Night falls.

Gu Fan and Lao Jiang were playing chess in the study.

The chess pieces and chessboard are made of fine red sandalwood, giving them a very antique and grand appearance.

Gu Fan looked serious and was completely absorbed in the game of chess.

Among the opponents he has encountered, Lao Jiang is definitely among the top three.

This business tycoon is actually an expert in Chinese chess.

"General."

At a certain moment, Gu Fan's brows relaxed and a smile appeared on his lips.

Now it was Old Jiang's turn to frown.

Just then, Jiang Yumeng pushed open the door and came in. Her mischievous eyes darted around as she looked at Gu Fan: "Senior, did you win?"

Upon hearing this, Old Jiang's face immediately darkened.

No, is she even my biological daughter?

Gu Fan's expression was somewhat strange, and he felt a little uneasy. Wasn't Mengmeng betraying him by saying those words?

Looking at his father-in-law's face, it seems I'm going to "lose" this round again.

Jiang Yumeng noticed her father's expression, smiled sheepishly, and then walked in, standing next to him. Her eyes were on the chessboard, but her mind was elsewhere.

"Dad, how long are you going to be down?"

Old Jiang raised an eyebrow and said, "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry to get intimate with Gu Fan?"

Jiang Yumeng blushed and said, "What are you saying? I just want to go out with my senior, and Mom is already waiting for you in the room. Aren't you going?"

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Old Jiang's expression changed, and he decisively sped up his chess game.

Gu Fan was the same; he "accidentally" made a mistake, and his chariot was eaten, leaving only the lone general.

The outcome is obvious.

"Uncle Jiang's chess skills are superb; I simply can't beat him," Gu Fan said with a wry smile.

Old Jiang raised an eyebrow. Although the kid was suspected of going easy on him, he had to admit that he felt a little better.

"Alright, you young people can have fun, but don't stay out too late, and you're not allowed to sleep in the same room tonight!" Old Jiang said sternly.

"Okay, Dad! Ugh, you're so nagging. Let's go, let's go!" Jiang Yumeng urged hurriedly.

Old Jiang felt a pang of sadness and sighed inwardly, "Sure enough, daughters are hard to keep once they grow up!"

He snorted and said, "This is my study. If anyone's leaving, it's you!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yumeng decisively grabbed Gu Fan's hand and snorted, "Fine, let's go!"

"Mengmeng, you must not be rude to your elders."

Gu Fan sighed and said helplessly.

Jiang Yumeng pouted: "Okay, Daddy, I'm sorry."

Old Jiang shook his head and smiled, waving his hand: "This is how my daughter and I communicate. Alright, you two go have fun."

Gu Fan nodded apologetically and could only follow Jiang Yumeng out.

“This child…” Old Jiang smiled.

Outside the villa.

Jiang Yumeng was like a joyful butterfly, hopping and skipping, creating wafts of fragrance.

Gu Fan said, "Be careful, don't trip."

"No way! Hehe, senior, let me take you somewhere!" Jiang Yumeng giggled, then pulled him along and started running.

Helpless, Gu Fan could only jog after her.

Soon, the two arrived at the back garden, which was quite large, with flowers, trees, and a vegetable patch not far away, illuminated by hanging lights.

To Gu Fan's surprise, several points of light kept flashing past his eyes.

"firefly?"

There are fireflies here?

Jiang Yumeng chuckled: "Surprised? I found this out. Come over here."

She led Gu Fan to a pavilion with ease, where there was a stone table and several stone stools.

Jiang Yumeng and Gu Fan sat on a bench in the pavilion. The latter held Gu Fan's arm and rested her head gently on his shoulder.

Gu Fan smiled, reached out and ruffled her hair, then looked into the distance, just like her.

The fireflies on the grass, like twinkling stars, shimmered with a faint yet enchanting light in the darkness. They fluttered lightly, like little elves playing among the grass, adding a touch of mystery to this tranquil vegetable garden.

The last time Gu Fan saw fireflies was in the countryside, in the fields near his grandfather's house.

Fireflies emit a pale yellow light as they flit among the grass blades, appearing and disappearing as if dancing with the night breeze. When you get close, you can see their tiny bodies with their tails shimmering with green or orange light, like tiny lanterns.

Although the light of fireflies is faint, when they gather together, they can illuminate the surrounding space and create a dreamlike atmosphere.

The appearance of fireflies actually proves that the environment in this place is very good.

Jiang Yumeng suddenly said, "Senior, I saw a post online about fireflies. They said that fireflies actually represent family and love. They might be the manifestation of deceased relatives or lovers, appearing by your side to visit you."

Gu Fan smiled faintly: "This statement is not actually that realistic, although some people do believe it."

A complex look appeared in Jiang Yumeng's big eyes: "I used to see fireflies all the time."

Gu Fan was taken aback and asked, "Really?"

Jiang Yumeng nodded: "Yes, it's actually because of my grandma. My grandma came from the countryside, while my grandpa came from a wealthy family. The two of them got together for some reason, but later my grandma went back to live in the countryside."

“My grandfather often tried to persuade her to return to Beijing and live with him, but my grandmother refused. She said she was tired of the hustle and bustle of the city and wanted peace and quiet.”

That year, I accompanied my grandfather to visit my grandmother, and I stayed with her for about two months. Actually, that period was the happiest time of my life in over a decade. I discovered that living in the countryside is truly special.

Gu Fan smiled and did not refute it. After all, Jiang Yumeng's background was special. She was a young lady from a wealthy family. Suddenly, she changed her environment, so it was reasonable for her to like her.

However, Jiang Yumeng changed the subject at this moment, her tone somewhat sorrowful: "But later, Grandma became seriously ill, and Dad had no choice but to take her to a hospital in Beijing for treatment. As her condition worsened, Grandma became more and more haggard day by day."

As she said this, two lines of tears streamed down her cheeks, so unexpectedly.

“I was there the day my grandmother passed away. She was such a kind old woman, she was smiling, but the next second she closed her eyes.”

Seeing the girl's genuine emotions, Gu Fan's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms.

"It's okay, cry if you want to, I'm here for you."