Five years later.
Now thirty-five, Shang Yushang had matured with age, exuding a calm authority and quiet magnetism that only deepened his allure. Though his face remained emotionless, its chiseled features and sharp edges now carried a depth of wisdom behind those dark, penetrating eyes.
His tall, lean frame was wrapped in a perfectly tailored suit that only enhanced his restrained, ascetic charm. The kind of allure that made people stop and stare—men and women alike—unable to look away.
Shang Yushang leaned lazily against the door of a sleek black business-class car, his gaze fixed across the street on a bakery.
Inside, Linbao and Longbao were happily picking out their favorite desserts. Two men stood close by, discreetly but vigilantly guarding the boys.
On the sidewalk nearby, a curvaceous woman had locked eyes on Shang Yushang. Her gaze was practically burning a hole through him. An absolute gem! she thought. Mature, sexy, statuesque—the kind of man you don’t come across twice. Just one night with him and I’d die happy. Tossing all thoughts of her departing flight aside, she grabbed her luggage and marched over, heels clicking purposefully.
Just as she neared him, she suddenly collapsed toward him with no warning, as if about to faint.
By instinct and out of gentlemanly decorum, a man should have reached out to catch her.
But Shang Yushang merely sidestepped coolly, both hands still in his pockets, and watched with icy detachment as she fell face-first onto the concrete.
The fall left her hair a tangled mess and her once-flawless makeup a disaster. One false eyelash dangled halfway off her eye, the other stuck to the pavement. Her red lips were smeared and dusty, and the makeup on her cheeks was scuffed from the ground. She looked less like a seductress and more like a ghoul that had just clawed its way out of a grave.
She looked up at him with pitiful, teary eyes, but the effect was lost on him. Shang Yushang reserved every ounce of gentleness for He Changning alone—famously devoted, shamelessly so—and had no bandwidth for anyone else.
Just then, Linbao came running over and hugged Shang Yushang’s leg, his sweet, bell-like voice calling out, “Daddy, Daddy! Look what I got!” Then he paused, blinking curiously at the woman on the ground. “Huh? Who’s she?”
He tilted his head, then earnestly said, “Daddy, maybe give her some money? She looks so pitiful!”
The woman’s heart cracked. That stunning man… already married with a kid?! What a waste! But the kid’s kind of cute, she mused. Maybe being his stepmom wouldn’t be so bad… Gritting her teeth, she resolved to push forward and win this man over.
Just as she was about to rise and press on, the next thing Linbao said hit her like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head.
The woman struggled to her feet, fixing her hair and flashing her most gentle, sultry smile. “Sweetie, Auntie just got off the plane.” Translation: What part of me looks like a beggar to you?!
Linbao looked up at his father in confusion. “Daddy, do beggars take flights now? Wow… that’s impressive.”
Longbao strolled over slowly, giving Linbao a firm little smack on the head. “Don’t say nonsense. She’s not a beggar.”
The woman’s eyes lit up with hope. Finally, someone with eyes around here!
Linbao blinked. “Then who is she?”
Without hesitation, Longbao answered matter-of-factly, “She’s obviously a Japanese geisha. Just look at that makeup.” He turned to their father to confirm, “Right, Daddy?”
The woman’s face twitched violently, and even her ears seemed to vibrate. Forget what I said earlier—these little monsters are demons! I hate them!
Linbao tilted his head again. “Wow! Daddy, is her brain broken from the fall? Look, her face is dancing!”
Longbao corrected him calmly, “Her face isn’t dancing. That’s just a symptom of her occupational illness acting up.”
Behind them, Xiao Qi and Thirteen turned their heads silently.
They were the two elite Shadow Team members assigned to protect the little masters. And while Linbao and Longbao looked like little angels, they were absolute demons underneath. The guards had been tricked and tormented by the twins more times than they could count. At this point, they had simply grown numb to the pain and chaos—and the little masters never tired of it. Only when Shang Yushang or Ning-shao was around did they bother to dial things down… a little.
Actually, they had already noticed that woman intentionally leaning toward the young master. She totally had it coming—of all people, why mess with him? Didn’t she know better?
“Daddy belongs to Little Daddy.”
