Cheng Ying burst out laughing. The image of a flock of naked sheep immediately flashed in her mind. The funnier she imagined the scene, the harder she laughed.

Following Cheng Ying's outburst, an abrupt "Hah!" sounded from outside.

It was Chi Wu, having overheard the voices inside. He, too, had likely pictured the naked little sheep.

Cheng Ying spread her hands. "Well, that solves that. No need for me to run messages between rooms; it's simpler now. They heard us directly."

The old lady looked slightly embarrassed, nodding towards her granddaughter while fussing with the wool on the kang, concerned that if it was always left around, it shouldn't go to waste.

It was a shame she couldn't reveal the full extent of it; otherwise, she could weave a sweater for her granddaughter.

She couldn't fathom why the sheep wool from this year's production team was so remarkably fine.

And so, the days of the year slipped by, until the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Cheng Ying saw her eldest uncle arrive with her second uncle and his children to offer early New Year greetings to her grandmother.

Seeing her sons, the old lady felt a swell of joy in her heart. Regardless of the reasons, the mere fact that her sons had come to visit made her happy.

During the grand festival, what else mattered but the presence of children and grandchildren gathered around?

On this matter, Cheng Ying felt a deep pang of guilt toward her grandmother. Without her, her grandmother's life would undoubtedly be better.

Not in terms of material life, but spiritually—who preferred living with a daughter-in-law over the comfort of one's own son? It was all because of her presence here.

Yang Zhi followed Chi Yong, ushering the eldest uncle, second uncle, and the eldest uncle's wife into the east room's kang, warmly pouring them water.

However, her second uncle's wife had not come.

Cheng Ying realized with a faint indifference that she truly didn't care about that absence.

That person had left an indelible impression on Cheng Ying’s memory.

The eldest uncle spoke first. "Mother, this time of year, the team has been constantly busy, so we haven't been able to visit you."

The old lady nodded. "Every household has its own life to live. It's fine, Mother is well. What's there to see? Coming here during the New Year is enough to make me happy."

Cheng Ying sat beside her grandmother, head bowed. Her grandmother’s expectations were truly minimal. Just a visit would suffice.

If they were truly busy, they could have slipped over during the brief time between dinner and a nap to see their own mother.

How could the eldest uncle bring himself to say such a thing? It was far more honest when the second uncle said nothing at all.

Cheng Ying’s good opinion of her eldest uncle had been steadily declining.

After all, even though they didn't live in the same house, when the old man built the house back then, he had intended for the brothers to live close enough for mutual support.

The distance wasn't significant at all; otherwise, how could the second uncle's wife have smelled the stewed fish from their place?

This statement, Cheng Ying suspected, no one took seriously except perhaps her own mother.

The second uncle was straightforward. "Mother, on the morning of the thirtieth, we need to visit the graves. How should we arrange it? Big Brother and I will follow your lead."

Cheng Ying mused that paying respects at the ancestral graves on the thirtieth was a Chinese tradition.

Large families placed importance on ancestor worship. Even though their small household wasn't bound by so many strictures, they still needed to offer something to the ancestors, burning a couple of sheets of joss paper. The act of mounding fresh earth on the grave was done for the prosperity and liveliness of the family line.

It was important to maintain appearances.

This was a major concern for common folk. If a grave lacked fresh earth, people would invariably whisper, "That family isn't completely without heirs; why hasn't anyone mounded their ancestor’s grave?"

Just the other day, she had heard her own old lady muttering that grandfather had visited her in a dream, confirming that they absolutely had to visit the graves on the thirtieth.

Whether it was superstition or not, Cheng Ying didn't know, but she did know that once her grandmother was gone, she would certainly make sure the offerings for her on festivals were lively and grand, as her grandmother cherished such things.

The old lady said, "Your Father Ying has also been gone three years. On the morning of the thirtieth, you two brothers should take Mingzi and the younger ones to visit your father’s grave. Burn plenty of joss paper; I have incense here, you can pick it up when you come over later. Just make it lively. Don't forget to add two more sheets for the ancestral graves, too. Don't mind the trouble; pile up a bit more earth. Your father likes a big mound." She paused. "As for the third one, let Ying Zi's mother take Ying Zi."

Hearing this, Cheng Ying felt something was amiss. Villagers believed in eternal rest once buried, and the importance of returning to one's roots. Everyone who passed away was supposed to lie together with their ancestors; why separate the grave visits? It sounded as if her own father wasn't buried with her grandfather, which contradicted the usual customs.

Cheng Ying wrestled with the conflict internally but ultimately held back from asking in front of everyone.

The eldest uncle's wife spoke up. "Mother, what are you saying? Visiting my father’s grave is our duty. We don't need you to prepare the incense. We already took care of it long ago; we'd be embarrassed if the villagers laughed at us for relying on you."

Cheng Ying had always held a decent opinion of her eldest uncle's wife; at least she presented a respectable façade. This meant she was someone concerned with appearances.

The old lady said nothing more; this wasn't an argument worth having. Offerings were known to the gods, but the incense was for the living to consume. "Fine, listen to you."

The eldest uncle looked at the quiet, downcast old lady. "Mother, if that's all, we’ll be going now."

The old lady paused visibly. So, after sorting out the necessary business, they were leaving? They hadn't even considered sitting down for a chat with her. She couldn't fathom what had created such a rift with her eldest son. But then again, the human heart was unpredictable; it couldn't be forced.

The old lady, having lived through much, accepted it readily. "Mm, go on then."

Cheng Ying couldn't let it go. "Eldest Uncle, please stay a while longer. It's not often you manage to come visit Grandma!"

Cheng Ying noticed her eldest uncle's face flush, a sign that he still possessed a shred of shame, which she considered a good sign.

