Four years later.
The entrance of the Intercontinental Hotel was bustling with cars and an endless stream of guests.
"Congratulations, congratulations!" Guests warmly offered their well-wishes.
Sang Ning wore a pale blue satin spaghetti-strap gown, her wavy long hair cascading loosely over her shoulders. He Siyu stood beside her in a crisp suit.
She looped her arm through his and forced a smile. "Thank you."
He Siyu was already growing impatient with the social niceties. Finally, the latest wave of congratulatory guests dispersed.
He glanced into the banquet hall. Every chair was adorned with pink balloons, and Princess Elsa dolls decorated the tables. The entire venue was bathed in a dreamy ambiance.
A massive LED screen flashed with oversized letters: "Happy Birthday to Our Precious An'an."
Frowning in confusion, he asked, "Who did you say organized this birthday party again?"
Sang Ning looked toward the distance. "Dad did."
He Siyu’s brows furrowed even deeper. Had his father lost his mind?
Such an extravagant celebration for An'an’s third birthday?
Anyone would think he and Sang Ning were renewing their vows.
In his thirty-plus years of life, he’d never seen a birthday party this over-the-top.
Following Sang Ning’s gaze, He Siyu spotted He Wanjun holding a little girl dressed in a fluffy pink princess gown, playfully teasing her with a doll.
The usually stern and weathered face of the old man was now beaming, his eyes nearly disappearing into creases of joy.
"An'an, look! It’s Princess Elsa!"
An'an scrunched her little face and shook her head. "That’s Princess Anna."
She pointed to another doll. "This one is Elsa."
"Oh, Grandpa got it wrong! An'an is so clever!" He Wanjun chuckled heartily.
Grandma He chimed in, showering praise. "Our An'an has always been smart!"
An'an lifted her chin proudly.
He Siyu: "..."
"Sang Ning!"
Sang Ning turned and smiled. "Ji Yan, you’re here!"
"Wow, this is quite the spectacle for An'an’s birthday!" Ji Yan was stunned.
Sang Ning swallowed. "Well, turning three means starting kindergarten soon. It’s kind of a big deal."
Ji Yan glanced at the little boy beside her.
Xu’s birthday was in three days, and she hadn’t even ordered a cake yet…
Xu tugged her hand. "Mom."
Ji Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Guiltily meeting his gaze, she forced an overly sweet tone. "What is it, sweetheart?"
Xu looked up at her, his small face earnest. "Can I go play with An'an?"
Ji Yan exhaled in relief and smiled. "Go ahead."
As Gu Shixu walked away, Ji Yan immediately turned to Gu Xingchen. "What are we doing for Xu’s birthday?"
Gu Xingchen clicked his tongue. "Their birthdays are so close. Let’s just celebrate them together. We’ll ask the staff to bring out a cake for Xu later."
Ji Yan: "..."
She glared at him. "What kind of father are you?!"
"Xu’s easygoing. He won’t mind." Gu Xingchen shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded toward the kids. "See? He likes playing with An'an."
Ji Yan: "..."
Even Sang Ning couldn’t argue with that. Xu really was an exceptionally well-behaved child.
She had no idea how Ji Yan and Gu Xingchen—two people who were always on the verge of exploding—had managed to raise such a gentle, quiet son.
Ji Yan shot Gu Xingchen another glare before huffily dragging Sang Ning aside to chat.
Sang Ning released He Siyu’s arm and followed Ji Yan to the seating area.
The sudden emptiness on his arm made He Siyu glance back, his lips pressing into a thin line.
Gu Xingchen grumbled, "Tell me, is Ji Yan unreasonable or what? She forgot Xu’s birthday too, and now she’s blaming me! Don’t women always make a fuss over nothing?"
He Siyu took a sip from his glass, tone indifferent. "Really? Sang Ning never gets mad at me."
Gu Xingchen: "..."
The words lodged in his throat, leaving him speechless.
Meanwhile, Ji Yan excitedly pulled Sang Ning aside. "Since An'an and Xu are starting kindergarten soon, why don’t we take them on a trip before school starts? Let’s go together!"
Sang Ning thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I don’t think we can manage it right now. Work’s been hectic, and I can’t take much time off."
Ji Yan’s shoulders slumped. "Oh, alright."
"Why don’t you ask Gu Xingchen to go with you? He should be free."
The two of them had plenty of time on their hands.
Ji Yan scoffed. "I’d rather not!"
Sang Ning glanced at Gu Xingchen, who was laughing boisterously in the distance, then turned back. "You two seem to get along pretty well these days."
The more she observed, the more she realized Ji Yan and Gu Xingchen were actually well-matched.
Ji Yan immediately denied it. "Who gets along with him?!"
She declared righteously, "Ours is an arranged marriage! At best, we’re just tolerating each other. There’s no real affection."
Sang Ning: "...Right."
"Xu!" An'an cheered, hopping down from He Wanjun’s lap and stretching her arms out for a hug.
Xu’s voice was soft and childish. "An'an, happy birthday."
An'an proudly planted her hands on her hips. "That’s right! I’m three now. Gu Shixu, you’re still two."
Xu frowned. "I’m three too."
"Nuh-uh! You won’t be three for three more days. You’re younger than me."
