{“Are you sleeping together again?” 1}

The two children were in poor spirits.

Shen Qiyue was disappointed because the imagined mother had not shown up. But more than this disappointment, she was afraid of being blamed by her brother for having unrealistic expectations about seeing their mother.

However, Shen Qinian didn’t seem to be in a particularly good mood herself, so she naturally had no energy to inquire about the past.

Shen Qiyue tentatively asked, “Why do you look sad?”

“What’s it to you?”

Influenced by Shen Qiyue’s earlier hints at the airport, Shen Qinian had been certain that their mother, who was supposed to make up for their loss, would appear at the domestic airport. Unfortunately, after about fifteen hours of flight and a long journey, he was exhausted and saw no sign of their mother.

“If you keep being mean to me, I’m going to tell Qian… Dad!” Shen Qiyue, already feeling down from not seeing their mother, was now facing her brother’s cold treatment as well.

This was just infuriating.

But soon after Shen Qiyue said this, she realized she had spoken out of turn.

She lifted her heavy head and saw her father walking briskly. His tall, imposing figure was a stark contrast to the surrounding coldness. He had already distanced himself from them at the airport, and now the task of taking care of them had fallen to a complete stranger—a stern, humorless man.

Shen Qiyue felt a vague dissatisfaction, thinking that this person was even worse than Qian Xu.

She fired off a series of questions like a barrage of fireworks, “Who are you? Do you work for my father’s company? Will you be the one taking care of us from now on?”

Shen Qiyue asked these questions with a serious expression, waiting for answers.

The man, however, was unresponsive.

He neither answered her questions nor considered the effort of the journey to pick them up.

His actions were so unfamiliar that they seemed somewhat rough, and Shen Qiyue’s expression grew increasingly sour under the circumstances.

The man dragged them to the waiting car outside. Without giving Shen Qiyue a chance to air her grievances about the day’s frustrations, Shen Qi’s impatience was clearly visible as he waited.

_____

In recent days, Qian Xu had been immersed in the joy of liberation.

When a young woman is no longer bound by the fate of other people’s children and can return to her true self, it feels like a natural progression. Qian Xu suddenly found herself stepping into a world of distant, untouchable freedom and delight.

She and Yan Li planned to explore some new spots and happened to catch up with Li Xiyin, who had been quiet these past few days.

Li Xiyin, dressed simply, arrived late and walked into the lobby of Black Stone Hot Springs, looking awkward as she nervously fiddled with the tassels on her crossbody bag.

She was promptly scolded by Yan Li.

“Oh, I’d think you were running for U.S. president, with how busy you’ve been and we haven’t seen you around at all.”

Qian Xu handed her a glass of water as they all walked out of the hotel lobby.

Li Xiyin gratefully accepted it, her steps hurried and her tone sincere as she explained, “I’m really sorry. I’ve been busy packing up to move. I found a cheaper basement apartment in Brooklyn…”

Qian Xu smiled, “She’s just saying that. She won’t really hold it against you. Next time, try to leave a bit earlier, or we might not get a spot at some of the popular places.”

Li Xiyin took a sip of water, “Xu Xu, you’re so kind.”

She tentatively asked, “How come you have time to go out and have fun?”

“What about the kids? If you’re not at home,” Li Xiyin asked, glancing around the incongruous lobby at her high school classmate who had always been the most elegant and beautiful, “Qiyue and Qinian would be making a fuss, wouldn’t they?”

If it hadn’t been for the reminder, Qian Xu might have almost forgotten about those two troublesome children.

She wasn’t sure how to respond right away.

“Stop talking about those unpleasant topics,” Yan Li quickly stepped in and interrupted Li Xiyin.

Li Xiyin perceptively noticed, “Xu Xu, what’s going on with you and Mr. Shen?”

“There isn’t some kind of misunderstanding, is there?” Li Xiyin, having graduated from the same university as Shen Qi, had always admired him. Even if she tried hard to hide it, her admiration was hard to conceal. “Senior Shen Qi is a good person. I remember his family used to sponsor students back in our home country…”

Qian Xu maintained a polite smile, “Sorry, I’d prefer for our topic today not to revolve around just one man.”

“—Especially a man who might not be that important to me.”

Yan Li, however, was not as subtle as Qian Xu.

“What’s wrong with you, Li Xiyin? Why do you have to empathize with such a terrible man?” Yan Li was visibly angered, her expression darkening whenever Shen Qi was mentioned. If her previous remarks had been a joke, she now clearly meant it seriously. “Put away your saintly attitude. Don’t let those stepmother stories make you think that our, Qian Xu, should suffer the same way.”

Li Xiyin instantly changed her tone, almost defensively and helplessly explaining herself.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just feel sorry for Xu Xu. She’s already given so much to Mr. Shen, and now that Shen Qi has succeeded in his business, it seems like she’s finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after all these years.”

“If you let go now, won’t the person enjoying the benefits in the future just end up being someone else?”

“In that case, Xu Xu would be at a disadvantage.”

Li Xiyin’s concern was understandable, though not entirely without merit.

Qian Xu had indeed considered staying, but the outcome of relentless persistence would likely be no different from falling into an abyss.