Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

Life became very regular.

When Shen Yu'an woke up each morning, Xize was usually already up.

He washed up and went downstairs, where Xize was sitting in the dining room reading a newspaper and waiting for him.

The two of them ate breakfast together, and sometimes Xize would take him to school, depending on whether Xize had a class that day.

After returning in the afternoon, Shen Yu'an will go upstairs to paint.

Sometimes Xize works in the study or holds video conferences. Shen Yu'an would bring his art supplies to the study, set up a small easel by the window, and the two of them would each do their own thing.

The study was quiet. The only sounds were the occasional rustling of Xize turning the pages of documents, the soft scratching of Shen Yu'an's paintbrush on the canvas, and the clicking of keyboard.

These sounds blended together, becoming the background noise every afternoon.

When Xize is in a meeting, Shen Yu'an will make quiet movements so as not to disturb him.

But after each meeting, Nishizawa would come over to see what he had drawn.

"This color is nice," Xize would say.

Shen Yu'an laughed and said that it took a long time to adjust the color.

Sometimes when Shen Yu'an got tired of painting, he would put down his brush and go to Xize's side to watch him work.

He didn't disturb us; he just sat next to us, leaning against the sofa armrest, looking at his phone or spacing out.

After finishing a section of work, Xize would reach out and touch his hair or pinch the back of his neck before continuing to work.

The initial awkwardness between the two had long since disappeared. Shen Yu'an's coquettishness had become more and more natural, and when she didn't want to pour water, she would call out "Daddy," and Xize would get up to pour it for her.

At night, Shen Yu'an must snuggle in Xize's arms to sleep; she can't fall asleep without being held.

The butler and servants had also gotten used to the young master's presence.

Shen Yu'an would occasionally go to the kitchen to chat with the aunt and learn to cook a few Chinese dishes.

It wasn't very well made, but Xize always finished it.

Once, Shen Yu'an burned an egg, but Xize ate it without batting an eye. Shen Yu'an took a bite, then quickly snatched it away and threw it away, saying that eating it would hurt his stomach.

Nishizawa said that the parts that aren't burnt are still delicious.

Life went on like this, peaceful and fulfilling.

That afternoon, Shen Yu'an was painting in his study when Xize received a phone call. He listened for a while, his brow twitched slightly, and then he hung up after saying a few words.

Shen Yu'an noticed his expression, put down her paintbrush, and asked what was wrong.

Xize walked over and sat down in the chair next to him.

"My grandmother wants to see you."

Shen Yu'an almost dropped his pen.

"Your grandmother?"

"Yes. She knows about you and says she wants to meet you."

Shen Yu'an opened his mouth, his mind a little blank. He knew Xize had family, but they had never mentioned meeting before, so he hadn't asked.

He suddenly became nervous when she said she wanted to see him.

"How old is she?"

"Over eighty years old."

How did she know?

"I hung the portrait you painted for me in my study. When she came to London, she saw it and asked who painted it. I said it was my boyfriend."

Shen Yu'an's ears turned red. He hadn't expected Xize to be so direct with his family.

"What did she say?"

"She said it was beautifully painted and she wanted to meet the artist."

Shen Yu'an looked down at his hands; there was still some paint on his fingers that he hadn't wiped off.

The thought of meeting Xize's family, especially his grandmother, made his palms sweat with nervousness.

"She's coming to London?"

"Yes, she'll come next week. She wants to see you, just for a meal."

Shen Yu'an took a deep breath and nodded. He felt that being nervous was useless; what was meant to happen would happen eventually.

Moreover, Caesar's grandmother said she "wanted to meet the person who painted it," which at least suggested she didn't dislike him.

Did she say... anything else?

"They say you're the Little Rose of the East."

Shen Yu'an was stunned.

"What?"

"The Little Rose of the East. That's what she said."

Shen Yu'an's face turned bright red instantly.

He never expected an eighty-year-old woman to use such a word to describe him, and he felt both embarrassed and amused.

"Your grandmother... speaks so romantically?"

"She used to study literature." Xize reached out and ruffled his hair. "Don't be nervous, she's easy to get along with."

Shen Yu'an took his hand off his head and clenched it in his own.

