Since that day, the relationship between Shen Jiyuan and Shi Qing had unconsciously settled into a very peculiar state.
That afternoon, after things ended, Shi Qing let Shen Jiyuan use the bathroom to freshen up.
When Shen Jiyuan came out of the bathroom, a complete new outfit had already been laid out at the door. While getting ready, he heard a knock at the door, and upon stepping out, he noticed that the dining table had been set with food delivered from a high-end restaurant.
Shi Qing was sitting by the window, talking on the phone. It sounded business-related. She leaned lazily against the chair, staring at her nails with a bored expression.
Shen Jiyuan froze.
He recognized a few familiar engineering project names in her conversation. Doing the mental math, he realized what work Shi Qing was handling. The collaboration between the Shen family and the An family wasn’t new; many aspects of their work overlapped.
Shi Qing didn’t avoid him, so he didn’t leave. He stood silently, watching her.
Shen Jiyuan had long noticed Shi Qing’s strong abilities. Even during occasional encounters at work, her iron-handed methods always kept his gaze fixed.
Shen Jiyuan himself had been outstanding since childhood—calm, disciplined, principled, dedicated to work—and always the most exceptional among his peers.
He had always carried a quiet sense of superiority.
It wasn’t that he looked down on others. But when praised or envied, he always felt a subtle “so what?” attitude, coldly accepting others’ admiration or jealousy.
For him, this kind of excellence was normal, ordinary.
He found it odd that others could constantly mess up such simple things.
Being naturally outstanding and aloof, he was like a thin membrane separating his emotions from others’, unable to empathize with ordinary people.
Shen Jiyuan had assumed this was a natural flaw of his personality—until he met someone who could suppress and surpass him. Only then was that emotional barrier suddenly pierced.
At work, observing Shi Qing again and again, he finally realized that it wasn’t that he couldn’t perceive others’ emotions—it was his own pride, born of excellence, that made him habitually disregard those beneath him.
And now, this habit caused him to look up at Shi Qing.
If he were on equal footing with her, could he outperform her? The answer was no.
Part of his excellence stemmed from his far superior family background.
Shi Qing’s company, however, was essentially self-made. Within a few years, it had grown at a terrifying speed, forming her own business empire.
He had to admit: Shi Qing was the most outstanding person he had ever seen.
A person composed of pride, excellence, arrogance, and admiration for strength—when he first encountered someone worthy of looking up to, even if that initial meeting felt like a nightmare, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her abilities and charisma, unconsciously moving closer to her, unable to disobey her commands.
Shen Jiyuan sensed that Shi Qing’s abilities were not limited to her current position against the Shen family; she could achieve even more.
He watched Shi Qing as she spoke on the phone. She seemed to sense him and lazily raised her gaze, locking her eyes on him.
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her. She looked at him.
“I ordered food for you,” she said, still holding the phone, though clearly speaking to him. “Why aren’t you eating?”
Shen Jiyuan’s heart pounded wildly. He even felt a little sympathy for the person on the other end of her call.
Shi Qing was strict at work. Subordinates respected and feared her, and suddenly hearing this inexplicable statement probably left them more flustered than confused.
But who would have thought? This was said to him, not them.
He froze in place. Shi Qing seemed to sense his emotions. After a brief, silent gaze, she sighed and hung up the phone. “I’ll eat with you, alright?”
Shen Jiyuan didn’t say a word, but his heart raced faster.
He didn’t resist as Shi Qing led him to the table.
He knew how busy she was, yet she set aside work just for him, so he could eat properly.
In the past, he hadn’t understood this gesture, but now, being treated this way, he suddenly realized its charm.
His attitude softened completely, losing all rigidity from before.
After a meal eaten in quiet contemplation, he finally confessed a little of his inner thoughts to Shi Qing.
“…This isn’t proper.”
His hand, resting on his trousers, subconsciously rubbed the fabric. Under Shi Qing’s gaze, his heart raced like a startled deer, requiring immense courage to speak.
