The Film Empress's Secret Marriage and Child - Chapter 2

Why could she never find happiness?

Every time Sheng Yunshu watched Sheng Qingshan follow behind Ji Xi, cleaning up her messes, listening to the history of her failed relationships, and then forcing a smile to comfort her, an indescribable bitterness would well up in Yunshu’s heart.

This feeling was exactly the same as the one she had felt at ten years old on the golf course, watching her sister bow her head to kiss a lock of hair. It was only thicker and more intense, like a jar of vinegar fermented by time; once the lid was lifted, the sourness rushed straight to her eyes.

She had thought more than once: What is so great about Ji Xi?

But the moment this thought emerged, she would immediately suppress it because she knew this was unreasonable.

Ji Xi was wonderful.

She was also very kind to Yunshu. In Sheng Yunshu’s heart, only Ji Xi was worthy of standing by her sister’s side.

Ji Xi was perfect in every way, but she never saw Sheng Qingshan.

Sheng Yunshu had tried more than once to set the two of them up, hoping to help Sheng Qingshan get what she wanted, but every attempt ended in failure.

After Sheng Qingshan attended Ji Xi’s engagement party and left yet again, Sheng Yunshu started drowning her sorrows in alcohol.

She felt like she was useless. From childhood to adulthood, she had never been able to help Sheng Qingshan with anything; she only ever made her worry.

Just as she was lying on the sofa, holding a woman she had brought home, and preparing to let go and indulge herself, Sheng Qingshan—having somehow received the news—barged in with a group of people and gained control over everyone in the private booth.

Her clothes were straightened, and Sheng Qingshan, suppressing her anger, dragged her away.

Once inside the car, just as Sheng Qingshan was about to interrogate her about what she was doing, her coat was tugged. The person who had been causing trouble began to cry first:

“Sister… I feel terrible…”

“When they touched me, I felt so disgusted. I didn’t want this. I don’t want it. Why… why…”

Watching her sister tremble as she cried, the reprimands that had been stuck in Sheng Qingshan’s throat could not be spoken. After a moment of silence, Sheng Qingshan patted her just as she had in the past:

“Where are you uncomfortable? Does your head hurt from too much drinking? Don’t cry. I’m not trying to interfere in your private life, but you must exercise discretion. You cannot… at least find a hotel. That place was too dirty.”

Sheng Qingshan explained patiently, but the drunkard didn’t hear a word, blindly rubbing her tears and snot onto her sister’s clothes.

“…”

When they were young, Sheng Qingshan had been just as much of a neat freak as Ji Xi, but after years of looking after her sister, she had become desensitized.

After sending her back to her room and having the smart butler clean her up, Sheng Qingshan went out.

Just as she reached the ground floor, she received a report that prohibited substances had been found in the drinks in the booth, in a dose large enough to be fatal.

“Investigate. Do not let a single person who was present tonight get away.”

Sheng Qingshan’s eyes turned cold. She glanced at the closed bedroom door upstairs, feeling a lingering fear.

After discovering that the substance had been brought in by Sheng Yunshu’s assistant, Sheng Qingshan did not consult with Yunshu. That very night, she took people and flew to a remote island, keeping her under house arrest for two months.

“Sheng Qingshan!!”

A recovered Sheng Yunshu ran to confront her: “Where is this? Why won’t they let me leave? By what right are you locking me up? I have appearances next month! What are you doing?”

Sheng Qingshan set down her wine glass and told her calmly that all of her work was suspended and that she was to stay put.

She had thought Sheng Yunshu would understand and be obedient, just like always.

But this time, Sheng Yunshu’s reaction was exceptionally intense, even bringing up Ji Xi during their argument:

“Ji Xi, Ji Xi, Ji Xi! Her affairs are always the most important! You have to keep her company when she’s heartbroken, you have to go to her engagement, and when she calls in the middle of the night, you jump out of bed to go to her! Are you her mother? She doesn’t even like you! She doesn’t like you at all!”

“Sheng Yunshu!”

Sheng Qingshan barked at her, instinctively raising her hand.

Seeing her sister lift her hand, Sheng Yunshu’s chest heaved violently, her eyes full of disbelief. “You’re hitting me. You’re actually going to hit me!”