An'an was adamant. With a haughty sniff, she added, "Call me ‘big sister.’"
Xu: "..."
As the guests settled in and the party was about to begin, Grandma He suddenly asked, "Where’s Xingzhou? Why isn’t he back yet?"
He Siyu, now seated with Sang Ning, replied calmly, "Probably held up by something."
Grandma He sighed. "That boy… He’s not getting any younger, yet he hasn’t even mentioned marriage. You and Yun'an are both married with children, and he’s still alone."
Sang Ning pursed her lips before speaking gently. "Grandma, it’s not that Big Brother doesn’t have someone he wants to marry."
Grandma He’s expression shifted. Her gaze drifted to He Yun'an, who was entertaining An'an and Xu with a yo-yo, making them jump around in delight.
Sang Ning took Grandma He’s hand and said softly, "Grandma, it’s been fourteen years. How many fourteen years does a person have in their lifetime?"
Grandma He’s aged eyes dimmed. She let out a long, weary sigh.
---
Airport.
A sea of hurried travelers flowed through the terminal.
A tall, motionless figure stood at the arrivals gate, unwavering as a pine tree.
Then, a woman in a tailored suit-dress emerged, pushing her luggage.
Finally, he moved—striding forward and taking hold of her suitcase.
The woman startled. When she looked up and met his eyes, she froze for three full seconds.
"What a coincidence, running into you here," she said evenly.
He Xingzhou’s lips thinned. "Not a coincidence. I’ve been waiting for you."
A pause. "I’ve waited a long time."
Zhao Yunke’s fingers tightened around her luggage handle. She averted her gaze. "I’m only back for a cross-border case. I’ll be busy—no time to catch up—"
He Xingzhou watched her. "I missed you."
Her detached expression faltered.
He continued quietly, "Yun'an missed you too."
Her eyes reddened instantly. A tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it.
He bent down and pulled her into his arms, his usually stern gaze softening. "Xiao Ke, I’m sorry."
---
Night fell before the last of the guests finally departed.
An'an was probably tired from playing, which made her especially clingy, and at times like these, she only clung to Sang Ning.
She burrowed into Sang Ning's arms, whining sweetly, "Mommy, hold me."
Sang Ning cradled her, whispering soothingly, "Mommy's here."
An'an nestled against her chest and drowsily closed her eyes.
Sang Ning struggled to hold her steady—An'an was growing bigger every day and getting heavier.
He Siyu took An'an from her arms. The little one was truly exhausted, letting out a soft whimper without opening her eyes, then continued sleeping soundly on her father's shoulder.
Uncle Zheng drove them out, and with one arm holding their child and the other wrapped around Sang Ning's waist, He Siyu said, "Let's go home."
By the time they returned, it was already ten o'clock.
"Sir, Madam, you're back," Nanny Zhang greeted them at the door.
He Siyu handed An'an over, and Nanny Zhang skillfully took the child to put her to bed.
After settling An'an, He Siyu assumed Sang Ning had already gone to the bathroom to shower—no one loved bathing as much as she did.
But when he checked, the bathroom was empty.
His gaze swept the room until he spotted a slender silhouette through the glass balcony doors.
She was still wearing that pale blue satin dress, her slightly curled hair cascading over her shoulders as the breeze played with her locks and the hem of her gown.
Sang Ning was tired, but standing on the balcony, the night air revived her senses.
He Siyu slid open the glass door and stepped outside, draping a thin blanket over her shoulders. "What are you doing out here in the wind? You'll catch a chill."
Sang Ning frowned. "I'm not cold."
He Siyu studied her flushed cheeks.
Even a sip of alcohol made her face turn pink.
He brushed his fingers against her warm skin, his voice low. "You know you can't hold your liquor, yet you still insisted on drinking."
She replied earnestly, "But the pineapple-flavored cocktail was delicious."
He gave her a cool look. "You have quite a few preferences, don’t you?"
She lifted her gaze, her clear, glass-like eyes meeting his. "Not many."
His throat tightened, as if ensnared by her.
She reached up, her delicate fingers trailing over his white shirt before lightly tangling with his tie.
"I'm happy."
His eyes darkened as he circled her waist, his thumb grazing her skin, the heat between them intensifying. "Why are you happy?"
She looked at him, her radiant gaze shimmering. "Everything. I love all of it."
Her An'an, the Nan Corporation, and...
Her fingers, which had been caressing his black tie, suddenly tightened, gripping it firmly.
He leaned down, closing the distance between them.
She tilted her head slightly, brushing her lips against the corner of his mouth. "He Siyu, you're mine."
In an instant, his arm around her waist tightened, and he captured her lips in a fierce kiss.
Their breaths mingled as if he wanted to steal every gasp from her.
Her breathing grew uneven, the flush on her cheeks deepening, until she turned her head away, overwhelmed.
His kisses trailed from her lips to her ear, his voice a husky whisper. "Yangyang, I love you so much."
It was fate—he could only love her.
He loved the way her brows furrowed when she was upset, the cunning calculations she made for profit, the dazzling brilliance she radiated when she stood atop the world.
But most of all, he loved the quiet way her eyes settled on him.
It made his heart race uncontrollably.