That had been the unshakable truth for the twin young masters since they were little. No one was allowed to lay a finger on their daddies.
Squatting down, Shang Yushang gently stroked his sons’ faces. “Be good. Later Daddy will take you out for something delicious.”
Linbao’s eyes lit up as he hugged his father’s neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Yay! Let’s go after Little Daddy gets off the plane!”
Shang Yushang pinched his cheek lovingly. “Alright.”
Just then, a tall figure emerged from the airport’s entrance.
A crisp white shirt, sleek black casual trousers, topped with a beige cropped trench coat. His elegant features, glowing fair skin, and long legs made him look like he’d stepped out of a painting. His aura was serene and refined, as if untouched by the mundane world.
Everyone he passed stopped to stare—admiration, jealousy, even resentment flashing in their eyes.
Behind him followed a white foreigner and a tall, muscular man, both dragging luggage like personal bodyguards.
Longbao spotted him right away, his little feet pattering as he ran ahead. “Little Daddy! Little Daddy, you’re back!”
He Changning rushed forward and scooped Longbao up into his arms, kissing the little face. “Good boy, Longbao. Did you miss Little Daddy?”
Longbao clung to his neck, nodding furiously like a little pecking chick. “I did! Me and Linbao missed you a lot!”
He leaned in to whisper in He Changning’s ear, “Daddy missed you too. Like, a lot.”
He Changning’s eyes softened, filled with love and warmth. “Little Daddy knows.”
Not to be outdone, Linbao ran up and wrapped his arms around He Changning’s leg, tilting his head back. “Little Daddy, I want a hug too!”
He Changning bent down and picked him up, holding one boy in each arm. He kissed one, then the other, and both boys clung to his neck, showering him with affection.
Shang Yushang strode over, gently took the twins from He Changning’s arms and passed them to Xiao Qi and Shi San. Then he pulled He Changning into a hug and captured the lips he’d been yearning for.
The two little boys giggled shamelessly at the sight, and the rest of the group wisely took the kids and the luggage to the car ahead of them.
The woman with ghost-like beauty stood frozen, eyes locked on the two men kissing passionately.
With that eerie expression on her haunting face, she looked like some ancient vengeful spirit come to life.
Still lost in the heat of their kiss, the couple finally parted—reluctantly—foreheads pressed together, trying to calm the smoldering heat and rising desire in their bodies.
Shang Yushang held him tightly, arms around his waist.
It had been three months.
If He Changning had delayed a few more days, he might’ve just flown to the U.S. to find him.
“I missed you, baby.”
A captivating smile tugged at He Changning’s lips. He leaned in and kissed the corner of Shang Yushang’s mouth. “I missed you too. So much I couldn’t sleep.”
Shang Yushang’s gaze was deep, heavy with an overwhelming love.
“Your husband’s gonna make it up to you—let you catch up on all that lost sleep… in bed.”
He kissed He Changning’s cheek and wrapped his arm around his waist, walking him to the car.
The vehicle sped off, kicking up a trail of dust behind it.
The ghostly beauty stood there, eyes bulging, face contorting in anger. Two top-tier men, stolen away by each other—how the hell was she supposed to live with that?!
The car drove them straight back to the luxurious Fanjin Villa, where Aunt Qin had already laid out a massive spread of food, ready for their return.
The couple went upstairs to change clothes, got a little cozy, and came back down to eat with their boys.
After the meal, He Changning, still suffering from jet lag, was pulled into bed by Shang Yushang and promptly passed out, sleeping straight through till nightfall.
When he finally woke, Shang Yushang had prepared a bowl of meat porridge and some side dishes, patiently feeding him and making sure he drank a glass of milk.
By the time Shang Yushang came back upstairs from dropping off the dishes, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom.
He smirked, stripped quickly, and slipped into the shower after him.
He stood under the shower, warm water cascading down his body, when all of a sudden, he was pulled into a familiar, warm embrace. Surrounded by a scent he knew all too well, He Changning leaned back into the chest behind him, eyes half-closed. His fingers reached for the strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist, his voice laced with lazy amusement.
“If you wanted a shower, we should’ve used the tub. This space is too small.”
Warm breath teased the nape of his neck as Shang Yushang lowered his head, planting soft, trailing kisses along his skin.