Sheng Qingshan took a deep breath. “I didn’t. I just…”

She had never intended to lay a hand on Sheng Yunshu; she had simply lost her temper for a moment.

But Sheng Yunshu suddenly broke down, pushing her into a chair:

“I hate you. Sheng Qingshan, I don’t want you to control me! I never want you to manage my life again!”

Watching her sister storm out, slamming the door, Sheng Qingshan sighed wearily and ordered people to keep a close watch on her, making sure she didn’t do anything reckless.

After composing herself, Sheng Qingshan dove back into her work.

After nearly twenty years of preparation and accumulating connections at IFIB, Sheng Qingshan planned to join the committee early next year.

Before that, she had to resign from the Sheng Group, establish a family affairs council to disperse outside attention, transfer the core family equity into a trust fund jointly held by her and Yunshu, complete her asset declarations, manage a complex portfolio of industries, and purge the restive factions within the family.

Sheng Qingshan was busy for the entire afternoon. When she looked up again, it was already dark.

She stood up, stretched her sore muscles, and prepared to call Sheng Yunshu for dinner.

However, her subordinates told her that Sheng Yunshu had been staying by the sea and had not returned.

Sheng Qingshan frowned, had someone grab a jacket, and headed outside.

At the seaside.

Sheng Yunshu was crouching on a large rock, still wearing that thin red nightgown. The sea breeze blew, and she hugged herself tightly, refusing to move despite the servants’ attempts to persuade her.

Sheng Qingshan walked over, gave the servant a look to leave, and then went to Sheng Yunshu’s side. She draped the coat over her. Seeing her sister turn her head away, refusing to look at her, Sheng Qingshan said softly:

“Still angry? I didn’t mean to hit you. You’ve grown up so much; when have I ever laid a hand on you?”

Sheng Yunshu remained silent and did not move. She buried her face in her knees, her shoulders slightly hunched, curling herself into a small ball.

Sheng Qingshan’s coat hung on her shoulders; she didn’t push it away, but she didn’t pull it tight either. The sea breeze blew the coat halfway off, revealing her thin shoulders and delicate straps.

“Put the coat on properly,” Sheng Qingshan said.

No response.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

Still no reaction.

“Sheng Yunshu, are you deaf?” Sheng Qingshan had been busy all afternoon and hadn’t eaten yet; her patience was wearing thin.

Finally, before Sheng Qingshan could reach out, Sheng Yunshu looked up. Her eyes and the tip of her nose were red from crying, but she remained stubborn:

“Go back. I don’t want you to manage me.”

“If I don’t manage you, who will?” Sheng Qingshan reached out to fasten the coat for her, shielding her from the wind. “Are you mad because I brought you here without telling you?”

Sheng Yunshu kept her head down, humming gloomily. “You just don’t trust me! I told you I didn’t know anything, but you still scolded me. I know I’m not good at anything, but I’ve never caused trouble for the family. How could I ever touch that kind of stuff!”

As she spoke, she wiped away more tears.

“I didn’t not trust you.”

Afraid she would choke on the wind, Sheng Qingshan stood in front of her. “I only brought you here because it was discovered that your assistant did it.”

“You thought I was in on it with her?”

“…I was afraid the people hiding in the dark would target you.” Sheng Qingshan rubbed her brow. “They had reached out right to your side; I couldn’t rest easy letting you stay there. Once I finish investigating, I will take you back. You can ask for whatever compensation you want.”

Sheng Yunshu was satisfied with this answer. Just as she was about to ask for something, she opened her mouth and began to cough.

Sheng Qingshan immediately grabbed her arm. “Up, let’s go back!”

But Sheng Yunshu had been crouching for too long; her legs were numb, and they gave out the moment she stood up.

She looked at Sheng Qingshan and held out her arms with a sense of entitlement. “I can’t walk. Carry me.”

Sheng Qingshan wanted to piggyback her.

Sheng Yunshu pulled at her nightgown to show her. “Can’t do it!”

“Carry? You’re so old and you still don’t know how to avoid suspicion…” Before Sheng Qingshan could finish, she crouched down.

“Forget it then, just let me freeze to death here! That way you’ll have one less thing to worry about!”

