Chapter 109: Little friends in the garden

How much more so would the Old Master, Master, and Mistress be, considering how busy they had been throughout the Qingming period and how little time they had spent in the garden?

It was as though someone had injected a growth booster into every plant and tree.

Everything was in full bloom.

As the three elders walked beneath the trellises and pergolas, colorful flowers lined both sides of the path, their blossoms spilling over the wooden frames as though competing to see which could grow larger and more beautiful. Even the green leaves and vines looked unusually vibrant, their colors almost shimmering in the morning light.

Above them, thick clusters of cascading purple wisteria swayed gently in the breeze, forming a sea of blossoms that filtered the morning sunlight and cast soft, dappled shadows along the pebbled path.

It was a surreal sight, straight out of a fantasy.

The small flowering shrubs were no longer dotted with just a few blossoms. Their flowers had opened fully, while countless new buds covered the green branches. The blossoms came in every imaginable shade, from soft pastels to bright, cheerful colors, making the entire garden look like a carefully arranged bouquet.

A slender figure dressed in a long, light green robe stood waiting for them at the pavilion, blending harmoniously with the surrounding scenery.

Lin Feng had arranged breakfast there so the elders could enjoy the flowers while they ate.

In all his life, even in his previous life, when he had attended countless flower-appreciation banquets, he had never seen a garden bloom so beautifully and freely. A few days earlier, he had already thought the flowers looked magnificent, but only now did he realize that they could become even more beautiful.

Grandpa Bai stood still, gazing at the flowers.

He remembered his precious daughter, who had loved flowers and designed this garden herself.

’If she were still alive, she would definitely love this,’ the old man thought wistfully, feeling warmth gather at the corners of his eyes.

Grandpa Bai blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, his expression had returned to that of the dignified head of the family.

He sat down and enjoyed his grandson’s filial care.

He knew that Lin Feng had his own plans, and the fact that the boy was teaching the kitchen staff various ancient medicinal diet recipes had not escaped his notice.

Birds would leave their nests and fly away once they reached adulthood. It was simply the way of the world.

His grandson’s concern and filial piety, ensuring that his elders remained in good health before spreading his own wings, were already more than enough for Grandpa Bai.

"It’s delicious," he praised.

The boy smiled and asked, "How have you been sleeping?"

"I’ve been sleeping more soundly. When I wake up, I feel as though I’ve become a year younger with each passing day!" the old man laughed.

Bai Tingyu and Wei Ranmiao were equally happy.

They could clearly see that the old man’s health had indeed improved.

After Bai Yufei’s death, the old man had become depressed and gloomy, no longer as sprightly as he had once been. But now, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to have softened, his complexion was rosier, and his eyes were brighter and clearer.

’The medicated diet must continue,’ they both thought firmly.

"Oh, I almost forgot something!" Lin Feng said, suddenly remembering something as he stood up.

The elders watched as Lin Feng took out several small pouches.

He poured some nuts onto a small plate, grains onto another, and steamed fish fillets onto a third.

"What are those for?" Wei Ranmiao asked curiously.

The next moment, they heard the flutter of wings as several small birds swooped down and landed on the boy’s head and shoulders.

"For my little friends in the garden."

The three elders were speechless.

As though they had heard a signal, several small squirrels appeared one after another, scampering down from the trees and across the ground toward the pavilion. They stopped in front of Lin Feng and looked up at him expectantly.

One particularly bold squirrel even climbed up his body and perched on his other shoulder.

Finally, a large calico cat strolled over, leading three smaller kittens behind it.

In an instant, one corner of the pavilion where Lin Feng stood was filled with all kinds of small animals.

The servants tending to the garden noticed the masters’ astonished expressions and nodded sympathetically.

They had worn the same expressions themselves just a few days ago.

Oblivious to everyone’s reactions, Lin Feng continued ’serving’ his guests. He thoughtfully placed the plate of grains on the railing for the birds, set the cats’ plate on the ground, and put the squirrels’ plate on another railing.

Wei Ranmiao watched the boy move about with such ease before glancing at the surrounding flowers. Suddenly, she realized something.

"Come to think of it, this garden has never bloomed so beautifully before. It only started looking like this after Lin Feng began tending to it."

Grandpa Bai and Bai Tingyu finally recovered from their surprise.

Grandpa Bai laughed. "Then Xiao Feng must have a natural affinity with nature. Just look at these little creatures! I’ve lived here all my life, yet they’ve never approached me like this."

Bai Tingyu nodded in agreement. "I don’t think small animals behave this way around just anyone. Xiao Feng must have a constitution that makes him especially appealing to animals and plants."

Lin Feng smiled and sat down with the elders, joining them for a bowl of soup.

"I think so, too. Compared to finance, I’m more suited to this path."

His words reminded the elders of his current situation.

Bai Tingyu asked, "Dad arranged for you to take medical leave when you fell into a coma during the winter break, so you’re still officially on academic leave. Since you’ve missed the spring semester, you’ll only be able to return to school in the autumn. But are you certain you want to change majors?"

Lin Feng nodded firmly. "Yes, I’m certain."

Just thinking about dealing with all those calculus problems gave him a headache. Even if he could answer them using his predecessor’s memories, his brain would eventually go mad from the effort.

Bai Tingyu nodded. "Then we’ll coordinate with the school to arrange the transfer procedures. However, you’ll have to start over as a freshman. Fortunately, you won’t need to repeat military training."

Lin Feng nodded in understanding.

Grandpa Bai suddenly asked, "Did the Tang family contact you, Xiao Feng?"

Bai Tingyu stiffened and picked up his bowl to drink some soup to cover his gaffe.

But Lin Feng had already noticed it.

He blinked once, then lifted his gaze to his grandfather. "Not yet, Grandpa. Did something happen?"

"They probably will not contact you anymore," Grandpa Bai said in a calm voice. "Before Qingming, they had already begun withdrawing from the joint project with the company, despite the penalties stipulated in the agreement."

Wei Ranmiao was startled. "That project has been ongoing for five months already. Didn’t they agree to provide 200 million in two installments? What about the 100 million they already invested?"

"They asked for a complete exit."

Wei Ranmiao’s face became solemn.