Chapter 95

When she heard the news, Shen Lihuan immediately went to comfort You Changqing. “I told you not to feel guilty, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you know you were the one who was dragged into trouble because of me—maybe you can finally let go of the guilt. If it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have had to live in fear.”

You Changqing looked at her with gentle eyes. “Lihuan, as long as you’re safe, I’d gladly live in fear every day if it means you’re okay.”

Shen Lihuan pulled her into an embrace, resting her head against You Changqing’s and sighing. “Silly girl. How could I bear to let you suffer? Let’s get married as soon as we graduate. I can’t wait any longer.”

You Changqing lifted her head, eyes sparkling as she looked at her. “Okay!”

Before long, Shen Jiashu also had Hu Zhiyuan’s mother sent to prison. There, she was naturally “well taken care of.” Meanwhile, the old master of the Hu family suffered a stroke from the string of devastating blows. He was left completely paralyzed, now confined to a bed, living a life worse than death.

The fall of the Hu family was swift. As the tree fell, the monkeys scattered. No one offered a helping hand—at best, they refrained from kicking them while they were down. The Hu Corporation soon went bankrupt, the company changed hands, and everyone from the Hu family was driven out. The Hu Corporation was renamed and absorbed into Shengyan’s holdings.

It was under these circumstances that Shen Lihuan finally met Hu Zhiyuan’s elusive older brother—Hu Zhiqi.

“Elusive” was the word because he rarely appeared in public. Though he was the legitimate son from the first marriage and more entitled to inherit the Hu Corporation than Hu Zhiyuan, he had always immersed himself in his art, completely indifferent to everything else.

But now, with the Hu family in ruins, he showed up.

Shen Lihuan and You Changqing sat together, curiously observing Hu Zhiqi. He looked young—despite being nearly forty, his features were untouched by time, as if the years had frozen around him. He had very few expressions, and his eyes were like glass, reflecting others with absolute clarity yet never retaining a trace of them.

His aura was calm and unassuming. The moment one saw him, it was like hearing the gentle murmur of a stream or the tinkling of spring water—immediately bringing peace to the heart.

Even knowing he was related to Hu Zhiyuan, it was impossible to resent him.

“I came today to apologize to you, Miss Shen. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

Though he had no knowledge of what had happened, he was still part of the Hu family. He had to bear the responsibility.

“We’re not unreasonable people. This has nothing to do with you, so there’s no need for you to apologize.”

Perhaps because of lingering anger, Gu Qinglan’s tone was a bit sharp.

Hu Zhiqi sighed. Whether or not the Shen family accepted his apology didn’t matter to him. But it was his principle to do what he believed was right. That was why he had made the trip today. If they chose not to accept it, he understood—who could forgive someone who had tried to kill their daughter?

“I know this apology may seem meaningless to you. I’ve done what I ought to do, so I’ll take my leave now. If you ever need anything from me, just say the word.”

He nodded to Shen Jiashu and turned to go.

Just then, Qiu Rongxin and Yang Tianlin arrived to visit Shen Lihuan. Guided by the housekeeper, Qiu Rongxin stepped into the living room and froze the moment she saw Hu Zhiqi.

“Zhiqi… it’s you! You’re alive!”

Hu Zhiqi looked at the unfamiliar, emotional woman in confusion. “Do I know you?”

His voice was calm, his expression distant, and in that moment, Qiu Rongxin felt her heart go cold. “I’m Rongxin! You don’t recognize me? We’ve been apart for twelve years, and now that we meet again, you don’t even know who I am?”

If not for the fact that his appearance hadn’t changed at all, Qiu Rongxin would have thought she had mistaken him for someone else. How could he look at her without the slightest flicker of emotion?

Shen Lihuan blinked and exchanged a glance with You Changqing. What was this situation? Could it be that Hu Zhiqi was Aunt Rongxin’s husband who disappeared twelve years ago?

Yang Tianlin sensed something was wrong with his mother and stared warily at Hu Zhiqi. The moment Hu Zhiqi glanced at Yang Tianlin, he froze. That face—it was like looking into a mirror of his younger self. How could someone look exactly like he had in his youth?

“Aunt Rongxin, what’s going on? Is Mr. Hu Tianlin’s father?”

You Changqing got up and walked over to support Qiu Rongxin’s arm, afraid she might collapse. Qiu Rongxin stared intently at Hu Zhiqi. “Yes, he is Tianlin’s father. Twelve years ago, you told me you had no choice but to leave and asked me to wait—you said you’d be back soon. But then you never came back, and now you tell me you don’t know me?”

Her voice trembled with bitterness, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing her tears, Hu Zhiqi instinctively reached out to wipe them away, but Qiu Rongxin flinched from his touch. His hand froze mid-air. He had always had a serious cleanliness obsession and avoided physical contact with others. It was because of this quirk that he had remained single for over thirty years. But now, someone was telling him he had a wife and a child?

How could he believe it?

Yet when he saw this woman cry, his heart ached as if it were being squeezed tight. Did he really know her?

