In the end, Qin Mingyuan didn’t actually call a driver. Instead, Zeng Lianyi drove, and Qin Mingyuan sat in the passenger seat to accompany her.

The Qin family villa wasn’t located in one of A City’s well-known luxury villa districts. Instead, it was situated on a mountain. On the way there, he noticed that the villa wasn’t far from the mountain where the tombs of the two elders of the Qin family were located. It seemed that the cemetery’s location had been deliberately chosen.

Aside from the main villa building, most of the mountain was designated as the Qin family’s “backyard.” It included a stable, orchards, and even areas for growing vegetables and raising livestock like pigs, cows, and sheep, ensuring the family could always have fresh produce and meat.

Living here was very comfortable. However, the original Qin Mingyuan found commuting to the city a waste of time, so he had purchased an apartment downtown for convenience. He would occasionally come back when he had time, stay a night, and visit. But since the current Qin Mingyuan had arrived, he hadn’t returned to the villa, which was why he was unfamiliar with the place.

When the Qin family elders were still alive, the villa was always bustling with activity. The children would make time to come back and stay for a few days to visit them.

But after their passing, the house felt a bit emptier. With each family starting their own lives and having children, they returned less often.

Still, every year during the New Year, the family would make time to gather, have a meal together, and maintain the bond of family. It also served as an opportunity to rest and relax at the end of the year.

Since the owners were no longer present most of the time, the villa was mainly managed by the staff, with Butler Wu in charge. He would regularly vacuum-seal vegetables and meat and send them to the family members living out of town.

Even Qin Mingyuan’s apartment would receive regular deliveries. However, he was often not home, so the security guard would accept them, and the cleaning lady would take care of it.

When he first moved in, he thought the food was something the cleaning lady had purchased for him, and when he tried to give her money, she explained that it came from the Qin family. She even asked if he had been too busy with work to remember.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been back. I really miss it,” Zeng Lianyi said as she drove steadily up the mountain, looking at the familiar buildings with nostalgia.

Qin Mingyuan also glanced outside, taking in the sight of a five-story white villa with a European architectural style. Next to it was a two-story building, and in front, a large garden was enclosed by a fence. Seasonal flowers were planted inside, with red roses climbing up the fence, blooming vibrantly.

The Qin family villa was more like a manor than a typical villa, complete with everything one could need.

As they approached, the security guards at the foot of the mountain had already notified Butler Wu, who was waiting at the door. Seeing them get out of the car, he greeted them with a wide smile, “Madam, young master.”

He looked to be in his sixties, with some gray in his hair, but he still stood straight and tall. He had worked for the Qin family for decades, even serving Qin Mingyuan’s father when he was just a teenager.

“Uncle Wu,” Qin Mingyuan nodded, addressing him respectfully.

“Auntie Wu, it’s been so long! I’ve missed you!” Zeng Lianyi was much more enthusiastic, giving him a warm hug.

With the owners back, the villa was lively again, and Butler Wu seemed genuinely happy, his smile never fading. “Come on inside and rest, it must’ve been tiring driving all the way up the mountain.”

The two chatted as they walked ahead, with Qin Mingyuan trailing behind by a couple of steps. A familiar fragrance caught his attention, and he looked around to find a small patch of gardenias blooming nearby, their white petals fuller and more vibrant than the ones in his apartment complex, clearly well-tended.

He paused and, without thinking, took out his phone and crouched down to take a couple of photos, capturing the beauty of the flowers on his screen.

“Mingyuan, what are you doing?” Zeng Lianyi called out after taking a few steps and noticing her son crouching in the distance.

Qin Mingyuan stood up, catching up to them, holding his phone in his hand. The screen was still lit, displaying a chat interface with only a single picture and the words, “Drawing material.”

…

Accompanied by the lingering scent of flowers, they entered the villa, greeted by a grand, two-story-high living room. The décor leaned toward a European vintage style, with warm lighting and intricately designed decorations scattered throughout.

After changing their shoes, they moved toward a large, plush fabric sofa set, complemented by a white lacquered, carved coffee table with a glass vase holding two lily of the valley flowers, likely freshly picked from the garden.

Butler Wu retreated to prepare tea, while Zeng Lianyi wasted no time sinking into the soft sofa with a long sigh. “Flying all the way here and then driving up the mountain… I’m exhausted. Darling, you don’t even like drinking, so why did you have wine today?”

Qin Mingyuan, who had made her drive due to his “no drinking and driving” excuse, felt no guilt whatsoever. He calmly replied, “Just felt like it. It was only two glasses of red wine.”

Zeng Lianyi, suddenly struck by a thought, sat up straight and looked at him with a playful, suggestive expression. “Ohh, was it because you were in a good mood having dinner with Xiao Pei? Or maybe you were trying to build up some courage to confess? Did mommy mess up your plans today?”

Her voice carried a teasing lilt, trailing off in an exaggerated, somewhat… mischievous tone.

Although Qin Mingyuan didn’t want to describe a woman, especially one who was his elder, with such a word, he couldn’t think of a more fitting term than “mischievous.”

“You’re overthinking it.”

Seeing his exasperated expression, Zeng Lianyi burst into laughter, finding great joy in teasing her son now that they were back together.

“You’re home.”

A voice came from the direction of the staircase, and Qin Mingyuan looked up. A man descended the stairs, dressed in comfortable loungewear. His face bore a striking resemblance to Qin Mingyuan, about sixty to seventy percent similar, but his demeanor was more composed, lacking the coldness of his son.

