He suddenly had a brilliant idea and said to Nian'an, "Nian'an, how about we have a competition? Whoever hits that tree scar will get a piece of candy as a reward from Mom, okay?"
Nian'an's eyes lit up: "Great! Mom, do you have any fruit candies?"
“Of course there will be,” Shen Tingzhou said with a smile. “Your mother loves you the most, she will definitely reward us.” He deliberately raised his voice so that Lin Wanqiu in the kitchen could hear him. “But if Dad wins, Nian’an, can you put in a good word for Dad with Mom?”
Without much thought, Nian'an readily agreed: "Okay! Dad, if you win, I'll talk to Mom and ask her to stop being angry with you!"
Lin Wanqiu heard everything clearly from the kitchen, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on her lips, easing the lingering resentment in her heart. She knew Shen Tingzhou was doing it on purpose, but seeing Nian'an's excited expression, she couldn't bear to expose him. She turned and went back into the kitchen, took out a few fruit candies from her spatial storage, placed them on a plate, and thought to herself: "Just consider it playing with the child."
In the courtyard, the father and son were engaged in a lively competition. Although Nian'an was young, he learned quickly and gradually became able to aim at the tree scars. Shen Tingzhou deliberately let him win, "missing" several times and allowing Nian'an to win a few times. Each time Nian'an won, he would excitedly run to the kitchen door, holding up his slingshot and shouting, "Mom! I won! I hit the tree scar!"
Lin Wanqiu would take out a piece of fruit candy, hand it to him, and say with a smile, "Great job, keep it up!"
Nian'an took the candy, unwrapped it, popped it into his mouth to taste it, and then ran back to the yard to share it with Shen Tingzhou: "Dad, the candy Mom gave me is so sweet, you should have one too." He held the candy to Shen Tingzhou's lips, his eyes full of innocence.
Shen Tingzhou felt a warmth in his heart. He opened his mouth and put the candy in, the sweet taste spreading through his mouth and reaching his heart. He looked at Nian An, then at Lin Wanqiu in the kitchen, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that the ice in Lin Wanqiu's heart was slowly melting.
After playing for a while, Nian'an got tired and leaned against Shen Tingzhou, panting. Shen Tingzhou held him and sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Tired? Let's rest for a while," he said softly, his gaze falling on Nian'an's little hands, which were red from the cold, and he felt a pang of heartache. "If I had known it would be so cold outside, I wouldn't have played with you for so long."
Nian'an shook his head, leaned on Shen Tingzhou's shoulder, and whispered, "Dad, I'm not cold. I like playing with you. Before, when Mom was raising me alone, I had no one to play with." He paused, then added, "Dad, can you play with me more often in the future? I don't want to tell Xiaoshitou that I don't have a dad anymore."
Shen Tingzhou felt as if something had clenched his heart, the pain almost suffocating him. He hugged Nian'an tightly, his voice hoarse: "I'm sorry, Nian'an, it was all my fault before, I couldn't be by your side. I'll never leave you again, I'll play with you every day, okay?"
"Really?" Nian'an looked up, her eyes full of anticipation.
“Really,” Shen Tingzhou nodded vigorously, “I swear, no matter what happens in the future, I will never leave you and Mom again.”
Nian'an smiled, revealing two shallow dimples on his little face, like newly blooming flowers in spring. He reached out his little hands and hugged Shen Tingzhou's neck tightly: "Dad, you're so good."
Lin Wanqiu was clearing the dishes in the kitchen when she overheard the father and son's conversation. Her nose tingled, and tears almost welled up in her eyes. She remembered Nian'an's hurt expression when he argued with Xiao Shitou and was mocked for not having a father, and the pitiful way the child cried out "Dad" in his sleep. The resentment in her heart was gradually replaced by heartache. She knew that Shen Tingzhou had it tough too; he might be under even more pressure than she was.
After clearing away the dishes, Lin Wanqiu came out of the kitchen and saw the father and son still sitting on the stone bench. Nian'an had already fallen asleep in Shen Tingzhou's arms, a sweet smile on his little face. Shen Tingzhou held him carefully, afraid of waking him, his gaze so tender it could melt hearts.
Lin Wanqiu walked over and said softly, "Don't sit outside. It's windy, and you'll wake the child up from the cold."
Shen Tingzhou looked up and saw Lin Wanqiu. His eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up, carefully carrying Nian'an into the house. He placed Nian'an on the kang (a heated brick bed), covered her with a quilt, and looked at the sleeping child, his heart filled with tenderness.
Lin Wanqiu sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), tucked Nian'an in, and after a moment of silence, said, "I know you had your reasons for what happened before, but I also suffered a lot. It's not something that can be forgotten with just an 'I'm sorry'."
Shen Tingzhou's heart tightened, and he quickly said, "I know, I know. Wanqiu, I owe you and Nian'an too much. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I'm willing to do anything you ask me to do."
Lin Wanqiu glanced at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions—resentment, grievance, and a barely perceptible softening. "I won't forgive you easily," she said slowly, "but Nian'an needs her father, and this family needs you. I can give you a chance, temporarily overlooking what happened before, but I will be watching you, seeing how you behave in the future."
Shen Tingzhou was overjoyed and nodded quickly: "Thank you, Wanqiu! Thank you for giving me this opportunity! Don't worry, I will definitely do my best in the future and will never let you and Nian'an suffer any more grievances!" His voice was a little excited, and his eyes were full of gratitude and expectation.
Lin Wanqiu looked at him without speaking, but the ice in her heart melted a little more. She knew that forgiving someone was difficult, especially forgiving someone who had caused her so much suffering, but for Nian'an and for this family, she was willing to try to believe and try to give each other a chance.
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Nian'an, who slept soundly on the kang (a heated brick bed), and also Shen Tingzhou and Lin Wanqiu, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. The room was quiet, save for Nian'an's even breathing and the occasional crowing of a rooster outside. Shen Tingzhou looked at Lin Wanqiu, his heart filled with hope. He knew that their family finally had a chance to improve. And he would seize this opportunity, dedicating his entire life to protecting this family and the two people he loved most.
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