Five years after my wife's death, she came back!

As the man regained his senses, he stopped moving and loosened his grip on Shi Ying.

Shi Ying took the opportunity to push him away, staggered to her feet, and left without looking back.

Shang Chenyan knelt on the bed, his eyes bloodshot, his hands trembling uncontrollably, his gaze wild and obsessive.

*

In the evening, the doorbell rang at the villa.

Pei Yanchuan stood outside the door carrying a cake, ringing the doorbell for a long time without anyone answering. He scratched his head: "What's going on? Nobody's home?"

Ji Huanzhou pushed up his glasses, took a few steps back, and glanced upstairs: "The lights are off downstairs, but there seems to be light coming from upstairs."

"That means someone's here." Pei Yanchuan shouted a few times, "Shang Chenyan, come down and open the door, or I'm breaking it down."

After waiting a few more minutes, the lights inside the French windows suddenly came on, and then the door was opened.

Pei Yanchuan raised the cake box in his hand: "Look how loyal we are. We knew you wanted to have some alone time yesterday and didn't want to disturb you, so we came to celebrate your birthday today."

Pei Yanchuan peeked inside; the living room was empty, not a soul in sight. "Where are Shi Xiaoying and Xiao Shangnian? Where did they go? Come down and have some cake."

Shang Chenyan frowned slightly, his expression not very good. Ji Huanzhou tugged at Pei Yanchuan, who seemed a bit dim-witted, signaling him to shut up.

"Come in."

Shang Chenyan didn't say much, and stepped aside to let them into the house.

Shi Ying heard the noise upstairs and brought Shang Nian downstairs as well.

Pei Yanchuan picked up Shang Nian: "Little Shang Nian, call me uncle."

Shang Nian called out obediently, which Pei Yanchuan found particularly interesting, and he teased her by saying many more things.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Shi Ying asked. "Zhang Ma isn't here today, and we don't have much food at home. Would you like to eat out?"

"I'll have someone deliver the food."

After Shang Chenyan spoke, Shi Ying did not respond. Ji Huanzhou had already sensed the awkward atmosphere between the two.

The atmosphere in the living room was somewhat strange. Shang Chenyan and Shi Ying sat on single sofas on either side, while only Pei Yanchuan and Shang Nian were talking.

The delivery person arrived quickly; a friend was coming over, and the food they brought was plentiful and exquisite.

The dining table was eerily quiet. Even Pei Yanchuan, who was usually oblivious, realized something was wrong.

He glanced at Shang Chenyan, who was eating silently beside him, then at Shi Ying across the table, who was serving food to Shang Nian, and finally exchanged a look with Ji Huanzhou.

It looks like they had a fight.

They've just celebrated their birthdays, how come they're already arguing?

Tsk, love is indeed full of bittersweet experiences.

He recalled his school days, when Shi Ying would always wait for Shang Chenyan downstairs in his freshman year, and over time, he got to know her.

Many people pursued Shang Chenyan, but he had a very strange temper, and every suitor would be disappointed within a month. Pei Yanchuan originally thought that Shi Ying would not be able to persist for more than a few days, but he did not expect that she persisted for a year without giving up.

Gradually, he and Shi Ying became familiar with each other.

After they got together, every time they argued, they would confide in him. He would listen to one side's complaints and then listen to the other side's grievances. Pei Yanchuan often felt like he was their dumping ground.

I never imagined that after all these years, they would still be arguing.

Pei Yanchuan muttered a few complaints to himself before silently eating.

After dinner, Pei Yanchuan tried to lighten the mood, but Shi Ying had already pulled Shang Nian upstairs: "Niannian has to go to her teacher's tomorrow. You two chat, I'll take her upstairs to wash up and rest first."

Pei Yanchuan: "Oh..."

Only after the two figures disappeared into the stairwell did he approach them and ask, "Did you two have a fight?"

Shang Chenyan put down his wine glass, leaned back in his chair somewhat dejectedly, raised his hand to press his temples, and didn't really want to talk.

"Tell us, how can we help you if you don't tell us?" Pei Yanchuan was both gossipy and anxious. "You two only made up a short while ago and you're already arguing again. I'm not trying to be mean, but after knowing you for so long, don't you know that Shi Xiaoying looks gentle, but she's actually a stubborn mule?"

Shang Chenyan looked over with an unfriendly gaze.

Pei Yanchuan didn't dodge or evade: "Did I say something wrong? I knew she was stubborn back in school, otherwise, how could she have kept going after being rejected by you so many times?"

Ji Huanzhou said, "It's best to talk things out as soon as possible. If you drag it out, even a small matter can easily become a thorn in your side."

Pei Yanchuan: "So how exactly did you two start arguing?"

Shang Chenyan remained silent for a moment before briefly recounting the events of the day.

Pei Yanchuan stared in disbelief. He looked up at the surveillance camera above him and immediately got goosebumps: "Shang Chenyan, you know I always side with my own people regardless of right or wrong, but this is really something else."

The thought that his every move had been monitored made him feel uncomfortable; who could stand that?

"What normal person could stand being monitored every day?"

Shang Chenyan's face grew increasingly grim, so dark it was almost dripping with water.

Ji Huanzhou kicked Pei Yanchuan: "So much food can't shut you up."

"As I said before, you'd better adjust your mindset before she finds out. After all, while I can understand your situation, not everyone can accept it."

Ji Huanzhou picked up his wine glass and took a small sip: "What are you planning to do?"

Shang Chenyan didn't know.

He knew he was sick, but he didn't know how to make himself better.

*

The second floor.

After coaxing Shang Nian to sleep, Shi Ying came out of the bedroom and saw a person standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor.

Hearing the noise, the person turned around.

It is Ji Huanzhou.

"Dr. Ji?" Shi Ying walked over. "Have you finished talking?"

Ji Huanzhou nodded: "I just talked to Shen Yan about the treatment plan for Niannian. He had no objections, and I wanted to show it to you as well."

As he spoke, he handed a document to Shi Ying.

Shi Ying flipped through it: "I will read it carefully. Thank you for your help during this time."

"No trouble at all." Ji Huanzhou smiled. "We are not only doctor and patient but also friends, and I am very happy that Niannian can speak."

"However, regarding Niannian's situation, in addition to the efforts of me and the rehabilitation teacher, you as parents also need to cooperate."

Shi Ying nodded: "Tell me, what are we going to do?"

"We need to create a good family environment for Niannian, for example, don't argue in front of her."

Shi Ying: "...I didn't argue in front of her."

They were arguing behind closed doors.

Shi Ying glanced downstairs: "Did he send you to say that?"

"No." Ji Huanzhou shrugged. "I didn't mean to interfere in your relationship. I just think that as his closest person, you have the right to know something."

"Know what?"

Ji Huanzhou looked at her: "He didn't mean to spy on you."

"He is currently experiencing severe separation anxiety."