After crossing the square, the group stepped onto a long corridor supported by Roman columns. Gardens lined both sides of the corridor. Not far to the left of the corridor, under a wisteria tree, was an exquisitely crafted wrought iron table and several chairs. On sunny days, Grandpa Yu and others would sit here to drink tea and chat.

Not far from the tea table is a huge pink flowering tree, under which are several swings and rattan chairs surrounded by flowers. Lorna likes to chat with friends and play games with children here.

The other areas also have their own unique features. Winding cobblestone paths connect corridors and gardens, where flowers bloom vibrantly, and birds and butterflies sing and dance among them.

To the right of the corridor was a vacant lot filled with pink mist grass, and in the very center grew a peach tree that Yu Zhen had planted himself as a memento of his and Lin Ling's love. However, this tree only blossomed but never bore fruit, a fact that became a well-known joke among the Yu family.

Beside the open space is a large pond, where fish swim beneath the emerald green duckweed and lotus leaves. Several lotus-shaped sunshades line the pond, making it a great spot for fishing and relaxation.

Do you remember that time you ate candy?

Lorna pointed to the pond, facing Lin Ling, but her eyes were on Zhou Siyu.

“I remember, Yuwei would often throw a tantrum and run into the water to catch fish when he couldn’t catch any. Every time he went into the water, he would get a fever. His father would get so angry that he would say he would teach Yuwei a lesson when he woke up. But when Yuwei woke up, he would coax him to take his medicine by calling him ‘my precious grandson’ and ‘my sweetheart’.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Siyu couldn't help but look towards the pond, and a scene seemed to appear in her mind: Yu Wei, hands on hips, acting spoiled, rolling up his trousers and jumping into the water to catch fish when Grandpa Yu wasn't paying attention.

"Hey, it's fine if you two catch up, but why are you dragging Xiaoyu into going hungry too?"

Grandpa Yu, who had appeared at the door at some point, strode briskly to Zhou Siyu's side, raised his hand and touched her up and down, "How come you've lost so much weight?"

"He hasn't had much of an appetite lately."

Lin Ling spoke up to explain for him, saying that he could tell the old man liked Zhou Siyu very much and was trying to keep it from him.

Grandpa Yu is eighty years old this year. He has no gray hair, stands tall, and is in good spirits. He drinks tea and tends to his flowers every day, and occasionally rides a horse to the forest behind the mountain to hunt and fish. His life is colorful and fulfilling.

"No appetite?" Grandpa Yu frowned. "Are you sick?"

"Yeah, I had a bit of a cold, but I'm all better now." Zhou Siyu picked up where Lin Ling left off, took Grandpa Yu's hand and said with a smile, "I was just afraid of missing out on the delicious food Grandpa prepared for me."

"You glutton." Grandpa Yu pinched Zhou Siyu's cheek, pulled him around and walked towards the magnificent gate. "I caught a lot of fish in the mountains yesterday and was figuring out how to cook them when you arrived."

"Oh, it seems I'm in for a treat."

"You're really lucky," Grandpa Yu said with a smile. "I recently came up with a dish that's good for the spleen and stomach, and it tastes pretty good. I've already asked the kitchen to start cooking it for you."

"Really? Then I'll definitely have to try it."

The old man and the young man walked and chatted, with Grandpa Yu's hearty laughter ringing out from time to time.

Stepping through the magnificent golden gate, there is another winding corridor. Sunlight shines through the stained glass windows and onto the walls, painting a colorful picture on the smooth surface.

Only after passing through the corridor can one officially enter the castle, behind which lies a magnificent hall with heavy solid wood doors.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the circular dome, and many smaller crystal chandeliers are installed around the junction of the dome and the walls. Soft handmade wool blankets are warmed by the sun, and beautiful golden candlesticks are inlaid on the huge white jade pillars and walls.

On either side of the hall are two curved, X-shaped black jade staircases inlaid with auspicious cloud patterns and gold trim. The central intersection forms a circular grandstand that can accommodate four or five people.

Going up the stairs, between the two stairwells is a spacious living room. Two golden lamps are placed at the gilded archway, and behind the archway is a simple and antique-style coat rack.

The living room is circular in shape, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sky garden in front of the castle. Sunlight shines on the plush carpet, making the whole living room warm and inviting.

Many photos are hung on the wall, with the family portrait in the center being particularly eye-catching. In addition, there are wedding photos of various couples and photos of Yu Wei. From birth to adulthood to joining the army and making meritorious contributions, almost every important event is recorded and displayed on the wall.

"Look, my grandson." Grandpa Yu pointed to the young man in the photo, his face full of pride. "He's amazing."

"Yes, that's really impressive."

Zhou Siyu smiled and nodded, looking at the photo carefully. Pointing at it in surprise, she asked, "When was this photo of me taken?"

"You forgot, it was the last time we came to celebrate New Year's Eve?" Grandpa Yu pointed to the family photo and said, "It's changed every year, but Xiao Wei hasn't been back for several years, so we always have someone Photoshop him in."

The old man's tone was full of regret; it had been a long time since he had seen Yu Wei.

Since he joined the army, he has had more and more missions, his rank has risen higher and higher, and he has been going home less and less often. Many times he doesn't even send a message, as if he has vanished into thin air.

"Let him come back to live here once he's done with this busy period, until you get tired of it."

Zhou Siyu joked as she took the tea brewed by the maid and placed it on the coffee table. She then poured a cup from the blue-and-white porcelain cup and handed it to Grandpa Yu.

"My little place can't keep this little leopard in check," Grandpa Yu said with a smile, shaking his head and taking a sip of tea. "He'll get bored after a few days."

"How could that be? He just says he's annoyed, but he actually wishes he could stay here every day."

Zhou Siyu poured a cup of tea for Lorna and Lin Ling, and just as he put down the teapot, footsteps came from the doorway.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!