After wandering another floor, Shen Duoyi remembered to buy a gift for Qi Shi'an, but worried about buying something that wouldn't suit his taste, he spent a long time before finally buying something satisfactory.

"Still not good? Why are you so picky?" a familiar child's voice came from the nearby store. Shen Duoyi turned slightly and saw Shutiao sitting on the sofa inside. He walked over and heard You Si saying: "The gray pattern looks nice, but the blue one feels better, so annoying."

"Then buy both, don't be annoyed!" Shutiao used his whole body force while speaking, spilling his drink, and immediately went to pull You Si's skirt hem, "Mama! My clothes are wet!"

Shen Duoyi's footsteps stopped, looking at them in shock. Did Shutiao just call You Si... mama?

You Si pulled her gaze from the two ties, but before she could look down at Shutiao, she first saw Shen Duoyi a few steps away. She was also somewhat flustered but tried to maintain her dignity, forcing a smile: "Team Leader Shen, what a coincidence."

Shutiao was temporarily deposited at the children's playground, while Shen Duoyi and You Si sat on chairs outside to rest. Out of courtesy, Shen Duoyi didn't actively inquire, because since You Si was willing to sit down with him, she presumably had something to entrust to him, so he just needed to listen carefully.

"Team Leader Shen," You Si was somewhat nervous, but then smiled with relief, "Just now I thought of many excuses, but they all seemed too fake, so forget it, better to be straightforward. Shutiao isn't my nephew, he's my son born in Sydney. Looking at him now, don't you think he looks a bit like me?"

Shen Duoyi appreciated her frank attitude: "His eyes and brows are very similar, he's already becoming a little handsome guy."

After a moment of silence, You Si said: "Thank you for not asking who Shutiao' father is. Since returning home, my brother has asked countless times, I'm about to have a brain hemorrhage."

"Miss You, being a single mother is very hard, you're amazing." Shen Duoyi wasn't stingy with praise, "Don't laugh, but I actually thought about introducing my junior brother to you, but then felt you might not like that."

He spoke with measure; if the other person was perceptive, it would be self-evident.

You Si was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled at him: "Team Leader Shen, why do I feel like you've seen through me?"

Since the conversation had reached this point, Shen Duoyi also became forthright: "You're very close with Mr. Qi, like siblings, and while Mr. Zhang is several years older than both of you, you're quite arrogant towards him. Is he special?"

You Si couldn't stop laughing: "Of course he's special, who else shows off like him all day, like a peacock reincarnated."

Seeing Shen Duoyi's somewhat hesitant expression, You Si said: "Team Leader Shen, you really have good manners, able to keep chatting so pleasantly while maintaining the principle of not gossiping behind others' backs. Then let me say it - gentlemen and playboys each have their merits, some people like gentlemen, some like playboys, no one needs to understand the other."

Shen Duoyi asked softly: "Perhaps, do you like playboys?"

"I'm trying to like them, hoping to succeed soon." You Si's eyes suddenly became somewhat sad, "Love is like investing - if I like a gentleman but he doesn't like me, then I need to cut my losses and look at market conditions elsewhere. However, although my path ahead is uncertain, I wish the gentleman well."

The gentleman was Qi Shi'an, the playboy was Zhang Yiming.

In that instant, Shen Duoyi couldn't hear anything else. The mall was nearing closing time, parents were calling their precious ones back from the children's playground, but all the noise and clamor were blocked out by You Si's words. He looked at her in disbelief.

You Si had liked Qi Shi'an, and all those details with Zhang Yiming were about turning around, trying to accept a love that could blossom and bear fruit. There might be other entanglements, but he had no position or energy to investigate.

"Team Leader Shen, there was never any possibility between me and Shi'an, so I never made any attempt, let alone tell him. This is my secret, and besides, I'm almost thirty now, liking him was something from my teens, I've long let it go." You Si looked at him, "You're also a gentleman, thank you for not making me feel awkward after discovering my secret, and thank you for your kindness."

Shen Duoyi didn't know how to react. He quickly sorted through his thoughts, wondering if teenage You Si had inadvertently learned about Qi Shi'an's orientation, which was why she never even tried, always walking only in the path of friendship.

And saying there was no possibility at all.

