Cheng Jin’s grandmother lived in an old-fashioned villa district where each house stood alone and was quite far from its neighbors, with the nearest being over a kilometer away. However, the environment was very pleasant. As Cheng Jin made his way there, he saw withered yellow leaves scattered on the ground, stretching out into the distance like a scroll of paintings.

The weather had turned chilly, and Cheng Jin shivered as he got out of the car, quickly hugging two gift boxes as he went to ring the doorbell. Moments later, he saw his grandmother’s face on the electronic screen by the door and hurriedly flashed her a smile, “Grandmother, it’s me.”

The iron gate opened, and it took Cheng Jin a few minutes to run into the house. The house was quite large, serving as the old Lu family residence where four generations had lived. It looked quite modern from the outside due to renovations, but inside, it exuded an ancient charm.

Compared to furniture made from modern materials, Grandmother seemed to prefer traditional wooden furniture painted dark red. After entering, there was a Buddhist altar to the southeast, housing a statue reputedly of Guanyin. Although Cheng Jin wasn’t religious and found such things rather ethereal, he had grown to respect all sorts of deities, especially since his grandmother believed in this one. So, he mimicked her usual actions, clasping his hands together and bowing to the statue before saying, “Grandmother, how have you been lately?”

“Not too bad.” Grandmother’s demeanor was neutral, her tone neither cold nor warm, “What brings you here all of a sudden?”

“Oh, just bringing you some things.” Even though they had reconciled, Cheng Jin still felt awkward being alone with his grandmother for too long. He quickly opened the gifts he brought, “These are some cookies and a small cake I baked myself, and here’s a shawl I knitted for you. It should keep you warm when you go out. And this…” Cheng Jin solemnly opened a box containing a luminous pearl, presenting it to his grandmother, “This is something Lu Tao wanted to give you. He’s been too busy to come, so I brought it for him.”

“For me?” Grandmother took the luminous pearl from the box, examining it closely, puzzled, “Why would he give me this? It’s flashy but impractical, not even bright enough to be used as a light source. Lu Tao should know I don’t like such things.” She eyed Cheng Jin skeptically, “Are you sure this is from him?”

Cheng Jin was taken aback by her reaction and nodded hesitantly, “Yes, he said this is… this is an heirloom…” He tried to recall exactly what Lu Tao had said, but his memory failed him. He only remembered vaguely, “He said it was mined from a water planet, very rare, but since it had no research value, they auctioned it off.”

“If it has no research value, it can’t be what he intended to give me.” Grandmother stated confidently, hinting deeply, “I know you feel guilty towards me, but you don’t need to use his name to win my favor. Although pricey, I won’t like it.”

“Ah… I wasn’t…” Cheng Jin blushed, at a loss for words.

Grandmother said, “It looks more like something you would like. If he really bought it, maybe he meant to give it to you?”

“How could that be…” Cheng Jin hadn’t considered this possibility, especially since it had been directly denied by the other party. Seeing that Grandmother really disliked it, he reluctantly put it back in the box, “Then I’ll take it back and ask Lu Tao…”

The household robot brought some tea and snacks. Cheng Jin sipped some tea, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere by finding new topics, “It’s gotten colder, you must not go out much. What do you do at home?”

“I work.”

“Ah? You can still work?”

Grandmother’s expression remained unfazed, “Strictly speaking, I’m not of retirement age yet, so I still need to work. What, do you look down on me?”

Cheng Jin quickly shook his head, his face showing nothing but innocence.

Grandmother pressed a button on her wheelchair, “Come, I’ll show you around.”

Cheng Jin was surprised. He hadn’t been inside the house much, initially barely allowed beyond the living room, even as their relationship improved. He hadn’t expected to get such an opportunity just before leaving.

The smart wheelchair moved effortlessly, even on the stairs. Cheng Jin noticed some unmatching equipment in the second-floor living room and couldn’t help asking, “Grandmother, what are those?”

“They’re tools to assist with my rehabilitation.”

Cheng Jin’s heart raced at her response, “Rehabilitation?”

“Yes.”

Cheng Jin’s face lit up with shock and joy, “You might be able to stand up again?”

Grandmother’s expression remained calm, “We’ll see, maybe.”

“Ah, sure.” Cheng Jin felt a rush of excitement. He felt guilty for possibly being the reason she couldn’t walk, and if she could recover, it would lift a huge weight off his shoulders.

Grandmother’s wheelchair moved slowly, allowing Cheng Jin to take a good look at the rooms they passed. Most had their doors open, and though he only glimpsed inside, it was clear they hadn’t been lived in for a long time, with some furniture covered in dust sheets. They stopped outside a closed door, “This is my son and his partner’s room.”

“Ah?” Cheng Jin was initially confused but quickly realized, “This is Lu Tao’s parents’ room?”

Grandmother nodded slightly, “Open the door, I’d like to go in too.”

Could he also enter?

