admired, simple yet elegant. No wonder he had been holding her hand and touching her ring finger these past few days. Her happiness was beyond words, her lips curved in a broad smile, her eyes bright with joy. Shen Mu felt a stir in his heart, leaned over, and began kissing her eyelids, cheeks, and lips, murmuring, “Others propose on one knee, I’m proposing while lying down, is that okay?” Xu Ke laughed out loud, pretending to refuse, “That won’t do.” “It has to do.” Before she could respond, his hands started to wander. “No, no,” she protested, worried about the frequency of their intimacy without contraception, fearing pregnancy. He paused slightly, whispering in her ear, “Don’t you want your birthday gift?” “Didn’t you just give it to me?” “The birthday gift isn’t the ring and rose, it’s me.” … After the birthday, Shen Mu left for Canada to handle some paperwork. He first flew to Beijing, and Xu Ke thought he had already arrived in Canada by the third day, but he unexpectedly returned from Beijing. Xu Ke was surprised and asked, “Why are you back?” Shen Mu, looking troubled, gave her a brief response before heading to the company. He didn’t return home for the next day and night, staying at the Yun Ding. Xu Ke was secretly worried, guessing there might be issues at the company, but when she called, he said there was nothing wrong. Xu Ke knew something wasn’t right; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been busy at the company for two days straight, even staying overnight at Yun Ding. The next evening, unable to bear it, Xu Ke took a taxi to Yun Ding. Surprisingly, the company, which usually closed at four, was still in a meeting. Xu Ke went up to the top floor’s Zhu Ge to wait for him. At nine, Shen Mu came up, looking much more haggard than before, his face tired. While waiting, Xu Ke had cooked some porridge and prepared two small dishes. Seeing her, Shen Mu said nothing, just pulled her into a tight embrace. His arms were always strong, but this hug was firmer than usual. Xu Ke asked with concern, “What’s wrong at the company?” Shen Mu was silent for a moment before replying, “Nothing.” Xu Ke knew there was definitely something, but he wouldn’t say. He looked preoccupied but kept his eyes fixed on her. Xu Ke felt an inexplicable unease, but his gaze gave away nothing. She was somewhat annoyed that he wouldn’t open up or share the burden. After dinner, she wanted to return to Rong Residence, but Shen Mu held her, whispering, “Don’t go, stay with me tonight. I’m leaving tomorrow.” That night, he held her tightly, and even in his half-sleep, she could feel the strength in his arms, never relaxing. What was he really worried about? The next morning, she asked again, but he still wouldn’t talk, only rubbing her hair with his eyes half-closed. At the airport, after passing security, he suddenly turned back, looking at her from a distance, his tall figure standing out among the crowd, his eyes conveying something indescribable across the vast expanse. At that moment, Xu Ke had a bad feeling, as if that look was a farewell. After returning from the airport, Xu Ke felt uneasy, sensing an impending storm through a woman’s intuition. However, no matter how much she pondered, she couldn’t fathom what else could go wrong between the two of them after all the twists and turns they had endured. She could only comfort herself silently, thinking perhaps it was just a minor issue with business, and given Shen Mu’s capabilities, she believed he could handle everything. That day, Xu Ke received a call from Shen Mu saying he had safely arrived in Beijing, and everything seemed fine, which slightly eased her mind. The next day, he made an international call from Canada to report his safety, and Xu Ke felt completely relieved, thinking maybe the unusual occurrences over the last two days were just her imagination. But starting from the fourth day, Shen Mu didn’t call again, as if he had suddenly vanished. Xu Ke was secretly anxious, calling repeatedly but unable to reach him. Her one-month honeymoon had ended. Xu Ke went back to work, where colleagues congratulated her and asked for wedding candies. She felt extremely uncomfortable, forcing a smile as she immersed herself in work to alleviate the inexplicable anxiety in her heart. Days passed like years, and still no news from Shen Mu. Xu Ke could no longer restrain herself and called Zhang Yueguang to get Li Jinghua’s overseas residence phone number. Unexpectedly, the call went through, and it was answered by a servant who said the lady had gone to the US. With both mother and son suddenly out of touch, Xu Ke felt restless and anxious. What had happened to Shen Mu? Even if he was busy, shouldn’t he have time for a call? After work at noon, she rushed to Yun