During dinner, Qin Nanshan had been impressively thoughtful, answering Wen Hongyu’s questions while serving Wen Yi food. Wen Yi had mentally given him a thumbs-up. When he passed her a tomato, she forced herself to eat it.

She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now Sherlock Holmes—aka Wen Hongyu—had noticed every detail.

Wen Yi clenched her fists, sticking to her story. “Whenever we ate out, I was the one who ordered. Of course, he wouldn’t know I don’t like tomatoes. You two were having such a great conversation; I didn’t want to spoil the mood by being picky.”

Wen Hongyu looked at her clenched fists and understood everything. She closed her eyes. She had raised her daughter for over twenty years and knew that Wen Yi clenched her fists whenever she got nervous.

Wen Yi moved closer, trying to play the “act cute” card, but Wen Hongyu, still angry, shook off her hand and said sternly, “Wen Yi, you’re no longer a child. Why couldn’t you respect yourself and avoid an unplanned pregnancy?”

The warm, harmonious atmosphere from earlier had vanished. Wen Yi’s eyes instantly reddened, filling with unshed tears.

Wen Hongyu’s voice grew sharper. “Do you really think a baby can trap a man? You’re dreaming. If you don’t respect yourself, who will respect you?”

“How much do you really know about this man? Or are you just attracted to his family’s wealth? Let me tell you, a family like his is out of our league. I’m willing to believe his parents accepted you, but how much of that acceptance is because of the baby, and how much because of you? What kind of life will you have if you marry into that family?”

“Wen Yi, I thought you were sensible and mature. Until yesterday, I was happy for you, thinking you’d finally found happiness.” Wen Hongyu leaned against the side of the sofa, her smile tinged with bitterness. “But marrying a man you have no feelings for just because of a baby? What a brilliant move, my daughter.”

Wen Yi bit her lip and stayed silent, her gaze downcast as her fingernails dug into her palms, though she felt no pain.

She didn’t respect herself. She got pregnant before marriage. She was greedy for his family’s wealth. She was marrying him for the sake of the baby. Everything was her fault.

She should have anticipated this argument from the moment she stepped out of the gynecologist’s office. The chaos to come was inevitable—one mistake leading to another. The illusion was shattered, and their mismatched relationship would always be a volatile point of contention.

Wen Yi’s voice was hoarse and broken, yet she couldn’t stop herself from speaking. “Well, it’s still better than having a child who’s fatherless from birth and called a bastard.”

Nicknames are often the most helpless part of growing up. They’re imposed, carrying prejudice and stereotypes. Even if adults don’t openly acknowledge them, kids can be cruel, and she had been called a “bastard” for several years during her childhood.

She had no one to confide in and didn’t dare tell Wen Hongyu. Wen Yi didn’t know how she survived those years of verbal bullying, during what should have been the best time of her childhood. All she knew was that she had learned to smile through her pain, reconcile with herself, and wear a friendly facade just to get by.

Fortunately, before starting elementary school, Wen Hongyu moved them to Changle Lane. As the city developed, the gossip and whispers faded away, giving them some peace.

Wen Hongyu looked at her, and her expression shifted from anger to disappointment. “Are you blaming me?”

Around the time of the first snow, winter arrived in Shanghai, as cold and piercing as ever. The wind seeped through the door that hadn’t been fully closed, and the room quickly grew chilly, the cold settling deep into their bones.

At some point, a pair of wind chimes had been hung by the shoe cabinet. Now, with the wind blowing, they jingled constantly.

Wen Yi wiped her eyes, went to close the door, and then returned, her tone much calmer. “Mom, why didn’t you get rid of me back then?”

Why did she give birth to her despite the judgment and gossip? Why didn’t she remarry all these years? Why had she sacrificed her health for her? Why was her mother now the first to object, when she should understand better than anyone?

Wen Yi wasn’t afraid anymore—not of the rumors, not of the pain. She was only afraid of her mother’s disapproval.

Wen Hongyu was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply. “I can’t control you. You’ll have to decide for yourself.”

With a loud “bang,” a door closed between the two of them, marking the end of the argument.

