Warren Prescott originally didn’t have the habit of checking social media.
Until later, when he added Ashley Shaw.
But Ashley Shaw didn’t really post much on social media either. After adding her for so long, it was only the day when Ariana Grant had her gastroscopy done that she unexpectedly posted a flower emoji.
But with just that one emoji, four mutual friends liked it.
He, Brooke Xavier, Cillian Xavier, and Elder Prescott, who had just learned to use WeChat.
Later, because Brooke Xavier loved posting on social media, and Ashley Shaw often appeared in her photos, he developed the habit of checking his feed whenever he had free time.
He scrolled down his feed and happened to see the post Brooke Xavier just made.
It was a group photo.
In the photo, Brooke Xavier was smiling brightly like a flower, while Ashley Shaw seemed a bit reserved but her smile was just as radiant.
He first opened the photo, saved it out of habit, and then read the caption.
[Congratulations to my beloved firstborn for ranking in the top 20 on the entrance exam!]
Warren Prescott’s gaze froze slightly, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, but mostly delight.
Top twenty, that means she can surely get into Aethelgard University, and the admission office will be bombarding her with calls these days.
A smile instinctively appeared at the corner of his lips.
Just then, someone pushed open the office door.
When Warren Prescott looked up at the visitor, that smile was still on his face.
"What were you looking at? You’re in such a good mood."
Lars Prescott hadn’t seen Warren Prescott smile in many years, so he also smiled.
However, Warren’s smile faded in an instant.
"Anything you need?"
Lars pulled up a chair and sat down opposite his desk.
"You handled those people at the construction site very well. Don’t underestimate these minor pests, they seem insignificant but can ruin a huge project from within."
Lars paused, then continued: "But the new batch of people who’ve just been put in, if they have some minor issues, don’t fuss too much. As long as they don’t go overboard, turn a blind eye. That’s the only way to get this project done smoothly. After all, those in such positions all these years are never without greed."
"Yeah, there’s no cat that doesn’t steal," Warren replied with a half-smile, clearly with an implied meaning.
Lars’s expression froze for a moment.
But Warren had mocked his extramarital affairs before, so Lars quickly regained his composure.
He swiftly transitioned to another topic.
"I just heard from Mr. Rowan, did exam results come out today? Have you checked?"
Warren chuckled.
"Other parents have been waiting eagerly for today, but you heard it from Uncle Rhodes. Is Uncle Rhodes my real dad then?"
Lars’s face changed.
"Warren, can you stop making those jabs every time you speak? Can’t we have a normal father-son conversation?"
"Why can’t I speak normally? You know why."
Lars took a deep breath and said, "I’ve cut ties with those outside affairs. The last woman, I sent her abroad and she won’t come back again."
Warren couldn’t care less.
Whether there were women or not, he and Lars couldn’t turn back time.
Besides, even before his discovery of his father’s affair, their relationship wasn’t great.
They didn’t act like father and son, more like superior and subordinate.
Seeing Warren remain silent, Lars asked again, "Did you check the results?"
With a blank expression, Warren put his hand on the mouse and opened the results page.
Before he could start checking, his phone chimed, signaling an incoming message.
He picked up his phone and saw it was from the Education and Examination Board.
He glanced at the contents, forwarded the message to Lars, and then stood up saying, "I’ve sent it to your phone, check it yourself."
After that, he headed out.
Before he reached the door, he heard Lars’s excited voice behind him.
"You did great, you didn’t disappoint me! Remember for college applications..."
"Thud."
The office door had closed, shutting off Lars’s voice.
Warren called Mark to drive him to Brooke Xavier’s shop.
On the way, he deliberately had Mark stop in front of a flower shop.
Lingering in the store for a while, he realized he had no idea how to choose flowers.
It was Mark, the assistant, who reminded him.
"If it’s to celebrate exam results, you could choose sunflowers."
Warren’s gaze rested on Mark.
Mark quickly explained upon noticing Warren’s look: "You asked me to drive you to Miss Ashley’s cake shop, right? I thought... it might be for Miss Ashley... right?"
Warren slowly retracted his gaze and told the flower shop clerk, "Wrap up a bouquet of sunflowers for me."
"Alright, alright." The clerk was briefly dazzled by Warren’s handsome face and seemed a bit flustered.
Thankfully, the action of wrapping flowers was muscle memory, and very soon a bouquet of sunflowers was ready.
Mark quickly stepped forward to help carry the flowers, but Warren beat him to it.
He immediately stepped back, running out to open the car door for Warren.
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of Pastoral Idyl.
However, the shop was closed, with a "Closed Today" sign hanging.
Warren’s brow furrowed at once.
Mark, who had followed him out of the car, also saw the sign and hesitated before speaking: "Could it be that Miss Ashley’s scores came out, and everyone went out to celebrate with her?"
Warren glanced at Mark.
"You’re quite talkative today."
Mark immediately clammed up.
Warren spoke again: "Get in the car, let’s go home."
"Yes..."
Mark dared not ask further, quickly running out to open the car door for Warren once more.
Forty minutes later, the car drove into the upscale villa district of Westcroft.
Warren got out holding the sunflowers and walked into the living room.
Before he even entered, he heard Elder Prescott asking someone.
"How do you change this icon picture? Do you know? I want to change it to my photo."
"I don’t know either..."
"Isn’t your WeChat icon your photo?"
"My daughter changed it for me, I don’t know how to."
"Go get Kimberly down here."
Warren walked in just then.
"Grandfather."
Elder Prescott’s eyes lit up and he immediately waved Warren over.
"Quickly, help me change my icon. The one on WeChat," Elder Prescott said, ready to hand over his phone.
Warren approached, placing the sunflowers beside Elder Prescott.
That’s when Elder Prescott noticed the sunflowers Warren was holding.
"Where did you get the flowers?"
Warren, while opening Elder Prescott’s phone to the personal information page, casually answered, "Someone else gave them to celebrate my exam results."
Elder Prescott’s eyelids jumped twice.
"Did the results come out today?"
"Yeah."
As soon as Warren finished speaking, Elder Prescott snatched his phone back.
"Oh my mind! I’ve got to ask Ashley if she’s checked her scores!"