“Baby, even the smallest place is more than enough—so long as you’re with me.”
Leaning back against the cold tile, with the heat of Shang Yushang’s chest pressing against him, He Changning felt like he was caught between fire and ice.
One leg barely held up his body, and he was certain he’d collapse any second. But Shang Yushang had already slipped one arm behind his waist, the other beneath his thigh, holding him up effortlessly. Even if he wanted to sink to the floor, he couldn’t.
Seeing how drained his baby looked, Shang Yushang simply scooped him up into his arms. He Changning let out a muffled groan and buried his teeth into Shang Yushang’s neck in retaliation—he bit down hard.
An hour later, Shang Yushang carried a freshly showered He Changning to the bed and slid under the covers with him. Pulling him close, his warm palm gently traced the contours of He Changning’s back, slow and soothing.
He Changning lay sprawled across Shang Yushang’s chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart.
Moonlight poured softly across the bed, and Shang Yushang’s deep-set eyes stared into He Changning’s, full of stars. Desire stirred again, restless in the quiet.
“Tired?” he asked, his voice low, lips brushing against He Changning’s ear.
After being apart for over three months, craving each other like mad was only natural. He Changning leaned in, kissing the corner of Shang Yushang’s lips.
“Just once more.”
Shang Yushang rolled over, pinning him down, and kissed him—deep, lingering, full of emotion.
By the time daylight broke, He Changning finally drifted into a heavy, exhausted sleep. After all, they’d been entangled all night long, and he’d just gotten off a grueling fifteen-hour flight. He was completely worn out.
But Shang Yushang wasn’t the least bit sleepy. He pulled the blanket up over He Changning’s bare shoulder, kissed the corner of his reddened eyes, and held him tightly in his arms, utterly content.
Time flew by—just like that, they’d already been married for six years. Their twin sons were now five years old. Shangshi Group and ZK had grown even larger than five years ago. They were easily considered industry leaders now. And all of this—none of it would’ve been possible without He Changning’s tireless effort.
Two years ago, He Changning had already proven himself capable of taking the reins on his own. Gu Cheng often said with pride that Leining was born to be a businessman, the most exceptional descendant of the Gu family’s bloodline.
But Shang Yushang didn’t see it that way. Watching Leining wear himself out day after day, his heart ached. Yet he couldn’t stop him—after all, the Gu family and ZK were his responsibility. If he had known things would be this hard on Leining, he would’ve never let him get involved in the first place.
Still, he knew Leining too well. He was responsible. He was determined. And no matter how much he loved or pitied him, he could never clip his wings. All he could do was stay by his side, shield him from the wind and rain, and face the world with him—together.
This time, He Changning would be home for at least six months, giving them all a chance to be together as a family. After two days of rest, he couldn’t sit still any longer. He followed Shang Yushang back to the Shangshi offices and began handling business matters with him again.
With He Changning by his side every day, work no longer felt tiring for Shang Yushang. In fact, he was more energized than ever. Having Leining around constantly filled him with joy, and even his normally stoic face carried a few more smiles.
The entire staff was beyond grateful for the First Lady’s return. With him around, they didn’t have to tiptoe through their workday, or brace for random icy moods from the boss.
Da Zhou practically looked at He Changning like he was a god, which made Leining feel awkward all over. He couldn’t help but think, I really need to find Da Zhou a girlfriend… The man’s eyes are getting a little unhinged.
That night of indulgence had come with consequences. Even now, He Changning was still full of regret. Shang Yushang, thoroughly satisfied, pulled his wife into his arms and kneaded his waist with practiced familiarity.
“Still sore?”
He Changning gave him a glare and bumped his forehead against his chest.
“No talking.”
Shang Yushang pressed a kiss to the crown of his lover’s head.
“Baby, your husband hasn’t seen you in three months. I missed you so much.”
He Changning just gave a soft hum in response, then snuggled into a more comfortable position and fell asleep.
One morning, after their usual lazy cuddling session, the couple got up to wash and headed downstairs for breakfast. Aunt Qin brought over a small plate of salted fish she’d marinated the night before.
“This goes really well with plain porridge,” she said warmly.
