Shen Qingqing smiled faintly, "That was just a coincidence. I didn't have time to go to your club that night."
In truth, both women understood the unspoken meaning behind their words, a polite exchange of veiled implications.
Ning Xin suddenly felt bored. "Miss Shen, to be honest, I truly admire you."
"Is that so? What a pity."
Shen Qingqing sighed.
Ning Su had no clue what riddles they were exchanging, nor what was such a pity. She didn't like seeing her sister talk to this woman.
"Sister, why talk to her? Let's go!"
Ning Su pulled Ning Xin and turned to leave.
After the two women departed, Shen Qingqing returned to the living room. The guests had mostly left, leaving only their family and the servants tidying up the mess.
Shen Qingqing took the two children upstairs to the bedroom.
"Mommy, what gifts have you prepared for us this year?" Shen Jinxi asked curiously.
Chen Chen felt a deeper sense of anticipation and surprise.
This was his first birthday with his mother by his side. The person who had been there before wasn't truly his mother. Even though that person was present every year, he had never been happy.
"You'll know when you go up and see."
Shen Qingqing deliberately kept them guessing, already imagining the children's joy and delight when they saw the gifts.
On the large bed in the center of the bedroom lay a square box. Upon opening the lid, they saw a painting wrapped in black cloth.
"This is..." Shen Jinxi's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the two children depicted in the painting.
This painting was a family portrait, yet slightly different from a typical one. The background was their garden downstairs, with a sea of red roses behind them.
Shen Qingqing held Chen Chen, a bright, fiery smile on her face.
Fu Jingshu held Shen Jinxi.
Shen Jinxi had a radiant smile on his little face, quite different from his father's. His small hand gripped his father's collar, and as if hearing someone call him, he turned his head abruptly.
Chen Chen, a beat slower, turned his head halfway.
This seemingly ordinary scene was imbued with deep warmth by a few brushstrokes.
Shen Jinxi instinctively touched his face, "Was I smiling that happily?"
"Yes, you were smiling very happily." Shen Qingqing ruffled his hair. She then turned to Chen Chen, who was leaning over the bed, gazing intently at the painting. She unconsciously softened her voice.
"Do you like it, Chen Chen?"
Chen Chen nodded. "I like it. I like the feeling of our family being together."
Shen Qingqing's painting emphasized atmosphere, rendering the surrounding scenery vividly while deliberately downplaying some elements of the landscape.
Only the family of four remained in the center, as if the world around them was gradually fading away. Even if doomsday were to arrive, their family of four would never be separated.
Chen Chen reached out his small hand and touched the painting. "Can we hang this painting in my brother and my room?"
Shen Jinxi also looked expectantly at his mother.
Shen Qingqing smiled, "Of course. This is a birthday gift I prepared for both of you. You can hang it wherever you like, as long as you both like it."
Shen Jinxi immediately threw himself into her arms, "Wow, long live Mommy!"
Chen Chen, being more reserved, offered a faint but very happy smile and said earnestly, "Mommy, thank you."
"Why be so polite to Mommy?"
Shen Qingqing embraced both children, kissing each of them. Then she led them downstairs, much to the children's confusion.
"Mommy, we haven't finished looking at the painting yet."
"After we receive the other gifts, you can look at it as much as you want."
"There are more gifts?" Chen Chen was surprised.
Shen Jinxi said like a little adult, "Brother, have you forgotten that Godfather's gifts haven't been given to us yet."
He had gone to an auction with his Godfather and personally witnessed him bid for a piece of jade. He surmised it would be carved into something like a bracelet, a ring, or a pendant.
Although he guessed there wouldn't be much surprise, he was still looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Downstairs, the old lady had gone back to rest. Fu Tingsheng had escorted her, so only King and Fu Jingshu remained, sitting opposite each other on the sofa.
Fu Jingshu was looking at his laptop, while King was fiddling with a square box in his hands.
Shen Jinxi felt a premonition that this box must contain a gift for him and his brother.
"Godfather!"
The little boy's clear shout made King look up, a smile on his face. "Come to your Godfather's side."
Shen Jinxi immediately went over.
Of course, he didn't forget to bring his brother along.
King treated both children equally, pulling them to his sides, one on each. "This is a birthday gift for both of you. Open it and see."
The small box wasn't too big, about the size of two adult palms put together.
Chen Chen looked on curiously.
Shen Jinxi eagerly opened the lid and saw two small dolls standing quietly inside.
They were intricately carved from jade.
Their expressions were lively and lifelike.
Shen Jinxi picked up the one on the left and touched its cheek. "This looks like me."
Chen Chen picked up the other one.
"This is me."
King was surprised. "How did you tell them apart?"
The craftsman's skill was exceptional, and since the two children were twins, even he couldn't distinguish between them when they were first carved.
Chen Chen smiled without answering.
Shen Jinxi, however, lifted his head and proudly said, "Because it's us! Of course, we can tell the difference."
At this point, he had to praise the craftsman. Not only were the children's expressions carved with great vitality, but their features were also incredibly lifelike.
Most importantly, the unique characteristics of the children's hair were captured – one with natural curls, the other with very straight hair.
Shen Qingqing picked up Shen Jinxi's doll and examined it. Even she, as a mother, couldn't help but exclaim, "This craftsman's skill is truly impressive."
"It has to be," King said, tapping his money pouch. "Do you know how much I paid? With such a high salary, if the craftsman didn't carve it well for me, I wouldn't let him off the hook."
Shen Qingqing chuckled, "It's not that you paid a lot of money, but that this craftsman is worth the money you paid."
If the craftsman's hands weren't worth it, King wouldn't have parted with so much money.
King winked at her instinctively. "My little apprentice understands me best."
"Ahem."
Fu Jingshu suddenly gave a soft cough.
Shen Qingqing looked at him. "What's wrong? Do you want some water?"
Saying this, she moved to pour some.
However, as she passed Fu Jingshu, he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to sit beside him. Then, a hand was placed on her shoulder.