There was a small park near the company—the same place where Shi ying had first met Shang Chenyan on the day of her interview. After lunch, she brought Shang Nian there for a walk.
Wrapped in a fluffy scarf, Shang Nian buried most of her tiny face inside it, leaving only a pair of bright eyes exposed as she curiously looked around.
Holding her hand, Shi ying asked softly, “Have you been here before, Nian Nian?”
Shang Nian shook her head.
The park wasn’t crowded at noon. A few elderly people sat around small tables playing cards, while several children kicked a soccer ball nearby, their noisy chatter filling the air with a warm sense of everyday life.
Shi ying sat down on a bench with Shang Nian in her arms. Her coat was unzipped, so Shang Nian instinctively burrowed into her embrace. Smiling, Shi ying wrapped her coat around the little girl.
“Are you cold?”
Shang Nian shook her head and tilted her small face up to look at her.
Shi ying felt her heart melt.
Those big eyes, that tiny mouth, that delicate nose—when she grew up, she would definitely become a stunning beauty.
“When I was little, I used to play in the park near my house all the time too,” Shi ying said softly, as if remembering something. “I’d run around until I was drenched in sweat. My dad would drag me home and I still wouldn’t leave.”
Her expression dimmed slightly.
Shang Nian tugged gently at her fingertip and pointed toward the group of children playing soccer.
Shi ying lowered her head. “You want to go play too?”
Shang Nian nodded immediately, her eyes sparkling.
Shi ying hesitated.
Shang Nian’s situation was different from other children. And judging from how she was now, Shang Chenyan had probably protected her carefully ever since she was little, leaving her with almost no interaction with children her age.
Shi ying couldn’t help worrying.
What if Shang Nian tripped or got hurt? What if Shang Chenyan blamed her for it?
When Shang Nian saw that she wasn’t responding, the light in her eyes slowly faded.
She lowered her head quietly without throwing a tantrum, obediently leaning against Shi ying while watching the children in the distance with obvious envy.
Shi ying couldn’t stand that pitiful look.
After thinking for a moment, she placed Shang Nian on the bench.
“Nian Nian, wait here for me for a little while, okay?”
Shang Nian nodded obediently.
Shi ying jogged over to the group of children and took out the milk candies she had brought with her that morning, handing them out one by one.
From the bench, Shang Nian watched as Shi ying crouched in front of the children and said something to them. Soon after, the children all came running over enthusiastically, inviting her to play together.
Returning to her side, Shi ying gently rubbed her head.
“Go on. Big Sister already bribed them for you. They’ll play nicely with you.”
Shang Nian’s eyes instantly lit up. She jumped off the bench and ran over with quick little steps.
Shi ying sat there watching the children run wildly all over the park.
“Shi ying ?”
A familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
The moment Shi ying looked up, she saw Shang Yu.
Shang Yu looked equally surprised. His gaze shifted back and forth between Shi ying and Shang Nian in the distance.
“Well, this is new. Did my uncle ask you to bring Shang Nian out?” He casually sat down beside her as though they were already close friends.
Shi ying nodded. “Why are you here?”
Leaning lazily against the back of the bench, Shang Yu crossed his long legs.
“I was just passing by. Thought I saw Shang Nian, so I came over to check.”
“Turns out it really was her.” He looked curious. “My little cousin has always been pretty withdrawn. I’m surprised she’d actually come out to play with you.”
Shi ying didn’t like the word “withdrawn.”
In her opinion, Shang Nian simply couldn’t speak, and Shang Chenyan had protected her too carefully, so she lacked opportunities to interact with the outside world.
But Shang Nian clearly wanted friends her age.
Just looking at her now was proof enough.
“Shang Nian isn’t withdrawn,” Shi ying said seriously. “She just hasn’t had the chance to make friends.”
Shang Yu shrugged noncommittally.
“My uncle treats her like the apple of his eye. Because she can’t speak, he never sent her to school. He only hires teachers to teach her at home.”
Then he glanced at her teasingly. “But secretaries help take care of kids too?”
Shi ying sighed dramatically. “Corporate slaves have to do everything.”
Shang Yu burst out laughing. Pulling out his phone, he asked, “Want to exchange contact info?”
Shi ying nearly exploded with happiness.
Before this, Shang Nian had already given her Shang Yu’s contact information, but she’d never dared to add him herself.
For an introvert like her, initiating contact first was practically social death.
Now that Shang Yu had offered first, she immediately pulled out her phone and happily exchanged contacts with him, smiling in complete satisfaction.
The two chatted casually for a while. After Shang Nian got tired from playing, she ran back and threw herself at Shi ying , hugging her legs tightly.
Shi ying used a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then hurriedly wrapped the scarf around her again.
“Look how sweaty you are. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Shang Yu grabbed Shang Nian lightly by the back of her collar.
“Didn’t even notice me?”
Shang Nian blinked at him a couple of times in greeting.
“Shang Nian, do you want candy?” Shi ying loved sweets herself and always carried milk candies with her. She took out the last two pieces she had left and handed them over.
“I want one too.” Shang Yu plucked one candy straight from her palm and tossed it into his mouth without the slightest bit of politeness.
Shang Nian reacted instantly, snatching up the final candy and glaring at him angrily.
Shang Yu laughed. “So stingy. Since I ate your candy, Cousin will go buy you something warm to drink.”
There was a milk tea shop near the park. While Shang Yu went to buy drinks, Shi ying lifted Shang Nian onto the bench and asked gently,
“Did you have fun today?”
Shang Nian nodded immediately.
“If you want to play with other kids again next time, you can tell your dad directly,” Shi ying said softly. “Your dad treasures you so much. You should communicate your thoughts to him more often instead of keeping everything bottled up inside, okay?”
Pouting slightly, Shang Nian seemed to think seriously about it for a moment before nodding firmly.
Shi ying smiled and rubbed her head.
“Our Shang Nian is so good.”
When Shang Chenyan arrived, he immediately spotted the two figures sitting together on the bench from afar.
The warm winter sunlight filtered through the bare branches overhead, scattering across Shi ying ’s body in broken patches of light. She wore a pink coat, her hair loosely tied behind her head. The smile on her face was gentle and sweet—brighter than the sunlight itself.
Shang Nian curled up in her arms, both little arms wrapped tightly around her waist as though afraid she might disappear.
A breeze swept through the dry branches overhead, casting shifting shadows over the two of them.
Without realizing it, Shang Chenyan slowed to a stop.
He couldn’t bear to ruin the scene before him.
This ordinary little moment was something he had waited five whole years for.
He stood there watching them for a long time before finally preparing to walk over.
But before he could take a step, he saw Shang Yu jogging back over with two cups of hot milk tea in his hands.
Standing in front of the bench, Shang Yu handed one cup to each of them. Shi ying tilted her head up, smiling as she said something to him.
Shang Chenyan’s gaze instantly darkened.
The hand hanging at his side clenched tightly into a fist. His knuckles turned pale from the force, fingertips digging deeply into his palm.
He knew it.
He should’ve sent Shang Yu to Africa a long time ago.