Shen Duoyi was still slightly dazed, but more appreciative: "Miss You, anything that can be spoken of so openly can only make one's heart more upright."

You Si pressed her lips together embarrassedly: "Well, since you found out, I might as well say it all. Compared to being an unwed mother, these little teenage feelings are really nothing."

"Auntie!"

Shutiao ran over and threw himself into You Si's arms: "The playground is closing, are we going home?"

"Yes, you can only call me mama in front of Uncle Duoyi." You Si wiped the sweat from Shutiao' face, then looked at Shen Duoyi, "Team Leader Shen, looking at your expression, you still haven't recovered."

Shen Duoyi nodded, covering Shutiao' ears before answering: "Yes, I really didn't expect that the person you liked was Mr. Qi."

You Si casually blurted out: "That's old news, and besides, he already told his family he has someone he likes, said he'd explain later. He probably has explained by now. I wish him all the best."

Shen Duoyi hadn't fully emerged from the previous wave of shock when another wave hit him head-on. Qi Shi'an had explained to his family, explained about their relationship? But Qi Shi'an hadn't said anything to him about it, was he planning to shoulder all the pressure alone?

Regardless of the onlookers' gazes and You Si's astonishment, Shen Duoyi ran out of the mall, not stopping until he reached the parking lot. He quickly started the car, driving at a speed he'd never attempted before, gripping the steering wheel with one hand while hurriedly pressing the dial button with the other.

"Hello?" Qi Shi'an answered quickly, "Calling at this hour, want me to help you fall asleep?"

Shen Duoyi stared at the road ahead: "I'm almost at Yamenting, come out."

Qi Shi'an didn't ask further: "Alright, I'll come down right away." Still worried, he added, "Drive slowly. Though I don't know the reason, whether it's a sudden impulse or you're coming to confront me, don't joke with safety. I'll be waiting at the entrance."

After hanging up, Shen Duoyi slowed down a bit.

He thought Qi Shi'an was really wonderful, no wonder You Si liked him, Zhang Yiming and You Zhe probably should like him too.

But Qi Shi'an only liked him.

Shen Duoyi sped up again.

Yamenting Apartments were already in sight, and Shen Duoyi saw Qi Shi'an standing under the neon lights. He pulled over, got out of the car and rushed toward him, but stopped still when he got close.

Qi Shi'an said: "I've already opened my arms, how can you emergency brake like that."

"I... I went to buy a gift for your grandpa, and bought one for you too." Shen Duoyi delayed the words he wanted to say, returning to the car to take out a box. Coming back to Qi Shi'an, he opened the box, revealing a pair of cufflinks.

"You always take off your cufflinks and randomly throw them on the table, they'll get scratched over time, so I bought you a new pair." Shen Duoyi looked down at the box, "Nothing expensive, just wear them casually."

Qi Shi'an accepted them: "I like them very much, I'll wear them tomorrow."

Shen Duoyi gradually raised his head: "You said your family is my family, it's the same for me - your family is my family. I want to be filial to them with you, want to share the pressure from family with you. I've said before, I want to work hard together with you, not just enjoy the results of your efforts."

Qi Shi'an finally sensed something was wrong: "What happened, did someone contact you? My mom?"

Shen Duoyi leaned forward to hug him under the neon lights. He buried his face in Qi Shi'an's neck: "I was too slow to realize. No wonder you needed encouragement and wanted gifts, because you've been having a hard time recently, right?"

Qi Shi'an raised his hand to embrace Shen Duoyi's shoulders, but suddenly the other lifted his head in panic, asking: "Did they hit you? Are you hurt?"

The sight of Fei Yuan being beaten back then was too horrifying, he was really afraid Qi Shi'an would suffer the same fate.

"No, I'm fine." Qi Shi'an stroked his head, "Want to come upstairs and let me strip so you can check?"

Before Shen Duoyi could answer, a huge door-slamming sound came from not far away. They slightly separated and looked over together, seeing a woman trembling with anger standing in front of a taxi door across the street.

It was Kong Yinhong, who had just gotten off a flight from her business trip, still dusty from travel.

Shen Duoyi asked puzzled: "Is she looking at us?"

Qi Shi'an said: "Probably."

Shen Duoyi asked again: "Who is she?"

Qi Shi'an answered: "Your... evil mother-in-law."