He Changning wrinkled his nose and pushed the little fish aside with a look of distaste. Shang Yushang chuckled at the scrunched-up face his lover made.
“You’re making that face again. If Aunt Qin sees you, she’ll scold you for being a picky eater.” He picked up a piece of salted fish and put it on He Changning’s plate. “I had some—it’s not bad. No fishy smell at all.”
Still looking unimpressed, He Changning picked up the fish and popped it in his mouth—only to bolt for the bathroom a second later, retching like the world was ending.
Shang Yushang immediately rushed after him, rubbing his back soothingly.
“What’s wrong? Your stomach upset? Why are you throwing up so badly?”
He handed over a glass of warm water and gently wiped the corners of He Changning’s mouth, his eyes full of worry.
“We’re going to see Bai Mo. He can check you out.”
He Changning waved him off.
“It’s nothing. My stomach’s just off—I probably ate something that didn’t agree with me.”
Shang Yushang frowned.
“I ate the same stuff you did, and I’m fine. You’re the only one reacting like this. Come on, be good—let’s just go. Even if it’s nothing serious, a bit of medicine will help.”
Eventually, Shang Yushang coaxed and half-dragged He Changning to Bai Mo’s clinic.
After a whole round of tests, Bai Mo slapped the report on the table.
“What the hell is wrong with you two? I’m super busy, you know!”
Shang Yushang took the report from him.
“Is there a problem?”
Bai Mo rolled his eyes.
“Seriously? You’re asking that? Of course not.”
Shang Yushang’s brows drew tighter.
“But Hening threw up pretty badly this morning. You’re sure nothing’s wrong?”
Bai Mo cleared his throat and darted a glance at He Changning’s belly.
“Uh… you know what, let’s run one more test.”
Half an hour later, he returned with the new results, his expression tangled with disbelief, envy, and grudging acceptance. Finally, he muttered,
“You two really don’t quit, huh?”
The couple was completely lost by his weird look. Shang Yushang’s face darkened.
“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. Don’t stare at us like that—it’s creepy.”
Bai Mo gave a long, exaggerated eye-roll and said through clenched teeth,
“Your wife’s pregnant. Again. Seven weeks. Hmph!”
He Changning was momentarily stunned. Shang Yushang, however, was full of joy. He swept his lover into his arms and kissed him hard on the lips.
“Baby, we’re having another child!”
Then, as if remembering something, his smile faded into a conflicted look. He held He Changning’s hand tightly, palms sweaty, eyes filled with love, fear, and indecision.
Snapping out of his own shock, He Changning noticed the change in his husband’s eyes—joy shadowed by fear and reluctance. He knew exactly what Shang Yushang was thinking. He gripped his hand tighter.
“Jianzhi, that kind of thing won’t ever happen again. Trust me.”
Shang Yushang hesitated. This child—their child—meant the world to him. But the memory of what happened five years ago made him freeze. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, risk losing He Changning. Without him, life would be worse than death.
He Changning gave Bai Mo a small kick.
“You’re vouching for us. Both the baby and I will be just fine. Still worried?”
Bai Mo looked downright miserable.
“Why am I getting dragged into your family drama?! You two having kids has nothing to do with me! Why do I have to be the one to take the fall? There’s no justice in this world!”
He Changning cleared his throat.
“You could always be the kids’ godfather. That way, when you’re old, you won’t have to worry about no one taking care of you—and Xiao Yang.”
Bai Mo’s eyes widened instantly, sparkling with excitement. “Yushang, I promise—your wife and the baby will be just fine.”
The look of distrust on Shang Yushang’s face made Bai Mo feel a little hurt. “Seriously. Five years ago, when Changning was pregnant, he was young, his body was weak, and he was carrying twins. That’s why it was such a dangerous delivery. But it’s different now. He’s been taking really good care of himself these past few years—his health is so much better than it was back then. And since he’s already been through a pregnancy, his body’s much more capable of handling it this time around. Plus, it’s just one baby this time. As long as he’s looked after properly, there won’t be any problems.”
He Changning held Shang Yushang’s hand tightly. “Jianzhi, even Bai Mo said it’ll be fine. That means it definitely will be. I want to give you another child. If it’s a little girl, that would be perfect. Jianzhi, promise me—let’s keep the baby, okay?”
