Volume One, Chapter One: Returning to Southwood—A Surprise?

Page 1 of 3

At Nanlin Airport, Shen Shuhe wore a radiant smile, her steps light.

Today was her son’s fifth birthday. After working overtime for half a month and wrapping up two projects, she had hurried back.

A little over an hour later, Shen Shuhe arrived at West Bank Residence.

It took her quite some effort to get inside, simply because the new security guard did not recognize her.

Ever since she had been transferred to Jiugang three years ago to oversee the branch office, she had indeed rarely returned.

In the end, it was the head of security who came out and opened the gate for her.

Carrying her luggage into the house, Shen Shuhe found it unnaturally quiet. She glanced around several times.

Before long, Auntie Li came out after hearing the commotion and exclaimed in surprise, “Madam, you’re back!”

“Why didn’t you call? I could have sent someone to pick you up.”

Auntie Li took her luggage and spoke warmly.

At those words, a trace of loneliness passed through Shen Shuhe’s eyes.

In truth, she had called Pei Jingmo as soon as she got off the plane, but the moment she began speaking, he had said he was busy and told her to email him. So she had been forced to take a taxi home.

“It’s all right, Auntie Li. There’s no need to trouble anyone.”

Shen Shuhe glanced upstairs and asked, “Where are Jingmo and Xiaoyu?”

As she spoke, she crouched down and opened her suitcase, her face bright with smiles. “I rushed back as quickly as I could. Luckily, I made it home on Xiaoyu’s birthday.”

“During our video call last week, I heard him mention that he liked this Eggy Party plush set, so I specially bought it for him.”

Shen Shuhe carefully gathered the plush toys into her arms.

Auntie Li said, “Sir went to the office. The young master is upstairs. He should have just gotten up.”

“All right. I’ll go up, then.”

Watching Shen Shuhe’s lively retreating figure, Auntie Li looked as though she wanted to say something but could not.

If she remembered correctly, Miss Song had already given the young master an identical plush set half a month ago. He adored it so much that he insisted on holding it every night when he went to sleep.

Thinking of the situation before her, Auntie Li shook her head and let out a quiet sigh.

On the second floor, Shen Shuhe knocked on the door. After hearing a response, she pushed it open.

Just as Auntie Li had said, Pei Qiongyu was already awake. He sat beside his little desk, head lowered as he fiddled with something.

“Xiaoyu,” Shen Shuhe called happily.

The last time she had seen Xiaoyu was two months ago, but they video-called almost every day. The moment she saw her son, Shen Shuhe could not resist drawing close to him. She walked over and swept him into her arms.

Hearing her voice, Pei Qiongyu looked up in surprise. Once he confirmed that it really was Shen Shuhe who had returned, a faint smile slowly spread across his clear eyes.

“Mommy, you’re back!”

Shen Shuhe hugged him tightly. “What are you doing?”

“I’m drawing!”

At that, Shen Shuhe lowered her head and said delightedly, “So Xiaoyu is drawing! Can Mommy take a look?”

“Of course!”

Pei Qiongyu held up the picture.

Pei Qiongyu had been enrolled in various extracurricular classes since he was little. Though he was only five, his drawings were charming, with smooth, confident lines.

“It’s beautiful! This is Xiaoyu, isn’t it? And this one in the middle is Daddy. The one on the right is…”

Shen Shuhe’s gaze moved slowly across the page, then suddenly stopped.

Page 1 of 3

“Don’t you recognize her, Mommy? She’s Mommy Yinyin!” Pei Qiongyu called out in his clear, ringing voice, thinking that Shen Shuhe had failed to identify her.

In that instant, Shen Shuhe’s heart filled with conflicting emotions.

She knew that Xiaoyu had always liked Song Qingyin, but she had never imagined that he had already reached the point of calling her Mommy.

“Mommy, what do you think of my drawing? Doesn’t it look just like us?”

“This is homework from my teacher. We had to draw the family members we love. The best drawings might even be displayed throughout the school. Do you think I can win a little red flower and have mine put on display?”

Shen Shuhe could no longer hear what Pei Qiongyu was saying.

Her mind was filled with only four words: family members we love.

Her mouth bitter, Shen Shuhe asked, “Xiaoyu, since the theme is family, why didn’t you draw Mommy too?”

“Sorry, Mommy. I forgot,” Pei Qiongyu muttered. “But Mommy Yinyin is a mommy too. She’s family as well.”

“Daddy said it was all right to draw her!”

Shen Shuhe said nothing. Seeing Xiaoyu eagerly sketching the folds of Song Qingyin’s dress, she rose to her feet and blinked back her tears.

