The two women were chatting happily when a servant walked in and said to Mrs. Chen, "Madam, the eldest young madam is here."

At the servant's words, Mrs. Chen’s face immediately fell. She said impatiently, "What is she doing here?"

Before the servant could reply, Mandy Snow had already walked in.

"Father, Mother." Mandy Snow carried a shopping bag in her hand. She was dressed fashionably, her makeup flawless—no one would guess she already had an eighteen-year-old daughter.

Lauren Shaw noticed Mandy Snow sizing her up. Meeting her gaze directly, she greeted, "Sister-in-law."

They’d met once before, and after learning that Mandy Snow was Eva Snow's aunt, Lauren Shaw had been wary ever since. She couldn’t help but feel Mandy Snow must be quite similar to Eva Snow in personality.

Mandy Snow was surprised that Lauren Shaw wasn’t the least bit afraid of meeting her gaze, even daring to look her straight in the eye.

She didn’t deny that this woman was beautiful, but beautiful women were hardly rare. She couldn’t help but wonder: How did Lauren Shaw manage to win over Third Brother?

Mrs. Chen noticed how intently Mandy Snow was looking at Lauren Shaw, which made her a little displeased, though she didn’t show it. "Mandy, is there a reason you dropped by today?"

Mandy Snow finally withdrew her gaze, remembering the reason for her visit. "I heard you’re going to a banquet next week, Mother, so I had a dress custom-made for you. I wanted you to see if you like it."

She took the dress out from the bag as she spoke.

This dress was far more glamorous than the one Lauren Shaw had designed—its back was stylishly slit, showcasing a thoroughly modern flair.

Meanwhile, Lauren Shaw’s creation leaned vintage and understated, giving it a timeless appeal.

In comparison, the dress Mrs. Chen was already wearing looked more elegant and tasteful.

Mrs. Chen smiled and declined politely. "That’s thoughtful of you, but I already have a gown. Lauren Shaw designed it for me—take a look, what do you think?"

She spread her arms and spun in front of Mandy Snow, so she could get a better look.

The smile on Mandy Snow’s face froze. "It’s... very nice. You have a great eye, Sister-in-law."

She gave Lauren Shaw a thoughtful look.

"Sister-in-law, are you a designer too? I’ve never heard your name in the industry," she remarked, feigning innocence.

Lauren Shaw kept a polite smile. "I’m just a small-time designer, nothing compared to the famous names out there."

"So what if you’re not famous? You just need that one big break so your brand can reach more people." Mrs. Chen shot a meaningful glance at Mandy Snow. "Mandy, you should take your dress back. I won’t be needing it this time."

Lauren Shaw immediately sensed the odd tension between them.

Maybe it was just the usual mother- and daughter-in-law awkwardness, but from her own experience, Mrs. Chen didn't strike her as difficult in the slightest.

Mandy Snow’s strained smile looked like it might slip at any second, but she kept her displeasure hidden.

"Alright, I'll custom-make one for you next time, then."

"No need. From now on, Shengsheng will be designing all my dresses."

Mrs. Chen looked at Lauren Shaw with satisfaction.

Mandy Snow looked fit to crack a molar, but didn’t betray a hint of anger on her face. She took her dress and left gracefully in her heels.

Lauren Shaw could tell they didn’t get along, but she didn’t ask.

After Mandy Snow left, Lauren Shaw sat for a while longer, then got up herself.

Leaving the Shen house, she stopped by a supermarket to grab some groceries, planning to cook a nice meal for Yancy Shaw that evening.

To thank him for all the care he’d shown her lately, she’d even made a special trip to her place to pick up a fine bottle of wine.

She had also done her homework ahead of time, consulting Claire Xu for advice.

Claire Xu was a bit of a seasoned pro—she immediately picked up on Lauren Shaw’s real intention and gave her a couple of tips.

"Set up a candlelit dinner, have a little wine together, and when you’re feeling a bit tipsy... do something you’ll remember," Claire Xu had suggested.

Lauren Shaw rolled her eyes at Claire Xu’s lack of propriety, but took her words to heart all the same.

Back home, the first thing she did was text Yancy Shaw, telling him to come straight home after work—no need to pick her up.

Next, she headed online to watch recipe videos and learn how to cook.

By the time Yancy Shaw came home, she had already laid out a whole table of dishes.

"What’s the special occasion?" Yancy Shaw asked, seeing she was wearing an apron.

Still holding a spatula, she grinned at him. "I wanted to make you something delicious."

Yancy Shaw looked away nonchalantly, but when his gaze landed on the red wine on the table, his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Let me pour the wine," he said.

He shrugged off his black trench coat, revealing a crisp white shirt with the first couple of buttons undone at the collar.

Lauren Shaw brought out the dishes and, seeing him standing at the table with two wine glasses, pouring wine, she watched from the side.

She’d never seen a man whose every gesture was so effortlessly attractive—it was hard to look away.

She was suddenly reminded of something she’d once read online: The perfect life is just two people in a house, three meals a day, four seasons a year—side by side from dawn to dusk, from youth until old age.

Perhaps this was what peace and contentment really looked like.

After pouring the wine, Yancy Shaw turned and looked at her.

Noticing she was staring at him, he asked, "What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?"

He reached up and touched his cheek.

"Nothing at all." Lauren Shaw quickly looked away, slipped off her apron, and joined him at the table.

Yancy Shaw handed her a wine glass.

Raising her glass, she smiled at him. "For all the care you’ve given me lately—I propose a toast."

Yancy Shaw said nothing, just watched as she took a light sip.

"Try it! How does it taste?" Lauren Shaw placed some food in his bowl. It was her first time cooking; she wasn’t sure if the dishes were even edible.

After trying a bite, Yancy Shaw nodded. "Pretty good." So long as it wasn’t truly awful, he felt it was fine.

"I ran into my sister-in-law at the Shen house today," she remarked.

Yancy Shaw’s gaze darkened a fraction. "Did she say anything rude to you?"

"No," Lauren Shaw shook her head. Thinking of how her mother-in-law treated her sister-in-law, she asked, "It seemed like Mom and Sister-in-law have a pretty chilly relationship. What happened between them?"

Yancy Shaw paused mid-bite, then set down his chopsticks. He grabbed a napkin, wiped his mouth, and began explaining.

It turned out that Eldest Brother, Nathan Shaw, was not Mrs. Chen’s biological son. He was the child of Shen Wentian and his first wife, who died shortly after giving birth to him.

When Nanfeng was in his teens, Shen Wentian remarried—a woman ten years younger: Mrs. Chen.

Nathan Shaw was passionate about scientific research and had no interest in managing the family business, which infuriated Mandy Snow.

Theirs had been a marriage between prominent families—Mandy Snow married into the Shen family hoping to benefit her own relatives. But Nathan Shaw couldn’t care less about business; he only wanted to devote himself to research.

Over the years, they had a daughter, but their marriage was always rocky.

It was said Mandy Snow often mocked and belittled him, calling him useless and saying that his work amounted to nothing.

Sometimes, even in the middle of the night, the servants could hear her shouting at Nathan Shaw.

Eventually, Nathan Shaw moved out, and the home was much more peaceful.

That was why, as Yancy Shaw explained, Mrs. Chen had never really liked Mandy Snow.