Shang Yushang was still frowning. “Baby, I’m really worried about your health. I’m scared.”
“I know. But I’m not the same person I was five years ago. You’ve seen firsthand how well you’ve helped me take care of my body all these years. You know better than anyone. I promise both the baby and I will be fine. Even if you don’t believe my promise, at least trust Bai Mo, right? He’s a genius in the medical field—practically a legend—and he’s your childhood friend. If you can’t trust him, who can you trust?”
Bai Mo’s mouth twitched nonstop. It was the first time being praised like this had made him feel so terrified.
In the end, Shang Yushang gave in—but only on one condition: if Changning’s health showed any signs of not being able to carry the baby safely, he wouldn’t give him any chance to argue. He would terminate the pregnancy immediately.
Even after leaving the hospital, Shang Yushang still looked uneasy. Changning had to pull every trick in the book—acting spoiled, being clingy, making endless promises. He even swore that once the baby was born, Shang Yushang could do whatever he wanted with him. Only then did his husband’s mood improve a little.
Before settling in at home to focus on the pregnancy, Shang Yushang accompanied He Changning on a trip to ZK to get everything in order. A’Yin returned to ZK with Xiao Wu and temporarily took over company affairs during Changning’s absence. Of course, all major decisions still had to go through Changning.
Reactions to Changning’s second pregnancy varied across the board.
Madam Shang was so thrilled that she didn’t sleep a wink that night. She arrived at the villa first thing the next morning and started working with Aunt Qin to plan out Changning’s daily nutrition and meals, determined to make everything perfect—nutritious and healthy for both the baby and the mother.
Gu Cheng and Shang Guozhang, who were traveling abroad, rushed back home the moment they got the news. They brought back piles of supplements and didn’t even rest before throwing themselves into the mission of helping Changning stay healthy during the pregnancy.
The couple didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Watching everyone buzz around happily every day, they figured—even if some of the supplements tasted pretty awful—it was all worth it.
The members of the Shadow Team, after being completely stunned at first, gradually returned to their usual calm. They carried out their duties, watching over He Changning with utmost care. But in private, they started betting on the baby’s gender—and how much of a handful it would be. They were genuinely terrified that Changning would give birth to another little demon. If that happened, they joked, life might truly be over for them.
A’Yin had the strongest reaction.
He just couldn’t wrap his head around it. The first time Changning got pregnant, A’Yin felt like his entire worldview had been shattered. Over the five years since, he’d painstakingly pieced his broken beliefs back together—but now Changning had crushed them again, leaving him dazed and mentally wrecked.
He completely lost it, pacing around like a mad beast—blinded, delirious—ranting nonstop:
“I can’t live like this! I can’t! A man—! A man getting pregnant again?! How the hell am I supposed to keep a normal worldview?! Ahhhh!!”
“Oh God! I repent! Please take me now! I don’t want to wake up one day pregnant myself shouting, ‘I’m a monster! A freak!’”
“All the men are having babies now—what are the women gonna do? Go extinct?!”
“Oh God! Amen! Buddha, help! Humanity’s doomed!”
Xiao Wu had enough.
Seriously, Ning-shao’s the one having a baby, not A’Yin—so why the hell was he the one losing his mind? And what nonsense was he even spouting?
After trying—and failing—to talk him down, Xiao Wu decided to take more direct action: he beat the crap out of him.
A’Yin, his face black and blue, looked pitifully at Xiao Wu. “Baby, don’t you love me anymore? I’m innocent, okay? Ah—stop hitting me! I was wrong, I take it all back, alright? Just don’t leave me! My whole worldview is shattered—I’m half man, half ghost now. If you abandon me, I’ll be nothing but a lonely, wandering spirit… and even then, I’ll still haunt you!”
He whimpered, “Xiao Wu, I’m hurting so bad… please comfort me, I’m begging you. I love you, I really do. And of course, the young boss is amazing—just amazing.”
That last sentence was spoken through clenched teeth, full of resentment and unwilling flattery.
Xiao Wu gave him a hard kick, leaving poor A’Yin sobbing on the floor, and walked out the door to go shopping for a gift for the unborn little one.