“I’m going to warm some milk for you.”

After the door closed, Pei Qiongyu put down his pen and noticed the set of toys on the desk.

When he opened it, he found merchandise from his favorite game.

He picked up one of the toys and looked at it, but in the end, he set it aside without much interest.

Then he looked toward the other set, arranged neatly beside his bed.

Mommy Yinyin had given it to him several weeks ago. She had gone out of her way to choose figures of his favorite characters, and the set was even out of print.

But Mommy’s set…

It was too ordinary, the sort that could be found everywhere.

Pei Qiongyu pursed his lips and casually tossed it aside.

The next second, he remembered something more important.

He hurriedly picked up his little phone and dialed a number.

“Daddy, Mommy is back! What if she comes with us at lunchtime?”

…

After going downstairs, Shen Shuhe asked Auntie Li to take Xiaoyu a glass of milk.

She herself took out her phone.

After drawing several deep breaths, Shen Shuhe told herself that the things Xiaoyu had said were merely childish words. They were mother and son, after all, bound by blood that could never be severed.

And today was his birthday. She could not allow herself to become upset.

She called Pei Jingmo. Once again, he answered only when the call was about to disconnect.

Knowing that he disliked listening to unnecessary words, Shen Shuhe went straight to the point.

“Jingmo, today is Xiaoyu’s birthday. I’ll find somewhere to celebrate with him at lunchtime.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll put Jingmo on.”

The sudden female voice left Shen Shuhe stunned.

It was Song Qingyin.

Of course. After Shen Shuhe had gone to Jiugang, Song Qingyin had taken over her position as secretary.

A moment later, Pei Jingmo’s voice came through.

“I have my own arrangements. You don’t need to concern yourself with them.”

His tone was distant and cold. Once he finished speaking, he hung up.

Page 2 of 3

It was always like this. Their phone calls rarely lasted more than three sentences.

He never listened to her until she had finished speaking.

Pei Jingmo’s patience belonged to Xiaoyu and to Song Qingyin, but never to her.

In the past, she had always consoled herself that it did not matter. Given enough time, Pei Jingmo would eventually accept her. After all, she had been the one to fall in love first, and she was willing to wait for him to turn his gaze toward her.

So she had made a habit of pleasing him and attending to his every need.

But five years had passed, and Pei Jingmo still felt not the slightest affection for her. If anything, he had grown even colder.

Shen Shuhe suddenly thought of a simple truth:

If he did not love her, then he did not love her.

So should she continue holding on?

Shen Shuhe stared blankly at some indistinct point, her expression dim and utterly still, then closed her phone.

She did not disturb Pei Qiongyu again for the rest of the morning.

After showering and changing her clothes, it was already eleven o’clock.

Yet she still had not received a call from Pei Jingmo.

Just then, Pei Qiongyu ran downstairs and threw himself into her arms.

“Mommy, can I ask you for a favor?”

When it came to her son, Shen Shuhe almost always granted his requests, so long as they were not excessive.

“Of course, sweetheart. What do you want?”

“I love the cakes from LuckBake most of all, but Daddy forgot to order one. Could you buy it for me?”

So that was all it was.

Shen Shuhe smiled. “Of course. Mommy will take you there now, and afterward we’ll meet up with Daddy.”

“No!”

“Hmm? Is there a problem?”

Pei Qiongyu looked at her. “Mommy, you go buy it first. Daddy hasn’t finished working yet. Later, I’ll have Uncle Driver take me to find Daddy, and then you can come meet us.”

After hearing this, Shen Shuhe saw nothing wrong with the arrangement. She nodded, picked up her bag, and drove to the cake shop first.

As soon as Shen Shuhe left, Pei Qiongyu hurriedly took out his phone.

“Daddy! I’ve already sent Mommy to buy the cake! When is Mommy Yinyin coming to pick me up?”

…

Two hours later.

Shen Shuhe parked the car by the roadside. She rubbed the swelling and redness on her forehead, her brows drawing together.

Auntie Li had said that Xiaoyu had left an hour ago. But why had Pei Jingmo not called her?

Shen Shuhe took out her phone. After thinking for a few seconds, she was about to call Pei Jingmo when she looked up and saw three familiar figures.

Pei Jingmo and Song Qingyin stood side by side, each holding one of the little boy’s hands—

The child was none other than Pei Qiongyu, who had been clinging to her and sweetly coaxing her to buy him a cake just two hours earlier.

Shen Shuhe stood frozen in place.

Page 3 of 3