Grandpa Jiang waved dismissively, “Feel free to look at whatever you like. Just don’t damage them.”

Huai’an’s eyes also wandered over the books.

He saw some go books and felt a bit excited, but he needed to play go with Great-Grandpa, so he settled down to focus.

In addition to Chuxia and Jiang Zhida, Jiang Zhishu and Luo Peng also knew how to play go and stood by watching.

Chuxia found an ancient medical book that had been lost to later generations and sat down happily to read it.

Only Jiang Zhida was restless.

He hated reading, writing, and anything that required mental effort, like go.

He wandered around, eventually stopping behind Chuxia and seeing the words on her book: “Pediatric Convulsions…”

“Cousin, isn’t this a medical book? What are you reading it for?”

Medical books were an entirely unfamiliar territory for Jiang Zhida, a domain he’d never understand in his lifetime.

Plus, Chuxia had no medical background, so he couldn’t figure out what she could glean from it.

Chuxia didn’t look up and replied, “I’m interested in medicine. Dazi, go watch An’an play Go.”

The implied message: Don’t disturb her reading.

Jiang Zhida understood and scratched his nose before walking away.

He wandered around the study again, eventually stopping behind Huai’an.

He couldn’t make sense of the game, so he asked Jiang Zhishu, “Eldest Brother, who will win, An’an or Grandpa?”

Jiang Zhishu glanced at him and said, “A true gentleman doesn’t comment on a game.”

Jiang Zhida didn’t care about these rules and continued to approach Jiang Zhishu, “Eldest Brother, tell me, tell me, quietly…”

Before he could finish, Grandpa Jiang shot him a sharp glance and said, “Dazi, be quiet!”

Jiang Zhida knew when his grandfather was genuinely angry and when he was feigning anger.

For now, he shouldn’t provoke him any further.

As soon as Cen Huai’an started playing, all his focus was on the board, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

He didn’t even hear Jiang Zhida’s earlier comments.

Grandpa Jiang observed Cen Huai’an with both surprise and satisfaction.

He was particularly impressed with how much Cen Huai’an had learned in just half a year, being a newcomer to the game.

The feeling of finding such a promising student, especially his great-grandson, was indescribable.

Grandpa Jiang imagined taking Cen Huai’an to meet old friends and couldn’t help but smile when he thought of how their great-grandchildren couldn’t compare to Cen Huai’an.

After thinking carefully about his move, Cen Huai’an made his play.

Grandpa Jiang looked at the placement, nodded in satisfaction, and placed his own piece.

Jiang Zhishu and Luo Peng watched intently, while Jiang Zhida was feeling increasingly anxious.

The Jiang family was harmonious, but Cen Zhengnian, at his workplace, had just completed part of an experiment.

As he and Yan Hemin walked out of the lab, Cen Zhengnian felt a bit hungry.

He had a stomach condition and was especially sensitive to hunger, so he pulled out a piece of beef jerky from his pocket and ate it.

Yan Hemin glanced at the beef jerky in his hand and suddenly rubbed his stomach, saying, “I had a light breakfast today, and now I feel a bit hungry.”

Cen Zhengnian looked at Yan Hemin, then glanced at his pocket—his intention was obvious.

Cen Zhengnian slowly swallowed the beef jerky in his mouth, pulled out another piece from his pocket, and handed it to Yan with a slightly helpless tone, “Teacher, if you want some, you can just ask me.”

Yan Hemin took the beef jerky and put it in his mouth. “I’m not wanting it; it’s because you offered. How can I refuse a student’s kindness?”

Cen Zhengnian didn’t respond and just watched as he finished eating.

He handed him another piece, with a look that said, “Say whatever you want.”

“This beef jerky tastes pretty good. Where did you buy it?” Yan Hemin thought about asking his wife to buy some. It would be a good snack while doing research without interrupting his work.

Cen Zhengnian’s eyes softened, and he smiled. “My wife brought it from the Northwest.”

Under Yan Hemin’s amused gaze, Cen Zhengnian continued with a calm expression, “She was worried I’d get hungry, so she specifically prepared it for me to bring to work.”

Yan Hemin chuckled while chewing, “You young folks have such good relationships.”

“What good relationship, sir?”

By now, the two had reached the lab entrance. The lab and the design calculation research room were not in the same place.

The door was half-open, and the researchers inside were busy drawing designs on paper.

Only Ye Xingsu, holding his calculated data, was about to look for Yan Hemin when he overheard their conversation at the door.

Yan Hemin laughed and said, “I was talking about Zhengnian and his wife. See this?”

He shook the beef jerky in his hand. “Zhengnian’s wife specially prepared this for him.”

Yan sighed, “I’m getting old. I can’t compare with you young folks anymore. But seeing you reminds me of my wife and me back in the day.”

He patted Cen Zhengnian on the shoulder and praised, “Your wife is great. Treasure her well. Xingsu, you’re not married yet, right? Keep trying.”

Ye Xingsu’s smile froze, and he looked at Cen Zhengnian with a hint of resentment.

