Saturday was a clear day. The sky was as clean and bright as washed glass — not a cloud in sight, with a breeze that left its mark as it passed through the shade of the trees.

Jiang Yan had gotten up early to clean the internet café from top to bottom. He had originally considered closing the shop for the day, but Lin Tao refused.

“I said — this isn’t a formal visit, so don’t stress about it. Just stay open as usual.” Lin Tao said. “My mom actually wants to see what it’s like when the place is normally running.”

Hearing that his future mother-in-law wanted to have a look, Jiang Yan didn’t argue further — though at one brief, fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind: whether he should do some screening of the students coming in to use the café that day.

When Guan Che found out about this idea, he naturally responded with a round of mockery. “Why not just hang a sign on the door saying ‘No entry without a bachelor’s degree or above’?”

“……”

Jiang Yan promptly dropped the idea.

On ordinary weekends, Fang Yisong was either working overtime at the office or traveling to another city on business, and was rarely home. For Lin Tao, Saturday mornings sitting at the breakfast table with her were something of a rarity.

Today was an exception.

When Lin Tao woke up in the morning, Fang Yisong had already prepared breakfast. She was sitting at the table with a newspaper, a cup of hot black coffee steaming in front of her.

A cup of black coffee first thing in the morning — that was the habit of many workaholics, even on their days off.

Fang Yisong had prepared a glass of warm milk for Lin Tao. When she heard the sound of Lin Tao’s door opening, she folded the newspaper and set it aside. “Morning.”

“Morning.” Lin Tao shuffled over to the table, heavy-eyed, and sat down. “Did Dad already leave this early?”

“Yes, he’s on a business trip today. He left in the early hours of the morning.” Fang Yisong ladled a small bowl of rice porridge for her. “Eat up — we should be heading out soon too.”

Lin Tao hadn’t forgotten that they were going to the internet café today. She accepted the bowl and set it in front of herself. “Mom, I have a question.”

“Hmm?”

Lin Tao stirred the rice porridge with her spoon. “Why did you suddenly decide you wanted to meet Jiang Yan?”

“Can’t I?” Fang Yisong set down her stirring spoon and smiled. “This meeting was always going to happen sooner or later — it’s just a matter of when.”

Lin Tao lowered her head and murmured, “You two really do say the exact same things.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Lin Tao looked up at Fang Yisong. “I said this rice porridge is delicious.”

Fang Yisong smiled and let it go.

After breakfast, Fang Yisong went to her room to wash up and change, putting on a simple, casual outfit before picking up her everyday bag.

Before leaving, she sent a message to her assistant, Xiao Song, asking her to arrange for the usual housekeeper to come and clean.

Fang Yisong normally drove herself wherever she needed to go. Only on special occasions would she have the company’s driver take her.

October in Xicheng brought a cool, fresh breeze, carrying a damp chill.

The roads on Saturday morning were crowded with traffic. Lin Tao had her window down, her arm resting on the door frame, her gaze drifting over the long, unmoving line of cars ahead.

The traffic barely inched forward. Fang Yisong glanced sideways at Lin Tao. “Tao Tao, send Jiang Yan a message and let him know we’re stuck in traffic — we’ll be a little late. We don’t want him standing there waiting and worrying.”

When Lin Tao heard Fang Yisong’s name for Jiang Yan, she couldn’t help smiling. “Mom, when you call him that, it sounds like you’re his boss.”

Fang Yisong hadn’t noticed this herself. The way a younger generation addressed someone was apparently not the kind of detail that caught her attention.

“Just call him Jiang Yan when you see him,” Lin Tao said. “Calling him ‘little Jiang’ feels a bit odd to me.”

“Alright, Mom will do what you say.”

After a long wait, the traffic finally began to ease. The cars gradually started moving again.

When Fang Yisong’s car pulled up at the entrance to the alley, Jiang Yan was already there waiting. Lin Tao spotted him from inside the car, and called out across the road, “Jiang Yan.”

At the sound of his name, Jiang Yan looked up. He saw Lin Tao across the street — and behind her, Fang Yisong. His heart gave a hard jolt and began to race.

“……”

Still nervous after all.

Jiang Yan raised his hand in acknowledgment and did his best to appear calm.

Watching his expression, Lin Tao turned back to unfasten her seatbelt and gave Fang Yisong a heads-up. “Mom, trust me — right now, he is absolutely terrified.”

“Is he?” Fang Yisong glanced toward the figure walking in their direction. “He looks fine to me.”

“I’ll get out first.” Lin Tao pushed open the car door and stepped out. Mindful of Fang Yisong’s presence, she didn’t take his hand — she simply stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder.

Fang Yisong stepped out of the car shortly after.

“Mom, this is Jiang Yan.” Lin Tao smiled, her eyes bright. “My boyfriend.”

Fang Yisong’s gaze settled naturally on the young man standing before her.

Jiang Yan did his best to ignore his own wildly hammering heartbeat. He met Fang Yisong’s gaze steadily and gave a slow, respectful nod, his tone measured and sincere. “Hello, Auntie.”

