chapter 1

Chapter 1

Rebirth

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After raining for half a month, today finally ushered in some good weather. Shen Xi looked up towards the sky and saw a clear blue, as if it had been thoroughly washed clean. The wind was refreshing, and the sun beautiful; it looks like any word that described good weather could be used today.

It was a fine day, totally different from when they got married. She remembered that when she had married Su Hang, a great thunderstorm had been raging outside. The thunderous lightning was loud and booming, and it made her feel like the apocalypse was close at hand. It was her most profound memory of the day.

"Sister-in-law, I really think you should be the one to put it in." Li QingYuan, Su Hang's best friend, pushed the funerary casket towards her.

(T/N funerary casket as in like an urn of ashes. Not the caskets that contain the entire body. The caskets used here are like ornamental boxes.)

Shen Xi looked at the 'casket' Li QingYuan held. It was supposed to be her former husband's casket, Su Hang's casket. But Shen Xi knew that the ashes it contained weren't Su Hang's because he died in a plane crash. His plane exploded while flying through the Pacific Ocean, and its pieces crashed down into the water's depths. Three months have already passed, but a single piece of wreckage had yet to be recovered.

"That...what's inside it?" Shen Xi's voice was raspy and small.

"It has the things Su Hang treasured the most. Did you want to see?" Li QingYuan ruefully smiled then placed the box in her hands, "Maybe you'll find a few of them familiar."

Shen Xi didn't understand what Li QingYuan was trying to imply. She raised her head to look at him in puzzlement, but Li QingYuan had already turned and left. In the end, Shen Xi had to bring the box to the back of the tombstone herself. Behind the tombstone was a small square hole for the ashes to be buried. On each side of the small opening were staff members in charge of the burial, their faces cold, as if they would immediately fill in the hole as soon as Shen Xi put the box down.

Shen Xi crouched down, her palm stroking the dark grey casket. It was a simple design, with no extra ornamentation. It was just like the man called Su Hang. Just like their five-year marriage.

Before marrying Su Hang, Shen Xi didn't have much of an image of him. She knew that Su Hand was a child the Su family brought in from the outside. Some people speculated that he was the illegitimate son of Su Bai, and was brought in only due to the fact that there were no male sons to inherit the family business. It was also said that Su Bai was deeply in love with a girl during his college days. They married and had Su Hang, but were eventually forced by Su Father the to split up.

For Shen Xi, these rumors were nothing but idle gossip, so she never considered them seriously. Other than that, the only interaction she had with Su Hang before their marriage was an occasional polite nod when they happened to cross each other in a reception or a party.

Shen Xi was the only daughter of the Shen family. Because of her delicate and weakened body, Mrs. Shen could no longer get pregnant after she had given birth to Shen Xi. But the Shen husband and wife pair had always been quite loving. Even when they could no longer have a son, their feelings towards each other never diminished. They would also never make their sole daughter unhappy. Shen Xi never liked to do business, so anyone in S City who knew anything, knew that marrying Shen Xi would equal to essentially getting the entire Shen Group.

The Shen couple had always joked that they would have to sift through millions of willing bachelors when the time came for Shen Xi to marry, but they never could have imagined that one day, they would have no choice but to marry off Shen Xi to Su Hang.

Almost six years ago, Shen Father invested in Country M's investment project. But due to a sudden change in M Country's policies that restricted foreign trade and investment, Father Shen's investment immediately lost value with billions of funds going down the drain. The Shen Group's stock sharply dropped, the company's capital chain broke, and the bank continuously pressured them for their rising debts. Just when Father Shen was about to declare bankruptcy, Su Hang suddenly came to their home.

Yes, Su Hang didn't visit the Shen Group building, and he didn't bring a team or even a secretary. He came to the Shen family home, and he came alone.

On that day, Shen Xi happened to be home. Worried about her family's situation, she eavesdropped from the second floor.

"President Shen, I loan you as much as you need." Su Hang said.

"President Su, are you aware just how much money is needed to fill this hole we're stuck in?" Father Shen asked.

"I had an assessment report made before I came here." The sound of pages flipping could be heard. "The Shen Group needs 3 billion to get back up on its feet."

"3 Billion will only help the Shen Group resume operations."

"Excluding this investment, the Shen Group had always been a very profitable company. I believe that as long as it's given another chance, Shen Group will certainly make a comeback."

"You're only lending us money? You're not trying to buy stock?" Father Shen's voice was full of doubt.

"Yes. I have no intention of buying, just loans." Su Hang confirmed.

"Why are you doing this? I don't think it's just for my ability to do business." Father Shen asked, "3 billion is no small number. If I don't follow through, your newly established bank will collapse, and even the Su family will end up affected. We have no deep ties between us. Why help us?"

"I do have one request." The living room became quiet for a while. Shen Xi fidgeted in anxiousness.

"Say it." Father Shen said.

"I need a wife."

Even after all those years, Shen Xi could still clearly remember her reaction when she heard this. Her brain turned blank, and her body turned as stiff as the pillar she had been hiding in. She couldn't hear anything for a long while as a dull roar overpowered her ears. It was only her father's shouts that woke her up.

"You get out, get out of here! I, Shen Chuan, can become the poorest of the poor, a penniless good-for-nothing, but I will never sell my daughter!" Father Shen yelled, throwing a teacup at Su Hang's feet.

"President Shen, you should think about it a little more." Su Hang's voice was calm, without a hint of emotion.

"I don't need to think about it! Get out, just get out!"

"President Shen, if the Shen Group goes under, tens of thousands of people will become unemployed."

"Get out."

"President Shen, Madam Zun's medical costs alone would cost a few hundred thousand a year."

