I started as a spirited young man, and the system made me a male god.

The car eventually stopped in front of a row of particularly low and old bungalows.

One of the doors was open, and there were some neatly arranged cardboard boxes and several clean plastic buckets piled up in front of it.

An elderly woman with gray hair and a hunched back was sitting on a small bamboo stool by the door, wearing reading glasses, carefully sorting through a small pile of messy screws and metal parts in front of her in the daylight.

Hearing the car, the old lady looked up and squinted at it.

Chen Fei pushed open the car door and got out, calling out, "Grandma!"

The old lady was clearly taken aback for a moment, and the screw in her hand fell back into the basin with a crisp sound.

She stood up shakily, wiped her hands on her apron, and strained to open her squinting eyes, staring at the young man who was approaching.

"Xiao...Xiao Fei?" Grandma Chen's voice was somewhat uncertain, with a heavy local accent.

"It's me, Grandma, I've come back to see you." Chen Fei walked over quickly and took his grandmother's arm.

I immediately smelled that familiar old-fashioned laundry detergent scent from deep within my memory, along with a faint, musty smell of waste.

"It really is Xiao Fei!" Grandma Chen finally confirmed, and her face instantly blossomed into a chrysanthemum-like smile, with the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes all bunched together.

She patted Chen Fei's arm hard, "You've grown taller and stronger! Good, good, good!"

At this moment, Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi also got out of the car and walked over.

Grandma Chen's smile froze. Her gaze swept back and forth between the two pretty girls, whose clothes and attire seemed out of place in this old and run-down environment. Her eyes were filled with surprise, nervousness, and unease.

She unconsciously wiped her hands again, seemingly unsure how to greet them.

"Grandma, these are my friends, Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi," Chen Fei introduced naturally. "They heard I was back to visit you, so they came over to have some fun."

He has no immediate plans to reveal his relationship with Shen Shaoting in situations where neighbors might be eavesdropping.

Gossip spreads quickly in the village, and he didn't want his grandmother to suffer too much unnecessary attention and discussion because of this.

Some things are best left unsaid, only discussed privately among family members.

Chen Fei had already discussed this with the two girls beforehand.

"Hello, Grandma!" Shen Shaoting immediately flashed a big, bright smile, her voice clear and crisp. She even imitated Chen Fei's slightly accented local dialect, making her seem exceptionally warm. "We're Chen Fei's friends, we came to see you! How are you feeling?"

Lin Jingyi stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said in a gentle and polite voice, "Grandma, hello. I'm sorry to bother you. Chen Fei often mentions you, saying that it wasn't easy for you to raise him all by yourself. This is a small token of our appreciation; please accept it."

As she spoke, she handed over the milk, fruit, and a thick red envelope that she had secretly arranged with Shen Shaoting that morning.

Grandma Chen's hands trembled as she looked at the gifts and red envelopes handed to her. She repeatedly stepped back and waved her hands, saying, "Oh dear, this won't do. You're already here, why bring these things... No, no..."

She looked at the gifts, then at the two incredibly beautiful girls, and then at her grandson who had changed so much. For a moment, she was at a loss for words, and her eyes welled up with tears. She was both happy and touched.

"Grandma, please accept this. It's their kind gesture." Chen Fei took the things from Lin Jingyi's hands and placed them directly on the only old but clean eight-immortal table in the room. "Shaoting, Jingyi, don't stand at the door, come in and sit down. It's a small place, please don't mind."

Shen Shaoting had already curiously peeked into the house.

The house was small and dimly lit, but it was exceptionally tidy. It was practically bare, but everything was placed in the most convenient spot.

Suddenly, something occurred to her, and her nose tingled with emotion, but her smile remained unchanged. She exclaimed, "No, no! Grandma, you've raised Chen Fei to be so big and kept the house so clean. You're amazing!"

Lin Jingyi also said gently, "Yes, Grandma, it looks very cozy. You must love cleanliness."

The two girls sang in harmony, their sweet words quickly putting Grandma Chen at ease.

The old lady quickly busied herself pouring water, using a disposable plastic cup with the letter "GG" printed on it, which had been washed until it was almost white.

Then he took out some damp biscuits that he had hidden away, probably ones that he himself couldn't bear to eat, to offer them to the guests.

Chen Fei told his grandmother not to bother, and went to fetch and boil water himself, knowing the way well.

Shen Shaoting, unable to stay still, noticed the pile of unsorted recyclables in the corner and actually rolled up her sleeves to ask, "Grandma, do these need to be sorted? Let me help you! I know how to do this, plastic bottles together, cardboard together, right?"

Lin Jingyi took out the fruit from the insulated bag and washed it under the public tap outside.

Grandma Chen looked at the two beautiful girls, one lively and diligent, the other gentle and considerate, and felt very gratified.

Her biggest worry was that Chen Fei was working hard alone outside without anyone to take care of him. Now that she saw how hard the two girls were working, she felt relieved.

Outside, curious neighbors peeked out, and their hushed whispers could be faintly heard:

"It really is Grandma Chen's grandson! He came back in a car!"

"Those two girls, so beautiful they look like they stepped out of a painting, are they my granddaughters-in-law?"

"Oh dear, Granny Chen has suffered her whole life, now it's time for her to enjoy her retirement!"

"I heard that kid's made it big over there, bought a huge house! Tsk tsk, fortunes really do change..."

Just then, Chen Fei walked in carrying a kettle of boiling water. After seeing his neighbors, he smiled and exchanged a few polite words with them, gave each of them a cigarette, and then went back to make tea and chatted with his grandmother.

As the sun set, the four of them chatted at home for the entire afternoon.

As it was getting close to dinner time, Chen Fei suggested taking his grandmother out for dinner.

"Eat out? Why waste money like that? Grandma will cook for you, we have vegetables at home." Grandma Chen quickly waved her hand.

"Grandma, don't bother with all that work today. Try some food from outside," Chen Fei said with a smile, his tone insistent. "I found a great new restaurant that opened in town. The food is good, and the place is clean. Let's enjoy it today."

Shen Shaoting also took her grandmother's arm and shook it, saying, "Yes, Grandma, you've worked hard all afternoon, let Chen Fei treat us! We also want to have a nice meal with you!"

Lin Jingyi smiled and nodded from the side.

Grandma Chen couldn't resist the three young men, so she changed into her neatest clothes and got into Chen Fei's car with a mix of trepidation and curiosity.

The car drove away from the old village and headed towards the best restaurant in town.

The private room in the restaurant was quiet and elegant, a stark contrast to the dim and simple atmosphere of Grandma's house at noon.

The waiter served the food and gently closed the door, completely shutting out the noise from the outside world.

Chen Fei knew it was time to properly introduce Shen Shaoting and Lin Jingyi to his grandmother.