Chapter 1

September in Beijing had shed its summer heat and humidity. The hazy fog in the air had been swept away, leaving a clear blue sky and warm, yet not scorching, sunshine.

Dappled shadows of trees fell on the courtyard walls. Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows of the villa, the servants were busy with their tasks in an orderly manner. Three young boys surrounded a delicate baby carriage.

“Big brother, why is little sister a little sister?” The shortest boy asked curiously, pointing his chubby hand at the baby in the carriage.

Ten-year-old Shen Yanheng’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as he pondered how to explain the difference between boys and girls to his younger brother.

Shen Sicheng had already given Shen Sujing a “knock on the head.” “You’re an idiot!”

“Don’t touch little sister with your hand!”

“Xiaochen! You hit your brother again!”

A gentle female voice came from behind, and the three little beans instantly stood in a row, obediently.

Shen Sicheng raised his head. “Mom, brother touched little sister with his hand!”

The woman, wearing a white shawl over her shoulders, walked to the cradle and looked at her sleeping daughter. Her chubby little face looked white and tender, much prettier than these three stinky boys when they were younger.

“You can’t do that! Little sister is still small. When she grows up a little, you can play with her.” The woman said softly, rocking the cradle a few times.

The housekeeper, Auntie Zhang, walked over quietly, lowering her voice. “Madam, a guest has arrived.”

Chen Musheng nodded, as usual. In the past few months, she had met countless guests. If Auntie Zhang came to inform her, it meant it was an unavoidable visit.

“Who is it?” Chen Musheng asked, having already sent the three stinky boys upstairs.

“From the new neighbor next door.”

Chen Musheng was a little surprised. She had only heard Shen Gengli mention that the newcomers were big shots, with a deep background, a genuine red third-generation from a military and political family. She hadn’t planned to visit, but she didn’t expect them to come first?

But why the sudden visit?

“Please invite them in. It’s not good to keep them waiting.”

“Yes.”

Chen Musheng sat down on the sofa, adjusting the shawl on her shoulders, and asked the servants to bring new tea and fruit pastries.

Soon, Auntie Zhang led a woman inside. She wore exquisite stiletto heels, a swaying cheongsam, a delicate and graceful face, her hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, and she was holding a young boy in her hand. Two servants followed behind, carrying gifts.

“Mrs. Shen, I apologize for the intrusion. I heard you gave birth to a daughter, and I came to share in your joy.”

The woman smiled softly, her voice as comfortable as a spring breeze in March.

“You’re too kind.” Chen Musheng stood up and greeted her, taking two steps forward. She then looked at the little boy she was holding, who looked about the same age as Xiaochen, seven years old. He didn’t look very big, but he had a serious expression on his face. “This is…?”

“Oh, this is my son, Shi Chengyu.” The woman chuckled lightly.

Chen Musheng almost couldn’t conceal her surprise. So his surname was Shi! No wonder.

“Chengyu, greet Auntie Chen.” The woman gently pushed the boy forward.

Shi Chengyu raised his head, his eyes black and bright, yet deep. “Hello, Auntie Chen.”

“Oh, hello, hello. You’re so handsome.” Chen Musheng wanted to touch his head, but thought it might be inappropriate, so she patted his shoulder twice and asked, “Do you want to go see little sister?”

Seeing Shi Chengyu nod, she called Auntie Zhang to take him to the cradle.

Xue Wanqiu watched Shi Chengyu walk away, smiling faintly. She sat down on the sofa with Chen Musheng, exchanged names, and then began to chat.

Women gathered together, and their topics were inevitably about family matters. However, for families like theirs, there was little they could talk about regarding their families.

One was a strong woman in the business world, the other a dancer who loved art. Their interests were different, but fortunately, they both loved baking, and eventually they found common ground.

Shen Sicheng didn’t know when he ran out of his room. He wanted to go downstairs to see his little sister, but stopped when he saw the guests and peered down from the railing on the third floor.

When he saw an unfamiliar boy looking at his sister, he called Shen Yanheng and Shen Sujing out. The three of them huddled together, looking down. The servants nearby were so scared they didn’t dare to leave.

“Second brother, will he take little sister away?”

“Impossible! Little sister will always be our little sister. If he dares to take her, I’ll beat him up!”

Shen Sicheng said this, but his eyes never left the scene below. His sister had never even held his hand! Why should she be taken by that boy?

As they chatted, the two women felt a sense of instant connection. Seeing that it was getting late, they made an appointment to meet again and Xue Wanqiu stood up, following Chen Musheng towards the cradle.

The little girl in the cradle was only four months old. Her round, bright eyes were particularly captivating on her white and tender face. One small hand was grabbing Shi Chengyu’s finger and playing with it, occasionally giggling.

“By the way, I haven’t asked her name yet.” Xue Wanqiu looked at the doll-like little girl, her heart melting.

“Her name is Shen Chutang.”

“Sweetness of the osmanthus, unwavering heart. It’s a good name.” Xue Wanqiu said, then asked, “Does she have a nickname?”

Seeing her daughter so well-loved, Chen Musheng also felt a little proud. “Yes, but we haven’t decided on the character yet.”

“I wanted to call her Jiaojiao, female Qiao Jiao. Her father insisted on using Jiao of proud, anyway, the pronunciation is the same. The three stinky boys want to call her Tangtang, I couldn’t win against them, so I let them have their way.”

Adding a new member to the family was a happy event, but also a big one. The three stinky boys had recently learned something and were clamoring for autonomy and voting rights, even arguing over their sister’s name.

Xue Wanqiu felt a little regretful, but still chuckled. “They’re all good characters.”

“Tangtang seems to like Chengyu a lot.” Chen Musheng watched her daughter constantly grabbing the boy’s hand, feeling a little embarrassed.

Xue Wanqiu followed her words and asked, “Chengyu, do you like Tangtang?”

“I like her.”

The voice still carried a hint of childishness, but it was said very seriously, and even the corners of his lips curled up as he spoke, as if he had been waiting for this day for a long time.