Chapter 17 : Playing Chess

After last night’s birthday banquet ended, most guests had left, and only close relatives of the Fu family stayed overnight.  

The next morning, after breakfast, Jiang Yunshu accompanied Grandma Fu and a few elders for tea and conversation. This continued until Uncle Li escorted the guests who had traveled from other provinces to celebrate Grandma Fu’s birthday to the airport.  

Meanwhile, Fu Chengze was at the office, sitting in his chair, massaging his temples as he listened to his assistant’s report.  

There was a meeting scheduled for the morning. He glanced at the cup of black coffee on his desk, and after the assistant finished reporting, he called for someone to take the coffee away and replace it with a cup of tea.  

Taking a sip of tea, Fu Chengze suddenly remembered something. He tapped on his keyboard, stared at the computer screen for a moment, and then turned to his assistant.  

“The auction item No. 5262 from Hall 3 at the Exhibition Center on the 2nd of last month is part of a series of brooch collections. Look into the contact details of the collectors of the other three pieces.”  

The assistant nodded. “Understood.”  

“One of them might be an anonymous seller. Try your best to find out who it is, and let me know if you find anything.”  

The assistant acknowledged the task again.  

Fu Chengze checked his watch. “Prepare for the meeting.”  

—

In the evening, Grandma Fu was in the living room unwrapping gifts.  

She first selected a uniquely wrapped, cyan-blue box. Inside was a vase featuring an intricate interplay of landscapes and floral motifs. Grandma Fu was delighted and called Xu Shuping over.  

“This vase has such a rare shape. It’s beautiful.”  

Xu Shuping glanced at it. “The vase surface has a charm similar to an ancient painting.”  

Grandma Fu examined the vase closely. “This is a monochrome ‘Sansai’ vase, with green glaze applied first, followed by black glaze, and then the patterns outlined. Colored glazes are then applied within the unglazed areas. Stunning, truly stunning.”  

Xu Shuping, unfamiliar with the details, still found it lovely. “Who sent this?”  

Grandma Fu pulled out the card inside, which bore a blessing:  

‘”May your fortune be boundless like the vast ocean, and your life span as enduring as the ancient chaste tree.”’

Xu Shuping read it aloud. “No signature.”  

“It’s from Xiao Shu,” Grandma Fu smiled. “This handwriting is so neat and powerful, it’s unmistakably hers. Back when Qingshan was still around, he often praised her handwriting to me.”  

Admiring the vase for a while longer, Grandma Fu instructed Fu Jingkun to place it in Fu Qingshan’s former study. Then, she continued unwrapping gifts.  

The pile of gifts resembled a small mountain, and by the end, Grandma Fu’s hands were slightly sore.  

Most of the gifts were ordinary, with only a few catching her fancy. Among them was a jade chess set, which she couldn’t resist touching.  

“Qingshan loved chess. When he was still alive, he often called me to play with him. Over time, I found chess quite enjoyable. After he passed, I haven’t played for a while.”  

With that, Grandma Fu stood up. “Jingkun, come play a game of chess with me.”  

Fu Jingkun hesitated. “Mom, I’m not very good at chess.”  

Grandma Fu said, “You can learn. Just play for fun.”  

—

Upstairs, Jiang Yunshu was on a call with Gong Yan, tentatively scheduling a feature interview for ‘Tea Charm World’ magazine.  

When she went downstairs for water, she asked Aunt Luo, “Aunt Luo, where’s Grandma?”  

Aunt Luo replied, “In the chess room. Mr. Fu is accompanying her for a game.”  

“Okay,” Jiang Yunshu said. “I’ll go take a look.”  

When she arrived at the chess room, Fu Jingkun had just finished a game with Grandma Fu.  

Seeing Jiang Yunshu, Grandma Fu waved her over enthusiastically.  

“Xiao Shu, you’re just in time. Come play a game with Grandma. Your dad barely knows the basics, playing with him is no fun.”  

Fu Jingkun was relieved and quickly gave up his seat for Jiang Yunshu.  

Jiang Yunshu smiled and said, “Grandma, it’s hard for anyone to beat you in chess.”  

Grandma Fu sipped her tea and laughed. “You don’t have to flatter me, girl. Between the two of us, you’re more likely to win.”  

Jiang Yunshu replied, “Grandma, I remember clearly that we’ve played six games in total. We each won three times, so we’re tied.”  

Grandma Fu chuckled happily and handed the black pieces to Jiang Yunshu.  

Jiang Yunshu accepted the chess box. “Since you’re giving me the black pieces, I’ll have to play carefully this time and try to win this game.”  

“Then I’d better strategize well, I won’t make it too easy for you to win.”  

The two began setting up the board, with Xu Shuping and Fu Jingkun quietly watching from the side.  

The game proceeded back and forth with neither side gaining a clear advantage.  

Time ticked by, and just when it seemed the white pieces were scattered and the game nearing its end, Grandma Fu used the remaining white pieces for a brilliant counterattack, reversing the situation.  

The black pieces fell, and Jiang Yunshu clapped her hands. “Grandma, that was an excellent game.”  

Grandma Fu laughed. “It was a risky move, a narrow win. When it comes to real chess skills, your grandfather and your father-in-law were the best. Back in Yunjiang, they once played a game that lasted an entire day.”  

Jiang Yunshu’s clear eyes lit up with joy at seeing Grandma Fu so happy.  

“Chengze has been standing here for quite a while without saying a word,” Grandma Fu teased. “Could it be he’s secretly upset that I won against Xiao Shu?”  

Jiang Yunshu turned and noticed Fu Chengze standing behind her. She had no idea how long he had been there.  

Fu Chengze shifted his gaze from the chessboard. “I was just watching. It was a great game.”  

It was getting late, and after a cup of ginseng tea, Grandma Fu retired to her room.  

Fu Chengze and Jiang Yunshu went upstairs together.  

Closing the bedroom door, Fu Chengze removed his tie and watch while saying to Jiang Yunshu,  

“When you play chess with me, every move is calculated and deliberate. But with Grandma, you stopped midway through the game.”  

Jiang Yunshu paused for a moment. “You noticed?”  

Fu Chengze looked at her. “At first glance, it seemed like Grandma won, but on closer inspection, the game wasn’t over yet. The white pieces were actually being cornered.”  

“Grandma just celebrated her birthday and was in high spirits. I didn’t want to ruin the mood,” Jiang Yunshu explained. “Grandpa used to let her win on purpose to make her happy. With such a skill gap, winning or losing doesn’t matter, it’s all about having fun.”  

Fu Chengze raised an eyebrow. “And how do you think our skills compare?”  

“It’s hard to say. We’ve only played once in Yunjiang, and while I won that game, it was a close call it wasn’t easy at all,” Jiang Yunshu replied honestly. “But I can’t beat my dad, and you can’t beat Grandpa, so we’re probably at a similar level.”  

Fu Chengze chuckled softly. “Are you tired?”  

Looking at his gentle expression, Jiang Yunshu was momentarily dazed. Such a smile was rare on his face.  

She shook her head. “Not tired.”  

Fu Chengze asked, “Want to finish that game?”  

Jiang Yunshu smiled. “Sure.”  

Fu Chengze went downstairs to the study to retrieve a chessboard. The two of them sat across from each other at the small table by the bay window in the bedroom, recreating the unfinished game from memory.  

Jiang Yunshu leaned against a cushion, smirking slightly at the board. “Continuing from this position doesn’t look good for you.”  

Fu Chengze glanced at her. “That’s what makes it challenging.”