Cheng Liqi is a little girl with strong principles. If she says she won’t help, she won’t, and she insists her father put her down so he can go find her mother alone.
Shao Chengze gently taps her little nose. "If finding Mom is a test, then Liqi should stay by Daddy’s side to supervise him and make sure he doesn’t cheat by asking others for help."
Cheng Liqi looks at her father. "So, I’m Daddy’s exam proctor?"
"If Liqi is willing."
"I am!" Cheng Liqi eagerly agrees, ready to help her grandfather and mother keep an eye on her father. "Daddy, let’s start now."
Shao Chengze uses his daughter’s expressions as his navigation. If her eyes are relaxed like crescent moons, hiding a smile, it means the direction is wrong. If her lips are tightly pressed and her eyelashes flutter rapidly, he should continue straight ahead.
Finally, Shao Chengze finds them in the greenhouse in the backyard. Amidst clusters of brilliantly blooming flowers, two people stand side by side.
Cheng Liqi is thrilled. "Mommy, Uncle Shi! Daddy found you!"
The two in the flower beds turn around simultaneously. Shi Ran is handing her a freshly cut flower, which she accepts, her arms already full of vibrant red roses. Her fair face is radiant with a smile.
Even though Shao Chengze’s heart is sour with jealousy, he has to admit the scene is beautiful—so beautiful it aches.
Carrying Cheng Liqi, Shao Chengze walks over and nods at Shi Ran in greeting. Shi Ran naturally senses his hostility and says to Cheng Jinlan, "Let me take these flowers to Aunt Fei for arranging."
"Okay." Cheng Jinlan hands him the bouquet.
Shi Ran nods back at Shao Chengze and leaves the greenhouse. He has no intention of causing further misunderstandings between them. Over the years, he’s come to understand her feelings clearly. The saying "it takes the one who tied the knot to untie it" remains eternally true. Now that the tangled knot in her heart has finally been loosened, those who love each other deserve happiness.
With the unwelcome presence gone, Shao Chengze feels the sunlight in the greenhouse brighten. He lowers his head to meet her gaze, but Cheng Jinlan quickly looks away, turning her attention to Cheng Liqi.
Waking up groggily that morning, being dressed and washed by him, then dozing off again on the way, only to be caught by her parents at the airport—she hadn’t had time to process last night’s events. It wasn’t until her shower that she saw the state of her body: bruises and red marks from her knees to her waist and chest, evidence of the previous night’s frenzy.
He had been wild last night, but so had she. She wanted to feel him and be felt by him. Emotions pent up for so long needed release in the heat and sweat of their collision. She needed his heartbeat against hers, his soul-deep kisses.
A rainy night seems to grant the courage for all kinds of madness, but by daylight, that courage vanishes. After such intensity, she can’t face him with complete ease just yet.
Cheng Liqi excitedly tells her mother, "Mommy, Daddy is amazing! I didn’t help him at all, and he found you right away."
"Really?" Cheng Jinlan humors her daughter, plucking a flower and offering it to her to mask her racing heartbeat. "Smell it. Is it fragrant?"
Cheng Liqi buries her little nose in the flower, inhales deeply, and lifts her face—prettier than the flower itself—to reply, "Mommy, it smells so good!"
Shao Chengze’s eyes dim as she avoids his gaze, but when he notices the rosy blush on her delicate earlobes, his gloom and jealousy suddenly dissipate, replaced by indescribable joy.
He’s certain that blush is because of him.
Her smiles for others may be warm and relaxed, but this flustered, shy rosiness seems reserved only for him. It’s his alone.
How could he have missed it before? He should have realized sooner.
Shao Chengze leans in to smell the flower too, but his eyes remain fixed on her. Cheng Jinlan recalls certain moments from last night, and her already warm ears burn even hotter.
"Did Dad ask for me?" She shoots him a sidelong glance, signaling him to behave.
Shao Chengze’s eyes sparkle with amusement. "Yes, Dad asked for you."
Cheng Jinlan wants to kick him for his cheekiness, but with Cheng Liqi present, she changes tactics. She tucks the flower behind his ear. "Liqi, doesn’t Daddy look pretty?"
Cheng Liqi tilts her head, her eyes shining. "Pretty! Daddy is even prettier than the Flower Fairy."
Cheng Jinlan asks, "Since he’s so pretty, should we let him keep it on all day?"
