While Wang Qingtong was still contemplating how he would properly explain himself to his family upon returning, Wang Qingyun began dwelling on the hardships his wife had endured since marrying him. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how little attention he had paid to her lately, and a wave of guilt washed over him.

The result of Wang Qingyun’s remorse was that Luo Yin saw her husband return that day laden with large and small packages. Luo Yin stared blankly at the returning Wang Qingyun, wondering what had gotten into him today—why he suddenly felt the urge to buy so many things. As she surveyed his purchases, Luo Yin grew even more perplexed; the majority of the items seemed intended solely for her. Since when had Wang Qingyun become so thoughtful?

Never mind Luo Yin’s confusion; Wang Qingyun himself felt deeply awkward. This was, after all, the first time he had bought so many things for her. Unable to devise a proper method of compensation, this rather excessive purchasing was the only solution he could conjure.

“Today you…” Luo Yin desperately wanted to understand what had truly prompted Wang Qingyun’s actions that day.

“Uh… well, you’re expecting now, aren’t you? I just thought you needed to nourish yourself properly and things like that, so I bought all this for you,” Wang Qingyun confessed, looking a little sheepish.

Hearing this, Luo Yin’s doubt did not diminish; rather, it intensified. She recalled her previous pregnancy—Wang Qingyun had been ecstatic then, yet he hadn't displayed this level of attentive care. Why was he suddenly so considerate now, with the second child?

Pondering this, Luo Yin questioned him, “Qingyun, is there something you’re hiding from me?”

Wang Qingyun felt a pang of dejection seeing his wife’s suspicious expression. Had his habitual neglect truly led to this kind of reaction from her?

With that thought, in the days that followed, Wang Qingyun radically altered his previous demeanor, becoming increasingly attentive toward Luo Yin. Although Luo Yin remained puzzled, after probing cautiously and finding nothing amiss, she finally settled into enjoying the belated consideration from her husband.

Meanwhile, over at the other residence, Wang Qingtong, after a whole afternoon of deep deliberation, finally settled on the reasoning he would present to his family for his persistent reluctance to finalize his marriage arrangements.

Before heading back, Wang Qingtong stopped to purchase several gifts, intending to show filial piety to his elders. After closing his shop for the day, he made a direct path to the quarters of the Old Master and Old Madam. Seeing their grandson approach, the elders’ faces lit up with smiles. This grandson had indeed prospered; not only was he earning well, but he consistently brought gifts to honor them, the elders. Only his marriage remained stubbornly undecided.

Wang Qingtong presented the items he held to the Old Master and Old Madam. “I heard in town that these things are considered the very best for elders to use, so I thought to bring them back for Grandpa and Grandma to take.”

The Old Master and Old Madam accepted the gifts from their grandson. “Your earnings don’t come easily. You should save them for yourself from now on; don’t always fret over us old folks. Once you have a wife, you’ll have plenty of expenses!”

“Marrying a wife is one matter, honoring elders is another. I cannot neglect my elders simply because I plan to marry, can I? My current standing is thanks entirely to the care and guidance of my elders; how could I ever forget their kindness?” Wang Qingtong stated seriously.

The Old Master and Old Madam had only been hesitant to see Wang Qingtong spend his money on them, as they felt they were old and any money spent on them was wasted. But upon hearing Wang Qingtong’s words, they felt an indescribable warmth in their hearts. Who wouldn't wish for their descendants to be filial and understanding?

The Old Madam said with deep satisfaction, “My dear boy, your grandfather and I both know you are a caring child. But it’s enough that you keep us in your heart. Don’t waste this money on us; these things are useless for us now. It’s better to save it for where it truly counts. Understand?”

Wang Qingtong nodded. “I understand, but…”

“It’s settled then. Don’t spend extravagantly anymore; just come spend time with us old folks more often. And most importantly, find a wife soon! I am waiting to hold a great-grandchild!” the Old Madam exclaimed with a laugh.

The Old Master chuckled, “Right, right, your grandmother speaks wisely. Don’t spend needlessly anymore. Starting a family sooner is the greatest filial piety you can show us.”

Seeing that the Old Master and Old Madam had steered the conversation toward marriage themselves, Wang Qingtong wisely chose to follow their lead rather than bring it up actively.

“Grandpa, Grandma, I was thinking of waiting until I’ve earned more money before discussing marriage arrangements,” Wang Qingtong explained.

