Opening the door to the luxury suite, Shen Ximan staggered a few steps, leaning against the wall. The overwhelming emotions in her heart compelled her to turn back.
She still wanted to struggle, still wanted to hold on.
Even if it was just to recall the passion of the past in her idle moments.
She licked her dry lips, turned back into the room, put the card and the note in her pocket, and took the elevator down to the hotel lobby.
"Check out," she said.
The receptionist gave her a curious look.
"Miss Shen, could you please leave through the back door? There are quite a few reporters and media outlets gathered at the front entrance now. If you go out like this..."
"Thank you," Shen Ximan's eyes welled up with tears again.
This must have been pre - arranged by Su Minghan. He was always smart, thinking of every aspect.
Shen Ximan made a mental note to repay this favor in the future. But for now, she had no choice but to owe it.
As she came out through the back door and was about to hail a taxi back to her apartment, a call she loathed came in.
She knew exactly who it was from the phone number.
"Hey there, my sister~" Shen Shiyu twirled her hair triumphantly.
"What do you want?"
"My goodness, what happened to your voice? Could it be that you cried yourself hoarse last night because the second young master dumped you? Poor thing."
Shen Ximan had no energy to get angry at this moment. All she wanted was to rest.
"Are you done?"
"Not yet. I have so much to talk to my dear sister. Thanks to you, Si Ming is about to be promoted to vice - president. And I'll soon be the vice - president's wife."
Shen Shiyu puffed herself up, looking extremely proud and narcissistic.
"Here's something else you might be interested in. Dad doesn't want you anymore."
A flicker of pain flashed across Shen Ximan's eyes and then disappeared.
"Okay."
"Just 'okay'? Is that all you have to say!" She was so frustrated and confused.
She had thought Shen Ximan would cry and beg her to keep her status as the second young lady, and then bow down to her.
But she was so cold - hearted!
"Otherwise? I don't care about a filthy family like yours at all. I'm hanging up if you have nothing else to say."
On the day her mother died, and when An Ruo was locked in the basement, Shen Ximan had already made up her mind to break away from the Shen family.
Now, hearing such news, she only felt a brief sense of nostalgia for the father who used to care about and love her.
The man now didn't deserve the title of "father" anymore.
Shen Shiyu stared at the disconnected phone screen, grinding her teeth in anger. "Bitch! You're still so stubborn even when you're on the verge of ruin. I'd like to see how long you can keep your mouth shut!"
Half a month passed. Xue Xiaoqi and A Kun came to visit more than once.
But Shen Ximan, who lived in Longjing Apartment, never opened the door.
"President Xue, should we tell President Shen about this?"
"What for? Can't you see she's completely down?" Xue Xiaoqi was so anxious that she was almost ready to call a locksmith.
"You're right. I shouldn't have said that." A Kun shook his head regretfully.
Tomorrow was the engagement day of Li Xiaoru from Juanyi and the second young master of the Bo family. This was what Old Master Bo had instructed before he fell into a coma. It had to be held as scheduled, and it was getting a lot of media attention.
The online marketing accounts were writing all kinds of exaggerated and false stories. Some even said that Shen Ximan was dead.
If Xue Xiaoqi hadn't sent someone to hack into those people's computers in time, such news would have spread. If Shen Ximan had seen it, it would have been a disaster.
"I can't take it anymore," she took out her phone and was about to call a nearby locksmith when the door in front of her suddenly opened.
A Kun was completely stunned.
"Who... who are you? Where's President Shen?"
Shen Ximan, with a haggard face and bare feet, said, "Come in."
Xue Xiaoqi didn't say a word. She felt so heart - broken that she just wanted to hug her.
Sitting in the living room, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
"What? You... you mean that's President Shen?"
A Kun blurted out in shock. Then he realized he had spoken too loudly and quickly covered his mouth, still in a state of disbelief.
"Surprised?"
Shen Ximan placed the freshly brewed coffee in front of them.
"You've lost so much weight," Xue Xiaoqi said with a sob.
In just half a month, she had lost a lot of weight. But at least, you could see the faint outline of her abs and the muscles on her arms.
"It's not losing weight. It's body - shaping," Shen Ximan said with a steady smile, even showing off her muscles.
"How did you manage to... change your appearance by yourself?" A Kun curiously voiced his thoughts.
"She did it with makeup," Xue Xiaoqi explained first.
"Makeup? My god, you've fooled everyone!"
Shen Ximan lowered her eyes and took a sip of the black coffee.
In the past half - month, she seemed to have gotten used to the bitter taste. The more she tasted it, the more mellow it became; the more she savored it, the more lingering it was.
Night after night, she tossed and turned, on the verge of a mental breakdown, constantly self - doubting.
It had tortured her so much that she didn't look like herself anymore.
Every time she saw a piece of news about Bo Jingyu, it was like a fishbone stuck in her throat, impossible to spit out or swallow.
If she hadn't forced herself to move on, she might have gone crazy.
"If you want to survive at the bottom of the Shen family, you have to be so humble that you're almost invisible. Disguise is just a strategy," she sneered. "Now that Shen Yuliang doesn't need me as a burden anymore, I feel much more relaxed."
Xue Xiaoqi was still worried that Shen Ximan might be stimulated. She said with concern, "President Shen, how about I book you a ticket to go abroad and relax?"
She waved her hand. "Haven't all the tickets at Yancheng Airport been sold out? It was Bo Siming's decision, aiming to cover up the turmoil about his grandfather."
"You even know this?" A Kun said in surprise and then realized he had talked too much. "I mean, you know everything without even leaving home."
Shen Ximan raised her eyebrows and stared straight at him.
"Why are you so cautious after knowing my real face? We used to get along so well."
"No, no, no. You're the company's president now. I can't overstep my bounds."
A Kun shook his head, sweating profusely.
"If you say such things again, you're fired."
The smile that had been in Shen Ximan's eyes just now disappeared instantly. The cold atmosphere around her made people shiver.
"A Hairui was founded by me, and Xiaoqi has been assisting me until now. Whether they are soldiers or generals under her, they've all been kind to me."
"I hope the future circle will be clean and pure. I also hope you can set an example first, lead your subordinates to expand the company's territory, and keep our number - one position in Yancheng. That's my goal."
Shen Ximan's eyes were sharp and full of ambition.
Xue Xiaoqi never expected her to say such things.
She didn't know if it was just her illusion or over - thinking.
She always felt that Shen Ximan was different from half a month ago.