"Okay!" Cheng Liqi cups her father’s face, studying him earnestly. The flower is pretty, Daddy is pretty, and together, they’re even prettier. "Daddy, you should go see Grandpa like this. If Grandpa sees you and feels happy, his tests won’t be too hard, and you’ll pass more easily."
Shao Chengze’s expression is a mix of emotions. While he trusts his daughter’s taste, he doubts his future father-in-law will appreciate this look.
But Cheng Liqi watches him with wide, encouraging eyes, silently cheering him on. He can’t possibly remove the flower now and disappoint her.
Though Cheng Jinlan tries to maintain composure, a smile tugs at her lips. With Cheng Liqi around, she always finds ways to handle him.
Shao Chengze turns to her, his gaze bright. "Am I really so pretty that you can’t stop smiling?"
Cheng Jinlan nods seriously, her eyes teasing. "Absolutely."
Shao Chengze takes her hand, squeezing it gently. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being with me."
"Don’t flatter yourself. I just want to see how Dad deals with you."
Shao Chengze laughs. "If he hits me too hard, don’t feel bad."
Cheng Jinlan grips the doorknob, lowering her voice. "Don’t worry. I’ll hand him a stick and a teacup to make sure he hits harder."
Before Shao Chengze can respond, the door opens. He quickly adjusts the flower on his ear, removing it but finding no place to put it except in his hand.
Cheng Jinlan stands nearby and greets, "Dad."
Cheng Shanhe acknowledges with a noncommittal "Hmm."
Shao Chengze steps forward. "Uncle."
Cheng Shanhe sips his tea, ignoring him.
Noticing the flower in Shao Chengze’s hand, Cheng Shanhe’s brow furrows, his irritation rising. Is this man seriously flirting with his daughter right in front of him? Where’s his golf club? If he can’t find it, he’ll just throw the teacup.
To his surprise, Shao Chengze walks to the desk and places the flower on it.
Both Cheng Shanhe and Cheng Jinlan are stunned.
Shao Chengze steps back, standing beside Cheng Jinlan.
"Earlier, while looking for Jinlan in the greenhouse, I met Liqi. She asked me to bring this most beautiful flower to Grandpa, saying he looks as lovely as this flower when he smiles."
Cheng Jinlan: "..."
Cheng Shanhe: "..."
The anger Cheng Shanhe had been nursing deflates like a pricked balloon. This does sound like something his sweet-talking granddaughter would say—her words could melt anyone’s heart.
His prepared speech derailed, Cheng Shanhe stares at the flower and thinks of Liqi. Glancing at the eyes identical to hers, he sets down the teacup he’d been ready to throw, placing it heavily on the table. The loud clatter makes him glance at his daughter, and he regains his stern composure. "I won’t say much. My stance remains: sort out your family mess first, then we’ll talk."
As Shao Chengze opens his mouth to speak, Cheng Shanhe cuts him off. "I don’t need promises. I want results. I won’t invite you to stay for dinner—you’re not lacking a meal. Find an excuse to tell Liqi so she won’t be upset. You may go."
After a pause, Shao Chengze replies, "Understood, Uncle. I’ll take my leave today and visit again another time."
Cheng Shanhe waves him off impatiently.
Shao Chengze murmurs to Cheng Jinlan, "I’ll go now."
She responds with a quiet "Hmm," neither turning nor watching him leave.
Seeing her indifference, Cheng Shanhe’s mood improves slightly.
Once the door closes, he gestures to a chair. "Sit. No need to stand."
Cheng Jinlan remains standing. "Dad, I’m sorry for putting you in this position."
Cheng Shanhe studies her. "You love him?"
A faint blush colors her cheeks.
He smiles gently. "If you love him, there’s no ‘position’ for me. Your judgment is sound—his character is decent, unlike the rest of the Shao family."
Cheng Jinlan blinks. "Dad..."
"Let me be clear: I don’t like him. No father likes the man who steals his daughter, especially when he’s also taking my precious granddaughter."
Tears well in Cheng Jinlan’s eyes. "Dad, I won’t go anywhere. Liqi and I will always stay with you and Mom."
Cheng Shanhe sighs. "Of course we want that, but more than anything, we want someone by your side. Your mother and I won’t be here forever, and Liqi will grow up. Having someone you love with you is our greatest wish."
Cheng Jinlan fights back tears.
Cheng Shanhe pats her shoulder. "Focus on your relationship without guilt. But know this: I won’t make it easy for him anytime soon. His family is a mess. If he can’t resolve it, even as a live-in son-in-law, you’ll have no peace. This is his test. If he can’t handle his family, how can he protect you and Liqi?"
