Shen Ru was sitting by the bed reading a book. He recently got an interesting novel, which is an unpublished new work by a major British writer.
Just as she was watching with gusto, she heard the sound of a car turning off and stopping outside the window.
Today is the day when his father and brother return to China for an import and export project. Shen Ru has not seen his father for almost two months.
As soon as Shen Zhiren entered the mansion and before he took off his coat to the servant, he heard the sound of people coming downstairs eagerly.
Shen Ru was wearing a white dress, her hair was disheveled, and she ran downstairs with her skirt barefoot.
When she saw her father and brother standing in the living room, she immediately threw herself into her brother's arms: "You are finally back~"
Shen Zhiren looked at his daughter, his eyes full of doting and love. He stroked his daughter's hair: "Ruru, have you eaten well? You have lost weight. Didn't the servants at home take good care of you?"
"If you are not here, I will be left alone in this mansion." Shen Ru curled her lips, put her hands around Shen Chengfeng's neck, and said coquettishly: "I feel like eating is tasteless. I miss the sweets made by my brother. Vinegar pork ribs~”
Shen Chengfeng rubbed Shen Ru's head, with a soft look in his eyes, and said with a smile: "Okay, I'll make it for you tonight."
Seeing how good the relationship between the two brothers and sisters was, Shen Zhiren's face was very complicated.
He pulled his daughter off Shen Chengfeng: "Ruru, go back to your room and put on your slippers. You won't be afraid of getting hurt if you run around barefoot!"
After saying that, Shen Zhiren said to Shen Chengfeng: "Come to the study with me."
When Shen Ru heard that her brother was going to be busy again, Shen Ru didn't want to and held Shen Chengfeng's hand and refused to let go.
She complained with a dissatisfied look on her face: "I have been busy for two months, and we have to talk again when we come back..."
"Ruru, be good~" Shen Zhiren always had a smile on his face in front of his daughter. He waved to the servant beside him and said, "Go, take the lady back to the room."
The people around him did as he was told, but Shen Ru didn't know what to do. He made a face and ran away.
The two of them entered the study one after another. Shen Chengfeng followed behind and closed the door as a habit.
"Dad, haven't we reached an agreement with each other on that project? Are there any other matters?"
Shen Chengfeng sat on the chair with a serious expression. He stared at Shen Chengfeng sharply: "Don't talk about work, let's talk about you."
"..." Shen Chengfeng frowned slightly, his eyes evasive, "Dad, I don't quite understand."
"You should know that I am not against you falling in love, but I also hope that you will know your own identity."
Shen Zhiren paused for a moment and said in a more serious tone, "Tell yourself who you are!"
Shen Chengfeng was a little stunned, but quickly reacted, lowered his head and said softly: "I am Shen Chengfeng, my father's adopted son."
"Over the years, I have not only regarded you as my adopted son, but also as my own child."
Shen Zhiren was dissatisfied with his answer and continued, "You are the eldest son of Bo Mansion and my son, Shen Zhiren. My career will be in your hands in the future. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I know how good my father is to me." Shen Zhiren replied.
"No, you don't understand." Shen Zhiren was silent for a moment, "If you want to be my son, you shouldn't get involved with Ru Ru."
Hearing this, Shen Chengfeng completely understood.
"You think I can't see what's going on between you two?"
Shen Zhiren's voice was tepid, "You can inherit everything from me only if you become my son, Shen Zhiren. I hope you can make a choice and stop thinking about Ruru."
Shen Chengfeng did not dare to raise his head, his shoulders trembled slightly.
His father's words left him at a loss. He had long known that with Shen Zhiren in the middle, he and Shen Ru would definitely not be able to stay together.
He had known the stakes involved, but he couldn't let go of Shen Ru, so he pretended to be confused and delayed the matter until now.
Shen Zhiren noticed Shen Chengfeng's reaction and couldn't bear it, but he had to be tough: "I will see results within two months, otherwise I will have to arrange a marriage for Ruru in advance."
Hearing this, Shen Chengfeng looked troubled, and the hope in his heart was completely extinguished.
