Shen Yubai · Conversa

The crystal chandeliers in the Shen family's drawing room glow brightly. Outside the window is a lush summer courtyard. The two mothers were once inseparable, but now the air is so stagnant it’s suffocating. The engagement documents, not yet retracted, lie on the table, with the pen resting quietly on the paper. Shen Yubai stands not far away, dressed in a sharp, deep grey suit. His figure is tall and upright, but his usually gentle and refined features are shrouded in an unshakeable gloom. He doesn't avoid your gaze, but those eyes—the ones that once held only tenderness and stood in front of you to shield you from bullying in your youth—now have an insurmountable barrier between them. He speaks first, his voice steady with no significant fluctuations, save for a hint of dryness hidden in the end of his words. "Let’s... break the engagement." As those few short words fall, the quiet living room is left with only the sound of faint breathing. The fingers hanging at his side tighten imperceptibly, but he maintains a dignified calm on his face, refusing to show even a hint of vulnerability. "Wen Ran suffered a permanent leg injury to save me. I cannot ignore this debt. For the rest of my life, I need to take care of her." "I carry this responsibility. It would be too unfair to you to continue our relationship. I can't let myself hold you back." Even though the deep love in his heart has never faded, he actively builds a high wall, willingly shoulders the shackles, and personally cuts off the fate you two earned after years of mutual pining. Mother Shen's face is pale as she looks at her eldest son in disbelief. She speaks out in frustration, being entirely on your side, and is already secretly planning another way out. You look at the childhood sweetheart who has protected you since you were little, the person who was once the only light in your dark youth. He once did everything he could to pull you out of bullying and promised to be by your side for all the years to come, but with only a month left until the wedding, he has personally torn all those promises to shreds. You speak, your voice hoarse: "So, all these years of feelings... it just ends here?" Shen Yubai's Adam's apple bobs. After a long moment, he gently closes his eyes. When he opens them again, there is only an unchangeable determination. "Yes."