Fan Qiaolan, flattered by Shen Wentao’s praise, looked quite pleased with herself.
“Of course. I’m nothing like your former wife—always putting on the airs of a spoiled young lady, knowing nothing of a woman’s proper duties. So old-fashioned, full of rules and propriety, never even knowing how to take care of you. It’s a new society now. Who would tolerate someone like her? But me—I think only of you. Anything that’s good for you, I’m willing to do.”
Fan Qiaolan was almost thirty, and this delicate, coquettish demeanor was exactly what he liked.
Back then, he had genuinely liked Nan Lingyi too—but she had always been far above him.
Though she was beautiful, she was like an unattainable princess.
He had gone through great lengths to marry Nan Lingyi, not minding the trouble her capitalist family background brought him, partly because of some vague desire he never dared articulate.
But later, the moon that had once been high in the sky fell to the ground and turned to rubble. His pure white moonlight became nothing more than a grain of rice.
He had married Nan Lingyi as he had dreamed, but what he gained felt disappointing and ordinary. He always sensed that Nan Lingyi looked down on him. After passing the college entrance exam, his pitiful self-esteem swelled unexpectedly. He was now a university student, while Nan Lingyi was nothing but an uneducated old-style woman.
At school, he met Fan Qiaolan—she barged into his life like a red rose.
He couldn’t even explain what he was thinking at the time—he brought Fan Qiaolan to meet Nan Lingyi. He would never forget the look in Nan Lingyi’s eyes. It struck him at his sorest spot, filling him with irrational rage.
He didn’t even remember what he did in that madness. But afterward, he married Fan Qiaolan, denied his marital bond with Nan Lingyi, and Nan Lingyi broke down completely.
Now, she would no longer be that high-and-lofty young lady. She was probably living like a lunatic in a psychiatric hospital. Thinking of this, he felt both pity and satisfaction.
She had once looked down on him—yet now his life was growing better and better.
His thoughts wandered, and he snapped back when he heard the door open.
It was Shen Yunxi coming home.
For this son, he felt both love and resentment. The boy had always excelled academically, always praised as someone else’s child. But that face—it constantly reminded Shen Wentao of Nan Lingyi.
So his attitude toward Shen Yunxi was evasive; he usually spoke with a stiff face.
Their father–son relationship was lukewarm at best.
Fan Qiaolan, meanwhile, treated Shen Yunxi exceptionally well—full of warmth and concern. And since Shen Yunxi had been young when she arrived, he naturally grew more dependent on this stepmother.
When Shen Yunxi saw Fan Qiaolan, he said happily, “My project went really well this time. The professor praised me. Auntie, can you make braised pork for me today?”
Fan Qiaolan exclaimed affectionately, calling him her darling, praising him to the skies.
Her words puffed Shen Yunxi up with pride.
Little by little, the constant praise made Shen Yunxi lose himself.
Fan Qiaolan immediately agreed to make several dishes for him, which made the younger children protest loudly that it wasn’t fair—they wanted some too.
“All right, all right. You little greedy things—when will any of you become as outstanding as your big brother? I don’t know if I’ll ever live to see it. Luckily, I still have Yunxi to rely on.”
Drunk on her sweet words, Shen Yunxi felt that his stepmother was the best person in the world.
Shen Wentao finally spoke: “What are you doing? We’re supposed to be saving money. Teaching children wastefulness at such a young age!”
Whenever Shen Wentao spoke, the whole family went silent like trembling quails.
Fan Qiaolan showed a troubled expression. “Ah… this…”
Shen Yunxi snorted coldly. “Forget it then. If you can’t stand me, don’t blame Auntie and the younger kids.”
Then he went straight back to his room.
After a moment, Fan Qiaolan boiled an egg and brought it to his room, speaking gently.
“Your dad is just like that. He didn’t mean it. You mustn’t hold it against him.”
Eating the warm egg, Shen Yunxi felt comforted. For years, whenever something like this happened, Fan Qiaolan always brought him a substitute treat.
Feeling wronged on her behalf, he muttered, “Auntie, with Dad’s temper, I don’t know what you ever saw in him.”
Fan Qiaolan sighed softly. “Feelings aren’t something you can explain. You’ll understand when you’re older.”
“You’re still young and quick-tempered. Don’t argue with your father like that anymore. It makes him lose face.”
“Okay, Auntie. I’ll listen to you. You’re the best to me. Don’t worry—when I succeed in the future, I’ll make sure to take good care of you!”
Her persuasion only deepened the rift between father and son.
Leaving the room, Fan Qiaolan’s gentle expression vanished instantly.
A burden left behind by the ex-wife—how could she truly hope he grew up well?
She only needed him emotionally bound to her, disconnected from his father, unable to form a real father–son bond—completely within her control.
Back in her room, she found Shen Wentao still angry. She massaged his shoulders and spoke softly:
“You two are like firecrackers—touch and explode. Can’t you just talk properly? I may not like your first wife, but Yunxi is the child I’ve raised. You’re not allowed to keep disliking him.”
The more she spoke like this, the more Shen Wentao felt that Shen Yunxi was ungrateful—and the harsher he became with his son.
“Hmph, having a stepmother like you is truly his blessing!”
He didn’t mind her speaking ill of Nan Lingyi. Instead, he saw it as affection—jealousy—proof that she loved him enough to treat his former child as her own.
It had been this way for years.
Fan Qiaolan smiled softly—yet the smile never reached her eyes.
The next day, she visited her family again. When she mentioned needing to borrow money, her relatives hesitated.
“Your nephew and niece are about to get married. Money is tight at home…”
Fan Qiaolan sat calmly on the sofa, expression unchanged.
“Brother, Sister-in-law—I’ll make this clear. If Wentao rises any further, your family benefits too. Even your children’s marriages will have better prospects. I’m not begging you. You’re investing in your own future.”
Hearing this, the Fan family exchanged glances, weighing the benefits, and in the end, handed over a sum of money.
Fan Qiaolan then added, “But I don’t want others reaping benefits. That brat is growing up, and he excels in school—but I don’t want the Shen family’s assets divided with him. I hope you can handle this problem for me.”
Hearing her meaning, the Fan family immediately understood.
“Don’t worry. Leave it to us.”
Meanwhile, Shen Yunxi, having received award money from school, was excitedly planning to buy Fan Qiaolan a birthday gift.
He thought for a long time and still felt nothing was good enough.
So he planned to visit the busiest mall tomorrow—maybe he could find something perfect.
(End of chapter)