Upon learning that this man was his father, Yang Tianlin had complicated feelings. As a child, he had longed for a father—someone to protect him, love him. But now he was past the age of needing fatherly affection.

“Wait… you said I left twelve years ago. I remember falling down the stairs around that time. I lost all my past memories. Could it be that you really are my wife?”

Hu Zhiqi was stunned. A faint joy surged within him.

“You lost your memory? No wonder you never came back.”

Now that she knew the truth behind his disappearance, Qiu Rongxin finally let go of the resentment in her heart. At least now she knew her husband wasn’t an irresponsible man—he hadn’t left her and their child on purpose…

But he had lost his memory for twelve years, completely forgetting her and Tianlin. He had probably already married and had children. How could she insert herself into his life now and make two families suffer?

“If you’ve already forgotten me and Tianlin, then let’s pretend we never met today. As if the two of us never existed in your world. Let everything return to dust.”

Qiu Rongxin spoke with reddened eyes, then apologized to everyone in the room, saying she would visit again next time. After that, she pulled Tian Lin away with her, afraid that if she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t be able to bring herself to leave at all.

Hu Zhiqi immediately chased after them in a flurry. He had to get to the bottom of it—what exactly was the relationship between Rongxin, Tian Lin, and himself?

Shen Lihuan watched his retreating figure and shrugged. Life was full of drama. Who would’ve thought that Aunt Xin would bump into her missing husband on a simple visit? Truly, life is like a play, and a play is like life.

The school year began soon after. After a reluctant goodbye, You Changhong and Ye Muyan both entered Imperial University. With Shen Lihuan and You Changqing there, he quickly became familiar with the whole campus.

He was cheerful by nature and made lots of friends at Imperial. Once people found out he was You Changqing’s younger brother, someone suggested during a mixer with the School of Foreign Languages that he should invite her too.

You Changhong gave the guy a disdainful look and said, “Why would I invite my sister? She and Sister Lihuan are already engaged. They’re getting married as soon as they graduate. Those two are all lovey-dovey every day—what would they even come to a mixer for?”

The guy who made the suggestion turned green in the face and didn’t dare say another word.

When Shen Lihuan heard about this later and how he told it like a joke, she praised him for doing well and immediately transferred him a hundred thousand yuan as a reward.

You Changhong was overjoyed and wouldn’t stop praising Sister Lihuan’s wisdom and power.

That night, back in the dorm, Shen Lihuan used this matter as an excuse to torment You Changqing all night long. You Changqing was in pain but also blissful, and ended up sleeping until noon the next day.

She rarely had a morning without class, but she just slept right through it. You Changqing smacked her pillow hard in frustration—this Lihuan really had no self-restraint at all. Her back was sore, her legs weak—she couldn’t even get up.

Not long after, Shen Lihuan returned to the dorm carrying two meals. Facing Changqing’s resentful glare, she shamelessly acted cute and begged for forgiveness. What else could You Changqing do? Divorce her?

By sophomore and junior year, their coursework became heavier. To save time, the two stopped living off-campus and only went home on weekends. They had no choice—if they didn’t go back, little Youyou would cry like he was going to bring down the Leifeng Pagoda. The older Youyou got, the more attached he became to Shen Lihuan, insisting on sleeping beside her every night. But Shen Lihuan wanted to do the adult things with You Changqing, and having a third wheel in the room was obviously not going to work. So she ruthlessly refused him, even when he kicked and screamed—she wouldn’t give in.

Eventually, the medical research institute Shen Lihuan had been looking forward to for years was finally built during her junior year. Standing before the massive facility, her heart swelled with excitement. Her dream research institute had come true—she had taken one more step toward her goals.

That same year, Shen Lihuan was accepted as the final disciple of Professor Qu Nan, someone she had long admired. He was a surgical master, known as the top surgeon in the country. Many aspired to become his students, but he was notoriously picky and rarely accepted disciples. Shen Lihuan becoming his student left countless others envious. But this wasn’t something envy alone could achieve—she had solid professional knowledge, excellent hands-on ability, and was the kind of student any teacher would love.

By senior year, Shen Lihuan was already assisting her mentor with experiments and research. She had published several papers, all in top-tier medical journals.

With her foundation from her previous life, excellent guidance in this one, and the support of the 521 system, she truly navigated the medical field like a fish in water.

Unlike other students who had to look for internships, You Changqing had already been interning at her family’s company for years. For her senior-year internship, she naturally went back there again.

She and You Zongzheng had already agreed: once she graduated, she’d step in as vice president. Once she was capable of handling things on her own, he’d hand over full control and go travel the world with Madam Yang Yingzhi to finally relax after all those years of hard work.

You Changqing truly felt for her father’s years of effort, so she worked extra hard to learn how to manage a massive enterprise like theirs.

Each of them had their own path to walk. Shen Lihuan often spent whole days in the lab and felt guilty for not being able to be with Changqing. Was there anyone by Changqing’s side to notice if she was hungry, tired, or sleepy? Anyone to remind her to rest and take care of herself? So whenever she had a moment to spare, Shen Lihuan would immediately message You Changqing—reminding her to dress warmly, eat on time, and sleep regularly.