Fang Yisong had spent years in the business world. She had met all kinds of people, looked into countless eyes carrying all manner of emotions — but this was the first time she had seen a gaze this clear and straightforward.

The young man had clean, sharp features — refined, yet firm. Standing beside Lin Tao, the two of them made a genuinely pleasant sight.

Fang Yisong returned his greeting with a smile. The look in her eyes softened considerably as she regarded him. “Come, let’s not stand here — it’s not easy to talk in the street.”

“Then let’s head to the internet café.” Lin Tao hooked her arm through Fang Yisong’s. “It’s right in the alley here. Our school is just next door — not far at all.”

Along the way, it was mostly Lin Tao who kept the conversation going. Jiang Yan offered brief responses here and there. Fang Yisong said little, mostly listening, her gaze drifting occasionally toward Jiang Yan.

The longer she looked, the more she felt a faint sense of familiarity.

It occurred to her to think of Jiang Yan’s family name — and Fang Yisong’s brow creased ever so slightly, though barely perceptibly. She said nothing, and followed the two of them into the internet café.

Although Jiang Yan had listened to Lin Tao and kept the café open, he had still tried to keep the number of people to a minimum. The main floor wasn’t very full.

Guan Che, who dreaded situations like meeting parents, had made himself scarce early on. The others Jiang Yan had spoken to beforehand — told not to cause any trouble. They each greeted Fang Yisong politely, then promptly fell quiet and kept to themselves.

Zhou Ming was also at the internet café that day.

When Zhou Ming’s younger sister, Zhou Yue, had run into trouble some time ago, Lin Tao had mentioned it to Fang Yisong — and at the time, the lawyer they’d brought in had been arranged by Fang Yisong. She still had some memory of him.

“A thoughtful young man,” she remarked.

“Mom, let’s go sit in the back.” It wasn’t a pleasant memory, and Lin Tao didn’t want to dwell on it. She steered Fang Yisong toward the small lounge area beside the bar counter.

The three of them chatted for a while. Fang Yisong rummaged through her bag and pulled out her car keys. “Oh, Tao Tao, I forgot to bring in the gift when I parked just now — could you go grab it for me? It’s on the back seat.”

Hearing that, Lin Tao instinctively glanced at Jiang Yan.

Fang Yisong noticed her little reaction but said nothing. “Go on.”

“……Okay.”

Lin Tao grabbed the keys. As she reached the door, she couldn’t help looking back once. Jiang Yan met her eyes with a smile, his lips moving silently — three words:

I’m okay.

Lin Tao could tell that Fang Yisong had something she wanted to say to Jiang Yan privately. Knowing Fang Yisong’s temperament, she didn’t linger — she just wanted to get back quickly.

Once Lin Tao had gone, Fang Yisong lifted her teacup and took a slow sip. “Xiao Jiang——”

The second syllable of the name hadn’t fully formed before Fang Yisong remembered what Lin Tao had said, and smoothly adjusted course, “——Xiao Yan, I heard from Tao Tao that you’re the one who bought this building?”

“Yes.” Jiang Yan pressed his lips together for a moment, thought about it, and added, “When my father passed away a few years ago, he sold the property he had here in Xicheng and left me all of the money. At the time, the previous owner needed cash urgently and was selling at a low price — so I bought it.”

Fang Yisong looked at him — curious, for someone who had only been a teenager back then, about the reasoning behind such a decision. “What made you want to buy it at the time?”

“I thought this location had potential.” Jiang Yan glanced at Fang Yisong briefly, then continued, “The position is good. Whether you run something here later, or sell it on again, you can’t really lose.”

“That’s a sound way of thinking.” Fang Yisong wasn’t especially surprised that he had that kind of long-range perspective. “I heard from Tao Tao that you’re aiming to get into Tsinghua?”

Jiang Yan nodded. “My father was in the physics department there. He had a lot of dreams he never got to realize. I want to complete them for him.”

One exchange followed another, and Jiang Yan had only ever mentioned his father. Fang Yisong found herself with an inevitable question. “And your……mother? Is she not in Xicheng?”

Perhaps not expecting Fang Yisong to bring that up so suddenly, Jiang Yan paused. His gaze shifted downward slightly. “My mother left after she and my father divorced. She only came back to Xicheng recently.”

Fang Yisong gave a slow nod. “So you’re not living with your mother at the moment?”

“No.” Jiang Yan couldn’t help shifting his jaw slightly — pressing his lips together for a brief moment before releasing. “She has her own life.”

Fang Yisong offered no words of comfort. She simply said, in a quiet, unhurried voice, “Whenever you have time, come and have dinner at the house with Tao Tao. Auntie will cook for you both.”

Jiang Yan’s eyelids flickered. Something in a corner of his chest felt as though it had been gently nudged — a dull, warm ache. “Thank you, Auntie.”

“Of course.” Fang Yisong held her teacup, her slender fingers resting lightly against its side. A thought from earlier drifted back to her. There was something she couldn’t quite shake. She hesitated a moment, then asked carefully, “Xiao Yan, there’s something Auntie would like to ask you.”

