Mandy Snow paid the price for what she did, but in the end, the person hurt most was her own child.
Not long ago, he ran into Shen Siyi at a coffee shop.
After all, he’d been 'Dad' to her for over a decade. Meeting again, it was impossible not to feel a pang of sorrow.
No longer sheltered by the Shen or Xue families, Shen Siyi had lost that proud, willful edge. Now, she seemed calmer and more grounded than ever before.
“Dad—no, Uncle Shen, it’s been a long time.”
There was a trace of bitterness in her smile. She wore a staff uniform and avoided Nathan Shaw’s gaze, not daring to look him straight in the eyes.
Nathan Shaw felt a sharp pain in his heart. "Siyi, how did you end up here?"
Shen Siyi lowered her head, nervously grasping her shirt hem.
“I work here...” Her voice was so soft that Nathan Shaw felt powerless.
She was barely past twenty now. With Mandy Snow in prison and Xue Qiang indifferent to her, she had no family left. Even attending school had become a struggle. With no other options, she could only find a job to support herself.
Once a pampered heiress, she had become the laughingstock of An City.
She had been willful before, but after everything that happened, her personality had changed dramatically.
After leaving the café, Nathan Shaw asked someone to give her some money and arranged for her to return to school. At first, Shen Siyi refused, but Nathan Shaw’s words changed her mind.
“You’re still young, with so many paths ahead of you. I just hope you become a kind person, say goodbye to the past, and embrace a new life.”
He knew Shen Siyi’s past behavior was shaped by Mandy Snow’s influence. She could change.
He had watched her grow up; seeing her like this, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
His phone rang, breaking his train of thought. Seeing the caller ID, a smile formed at the corners of his lips.
He answered the call—Fan Wanquing’s voice came through. "Nanfeng, I want to buy a gift for your mom and dad, but I don’t know what they’d like." She sounded worried.
Nathan Shaw chuckled. “They’ll like anything you pick.”
Whatever he liked, his parents would like too. There was no need for her to try so hard to please them.
Though Mrs. Chen wasn’t his biological mother, she had always treated him like her own son, giving him all the love of a mother.
He respected her as an elder in every way.
After his divorce, Mrs. Chen had worried herself sick over his future happiness—he could still recall how she’d constantly called to check in on him.
He was getting up in years now. Compared to Yancy Shaw and the others, his age was undeniably awkward.
He understood Mrs. Chen’s concern, but he knew exactly what he wanted. If it wasn’t the person his heart truly desired, he was certain it would only end in pain again for both sides.
At the time, he wasn’t sure if Fan Wanquing still wanted to be with him—but all he wanted was to be by her side. If she refused, he’d rather stay single forever.
But, in the end, it was a pleasant surprise.
Fan Wanquing hadn’t married all those years. She had never forgotten him. After so many years apart due to a misunderstanding, the tears flowed when they finally cleared the air.
Fan Wanquing decided to return to An City, partly to be closer to Nathan Shaw. Before coming back, she picked out gifts—it wouldn’t be proper to visit empty-handed.
At 7 p.m., Nathan Shaw drove to the airport to pick her up.
In the car, Fan Wanquing quietly gazed out the window, unable to suppress her bittersweet feelings.
“I can’t believe An City has changed so much. I remember that used to be a street full of food stalls—now it’s a giant shopping mall.” Her tone was nostalgic, tinged with melancholy.
Nathan Shaw glanced at her, eyes full of warmth. "You’ve been away too long. Of course it’s changed."
True enough, she’d been away from An City so long, she’d almost forgotten how to get home. Fortunately, he’d found her again...
Tonight, the Shen house was lively. The whole family was waiting for Nathan Shaw and Fan Wanquing.
The moment the door opened, Mrs. Chen greeted them with a beaming smile, ushering them inside with warmth.
“You’re home! Come in, come in, have a seat.”
Fan Wanquing had met Mrs. Chen and Shen Wenteng before, but after all these years, there was a bit of unfamiliarity.
Lauren Shaw and Li Qiuqi were especially enthusiastic—it was clear the Shen family’s atmosphere was warm and welcoming.
On the way over, Nathan Shaw had already told her about the family, so she didn’t feel out of place.
At dinner, Shen Mu’an obediently ate with his tiny spoon, not making a fuss; Yancy Shaw kept adding food to Lauren Shaw’s plate.
But as Lauren Shaw eyed her bowl full of meat and fish, a wave of nausea suddenly hit her, and she rushed to the bathroom, hand over her mouth.
Mrs. Chen saw her reaction and looked at Yancy Shaw with excitement. "Shengsheng, is she—?"
Before she could finish, Li Qiuqi suddenly got up, looking unwell, and dashed for the bathroom too. Mrs. Chen was baffled—was there something wrong with the food tonight?
Fan Wanquing and Nathan Shaw exchanged confused glances.
Not until the family doctor came did they learn both Li Qiuqi and Lauren Shaw were pregnant.
For Mrs. Chen, it was a delightful shock.
Lauren Shaw was expecting her second child, and now Li Qiuqi was pregnant too. Double the happiness—a heartwarming family blessing.
But Yancy Shaw couldn’t celebrate. He’d been extremely careful, yet it had still happened. He resolved to get a vasectomy.
Meanwhile, Bryce Shaw was absolutely thrilled, hugging and kissing Li Qiuqi nonstop.
After dinner, they set off fireworks in the yard—a special welcome for Fan Wanquing, to let her know how much the Shen family appreciated her presence.
As fireworks burst in the sky, Mrs. Chen watched everyone pairing up with a contented smile. Shen Wenteng put his arm around her shoulders, his mood relaxed and happy.
“The children have all found their happiness. You deserve a break now—it’s been a lot of hard work over the years.”
The Shen family’s peace owed much to her. If she’d been selfish, things never would have been so harmonious.
Mrs. Chen shot him a proud look. “So you do know how hard I’ve worked? I thought you’d never realize.”
Shen Wenteng laughed heartily. "Marrying you—that’s my greatest fortune."
Beneath the sparkling fireworks, their eyes shone with happiness...
Nathan Shaw pulled out a ring from his pocket, dropped to one knee, and called out nervously, “Wanquing, will you marry me?”
Fan Wanquing hadn’t expected a proposal. Stunned for a moment and surrounded by the gazes of the family, she quietly reached out her hand.
As Nathan Shaw slid the ring onto her finger, he hugged her tightly, surrounded by applause. He looked like he’d just won the greatest battle of his life, cheering with joy as he held her...
After more than a decade, his love had finally borne fruit. Time moved on, but their feelings never changed...