Sophia Shaw had been incredibly busy. If Eleanor Crawford hadn’t reminded her, she would have completely forgotten about the matter.
Old Mrs. Grant was turning seventy-eight this year, so it was considered an informal birthday.
Eleanor Crawford could read her expression and felt compelled to add, "This year is also Old Master and Old Mrs. Grant’s sixtieth wedding anniversary. And now that he’s fully retired, there aren’t as many strict rules. The other ladies in the family think it should be a grander affair."
A diamond anniversary was a major occasion. Considering the kindness the elderly couple had shown her, there was no way Sophia Shaw could miss it.
She agreed, "I’ll be there."
After lunch, Eleanor Crawford went back to report, while Sophia Shaw drove to Axewood Manor.
Years ago, her mother had studied the art of making "cloud silk" at Axewood Manor.
Sophia’s purpose for this trip was to have a set of clothes made from cloud silk for the Grant elders.
Previously, out of consideration for their status, she had never dared to give them expensive gifts.
Now that Old Master Grant had retired, she could give them a gift without any reservations.
Axewood Manor was nestled on a small hill in Crestfall, a place of quiet elegance.
Her mother had brought her here a few times when she was still alive.
Returning to this familiar place stirred complex emotions in Sophia. As she gazed at the simple, vintage gate, she could almost see her younger self trailing behind her mother, chirping and hopping with joy like a carefree little bird.
Her mother would always gently pull her aside, wipe the sweat from her face, and remind her of the proper etiquette for meeting the master.
It all felt like it had happened only yesterday. The manor was still the same, but the people and circumstances had changed.
Sophia gently knocked on the door. A moment later, someone came out to open it.
The woman, who appeared to be in her late thirties, froze for a moment upon seeing her.
Sophia politely explained the reason for her visit, and the woman led her inside.
"I’ll go ask if the master is free to see you," the woman said before leaving.
Before long, the woman returned, escorting an elderly lady who appeared to be nearly sixty.
Although the lady was no longer young, with streaks of gray in her hair, she carried herself with elegance and grace, her gaze wise and serene.
"Master," Sophia said, approaching her and bowing.
Sylvie Yates gently took her by the elbow to help her up, studying her closely. "Are you really little Sophia? You’ve grown so beautiful, I almost didn’t recognize you."
Brianna Shaw had once been Sylvie Yates’s most prized student. Sylvie had been heartbroken for a long time after she left.
Sophia had heard her mother speak of this before and had always remembered.
Sophia felt a little shy at Sylvie Yates’s praise.
"I saw on the news that you’d launched a rocket," Sylvie Yates said. "I thought it had to be someone with the same name. I never expected it was really you."
Sylvie Yates had lived a semi-reclusive life for decades, paying little attention to the outside world. Sophia was quite surprised that she knew about the rocket launch.
Sophia briefly described her life over the past decade, which naturally led to her mentioning Brianna Shaw.
When she learned that Brianna Shaw had passed away in a car accident, Sylvie Yates’s eyes instantly reddened.
"That explains it," she murmured. "She used to visit me every year. I couldn’t understand why she’d suddenly stopped coming for more than a decade. So she... she’s gone."
In recent years, Sylvie Yates had rarely taken commercial commissions, only occasionally doing restoration work for cultural heritage organizations.
But when Sophia asked to have two outfits made from cloud silk, she readily agreed.
Sophia briefly described the style she had in mind.
Sylvie Yates led her into another room. "Come, see which pattern you’d like to choose."
Sophia looked.
A row of fabric samples was neatly arranged in the room, their vintage patterns a feast for the eyes.
Old Master Grant and Old Mrs. Grant were both rather understated, so Sophia deliberately chose the most subtle and elegant pattern.
As she turned, she noticed many finished garments hanging in the room.
Judging by their length and style, they were men’s clothing.
There were dozens of them, arranged in a gradient from light to dark.
And they were all the exact same size!
Sophia liked them immediately and thought they would be perfect for Old Master Sloan. "Master," she asked, "are these for sale?"
"That’s the master’s private collection. It’s not for sale," Ms. York, the woman who had let her in, answered for Sylvie.
She then carefully drew a dust curtain over the garments, covering them completely.
It was clear that Sylvie Yates treasured these clothes dearly.
Sophia still felt a pang of disappointment.
"You wanted to give them to someone?" Sylvie Yates asked.
Sophia nodded. "I was thinking of giving a couple of them to my teacher."
"Your... teacher?"
Seeing her interest, Sophia elaborated, "My teacher’s surname is Sloan. He’s in Mador and is currently one of the world’s top rocket experts."
"But he’s very nostalgic for Cathan and has contributed a lot to our rocket program. If he hadn’t been forced to take Madorian citizenship back then, and if he wasn’t being detained by NASA, he probably would have come back to Cathan long ago..."
CLINK!
Sophia hadn’t finished speaking when she heard the sound.
It was followed by Ms. York’s cry, "Master! Are you all right?"
Sophia turned to see Ms. York scrambling to right a cup that had fallen beside Sylvie Yates, hastily wiping up the spilled water with a cloth.
Sylvie herself stood frozen, not even reacting as the water soaked the fabric beside her hand.
"Master, are you feeling unwell?" Sophia asked with concern, noticing how pale she looked.
Sylvie slowly snapped out of her daze and forced a smile. "I’m fine. Just getting old, not as much energy as I used to have."
Sophia provided the measurements for Old Mrs. Grant and Old Master Grant and paid a sizable deposit.
As she was about to leave, Sylvie Yates called out to her.
"Little Sophia... take two of the outfits with you."
With that, she placed two brand-new outfits into Sophia’s arms.
Sophia, holding the clothes, looked utterly stunned. "Master..."
Sylvie gently patted her arm. "They’ll only gather dust hanging there. It’s better they go to the person who should be wearing them. Take them for your teacher."
’For some reason, I feel like there’s a hidden meaning in her words,’ Sophia thought. ’Could it be that she knows my teacher?’
Sylvie was clearly unwilling to say more, so Sophia didn’t press the issue.
After thanking her and paying for the garments, Sophia got into her car, holding the unexpected gift.
Once in the car, she couldn’t resist calling Old Master Sloan. "Teacher, do you know a woman with the surname Yates, an expert in weaving cloud silk?"
"Never heard of her!" Old Master Sloan’s tone was gruff. "Shouldn’t you be working? What’s all this nonsense about cloud silk? Is cloud silk going to get you to Mars?"
Sophia quickly replied, "I bought you two outfits made of cloud silk. Since they won’t get you to Mars, I guess I should return them?"
"Send them over at once!"
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh.
’This grumpy old man!’
After hanging up, Sophia stepped on the gas and drove down the mountain.
As her car pulled away, it revealed a dazed face standing under the veranda.
"Master, why didn’t you tell Miss Shaw that you and Old Master Sloan know each other?" Ms. York asked softly as she approached.
Sylvie Yates sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "We haven’t seen each other in decades. It’s enough to know that he’s doing well. There’s no need to disturb his life."
She turned and walked slowly back into the house. As the wind lifted the corner of her hem, the character "Liu" embroidered on the inside was faintly visible.
Sophia found an international courier and shipped the clothes to Old Master Sloan.
Just as she finished the paperwork, she got a call from Levin Sawyer. "Vincent Grant donated all the profits from the LS System to the Aerospace Foundation in your teacher and his wife’s name. Reporters found out about your connection to him and want an interview. Should I accept?"
Sophia froze when she heard this.
’Vincent Grant’s move isn’t just about building a good reputation for my teacher and his wife,’ she thought. ’There’s a deeper meaning to it.’