Fast forward to when Percy turned 18.
I was strolling with Percival, casually checking out the new developments Percy had been working on.
Over the years, our home had almost transformed into a fully smart home.
Looking at how much Percy resembled his father, my heart felt warm.
How wonderful—Percy had grown up healthy, complete, and successful.
Cleo, too, had grown into a chubby, healthy dog.
It ran proudly beside Percy, full of energy.
Watching my son's youthful figure, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture.
"Darling, I want you to take a photo for us," Percival said. "Let's take a family photo."
The scenery was lovely here, and since we were already there, why not take a few more pictures?
"Darling, let's go over there; the view's great for photos."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a group of young people heading toward Percy, but I didn't pay much attention, continuing to snap photos.
Since that incident with the drunk man when Percy was little, he had been adamant about learning martial arts.
He's practiced for over ten years now, and I still firmly believe in his ability to protect himself.
"Stop! Don't bully anyone."
A soft, feminine voice cried out, and a girl quickly ran over to stand in front of Percival Ashford.
Percy looked up, confused. He could handle these people easily. After all, his parents were nearby.
"We're not bullying anyone," the leader of the group said, scratching his head in confusion. "We just wanted to befriend him."
The others quickly chimed in: "Yeah, yeah."
It turned out that Percy had been testing out a new smart robot he developed on the lawn, and this group of enthusiasts had spotted it, excitedly crowding around him.
"Sorry, I misunderstood," the girl said, her face turning slightly red, embarrassed. "I'm Laylah Franco."
As soon as I spotted the girl, I hurriedly pulled Percival over.
The scene before me looked serene—handsome man, beautiful girl.
But I couldn't help feeling incredibly nervous.
Oh my gosh, the female lead is the male lead's official match. Son, you better not get attached, okay?
I rushed over in a panic, just in time to hear Percy's indifferent response: "Mm."
I immediately felt a little relief. I had drilled so many lessons on proper thinking and behavior into him over the years, and I hoped this small mix-up wouldn't make him lose his head.
"Cleo, let's go." Percy walked over to us. "Mom, Dad, let's go home."
As we walked, I cautiously asked, "Percy, what do you think of that girl?"
"Woof woof woof!" Cleo barked in response.
Percy gently petted the dog's head. "She's nothing special. She just looks foolish."
Oh, well.
"I know, Mom, Dad," Percy said seriously.
"Do you have to get married?"
"No, not really," I replied, hearing an internal warning bell. "As long as you're happy with your life."
Percy nodded thoughtfully.