Wen Yi’s phone chimed with a WeChat notification, but she didn’t feel like checking it. She squatted by the window, head buried in her knees, utterly exhausted.

After sitting there until her legs went numb, the pregnancy symptoms hit her hard, and she rushed to the bathroom.

The house was old, and the sound of flushing could be heard throughout. She flushed at least ten times, but Wen Hongyu’s room remained silent.

Her mother was really, truly angry this time—more so than ever before.

…

Qin Nanshan hadn’t been able to reach Wen Yi for days. She wasn’t answering his calls or replying to his messages. He didn’t know where she lived and didn’t want to intrude at Changle Lane, so at noon that day, he sent her another message, explaining that time was tight and asking if she could meet his parents with him.

By the end of the workday, there was still no reply, so Qin Nanshan reluctantly headed home.

His parents, Qin Heng and Xuan Ying, had just returned from Yunnan two days ago. As soon as their plane landed, they received news from their son that he was bringing his fiancée home, and they were overjoyed.

Qin Nanshan’s family had deep roots in the furniture industry. His grandfather had seized the opportunity during the early development of the Jiangdong district to build a factory, and when the land prices skyrocketed, the compensation from the factory’s relocation was more than enough for the family to live in luxury for generations. Although the manufacturing industry had faced challenges in recent years, the Qin family had maintained a solid foothold and was a major taxpayer in the region.

Qin Heng, the second son, had no interest in money and devoted himself to research. His elder brother took over the family business, while Qin Heng and his wife focused on their scientific pursuits. Before passing, their father had split the inheritance, giving Qin Heng’s son and daughter each a valuable piece of property, along with a 20% share in the company. They now lived comfortably in a villa in the eastern suburbs.

When Qin Nanshan arrived home, he was taken aback. The house was spotless, with new curtains and sofa covers, and the cluttered desk in the living room had been transformed into a tea table. Even the shoe cabinet had a new pair of fuzzy slippers, clearly prepared for a guest.

Of course, there was also his parents, standing formally by the door to greet him.

Xuan Ying peeked over his shoulder and frowned. “Where’s your fiancée?”

“I didn’t say she was coming today,” Qin Nanshan replied as he changed his shoes.

Xuan Ying looked displeased. “Then why are you here?”

“…”

Though highly intelligent, Qin Nanshan had always been reserved and socially awkward, traits that didn’t endear him to others. His parents had tried setting him up on countless dates, but he had refused to meet any of the potential matches.

Two years ago, however, there was a breakthrough when a colleague introduced him to the daughter of A University’s vice president. For the first time, he agreed to go on a date.

After a few meetings, the two started dating, and his parents were thrilled. Unfortunately, the relationship fizzled out after two months.

So, when he told them recently that he had a girlfriend, it was a rare and joyful occasion for his parents, who were eager to meet the woman who had finally captured his heart.

His mother smiled eagerly. “Is she busy with work? It’s fine if she’s shy about coming here—we can meet at a restaurant.”

His father added, “Let’s invite Xixi too. She’ll liven things up.”

Standing in the living room, Qin Nanshan hesitated for a moment before saying, “Mom, Dad, she’s pregnant, and we’re planning to get married.”

His parents froze in shock, their eyes wide behind their glasses.

“We were high school classmates. We reconnected a year ago, and I’ve been pursuing her for six months,” Qin Nanshan explained plainly, never one for storytelling.

His parents exchanged glances, both stunned. “High school classmates?” one asked. “And you’ve been together for that long?” the other added.

Qin Nanshan nodded.

After a moment, Xuan Ying snapped out of her daze

 and smiled excitedly. “That’s wonderful news! We should hurry and get the wedding planned before her belly starts to show.”

Qin Nanshan remained silent, glancing down at his phone, which still showed no new messages.

His mother mistook this for a message from Wen Yi. “Did she text you? Can you call her? I’d love to say hello and get to know her. The next time we meet, we’ll be more familiar.”

Though he wanted to refuse, he couldn’t resist his parents’ enthusiasm. He dialed the number, unsure if she would answer.

Luckily, Wen Yi picked up.