Hearing noises from the bathroom, Yancy Shaw ended his call.
Bryce Shaw had just opened his mouth to say something when the call was cut off.
That brat, he’s getting more and more out of line. Not only did his own wife come home without bothering to tell him, but now he even dares to just hang up on me! And as his older brother, I can’t even scold him.
Ah, what can you do? You spoil your own little brother.
Lisheng lay on the bed with Claire Xu chatting beside her. Claire Xu was telling her about a new original design competition online, saying that Lisheng should sign up and give it a try.
"My brand hasn’t been around long. There’s no way I can compete with those well-known names. I’d better not get involved in that kind of scene." She knew her own strengths and limitations.
"Come on, everybody starts small. Your studio just doesn’t have the fame yet, but your work is just as good as anyone else’s."
Lisheng knew Claire Xu meant to encourage her, but she didn’t have much interest in competitions. All she wanted was to keep honing her skills and focus on perfecting her designs.
Yancy Shaw came in with a cup of warm milk and set it on the nightstand.
She looked up and thanked him.
Hearing their voices, Claire Xu teased meaningfully, "It’s late. I won’t keep you up. The night is young and romantic—don’t forget to take precautions, you two."
The room was quiet, so Claire Xu’s words came through the phone loud and clear. Yancy Shaw heard every single syllable.
"Have a nice night," Claire Xu laughed, then hung up.
Lisheng turned to Yancy Shaw, cheeks flushed. "My friend just likes to joke around. Don’t take her seriously."
Yancy Shaw didn’t say anything, simply gazing at her, his eyes deep and unreadable like a bottomless vortex.
Thinking back on their time sharing a bed, he had always behaved himself, just holding her as they slept, never letting his hands wander. Oddly, it made her feel a little disappointed.
She couldn’t help but wonder—was she just not attractive enough? Wasn’t she able to arouse any desire in him?
Yancy Shaw lifted the covers and lay down beside her. Instinctively, Lisheng edged closer to his embrace.
But as she felt his body heat intensify, remembering something Claire Xu had mentioned the other day, she blurted out, "Um… Do you have… any, uh, issues you’re embarrassed to talk about?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it—she shouldn’t have asked something so personal. What if she hurt his dignity? That kind of thing was sensitive.
For a moment, the hand holding her waist stilled. Then he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. "Shengsheng, I’m a doctor. Don’t you think asking me that is a bit unnecessary?"
It finally dawned on her—of course, he was a doctor. If he had any problems, he’d know better than she would.
She buried her face in the blankets. Oh God, how embarrassing! Had she really just asked that?
Lifting her face in his hands, Yancy Shaw looked at her, solemn and intent. "I’m a perfectly healthy man, Mrs. Shen. There’s no need to worry. If you’re not convinced, you can check for yourself, right now."
As he said this, he guided her hand downwards…
The sensation beneath her palm made her entire body tense; her breathing quickened.
Yancy Shaw gave a muffled groan, then released her hand. His eyes were dark with desire, but he kept himself in check.
"You just had surgery not long ago. Your body’s still recovering, so… we can’t, for now."
Her cheeks flushed an even brighter red. So, it turned out he’d been restraining himself for her sake, while she’d doubted his abilities…
She felt terribly embarrassed. Did she seem that desperate?
Watching Yancy Shaw leave with a helpless look and retreat to the bathroom, her sense of guilt deepened.
That night, she fell asleep without dreams.
The next day, someone from the studio called, inviting her to compete in the design competition.
Lisheng went online to check the competition’s entry requirements. To take part, your original brand had to have been around for over five years.
But her brand had only been established for three. How could she possibly be eligible?
Mia May, however, didn’t think it was odd at all. "Maybe they noticed your potential, Sister Sheng!"
That was possible, but Lisheng didn’t give it much thought. She put it out of her mind almost immediately.
She had a dress to design for Mrs. Chen—the rest would have to wait.
After two busy days, the dress was finally finished.
Pleased with her handiwork, she snapped a photo and sent it to Yancy Shaw, guessing he was probably still in surgery and wouldn’t have time to check his phone.
She packed the dress up and drove to the Shen family home.
Mrs. Chen tried on the new dress, full of praise from the start.
"Shengsheng, wearing the dress you designed, I feel like a new person!"
Off to the side, Shen Wenting quipped, "Wearing a dress designed by your own daughter-in-law—what a thing to brag about!"
Mrs. Chen checked herself out in the mirror, turning this way and that. The material and decorations had all been thoughtfully chosen, and the stitching was meticulous. The more she looked, the happier she grew. "Your workmanship is every bit as fine as those big-name designers, you just don’t have the fame yet—what a shame!"
Knowing her mother-in-law was praising her, Lisheng smiled modestly. "Compared to those big brands, I still have a long way to go and a lot to improve."
Mrs. Chen and Shen Wenting exchanged a glance, their approval of their daughter-in-law growing.
Sitting beside her, Mrs. Chen asked about how things had been lately between her and Yancy Shaw.
"How are things between you and Yancheng?"
"Very good. Yancheng really knows how to take care of people." It was the truth—he knew her preferences well, always looked after her like she was precious.
Hearing her say that, the couple was startled, but they quickly masked their surprise.
"If Yancheng ever does anything wrong, let us know. Don’t keep it bottled up if you’re upset," Mrs. Chen said.
Clearly, they were worried their son was too cold, bad at caring for people, and that Lisheng would suffer for it.
"He’s wonderful. He would never let me suffer. Being with him is easy and relaxing."
The two elders seemed relieved. In the past, Yancy Shaw was always so distant with girls, giving people the impression that he had a bad temper. Naturally they’d worry about Lisheng getting hurt.
But now, they realized their son wasn’t like that with every girl.
"Yancheng has always been cold and never cared about making girls happy. When girls liked him before, he never gave them the time of day—sometimes making them cry," Mrs. Chen confided.
"I used to worry he’d treat you the same way, and who knows how much heartache you’d have to endure. But, turns out, you’re different. He isn’t the same with you."
There’s a saying—there’s always someone who can keep another in check. Looks like her son had finally fallen, which was why Lisheng could become his exception.