Su Huaiming asked, "Where did this dog come from?"
"You, you give it back to me right now!" Fu Xiaoxiao was puffed up with anger, and she looked strangely similar to the chubby little puppy in Su Huaiming's arms.
Su Huaiming held the puppy like Simba, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Answer me first, and I'll give it to you."
"You keep your word." Fu Xiaoxiao tilted her head back, her gaze still fixed on the puppy, and blinked before saying, "Grandma brought it."
Grandmother?
Upon hearing this title, Su Huaiming immediately thought of Fu Jingfan's mother.
He spent some time with Fu Jingfan, but he had never met Fu Jingfan's relatives and knew nothing about his family situation.
Could it be that his legendary "mother-in-law" has come to visit in person?
Su Huaiming remained silent as he pondered. Fu Xiaoxiao looked at her dazed stepfather and sighed helplessly, her tone tinged with disappointment, "Your memory is terrible! We just met that grandma, don't you remember her?"
"Just saw her?" Su Huaiming suddenly realized something and asked, "Was it that grandmother who lives in the mountains?"
Fu Xiaoxiao nodded, then, as if remembering something, beamed with joy, "Grandma and Little Black are here, along with Little Black's two babies. This is the older brother!"
Su Huaiming turned to look at the chubby little puppy, and he really didn't recognize it at all.
Su Huaiming put the puppy down, and the puppy, as if seeking revenge, huffed and puffed, using its round head to nudge Su Huaiming's ankle, trying to knock him over.
Fu Xiaoxiao squatted down and gently stroked the puppy, even poking its chubby bottom.
Fu Xiaoxiao is young, but he has inexhaustible energy and often leaves the three nannies who take care of him behind.
The three nannies then ran over, panting, looking apologetically at Su Huaiming, afraid of being scolded.
Su Huaiming had also taken care of Fu Xiaoxiao and was very understanding of them. He didn't say much, only asking them to keep an eye on Fu Xiaoxiao and inquiring about the old lady's whereabouts.
Su Huaiming ignored Fu Xiaoxiao and the puppy, turned around and went back to the villa. As soon as he entered the reception room, he saw the old lady sitting on the sofa.
The old lady changed into a black velvet cheongsam, her silver hair was styled in a bun, her shoulders were straight, and her posture was very elegant. It was as if the passage of time had only brought her experience, not aging.
The old lady smiled kindly when she saw Su Huaiming.
Thinking he wouldn't have another chance to see the old lady after their parting, Su Huaiming excitedly stepped forward and asked, "Why have you come?"
The old lady took out a note from her bag and gently placed it in front of Su Huaiming. "I happened to be out that day and didn't know you were leaving. When I got back, I saw the gift and the note. I also wanted to see you and Xiao Xiao, so I took the liberty of coming to visit."
Su Huaiming sensed the elder's affection emanating from the old lady and said with a smile, "It's not at all presumptuous of us. Xiao Xiao and I are both very happy to meet you."
The old lady exchanged a few pleasantries with Su Huaiming, her gaze towards him becoming even more loving.
"I've come today to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you'd be willing to help me." Although the old lady was an elder, she was very polite and treated Su Huaiming as a friend.
Su Huaiming nodded immediately, "If I can, I will definitely help you."
"You can do it." After saying that, the old woman took out several design sketches from her bag and handed them to Su Huaiming. "I'm not very satisfied with these designs. Can you help me think of some suggestions for changes?"
Su Huaiming immediately took the design drawings, his expression focused, and carefully examined each one.
The old lady's clothing suggested she was from the last century, and she was relatively conservative, but her designs were anything but old-fashioned. They perfectly blended tradition and modernity, without being disconnected from modern life, and still retained a distinct Chinese style.
The old lady continued, "I plan to make these dresses using Gambiered Silk, and the patterns are already drawn up, but I still think we should add something to make the whole dress more eye-catching."
Looking at the design drawings alone, Su Huaiming could sense that the old lady's design intentions leaned more towards practicality than purely showcasing art and a certain concept.
Su Huaiming thought for a moment and said, "Your design is already perfect. It doesn't need major changes. You just need to refine the details or make the overall style a bit stronger."
The old lady looked at Su Huaiming with a smile, "For example?"
Su Huaiming asked the butler for paper and pen, and began to write and draw on the table, the pencil rubbing against the paper making a rustling sound.
The old lady's gaze remained fixed on the paper; having only seen half of Su Huaiming's design, the smile in her eyes grew even wider.