He looked down at their clasped hands. Xize's hands were big, his hands were small, and their skin tones were different, but their hands were firmly clasped.

"Daddy."

"Um."

"What if your grandmother doesn't like me?"

"She doesn't dislike you."

"What if?"

Xize grasped his hand in return, rubbing his fingertips against the back of his hand.

"There's no 'what if.' Whether she likes you or not, I'm still yours."

Shen Yu'an looked up at him. Xize's expression was serious, his gray-blue eyes showing no hesitation. Shen Yu'an looked at him for a few seconds, then smiled and squeezed his hand.

"What should I wear next week?"

Wear whatever you like.

"You can't just wear anything; it's the first time meeting your elders."

"Then wear the suit I took you to get made last time."

Shen Yu'an thought about it and agreed.

"good."

Shen Yu'an leaned back in his chair, his palms still sweating.

But he felt at ease because Xize's hand was still holding his and he didn't let go.

The sunlight from the window fell on the desk, and the painting on the easel was still unfinished, the paint still wet.

The two shadows were stretched long by the light and overlapped.

Shen Yu'an thought, "Oriental Little Rose."

I hope she'll like this little oriental rose when we meet next week.

Grandma came on a Saturday.

Shen Yu'an woke up early in the morning and tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall back asleep.

Xize woke him up, reached out and pulled him back to his chest, saying it was still early and he should sleep a little longer.

Shen Yu'an said she couldn't sleep.

In the end, the two of them got up.

After taking a shower and getting dressed, Shen Yu'an looked at himself in the mirror again and again, fiddling with his hair for a long time, but something still felt off.

Xize leaned against the doorframe and looked at him, saying it was okay, very good. Shen Yu'an was still nervous and straightened his collar again.

Around 10 a.m., Grandma's car arrived.

Shen Yu'an stood in the foyer, and upon hearing the commotion outside, he clenched his fist and then relaxed it. Xize stood beside him and reached out to take his hand.

The door opened.

The woman who entered was an elderly woman with completely white hair. She was not tall, wore a dark suit, and was leaning on a thin cane.

She was a little hunched over, but walked steadily, looked healthy, and had a smile on her face.

As Shen Yu'an watched her approach, two words flashed through his mind: elegant. That kind of refined air, clearly cultivated over many years, was exactly the same as the aura emanating from Xize.

His grandmother walked up to him and looked at him for a few seconds.

Shen Yu'an felt a little nervous under her gaze, but he tried his best to smile, nodded, and said "Hello."

Grandmother didn't speak, but smiled first. Then she reached out and gently patted Shen Yu'an's arm.

"She looks even better than in the photos."

Shen Yu'an was stunned for a moment, his ears turning red. He glanced at Xize, who stood beside him with a smirk on his face, showing no intention of helping him out of the predicament.

"Thank you," Shen Yu'an said softly.

His grandmother glanced at him a few more times and said a sentence in Chinese, her pronunciation not quite accurate but still understandable: "Welcome."

Shen Yu'an was surprised that she could speak Chinese. He paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Thank you."

Grandmother smiled even more happily, then turned to Xize and said a string of English. Shen Yu'an understood that she had been practicing this Chinese sentence for several days, afraid of making a mistake and embarrassing herself.

Xize said it was good, he wasn't wrong.

Shen Yu'an accompanied his grandmother to the living room. The old lady walked slowly, so Shen Yu'an slowed his pace and walked beside her, keeping an eye on her at all times.

As his grandmother walked down the corridor, she turned to look at him and said, "Don't be nervous. I just came to see you, not to interrogate you."

Shen Yu'an breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

Once they were seated in the living room, a maid brought tea. Grandmother sat on the sofa, Shen Yu'an sat beside her, and Xize sat on the single sofa opposite.

Shen Yu'an sat very properly, with his back straight and his hands on his knees.

His grandmother saw his posture, smiled, and said, "Relax." Shen Yu'an smiled sheepishly and relaxed a little.

"I saw the painting you drew for Xize," Grandmother said.

Do you like it?

"I like it. It looks a lot like him, but even better than he is in person."

Xize coughed beside him. Shen Yu'an laughed and said no, that's just how he looks.

His grandmother took a sip of tea and then asked him some more questions: What was he studying? When did he come to London? Did he plan to stay in England or return to China?

