The voluptuous and beautiful nanny, Technician Shen fell for her.

The bathroom door was open.

Cold water gushed from the tap, and Shen Huai stood in front of the sink, his hands gripping the edge.

Su Nianhe had long since disappeared.

She rushed into the next-door children's room and hurriedly grabbed a baby bottle to mix with warm water.

Aunt Wang was grumbling about how temperamental the little darling was, completely oblivious to Su Nianhe's abnormally red cheeks, as she took the diapers to wash them.

Su Nianhe watched Aunt Wang leave, then lowered her head.

Her collar was pulled loose, and the pure gold peony pendant under her clothes was pressed against her skin. The originally cold metal had long since become scalding hot from her body heat.

After feeding the child, she handed him back to Aunt Wang and quickly went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

The potato on the cutting board was cut in half, and she held the knife, but her mind just couldn't settle down.

It wasn't time for dinner yet when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the living room.

The door was pushed open.

Liu Huizhen walked in wearing mid-heeled leather shoes, and threw her handbag heavily onto the sofa.

She wore a crisp polyester short-sleeved shirt today, her hair was permed and curled, but her expression was very gloomy.

"Shen Huai!" Liu Huizhen raised her voice, which echoed in the living room.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

Shen Huai grabbed a towel to dry his hands and walked out slowly.

His white short-sleeved shirt was slightly disheveled at the collar from the earlier tugging, but he didn't care and casually buttoned up a button.

"Looking for me?" Shen Huai walked into the living room, his tone indifferent.

Liu Huizhen was furious and pointed at his nose, yelling, "Where did you go this afternoon? I just ran into your Aunt Chen outside! She asked me if Xiao Huai didn't like their niece and wouldn't even show his face! Do you know how embarrassed I was?"

Shen Huai pulled out a single sofa and sat down, crossing his long legs.

"I already said I wasn't going."

"What kind of talk is that!" Liu Huizhen took two steps closer. "That girl's father is in the army, and he's getting promoted this year! He's a perfect match for our family, a very suitable couple. Would it cost you a thing to go and meet him?"

Shen Huai leaned back on the sofa and looked up at Liu Huizhen.

"The first time I went on the blind date you arranged, it was because I didn't want to embarrass the other person or you. It was also to make things clear." Shen Huai's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "Later, I made it clear that I didn't want to go on blind dates, and I didn't want to see anyone. If you still insist on arranging them, then don't blame me for being disrespectful."

Liu Huizhen was so angry that she was panting heavily.

She was used to having the final say in this family, but she just couldn't do anything about her youngest son.

"At your age, who isn't married?" Liu Huizhen slammed her hand on the coffee table. "People your age in the compound already have kids old enough to run errands! Their parents are already holding their grandchildren. How long are you going to keep putting it off?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Huai glanced towards the children's room on the first floor.

"Isn't Ping An just your grandson?" Shen Huai retorted. "You don't necessarily hold him every day."

The air in the living room seemed to freeze for a moment after those words were spoken.

Liu Huizhen's expression turned somewhat strange.

Her lips moved, and her expression was very unnatural, as if something was stuck in her throat, but she quickly concealed that abnormality.

"Can they be the same?" Liu Huizhen waved her hand, raising her voice to cover up her earlier awkwardness. "Your eldest brother's son is one thing. What I want to hold is your eldest grandson!"

The mother and son were arguing in the living room.

In the children's room, Aunt Wang held Shen Ping'an, barely daring to breathe, afraid of getting into trouble, and simply stayed inside.

In the kitchen, Su Nianhe stood by the stove, holding a spatula, listening intently to the sounds outside.

Her heart was pounding so hard she didn't even notice the oil in the pan was getting hot.

Shen Huai has a stubborn temper. If they get into a heated argument and he actually reveals his relationship to Liu Huizhen in front of her, she'll be packing her bags and leaving today.

If I leave the Shen family, then what?

She bit her lower lip, praying that Shen Huai wouldn't act impulsively.

I wonder if he can understand her concerns.

The door was pushed open again.

Shen Wanshan returned home from get off work carrying his briefcase.

He was wearing a dark cadre jacket, his face was calm, and as soon as he entered the door he saw his wife and son in a tense standoff.

"What's all the noise about?" Shen Wanshan changed into slippers and put his briefcase on the cabinet.

Liu Huizhen immediately complained: "Old Shen, you need to control your son! He stood her up on her blind date this afternoon, and Political Commissar Chen's wife questioned me about it to my face. I'm so embarrassed!"

Shen Wanshan glanced at Liu Huizhen but didn't reply. He then turned to look at Shen Huai, who was sitting on the sofa.

"Xiao Huai, come to the study with me."

Shen Wanshan walked up to the second floor with his hands behind his back.

Shen Huai stood up, straightened his clothes, and followed.

The study was filled with the smell of aged ink and old paper.

Shen Wanshan walked behind the desk and sat down, pointing to the chair opposite him.

Shen Huai didn't sit down, but stood in front of the desk.

"Settle down first, then build your career," Shen Wanshan said in a deep voice. "Now that you've built your career, it's time to settle down."

Shen Huai looked at his father.

"When you and Mom asked me to return to Jiang City, my condition was that I could come back, but you couldn't interfere with me."

Shen Wanshan leaned back in his chair.

"I didn't interfere with you. You wanted to do research, so didn't I send you to the textile factory to do research? I also didn't force you to enter government service and pursue a career in politics."

"These days, blind dates are just interference," Shen Huai retorted.

Shen Wanshan placed his hands on the table, crossed.

"You don't have to go on blind dates; you can date freely. Now that we're in a period of reform and opening up, I won't stop you from finding a partner." Shen Wanshan paused, his tone becoming more serious, "However, your marriage partner must be someone of equal social standing. Otherwise, don't expect us to approve. Girls from ordinary families will only hold you back."

Shen Huai frowned slightly.

"Was my brother and sister-in-law a good match in terms of social standing when they married? None of you cared," Shen Huai asked. "Why do you insist that I be a good match?"

The study was quiet for a few seconds.

There was a subtle, strange expression on Shen Wanshan's face.

This expression was exactly the same as Liu Huizhen's reaction downstairs just now.

He coughed lightly.

"Shen Tao can choose anyone." Shen Wanshan lowered his voice. "He chose your sister-in-law because he likes her. Your sister-in-law's family is a bit poor, but she went to college, and I can arrange a job for her at the city hospital. But you can't just marry anyone. An ordinary family is absolutely out of the question, and I certainly won't arrange things for her like I did for your sister-in-law."

"So, you can choose to date freely, but you need to be mindful of your family's financial situation."

Shen Huai listened to these words.

The parents' attitudes toward the eldest brother and him have always been subtly different.

Shen Tao seems to be able to do whatever he wants, yet he is always subject to exceptionally strict rules and regulations.

But he has no time to delve into these trivial matters.

He couldn't stop thinking about the girl in the kitchen.

"I don't want to say that much." Shen Huai turned around, his hand on the doorknob. "I have my own plans for my personal matters."

After saying that, he opened the door and left the study.