Seeing his fiancée’s guilty expression, Sheng Shijing smiled and explained, "What Guoguo means is that Jiaojiao often told her about our family."

"Haha... Jiaojiao was a good kid. Our Shijing raised her well, and we all adored her," Mr. Sheng said with a hearty laugh.

Seeing how straightforward and likable Fu Guoguo was, Mrs. Sheng grew even more pleased with her future daughter-in-law.

Six months ago, she might have gotten angry just hearing Jiaojiao’s name. But after her divorce, she had come to realize her own mistakes.

The price for that realization had been steep, however. Now, she didn’t blame anyone. No, she still had to blame that wicked hag Ren Xiaofang.

Mrs. Sheng said with a radiant smile, "Guoguo, you’re talking about Jiaojiao, right? She was their adopted sister, a very good girl.

Our Shijing loved taking care of her ever since she was little, and her father and I both doted on her. She was a grateful child, too. I don’t mind you talking about her at all."

"Mom, you’ve really changed," Sheng Shijing said sincerely, holding his mother’s arm. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Shijing, why don’t you and Guoguo sit down, have some hot tea, and chat with your father? I’ll go to the kitchen and start dinner for you."

As she spoke, Mrs. Sheng led Fu Guoguo to the living room sofa, then turned and headed for the kitchen.

"Ma’am, let me give you a hand with the vegetables," Fu Guoguo offered, following her into the kitchen.

With her new mindset, Mrs. Sheng found she got along wonderfully with her future daughter-in-law. She was filled with hope for the future once more.

Since it was the first time Sheng Shijing had brought his fiancée home, Mrs. Sheng prepared a lavish feast for dinner.

She even forgot that her second son had run away from home, comforting herself with the thought that he had just gone to see some friends.

’After all, he’s not a kid anymore. It’s about time he started a family of his own.’

Sheng Shijing sat down beside his father and said softly, "Dad, this must have been hard on you. Now that Yueyue is in the mental asylum, let’s just have her stay there for a while. Let her do some serious self-reflection."

"Yes, that’s what I was thinking, too. It’s for the best. To be honest, I knew something wasn’t right with her from the moment she came back."

"But back then, you treasured her so much... I just couldn’t bring myself to send her away. I thought we could change her with love and kindness. *Sigh*..."

"Dad, it’s not your fault. Jiaojiao said none of us were to blame—it was just a cruel twist of fate. If we hadn’t been through so much, how could we ever have borne sending her to an asylum?"

"That’s right. Eldest Brother is right. Dad, don’t worry about her. I’ve heard you can’t just cure that kind of illness with kindness."

As the Sheng men chatted in the living room, there was a knock on the door. "You and Eldest Brother keep talking, Dad. I’ll get it," Sheng Shiwu said.

"Ms. Lili! What brings you here? Have you eaten yet?" Sheng Shiwu asked, pleasantly surprised as he opened the door.

"I’ve eaten, thanks. I heard Eldest Brother Sheng was back, so I thought I’d come see him," Dong Lili said cheerfully.

"He’s back, alright. And he brought me a sister-in-law, too," Sheng Shiwu said, puffing out his chest.

"..."

The color drained from Dong Lili’s face. ’He actually brought a woman home.’ For a moment, she no longer wanted to set foot inside the Sheng residence.

"Ms. Lili, come on in! It’s cold out there. My mom and my brother’s fiancée are busy in the kitchen."

"She... and Eldest Brother Sheng are already engaged?" Dong Lili asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yep, they’re engaged. The party was just a few days ago, at my future sister-in-law’s house."

"Xiao Wu, who is it?" Sheng Shijing’s low, pleasant voice drifted from the living room.

"Eldest Brother Sheng, it’s me! Lili." Hearing his voice, Dong Lili quickened her pace.

"Lili, you’re here! Come in, come in and have a seat," Mr. Sheng invited warmly. He could tell the girl had a crush on his eldest son.

’But his clueless son had no idea. Then again, that Guoguo girl is wonderful, too. I guess Lili and Shijing just weren’t meant to be.’

Dong Lili walked over and sat on the sofa beside Sheng Shijing, listening to the Sheng men chat.

She noticed that as Sheng Shijing spoke with his father, his gaze kept drifting toward the kitchen.

’The tenderness in his eyes was practically overflowing. He must be looking at his fiancée.’

’This cool, distant man, as aloof as the moon in the sky... they’d been neighbors for more than twenty years, and he’d never once said a single kind word to me.’

’I thought he was just bad at expressing himself, but I never knew he could be so full of affection. He saved all his warmth for his fiancée.’

’He must love her so much.’

As this thought crossed her mind, a numbness spread through Dong Lili’s limbs. She lost the courage to stay there a moment longer.

But before she could flee, the voice she constantly longed to hear rang out again. "Xiao Wu, set the table. It’s time to eat. I’m going to check on Guoguo."

"You got it! Ms. Lili, you should stay for dinner and try my sister-in-law’s cooking." Sheng Shiwu had always been fond of the gentle, pretty Ms. Lili.

"She’s... cooking? On her first visit as a guest?" Dong Lili asked, her voice tinged with jealousy.

"Her name is Guoguo, and she loves to cook. It’s just family here, so if she wants to cook, we let her."

Sheng Shijing glanced back and said. ’That was the first time he’d spoken to me in years, and it was to talk about the woman he loved.’

"Uncle, time to wash up for dinner. Oh—Eldest Brother Sheng, you have a guest?" Fu Guoguo said in surprise, emerging with a dish in her hands.

"This is Lili, our next-door neighbor. Lili, this is my fiancée, Fu Guoguo."

Sheng Shijing explained with a smile, following close behind Fu Guoguo with a large tureen of soup.

"Lili, why don’t you join me and wash up for dinner?" Mr. Sheng said with a friendly smile.

"Thank you, Uncle, but I’ve already eaten," Dong Lili murmured. In truth, she hadn’t.

She had no appetite, but she didn’t want to leave just yet, either. So she simply remained on the sofa, unmoving.

"Guoguo, have some hot soup first." Sheng Shijing ladled a bowl of pork rib soup and handed it to his fiancée.

"Thank you, Eldest Brother Sheng, but you should serve Uncle and Auntie first." Fu Guoguo passed the bowl to Mr. Sheng.

"Thank you, Guoguo," Mr. Sheng said, happily accepting the soup from his future daughter-in-law.

Sheng Shijing immediately ladled another bowl for Fu Guoguo, and she, in turn, passed it to Mrs. Sheng.

Dong Lili sat on the sofa, watching the Sheng family enjoy their happy, harmonious meal.

Her thoughts began to drift. Her brother, Dong Qihua, was the same age as Sheng Shijing, while she was four years younger.

Back in their childhood, she used to trail after her brother while Sheng Shijing looked after his adopted sister, Gu Jiaojiao. The days they all spent together had been incredibly sweet.

In elementary school, she had helped a young Gu Jiaojiao once. He had taken her hand and promised to protect her, too.

All through elementary school, everyone knew her as the girl next door to the academic prodigy, Sheng Shijing.

Their parents were close, and living next door to each other, the two families often shared meals.

During those meals, Dong Lili would always put food on Sheng Shijing’s plate, learning all his likes and dislikes.

But he never once returned the favor. She had assumed he was just cold and unromantic.

’But here he was now, patiently peeling shrimp for that girl, reminding her to eat slowly so she wouldn’t choke!’