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

Meng family.

Meng Shuyan sat on the sofa, her fingers crumpling the edge of the newspaper. With a "rip," the fragile newspaper was torn to shreds.

Chen Qingci carefully picked up the newspaper that had been torn in two, glanced at it briefly, and exclaimed in surprise, "President Shang was actually photographed? And with his whole family?"

Meng Shuyan's eyes flashed with a sharp glare: "A family of three?"

Chen Qingci quickly shut her mouth. Her father was just the Meng family's driver. She had followed Meng Shuyan around like a servant since she was a child. But Meng Shuyan looked down on her. It was only after her original follower Xia Qian was gone that she remembered herself.

"This is the first time I've ever seen someone so eager to become someone's stepmother."

Meng Shuyan had exquisite makeup on her face, but her furious expression somewhat ruined the beauty of it.

Chen Qingci said softly, "I misspoke. Maybe it was just a coincidence. You know how popular President Shang is in Jiangcheng's socialite circles. Didn't many people find out his whereabouts before and bring paparazzi to bump into him?"

Meng Shuyan's expression softened slightly. She just couldn't believe it. The woman in the newspaper looked ordinary, except for her pretty face. How could she make Shang Chenyan treat her differently?

Shang Chenyan was someone she had been plotting against for many years. She had driven away so many unwanted suitors around him, but now an uninvited guest had barged in. How could she swallow this insult?

Chen Qingci observed her expression, thinking that although the Meng family was now somewhat down on their luck, they had still supported her for so many years. She couldn't help but want to advise her: "Sister Shuyan, you're so beautiful and outstanding, why do you always think about President Shang? No matter how good he is, isn't he just a divorced man with a child..."

"What do you know?"

Meng Shuyan frowned in annoyance. In their circle, which man didn't have one wife at home and a bunch of mistresses outside? Countless couples appeared to be loving and affectionate on the surface, but secretly wished they could kill each other.

Although Shang Chenyan has a child, he is very clean-living and has never had a scandal in all these years, making him an anomaly in the wealthy family.

Marrying someone who will become a womanizer is certainly not as good as marrying Shang Chenyan.

"That useless Xia Qian, we've given her all the methods, but it's still no use at all."

Chen Qingci didn't know what Xia Qian had helped with, but she had heard that the Xia family had gone bankrupt, that Xia Qian had apparently been imprisoned for something, and that even her father, Xia Zongyuan, was currently embroiled in lawsuits.

"How's that jewelry set I bought for you?"

Chen Qingci lowered her head: "I'm sorry, Sister Shuyan, I found that collector, but he won't sell..."

Before Meng Shuyan could get angry, she quickly added, "But there's an auction next weekend, and he'll put that piece of jewelry up for auction. The money he gets will be donated to charity."

"An auction?"

Meng Shuyan seemed to be thinking: "Go and find a way to get an invitation letter."

"Okay, Sister Shuyan."

*

on Monday.

Today is Shang Nian's first day at school, and Shi Ying feels even more nervous than she is.

Shang Nian changed into a white dress with a blue cardigan over it. Her hair was braided into a small braid. She lay on the carpet, stuffing things into her schoolbag with great effort.

"Why is Nian Nian carrying so many paintbrushes?"

Shang Nian pointed to the sketchbook and wrote the word "Teacher" on it.

"Did the teacher tell us to bring this?"

Shang Nian nodded.

Shi Ying didn't ask any more questions. Shang Chenyan took care of everything for her enrollment. The thought that the president of the prestigious Shang Group would be in the parents' group and be nagged by the teacher made her feel inexplicably amused.

"Are you done?" Shang Chenyan appeared outside the room. He glanced at his watch. "It's almost eight o'clock. Time to go out."

Shang Nian was clearly very excited. Carrying her bulging backpack, she didn't let Shi Ying help her carry it and ran downstairs by herself.

Shang Chenyan drove her to school. When they arrived at the school gate, he didn't get out of the car. He watched through the car window as Shi Ying led Shang Nian across the road and handed her over to the teacher.

Shang Nian waved to her every few steps, turning back to look at her repeatedly. After receiving a response, she skipped and hopped into the campus.

Shi Ying returned to the car, and as soon as she opened the back door, she heard the man say, "Sit in the front."

"oh..."

Shi Ying didn't think much of it. There were two people there before, so she and Shang Nian sat in the back. If she sat in the back now, it would be as if she were treating him as a driver.

The car was quiet. Shi Ying didn't speak, staring blankly ahead, her fingers unconsciously clutching her pants.

"What are you so nervous about?"

"Huh?" Shi Ying was startled and subconsciously looked at him. "I'm just nervous. I wonder how Niannian's day at school was?"

Shang Chenyan glanced at his watch: "It's only been five minutes since you two separated."

Shi Ying: "...Anyone would be worried the first time they send their child to school, okay? Aren't you worried?"

"Don't worry," Shang Chenyan explained. "I have bodyguards at school who will keep an eye on her at all times."

Otherwise, how could he feel at ease sending Shang Nian to school alone?

Shi Ying: "..."

It's a waste of her feelings.

Seeing her huffing and puffing, Shang Chenyan smiled: "If Niannian knew how much you care about her, she would be very happy."

"I'm very happy too."

Shi Ying looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Shang Chenyan stared ahead, his long eyelashes casting a dark shadow: "I'm so happy that someone cares about Nian Nian with me."

The car was parked in the garage downstairs in the group building. Since it was still early and there weren't many people along the way, Shi Ying followed Shang Chenyan into his private elevator.

When the elevator doors opened, Cheng Ting, who was passing by, looked at the two people who came out together with some surprise.

"Hello, Mr. Shang."

"Hmm." The man left indifferently.

Shi Ying also greeted him politely, "Good morning, Director Cheng."

Cheng Ting looked her up and down, and that look made Shi Ying feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

"Shiying, you've been here for almost two weeks now, haven't you?"

"Uh-huh."

Cheng Ting was already tall, and with high heels, she was almost a head taller than Shi Ying. Shi Ying noticed Cheng Ting looking down at her, her voice light and airy:

"You've only been here a short time. You should focus your mind on the right path and stop thinking about taking shortcuts."

"You're taking leave every other day. With your current work attitude, it's questionable whether you'll even pass your probation period."

She glanced meaningfully in the direction of the CEO's office: "Don't waste your energy on things that are not your concern."