“…”

In the end, Sheng Qingshan compromised.

Although, knowing Sheng Yunshu as she did, she knew she wouldn’t dare stay out alone in the middle of the night.

But if she really left her alone, she suspected she would hear about it until the day she died.

After the two finished dinner and exchanged goodnights, that matter was considered resolved.

Sheng Yunshu knew that although her sister was usually indulgent, she was firm and unwavering when it came to serious matters.

So she was indeed kept under house arrest for two months.

Even though there were many novelties on the island, Sheng Yunshu grew tired of seeing them every day. Every so often, she would go to the study to harass Sheng Qingshan, only satisfied once she was pushed out.

Of course, she didn’t just cause trouble.

When Sheng Qingshan was exhausted, Sheng Yunshu would massage her shoulders, say sweet things to cheer her up, and then successfully swipe a few good things from her.

Sheng Yunshu never felt ashamed of spending her sister’s money. Her sister only had one younger sister; wasn’t her sister’s money rightfully hers? Why should she feel embarrassed spending her own money?

Sheng Yunshu was perfectly at peace with that.

Two months later, Sheng Yunshu regained her freedom and immediately made plans to go out with friends in the industry for a few days.

Soon, the day of Ji Xi’s wedding arrived as scheduled.

The wedding lasted three days, and Sheng Qingshan did not miss a single one.

As Sheng Qingshan stood off the stage, watching Ji Xi standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Cheng Nuo, Sheng Yunshu was watching her.

However, Sheng Qingshan’s expression management was so successful that she could even fool a professional actress like her.

After the wedding ended, Sheng Qingshan left.

Sheng Yunshu wanted to contact her countless times, but upon Lu Qiyue’s advice, she restrained herself.

Some things could not be helped by outsiders; she had to walk through them herself.

Before the end of the year, Sheng Yunshu gradually shifted to behind-the-scenes work, and the woman who had disappeared for more than half a year finally returned home.

Looking at the woman standing in the snow, Sheng Yunshu could not contain her emotions; she threw herself at her and cried for a long time.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want me to manage you? How have you been these past few months?”

Sheng Qingshan wiped the tears from her face, but her curved eyes couldn’t hide the emptiness within.

Sheng Yunshu swatted her hand away, her gaze falling on that head of black hair, a lump forming in her throat: “…Just great! Without you nagging me by my side, I’ve been doing better than ever!”

At this, Sheng Qingshan smiled. “That’s good. Let’s go. Is Mother home today?”

“Hmph, so you still know you have a mother! You ran off for half a year; I thought you had forgotten where home was!”

“It’s the middle of winter, why are you so full of fire?”

“I’m full of fire! Just enough to burn you to death!”

…

The moment she saw Sheng Qingshan, Sheng Yunshu knew she had given up on Ji Xi.

Yet she still couldn’t accept anyone else; she would never have children of her own.

But in Sheng Jiazhen’s eyes, this was absolutely intolerable.

Sheng Yunshu didn’t want her sister to endure so much pressure anymore. She had already done so much for the family over the years. It was just a child; who gave birth to it didn’t matter, did it?

As long as it was of the Sheng bloodline, wouldn’t that be enough?

After making up her mind, Sheng Yunshu began to screen candidates.

Finally, she found a female Alpha with excellent qualifications. Once the person passed the genetic screening, Sheng Yunshu had a third party arrange the next steps.

She knew Sheng Qingshan wouldn’t agree to her doing this, but she really wanted to do one thing for her sister.

Just as Sheng Yunshu had everything ready, using a film shoot as an excuse to go overseas for IVF, a paternity test sent her life plummeting to the bottom of the abyss:

“Yunshu, you are not my biological child.”

“According to the confessions of that group of people, your parents died in an accident.”

Sheng Yunshu looked at the mother before her with her gentle expression, feeling dizzy and unable to make sense of a single word.

But Sheng Jiazhen continued:

“I am very sorry that you have had to bear the consequences of the disputes between the older generation. As long as you are willing, you will always be my daughter. At the same time, now that Yanzhou is home, Mother hopes you can take care of her a little. She has suffered a lot out there.”

“I hope the three of you sisters can get along well in the future.”