They had only just met… and yet… like that.
He couldn’t bring himself to say it, his face gradually flushing.
Yesterday had already been like that, and today… every time they met, she would tease him. Each time, he thought it was the limit, yet the next time, Shi Qing would always surprise him further, do something even more audacious.
“It’s broad daylight today, and you…”
He dared not meet her eyes, staring at his fingertips, feeling his racing heartbeat. Without looking, he knew how disheveled he appeared, his face completely red.
Still on the sofa… is this appropriate?
He couldn’t accept it. At least it should be on the bed.
He didn’t say this aloud, but Shi Qing understood.
Her smiling voice sounded across the table, “If not during the day, does that mean… at night it’s okay?”
Shen Jiyuan’s eyes reddened slightly. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth, stood up, and replied evasively, “Shen Shu’s kindergarten should be letting out soon. I should go pick him up.”
Shi Qing didn’t press him to answer. Wiping her mouth, she also stood up. “I’ll take you.”
From that day on, their relationship changed.
Their messages were no longer limited to matters concerning the child. When picking up or dropping off Shen Shu, Shen Jiyuan no longer avoided her, walking silently by her side. Shi Qing would sometimes take him out alone for meals.
Even Shen Shu noticed. Sometimes Shen Jiyuan wouldn’t return home overnight, carrying a scent of perfume not his own.
Yet Shen Shu, obedient and understanding, didn’t cry or sulk that his father’s time was being shared. Instead, he eagerly anticipated them being together.
Shi Qing would sometimes escort him to the company. Rumors circulated—everyone said the An family CEO and young Mr. Shen’s relationship was unusual, that they were already together. Shen Jiyuan didn’t stop these rumors from spreading.
Shi Qing invited him out, or on dates, or to stay over.
He never initiated.
But he never refused.
A person who had been abstinent for over twenty years, once indulging, found it addictive.
Shen Jiyuan admitted he gradually began to enjoy being with Shi Qing.
Except for the first time, Shi Qing was always considerate and gentle. Though sometimes assertive, these little thrills made his heart race.
He sometimes wondered if that first time happened because he had been too cold, angering Shi Qing into forcing him. Usually, she was gentle.
Shi Qing respected his feelings, knew what frightened him, and never pushed things beyond his comfort zone.
Even so, Shen Jiyuan couldn’t extricate himself.
The time entwined with Shi Qing was happiness he had never experienced, a dreamlike six months.
He used to fear Shi Qing’s home, but now he was familiar with it. Even the electronic door lock recognized his fingerprint.
Shi Qing’s bed smelled of her; her long hair, her scent—he could recognize it even with his eyes closed. Being enveloped in this aura gave him a sense of security.
Sometimes, waking up in the middle of the night to see the graceful curve of her snow-white back, he felt happiness.
After the child was born, Shen Jiyuan no longer consciously planned the future—certainly not following his parents’ expectations of marriage and children in sequence. His life had been off-track for years, ever since the pregnancy abroad.
Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, he had returned to the person who started it all.
With reverence, he pressed a kiss to Shi Qing’s shoulder, tracing the scratch marks he had unintentionally left on her back with obsession.
Shi Qing turned, holding him close in her embrace.
Being enveloped by her scent was utterly intoxicating. Shen Jiyuan closed his eyes, feeling that nothing more needed to be said. He wished for this life to continue.
He even thought that it wouldn’t be so bad if it went on like this forever.
Shen Shu liked Shi Qing very much, and Shi Qing clearly liked the child too. The An Group was growing ever larger, and their families were well-matched socially—there would be no obstacles. In everyone else’s eyes, they were already a perfect pair.
Everything seemed to fall into place naturally.
Deep down, he was still a traditional man. With their relationship having reached this point, he began to think about the future.
At least the two of them… no, the three of them with the child, should form a family, right?
