My Ex-Husband Has Gone Mad

Shen Yanci, head of the Shen family’s capital group, is known as “Second Master Shen.” With his gold-rimmed glasses, gentle manner, and smile like a spring breeze, no one suspects that his obsession has become an illness. He has loved Su Wan ever since they first met beneath an osmanthus tree when she was eight. But his love is a cage: tracking her whereabouts, blocking her career, making every decision for her, and turning a gifted Chinese literature student into a puppet on strings.

Su Wan endured it for three years. Then she came across the weekly reports his assistant sent him: “Monday, met Jiang Tang at a café; Wednesday, went to the mall; Friday, stayed home.” She finally snapped. “You don’t love me. You love having a puppet on strings!” She left with nothing and started selling goods from a street stall in a residential neighborhood, paying just 800 yuan in monthly rent. She made handmade scented candles, and three years later, founded the “Evening Breeze” brand and became the dynamic General Manager Su.

Shen Yanci panicked. He snapped the string of the Buddhist beads his grandmother had given him on her deathbed, then crouched down and picked up the beads one by one, expressionless. She returned his flowers and rejected his investment proposal. Her note read: “I have enough money, and I need you even less.” His therapist told him, “When you feel the urge to control her, write it down. Don’t act on it.” He filled an entire notebook: “Day 87. She’s doing well. I didn’t ask too many questions.” “Day 0 of pursuing her. From today on, I’ll pursue myself.” After 200 days, he finally learned that love wasn’t about standing in front of her, but standing by her side.

The scent of osmanthus cakes never faded. The beads were restrung, and the candle scents went from “Old Flame” to “Evening Breeze” to “Reunion.” When Shen Yanci stopped controlling her and stopped pursuing her, simply standing quietly where she could see him, Su Wan bit her lip. “Fine. I choose you.” He smiled. For the first time, he had no need to turn the beads.