"You....what the hell are you trying to do?" Every single member of the Shen family knew that Mother Shen was Father Shen's Achilles' heel, "I really grateful that you offered a hand. Any other condition, hell, even if you wanted to buy the Shen Group I would acquiesce, no problem. But why do you want to marry Shen Xi?"

"I need a wife." Su Hang repeated his earlier sentence, his voice without a single tremor.

"In our entire S City, who doesn't know the fact that you already have someone in your heart? If you needed a wife, why not ask that person?" Father Shen asked.

"She...doesn't like me."

"So instead of begging to her, you've come to take my daughter away and make her a substitute?" Father Shen raged.

"I will be good to Miss Shen." As Su Hang assured Father Shen, a change in his voice could finally be heard.

"I...."

"I agree." Shen Xi stood on the steps of the second floor, standing tall and comforted by the surprised expression on Su Hang's face. Her voice was remarkably calm as she said: "I'll marry you."

"Little Xi..." Father Shen was very anxious.

(T/N: Little or Xiao is something a lot of parents/relatives etc. say as sort of a nickname? to younger/cute people.)

"The Shen Group won't last long. If President Su doesn't mind it, please prepare the wedding to happen as soon as possible." Shen Xi couldn't quite remember his expression at the time, just that his voice when he replied was calm.

"Good." Su Hang faintly nodded, politely said his goodbyes to the older Shen couple, then stepped past the broken pieces of porcelain and left.

Shen Xi vividly remembered that the sun was shining brightly that day, it's light filtering past the windows and the open door. Su Hang's pace when he departed was smooth and brisk. Confident.

But the Shen Xi of that day knew that this man she was about to marry was a man who longed for a girl who didn't love him.

This was Shen Xi's initial image of Su Hang: A smart, calm and successful businessman who, although didn't marry her for love, promised to be good to her.

As these thoughts faded, Shen Xi's fingertips were slightly pale. Finally, she opened the box she had been carefully holding. She could admit to herself that she was somewhat curious. These things that Su Hang considered precious, would there be one that belonged to her?

ka-cha.

Shen Xi's eyes widened the moment the casket's lid was lifted. She picked up the topmost photo and stared at it for a very long time.

"It's your wedding photo. Su Hang mentioned that they took so many photos that day, each one with you pretending to be happy, but that's the only photo that showed you genuinely laughing." Li QingYuan said.

Because they rushed the wedding preparations, the wedding photos could only be taken in the suburbs of S City. At the time Shen Xi and Su Hang hadn't been familiar with each other yet, so when taking the photos, they were both just forcing their smiles and pretending to be happy.

She remembered the moment the photo in her hands was shot. A pine cone fell from the camphor tree beside her. A cute little squirrel slipped down from the tree and crawled towards the pine cone, holding it in its arms like a treasure. This lovely appearance was amusing to her.

Putting down the photo, Shen Xi looked at the familiar gift box inside. She didn't need to open the gift box to know its contents. "That's the wedding gifts you sent back to him. He didn't want to part with any of them." Li QingYuan couldn't help but scold, "The fool."

Didn't want to part with any of it? She had always thought that he didn't like any of it.

Shen Xi picked up the last item in the box. It was an old rabbit soft-toy, washed clean and obviously cared for, despite its aged appearance. She didn't know why, but Shen Xi felt an inexplicable familiarity.

"Does it look familiar?" Li QingYuan asked.

Shen Xi blinked, then looked up towards him: "This is?"

"It was given to Su Hang by the person he liked. He carried it with him for 20 years, right until he married her." Li QingYuan bitterly smiled, "So I figured he would want to carry it with him as he moves on."

"Married her?" Shen Xi failed to react.

"He never told you, but he had always loved you." Li QingYuan said, "Otherwise, why would he bear the pressure from all the shareholders and lend 3 billion to your father?"

"I...I don't know." Shen Xi clutched the rabbit doll tightly, her knuckles turning white.

"Sister-in-law, I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just that this guy liked you for so long. Now that he's gone, I just wanted to tell you for him. You probably wouldn't feel more grief with this knowledge anyway."

"Then why didn't he tell me?"

"Yeah, I wonder the same thing."

The reproach that colored Li QingYuan's tone startled Shen Xi. It had only been half a year since she divorced Su Hang, three months since his death, and a fraction of a second since she found that the person Su Hang had always like was her.

pa-ta.

A drop of water fell onto the casket. Shen Xi raised her head and looked at the clear sky, wondering: "It's raining?"

Boom!

Great thunder suddenly rumbled, followed by a serpentine lightning bolt flashing through the sky, its dazzling light streaking the blue sky.

"Shen Xi it's raining outside, don't stand so close to the window."

Suddenly, the familiar voice made Shen Xi turn around. Not far from her was Su Hang, wearing his wedding suit, and looking at her with his brows furrowed.

"Su Hang?" Shen Xi asked with uncertainty.

Su Hang walked towards her, raised his hand, and closed the floor-to-ceiling window that led to the balcony. He then closed the curtains, blocking the rain and thunder.

"The weather's turned cold, and you're still wearing your dress. With such strong winds, it's easy to catch a cold." Su Hang turned and admonished.

Shen Xi looked down and saw that she was wearing a pale pink low-cut evening gown. It was a dress DF's Gao Ding tailored himself in just ten days for her wedding.

"Today is our wedding day?" Shen Xi was still in disbelief.

"Shen Xi, we're already married. Even if you don't want to believe it, you're not allowed to regret it." Su Hang muttered to himself for a moment, then answered Shen Xi's seemingly indifferent question.

Yes, the heavy rain and loud thunder, this familiar setting, how could she forget?

It's just that a few moments ago, I was definitely still in the middle of attending your funeral.

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