Volume One, Chapter 15: This Can't Be a Dream, Can It?

Lin Zhiyu looked up at Shen Du’s retreating figure, but ultimately withdrew her gaze. She knew she had no right to say much to him; in this collaboration, Shen Du held absolute control.

As she lowered her eyelids, she didn’t notice the woman standing at the entrance of the clubhouse watching her. The woman seemed to be waiting for someone, dressed in an exquisite evening gown, her features delicate and radiant, like a rose blooming brilliantly in the darkness.

Upon noticing Shen Du, her eyes instantly brightened, and she stepped forward to approach him. Yet, her gaze inadvertently flicked toward the car, catching sight of Lin Zhiyu inside. Although it was only a fleeting glance before the car door was closed, the woman clearly noticed there was indeed another person in Shen Du’s car—a very beautiful woman.

Withdrawing her gaze slightly, the woman composed herself and approached Shen Du. “Mr. Shen, we’ve been waiting for you for quite some time. Shall we go inside now?” she said, reaching to link her arm with his, but he calmly withdrew his hand without a change in expression.

“Mm,” Shen Du responded lightly and headed inside on his own.

...

When Lu Zhaochuan came out of the hospital room, he was surprised to find his mother still there. The corridor was empty of his father’s presence, with only his mother waiting.

Holding a water bottle, Lu Zhaochuan paused briefly before walking over to her.

“What’s the matter?” His mother forced a smile upon seeing her son and then reached out to pull him down to sit beside her.

“Chuan’er, even if you hadn’t said anything, I could tell that you truly care for Zhiyu. Whatever happened back then—right or wrong—it’s all in the past now. You and Zhiyu grew up together. I can see she’s not a bad girl; she must have suffered a lot over the years.”

Lu Zhaochuan remained silent but patiently waited for his mother to continue.

“Honestly, I don’t mean anything else. If you still cherish this relationship, I advise you to have a good talk with Zhiyu. If you can resolve things, that’s best, don’t you think?”

“I understand what you mean,” Lu Zhaochuan replied helplessly.

“If I’m not mistaken, your anniversary with Zhiyu is coming up in a few days. Use that opportunity to talk things through. Don’t be stubborn like your father.”

His mother gently patted his hand in reassurance before rising to leave.

On Lin Zhiyu’s side, after seeing Shen Du get out of the car, she was driven back to the villa by Fang Li.

Lin Zhiyu first went upstairs to freshen up, easing some of her weariness. Lying on the bed in her room, she pondered that if Shen Du returned that night and saw her retreat to her room, he would likely just rest as well. Yet, the matter of the salary remained unsettled, leaving her feeling uneasy.

Thinking this over, she finally wrapped herself in a blanket and went downstairs. Fang Li returned to the clubhouse after dropping her off.

The vast villa felt somewhat empty, with only a few servants present.

Lin Zhiyu sat on the sofa, stifling yawns as drowsiness crept in. Just then, her phone suddenly rang. She saw a message from Lin Yihuan.

“Sis, brother is really angry this time. If you’ve come to your senses, please come back and apologize. I’ll plead for you.”

Lin Zhiyu frowned in disdain and ignored it, even enabling do-not-disturb. She planned to delete everyone from the Lin family after paying off her debts and sever all ties for good.

After an unknown length of time, she dozed off right there on the sofa.

When Shen Du returned to the villa, it was already the next morning. The man looked slightly weary; he intended to go upstairs to rest but paused when passing the sofa.

Lin Zhiyu was curled up asleep on the couch, brows furrowed, appearing deeply unsettled.

Fang Li instinctively moved to wake her, but Shen Du shot him a glance.

He then bent down and gently lifted the woman into his arms, carrying her upstairs.

Watching his figure disappear around the stairwell corner, Fang Li rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

No, had the boss really just carried her off so tenderly? Or was he just too tired and imagining things?

Inside the room, Shen Du carefully laid the sleeping woman on the bed and covered her with a blanket.

Standing upright, his gaze scrutinized Lin Zhiyu with a hint of meaning.

Unbidden, the image of her at the hospital entrance—without hesitation slapping Lu Zhaochuan—flashed through his mind.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved Shen Du’s lips.

The atmosphere in the room was peaceful, but the sudden ringing of his phone shattered the calm.

Frowning, Shen Du ended the call, turned, and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Back in his own room, he casually tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa before answering a call from the doctor.

“Mr. Shen, after professional analysis, we concluded that Miss Lin’s body still has residual medication. However, her condition remains very weak, with many areas unhealed. Forcing her to participate in the experiment extraction now could be...” The doctor’s words trailed off, but Shen Du understood.

A strange expression flickered across his eyes as his voice darkened.

“So, what’s your recommendation?”

“I suggest giving Miss Lin some time to recuperate. Once she’s better, we can cooperate with the experiment, reducing the risk of serious harm. Moreover, Miss Lin’s intense reaction last time also showed her psychological fear.”

The doctor earnestly offered his advice.

“Very well, we’ll proceed as you suggest.”

After hanging up, Shen Du tossed his phone aside and went to take a shower.

After an unknown period, Lin Zhiyu woke to find herself lying in her bed. A look of confusion crossed her eyes as she rose and glanced at the time—it was already noon!

Hurriedly, she threw off the covers and rushed downstairs to see if Shen Du had returned.

She didn’t see Shen Du but noticed Fang Li sitting on the sofa.

Hearing footsteps, Fang Li instinctively looked up and met Lin Zhiyu’s gaze.

“Miss Lin, is there something you need?” Fang Li quickly stood and asked politely.

“No, nothing. Has the boss come back?” Lin Zhiyu, dressed in a loose short nightdress, appeared somewhat awkward.