While the two were drawing together, there was suddenly a knock on the door.
Shang Chenyán pushed the door open and stood outside. “Come downstairs and eat. It’s getting late, and it’ll be troublesome for you to go back and cook.”
As if on cue, Shí Yíng’s stomach growled twice.
Her face turned red, and she instinctively picked up the sketchbook to cover herself.
A faint smile appeared in Shang Chenyán’s eyes. He walked in and said to the two of them, “Go wash your hands.”
“Oh.”
Shí Yíng held Shang Niàn’s hand and went into the bathroom. Warm water flowed over her fingers. Looking at the reflection of the two of them in the mirror, she suddenly felt that Shang Niàn’s eyes looked a lot like hers.
Both were round, deer-like eyes, and even their lip shapes were somewhat similar.
She frowned. Could it be that she looked very much like the girl’s mother?
So that was why Shang Niàn had hugged her and called her “Mom” the moment she saw her, refusing to let go.
And that was why Shang Chenyán treated her so well.
Shí Yíng stared blankly at the mirror until her clothes were tugged.
She lowered her head and saw Shang Niàn had already dried her hands and was standing obediently beside her, looking up at her.
Shí Yíng crouched down to meet her gaze. “Niànniàn, do I look a lot like your mom?”
Shang Niàn shook her head.
She wanted to say: it’s not that you look like her—you are Mom.
But Shí Yíng thought she was denying it and felt relieved.
She liked this pretty, well-behaved little girl and sympathized with her being unable to speak at five years old, but that didn’t mean she wanted to get involved in some melodramatic “first love” or “white moonlight substitute” story with this father and daughter.
She had something important to do.
Thinking of that, Shí Yíng slapped her forehead. Being distracted by the two of them had almost made her forget her mission.
“Niànniàn, do you have a cousin named Shang Yù?”
Shang Niàn nodded.
Shí Yíng felt a bit guilty, but she really wanted to complete her mission as soon as possible. She only had one month in real time for this task—roughly equivalent to a year in this world.
Time was tight, and the mission urgent. She needed that one million reward.
“Do you have his contact information?” Shí Yíng asked gently, trying to think of a better excuse.
But before she could come up with one, Shang Niàn pulled her outside, grabbed a phone from the desk, fiddled with it, and handed it to her.
On the screen was Shang Yù’s messaging account.
Shí Yíng quickly memorized it and hugged Shang Niàn, giving her a kiss. “Niànniàn, you’re amazing.”
Shang Niàn blinked, her cheeks turning red, and buried her face in Shí Yíng’s arms again.
Would giving her cousin’s contact information make Mom happy?
Shang Niàn thought about it, then pulled up Shang Yù’s email, phone number, and even his home address.
Shí Yíng: “……”
That was really not necessary.
She was socially anxious—if she could message, she would never call.
There was another knock on the door.
Shang Chenyán looked at them in confusion. “Why aren’t you coming down?”
“We’re coming!” Shí Yíng quickly put the phone away, picked up Shang Niàn, and ran out.
Shang Chenyán’s gaze lingered between their similar faces, but he said nothing. He took the child from her arms and went downstairs ahead of her.
Downstairs, several simple home-cooked dishes were already laid out on the table. Shí Yíng stretched her neck to look toward the kitchen but didn’t see any housekeeper. Could it be that he made the food himself?
Shang Chenyán pulled out a chair for her. “Sit.”
Shí Yíng sat down, flattered. It was her first time eating with her boss, and she was so nervous she didn’t know where to put her hands.
Shang Chenyán chuckled softly and sat across from her. “No need to be nervous. Just treat it like your own home.”
“Okay, okay…”
“Want something to drink?” Shang Chenyán poured her a glass of red wine.
Shí Yíng instinctively reached out to take it. “Thank you, President Shang.”
She focused on eating. After one bite of the beef, her eyes lit up in delight. “This is so good.”
“If you like it, eat more.” Shang Chenyán used serving chopsticks to place more food on her plate. “As long as you like it.”
Shí Yíng rolled her eyes playfully. “Did you make this, President Shang?”
“Mm.”
“You can cook too?”
Shang Chenyán paused slightly, and a clear female voice echoed in his mind:
“Shang Chenyán, I can’t cook. After we get married, you’ll have to cook.”
“You cook so well. You’ll have to make food for me every day after we’re married.”
His grip on the chopsticks tightened, veins appearing on the back of his hand. He gave a faint, bitter smile. “Mm.”
Sensing something off in his mood, Shí Yíng quickly lowered her head and focused on eating, not saying anything more.
Half an hour later, she let out an ungraceful burp and slumped back in her chair.
A cup of hot tea was placed in front of her. She looked up and met Shang Chenyán’s handsome face.
“It helps digestion.”
“Thank you.” She took a few sips—it was sweet, though she didn’t know what it was.
She pushed herself up from the table. “It’s getting late. I should go home.”
At once, Shang Niàn grabbed the corner of her clothes.
Shang Chenyán glanced outside. “Mm, it is late.”
“But it’s not easy to get a car here. I’ll have the driver take you home.”
Shang Niàn pouted unhappily and glared at him.
Ignoring her, he walked to the window and made a phone call.
Shí Yíng didn’t hear what he said, but she saw him frown, a hint of displeasure on his face.
A few minutes later, he came back apologetically. “The driver is off work and has something to deal with. He can’t make it in time.”
“Then…”
“I’ll drive you,” Shang Chenyán said, picking up his keys.
Shí Yíng quickly pressed her hand over his. “President Shang, you’ve been drinking.”
Shang Chenyán seemed a bit slow to react. “Seems like I have…”
Seeing him like this, she didn’t dare let him drive. Was he drunk?
Her soft, cool hand resting on the back of his hand made his entire body ache, his blood surging wildly.
“Then you’ll have to stay here for the night,” he said, his throat tightening. “This place is remote and hard to get a car. Stay here tonight, and the driver will take you back tomorrow morning. It’s Friday anyway—I’ll give you a day off. Come back next week.”
Shí Yíng hesitated, but after thinking about it, staying one night in a luxury villa and getting a free day off wasn’t a bad deal.
Besides, he had a wife and child—he wouldn’t have any improper intentions toward her. She felt safe.
She nodded without much hesitation. “Thank you, President Shang.”
Shang Niàn, who had been listening quietly, immediately brightened and stood on tiptoe to hold her hand once she heard Shí Yíng would stay.
The two ran upstairs again. Even from where he stood, Shang Chenyán could hear the faint sound of her laughter.
His tall figure was reflected in the glass window, and he saw a trace of softness appear on his otherwise expressionless face.
He could hear his heart, silent for five years, beating wildly again.
This villa had been designed by the two of them five years ago.
Every plant in the yard had been planted together.
For five years, he had stayed here, as if guarding their shared memories.
But time erases everything. The flowers she planted would wither. The traces she left behind would fade.
Her existence was becoming more and more faint.
Day after day, he faced the empty villa, his heart slowly shattering.
Fortunately, before everything disappeared—
She came back.