"Although I only filmed there for seven days, I noticed that the local clothing was very distinctive, so I paid special attention to it and even inquired about the origin and meaning of these patterns and decorations."
Su Huaiming continued, "Based on the characteristics of local traditional clothing, we can make improvements and design a belt with strong features. Paired with your original skirt design, it won't clash with the overall style, and it will draw people's attention to one point. Whether looking at the whole or the details, it won't appear exaggerated or abrupt, and it's perfectly suitable for everyday wear."
Although Su Huaiming usually takes things lightly, he becomes extremely focused when he gets serious, constantly refining the details. He even consulted the old lady, saying, "You stayed there for quite some time and have a deep understanding of the local customs, culture, and clothing. Please refine it further when you get back."
Su Huaiming was engrossed in his design, treating the old lady as a business partner and forgetting their generational relationship. Although his tone was polite, his words were not those one would say to an elder.
Su Huaiming stared at the design drawings for a while longer before belatedly realizing the problem. He hurriedly looked at the old lady, afraid that she would be angry.
The old lady's reaction was completely different from what he had expected. Her gaze towards him was full of appreciation, mixed with tenderness and affection for a younger generation.
The elderly lady and her husband were deeply in love, but due to health reasons, they were unable to conceive and had no children.
The old lady and her husband accepted this regret quite naturally, and did not dwell on it. They created their own unique brilliance in their respective fields, and did not feel lonely in their old age.
Seeing the talented junior Su Huaiming, the old lady was attracted by his intelligence. In addition, Su Huaiming's personality was very charming, so the old lady couldn't help but love him like a child and wanted to give him better things.
Human talent and aptitude are precious gifts bestowed by heaven. Of course, hard work after birth is even more important, but talent still determines the upper limit.
The old lady had seen all sorts of people and weathered many storms. She didn't want to intimidate him with her experience, nor did she want to lecture Su Huaiming. She just felt that it was a waste for Su Huaiming not to cherish his talent, and she always wanted to give him a helping hand.
The old lady carefully took the design drawings and said, "Actually, I also revised one before coming here. The idea was the same as yours, but your design is more inspired than mine. I will definitely improve it based on that."
This was a very high compliment, Su Huaiming felt a little embarrassed, repeatedly declining the offer.
"Acknowledging one's own excellence is not a form of arrogance," the old lady continued. "Although age, experience, and seniority are important in a society based on personal relationships, one should not be bound by them. Those who engage in artistic creation must not confine themselves to rigid rules and regulations; they must dare to break free."
Although the old lady didn't spend much time with Su Huaiming, she was willing to gently teach Su Huaiming and share many life lessons with him.
This was the first time Su Huaiming had received affection from an elder since transmigrating into the book, and the old lady was very similar to his grandmother—both were in the same field, and their gazes toward him were equally loving.
Su Huaiming felt relieved and no longer seemed so reserved when chatting with the old lady; his tone was as if he were talking to a friend.
The two seemed like close friends despite their age difference, sharing similar interests and thoughts. They could understand each other's meaning without needing to spell things out, and were even able to offer their opinions based on that understanding.
The two of them worked together with astonishing efficiency, quickly finishing the discussion of the remaining design drawings.
The old lady was getting on in years and her physical strength was limited, but the deeper she talked with Su Huaiming, the more radiant she became, as if she had returned to her youth, to the time when her creative desires were at their peak.
The old man and the young man were engrossed in their conversation and neither noticed the tall figure at the door.
Fu Jingfan walked over and greeted the old lady politely, his attitude familiar, as if it were their first meeting.
The old lady also greatly admired Fu Jingfan, but compared to Su Huaiming, she maintained a greater sense of distance. "Jingfan, it's been a long time."
Fu Jingfan sat down opposite her and chatted politely with the old lady, "I'm sorry, I just received news of your arrival. I'm late; it's my fault for not being a good host."
The old lady patted Su Huaiming's hand and said, "It's alright, I've already received the best treatment."
The old lady knew about the relationship between Su Huaiming and Fu Jingfan. Her gaze shifted between the two, and she looked very pleased, feeling that the two were a perfect match.
Su Huaiming was unaware of the relationship between Fu Jingfan and the old lady. He looked at her with curiosity, but he held back from asking.
Fu Jingfan seemed to sense his thoughts and took the initiative to say, "I met Madam Li at the banquet, and we've kept in touch occasionally since. I'd like to invite Madam Li to be the chief designer."
The old lady joked, "Jingfan, you're very persistent. If it weren't for you, I'd still be living in seclusion in the mountains right now."
