It was likely winter, and the young women and wives here were bundled up from head to toe. Only their faces showed. From a distance, they all looked the same. No one knew what they would look like when spring finally arrived. Cheng Ying was eagerly anticipating the warmth; it was a tangible sign of her integration and growing sense of belonging here.

The latch on the outer gate was pushed open, and Cheng Ying, peering through the papered window, saw Chi Wu re-enter, a basket slung on his back. Vaguely, she could make out that he had been out collecting firewood. What a sensible child he was. And clearly, he cared deeply about the state of the household. That effort was appreciated. The old lady glanced toward the window, pursed her lips, and said nothing. Cheng Ying understood; looking at such a considerate boy, even if one found him disagreeable, the harsh words wouldn't come out. Cheng Ying stifled a smile internally; the old lady would probably need a long time to adjust to this situation. But why was Chi Wu walking around the courtyard with the basket still on his back? Was the boy foolish? Why wouldn't he set it down? It must be heavy.

Yang Zhi, from the main room floor, immediately began fussing, "Wuzi, hurry and put that down! It’ll chafe your shoulders raw." Chi Wu mumbled, "Mmm, why isn't Yingzi out in the yard?" Yang Zhi was delighted. Oh, Wuzi was calling Yingzi by name for the first time! Her adopted son and daughter getting along well was the best thing in the world for her. So, she spoke cheerfully, "Yingzi is inside. Hurry and set down the firewood, then go find her in the house." Chi Wu, still carrying the basket, walked to the wall beneath the east room window and coughed twice—Kek-kek.

This was a signal for Cheng Ying. She lowered her head, careful not to look at her grandmother. Thankfully, the boy hadn't resorted to imitating a cat’s meow. The old lady let out a cold snort, "No good thing comes from that direction." Cheng Ying bit her lip, trying not to laugh. Seeing Chi Wu’s awkwardness, she knew he had managed to bring the fish home. Good child, walking around with the stolen evidence in hand, unsure what to do, probably panicking inside. Cheng Ying quickly slipped on her shoes and got down, whispering to the old lady, "He definitely brought the fish back." The old lady’s face darkened. When had her carefully raised granddaughter started developing such a roguish look? The old lady was deeply reluctant but instructed her granddaughter, "You settle down and get organized quickly. Your mother is timid; don't let her find out." Cheng Ying nodded. Her grandmother certainly had foresight; if her own mother saw this, she wouldn't even enjoy the fish soup that evening. Cheng Ying, in the midst of her haste, glanced back to give her grandmother a vote of approval. "I’ll listen to you, Grandma. I’ll go out and sort things out first." The old lady waved her granddaughter away, her mouth tightly sealed. This child needed careful watching. The old lady prided herself on never having slackened in her upbringing of her granddaughter. How had the change been so drastic? It must all be the influence of the second daughter-in-law. The old lady felt even more annoyed with her sharp-tongued, gossiping second daughter-in-law, who had led her pure, snow-white granddaughter astray. However, if her granddaughter were exactly like her own mother, she wouldn't be entirely at ease either. This way seemed just about right. In the old lady's heart, no matter what, Cheng Ying was the best. The old lady’s heart was biased.

When Cheng Ying went outside, she saw Chi Wu's face flushed crimson and his forehead beaded with sweat. Seeing Cheng Ying was like seeing a relative; he nervously approached with the basket, clutching it like a thief. "Hurry up! You scared me half to death. I’m never doing this again." Cheng Ying scoffed, "Look at you. You call that courage? You’re a man, aren't you? No one has done anything yet, and you’re scaring yourself to death." Chi Wu’s face reddened further, this time from anger. "Man? A man earns work points with strength to support the family! Don't talk nonsense. That's an improper influence; that’s damaging collective interests. That’s a crime!" Well, the child’s accusations were growing increasingly severe. Cheng Ying sighed dramatically, "I have failed the Party, I have failed the people. I'll eat the fish tonight myself, just to avoid implicating you. Happy now?" Chi Wu quieted down; apparently, that threat worked. "Hmph. Don't dream about it. Why should you get it all?" Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu with a slight smile. "If you want some, shut up. At least I'm true to my own stomach." Then, the two of them furtively carried the basket to a secluded corner of their yard. Chi Wu struggled to shift the firewood aside, revealing two fish nestled at the very bottom of the basket. One large, one small, both frozen solid until they clinked. Cheng Ying remarked, "Luckily it's winter. If it were summer, these fish would already stink." Chi Wu stared at the two fish. "What should we do?" The boy was worried; they had fish but didn't dare eat them. He worried about what the adults would say if they found out. Cheng Ying tapped him lightly on the head. "Just wait and eat." Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying, his eyes showing more suspicion than trust. Cheng Ying huffed, "What are you looking at? I told you to wait and eat. Next time you go gathering firewood, don't forget to call me." Chi Wu’s eyes widened. He couldn't quite believe that this girl—who was always scheming for an advantage—actually wanted to go out and work with him. It didn't fit her character at all. "Are you plotting for something again?" Truly, Cheng Ying's nature seemed deeply ingrained and unchangeable to Chi Wu. Cheng Ying ground her teeth. "Why do you only think the worst of me, you little brat? Am I always so selfish? Do I only go out if I'm coveting something?" Of course, she was usually that kind of person. But this time, she genuinely wanted to help collect firewood. It was entirely for her mother and grandmother’s sake. Why was she being looked down upon by this boy? Cheng Ying was quite displeased; it wasn't easy even trying to do a good deed. Chi Wu’s expression didn’t change, but his words were sharp and stubborn. "If you ever do anything good, why should I assume it?" Cheng Ying’s face flushed crimson with anger. "Why don't I ever do anything good? I got two false work points for you, didn't I? And this fish—aren't you going to eat it? And..." And the socks, which weren't finished yet; she couldn't mention those now. Chi Wu’s face reddened. "Don't mention your work points. It’s too embarrassing." With that, he walked away. This boy had an even quicker temper than Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying was so angry her head started to throb, worse than when she cursed the heavens. This brat was simply too provocative. Seeing that her own mother wasn't paying attention, Cheng Ying turned and went inside.

