Owen Shaw had made quite a name for himself in the business world. Since taking over the Shaw family's affairs, he steadily expanded their industry outward. Aside from a few resources, Ancheng didn't have much else in the way of business.

Because of this, few people even knew about the Shaw family of Ancheng.

Back when Lauren Shaw graduated, he suggested that she manage the company with him. But Lauren Shaw refused. She wanted to be a designer—to do what she loved.

"I know it's not about the free meal," Lauren Shaw said, winking mischievously. "But how could you say no when your beloved little niece wants to treat you?"

She knew Uncle Owen Shaw doted on her the most.

He let out a deep sigh. "In the blink of an eye, both you and Ningning are married, and now I'm the only bachelor left in the Shaw family. Just yesterday, your mother was nagging me to go on blind dates."

He sounded a bit embarrassed. All these years focused on business, he'd never given his own marriage much thought. Now, with both nieces married off, he couldn't ignore how much he'd aged.

Lauren Shaw chuckled softly. "So why don't you go on those dates?"

Her answer earned her a dramatic eye-roll.

"How about you bring your spouse to dinner tonight?" he suggested.

Lauren Shaw hastily shook her head. "Let's not."

She worried her Dr. Shen wouldn't survive an evening with her uncle’s sharp tongue.

Owen Shaw raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong? Are you embarrassed by your spouse’s looks?"

Lauren Shaw glared, speechless. "My Dr. Shen is not ugly," she muttered under her breath.

He stopped teasing. "That mess from the Sung family still pestering you?"

Earlier, he overheard some staff talking: someone had been deliberately making things hard for her lately. Lauren Shaw had always been gentle, never one to make enemies lightly. The only one who'd do that was that Su kid.

He hadn’t met Yvonne Sung, but he knew anyone who bullied the Shaw family was, as he put it, "a lump of mud."

He recalled his brother had mentioned that Yvonne Sung picked on her once. Without hesitation, he pulled the plug on Huifeng Group’s project and withdrew all funding—the deal had only happened because of Lauren Shaw, after all.

He’d done them a favor, and they dared mess with the Shaw family’s girl?

"It's nothing. Let me handle it myself. There's nothing they can do to me now," Lauren Shaw said. She wasn't someone who couldn't manage small matters—and she certainly wouldn’t be defeated by some loser.

She took out her phone and tried calling Yancy Shaw, but he didn’t answer. She left him a message: she’d be taking someone to dinner tonight, and if he saw her message, could he please call her back.

"Come on, let’s eat," Lauren Shaw said, tidying up her desk.

Owen Shaw picked up a stack of her design drafts from the table. "You entered the original design contest?" He hadn’t watched the show but heard people talking about it recently.

"Yeah. If I win, I get to work with Shengmei Group. It’ll really help my career."

Owen Shaw chuckled. "You don’t have to work so hard. I suggested you go abroad to study, but you wouldn’t listen. By now, you’d be a top designer."

"But things you earn through your own hard work are the most precious. If I rely on you for everything, it wouldn’t feel like chasing my own dream."

She insisted on achieving her goals by her own effort.

Owen Shaw nodded approvingly. "Good idea. But if you ever feel you can’t keep going, let me know. I'll find you a suitable position."

"Stop underestimating me."

Bantering all the way, the pair headed to the parking lot.

Lauren Shaw chose a restaurant, conveniently close to where she lived.

She'd meant to eat here with Yancy Shaw before, but plans had fallen through.

The atmosphere was lovely, and as they reached the entrance, gentle music floated out from inside.

A server led them to their reserved private room and handed them the menu to order.

After the order was placed, the server stepped out, but the door was left slightly ajar. Anyone outside could see part of what was going on inside.

It just so happened that Shen Sylvia Shaw was having dinner here with friends. Passing by the private room, she caught sight of what looked like a familiar face and paused, backing up to peek again. When she recognized Lauren Shaw, she finally remembered—she’d seen her before at the mall, bullying her cousin Yue Yue.

She’d also heard that Lauren Shaw was now her second uncle’s wife. So this was her second aunt? No, she didn’t like this woman one bit. Her ideal second aunt was her cousin Yue Yue.

Lost in thought, she grinned as she watched the scene unfold inside.

So, you two-faced woman—sneaking off to meet some wild man behind my second uncle’s back!

Suppressing her glee, Shen Sylvia Shaw sneakily pulled out her phone and snapped photos of Lauren Shaw—though she couldn't capture the man’s face, since Owen Shaw was seated with his back to the door.

After snapping a few shots, she hurried off, sending them to Eva Snow along with a message:

[Yue Yue, I just saw that woman out on a date with another man!]

Eva Snow opened the pictures. Lauren Shaw was sitting with a man in a private room. She couldn’t see the man clearly, but she was sure that wasn’t Yancy Shaw.

Ha! Married, yet eating alone with another man—such shameless behavior!

She long-pressed to forward the photos to Yancy Shaw, only to get a red exclamation mark—a failed send.

What’s going on? He blocked her?

“Unbelievable!” she fumed. That must be that Lauren Shaw’s doing! Seething, she cursed Lauren Shaw again in her heart and dialed Shen Sylvia Shaw.

"Your second uncle blocked me!" she complained.

"I’ll send it to him then," Shen Sylvia Shaw replied, sending the photos along with another message.

[Second Uncle, look—is this your wife?]

After sending, she also took a screenshot and forwarded that on to Eva Snow.

The two of them shared a look of smug satisfaction. Now they just had to wait for the fireworks.

In the private room, Lauren Shaw asked, "Uncle, how long will you stay this time?"

Owen Shaw rarely spent time in Ancheng; most business for the Shaw family was in East China.

"I’ll leave after your grandmother’s birthday."

That reminded Lauren Shaw: her grandmother’s eightieth birthday was in two days. She’d been too busy to remember.

Owen Shaw saw her expression and knew she’d forgotten. "You forgot, didn’t you?"

She chuckled sheepishly. "You just reminded me."

Shaw family’s matriarch was still on the mountain.

She had a habit: every year, she’d spend ninety-nine days at Fuyun Temple on the mountain, eating vegetarian meals and chanting for the Shaw family's good fortune.

By this time, they reckoned, she could be picked up tomorrow.