But in the half-year they had been together, Shi Qing never mentioned it.
Shen Jiyuan believed Shi Qing liked him. She was always gentle and obliging toward him—how could she not love him? Yet he still couldn’t be entirely sure, which left him uneasy.
Shen Shu had entered the upper class in kindergarten, and one day, the teacher announced that the children needed to submit a family portrait.
Rarely, Shen Jiyuan didn’t ask Shen Shu to call Shi Qing; instead, he sent a message to her himself:
[Shen Shu’s school requires a family photo.]
He only sent this cryptic message, and Shi Qing replied quickly.
[Which day?]
A few days later, on a bright spring afternoon, they took their first photo together.
The photo turned out beautifully—after all, all three of them were quite good-looking.
Once the photo session ended, Shen Shu ran off with the photographer and the staff to the other side of the garden, claiming he needed to take homework photos and look for spring butterflies. The previously busy location quickly fell silent, leaving only Shen Jiyuan and Shi Qing alone.
Shen Jiyuan gazed at the garden, unsure what to say. After a long silence, he noticed that Shi Qing hadn’t spoken to him either.
Turning his head, he saw Shi Qing fiddling with her phone. He forgot what he was about to say and curiously asked, “What are you doing?”
Without raising her head, Shi Qing replied, “Looking at the photos from just now. They turned out really well.”
Do a few photos really require this much attention?
Shen Jiyuan was puzzled, but his curiosity got the better of him. He peeked at her phone and saw that her usual sun avatar in the chat app had been changed.
She was trying to set the recently taken family photo as her chat avatar.
Shen Jiyuan panicked, “What are you doing?!”
“What’s wrong?” Shi Qing looked at him innocently. “I think it looks great.”
Shen Jiyuan felt his face burn, his eyes reddening with embarrassment. “No! You can’t use it like that! Change it back!”
He couldn’t imagine what the people in the business world would say if they saw this—it was too humiliating. He absolutely couldn’t accept it!
“Alright then.”
Shi Qing reluctantly changed the photo back.
Her temper was usually very good, and she always accommodated Shen Jiyuan’s little requests.
Her avatar returned to the familiar sun. Seeing this, Shen Jiyuan finally exhaled, though the heat on his face hadn’t faded.
Seeing him looking so flustered and embarrassed, Shi Qing’s fingers twitched. Suddenly wanting to tease him, she spoke:
“Shen Jiyuan, do you know when this photo was taken?”
She was referring to the sun in the sky.
Shen Jiyuan lowered his lashes, confused, looking at her. Shi Qing’s fingers lazily brushed over his Adam’s apple as she lowered her voice.
“It was four years ago, that night in H City. The next morning, when I left the hotel, it was taken.”
Shen Jiyuan froze, blinking repeatedly, staring at her.
“After that night, I never forgot you.”
Shi Qing narrowed her eyes slightly. Her black pupils, glimmering like polished black stones in the sunlight, shone with the light of a hunter.
“Do you know? From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you.”
Shen Jiyuan felt like he was losing his mind. Hearing Shi Qing say this, his heart raced uncontrollably, and he couldn’t look away from her.
The photo taken after leaving the hotel had never been changed.
The avatar he had secretly glimpsed all along actually contained the hidden meaning of their relationship. She had never forgotten him…
Shen Jiyuan didn’t know what he was thinking anymore.
That day, he didn’t say anything more to Shi Qing. He didn’t try to test her feelings either. After sending her off, he locked himself in the study.
He sat alone for a long time.
Until nightfall, he finally took out his phone and called someone he hadn’t contacted in a long time.
“Shen Jiyuan, do you know what time it is…? Why are you suddenly calling me…”
Shen Jiyuan interrupted before the other side could finish complaining.
“Cheng Xiang,” he said calmly. “Is there a contraceptive pill that can prevent men from getting pregnant? Prescribe me some.”
“I’ll get it tomorrow. I need it.”