Changqing would pause at the messages, miss Lihuan for a moment, then dive back into work. She knew they were both working hard toward their dreams—she couldn’t afford to fall behind.

Senior year was packed. One semester was for internships, the other for writing papers, defending them, and job-hunting. While most students rushed to secure jobs and housing, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing were surprisingly relaxed. They were both natives of the capital, didn’t need to find a place to live, and had no shortage of job opportunities—so they didn’t have to waste energy on that.

With time to spare, they took a trip to Pink Nation and spent a week there in their own little world. By day, they explored and enjoyed the local cuisine. By night, they burned through their physical energy and sweat in bed, like they were trying to die in each other’s arms.

Soon enough, You Changqing took her graduation photos with her classmates, received her diploma and degree certificate, and left Imperial University—this dreamy wonderland that had carried four years of her joys and sorrows.

Everyone says studying is bitter and you can’t wait to grow up, but only after truly leaving campus and stepping into the unpredictable world do you realize that your school years were the days you most want to return to.

As she left Imperial, You Changqing couldn’t help but turn back for one last look at the university’s grand gate. Many fellow graduates were still there in their gowns, taking pictures. She still remembered how excited she was when she first stepped into Imperial. In the blink of an eye, it was already time to leave. Time really does fly.

“Don’t be sad, Changqing. If you ever miss our alma mater, we’ll come back together—stroll through the campus, visit the professors,” Shen Lihuan said, wrapping her arm around her.

You Changqing smiled. The next time she returned to Imperial, her state of mind would be different—and so would her role. Once, she was a “host” of this place. From now on, she’d only be a “guest.”

They say graduation season is breakup season—but for Shen Lihuan and You Changqing, it was the season they stepped into marriage.

The wedding preparations had started a full year in advance—venue, invitations, wedding gowns, everything was already in place. All Shen Lihuan and You Changqing had to do was put on their beautiful wedding dresses and take the photos.

The photographer, staring at the two brides who were both flawless in looks and figure, was brimming with inspiration. He constantly asked them to change poses and angles, snapping the shutter nonstop.

Because moving around in a wedding dress wasn’t easy, Shen Lihuan had been holding back her urge to kiss You Changqing the entire time. Changqing looked breathtaking in that gown. No wonder people said that the most beautiful moment in a woman’s life is when she wears her wedding dress.

Finally, once the photoshoot was over, Shen Lihuan and You Changqing went to the changing room to take off their dresses. The moment Changqing stepped out, Shen Lihuan pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her deeply. “Changqing, do you know how beautiful you looked in that dress? To me, you’re the most beautiful person in the world.”

You Changqing wrapped her arms around Lihuan’s neck and kissed her back. “Lihuan, do you know? You’re the most beautiful one in my eyes too.”

The marriage between the Shen and You families was a major event in the capital. Countless families wanted to attend the grand occasion. Even those who weren’t qualified to come sent gifts well in advance—they might not be present, but the presents had to be.

Shen Lihuan invited a few close classmates to the wedding. Naturally, her professors and senior classmates were also a must. In addition, she invited Qiu Rongxin’s family and Liu Yuanqin’s family.

You Changqing took charge of inviting Ye Muyan’s family and a few good friends of her own. From that day forward, the Ye and You families would be in-laws. She was getting married—there was no way she’d leave the Ye family out.

Shen Lihuan also sent wedding invitations to Cheng Ziqian and Bo Wen’an. The three of them had been close during all three years of high school and had stayed in touch even in college. There was no way she’d leave those two out when she was marrying Changqing.

She had also wanted to invite Wang Qingqing, but Wang Qingqing politely declined. She said she was already happy that Lihuan still remembered her and didn’t want to trouble her. Shen Lihuan couldn’t insist, so she sent her some wedding sweets and pastries instead, to share in the joy of the occasion.

The wedding was held on July 21st at the largest cathedral in the capital. The weather was beautiful—clear skies without a single cloud. Countless elites from political and business circles filed into the cathedral, exchanging pleasantries.

While this was a wedding, it was also an opportunity to network, and none of them were about to waste it.

Soon, the newlyweds arrived hand in hand. Two adorable little flower girls followed behind, carrying baskets and tossing petals into the air, creating a fluttering shower of blooms.

A kind-hearted priest looked at the perfectly matched couple with loving eyes, and in the most sincere tone, asked his questions.

“Miss Shen, do you take Miss You to be your lawful wife, to enter into this union with her? Will you love her, care for her, respect her, accept her, whether in sickness or in health, for any reason, and remain faithful to her until the end of your days?”

Shen Lihuan looked deeply into You Changqing’s eyes and answered with heartfelt devotion, “I do.”

“Miss You, do you take Miss Shen to be your lawful wife, to enter into this union with her? Will you love her, care for her, respect her, accept her, whether in sickness or in health, for any reason, and remain faithful to her until the end of your days?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, You Changqing replied, “I do!”

How could she not? Marrying Lihuan was the happiest decision of her life.