Fang Xiyu lived in an old colonial house in the main district, with red-tiled roofs and white walls, exuding a unique charm shaped by a century of time. The elderly lady loved tending to plants, and outside the cream-colored little house, lush greenery surrounded it, with a velvety green lawn shining brilliantly in the sunlight.

Fang Jingcheng wasn’t the only visitor that morning. As he entered, he saw Fang Xiyu with her arms crossed, watching a florist enthusiastically arranging flowers for an afternoon gathering. Hydrangeas, clematis, blue starflowers, and roses — shades of blue blossomed together in a vibrant display, their bold colors bursting out from a light-blue ceramic vase in a magnificent array.

“How beautiful.”

The elderly woman reached out and tenderly touched a delicate blue rose, clearly pleased, though her expression darkened slightly when she glanced over the small yellow-centered flowers.

“What are these little white flowers? Didn’t I say blue suits my grandson the best? I thought it’d all be blue and purple this time.”

“These are Yabu Shooting Stars, an imported filler flower from abroad. Just a few here and there can make the main colors stand out more, keeping it fresh and elegant,” the florist explained.

As the florist described, the delicate green stems held clusters of white blossoms, like drifting snowflakes or fluttering butterflies, adding a lively, playful touch to the dazzling beauty of the floral arrangement.

With a slight twist of her hand, Fang Xiyu plucked the nearest shooting star flower close to the roses and crushed it in her palm. Then, looking down with a sarcastic smile, she mocked, “I don’t think I appreciate it. It’s too plain. For a moment, I thought someone pulled up wild weeds from a garden and stuffed them in here!”

The florist broke into a cold sweat, knowing that “taste” was a double-edged sword when working with wealthy clients like this. As long as the story and rarity of the flowers were good enough, prices could soar. But they feared “affordable” or “plain” would ruin the brand’s tone. He quickly added, “Oh, you’re just teasing, Mrs. Fang! We’ve worked together for so long; when have I ever used poor-quality materials? If you think these flowers are too small, we can switch to something like violets or gladiolus right away. I can call the store now to remake the whole arrangement.”

Fang Xiyu tossed the crushed flowers on the table, carefully wiping her hand with a handkerchief. Looking more satisfied, she remarked, “That sounds better. Orchids do have more elegance.”

Though the conversation about flower choices seemed harmless, in Fang Jingcheng’s ears, it held a hidden message. After all, he had his father’s looks but his grandmother’s way with words, so he understood these subtle hints all too well.

Stepping past the visibly nervous florist, he lightly picked up one of the white flowers on the table, holding it in his hand as he examined it and said with a smile, “A flower is still a flower. How could it be mistaken for a weed? Besides, isn’t it pretty? Perfect for pressing as a bookmark.”

When she turned to see her beloved grandson, Fang Xiyu’s smile softened with genuine affection, playfully scolding, “Look at me, fussing over these flowers and almost forgetting you’re back.”

“But you’re to blame, too, always so busy! Never calling, it’s like you don’t want to come home.”

If family members had to tiptoe around each other, it would be too exhausting. Besides, she already knew the truth, so her earlier comments were her way of expressing her stance.

Honestly, hearing the girl he liked compared to a weed did make him a bit angry.

Fang Jingcheng spoke straightforwardly, “Remember that girl from the last competition? I’m dating her now. She’s joined Teacher Zhou’s group too, and for the new semester, I’d like to transfer her into the Elite Class with me, so lately, I’ve been helping her catch up on spoken language skills.”

He then bent down, carefully holding the vase, and with a puppy-eyed look, said to Fang Xiyu, “It’s my fault. Is this for today’s gathering? Let me take it to the tea room for you.”

Seeing this, the florist was at a loss, stuck holding the phone to the flower shop, unsure if he should proceed with the changes. He stood there, confused, trying to figure out who in this household had the final say.

Now that the main players were in place, Fang Xiyu no longer needed to trouble the supporting characters. As a grandmother, she certainly wouldn’t keep her displeasure hidden, but she was also willing to give her grandson some face.

She looked at her defiant grandson with amusement, waving her hand graciously and saying, “Since my Chengcheng likes it, let’s keep the flowers as they are. Times have indeed changed; even a simple wildflower, when it complements the main flower well enough, can become a high-end floral piece.”

Relieved, the florist quickly packed up and left the villa, allowing the grandmother and grandson to sit at the table and chat more intimately. Fang Xiyu took a sip of tea, scolding lightly, “I knew it; at your age, it’s about time you found romance. I just didn’t expect you’d break things off with Li Yue Tong and so quickly choose a classmate instead. After raising you all these years, hiding such things from me — it’s a bit hurtful, you know.”

Fang Jingcheng traced the patterns on his teacup, letting out a soft, bitter laugh as he replied, “How could I hide it? Since you already know about the accident in X County, you must also know her family’s situation isn’t the best.”

She covered her mouth, her expression genuinely surprised. “Why would you put it like that? Ah, I must have spoiled you too much, Jingcheng. A person’s background isn’t the same as their character, is it?”

This topic struck a longstanding pain in Fang Jingcheng’s heart.

