Capital Military Compound
“Baby…”
The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his slender, well-defined fingers gently tracing her brows and eyes before sliding down to her cheeks.
The next moment, kisses rained down upon her face like a storm.
His palm, calloused yet tender, brushed over her delicate skin, sending shivers coursing through her body.
An urgent, domineering voice whispered in her ear:
“Baby, I want you~”
After speaking, warm kisses continued to fall.
“Baby, say you love me.”
“Baby…”
“Mommy, Mommy is a big sleepyhead, wake up!” Shen Zhaoning was jolted awake from her sleep by rapid knocking and a childish voice.
She frowned, instinctively pulling the blanket over her head in an attempt to block out the piercing little voice.
Five years.
She still dreamed of him, and of that kind of dream, no less.
She rubbed her throbbing temples, the lingering warmth of the dream still fresh in her mind.
However, the little one outside the door showed no signs of giving up. The knocking not only persisted but grew more rhythmic:
“Mommy, if you don’t get up now, my brother and I will be late for school!”
Shen Zhaoning jolted fully awake.
Today was her two precious sons’ first day of school, and she had completely forgotten.
Shen Zhaoning immediately threw off the covers and sat up.
“Duole, stop knocking, Mommy’s getting up!”
She raised her voice to respond to the little one outside the door while slipping on her slippers and heading toward the door.
With a click, the door opened.
A little boy of about four stood blocking the doorway, hands on his hips, wearing a white T-shirt printed with a green dinosaur and apricot-colored overall shorts.
He tried to maintain a serious expression, but the stubborn cowlicks sticking up from his head instantly gave him away, making his “little adult” act both comical and adorable.
“Mommy is being unreasonable, sleeping in like this. My brother and I have been waiting for you to have breakfast.”
Duole even raised his wrist solemnly, checking his smartwatch. “If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late for school.”
Last night, she had stayed up until past one in the morning, working on a complete jewelry design for a client.
Shen Zhaoning crouched down, unable to suppress a smile as she tried to smooth his cowlicks. “Give Mommy ten minutes to get dressed, then I’ll come downstairs, okay?”
Duole gave an ‘OK’ sign before turning and scampering down the stairs.
Shen Zhaoning stood up and hurried into the bathroom to freshen up.
She quickly changed into a neatly tailored aqua-blue dress, applied light makeup to hide her tiredness, grabbed her bag, and rushed downstairs.
Downstairs in the dining room, the whole family was having breakfast.
Seeing Shen Zhaoning, Duole’s clear voice rang out first. “Mommy, come have breakfast!”
“Okay.”
She walked to her usual seat, where an exquisite breakfast was already laid out.
“Zhaozhao, did you stay up late again working on designs last night? You have dark circles under your eyes.” Xie Yunshu examined her daughter’s face carefully.
“Mom, I’m fine. I have a business trip to Shanghai tomorrow, so I wanted to finish quickly.”
Shen Zhaoning smiled as she sat down, picking up a piece of toast and taking a bite. The bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the aroma of butter instantly dispelling her morning fatigue.
“You silly child, no matter how important work is, you still need to take care of your health.” Shen Ze chimed in, his tone carrying a hint of reproach but unable to conceal his concern.
“I know, Dad.”
“How many days will you be away on your business trip to Shanghai?” Xie Yunshu asked.
Shen Zhaoning thought carefully. “About five days. Wilder has a new product launch the day after tomorrow. The company staff have already prepared everything there. I’ll attend the event and also finalize the renovation details for the branch office.”
Wilder was the fashion jewelry brand Shen Zhaoning had founded four years ago.
It followed a high-end positioning, known for its unique blend of wildness and elegance. Endorsed by a top-tier female celebrity, it had been featured in international jewelry magazines. Within just a few years, it had become a trend eagerly pursued by wealthy socialites.
“Mom, can my brother and I go too?” Duole asked. As soon as he finished speaking, Duomi also looked up at Shen Zhaoning with an expectant expression.
Shen Zhaoning turned to her two sons and said gently, “My darlings, Mommy is going for work. You need to go to school obediently and study hard, okay?”
Duole blinked his big eyes. “Mom, then you have to remember to call my brother and me every day.”
“Okay.” Shen Zhaoning patted his head.
She then looked at Duomi, who resembled that person like a copy, and felt a slight daze as she recalled this morning’s dream.
“Duomi, keep an eye on your little brother while I’m away. Don’t let him eat too many snacks, don’t let him play video games, and make sure he goes to bed on time, okay?”