In the back courtyard of Cheng Ying’s house, some farm tools were stored. This area was much colder and shadier than the sunlit front part. Cheng Ying hid the fish among the tools before turning to re-enter the house. She didn't forget to lift the door curtain and signal her grandmother, indicating she had hidden the item safely. In Cheng Ying’s view, this maneuver felt somewhat like espionage, like an underground operative. In Chi Wu’s view, this girl Cheng Ying was simply irredeemably bad. Look at that gesture, and look at how smoothly she did it. And the hiding spot—this was clearly the work of a practiced villain. He thought about himself, how he hadn't eaten or slept well these past few days, constantly worrying about where to hide the fish. He had already moved it several times today. How could this girl be so calm, treating it like nothing? It made him angry just thinking about it. They were clearly operating on different levels.

When the two entered the house, Cheng Ying helped Chi Wu move the firewood aside. By this time, the aroma of fish soup was already drifting from the cooking pot. Cheng Ying took a deep breath; it was such a wonderful sensation. Chi Wu was far less composed than Cheng Ying; his eyes were fixed directly on the kitchen. Cheng Ying nudged him. "Hey, how about that? From now on, we can enjoy this at least three more times." Chi Wu nodded along, right, they had three fish in total. His mouth curved into a silly grin. The boy was too easily satisfied. Cheng Ying smiled subtly; she had successfully led the good child astray. Seeing Cheng Ying’s upturned lips, Chi Wu remembered his own earlier embarrassment and let out a cold "Hmph." But at least he didn't launch into a lecture full of moralizing. When faced with fish soup, everything else felt empty.

The courtyard wasn't exactly private; a single low fence wall couldn't hide anything. The scent of fish soup had barely drifted out when several aunties started loitering outside the fence. "Yingzi, are you celebrating the New Year early? Why are you stewing fish today?" Good heavens, their noses were sharp enough. That sound immediately called Cheng Ying out from the main room floor. Cheng Ying smiled slightly. "No, Grandma said I got chilled pulling things from the water and damaged my foundation. She told my mother to make me some fish soup to replenish myself. Grandma said she’d make the one fish into soup for me three separate times." This was laying the groundwork for the next two meals of fish soup. Chi Wu kept his head down, silent, adding "cunning" to his assessment of Cheng Ying. The aunties outside pursed their lips. This family was too much; they only got one fish all year, and it was all for the girl. What would others eat? "Yingzi, tell your grandma, Chi Wu isn't so small anymore. Don't mistreat the child just because he was brought in later. These children are growing! We don't have this kind of treatment in our village." Cheng Ying had never seen anyone so adept at stirring up trouble. Just as she was about to speak, her old grandmother emerged. Cheng Ying turned and saw the old lady standing with her hands on her hips, legs slightly apart, her narrow eyes glaring—a classic posture. The old lady's opening shot was a killing blow: "Who is this unpleasant creature lurking at my doorway stirring up trouble? Turns out it’s just a big-mouthed gossip. How dare you talk about other people's households? Truly, nothing in this village can be kept secret from you. Your own mother-in-law hasn't been angered to death by you yet, and you're already causing a ruckus outside! You are the only one in this village who angers her mother-in-law. You should come to our house less often; my granddaughter and your family are not the same kind of people." Then the old lady looked up at the sky. "Why is that wretched Jiaqiaozi shouting so loudly? She specifically comes out to provoke people!" This was veiled criticism aimed at someone else. The visitor's face flushed pale before she left. Cheng Ying looked up at the sky. In the dead of winter, even a sparrow wouldn't be out unless it was freezing to death. The old lady was fierce. Chi Wu watched the old lady's mouth open and close, having only one realization: this old lady could still invent so many ways to scold someone. From now on, he would be even more afraid to speak up in front of her. For Chi Wu, this was a form of transformation through deterrence. With his grandmother standing guard at the door like that, not a single person who had been hovering around gossiping dared to utter a sound. They wandered around once and then returned. Of course, there were a few charitable ones. "Sister-in-law, Yingzi's health really does need replenishing." The old lady's ability to shift moods was formidable. Hearing such words, she became polite toward the speaker. "Auntie Yingzi, thank you for your concern. We don't have many valuables in the house, so we do what we can for the child. As long as Yingzi can pull through."