“What kind of talk is that? If you are to marry, your grandfather and I will certainly arrange everything perfectly for you. Money isn't the major obstacle,” the Old Madam declared grandly, then paused before adding, “Didn’t you save up quite a bit after opening your shop? Why are you still worried about not having enough?”

“Grandma, here’s my thought process: there are already many people in the household. If I bring a wife in, it will certainly become cramped. So, I thought that when I marry, I would build a house outside and move out. That’s why I planned to wait until I had saved enough money to build, and only then would I finalize the marriage,” Wang Qingtong clarified.

“What? You want to move out? Qingtong, is the house not good enough? If you move out, who will look after you afterward?” the Old Madam fretted.

“Grandma, rest assured. Even if I move out, I will certainly find a place close to home, so I can still visit you often, can’t I?” Wang Qingtong replied soothingly.

Hearing this, the Old Madam momentarily couldn't formulate a rebuttal and turned toward the Old Master, hoping he would intervene. However, the Old Master was destined to disappoint her expectations.

Upon hearing Wang Qingtong’s words, the Old Master suddenly recognized an issue he had overlooked: the family was growing, but the house remained the same size. If another person were added through marriage, it truly would become somewhat tight. The Old Master pondered—did his grandson really need to move out?

The Old Master hesitated. He genuinely did not want his grandson to move out; he cherished every single one of his grandsons and hated the thought of any of them leaving. In the Old Master's view, it was so much better when everyone lived together, lively and warm! If one moved out, how desolate the house would become!

Wang Qingtong noticed the Old Master deep in thought and asked, “Grandpa, is this not the reality of the situation?”

The Old Master was pulled from his reverie. He looked up at Wang Qingtong, intending to refuse, but then considered—his grandson’s concern wasn’t unfounded. Besides, if the brothers eventually divided the property, wouldn’t they have to move out eventually? It was only a matter of time!

“Sigh, what you say has merit. It is indeed a bit crowded living here,” the Old Master sighed.

Wang Qingtong naturally understood the source of the Old Master’s sigh and comforted him, “Grandpa, even if I build a house, I will definitely find a location not far away, so I can still visit you daily, won’t I?”

Only then did the Old Master feel slightly less pained. The Old Madam, seeing that the Old Master was no longer opposed, found it impossible to voice her objections.

The Old Master thought for a moment more and asked, “So, you plan to wait until the house is built before arranging the marriage? Wouldn’t that be too late?”

Wang Qingtong had considered this possibility as well, so he answered, “Grandpa, my initial plan was to wait until after the construction, but then I realized, what if I can’t save enough money for the house for a long time? I can’t just hold off on marrying indefinitely, can I? So, I thought, if after three years I still haven’t saved enough, I will marry first, and then deal with the house building.”

The Old Master, seeing that Wang Qingtong was thoughtful about his plans, nodded and then stated, “Marriage is a great event. Waiting three more years, you’ll be eighteen by then, and it might be hard to find a respectable girl. So, how about this: I will help you gather the funds for the house now, and you can repay me later as you earn. That way, your marriage won’t be delayed!”

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Wang Qingtong shook his head. “Grandpa, you already lent me money when I opened the shop. This time, please save your money well. I will think of another way myself.”

“Hey, didn't you pay back the money I lent you last time quite quickly? So this time, Grandpa is confident you can repay this sum quickly too,” the Old Master chuckled.

The Old Madam, who had been listening and found the three-year plan a bit long, thought the Old Master’s idea was an excellent one. Seeing her grandson about to refuse, she quickly chimed in to support him. “Yes, Qingtong, your grandpa is right. Borrow this money first, get settled with your family, and then you can repay it slowly. Your grandpa and I aren’t in a rush.”

When Wang Qingtong heard the Old Madam concur, he realized refusal was impossible and finally nodded his agreement.

The three of them—grandfather, grandmother, and grandson—finally reached a consensus. The happiest of them all was the Old Madam. She had secretly worried that her grandson might already have someone in mind. Now, not only was there no phantom rival, but the issue that had delayed his marriage was resolved in one go. How could this not bring her joy?

Thus, after dinner that day, the Old Master gathered the entire household to announce Wang Qingtong’s plan to build a house outside the main dwelling.

When Tian Shi heard this, she was deeply dissatisfied. Such a major decision—her son building and moving to a separate house—should have been shared with her beforehand. Instead, she only heard about it now, after everything was decided. She was Qingtong’s own mother; surely this meant she was not being taken seriously?