That light touch, cool yet with a childlike softness, startled the Emperor Emeritus slightly. Immediately, an indescribable warmth surged into his heart, and his dignified face softened instantly, like ice melting in the spring breeze. The corners of his mouth even involuntarily curved upwards into an awkward yet incredibly genuine arc.

"Ahem," he coughed again to cover up his embarrassment, but then raised the hand that had been scratched by the "kitten's claws" and, with slightly clumsy movements, gently touched the small silk flower that Shen Yuewei had carefully pinned to An'an's head that morning. "Hmm... nice flower." His tone was dry, but his eyes were incredibly soft.

The Empress, observing this, smiled even more broadly and, seizing the opportunity, clapped her hands lightly. An elderly nanny standing behind her immediately stepped forward, carrying an exquisite sandalwood box, and opened the lid. Inside were not any rare treasures, but rather a plethora of colorful children's toys: an endearing cloth tiger, lifelike painted clay figurines, tinkling silver bells, and several ingenious mechanical toys, clearly crafted by skilled artisans from the capital and rarely seen in the Jiangnan region.

"An'an, look what Grandma brought you!" The Empress picked up the adorable cloth tiger and waved it in front of An'an like a treasure.

An'an's eyes lit up instantly, as if a sky full of stars had fallen into them. The lingering unfamiliarity and timidity vanished completely amidst the cloth tiger's憨憨 (simple and honest) smile and the clear sound of its bells. She finally released her little hand, which had been tightly clutching her father's clothes, and like a little sparrow finally coaxed into a frenzy, she joyfully pounced on the Empress, clearly hugging the chubby cloth tiger. She buried her face in the soft fabric, nuzzled it, and when she looked up again, her eyes crinkled with laughter, and she sweetly and clearly called out, "Grandma!"

This call, like an arrow coated in honey, struck the Queen's heart precisely. Overjoyed, she almost cried, pulling the little dumpling and the cloth tiger into her arms, calling her her precious darling, her cheek pressed against An'an's soft little face, unable to get enough of kissing her.

Shen Yuewei watched as her daughter finally let down her guard, nestled in the Empress's arms, and played with her new treasure. Only then did her anxiety subside. Supporting her lower back, she sat up again with Xiao Chengjing's help, a gentle and content smile on her face. Xiao Chengjing's hand remained firmly supporting her lower back, offering silent support.

The Emperor Emeritus looked at his granddaughter, nestled in the Empress's arms, intently examining whether the eyes of her cloth tiger were pearls or beans. Then, glancing at the unspoken understanding and warmth between his son and daughter-in-law, a complex and profound emotion flickered in his eyes. He strolled to Xiao Chengjing's side, his gaze sweeping over his son's brow, noticeably more relaxed than in the capital, and his gentle, Jiangnan-inspired demeanor. Lowering his voice, he sighed in a hushed tone, "The feng shui of Jiangnan truly nurtures people. The way you look now..." He paused, his gaze drifting to the pavilions and terraces half-hidden by flowering branches in the distance, where the faint sounds of Shen Wenbai coaxing the young master and Lin Qingwan's gentle voice could be heard... "are more like... a living, breathing person than in the capital. Much more interesting than that brat on the dragon throne," he snorted softly, a hint of barely perceptible affection and disdain in his tone, "...more interesting than that boy on the dragon throne." This assessment was clearly directed at his youngest son, Xiao Chengyu, who was currently seated on the dragon throne.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengjing merely raised the corners of his lips slightly, without replying, but his gaze gently fell upon his wife, who was speaking softly to the Empress. That silent expression spoke volumes more than a thousand words.

An'an played with the cloth tiger in the Empress's arms for a while, then became very interested in the newly acquired painted clay figurine. She turned her little body, her eyes darting around, finally settling back on the Emperor Emeritus's "majestic" beard. The gentle "scratch" from earlier clearly hadn't satisfied her burgeoning curiosity.

"Grandpa Beard!" she called out in a clear voice. This novel address made the Emperor Emeritus's eyebrows twitch again, but strangely, he didn't correct her. An'an stretched out her little hand, pointing clearly at the silvery-gray hair. "Can An'an touch it?" Her big eyes were full of pleading and eagerness.

A flicker of surprise crossed the Emperor Emeritus's stern face, followed by helplessness, and finally a tacit approval bordering on indulgence. He nodded slightly, even bending down a little to make it easier for his granddaughter to reach. His cautious, tense yet relaxed demeanor drew chuckles from the Empress and Shen Yuewei.

Having received permission, An'an immediately stretched out her delicate little finger, first cautiously poking at the stiff stubble. She seemed startled by the slightly prickly touch, then boldly pressed her entire soft palm against it, curiously rubbing it a few times, muttering, "Hard...like the little brush on Daddy's desk..." Her playful nature was aroused, and she began clumsily trying to comb the actually quite short beard with her little fingers, attempting to separate it into several small strands. The Emperor Emeritus could only stiffly bend over, trying to maintain a calm expression, letting those haphazard little hands "mess around" with his chin. Only the occasional slight twitching of his eyes betrayed his inner helplessness and...among pleasure.

Seeing that it was getting late and dinner should be almost ready, Madam Shen smiled and reminded her, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, you must be tired after your long journey. The wind is picking up in the garden, and Yuewei is feeling unwell. Why don't we move to the flower hall? The kitchen has prepared some Jiangnan dishes, as well as An'an's favorite sweet and sour pork ribs."

The Empress, who was holding An'an with great affection, nodded and smiled when she heard this, "Good, good, it's time to eat." She stood up with An'an in her arms, but An'an twisted her little body and looked at a bunch of purple flowers that were particularly full and almost reached the ground, hanging from the highest point of the wisteria trellis.

"Grandma, flowers! I want the big one!" An'an pointed to the top, her little face full of longing.

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