On one side, there was his depressed mother, and on the other, the grandmother who adored him. Though he had already formed his judgments, he couldn’t erase his feelings. Even if he could argue with his grandmother, he found it difficult to hurt her in his actions.

Looking down, he replied, “Do you really think that? Then why did you treat my mom like that?”

This indirect question left Fang Xiyu pale, her eyes misting slightly as she murmured, “So, this is how you’ve always seen me? It’s no surprise. Though I’ve looked after you, I’m still not your real mother… As for the Hanyan incident, yes, I did wrong her.”

“You know your grandfather passed early, and those uncles only cared about profit. I could only think about keeping the family business safe, so your father’s path would be smoother. With no one to lean on, I had no room for error, so I was strict…”

When she was young, she’d married her distant cousin and bore an heir early to stabilize her position within the family. In later years, she pressured Jiacheng more, leading him to become estranged and ally with his wife Meng Hanyan against her — a memory that still stung.

Her son was her heart and soul; no matter the pain, she couldn’t bring herself to blame him. So, all her anger was taken out on Meng Hanyan. Now that she was old, the family ties only grew weaker, and Fang Xiyu had finally realized her regrets.

“Still, Hanyan bore the pressure. She expanded the family business overseas; you and Siyu have both been outstanding, yet your father Jiacheng just seems to keep up appearances. If I ever get the chance, I should probably apologize to Hanyan…”

Thus came the saying about grandparents favoring grandchildren. When Meng Hanyan suffered from postpartum depression, she’d seized the opportunity to bring little Fang Jingcheng into her care, bonding with him deeply.

Now that her daughter-in-law had proved her value as the Chief Financial Officer, Fang Xiyu no longer held real resentment, merely venting. As for Fang Jingcheng’s potential, well, if he wasn’t going to live up to her expectations, then having a simple, loyal girl like his girlfriend around might be good for the company — it could even improve the frosty mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.

Having already lost Fang Jiacheng’s loyalty, she had no desire to alienate Fang Jingcheng as well.

With a handkerchief, she dabbed at her teary eyes and said reassuringly, “I only introduced Yue Tong to you because she’s kind and responsible. But now you’ve grown and proven your own judgment. Young people improve together, and your academic performance has advanced so much — I should thank her!”

Fang Jingcheng’s grandmother, with her warm brown eyes softened by age, looked at him kindly.

“So, would you be willing to share more about this girl?”

Could time really change someone’s attitude?

Fang Jingcheng had doubts about that.

But this was his grandmother, with whom he’d spent every day for twenty years. If she was sincere, not only could Xia Fu be accepted, but his mother might finally let go of old grievances and return to the family. This was an outcome he’d never imagined, a hopeful vision of a happy family urging him to believe in Fang Xiyu’s promises.

After a long silence, Fang Jingcheng’s tense shoulders slowly relaxed. Following his grandmother’s lead, he shared a bit about his relationship, explaining, “She’s staying with me for now. After everything that happened, I wanted to spend more time with her, which is why I haven’t been home…”

A lonely orphan with a good relationship with Fang Jingcheng — what trouble could she possibly stir?

Fang Xiyu understood, the stone weighing her heart finally lifted.

“Poor girl; you must take good care of her. I won’t keep you much longer. You can head back after lunch.”

“Oh, and besides wontons, Aunty Wang made some nourishing bird’s nest soup. And there are snacks your third uncle brought back from his trip to B City — fruit preserves and tuckahoe cakes. Take them with you.”

“There’s fabric I ordered from Xu the tailor; who knows, maybe she’d like a qipao.”

Just some food and clothing — things that could express goodwill without any particular meaning; he could take them or leave them.

Fang Jingcheng knew these gifts were merely a starting gesture, but he wasn’t expecting everything to fall into place in one day. He accepted them, adding, “Xia Fu is strong. She knows I haven’t been back home in a while, and she doesn’t want me to worry about her. I’ll head back this evening.”

With the air clear between them, lunch was a pleasant affair. By the afternoon, Fang Xiyu’s group of ladies started arriving for their gathering, with Fang Jingcheng at her side, assisting her as her advisor. They glanced over at the pair, one commenting, “Using a new mahjong table bought by Jingcheng himself! I’m sure he won’t mind us feeding tiles to Xiyu.”

One by one, they played into Xiyu’s plan. She’d called him back for mahjong with an ulterior motive, as he’d suspected. As long as she nodded, within minutes, they could send in a pretty young lady for her inspection.

With a smile, he feigned protest, “This isn’t fair! I’m just a beginner here, no match for you ladies.” Observing his grandmother from the corner of his eye.

To his relief, Fang Xiyu kept her word, letting him and Xia Fu be. With a casual glance, she lazily responded, “I just brought him to keep me company while I played, why so competitive? My luck’s good today, no need to rely on him. If you’re that worried, I’ll have him go wait over there.”

“Oh, no, spare me!” The woman joked, shifting the conversation to an upcoming jade auction.

Patting her grandson’s arm, Fang Xiyu said, “Alright, off with you. Don’t let them say I’m cheating.” Formally ending the temporary meeting.

Hearing his car pull away slowly, her mood grew calm. Fang Xiyu knew she could call him back for a date or support his wishes at any time. She wanted him to understand — all of this depended on her will.

Her objective had been achieved.