Since he was young, he’d been raised on his grandmother’s lap, with her being his biggest supporter in life. She not only spoiled him but also funded his carefree lifestyle. However, she was still old-fashioned, as elders tend to be. Usually, it was no big deal, but this holiday had been eventful, filled with moments that made Fang Jingcheng’s heart race. He hovered his finger over the “answer” button, taking a solid two seconds to mentally prepare himself. Turning around, he clasped his hands together, making a hopeful expression as he begged his girlfriend for a short leave, saying, “Could you try unlocking the door on your own? My grandma’s calling, and I might have to step out for a bit.”

The call connected, and he was immediately greeted by his grandma’s playful scolding:

“Honestly, didn’t I tell you? Last time I lost too much; I swore I wouldn’t play mahjong again to maintain my inner peace! So why’d you send me a customized mahjong table? And that handbag too—just a couple of bags, and you even had that SA girl say all those auspicious words. You little rascal, are you teasing your grandma on purpose?”

Relieved that his fears were unfounded, Fang Jingcheng let out a breath, adjusting his mindset before flashing a quick grin and replying cheerily, “Haha, Grandma, I just can’t stand seeing you feeling down, right? You taught me every trick in the book—how could you possibly lose? It must’ve been that the items weren’t right for you, or maybe the aura was off. A new handbag will fix that; an Hermès 28 for good luck. Plus, it matches the new dress you posted about; you’ll be winning at every gathering!”

To buy Xia Fu’s bag, he had stocked up on merchandise at the SA, picking up not only a mahjong table but also lanterns and dinnerware. He swiped a card gifted by his family, and to pay it forward, he brought the items back to the villa as a token of his long absence.

It all paid off as planned—his grandma was quickly appeased, breaking into a satisfied chuckle. “Well then, I’ll take your good luck to heart. But people do say that the younger generation surpasses the old. Why don’t you come over this afternoon and help your grandma strategize? Granny Zhang and the others haven’t seen you in ages. I told them how much you’ve improved this term, and now they all want to pick your brain.”

The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into this kind of social gathering, especially if it meant being introduced to someone’s granddaughter.

Sensing his grandma was in good spirits, Fang Jingcheng relaxed, casually offering an excuse to delay the meet-up by a day or two. “Oh, it’s all a ladies’ gathering; I’ll just stay out of the way. Plus, I have some classmates to meet for a project this afternoon.”

“Oh, classmates…”

She repeated the words with a low chuckle.

“You’re really working hard, aren’t you? Going all the way to the district company during the holidays to study operations and even catching a case of illegal construction. Doesn’t that deserve a good treat for our diligent Jingcheng?”

“I even told Aunt Wang to cook up a bunch of nice dishes for today. Come home, let Grandma see if you’ve lost weight again, hmm?”

So, she’d found out after all?

Fang Jingcheng’s smile faded into a straight line.

Though the issue had caused a bit of local administrative ruckus, he had gathered and reported everything in a completely proper way. Based on past experiences, his grandma wouldn’t give him a hard time about such minor matters. She’d probably even show concern, asking if he had endured any hardships or been troubled by local tough guys while he was there.

However, everyone has different sides. His grandma could be a loving grandmother while also being a sharp-tongued mother-in-law. When it was just the two of them, she’d often gripe about his career-obsessed mother, yet at family gatherings, she’d still lecture her on traditional housewife values.

He couldn’t quite tell if his grandma was showing genuine concern or subtly prodding him about his social connections. Leaning against the hallway wall, his fingers pressed into his palm.

He couldn’t let Xia Fu repeat his mother’s fate… She deserved to be lifted up, to shine brightly when the time was right.

For that, he had made a point of praising his competition teammate to his grandma, emphasizing her brilliance. Little did he know she’d take the opportunity to put him on the spot like this.

But so what if she did? There was no reason why he couldn’t accomplish what his father, Fang Jiacheng, had. One day, he would rise above even that. Revealing things a bit early only meant he’d have more time to ensure everything went even better. Any hesitation now would only look like he was caught off guard.

A hundred thoughts flashed through his mind as he took a deep breath, steadying himself before he smiled again, saying, “With Aunt Wang’s special cooking, of course, I’ll be back. I didn’t mention anything before to keep you from worrying, but I’ve got a lot to tell you about this fieldwork.”

Aside from those few seconds lost in thought, he’d kept a bright smile throughout the call, and when he hung up, he naturally asked his girlfriend about the door’s functions. Summer Fu, absorbed in the touch screen’s many settings, didn’t catch the little mental battle he’d just waged. She replied, “All set! How’s it going on your end? Anything serious at home?”

He shook his head. “Not at all, just that Grandma misses me a bit. She wants me home for lunch and to be her mahjong strategist.”

The unexpected shift in plans didn’t seem to bother Xia Fu too much. After all, they attended the same school, so they’d see each other often enough. There was no need to be glued together constantly. Besides, Fang Jingcheng had already been quite the attentive boyfriend this summer—it was only fair he had some time to handle his own affairs.

Studying in the sunlight on a balcony with a river view was a pleasant way to pass the time, but with Fang Jingcheng gone, she didn’t have much reason to stay.

“Well, then, you should head home early. You’ve been busy lately,” she urged understandingly, already planning her route back to campus.

During the summer break, not many food stands were open at the cafeteria, but she could stop by the food plaza at the subway station and try those pan-fried buns that Ji Xiaowei recommended.

Fang Jingcheng had mentally prepared himself to comfort her over his sudden departure, but she didn’t show any signs of disappointment at all. They’d only just declared each other as their “one and only” last night, and now she was so cool about letting him go?

Feeling both touched and a bit wronged, he looked at her closely, taking her hand as he asked, “Will I still see you when I come back? I’ll be back tonight. It’s not that rushed; I can drive you back to school, but if you’re at home, I’d be really happy…”

Could waiting for someone to come home really feel this special?

What did it feel like to have someone waiting?

The apartment was fully stocked with necessities, so staying here to study wouldn’t be any different than at school. Xia Fu had no reason to refuse his wish.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you here.”

“Great! Thanks for holding down the fort on your own. If you get bored, you can use my computer; all the games are auto-logged in, and the boot-up password is the same as my phone.” Fang Jingcheng’s face lit up again as he went over various tips and offered, “There’s room service with lots of meal options, too. Just let me know if you want anything for afternoon tea.” He ended up delaying his departure by over half an hour.

Even as he finally made his way to the door, he looked back at her repeatedly, saying softly, “I’m leaving now.”

She nodded firmly. “Mm-hmm.” Her tone was full of assurance, urging him to go without worry.

Yet, as he opened the apartment door and stepped halfway out, he suddenly paused, faking a move back and looking at her with a playful, “I’m really leaving, you know.”

He looked so silly that Xia Fu couldn’t help but laugh, gently pushing his back and promising, “Alright, alright. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good, we agreed.”

Only then did Fang Jingcheng finally leave at ease.