Volume One, Chapter Two: The Third Sister Is Number Three!

It was the child from the airport. And that woman’s voice—she felt she had heard it somewhere before, but couldn’t recall at the moment. She had intended to get up and investigate, but then thought it unnecessary; that would be beneath her. After brooding for a while, though she was not one to stay up late, she truly could not keep her eyes open now. Soon, she drifted into sleep...

The next morning, Shen Zhi awoke to find He Yunshen gone. Entering the living room, she saw a lovingly prepared breakfast waiting, still steaming, alongside a note.

“I’ve gone to the office first. Don’t forget to eat breakfast.”

He was as thoughtful as ever. Looking at the warm breakfast on the table, a gentle warmth blossomed in Shen Zhi’s heart.

When she was eleven, she met the tearful He Yunshen. Back then, he often sat in a daze outside his home, sometimes the entire day, as if waiting for something. To cheer him up, Shen Zhi would draw a comic every day and prepare a simple breakfast with a note saying, “Eat well,” leaving it at his doorstep. She hoped to comfort him in her own way.

So every time she saw the same kind of breakfast He Yunshen prepared for her now, her heart would warm as if all troubles had vanished.

During her time abroad, to keep Shen Zhi from feeling lonely, He Yunshen thoughtfully arranged for her to work at the Zhou family’s company. Now, she was already an executive at this law firm.

Upon entering the office, she overheard colleagues whispering about the arrival of a beautiful new assistant, a returnee from overseas. When they saw Shen Zhi, all quieted down and greeted her warmly.

“Director Shen, good morning!”

“Good morning, Director Shen!”

This was a branch office established under the powerful Zhou Group. Though He Yunshen had been abroad, he had been fully in charge of the company’s operations, with Shen Zhi often acting on his behalf. Now that he had returned, Shen Zhi stepped back to her managerial role.

“By the way, Director Shen, President He had to step out. He said an assistant will be coming soon. Please make arrangements,” said Lin Su from administration, knocking and placing the new assistant’s information sheet on Shen Zhi’s desk.

“Got it!” Shen Zhi buried herself in work, barely glancing at the file.

Lin Su hesitated, wanting to say more but fearing to disturb Shen Zhi, she quietly closed the door and left.

...

“Su Su, did you remind Director Shen or not?” Colleague Xiao Chen hurriedly asked when Lin Su came out looking troubled.

Lin Su and Shen Zhi had always been close.

“Director Shen was busy; I didn’t get a chance. Keep your voice down!” Lin Su pulled Xiao Chen into a corner, fearing to disturb Shen Zhi.

“But Shen Zhi is always so kind to us. Why didn’t you give her a heads-up? What if—”

“Stop! We’ve been waiting for President He’s return for so long. On the very first day, he brings in a gorgeous new assistant. I’m afraid Director Shen won’t be able to handle it!” Lin Su sighed helplessly.

They had seen the new assistant He Yunshen brought yesterday—a stunning young woman with a fiery figure. Women’s intuition told them she was no ordinary person.

Shen Zhi was beloved and respected by all her colleagues. But since the young couple had just reunited, none dared speak out loud.

...

Knock, knock, knock—

“Hello…” The female voice stopped abruptly as she entered. Shen Zhi recognized it as unfamiliar and looked up.

A sweet-faced, curvaceous young woman blinked at her suspiciously.

“Sis-in-law, it’s you! I’m Zhou Qin!” The visitor immediately acted familiar, offering a hand with a forced smile.

Shen Zhi was taken aback.

Zhou Qin, He Yunshen’s stepsister—hadn’t she been away in the mainland for many years?

After He Yunshen’s father passed, his mother remarried Zhou Teng. In college, He Yunshen had mentioned a stepsister named Zhou Qin, the chairman’s illegitimate daughter.

But Shen Zhi had never directly met her and vaguely recalled she didn’t like her much.

“Hello, I’m Shen Zhi.” She was momentarily stunned; the voice was very similar to the woman on He Yunshen’s phone last night.

“Sis-in-law, you work here too? Yunshen didn’t tell me earlier, or I’d have prepared a welcome gift for you!” Zhou Qin grabbed Shen Zhi’s hand in a familiar, almost intrusive way, making Shen Zhi uncomfortable—she disliked physical contact with strangers.

Zhou Qin clearly knew Shen Zhi’s position at the company, or she wouldn’t have insisted on touring with He Yunshen upon her return, flaunting their close relationship before colleagues.

But Shen Zhi was oblivious to all this.

Shen Zhi smiled faintly. “He’s stepped out. You’ll have to wait a bit.”

“Sis-in-law, I’ve lived abroad all my life and know little about things here or at the company. Please take care of me!” Zhou Qin went on without pause.

Shen Zhi forced a polite smile. “What would you like to drink? Coffee or water?”

As she spoke, she rose and moved toward the tea area.

“Coffee, please!” Zhou Qin’s eyes sparkled as she admired the office’s decor. “Sis-in-law, your office is beautiful!”

“Yunshen arranged it all,” Shen Zhi replied flatly, back turned.

“Really? I love this style too! No wonder Yunshen insisted on showing me this room yesterday, not letting me see others. He must be worried I’d compete with you!”

Yesterday?

Shen Zhi’s hand froze mid-pour; her heart skipped a beat. She’d already been here yesterday?

“When did you return? You should’ve told us so we could have dinner together!” Shen Zhi asked casually.

“Yesterday! We came back together. Didn’t he tell you? Yunshen can be so thoughtless!” Zhou Qin called her sis-in-law repeatedly but never referred to He Yunshen as brother, which irked Shen Zhi.

“He was busy and got back late yesterday, so…” Shen Zhi explained casually, unaware He Yunshen had spent the entire day with Zhou Qin and the child.

“Well, it was late. I thought you’d be asleep. I told him to come back early to be with you, but he insisted on showing us around—shopping, eating—and completely lost track of time,” Zhou Qin rambled, either unintentionally or deliberately boasting.

A chill ran through Shen Zhi.

Only now did she realize the woman at the airport yesterday was Zhou Qin!

Though she had known since college that He Yunshen was close to his stepsister, why had he hidden this from her?

And the child—why did he call He Yunshen “Dad”?

“Sis-in-law, sorry. He was afraid I’d be unfamiliar here. Please don’t take it personally!” Zhou Qin smiled falsely.

Shen Zhi smiled back. “Are you married?”

The sudden question stopped Zhou Qin’s radiant smile cold.

“…”

Seeing her silence, Shen Zhi softened her tone and handed her the coffee.

“I mean, you and He Yunshen can’t be that far apart in age…”

“Right! Our birthdays are the same day, though I’m a year younger. He always says we’re destined to be family!” Zhou Qin said proudly, then took a sip of coffee and nearly spat it out.

“Ugh…”

“You okay?” Shen Zhi quickly handed her a tissue and took the cup.

“No, sis-in-law, I’m just used to fresh-brewed coffee. Instant isn’t really my thing.” Zhou Qin awkwardly clutched her chest, gagging a few more times. Shen Zhi poured her some warm water to rinse.

“Drink some warm water. Sorry, I didn’t know…”

“It’s nothing, sis-in-law. Don’t blame you.” With that, she excused herself, citing discomfort and the absence of He Yunshen, promising to come back tomorrow.

But as Shen Zhi watched her leave, something felt off.

Her reaction didn’t seem like a mere sensitivity to instant coffee—it felt more like...