Ding to ask Vice President Yang if there was any news about Shen Mu. To her surprise, she ran into Shen Mu’s good friend, Yu Huan, at Yun Ding. Yu Huan was taken aback when he saw her. At Huo Ming’s funeral recently, he had seen Shen Mu take her to the ceremony, holding her hand all the while, indicating they had reconciled. So, he wasn’t polite when he saw Xu Ke and immediately asked, “Oh, Xu Ke, I was just looking for you. What’s wrong with Shen Mu? He called me yesterday, asking me to come over and handle his company’s affairs if I had time. He even said if I couldn’t manage, I should shut down the company. With such a thriving business, is he out of his mind?” Xu Ke was shocked. Why was he entrusting the company to someone else? And even contemplating closure? Did he not plan to come back? Why hadn’t he mentioned anything to her? “Did he say anything else?” Yu Huan looked puzzled, “No, nothing else, that’s why I’m asking you.” Xu Ke’s face turned pale, pausing for a moment before saying, “I don’t know anything. Just handle it according to his wishes.” She was extremely disappointed and upset, realizing she, supposedly the closest to him, knew nothing. Yu Huan looked troubled, “I’m quite free, but not very adept at business. I’ll try to manage for a while, but if I can’t hold it together, I’ll close the company. Don’t blame me then.” Xu Ke forced a smile, “Why would we? He trusted you to handle it, which shows his confidence in you. You’re old friends, after all.” Leaving Yun Ding, Xu Ke felt chills. What was wrong with him? Why hadn’t he called her? Even if he called Yu Huan, why not her? Didn’t he know she was worried and missed him? The uncertainty and confusion were driving her to the brink of collapse. In that instant, she decided to travel abroad to find him and get some answers. However, that very night, she finally received a call from Shen Mu. Seeing the unfamiliar foreign number flashing on her phone screen, her heart and hand trembled together. “Hello,” she answered, her voice trembling involuntarily, feeling as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest, uncontrollable. “Xiao Ke,” Shen Mu’s voice was deep, coming from such a distance, making her feel like centuries had passed in just a few days apart. She pressed the earpiece against her skin, the mix of worry and longing blurring the taste of concern. After a long pause, Shen Mu’s voice came through, “I’m sorry, Xiao Ke, I can’t marry you.” Xu Ke was jolted, nearly dropping her phone. That foreboding feeling had now become reality, striking her heart like a heavy blow. Dazed, she asked, “What did you say?” “I can’t come back to marry you.” “Why?” “I met Rongrong. She’s suffering from severe depression, at risk of ending her life at any moment. She told me a lot, including about her last suicide attempt… Ten years of feelings are too deep for me to ignore her life or death.” “So, you’re going to marry her?” Xu Ke blurted out this question. At that moment, she pinched her palm hard, reminding herself this wasn’t a dream. “No, not to marry her, just… she wants me to be with her for half a year.” This sentence seemed to take a great deal of effort for Shen Mu to say. “Be with her for half a year?” Xu Ke’s voice didn’t sound like her own, a sudden chill making her shiver. How would he be with her? In what way? “Did you agree to it?” There was a silence on the phone before Shen Mu’s voice, low and firm, replied, “Yes, I agreed.” Xu Ke felt her heart plummet into an abyss with no bottom. Overwhelmed by disappointment and sadness, she wanted to laugh at the sudden, unexpected turn of events, so hard to believe. She had never considered Rongrong an obstacle, forgetting her obsessive, decisive nature could lead her to do anything, even using death to make Shen Mu feel guilty or to keep him by her side. But why didn’t Shen Mu try to dissuade her in another way? Why couldn’t he gently refuse? The implications of spending half a year with her were not just friendly; the ambiguous undertones were clear yet concealed. Xu Ke didn’t want to think deeply, but her thoughts raced uncontrollably towards the worst possibilities. “Xiao Ke, give me half a year. If I don’t come back to you after that, then forget me, or hate me.” Xu Ke remained silent for a long time, her ears buzzing. How could he say such things? “If you don’t come back after half a year, it means you’ll be with her forever, right?” Xu Ke asked with difficulty, feeling drained of all strength. “Yes.” His voice was barely audible, but Xu Ke heard it clearly, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. After accompanying her for half a year, there was still such a possibility. That’s good, he didn’t deceive her; he had informed her of this possibility, cooling her heart completely.