Chen An sat on the living room sofa handling some business matters. Wang Liting walked back and forth in front of him several times, and each time she walked past, she looked at him hesitantly, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Chen An closed his laptop.

Wang Liting asked, “Later, are you going back to your apartment, or are you staying overnight here?”

Chen An rubbed his tired eyes and said, “Let’s not make the trip. I don’t have anything she can use at my place. In a bit, you can give her a set of pajamas.”

Wang Liting nodded, her hand movements somewhat slow as she tucked her long hair behind her ear. “Which room will she sleep in?”

There were a total of four bedrooms in the house, including the housekeeper—one person per room. Near the house was a five-star hotel, and normally there were no visiting guests staying overnight. So during renovation, the remaining two small rooms had been converted into a study and a storage room. There was no extra guest room.

Chen An paused and said, “I’ll ask her in a bit.”

Wang Liting said, “She’ll definitely want to sleep with Grandma. Grandma sleeps on a hard plank bed, and she’s also getting on in years. She has to get up to use the bathroom several times in the latter half of the night. It’s not suitable to have her squeeze in there.”

Chen An looked at her. Wang Liting said, “She probably doesn’t really want to sleep in the same room as me. I’m the fierce godmother.”

Chen An said, “She’s never said anything like that.”

“But in this household, she still dislikes me the most after all.” Wang Liting raised her hand. “You don’t need to rush to speak up for her. I don’t mean to criticize. Your grandmother and I are equally happy that you two are together. Right now I’m just asking you, tonight, will she sleep with you or sleep with me? If she’s sleeping with me, then I’ll wait for Lele. If she’s sleeping with you, then you should—” Wang Liting quickly glanced at Chen An, “be gentle.”

After speaking, Wang Liting stood up. “I’ll go to my room first to do a face mask.”

It took Chen An several seconds to understand what his mother meant by “be gentle.”

Many years ago, because of the recommendation guarantee matter, he had negotiated with his mother in a self-righteous and condescending manner. The relationship between the two seemed to have had a cold, icy wall between them from that time on. Although during his subsequent internship and work, Chen An had consciously been repairing things, his father’s imprisonment created another subtle estrangement between them. Even now, arranging a blind date required an assistant to remind him on her behalf.

His mother hadn’t given him warmth the way his godmother had. Most of the time, Chen An felt she was like an ambitious, self-demanding, strict and resolute instructor.

But his mother’s appearance just now—quickly running away out of embarrassment—along with this reminder of hers, both presented a loveliness that didn’t conform to her usual demeanor.

For the first time, he felt that his mother could also be a very lovely person.

Cheng Lele was remarkable. In less than a day of being here, she had accomplished things he hadn’t been able to accomplish in many years.