Chapter 19: I Understand

Kong Chengyi leaned quietly against the kitchen door with a cup of water in hand, watching her bustling around happily. He took in her image, which was nothing like the one that used to linger in his mind.

When Flower Lianxi turned to place the fruit in a bowl, she suddenly noticed him there. The song she was humming abruptly stopped, and she awkwardly adjusted her apron.

They exchanged silent glances until the doorbell rang, breaking the silence. Flower Lianxi quickly nodded and hurried past Kong Chengyi to answer the door. The video intercom showed Fang Xiufang, smiling brightly.

"It's your grandma!" Flower Lianxi turned to tell Kong Chengyi, surprised by the visit.

Holding his cup, Kong Chengyi walked over to the intercom and saw that it was indeed Fang Xiufang. His handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Go to your room and move your personal items to mine, then lock your door," he instructed. He had strictly forbidden Aunt Yang from revealing that they slept in separate rooms, and now Fang Xiufang's unexpected visit was giving him a headache.

"Okay!" Flower Lianxi responded, not even bothering to remove her apron as she dashed back to her room. She quickly gathered her pillow and pajamas, tossing them onto Kong Chengyi's bed. She then rushed to the bathroom to move her skincare products and shower gel into his bathroom, arranging them swiftly.

"Grandma! You didn't call before coming?" Kong Chengyi stood with his arms crossed at the entrance, greeting Fang Xiufang.

"Young master!" Aunt Yang greeted Kong Chengyi, carrying two luggage bags that seemed to contain clothes.

"Aunt Yang, put my luggage in the guest room!" Fang Xiufang instructed, giving Kong Chengyi a pointed look before continuing, "Your parents went to the U.S. for a friend's son's wedding, and Aunt Yang's grandson is in the hospital with pneumonia, so she needs a few days off. I'm just a lonely old lady looking to spend time with my grandson. What? Not welcome?"

"We could come stay with you for a few days. No need for you to carry all this luggage," Kong Chengyi sighed, realizing that Fang Xiufang was determined to stay at Xiaoyue Residence.

"Where's my granddaughter-in-law? Why aren't you at work? Did you skip work?" Fang Xiufang craned her neck, searching for Flower Lianxi, then glanced at her grandson, "Did you tire her out?"

"Grandma, I'm here!" Before Kong Chengyi could respond, Flower Lianxi appeared at the top of the stairs, slightly out of breath, just able to see the people standing at the entrance.

"Oh my, granddaughter-in-law, what were you doing upstairs? Why are you still wearing an apron?" Fang Xiufang asked anxiously, looking at Kong Chengyi, "You married her to spoil her, not to have her busy in the kitchen first thing in the morning! You're such a miser, not even hiring help!"

Turning back to the sofa, Kong Chengyi didn't bother to argue. When it came to his granddaughter-in-law, he was always the miser who didn't care for her, and being home in the morning made him seem like a slacking CEO. The bias was obvious.

Flower Lianxi hurried down the stairs, warmly linking arms with Fang Xiufang, "Grandma, I was learning to cook. Have you had breakfast? Let's eat together, and you can try my cooking." She stifled a laugh, increasingly fond of Fang Xiufang and amused by Kong Chengyi's helplessness.

"Of course, I have to try my granddaughter-in-law's cooking!" Fang Xiufang beamed, ignoring Kong Chengyi and telling Aunt Yang, "Put the luggage in the guest room and then head home. Go take care of your grandson! I'm just jealous you have a grandson. I don't have a great-grandchild yet!"

"Aunt Yang, put the luggage in the guest room next to mine!" Kong Chengyi quickly specified, thinking of Flower Lianxi's room.

"Ke Jie, I won't be going to the office this morning," he informed Ke Jie over the phone, deciding to take a day off given his lingering grogginess.

"I have my granddaughter-in-law with me, you go earn some money!" Fang Xiufang called out as she sat at the dining table, clearly wanting to send Kong Chengyi off to work.

"Grandma, feel this. Your grandson still has a fever!" Kong Chengyi sighed, leaning his head toward her, "Come on, Grandma, feel my forehead!"

Flower Lianxi had never seen Kong Chengyi act so childishly or playfully. She burst into laughter, quickly bowing her head to avoid his reaction.

"Hmph, you should take time off when you need it! Next month, take Lianxi to the Maldives for a vacation!" Fang Xiufang pressed her wrinkled hand to his forehead, her face full of concern even as she scolded him, "The Cheng Group won't collapse if you take a year off. Why push yourself so hard? Your health matters, take good care of yourself!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kong Chengyi cheerfully kissed her cheek and sat next to Flower Lianxi, "Grandma, how long are you staying?"

"Are you tired of me? I'll stay as long as I want!" Fang Xiufang declared, sipping her thick porridge and ignoring him.

Watching the playful banter between the grandmother and grandson, Flower Lianxi couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time since she'd seen such a loving family bond, and she finally understood why Kong Chengyi had asked her to keep Fang Xiufang happy.

After breakfast, Flower Lianxi accompanied Fang Xiufang for a walk in the garden. Fang Xiufang was in high spirits, sharing stories of Kong Chengyi's mischievous childhood that had Flower Lianxi laughing until tears rolled down her cheeks.

With one hand in his pocket and the other holding the flower tea that Flower Lianxi had brewed, Kong Chengyi watched them from the window. He could faintly hear Flower Lianxi's laughter and see Fang Xiufang's animated gestures. It was easy to guess they were talking about his childhood. Smiling, he thought maybe taking a day off because of his fever wasn't so bad.

