Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

The holiday went by so quickly, there are only a few days left in the blink of an eye.

Shen Yu'an began packing his luggage, putting the things his parents had given him into his suitcase one by one. His mother packed two jars of chili sauce, a bag of dried shiitake mushrooms, and several bags of snacks he loved to eat when he was a child.

Shen Yu'an said that they could buy it in the UK, and her mother said that even if they could buy it, they should bring it back because the taste was different at home.

The night before they left, Mom cooked a huge feast, even more lavish than the day they returned.

Dad opened a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and poured Xize a small glass. Xize took a sip and frowned slightly. Dad laughed at his expression and said, "This liquor is strong, drink it slowly."

Shen Yu'an translated from the side. After listening, Xize picked up his glass and took another sip. This time, his expression was a little better.

At the dinner table, his mother said a lot of things, telling Shen Yu'an to take good care of himself while he was away, to eat well, dress warmly, and not to stay up late.

He also asked Xize to keep an eye on him.

Xize didn't understand everything, but he roughly knew that they were telling him to take care of Shen Yu'an. He nodded and said, "Okay, I will."

The father was quieter, but at the end, he raised his glass to Xize and clinked it against his own, saying, "Take good care of him." Xize understood the word "take good care of," and raised his glass in return.

The next morning, Shen Yu'an and Xize dragged their suitcases downstairs. Their parents saw them off at the entrance of the residential complex.

The mother hugged Shen Yu'an, her eyes a little red.

Shen Yu'an said, "Don't do that. I'll come back next time." His mother nodded and said, "Okay, you can come back whenever you want."

Dad patted Shen Yu'an on the shoulder and then shook hands with Xize.

After shaking hands, Xize said in Chinese, "I will take care of Xiao An." His pronunciation wasn't perfect, but the meaning was clear.

The father paused for a moment, then smiled and said that the young man's Chinese was improving very quickly.

Shen Yu'an looked back before getting into the car.

Her parents stood by the roadside at the entrance of the residential complex. Her mother waved, and her father stood beside her with his hands in his pockets. Shen Yu'an waved back, then turned and got into the car.

He sat quietly by the window in the car for a while. Xize reached out and took his hand without saying a word.

Shen Yu'an felt the warmth of his palm, sniffed, and said it was okay, she would come back next time.

Shen Yu'an took a nap on the plane and woke up when they were almost in London.

Looking out the window, he saw densely packed buildings and roads appearing on the ground, completely different from the rural landscape in China.

He returned to England, but this time he sat next to Caesar, whose suitcase contained the chili sauce his mother had given him.

After returning to London, Shen Yu'an first tidied up the things she had brought back. Holding up the two bottles of chili sauce, Shen Yu'an said, "This is delicious with rice. I'll make it for you later."

As soon as he put his things down, Xize received a phone call.

Shen Yu'an was packing his suitcase when he heard Xize say a few words. Xize's tone was normal, but his expression changed slightly after he hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" Shen Yu'an asked.

"My parents are back. They want to see you."

Shen Yu'an's hand stopped.

He had heard Caesar mention his parents before; they were said to live a long and varied life, traveling to different places all year round and rarely returning to England.

Why did you suddenly come back this time?

"When did they arrive?"

"Today. In Scotland. They said they'd like to meet tomorrow if it's convenient. They're leaving the day after tomorrow."

Shen Yu'an thought for a moment and said he would go tomorrow.

Xize glanced at him and said, "If you're tired, you can come the day after tomorrow." Shen Yu'an shook his head and said he wasn't tired. Since they had come back specifically for this, he couldn't keep them waiting.

The next morning, the two drove to Scotland again.

On the way, Shen Yu'an asked Xize what his parents were like. Xize said his father was not talkative, and his mother was quite enthusiastic.

Shen Yu'an asked them what they liked, and Xize said they liked you.

When they arrived at the ancestral home, Shen Yu'an's palms were still a little sweaty. He followed Xize inside and saw two people in the living room.

The father sat on the sofa, his hair gray, wearing glasses, and very tall; he looked a lot like Xize. The mother stood by the window, wearing a light-colored dress, and turned her head with a smile.

Shen Yu'an walked over and said hello.

The mother spoke first, her voice gentle, "It's so good to finally meet you." The father stood up, looked him over for a few seconds, then nodded and said, "Welcome."

It was easier than Shen Yu'an had imagined.

His mother pulled him to sit down and asked him about school and life in a very natural tone. His father sat opposite him, occasionally asking a question, but his attitude wasn't cold either.

My mother said that my grandmother had mentioned Shen Yu'an several times when they were traveling. My grandmother said that he was a good painter and a good person.

My mother also saw the portrait hanging in the study and said that you painted him very much like him.

Shen Yu'an said thank you, feeling a little embarrassed.

His mother looked at him for a while, then took a small box out of the bag next to her.

It was made of dark wood and wasn't very big. She opened it, and inside was a silver badge, slightly larger than a coin, engraved with heraldic patterns and fine lettering along the edges.

"This is the Leicester family crest," the mother said, handing the box to Shen Yu'an. "Every family member has one. Your grandmother said you should have one, and we felt it was our responsibility to give it to you."

Shen Yu'an was stunned.

He looked down at the badge; its silver surface gleamed softly in the light. He had seen the heraldic design before; there was a similar one in Xize's study.

But he never imagined he would receive one.

He looked up at Xize, who was standing beside him, his gray-blue eyes looking at him quietly and seriously. Xize nodded.

Shen Yu'an took the box and touched the surface of the badge with his fingers. It was silver and slightly cool.

He looked at it for a while before speaking, his voice a little strained.

"thank you."

His mother smiled, reached out and patted the back of his hand, saying, "You're welcome, you deserve it."

The father also stood up, walked to Shen Yu'an, and extended his hand. Shen Yu'an stood up and shook his hand.

My father's hands were steady, and he gripped them very gently.

"Welcome to this family," the father said.

Shen Yu'an nodded and said thank you.

The four of them had lunch together that afternoon.

The mother talked a lot with Shen Yu'an, while the father occasionally chimed in with a few words, asking about things in London.

Xize's parents were leaving in the evening. Their car was parked outside, and their luggage had already been taken upstairs.

As her mother reached the door, she turned and glanced at Shen Yu'an, saying, "Next time you have time, paint one for us too." Shen Yu'an agreed, saying he definitely would.

The father spoke a few words to Xize in a low voice, which Shen Yu'an did not hear clearly.

But he saw Caesar nod, and then his father patted him on the shoulder.

The car drove away, slowly disappearing into the distance on the gravel road, and vanished after exiting the gate.

Shen Yu'an stood at the door, still clutching the small wooden box in his hand. He looked down and opened it, and the badge lay quietly inside.

He closed the box and held it in his hand.

Xize walked to his side and put his hand on his waist.

Are you happy?

Shen Yu'an nodded, turned to look at him, her eyes slightly red.

"Your parents flew all the way back from that far away just to see me."

"Yes, they want to see you."

Shen Yu'an looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then said something. His voice was soft, but very serious.

"Thank you for making them like me."

Xize lowered his head and kissed his forehead, saying that it was their business if they liked him, and it had nothing to do with him.

Shen Yu'an was amused by his words.

He leaned against Xize's chest, and Xize kissed his hair.

He pinned the badge to his chest, feeling that it wasn't heavy, but it felt very substantial in his hand.

This small silver badge represents something far more significant than it is.