Mr. Shen lowered his eyes and looked at his legs for a long time before he spoke.
"I also want to know who said what to her that made her give up treatment."
"Her real cause of death...was suicide..."
LiShuang's heart skipped a beat. She had no time to feel sorry for others and continued to ask.
"Then how did your relationship with ShenJi become like this?"
Only then did Mr. Shen look up at LiShuang.
"I can't help it."
LiShuang looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
Mr. Shen's voice became much deeper as he recalled the past.
"It was my fault at the beginning. I knew I couldn't give his mother a legitimate status, but I still fell in love with her. It's a place called Caiyun Town. You can go and have a look when you have time..."
LiShuang listened quietly.
From Mr. Shen, I learned that her full name was Yunxiang. When the two met, Yunxiang was only 21 years old and she lived in a more marginal area of Caiyun Town.
She should have married a man she didn't know at all according to local customs.
On the day of escaping from marriage, Yun Xiang risked her life to stop a passing car.
Shen He was in his forties at that time. Seeing her in a red Chinese wedding dress, he guessed what was going on and gave her a ride without any hesitation.
It wasn't love at first sight.
But Yun Xiang owed Shen He a favor.
Shen He had already achieved success in his career and lived in harmony with his wife and children, but no one mentioned it. Not only did he help Yun Xiang return the betrothal gift, he even gave her parents some money and arranged a formal job for her in the developing area of Caiyun Town.
That was also where Shen He developed his business at the time——
At that time, Yun Xiang was one of the few women in that place who loved to study. She was in her early twenties, beautiful and simple, and always liked to wear formal but inexpensive cheongsams.
Shen He should have left after signing the contract, but he stayed there for a long time.
It seems that witnessing with his own eyes that someone he has helped can stand up again would give him a greater sense of accomplishment than closing a big deal.
A month passed quickly. Yun Xiang was introduced by her superiors and had excellent abilities. When she received her first salary, she also received a notice of becoming a regular employee.
"I want to treat you to dinner after getting off work tonight."
This was the first sentence Yunxiang said after receiving her salary.
Shen He did not refuse on the phone, but he specially picked out a suit that day, checked whether his tie was crooked, booked a nice restaurant, and bought a bouquet of roses on the roadside.
In the autumn weather, Shen He stopped on the street where some leaves were turning yellow, with the warm light of a restaurant beside him.
The two arrived at the restaurant entrance almost at the same time, and Shen He spoke first.
"This is for you. Congratulations."
Yun Xiang, who was wearing a long-sleeved, collared cheongsam, saw him as soon as she looked up. Against the backdrop of the roses and the lights, her dazed face was a little red.
"What a coincidence, this is my thank you gift."
She handed over a gift box wrapped in light-colored wrapping paper.
The restaurant has the right temperature, champagne, roses, warm yellow lights, and warm pre-meal soup. Everything is just right.
The distance between the two of them was just right, and the atmosphere around them was just right.
Yun Xiang smiled gently: "Thank you so much."
Shen He looked away somewhat unnaturally: "You have your own life, I hope you get better and better."
…
Mr. Shen's eyes turned red as he spoke of this brief memory.
"Her eyes are always bright, and people can see hope from them..."
"She may not know that I waited for her in the car for a long time that day. I only got out when I saw her coming."
"I don't know why I would deliberately create a chance encounter. Maybe... that would be romantic."
"What happened next?" LiShuang listened to their story.
Although I felt he was off topic, I still enjoyed listening to him.
Mr. Shen looked out the window, his old voice becoming more nasal.
"She was never wrong. I was the one who was wrong from the beginning..."
In such a romantic atmosphere, the two had dinner. Shen He secretly paid the bill and put the flowers in Yun Xiang's arms while she was surprised and confused.
"It's a gentleman's job to treat others. I'll take you home."
Yun Xiang nodded silently, the scent of roses lingering around her nose.
Sitting in his car, not saying a word, just quietly holding the bouquet of roses.
Shen He walked her to the door, and Xiang Xiang followed her out of the car. She took a rose from the bouquet and nodded with a smile.
"Come in."
After.
Yun Xiang always receives fresh roses before they wither, and the person who sends the flowers is always Shen He.
Just like the first time he sent flowers, Shen He would take one every time.
Over time, Yun Xiang guessed what he meant.
When the rose in his hand began to wither and die, it was time to change her bouquet of roses...
This kind of ambiguous relationship, which was not pointed out, lasted for a long time.
It has been so long that Yunxiang has become accustomed to keeping her home decorated with flowers for a long time.
But later, the rose will completely become a withered stem.
Yun Xiang knew that Shen He did not belong to Caiyun Town, but he would often come here on business trips.
If she received a rose one day.
It shows that he is very close to her.
…
"In the winter when it snowed, I saw her stepping on the snow with her head down."
When Mr. Shen said this, his tone was very light, and there was tenderness in his eyes, as if he had completely returned to that time.
"The first bouquet of flowers I personally delivered to her was for her promotion. After that, I will buy flowers and have others deliver them for me."
"And the second bouquet that was personally delivered to her was on that snowy night."
"I called her name from behind."
"She seemed stunned for a moment, but soon came running over. I knew she recognized my voice..."
"We hadn't seen each other for two months at that time."
"I handed the flower to her, and the rose once again made her face red. She was much more beautiful than the rose..."
The voice gradually choked, and a drop of crystal tears slid down Mr. Shen's wrinkled cheek.
"She told me..."
"She told me...she always takes good care of them, hoping that they won't wither so quickly..."
Mr. Shen raised his hands to cover his face.
"I feel guilty when I hear this, because I can't be as careful as I was at the beginning. Even if it withers, I won't give it to her the first time..."
"The snow that night was so thrilling that I couldn't describe it."
"I promised her that I would never take her roses away again, and I would stay with her until the flowers bloom and fade..."
LiShuang swallowed.
ShenJi's mother must be a very good person, and in her eyes, Shen He at that time was a very worthy person.
He saved her from danger and gave her a rose with his own hands.
The atmosphere was silent for a long time.
Mr. Shen calmed down before speaking again.
"We lived together for half a year until all my cooperation in Caiyun Town ended and I had to return to my family."
"But after this departure, I never went back to Jiangcheng for any big or small matter."
"I know I'm sorry, and after ShenYuci was born, my heart returned to my family. I was too embarrassed to contact her, and she never contacted me either."
"When we met again, she entrusted ShenJi to you?" LiShuang asked calmly.
Mr. Shen nodded.
"Yes."
"ShenJi was taught very well by her. He is obedient and sensible. He also looks like her, beautiful and simple."
Mr. Shen looked at LiShuang: "You know what? Sometimes the environment is different, and being pure and kind is the biggest sin..."
LiShuang frowned slightly.
"So you just ignored ShenJi and kicked him out even though you knew he was not wrong?"
Mr. Shen nodded heavily again.
"Yes."
"He is very smart and as resilient as his mother. Even if he is not as wealthy as the Shen family, he can survive as an ordinary person."
"So not long after his mother passed away, I knew he was wrongly accused..."
"He said some very harsh and unpleasant words, and took away his meager luggage..."
"Throw them out together."