Lunch was again prepared by Flower Lianxi, and Fang Xiufang was in such a good mood that she ate two bowls of rice, prompting Flower Lianxi to worry she'd overeat and promise to cook for her at the Cheng family home more often.

It was rare for Fang Xiufang to have such an appetite, and she seemed much happier than when she stayed quietly at the Cheng family home. Kong Chengyi's usually icy demeanor softened as he watched their interaction at the table, and he found himself eating two bowls of rice and even drinking the herbal soup he usually disliked, much to Fang Xiufang's delight.

"Grandma, after a nap, shall we go out? You came over early, so you must be tired, and it's still hot outside. We can go out later!" Flower Lianxi suggested, thinking Fang Xiufang might be bored staying in all day. Plus, Kong Chengyi's sharp gaze kept landing on her, making her uneasy and wanting to escape.

"Alright, I'll rest a bit, and we can go out at 3!" Fang Xiufang agreed, holding her cane with one hand and sipping the Pu'er tea brewed by Kong Chengyi, her wrinkled face relaxed and smiling.

After clearing the table, Flower Lianxi sat next to Fang Xiufang, who had barely settled when Kong Chengyi handed her a cup of tea, urging her to drink it to aid digestion.

Caught off guard, Flower Lianxi gulped down the tea and looked at Kong Chengyi.

As a tea droplet trickled down her lip, she reached for a napkin, but Kong Chengyi wiped it away with his thumb, even brushing her lips suggestively before putting his finger to his lips.

Startled by the sudden gesture, Flower Lianxi stared at him, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Acting as if nothing had happened, Kong Chengyi poured himself more tea and drank it slowly.

Flower Lianxi's mind raced, wondering if she should remind him that was her cup or if it was his all along. Were they putting on a show of affection for Fang Xiufang?

"Lianxi, help me tidy up my room," Fang Xiufang said, stretching and yawning, pretending not to notice the affectionate atmosphere between them.

Woodenly following Fang Xiufang upstairs, Flower Lianxi felt Kong Chengyi's intense gaze on her back, almost burning her.

"Dear, I'll stay across from you two. I don't want to be next door; these old ears hear too well and might catch something I shouldn't," Fang Xiufang suddenly decided, stopping at Flower Lianxi's room.

"This room hasn't been cleaned in a while. It's messy, and I've stored a lot of random stuff in there. It'd be a hassle to clear it out!" Flower Lianxi nervously blocked the door, worried Fang Xiufang would insist on staying there, as it still bore traces of her presence.

"Chengyi should hire someone to help you. You can't be cooking and cleaning this huge house alone!" Fang Xiufang suggested, feeling sorry for Flower Lianxi.

Smiling silently, Flower Lianxi didn't respond, helping Fang Xiufang settle in and unpack her luggage before leaving once she was napping.

Quietly returning to her room, Flower Lianxi carefully hid her belongings in the wardrobe, picking out a few conservative outfits to move to Kong Chengyi's room.

To her surprise, Kong Chengyi was lounging in bed, reading, with her hastily tossed clothes scattered around, her colorful pajamas on display.

Embarrassed, Flower Lianxi stood there, unsure of what to say. Used to having her own space, the idea of sharing a room made her uneasy.

After a few long minutes, Kong Chengyi looked up, glancing at the clothes in her arms. "I called my parents. They'll be back in a few days. Grandma likes staying here, so let her. We'll have to share a room for now. Put your clothes in the wardrobe so she doesn't find out."

Recalling the incident at the Cheng family home where she had to pretend to kiss Kong Chengyi, Flower Lianxi couldn't argue. Fang Xiufang's surprise visits were unpredictable, and they'd be under the same roof for a while.

"Of course, I understand!" Flower Lianxi mustered her confidence, determined not to let Fang Xiufang catch on.

After staring at her thoughtfully for a few seconds, Kong Chengyi put down his book and left the room.

Hearing the door close, Flower Lianxi sighed with relief and headed to the wardrobe.

She hung her conservative clothes next to Kong Chengyi's casual wear, finding they didn't clash. It seemed natural, as if they belonged together. She placed her pajamas and personal items beside his, her face burning as she quickly closed the wardrobe, avoiding looking at his things.

On the gray sheets, her pink pillow stood out. Flower Lianxi felt her face heat up as she climbed into bed, arranging the pillow. The thin blanket smelled faintly of Kong Chengyi, enveloping her in his scent.

Lying there, Flower Lianxi found it hard to sleep, surrounded by his presence.

The alarm blared, vibrating loudly. It took Flower Lianxi a moment to wake, her mind blank and unsure of her surroundings.

Pulling the blanket to her nose, she suddenly sat up, realizing she was alone in the large room. Memories of the previous night flooded back, reminding her she was in Kong Chengyi's room and of her promise to the grandmother.

Reaching for her phone to silence the alarm, she noticed a note under it. The bold handwriting stood out on the white paper: "Supplementary card, use it for anything you need." Next to it was a golden credit card.

Picking up the card, Flower Lianxi smiled wryly and headed to the bathroom, quickly getting ready. As she opened the door, she ran into Fang Xiufang.

"Dear, I couldn't sleep. Shall we go out for a bit?" Fang Xiufang suggested. She hadn't slept deeply, vaguely hearing the door to Kong Chengyi's room open and close, followed by the sound of the study door, guessing he hadn't napped.