This must be the original Qin Mingyuan’s father, Qin Pei. His expression was serious, but his presence exuded a calm depth, rather than the icy detachment of Qin Mingyuan.

“Honey!” Zeng Lianyi, lounging on the sofa, waved lazily at him, gesturing for him to come over.

Qin Pei’s gaze softened instantly when it landed on her. He walked over, sitting down beside her and taking her hand. “Are you tired? I told you to come back with me and let the boy drive up by himself.”

“Oh please, I missed my darling,” Zeng Lianyi smiled slyly, recalling her recent discovery. No regrets. “Alright, I’m going upstairs to change into something more comfortable. You two have a chat.”

With that, she lightly hopped to her feet and left, leaving the father and son sitting in silence.

After a long pause, it was Qin Pei who, as the elder, broke the quiet first. “How’s the company doing recently?”

“It’s fine,” Qin Mingyuan replied, offering just two words.

The silence returned.

Neither of them found the lack of conversation awkward, though. It was simply that they had little to say.

When Butler Wu returned with the tea, he found the father and son sitting quietly on opposite ends of the sofa, not speaking to each other.

Butler Wu had long grown accustomed to this scene, completely unfazed. Smiling, he set down the tray and poured tea for them. “Sir, young master, have a taste. This is some newly acquired black tea, and the snacks are freshly made in the kitchen.”

The quiet atmosphere finally broke as Qin Mingyuan thanked him and took a sip from the delicate, gold-rimmed cup.

“Uncle Wu, you don’t need to keep busy. Have a seat,” Qin Pei gestured toward the sofa beside him.

Having worked with the family for decades, Butler Wu was more like a family member than a mere servant. They had told him multiple times that he didn’t need to address them so formally, but Butler Wu was stubborn about maintaining the proper etiquette, so the Qin family had eventually let him be. In their hearts, he was already family.

“I’ll pass, there’s still work to do. I need to check the livestock area and make sure they deliver some good meat for dinner tonight.” It was clear that Butler Wu was genuinely happy they were back.

“You could just call them to send it over. No need to make a trip.”

“It’s no trouble. I may be getting older, but I’m still strong. Besides, it’s a rare occasion to have you back, so I want to handpick the best for you.”

Knowing they couldn’t sway him when it came to these matters, they let it go. He enjoyed it, so they wouldn’t stop him.

Once Butler Wu left, silence settled over the room again, broken only by the occasional clink of porcelain cups.

This time, it was Qin Mingyuan who spoke first, “How long do you plan to stay this time?”

Qin Pei glanced at him, setting down his cup. “We might not be leaving.”

Qin Mingyuan raised an eyebrow, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“Your mother wants to shift her focus back to the country, to spend more time with you,” Qin Pei explained, supportive of whatever his wife wanted to do.

“That’s right, I’ve made up my mind,” Zeng Lianyi said, just as she came downstairs in a fresh outfit.

She sat down between them on the sofa. “Even though I look youthful and vibrant, I’m almost sixty. I’ve already chased my dreams, and now it’s time to spend more time with my darling.”

The fashion brand LY, which she founded and named after herself, had now made it to the top international ranks. Over the years, she had traveled the world, hosting countless fashion shows.

Fueled by her passion for fashion design, she had reached this point with the full support of her family. First, her parents, and later, her husband and son. She was indeed a fortunate woman.

Now that she was older and had fulfilled her dreams, she wanted to dedicate some time to her family and make up for the love and attention she had missed out on giving them.

“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll be permanently grounded here. There will still be times when I need to fly abroad for shows or business, but it’ll be like a business trip. Most of the time, I’ll be here with my darling,” Zeng Lianyi said, patting her son’s shoulder.

Qin Mingyuan remained silent, his eyes lowering slightly.

He knew that this care and affection were not meant for him but for the original “Qin Mingyuan.” He was merely a stranger who had inexplicably come into this world.

He didn’t know where the original soul or consciousness had gone—maybe it had ended up like him, or perhaps it had simply vanished.

“Darling?”

Qin Mingyuan looked up, meeting his mother’s concerned gaze.

“You seem lost in thought. Are you tired?” Zeng Lianyi asked, her hand resting on his shoulder.

“No, I was just thinking about something.” Qin Mingyuan shook his head. “There’s no need for you to return just to accompany me. I’m an adult now.”

“It’s not solely because of you,” Zeng Lianyi smiled, seeing that he was worried. “I’m also tired of traveling all the time. And I’m not giving up work, just shifting my focus back home.”

Seeing that her decision was based on her own desires, Qin Mingyuan said nothing further.

“Alright, now that we’ve talked about the important stuff, why don’t you tell your father and me how things are going with Xiao Pei?” Zeng Lianyi, having been serious for only a couple of minutes, nudged his arm with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Will this ever end… Qin Mingyuan thought, feeling like his mother was far too invested in his love life, likely because she feared he’d grow old alone.

“I need to use the restroom,” he said, choosing the most effective escape route.

“This kid, getting shy! Hahaha…”

Even after walking several steps away, Qin Mingyuan could still hear her joyful laughter. He couldn’t even count how many times he had felt exasperated today.

His phone buzzed again in his pocket. As he walked, he took it out, and upon seeing the message, a faint smile appeared on his face.

[Mimosa: Thank you.]

[Mimosa: The flowers are beautiful.]