Since childhood, Duole had been a troublesome little rascal—climbing onto roofs to remove tiles, wading into rivers to catch fish—never able to stay still for a moment.
In contrast, Duomi was very much like her eldest brother, carrying a steadiness in his bones that didn’t match his age, like a serious little adult.
But miraculously, Duole, who usually feared nothing and no one, only obeyed Duomi without question.
Whenever Duomi frowned, Duole would immediately retract all his prickliness and stand there obediently—perhaps this was the natural dominance inherent in their bloodline.
Although Duomi was also reluctant to see his mother go, he nodded sensibly. “Don’t worry, Mom! I’ll definitely keep a good eye on my brother.”
Shen Chengjin had remained silent all along, just listening quietly. Only now did he slowly speak up. “Little sister, don’t worry about the two children. We’re here.”
“Thank you, Dad, Mom, and thank you, Brother.” Shen Zhaoning felt a warmth in her heart.
She knew that this loving family would always be her strongest support, just like when she had gone against her family’s wishes to pursue her dreams in the UK years ago.
Later, when she returned to China and was determined to have the children, her family had always been there to back her up.
Shen Zhaoning was born into a military and political family, with everyone in the family serving in government, military, or state institutions.
Her great-grandfather was a founding figure. Her grandfather, Shen Junxiao, was an only child who had held the position of general in the military. Although he had retired a few years ago, his influence and connections remained.
Her grandmother, Xiao Wanqin, had been a military doctor and had served as the head of the Capital Military District Hospital.
Shen Junxiao and Xiao Wanqin had three sons. The eldest, Shen Yi, was currently the deputy commander of the military district. He was married to Song Zhiyun, a professor at Capital University who had recently been transferred to serve as the secretary of the Capital Education Department.
They had a son, Shen Cheng’an, who was three years older than Shen Zhaoning and her siblings and worked as a surgeon at Capital First Hospital.
The second son, Shen Ze, was currently the secretary of the Capital Municipal Party Committee. He was married to Xie Yunshu, who served as the chairperson of the Capital Art Association while also holding the position of dean of the Fine Arts Department at Capital University.
They had triplets, two sons and one daughter, now twenty-five years old. The eldest son, Shen Chengjin, followed in Shen Ze’s footsteps into politics and currently holds a deputy section-level position. The second son, Shen Chengyu, attended a military academy and is now a captain. The youngest daughter is Shen Zhaoning, the only girl in the Shen family for several generations.
The third son, Shen Chen, retired from the military due to injury and transitioned into business. He possesses considerable entrepreneurial talent, and the company he now runs ranks among the top-tier corporations of the Shen family in the capital.
His wife, during her pregnancy, received news that Shen Chen might have died in action while on a mission. The devastating news caused her severe distress, ultimately leading to a difficult childbirth where neither she nor the unborn child survived.
Shen Chen had fallen into the sea during his mission but was rescued. Deeply devoted to his late wife, he remained unmarried even into his forties.
Shen Zhaoning grew up doted on by everyone and excelled academically. During the college entrance examination, she achieved outstanding results, with top universities vying to admit her.
However, Shen Zhaoning had secretly applied to a university in the UK without telling anyone.
When she presented the Royal College of Art (RCA) admission letter to her family, Shen Ze and Xie Yunshu were furious. They had long paved a clear path for her.
Shen Ze wanted her to attend Capital University, which was close to home, especially since both Xie Yunshu and Song Zhiyun taught there.
Shen Zhaoning had always followed her family’s wishes and adhered to their plans, but this time, she wanted to pursue her own passion.
She loved jewelry design, and RCA was a top-tier design institution. She aspired to create exceptional works.
Shen Ze eventually agreed but set a condition: since Shen Zhaoning refused to follow the family’s plan, she should not rely on the family’s support.
During her studies abroad, they would only cover her tuition and provide a monthly allowance of a few thousand yuan.
For a young lady accustomed to luxury, this was far from enough. Shen Zhaoning had grown up wearing high-end brands, where a few thousand yuan wouldn’t even cover half the cost of her usual attire.
His intention was clearly to make Shen Zhaoning back down.
Unexpectedly, Shen Zhaoning had her own pride. She understood her father’s message: if she didn’t want her future dictated by the family, she shouldn’t benefit from the privileges the family provided.
Without hesitation, she agreed to the terms and ultimately set off alone for the UK.