The car drove on the road, its destination Yuyuan.
Yuyuan, located on the side of a mountain in A City, was home to top-tier wealthy families, where every piece of land was worth its weight in gold.
An hour and a half later, the car stopped in front of a luxurious European-style villa.
"Young Master An An has returned."
An old man, impeccably dressed in a suit and appearing energetic, stood respectfully at the villa entrance. Upon seeing the car, he approached with a smile, "Is the young master tired?"
"Grandpa Chen."
Butler Chen nodded in response and took the schoolbag from Wen Yan'an's hand. "The Master and Mistress have already prepared the young master's favorite pastries in the garden and are waiting for you."
Wen Yan'an did not go directly to the garden as usual. He stood by the car door.
"Shall we go see Grandpa and Grandma together?"
Seeing Wen Yan'an's eager look, Fang Miaomiao couldn't bring herself to refuse.
Fine.
Fang Miaomiao's lips curved upwards, "Then I'll trouble little friend An An to lead the way."
Wen Yan'an didn't say anything, but the irrepressible smile on his face betrayed his current mood.
Butler Chen cast a surprised glance at Fang Miaomiao.
Their madam, ever since marrying Master Zhiyan, had barely set foot in Yuyuan. Even for the regular weekend family gatherings, she rarely attended.
This time, upon hearing that the madam was hospitalized, the old master suggested she recuperate in Yuyuan. Although they knew she certainly wouldn't return, they had to extend the invitation nominally.
When Master Zhiyan first agreed to the suggestion, they were very surprised. They wondered if the master had forced his wife to return, but today, his wife surprised him.
Before, this madam would barely give anyone a second glance, not even the adorable Young Master An An.
Today, not only did she acknowledge Young Master An An, but she even broke her usual silence to nod at him, appearing exceptionally approachable.
"Madam Miaomiao, this way please."
Led by Butler Chen, the two entered the villa.
The first thing that greeted their eyes was a cobblestone path, flanked by lawns adorned with meticulously arranged trees and bonsai of various shapes, a feast for the eyes.
Passing the path and crossing a moon gate, they entered the villa's first courtyard.
The courtyard was filled with the fragrance of flowers.
Ornamental bamboo groves and trickling streams added a refreshing coolness to the sweltering summer heat.
"Madam Miaomiao, Young Master An An, the Master and Mistress are waiting in the flower room," Butler Chen stopped at the moon gate, offering Fang Miaomiao a standard, courteous smile. "Please."
"Thank you."
Finally, led by Wen Yan'an, Fang Miaomiao's head spun as she vaguely caught sight of the flower room.
Calling it a flower room was an understatement; it resembled a pavilion surrounded by a pond, where lotuses gently swayed in the breeze.
Fang Miaomiao couldn't help but sigh. She had played the role of a rich young lady before, but seeing Yuyuan today, she realized what it meant to be outshone.
The rich young ladies she portrayed could go wherever they pleased, but here, they could replicate anything they wished in their own estates.
Indeed, poverty limited the imagination.
"An An is here."
Two elderly figures inside the pavilion were conversing.
The man, clad in a Republic of China-era long gown, his white hair neatly combed, wore a pair of glasses, resembling an old scholar. The old lady, similarly dressed in a qipao, bore the traces of time on her face, which only added to her elegance.
The old lady soon noticed Wen Yan'an standing by the water's edge.
"Greetings, Grandpa and Grandma."
"Dad, Mom," Fang Miaomiao nodded in greeting.
"Mm."
"Miaomiao, you're here. Sit down," the old gentleman nodded kindly at Fang Miaomiao. "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"No, no, I'm almost recovered. Thank you for your concern, Dad."
Only then did the old lady shift her gaze from her beloved grandson to Fang Miaomiao. "I've always said that after marrying Zhiyan, you should stay home and tend to your husband and children. But you wouldn't listen."
"It was my oversight," Fang Miaomiao could only offer a smile.
"Alright, Lian'er, is there anything wrong with a child pursuing what they love?" The old gentleman poured a cup of tea and handed it to Ran Lian. "Children grow up and eventually need to strive for themselves."
Ran Lian glared at him. "Fine, fine, I can't argue with you, alright."
Fang Miaomiao could only smile awkwardly. *Save me, why did I come to Yuyuan so early? Can someone help me?*
As if hearing Fang Miaomiao's thoughts, Wen Yan'an tugged at Ran Lian's sleeve. "Grandma, going on variety shows is very fun. I even made a friend."
"Oh really?" Ran Lian smiled and looked down at Wen Yan'an, saying dotingly, "An An made a little friend on the show?"
Their An An had always been quiet since childhood, disliking playing. Compared to other children, An An preferred to stay in his room, spending his days playing with building blocks and puzzles.
Initially, they worried if the child had psychological issues. During that time, they consulted numerous psychologists, but each one stated that An An had no problems.
They were told that some people were naturally inclined to be alone, and forcing them into bustling crowds could even be counterproductive.
They doted on their grandson, and given his significantly higher intelligence compared to other children, they eventually accepted the psychologists' advice and allowed him to play alone.
To their surprise, upon his return, their little treasure claimed to have a friend to play with, which naturally delighted them.
"Really? Sweetheart, tell Grandma, who is this child? What does the family do? Grandma tells you, we mustn't befriend someone from a poor family."
"Lian'er," the old gentleman called out in displeasure.
"What are you calling out for? Am I not speaking the truth? In the entertainment industry, how many truly wealthy people are there? Those actors and actresses will fawn over the rich and even instigate them. If I don't teach An An to recognize people," Ran Lian glanced at Fang Miaomiao subtly, "he won't know if he's being deceived later."
Fang Miaomiao: "..."
*This is absolutely unnecessary.* She finally understood why the original owner disliked returning to Yuyuan the most. Who could tolerate such veiled insults?
"Miaomiao, don't take her words to heart. She has a sharp tongue but a kind heart," the old gentleman pushed pastries towards Fang Miaomiao. "I heard you were coming back, so I asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite red bean cakes. Try them."
"Thank you, Dad."
"Whether one can taste good things depends on certain people."
Fang Miaomiao smiled at the old gentleman. *I am Wen Zhiyan's mother. As the saying goes, you only get three chances. I'll endure it, I'll endure it again. I am a well-behaved and high-quality citizen. I won't stoop to the level of an old lady.*