Many children bring happiness, a shameless start

The sunlight sneaked into the room through the cracks in the curtains and gently brushed across Lip's eyelashes.

Lip's eyes fluttered open, but he remained in a dreamlike state.

In his dream, he had just attended a sorority event with Amanda, a wealthy, top-tier student from college. They had enjoyed a formal dinner at a 24-hour restaurant.

As Lip carefully studied the menu, deciding what to order, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hi, sir. Would you like some more coffee?"

Lip looked up to see Mandy, dressed in a waitress uniform.

Mandy noticed him too. A smile crept onto her face, though it was tinged with a hint of sadness. But after a moment, her expression shifted back to calm, and she finished refilling his coffee before quickly walking away.

Lip watched her retreating figure, feeling a mix of emotions.

To many, this might seem like an ordinary, even dull moment—far less dramatic than the chaotic or intense scenes often seen in movies. But to Lip, it was a memory he would always hold onto. Because life is short, fleeting, like a passing moment, but some emotions linger, stretching out like an endless landscape.

Feeling the weight of his thoughts, Lip excused himself from the table with Amanda, seeking solace at the bar.

"Mandy," he called softly.

"More coffee, sir?" Mandy asked, her eyes avoiding his.

"I didn't know you worked here," Lip said, trying to keep the conversation light.

Mandy quickly averted her gaze. "I'll be right with you."

"You look good," Lip added, a small smile forming.

"Do you need anything else? Sugar?" she asked, her voice distant.

"Mandy, it's me," Lip insisted, trying to make her see him.

Mandy hesitated, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She looked at him as if silently pleading, "Please, don't make this harder for me."

"I… I said… you're my woman," Lip said, his voice steady but full of emotion.

He gently cupped her face, meeting her gaze with a smile, and spoke softly, "You're mine."

After those words, Lip didn't care about anything else. He simply pulled Mandy into his arms, kissing her deeply.

Mandy, unable to hold back any longer, responded to him, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

"Lip…" Amanda's voice cut through the moment, her cry full of desperation.

Lip woke with a start, realizing it had all been a dream. Although he had seen these events from a third-person perspective before, the dream felt different. This time, he was inside the moment, feeling every emotion.

It dawned on him that he needed to make things right with Mandy—that there was still time to fix the regret he felt.

Lip yawned loudly as he glanced at his Nokia 5230, realizing it was already past 8 a.m.

"Lip…"

The soft voice of Karen murmured from beside him. Lip turned to see her still asleep, hugging his arm with a peaceful, innocent smile.

Karen's little mouth opened slightly, emitting a soft snore. Lip couldn't help but smile. Despite how gentle he'd been with her the night before, Karen had still been thoroughly exhausted.

Lip gently stroked her face, running his fingers through her blonde hair. He kissed her forehead tenderly before carefully pulling his arm away.

But the movement roused Karen. She blinked up at him, still half-asleep. "Lip, where are you going?"

Lip chuckled softly. "Fool, I'm heading home."

Karen's arms tightened around him in a half-wake, half-dreamy state. "No, I don't want you to leave."

Lip smiled and rubbed her back. "I told you I'd take you to meet my family today. I need to get home and tidy up first."

"Then come pick me up as soon as you're done," she said, looking up at him with big, hopeful eyes.

"I'll be back, don't worry."

Karen pointed to her lips, a playful glint in her eyes. "Kiss me."

Lip leaned down and kissed her, the two of them lingering for a moment before Karen reluctantly let him go and snuggled back into the bed.

Lip quickly got dressed, went downstairs, and began his morning routine. As he passed by the living room, he noticed Eddie had already gotten up.

"Lip, why don't you sleep a little longer?" Eddie asked, his voice gruff but friendly.

"Uh… Uncle Eddie, I'm taking Karen to my house today to meet my family. I'm just heading back to get things ready," Lip explained.

"That's a good plan," Eddie nodded approvingly. Then, with a knowing look, he whispered, "Youth, huh? You're a great guy."

Lip was taken aback for a moment, confused by Eddie's cryptic tone. But when he saw the glint in his eyes, he quickly understood.

"Hey, Uncle Eddie, do you want to feel young again?" Lip teased.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"There's a saying," Lip continued with a grin, "When a man practices squats, women can't stand it. When women do squats, men can't stand it. But when both do squats together… well, the bed can't stand it."

Eddie laughed, clearly amused. "Is it really that effective?"

"I promise you, Uncle Eddie, it's not a quick fix. But if you stick with it for 100 days and add some jogging or swimming twice a week, you'll outdo most young guys. Just trust me," Lip said, trying to sound serious.

"Alright, I'll give it a try. If it works, dinner's on me!" Eddie chuckled.

Lip smiled, nodded, and waved goodbye before heading out the door.