Shen Yu'an answered each question one by one, answering whatever was asked without hiding anything or exaggerating.

Grandmother listened, nodding occasionally.

She asked Shen Yu'an if painting was tiring, and Shen Yu'an said no, because she enjoyed it. She then asked if Shen Yu'an's family knew about it, and Shen Yu'an said they did, and her mother supported it.

Grandmother held her teacup for a while, then put it down and looked at Shen Yu'an.

"You know Xize. He's never been a talkative person, nor has he been close to anyone. I'm over eighty years old, and I've never seen him bring anyone home. You're the first."

Shen Yu'an listened attentively, his hand clenching on his knee.

"So don't worry, I'm not here to disagree," Grandmother smiled. "I just want to see for myself what kind of person would make him make an exception for me."

Shen Yu'an didn't know what to say, opened his mouth, and finally whispered, "Thank you."

His grandmother reached out and patted the back of his hand again, saying, "Alright, just have a meal with me." Shen Yu'an nodded and agreed.

Lunch was eaten at home. The housekeeper prepared a fusion of Chinese and English dishes, including sweet and sour pork ribs, which Shen Yu'an liked, and grilled fish, which her grandmother often ate.

Shen Yu'an sat next to his grandmother, serving her food and soup with natural movements. His grandmother watched him do these things with a smile in her eyes.

Halfway through the meal, Grandmother turned to Caesar and said that this child was better than all the others he had chosen before.

Xize said I had never been picky about anyone else. Grandmother said she knew that, which is why she said he was good.

Shen Yu'an lowered his head to eat, his ears were red, but the corners of his mouth were turned up.

After lunch, Grandma wanted to take a nap, so the maid helped her upstairs. Shen Yu'an stood in the living room and let out a long sigh.

Xize walked over, stood in front of him, and looked down at him.

"Are you extremely nervous?"

"Hmm." Shen Yu'an looked up at him, her eyes bright. "But she's doing well."

"I told you, she's easy to get along with."

Shen Yu'an reached out and hugged his waist, pressing his face against his chest. Xize placed his hand on the back of his head and gently rubbed it.

"She likes me." Shen Yu'an's voice was muffled inside his clothes.

"Of course I like you."

Shen Yu'an smiled in his arms and looked up: "She must have practiced that Chinese sentence for a long time."

"Yeah, I've been practicing for two weeks."

Shen Yu'an felt a warmth in her heart when she recalled the old lady saying "welcome" with her slightly accented pronunciation.

He knew that the welcome wasn't just lip service, but something he truly accepted from the heart.

In the afternoon, Grandma woke up from her nap, came downstairs, and chatted with Shen Yu'an for a while.

She showed Shen Yu'an some old photos, including pictures of Xize as a child. Shen Yu'an saw a young Xize wearing a little suit, standing in the garden with a stern face; it was impossible to tell that he would grow up to be like this.

"He didn't smile much when he was little," his grandmother said.

Shen Yu'an glanced at Xize sitting next to her and whispered that he doesn't smile much now, but it's much better than when he was a child.

Grandmother laughed out loud. Xize glanced helplessly at Shen Yu'an, but did not refute her.

Grandma was going home in the evening.

The car was waiting at the door, and Shen Yu'an escorted her to the foyer. Grandmother turned around, looked at Shen Yu'an, and patted his hand.

"Next time you come back to the ancestral home, I'll show you some good stuff."

Shen Yu'an agreed.

Grandma glanced at him again and said, "Bring me a painting next time you come."

Shen Yu'an nodded and said he would.

The car drove away. Shen Yu'an stood at the door, watching the taillights slowly disappear into the distance on the gravel road. A breeze blew in from the garden, neither too hot nor too cold.

Xize walked behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Shen Yu'an said. "It's just that I feel your grandmother is much better than I imagined."

"She likes you."

"Um."

Shen Yu'an leaned against him and reached out to cover Xize's hand that was wrapped around her waist.

He had been tense all day, but now he can finally relax completely. A weight has been lifted from his heart, leaving him feeling warm and content.

There are many more family members to see in the future. But we've taken this step today, and we've done it well.

He smiled and leaned closer to Xize.