He didn't want to be separated from Shen Ru, let alone see Shen Ru marry another man.
He figured out that instead of losing her, it would be better to be by Shen Ru's side as his brother, which would be considered his wish fulfilled.
"I see."
Shen Chengfeng promised, "I will make her stop thinking."
Arriving at the end of the third floor and standing at the door of Shen Ru's room, Shen Chengfeng didn't even raise his feet to enter.
Shen Ru was lying on the window looking out at the scenery. She was dressed in white, and the wind blew through her slender and smooth hair, exuding bursts of fragrance.
"Ruru." Shen Chengfeng walked in with no expression on his face.
"Chengfeng, you're here~" Shen Ru stepped forward with a smile and immediately hugged his waist, "I miss you so much."
She thought she would get a response from her lover, but the next second Shen Ru's hand was taken off her waist by Shen Chengfeng.
"Ruru, let's separate..." Shen Chengfeng looked into Shen Ru's eyes, struggling and painful in his heart, "I fell in love with someone else."
After saying this, Shen Chengfeng felt a sudden ringing in his ears.
Shen Ru's eyes were full of disbelief. She stared at Shen Chengfeng closely as if she wanted to see through his heart. The corners of her mouth trembled slightly, but she couldn't say anything.
Shen Chengfeng looked at her heartbroken, but he couldn't give any explanation.
Seeing Shen Ru's tears welling up in his eyes, Shen Chengfeng couldn't bear it anymore. He was afraid that he would be unable to bear it if he didn't leave.
He chose to ignore her tears, firmly shook her hand away, turned and left.
In the next few days, Shen Ru didn't leave the room.
Shen Zhiren knew the reason and knew that his daughter had a stubborn temper, but he believed that time could heal the scars.
So she asked someone to bring food to her, and Shen Ru'ai did whatever she wanted during the rest of the time.
This lasted for a week.
One night, Shen Chengfeng followed Shen Zhiren to a charity dinner, but received a text message from Shen Ru wanting to see him.
Shen Chengfeng looked at the text message and spoke out, until Shen Zhiren reminded him: "You are not allowed to go."
At first, Shen Chengfeng thought the same way, just waiting for Shen Ru to get through this period.
But Shen Ru's continuous phone calls made him confused. The depressed mood these days finally broke out at this moment, and he could no longer resist the urge to see her.
Fortunately, the dinner was just across the road from home, so Shen Chengfeng ran back home by pretending that he had a stomachache and went to the toilet.
No servants were seen at home, and the mansion was dark.
When he arrived at the room on the third floor, he didn't see Shen Ru. He was about to turn on the light when he was hugged by Shen Ru from behind.
Shen Ru's tone was humble and she said with tears streaming down her face: "Brother Chengfeng, don't leave me...don't fall in love with others, I've tried to forget but I can't forget you, don't leave me... ."
Shen Ru looked slovenly and smelled vaguely of alcohol. She was holding herself with so much strength that she couldn't shake him off.
He must have been drinking.
Shen Chengfeng did not expect that Shen Ru would suddenly act like this. At the same time, he was worried that the servants at home would hear something strange. In order to break free from Shen Ru's restraints, Shen Chengfeng vigorously opened her arms and pushed her back.
His original intention was just to keep Shen Ru at a distance, but he forgot that there was a staircase behind the two of them.
Shen Chengfeng just watched helplessly as Shen Ru rolled down the stairs and hit his head and neck on the wall at the corner...
Her neck was broken on the spot, and she lay sideways without breathing.
"Ruru...Ruru!" Shen Chengfeng was frightened by the scene in front of him and was about to go downstairs to check.
But before he could get closer, he heard the footsteps of a servant coming from the first floor.
Can't stay here...can't let anyone find me here...
Shen Chengfeng hid instinctively. He escaped over the wall while the servant called the police and left, and ran back to the banquet hall.
Later, Shen Ru was defined by the police as a drunken stumble and an accidental death.
No one knows what happened that night.
Only Shen Chengfeng knew that he had lost the girl who loved him most, and that he himself would always live in the shadow of darkness after that night...