"Thank you, Dad."
"Foolish girl, I’m your father. No thanks needed. Let’s eat." He leaves quickly, hiding his own moist eyes.
After composing herself in the bathroom, Cheng Jinlan heads downstairs.
Meanwhile, Shao Chengze is intercepted at the路口 by Qian Zheng, his grandfather’s secretary.
"Forgot how much the old man loves surveillance," Shao Chengze remarks coldly. "Uncle Qian, you’re slowing down—it took you days to corner me."
Qian Zheng remains deferential. "Young Master Shao, please return. Otherwise, the elder Shao will come himself. Surely you don’t want that."
"Just call me by my name. I’ve been kicked off the board—no longer ‘Young Master.’ And don’t threaten me. The old man wouldn’t dare show his face here."
When Qian Zheng offers a phone call with the elder Shao, Shao Chengze declines. "No need. I’ll go. I have business with him anyway."
At the Shao residence, Shao Chengze deliberately removes his jacket before entering. As expected, a teacup flies toward his head. It grazes his forehead—painful, but bearable compared to past injuries.
Shao Yunzheng’s fury has been building for days. "Shao Chengze! What the hell are you playing at?!"
His grandfather’s order to leave Shao Corp. was impulsive, but he’d meant it—a power play to break his grandson’s defiance. However, the aftermath spiraled beyond control: plunging stock prices, board unrest, and the revelation that two-thirds of the directors now sided with Shao Chengze. The old man realizes too late that he’s been outmaneuvered.
"I want Wu Jingyao’s shares," Shao Chengze states calmly.
"Impossible!"
"Grandfather, do you think the stock has bottomed? What if the public learns Shao Zhangting’s true birthdate? Which would suffer more—your carefully crafted image of marital loyalty, or the company?"
"How dare you?!" Shao Yunzheng hurls an inkstone, which Shao Chengze dodges.
"I dare because you betrayed Grandma. Did you think erasing traces would hide the truth? Actions leave marks—surely you know that at your age. You have three days. If no decision, we’ll see headlines Monday."
Shao Chengze storms out, pausing outside to cool his rage. He tells Qian Zheng, "Check on him. Make sure he takes his meds. Wouldn’t want him collapsing on my account."
Wu Jingyao watches from the stairs, her gaze venomous without its usual pretense. Stripped of facades, their true natures are laid bare—a perverse relief.
That night, unable to sleep, Cheng Jinlan stares at her phone after putting Liqi to bed. A message lights up the screen: [Asleep?]
She replies, [Yes.]
Instantly, a call comes through.
"What?" she answers.
"Why are you still up?"
"Work."
"Hardworking."
Standing by the window, she asks, "Why aren’t you asleep?"
"I bought supper, wondering how to deliver it to the hardworking lady." His voice is warm under the faint moonlight.
"You’re outside?"
"Yeah." He’s been there an hour, unwilling to go home, just wanting to be near her. "Miaomiao, I miss you already. It’s only been hours."
A soft click sounds as the gate unlocks. "Come in," she says before hanging up. She tells herself it’s just because she’s hungry.
He hands her a bag upon entering. "Curry fish balls, your favorite."
Noticing his baseball cap, she frowns and removes it, revealing a bruised forehead. "My father didn’t hit you, but your grandfather did?"
He smiles wryly. "Isn’t it ironic? Not over us—company matters."
"Sit." She fetches ice packs, wrapping them in towels. "This will help."
"Can you do it? I can’t see."
His pitiful expression—like a drenched puppy—softens her. "Close your eyes."
As she tends to him, her hair brushes his ear, her breath warming his lashes. The coolness of the ice contrasts with the heat between them.
"You called Shi Ran’s name in your sleep on the ride back," he murmurs.
"Did I?"
"Yes."
"Maybe I dreamed of him."
"...What dream?" His eyes snap open.
"What kind do you think?"
"Any dream with him, I’d rather you didn’t have."
She stares him down, then lifts his chin, kissing the corner of his mouth before biting his earlobe. "Shao Chengze, in all my years, I’ve only ever kissed like this with you. Why are you still jealous? Do you love vinegar that much?"
His breath hitches. It’s not jealousy—it’s craving her attention, her eyes only on him.
As their passion reignites, a sleepy voice interrupts: "Mommy? Are you awake?"
Cheng Jinlan shoves him off, wrapping herself in a blanket. "Liqi? Did you have a bad dream?"
Shao Chengze, landing on the floor, is hastily directed under the bed as the door creaks open.
