"Your uncle's at the door. Remember to greet him."

"Oh."

The car drove into the villa district—a place Li Mo rarely saw. Before reaching her grandfather's house, she spotted a man waiting outside the yard.

He wore gold-rimmed glasses and a neat suit, watching them intently.

"Sis, I'll park the car. You two go inside first," he said.

Mom gestured for Li Mo to get out. But Wang Wenli—Li Mo's uncle—just smiled, ruffled her hair after she stepped down, then hurried to take the driver's seat. He urged the mother and daughter to enter ahead.

He showed no surprise at Li Mo's appearance. His affection remained unchanged, leaving her completely thrown off.

"It doesn't take much time. Why act like a servant?" Mom shook her head with a laugh but didn't refuse his kindness. She got out and let him take over.

"Why wear a hood? Take it off."

Li Mo tried to pull her hood up. But Mom *smack* slapped her hand—stinging pain—and yanked the hood off. Stripped of her shield, Li Mo cast a pitiful glance at her mother. Then she lowered her head deeply and followed her inside.

The door was ajar. Mom pushed it open. An old man sat on the central sofa, sipping tea. She called him "Dad" flatly. He nodded back, then shifted his gaze to the timid girl beside his daughter.

"Call him Grandpa."

Mom nudged Li Mo's back, exasperated. How could someone her age still need reminders like a kindergarten kid?

"G-g-grandpa..."

Her voice was a mosquito's whisper. She wasn't sure the seventy-something man even heard.

No wonder. She hadn't seen Grandpa often since middle school. They'd grown distant. And his stern face earlier had frozen her in place.

"Ah~ My granddaughter's so well-behaved! Come, let Grandpa have a good look."

"Huh?"

Li Mo's mind went blank. His sudden warmth overloaded her brain. Mom pulled her to sit beside Grandpa. She endured the "affectionate petting."

"This girl is stunning. I always said such a pretty face couldn't belong to a boy. Parents like you should pay more attention. Wanting her to live normally doesn't mean ignoring everything..."

Grandpa doted on Li Mo while scolding her mom—a classic put-down-and-praise move. Li Mo flushed with shyness.

"Want snacks? Grandpa has plenty. Your brother munches on these all day. He'll share some later!"

He was overly eager, laying out elderly favorites: sweet pastries, sesame balls. Li Mo wasn't interested (she'd eaten too much at lunch) and politely declined.

Why did Tang Zhe, Mom, and Grandpa all treat her like a child? Did she really look that young?

"Grandpa, I'm not a kid anymore..."

He kept trying to feed her. Frustrated, she mumbled this under her breath.

Instant regret. She feared upsetting him.

But...

"Oh, right! Girls avoid sweets to stay slim. Grandpa understands. I'll have them brew jasmine tea—you'll like that."

*No... I actually hate it.*

She silently complained. At least he stopped shoving food. Sipping tea was fine.

"Dad, your granddaughter performs piano for the whole school in two days. I brought her to practice here. She hasn't played in years—I don't want her to embarrass herself."

Their home wasn't wealthy. No spare cash for a piano. Only here could she rehearse.

"Wonderful! My granddaughter's talented! The piano's still in its place."

The old man beamed.

"Your brother dislikes music. Never learned. But the piano's been maintained. You can use it right away."

*...I don't want to perform either.*

*Before, it was okay...*

*But now, playing piano in front of the whole school—in a dress...*

*I want to die. Die. Die. Die.*

Grandpa was thrilled about her performance. He seemed eager to hear her play again after so long. Li Mo couldn't dampen his mood. She accepted politely.

*Wait...*

*She'd dragged Tang Zhe along... He played violin. Could they duet?*

*Seriously, no preparation after all this time?*

*"I recall you learned violin. Is the performance a duet? What piece?"*

She texted this, then sat at the piano. Starting from basics, she slowly reacquainted herself with the keys.

Truth was, years of neglect had made her rusty. Hours passed like physical therapy. Returning to her old skill felt impossible.

She'd need more practice. Already embarrassing enough—playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on stage would be worse.

*Damn Liu Shishi. How did she even know I play piano?*

...

...

"Take a break. Your aunt's away on business. We'll eat when your brother gets home from school."

Uncle Wenli loved ruffling Li Mo's hair. As a boy, she'd blamed him for stunting her growth. Now she realized it meant nothing.

He wasn't good with words. This gesture said: *Don't worry. Our love won't change—boy or girl.*

Though uneasy—a man touching her head—she showed no resistance. Nodding obediently, she slipped out to the yard alone.

*Sigh...*

Wang Wenli watched her go.

What had his sister done?

His niece seemed to accept her new identity. Yet something still haunted her.

Her personality had shifted too much.

Once cheerful and energetic—mischievous but full of life.

Now she radiated shyness, fear, and rejection. It worried him deeply.

Words couldn't fix this. Only time would help her adjust.

Li Mo knew nothing of their worries. Alone in the yard, she finally relaxed.

Rich people's homes truly differed. Flowers bloomed thicker and brighter than before—Grandpa's hobby, now tended by Uncle since his retirement. He must be quite idle.

"Fruit trees too..."

Wandering, she spotted a pear tree heavy with fruit. Curious, she reached out—

"Hey! You there! Who are you? What are you doing?"

"Eep!"

Li Mo froze. The boy strode over, slapped her hand away. "Get out! Or I'll call for help!"

"Ow..."

Her hand throbbed. She stared at the familiar-yet-strange face—handsome but furious.

*Nothing like Uncle.*

"I wasn't stealing f-fruit..."

Her eyes welled up instantly. Crouching in fear, she couldn't meet his gaze.

"Why so... so mean..."