The moment Lu Shiyan's mother heard he had brought the girl home to care for her, she rushed over, already aware of the paternity test results. She had arrived as soon as she got the news, brimming with excitement at the thought of finally meeting her. But when she got there, the housekeeper informed her that Ye Shengheng was asleep. So, she hurried to the study to find Lu Shiyan. "Son, when do you think the girl will wake up?" Lu Shiyan was at a loss for words. "I don't know. She had an exhausting morning. Let her get some rest," he said, a note of concern in his voice. His mother pouted, looking nothing like a woman in her sixties. "Well, you've spent the morning with her. What do you think of the girl?" Lu Shiyan pulled out a report. "She seems like a good person. Just a bit timid." His mother took the file and began to read. The more she read, the more her heart ached for the girl, and when she saw the part about her parents beating her and withholding food, she was furious. She slammed her hand on the table. "People like that don't deserve to be parents! It's one thing not to send her to school, but to try and sell her!" "This child has had a bitter life. Since she's carrying our family's child, it means she's destined to be with the Lu family. You will treat her well, do you understand?" "I understand." The more his mother thought about it, the more her heart went out to Ye Shengheng. "I'm going to go see her." Lu Shiyan stood up with her. "I'll come with you." The mother and son left the study together. Led by Li Ma, they arrived at the room. The moment the door opened, a wave of oppressive, stuffy heat washed over them. They both froze. Why was the room so hot? Mrs. Lu rushed inside and checked the air conditioner. It was off. Then, she looked over at the sleeping Ye Shengheng, dressed in simple clothes, her forehead beaded with sweat. How could anyone sleep well in this heat without the AC on? Li Ma quickly turned on the air conditioner. His expression hardening, Lu Shiyan walked to the bedside, pulled out a tissue, and gently dabbed the sweat from Ye Shengheng’s brow, a pang of pity in his chest. He told Li Ma to stay and watch over her, adjusting the thermostat to a comfortable temperature once the room cooled down. Only then did he and his mother leave the room. Mrs. Lu couldn't get the image of the frail girl out of her mind, so thin she looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over. "How could the child stand this weather?" Lu Shiyan thought for a moment. "She's afraid of the cost." "How much could it possibly cost?" his mother exclaimed. "To endure this heat... how awful!" Then, it dawned on her. Considering the harsh environment Ye Shengheng had grown up in, her actions suddenly made sense. She really was a good kid, Mrs. Lu thought. Anyone else would have arrived here and started enjoying the luxuries without a second thought. Mrs. Lu sighed. "I'll wait for her here. When she wakes up, I'll take her out to buy some new clothes and necessities. Now that she's with our family, she won't have to live like that anymore." A short while later, Li Ma came downstairs. In the living room, Mrs. Lu and Lu Shiyan saw her approaching and immediately asked, "How is she?" Li Ma smiled. "Everything is fine. The temperature has come down, and the young mistress is sleeping much more soundly." The oppressive heat in the room dissipated, and on the soft, large bed, Ye Shengheng slept more peacefully than she had in a long time. She slept straight through until after four in the afternoon, feeling wonderfully comfortable. It wasn't hot at all. A blanket? She didn't remember pulling one over herself before she fell asleep. The room was cool. A thought struck Ye Shengheng. Her head snapped up toward the air conditioner. Sure enough, it was running, set to 26 degrees. But… She was certain she hadn't turned it on before her nap. So that's why she had slept so comfortably! But she had been asleep for so long. How many hours had it been running? How much would the electricity bill be? Without another thought, Ye Shengheng scrambled out of bed and shut it off. Hopefully, it hadn't used too much power. After freshening up, she headed downstairs. As she reached the living room, she saw two figures sitting on the sofa. The older woman bore a slight resemblance to Lu Shiyan, carrying herself with a similar air of authority. *They look alike,* Ye Shengheng thought. *That must be his mother.* A woman like her would never approve of a poor girl who was only here because she was pregnant. It would be better to avoid her altogether. With that thought, Ye Shengheng turned to go back upstairs. But the moment she had started down the stairs, the two in the living room had noticed her. Mrs. Lu had been waiting expectantly for the girl to approach and greet her. She never imagined Ye Shengheng would turn around and leave. The aura of insecurity radiating from her was palpable. Mrs. Lu knew exactly what she was thinking: the girl was afraid she wouldn't be liked. Already feeling sorry for this child who had endured so much, Mrs. Lu's heart filled with an even deeper compassion. "Shengheng," she called out gently, stopping the girl in her tracks. Ye Shengheng froze, her body rigid with tension. With her back to them, no one could see the helplessness on her face. *Don't be nervous. It's okay,* she told herself. She took a deep, steadying breath before turning around, managing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Hello. Is... is there something I can do for you?" The presence of Lu Shiyan and his mother was overwhelming; Ye Shengheng's voice was barely a whisper. She was terrified and ashamed. She didn't belong here. Mrs. Lu couldn't suppress the wave of tenderness she felt. Keeping her expression soft, afraid of scaring the girl, she spoke in a gentle tone. "Shengheng, come, sit with us." Ye Shengheng felt as if her feet were nailed to the floor, refusing to move. She told herself it was okay. The older woman seemed kind; surely she wouldn't make things difficult for her. Steeling herself against the fear gripping her heart, she forced herself to walk forward, one step at a time. Lu Shiyan’s brow furrowed slightly. He said nothing, his gaze fixed on her, his thoughts unreadable. Ye Shengheng moved slowly until she stood before his mother, bowed her head respectfully and murmured, "Mrs. Lu." She made her posture as humble as possible. Mrs. Lu reached out, her heart aching, and gently pulled the girl down to sit beside her. Taking Ye Shengheng's hand, she said softly, "Shengheng, don't be afraid. We mean you no harm. We're not bad people." Ye Shengheng looked up in surprise, her eyes instantly filling with panic before she quickly lowered her gaze again. "There's no need to be afraid, Shengheng." Ye Shengheng let her hand rest limply in Mrs. Lu's, too scared to move a muscle. "I'm not," she whispered. Mrs. Lu squeezed her hand. "Don't mind this old woman. I just wanted to chat with you." Too nervous to think of anything to say, Ye Shengheng just gave a small nod. Mrs. Lu smiled. "You guessed that I'm Shiyan's mother, didn't you?" Ye Shengheng nodded. "Yes." "I know the baby you're carrying is our Shiyan's. He will take good care of you, so you don't have to worry about anything. Just make this your home. Our family has always had difficulty conceiving. I was nearly forty when I finally had Shiyan. So... we'll be counting on you now. It won't be easy." Ye Shengheng didn't know what to say, so she just nodded again. Should she tell them she hadn't even decided if she was going to keep the babies? But Lu Shiyan already seemed displeased. What if she said the wrong thing and made him angry?