Cen Zhengnian, who appeared calm and modest, slightly curled his lips and naturally said, “Thank you, sir. I will.”

Ye Xingsu glanced at the beef jerky and extended his hand toward Cen Zhengnian, “Sharing is caring. Don’t be stingy.”

He didn’t have a wife, so eating the jerky prepared by Cen Zhengnian’s wife would make him feel better. Maybe he could even eat it all and stop Cen Zhengnian from showing off.

Humph, his mother had already started setting him up on blind dates.

Once he got married, he would have his wife prepare snacks, and he’d eat them right in front of Cen Zhengnian.

Cen Zhengnian looked at him, walked to his desk, sat down, and said, “I might actually be a little stingy.”

He had no intention of giving Ye Xingsu any beef jerky. Yan Hemin listened to the two with amusement, staying out of their banter.

Ye Xingsu took a deep breath and suddenly shouted, “Zhengnian, what’s this?”

“Beef jerky!”

“Your wife prepared it for you! Oh, no, I don’t want it, but since you insist, I’ll try it.”

Cen Zhengnian watched him perform without any expression as the rest of the office turned their attention to them.

They gathered around, saying, “Zhengnian, you have beef jerky? Let me try some; I’m starving too.”

Everyone chimed in, and Cen Zhengnian pulled out the snacks from the drawer under his desk. “You should thank my wife. She insisted I bring it today.”

Otherwise, you’d all be hungry. Though he didn’t say it aloud, everyone understood the subtext.

As they ate the snacks, jerky, and dried fruits, they all smiled at Cen Zhengnian, saying, “Thanks to your wife!”

“Thanks to your wife.”

“Be sure to thank her for us.”

The group had nearly finished all the snacks Cen Zhengnian brought. If he hadn’t been quick, he might not have had any left for himself.

The main culprit, Ye Xingsu, got a stern look from Cen Zhengnian and was ignored for the rest of the day.

During lunch in the cafeteria, Ye Xingsu kept saying Cen Zhengnian was stingy.

“Is it just because I ate something your wife brought? You don’t have to give me the cold shoulder.”

Cen Zhengnian, eating his meal, looked at Ye Xingsu across the table and nodded, “Yes, I’m stingy. If I keep talking to you, my wife’s snacks will all be gone.”

It wasn’t about the snacks but who had sent them.

If it were something Cen Zhengnian brought, he’d share it without hesitation.

Ye Xingsu knew he had gone too far.

He leaned back and realized he would be in trouble if Cen Zhengnian stopped helping him with data analysis.

He covered his forehead, looking regretful. In his rush to vent, he forgot about this consequence.

He sighed, lowered his head, and said, “Alright, I was wrong. Next time your wife sends something, I won’t say a word.”

Cen Zhengnian took a bite of his food and said, “If it’s clothes or other gifts, feel free to comment.”

In other words, food was off-limits.

Ye Xingsu: …

He was speechless.

If he ever commented again, he would be no better than a dog!

….

At the Jiang family residence.

Jiang Zhida eventually got bored and left the study, going to mess with the few pots of flowers planted by his grandfather.

Grandfather Jiang had retired and, after the Jiang family’s rehabilitation, received invitations from the two most prestigious universities in the capital to lecture.

He agreed to teach at the Capital University, only two classes a week; more would be too much for his health.

He also did translation work at home.

In his spare time, he tended to his flowers and plants, read books, drank tea, and occasionally met up with old friends.

These flowers were his treasures.

He had moved them indoors during winter, worried about the cold, and had just placed them outside now that it was spring.

Jiang Zhida pulled at the leaves for a while but quickly lost interest and wanted to go out with his friends.

But thinking about his dad coming and scolding him if he wasn’t home, he reluctantly sat back on the sofa, took an apple, and turned on the TV.

Meanwhile, in the study, Cen Huaian and Grandfather Jiang were in an intense chess match.

Grandfather Jiang, calm and at ease, smiled as he watched Cen Huaian, waiting for him to make his move.

Cen Huaian studied the board with a frown, carefully considering his next move to avoid a losing position.

Cen Huaian’s Go skills were far behind Grandfather Jiang’s.

Despite his talent, he lacked the years of experience compared to someone who had been playing for most of his life and was well-known in the Go community.

If Grandfather Jiang wanted to win, he could do so quickly.

However, he wanted to see Cen Huaian’s current level, his Go style, and how he handled difficult situations on the board, so he played leniently.

Cen Huai’an had already realized that he couldn’t win against Great-Grandpa, but he didn’t give up.

Despite taking a long time to make each move, he played slowly and thoughtfully.

Grandpa Jiang greatly appreciated Cen Huai’an’s determination and persistence.

Playing Go reveals a person’s character.

Although Huai’an’s play wasn’t typical for a child—sometimes even ruthless, setting traps that left no room for his opponent to recover—Grandpa Jiang liked it.

In battle, showing mercy isn’t necessary; it’s better to defeat the enemy thoroughly.