Zhao Shi managed a small smile upon hearing He Shi's words, nodding slightly. "Eldest daughter-in-law, if only you were always like this; this household would be much more harmonious."

"Mother, don't you know me? This is who I am. I just have to say what's on my mind, and I’m not always good with words, which is why I often upset everyone. You lived with us for so many years; our faces never even turned red, did they?" He Shi remarked.

Zhao Shi recalled those years when they lived with Da Jiang. Back then, the two of them had always lived with their eldest son, and while He Shi was a bit domineering and willful, she had treated them well enough.

He Shi continued, "Mother, look at how we lived together all those years. Now that you're back, why are you staying in this separate courtyard instead of living with us? When you lived with us, you managed everything in the household perfectly. Now that you're gone, things are chaotic. Why don't you and Father move in with us? Besides, it's the custom for the parents to live with the eldest son."

Hearing He Shi's words, Zhao Shi did feel quite pleased. He Shi’s remarks were essentially an affirmation of her capabilities. It wasn't boasting; back when she was managing the eldest son's home, she truly had handled everything inside and out exceptionally well. Now that she was back, Qing Shan had met with disaster, hadn't the household immediately descended into disorder?

Seeing the change in Zhao Shi’s expression, He Shi knew her mother-in-law enjoyed praise. She pressed on, "Mother, look, Yue Mei just had Mao Mao, and I hardly have time to watch the child daily. If we give you another great-grandchild next year, how will we ever manage? It will only get messier. It would be much better with you here. You are far more capable than I am. If you and Father live with us, Da Jiang and I won't have to manage anything. We can go out and work every day, and you can take charge of the home."

As people age, their mindset shifts. In youth, working tirelessly for sons and grandsons felt exhausting. Once the children grow up and move away, living only with one’s spouse can feel profoundly lonely, coupled with the sense of becoming useless in old age. Zhao Shi felt this acutely. In the two years since returning from town, living alone with her husband had indeed been somewhat isolating, and He Shi’s words struck a chord deep within her heart.

He Shi subtly nudged Da Jiang, who was sitting behind her, signaling him to support the suggestion. Da Jiang, although not entirely grasping his wife’s sudden shift in motive—wasn't she always saying life was much better when they weren't living with his parents, complaining about his mother constantly finding fault?—went along with it. Being filial, he knew the established rule was that he should live with his parents. He hadn't spoken up these past two years, worried that if his wife and mother lived together, friction would inevitably arise again.

But now that his wife had brought it up, and it seemed genuine rather than just talk, coupled with He Shi’s recent agreeable behavior, Da Jiang finally spoke, "That's right, Mother. You should come live with us. All the elders in the village live with the eldest son; it looks odd that you two are living alone."

Zhao Shi was indeed moved when Da Jiang supported the idea, but she didn't make an immediate decision. She said, "Eldest son, I know you are filial. However, it’s the New Year right now, and there are many household matters to attend to. Let’s discuss this properly after the first lunar month ends."

He Shi sensed her mother-in-law was leaning toward agreeing, which brought her a wave of quiet joy. That evening, as Zhao Shi was preparing for bed, she turned to Old Man Lin and asked, "Old man, the eldest says we should go live with them. What do you think?"

Old Man Lin pondered for a moment. "Old woman, I think living just the two of us is quieter, but life is decent. We have our own fields and a house to live in. If you're asking for my opinion, I prefer we stay put."

"But, old man, Da Jiang is our eldest son. By custom, we should live with the eldest. Now that Da Jiang's wife has unexpectedly changed for the better and said she wants us to live together, it wouldn't look good if we refused," Zhao Shi countered.

Old Man Lin didn't see these matters as insurmountable issues. While custom existed, some elders in the village managed on their own, and life went on just fine. "I don't think this He Shi is truly a good person. Old woman, you should remain cautious. She might be plotting something. If you ask me, I still think it’s best for us to live as a couple. If you want to live with Da Jiang and his family, that’s up to you, but you must arrange things properly for Hong Xia and her family."

Zhao Shi was somewhat dismissive of her husband's worries, smiling. "You old fool, you’re still so suspicious of your own daughter-in-law! I think He Shi has truly changed. It might be good for us to go. Look, Mao Mao is growing up every day and needs tending. Besides, if it really doesn't work out, we can always come back. Since the son and daughter-in-law have extended the invitation, we shouldn't waste their good intentions. As for Hong Xia, they can just keep living in this courtyard."

"Alright, old woman, have it your way. Hurry up and sleep; we have to go fetch Hong Xia tomorrow," Old Man Lin sighed.

Hearing her husband, Zhao Shi blew out the oil lamp and lay down. Hong Yun had been back at her own place with the baby for quite some time and hadn't visited. She wondered how they were doing, how difficult the baby was to manage, especially since the child had no milk to nurse.

Lost in thought, Zhao Shi drifted off to sleep. When morning broke, Zhao Shi was up early, her mind consumed with worry for Hong Yun. She hadn't slept well all night. Thinking that Hong Yun would be alone this year, she instructed Old Man Lin to borrow a cattle cart from Er Niu’s house immediately so they could go fetch her early.

If they waited for Er Niu or Da Jiang to return from their in-laws' homes, who knew how long that would take. With this thought, she hurried Old Man Lin off to Er Niu’s place to get the cart. Old Man Lin didn't understand why his wife was in such a rush, but since she kept pushing, he had no choice but to go borrow the cart from Er Niu.

When he arrived at Er Niu’s, the family had just woken up. Er Niu asked upon hearing Old Man Lin was there for the cart, "Father, didn't we say we'd wait for Big Brother to return before fetching her? What's going on, why are you going so early to get her yourself?"

"I don't know what madness has possessed your mother. She dragged me out of bed before dawn, before even eating breakfast, saying she was worried about Hong Yun and that I had to go fetch her. And that we couldn't eat breakfast until Hong Yun was brought back. It’s not like we couldn't wait until mid-morning," Old Man Lin grumbled.