Cheng Jin carefully turned the doorknob, opening the door as if uncovering memories. He had never met Lu Tao’s parents, only knew they had died when Lu Tao was ten, in a spacecraft accident on an alien planet.

The bedroom wasn’t very spacious and wasn’t covered in dust sheets. The bed and desk were still in place but unused. Cheng Jin followed Grandmother to a cabinet displaying albums and medals.

When he saw a family photo, Cheng Jin said, “This is… their family photo?” He quickly confirmed it as he saw a much younger Lu Tao and a man who looked a lot like his current husband.

Seeing young Lu Tao’s face, Cheng Jin couldn’t help saying, “So cute!”

In the photo, Lu Tao was indeed adorable, about six or seven years old, with rounder eyes and a haircut that made his face look even rounder. His suspender shorts and black leather shoes added to his cuteness, making Cheng Jin almost want to kiss the photo.

After staring at young Lu Tao for a while, Cheng Jin’s gaze shifted to the adults, slightly surprised, “Lu Tao’s mother… was a ‘New Female’?”

Grandmother confirmed, “Yes, and not just that, she wasn’t from the Imperial Planet.”

“Ah?” Cheng Jin was utterly surprised. Residents of the Imperial Planet could marry those from other planets, but it didn’t mean they could become residents here without complex procedures and a lot of money. If not up to standard, even if they had children, those children couldn’t become citizens, needing specific criteria to live on the Imperial Planet.

This planet’s residents considered themselves “nobility” and “upper class,” hence the stringent residential requirements. Even with a declining birth rate, they wouldn’t lower their standards for talent introduction and residency.

Cheng Jin asked, “So she never became a citizen?”

“No, we didn’t have enough money or power. They took on dangerous jobs to save contribution points, then never returned.” Grandmother’s tone was not sad, but her eyes showed nostalgia for her deceased son and his partner, “As compensation, Lu Tao was granted permanent residency here. Before that, he and his mother were only allowed to stay here for six months each year.”

“I see…” Cheng Jin felt an indescribable sadness, especially seeing young Lu Tao smiling in his parents’ arms. His own mother had died early, but he was doted on by his father and brother, and their family’s wealth meant he never really suffered. But Lu Tao…

As Cheng Jin’s tears were about to fall, Grandmother said, “Let’s go.”

“Okay… I’ll push you.” Cheng Jin pushed the wheelchair out, gently closing the door, then curiously looked at another room, “Is this Lu Tao’s room?”

“Yes, but without his permission, I can’t let you in.”

“Ah, that’s okay.” Cheng Jin suppressed his disappointment and continued pushing the wheelchair, eventually reaching Grandmother’s study. The door was unlocked, and Cheng Jin stood at the doorway, shocked by the room’s contents, “So many books…”

The room seemed five meters tall, entirely filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with books. A large desk held many small instruments, all unfamiliar to Cheng Jin. He dared not touch anything, only looking with his eyes, then felt ashamed realizing he couldn’t even understand the covers of many books.

Grandmother seemed to sense his thoughts and said indifferently, “Don’t feel ashamed. You didn’t even finish high school, so it’s normal not to understand.”

Cheng Jin admitted sheepishly, “I… I’m just too dumb…”

Grandmother didn’t belittle him further, simply saying, “I’ve been repairing some ancient books, and there’s one I thought you might find interesting, so I made a copy for you. Want it?” She had already pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to Cheng Jin.

Cheng Jin was surprised and delighted, accepting the book respectfully, still somewhat in disbelief, “Grandmother, is this really… for me?”

“Hmm, if you’re not interested, you don’t have to take it.”

“I’m interested, definitely interested!” Cheng Jin didn’t know what was inside the book, its cover blank since it was a copy, but he planned to treasure it and try to decipher its contents, regardless of its difficulty. After all, this was the only gift from his grandmother.

But as he opened the book, he was immediately captivated by the contents, his eyes lighting up, “This is… a knitting pattern chart?”

“Yes, from a relic on another planet, which I’ve restored. The original is now preserved in a museum, but they said copies could be distributed, so I thought of you,” Grandmother said calmly, “You like knitting, right? Can you understand this?”

Cheng Jin nodded vigorously, “I can understand! Wow, this type of knitting wasn’t something I learned on Planet Sunshine! It’s so pretty… amazing…” The more Cheng Jin looked, the more excited he became. He had never liked reading, but after being forced to work, he had shifted from “sewing clothes to earn money” to “wanting to create prettier clothes,” and had begun his own research and innovation in knitting.

This gift from his grandmother was truly a gift to his heart.

Seeing his joyful expression, a hint of a smile flickered in Grandmother’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by seriousness, “Then take it with you, I need to get back to work.”

“Ah, yes, of course.” Cheng Jin hugged the book, bowed again in thanks, “Thank you.” Looking at the old lady in front of him, he felt a sense of impending separation, “Then take care of yourself, and don’t overdo the exercise. I hope you can walk again soon.”

“I know.”

“So, I… should go.”