Chapter 14 Her Lingering Shadow
Shen Le Yue stood at the door of Xie Yi Heng's house for a long time.
Exhaustion and sorrow clung to her features.
She sighed, then entered the password.
It was the anniversary of Xie Yi Heng and Wen Yu's wedding.
The place looked exactly the same as five years ago.
Fresh flowers stood in the vase.
An unfinished chess game waited on the table.
In the walk-in closet, Wen Yu's clothes hung neatly.
Every season, Xie Yi Heng bought new pieces for her.
He naively believed she would come back someday.
But she was about to remarry.
Shen Le Yue walked straight to the study.
Xie Yi Heng sat under the desk lamp, bent over his drawings. He didn't even glance at her.
The trash bin overflowed. Several crumpled drafts had spilled out.
Cold food sat untouched at the edge of the wooden desk.
He hadn't taken a single bite.
He had been staying in the study day and night like this.
Shen Le Yue finally snapped.
"You don't go to the firm, you don't eat. What exactly are you doing!"
Dark circles shadowed Xie Yi Heng's eyes, yet he didn't seem tired at all.
His voice came out hoarse.
"I'm designing our wedding house."
Shen Le Yue froze.
She remembered how, right after her own divorce, she had been overwhelmed with grievances and didn't know who to turn to.
When she came to her senses, she had already called Xie Yi Heng.
To her, he had always been her safe harbor.
Shen Le Yue knew Xie Yi Heng liked her.
She couldn't return his feelings, so she always felt guilty toward him.
When Wen Yu appeared, she genuinely wished them well.
She showed Wen Yu their old photo albums from childhood.
She shared their private memories with Wen Yu to help her understand Xie Yi Heng better.
She even invited them on a group trip to bring the four of us closer.
But when she heard they were together, the smile on her face looked forced.
A voice in her heart whispered:
It shouldn't be like this.
That subtle feeling peaked on their wedding day.
Seeing that simple post on social media.
It stuck in her throat.
A question rose unbidden in her mind.
Could Xie Yi Heng really fall for someone else?
Would he still take care of her the way he used to?
The answer came in that phone call.
His voice was as concerned as ever.
One word from her, and he would drop everything to be by her side.
Shen Le Yue felt relieved.
A smile slipped out before she caught herself.
This wasn't right.
Xie Yi Heng was married now.
She was definitely not the kind of woman who destroyed other people's families.
She just needed someone to lean on.
To her, Xie Yi Heng was like family.
Wen Yu couldn't possibly demand that he erase so many years of their bond just because they were married.
There had never been anything improper between her and Xie Yi Heng.
Shen Le Yue comforted herself with that thought.
So she felt justified in becoming his Assistant.
She accepted him designing a new house for her.
Sometimes she even went to their home to deliver documents and discuss house details.
Wen Yu remained as gentle as always toward her.
Shen Le Yue never saw any trace of forced cheer in those clear eyes.
But that very attitude made her even more uneasy.
It felt like everything had been seen through.
She couldn't help asking Xie Yi Heng once.
"Wen Yu… does she mind that I'm around?"
Xie Yi Heng stared at the framed photo on his desk for a long time without answering.
Seeing that, Shen Le Yue's heart pounded.
She had a bad feeling the next words wouldn't be what she wanted to hear.
He said, "It's almost our wedding anniversary."
"Your Ex Wife shouldn't bother you anymore. You should resign."
Shen Le Yue's mind buzzed.
The days of coming and going together reminded her of their once-close times.
Only now did she realize how precious his feelings had been.
Shen Le Yue didn't want to let go anymore.