At this point, the old lady smiled and looked at Su Huaiming, "It's quite a coincidence, Su Huaiming, that you are your partner. I was a little hesitant before, but after learning this, I immediately decided to agree. After all, it is a very joyful thing to create with someone whose soul resonates with yours."
These two paragraphs contained too much information. Su Huaiming froze, looking at Fu Jingfan with a puzzled expression.
"There are many luxury brands abroad, but none in China. However, in terms of historical heritage and cultural characteristics, we can stand out globally. Now that we have the opportunity, why not use the achievements of our ancestors to promote our unique features? Moreover, we have many fabrics and traditional crafts that truly deserve the title of 'luxury goods'."
When Fu Jingfan spoke, he leaned forward slightly and spoke in a calm tone, without showing any strong emotions, but Su Huaiming sensed the ambition behind it.
He had never been involved in Fu Jingfan's business and had no idea what he was busy with all day. This was the first time Fu Jingfan had talked about business planning in front of him.
No wonder Fu Jingfan was able to build his own business empire at such a young age; he has the matching ability and ambition, as well as a special charisma that makes people want to follow him.
But Su Huaiming, this lazy bum, had erected an impenetrable wall in his heart, completely isolating himself from these thoughts.
Fu Jingfan is just too indecisive. If I were to work for him, I'd be driven to the brink of death by his indecisiveness!
Dame, absolutely Dame!!
Fu Jingfan seemed to sense Su Huaiming's desire to escape, pressing closer step by step, his dark eyes capturing Su Huaiming's figure. "Don't you want to work with Madam Li and build a brand that belongs only to you?"
Su Huaiming: "..."
He knew Fu Jingfan wouldn't do anything unnecessary; it turned out he was waiting for him here.
Su Huaiming was about to use "insufficient ability" as an excuse to refuse, but feeling the old lady's gentle gaze, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.
The old lady was so certain of his abilities and shared her experience so sincerely. If he were to say something like that again, wouldn't he be letting her down?
Su Huaiming's mind raced as he tried to come up with a reason to refuse.
If it were anyone else, they might have readily agreed to such a great opportunity, but Su Huaiming's thoughts were completely different.
He was tormented by illness in his previous life and never truly enjoyed life. Now that he has been resurrected, he just wants to live a carefree and peaceful life.
Moreover, if he agrees to become Fu Jingfan's chief designer, he will have another entanglement with Fu Jingfan, and there will definitely be more arguments during the divorce. Then he will not be able to take the compensation and run away!
Fu Jingfan, that old fox, had Su Huaiming firmly in his grasp. He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes fixed intently on Su Huaiming, his tone very soft.
I need you.
Upon hearing those four words, Su Huaiming felt a buzzing in his ears, and his senses immediately alerted him to danger.
Fu Jingfan had deep-set eyes and dark brows. When he was focused and the image of that person was reflected in his eyes, he appeared very affectionate.
Moreover, he deliberately softened his tone and the contours of his face, which was so different from his previous cold and aloof image that it carried a special meaning.
Cheating! This is absolutely cheating!
Anyone with even a shred of compassion would find it hard to refuse Fu Jingfan, especially since he's also burdened with the "deeply in love with Fu Jingfan" label, effectively blocking all his escape routes!
Su Huaiming was inwardly wailing, but he showed no sign of it on his face. He bit his lip and could only compromise, "Well, I'll think about it."
Fu Jingfan had already gotten the answer he wanted most, so he didn't press too hard. Leaning back slightly, he resumed his composed demeanor. "Alright, I'll wait for your answer."
Su Huaiming ground his back teeth, wishing he could bite Fu Jingfan.
Waiting for you? Who knew someone with such thick eyebrows and big eyes could be so cunning!
The old lady watched Su Huaiming and Fu Jingfan's interaction, and the smile on her face widened.
She has a very good relationship with her husband and is an experienced woman; how could she not see through this?
The old lady was very tactful and didn't bring up the conversation again, instead chatting about some trivial, stress-free things.
Half an hour later, the old lady received a call from her husband and prepared to leave.
Su Huaiming then realized how quickly time had passed. He stood up and saw the old lady to the door.
Fu Xiaoxiao, who had been playing outside with the puppy, rushed over, hugged the old lady's leg, and looked at her reluctantly, "Grandma, are you going back?"
The old lady stroked Fu Xiaoxiao's soft hair and said gently, "Grandma will definitely come to see Xiao Xiao again when she has the chance."