The two women standing on the second floor were Shen Mo's sister-in-law, Ma Li, and her cousin, Ma Juan.
Upon seeing Shen Mo for the first time at the wedding of Ma Li and Shen Mo's elder brother, Shen Cheng, Ma Juan fell head over heels for him. She silently vowed to marry no one but him. In the five years since Ma Li and Shen Cheng got married, Ma Juan has pursued Shen Mo relentlessly.
To avoid Ma Juan, Shen Mo even told his family that he wants to first establish his career before considering starting a family. He asserted that he had no plans to marry or have children within the next five years. He warned his family to stop pressuring him, or he'd join the military and never return.
Shen Mo's parents were quite fond of Ma Juan, but they also knew their son's temperament and that they couldn't persuade him. Hence, they advised Ma Juan to wait for another five years, promising that the two would surely get married once the period was over.