The eldest uncle's wife interjected. "Ying Zi, what are you saying? It’s just a short walk; your uncle can pop over to see Grandma anytime. Why make it sound like such an immense undertaking?"

The old lady glanced at her granddaughter but said nothing. Her eldest daughter-in-law’s words were worse than silence; if it was such a short walk, why hadn't he visited his own mother sooner?

The eldest uncle looked at his niece. "Ying Zi is well, that relieves my mind."

His words were brittle and strained.

Cheng Ying thought, If I were in trouble, you wouldn't have helped either. What exactly is relieving your mind? But since he was Grandma’s son, she couldn't say this out loud just for her grandmother's sake. After all, as people age, they only desire their children to be near, whether they are dutiful or not; it's the lively atmosphere they crave.

Cheng Ying resolved, I will take care of my grandmother myself in the future. I don't need any of you. Just stay near her and make sure she isn't upset. She truly didn't expect much from her eldest and second uncles. "Mm, the doctor checked me. I'm fine. It's all due to Grandma's blessings bringing good fortune to Ying Zi. It didn't cost much, just a trip into the city to get things sorted out."

With this statement, Cheng Ying was trying to signal to her uncles that their family wasn't in dire straits and they didn't need to distance themselves or feel obligated to share any burden. They should spend more time with her old lady.

But this very statement seemed to make the eldest uncle so mortified that he couldn't bear to stay another minute.

Eldest Uncle Cheng’s face almost turned purple. "That's good, that’s very good that you’re fine. I’ll come by again another time."

He left in a rush.

Cheng Ying actually wanted to pull him back to stay with her grandmother; truly, her old lady’s eyes lit up seeing her sons.

But her stepfather came over and blocked Cheng Ying’s hand. He gave Cheng Ying a deeply troubled look, confusing her. Why is it that the warmer I am, the faster they flee?

Cheng Ying turned to him. "Uncle, I asked Eldest Uncle to stay a bit longer."

Chi Yong thought, This child deliberately aims for the sore spots when she speaks. How could Eldest Brother stay after that? But he couldn't explain that to a child. "It's the New Year; Eldest Uncle's family has their own matters to attend to." He wondered if the girl was intentionally trying to needle them.

Cheng Ying shot Chi Yong a look. Having matters to attend to during the New Year? He must think she was a fool.

The two men stared at each other silently. You don't understand me, and I don't understand you. What a vast distance that is in the world.

The old lady called out, "Eldest Uncle's wife, wait a moment. Take these pants back for the two children; I made them for them for the New Year." She produced a pair of already-made trousers and handed them to the eldest uncle’s wife. Then, she brought out two more identical pairs for the second uncle. "One for each child. They are made from the city's price-adjusted cloth. Don't look down on them; they are durable."

The old lady felt she needed to be clear about this, lest she run into someone as unreasonable as the second uncle’s wife. If she didn't mention the source of the cloth, that woman would accuse her of not preparing clothes for her own children while implying that the fabric money should have been spent elsewhere. A malicious heart was precisely what defined the second uncle’s wife.

The eldest uncle's wife accepted the pants. "Mother, you are the only one who thinks of Mingzi and the others. Those scamps, what good clothes would survive their rough play? We can just alter old clothes for them. The new ones should be saved for Ying Zi to wear; a girl looks better when she is dressed well."

These words were clearly tailored to please the old lady’s heart. No wonder her eldest uncle's wife was favored. Compared to the disposition of the second uncle’s wife, and given that her own mother couldn't coax a single word out of her mother-in-law, she was indeed more endearing.

In contrast, the second uncle took the pants without a word, appearing much duller.

The old lady glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law. "Mm, your third sister-in-law won't say much. Take them all." This was her way of clarifying that the money was spent by Ying Zi's mother, and the favor wasn't hers alone. The old lady was certainly clear-headed in how she managed things.

The eldest uncle's wife's expression grew awkward. "Zhi Zi, Sister-in-law thanks you on behalf of the nephews."

The second uncle said, "Mother, Ying Zi and her parents have a hard time. Don't worry about us in the future; we are all better off than you."

Cheng Ying replied frankly, "Second Uncle, Grandma only worries about Dunzi; she can't help it."

Chi Yong was amused. "They are all children. It’s the New Year; giving the children something new makes everyone happy."

The words the old lady had just spoken pleased Chi Yong and Yang Zhi greatly. It was proper for the old lady to make clothes for her grandsons, but by attributing the expense to Yang Zhi, she was showing her youngest daughter-in-law how to handle matters properly as a younger sister-in-law. Yang Zhi was grateful to the old lady; that was unexpected. Of course, even if Yang Zhi had expected it, the old lady wouldn't have given her money to spend recklessly. To make things look right required paving the way with money.

The second uncle fell silent. "Mother, then I'll be going first."

Cheng Ying suspected the second uncle had intended to bring some gifts for the old lady and the children for the New Year, but he probably needed to go discuss it with his wife first—and the outcome was predictable.

The eldest uncle's wife said, "Mother, we should go too. On New Year's Day, why don't you come over and eat with us?"

The way she added that "ba" (a particle suggesting a gentle proposal) sounded awkward to Cheng Ying. She thought the eldest son should have been the one to gather his brothers to spend the New Year with their mother instead of her saying that. It seemed the eldest uncle's family had no such intention.

The old lady replied, "No need. I will celebrate with Ying Zi and them here; it’s perfectly fine."

The eldest uncle's wife left without lingering. Cheng Ying realized she had overestimated her; this woman couldn't even manage the superficial act of politeness completely.

Yang Zhi, however, was quite sincere. After seeing the guests out, she said to the old lady, "Mother, we always celebrated together in previous years. Why don't we do that this time? After visiting the graves in the morning, everyone can gather here for some celebration."