Jiang Yan looked at her, puzzled. “Of course, Auntie. Please go ahead.”

“It’s not really a big thing — it’s just that you remind me rather strongly of someone I know.” Fang Yisong studied him, tracing his features from his brow downward, the resemblance growing more pronounced the longer she looked. “Do you know a man named Jiang Suiyuan from Jiang Enterprises?”

Jiang Yan hadn’t expected her to bring up Jiang Suiyuan at all, let alone connect the two of them. His pupils contracted sharply, and his lips parted — but he didn’t know where to begin.

Fang Yisong watched his expression and didn’t press. But inwardly, she had already arrived at a fairly clear sense of the answer.

A silence stretched between them.

Jiang Yan quietly steadied his gaze. The warmth in his expression receded, his features settling into something cooler and more measured. In a low, composed voice, he said, “I know him. He is my father.”

“That explains it.” Fang Yisong ran a thumb slowly along the side of the teacup, her expression unreadable. “I thought he looked familiar.”

Jiang Yan had no idea what was going through Fang Yisong’s mind. He had only one thought of his own that he needed to express. “Auntie, my family situation may sound rather strange and complicated from the outside — but as things stand, I am entirely on my own. The father I acknowledge passed away many years ago, and I have no connection to the Jiang family or anything they’re involved with.”

“I love Lin Tao.” Jiang Yan held Fang Yisong’s gaze, his voice steady and sincere. “Very much.”

Fang Yisong looked at the young man before her. Something seemed to pass through her thoughts, and she let out a quiet breath. “Don’t worry. I understand how things stand. I won’t oppose what’s between you and Tao Tao — and Tao Tao’s father won’t either.”

The old grudges of the business world were just that — of the business world. Fang Yisong wasn’t so muddled that she would make things difficult for two young people because of disputes between adults.

Still.

“Jiang Yan, Auntie will say what needs to be said now, while there’s still a chance.” Fang Yisong was someone who kept business and personal matters distinctly separate. “Tao Tao’s father and your father had a serious falling out several years ago over a plot of land in the east of the city. After that, your father leveraged the Jiang family’s reputation and financial reach overseas to deliberately undermine our Lin family’s partnerships with several foreign companies. Over the years, our two families have built up quite a significant enmity between us. The likelihood of ever burying the hatchet — I’d estimate that to be essentially zero.”

Jiang Yan listened in silence, saying nothing.

“The reason Auntie is telling you all of this is so that you understand — and accept — that in the business world there are no permanent allies and no permanent enemies. For people like us, only interests are permanent.”

“I understand.” Jiang Yan said. “Whatever you and my uncle decide to do going forward is your business as adults. It has nothing to do with me — and you don’t need to consider me in any of it. I have no ties to the Jiang family, and I never will.”

As for Jiang Yan’s connections to the Jiang family, Fang Yisong had no intention of probing further. Some things only needed to be said once — those who understood would understand.

Fang Yisong didn’t continue down that road. Instead, she began to chat with him about Lin Tao’s childhood.

After a while, Lin Tao finally came back in carrying the gift — along with an unfortunate piece of news. “Mom, you parked in the wrong spot just now. You got a ticket.”

It was only then that Jiang Yan remembered: that stretch of road had a section where long-term parking wasn’t allowed. He had been so nervous that morning that it had completely slipped his mind.

Fang Yisong didn’t seem particularly concerned. “It’s fine — I need to head off soon anyway.”

She took the gift that Lin Tao had retrieved, and turned to offer it to Jiang Yan. “It’s our first meeting — Auntie didn’t prepare much, just a small token.”

Jiang Yan dipped his head slightly and reached out to accept it. “Thank you, Auntie.”

Fang Yisong smiled gently and said nothing. “Alright — I have some things to see to, so I’ll head back to the office now. I won’t be joining you two for lunch.”

With that, she reached over and patted Lin Tao on the head, her voice warm and gentle. “Come home early tonight and get your things packed. I’ll bring you over tomorrow.”

“Huh?” Lin Tao hadn’t caught up yet.

“Were you not planning to move in?”

“Yes! Of course I’m moving! I absolutely am.” Lin Tao smiled and hooked her arm through Fang Yisong’s. “Thanks, Mom — but don’t you want to go upstairs and have a look around?”

“No need.” Fang Yisong picked up her bag and glanced over at Jiang Yan. “Jiang Yan is a responsible young man. Auntie trusts that he’ll look after you well.”

Lin Tao deliberately put on a wheedling tone. “And I’ll look after him well too.”

Fang Yisong knew Lin Tao inside and out. She smiled and said, “As long as you don’t add to his troubles, that’ll count as looking after him just fine.”

“……”

Author’s note: I’ve actually been meaning to clear something up for a while… the character in Lin Tao’s name — “窕” — is this one, not the character “窈” (yǎo) qwq.

Jiang Yan’s family situation is quite complicated. It’ll take the right moment for him to truly make a clean break from everything — and this is that moment. It won’t be too painful! Trust me!

Thank you so much to Zhi Yuan for all the support — you’re wonderful! Love you!!