Chi Yong offered a gentle smile. "Second brother came to see Mother. Let Second Brother spend more time talking with her; it will lift Mother's spirits."

Cheng Ying nodded subtly. Her stepfather certainly knew how to handle things.

Yang Zhi smoothed her hair. "That's true. Big sister-in-law and the others stayed briefly and then left; they didn't run into Second Brother and the others."

Cheng Ying knew for a fact that Big Uncle hadn't come; Big Aunt must have come alone and left after a brief encounter. Any visit was better than none.

Chi Yong said, "It’s such a cold day, let’s go inside to talk."

Yang Zhi tucked her hair back, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Hurry inside, it’s warm in the house. Why was I chattering on so?"

Yang Zhi secretly wondered why her own mother was so excited.

Chi Yong asked, "Mm, what is it that makes you so happy?"

Though Cheng Ying was walking inside, her ears were alert, still listening intently.

She heard her own mother say, "Mother just said that on the second day [of the New Year], she wants us to go to my parents' home."

Chi Yong nodded along. "The second day is traditionally when a daughter-in-law returns to her maternal home anyway."

The implication was clear: what was there to be so happy about?

Yang Zhi pursed her lips and smiled. Ever since she remarried, Yang Zhi had assumed her mother-in-law would never agree to her visiting her own family. To think the old woman hadn't made a fuss about it—it was hard not to be thrilled.

Chi Yong glanced at Yang Zhi, shook his head, and entered the house. His wife's expectations had always been so modest; she was a person easily content.

Cheng Ying watched her stepfather's expression and thought, This man is utterly disingenuous.

He was clearly guiding her mother not to be so easily satisfied. Though subtle, he was deliberately diminishing the status of the old lady in her mother's heart. His intentions were malicious. His heart should be condemned. If this continued, she worried about the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Still, the second day was traditionally the day for a daughter-in-law to visit her parents. Why was her mother so excited about something so standard? Truly, she had such low aspirations.

Cheng Ying dismissed the thought and entered, calling out, "Grandma, I’m back."

With that greeting, the entire dim little room was suddenly filled with vitality. Even in the dead of winter, it felt like the arrival of spring.

The old lady said, "Yingzi, hurry in! It’s cold outside. Why are you getting back so late? You little whirlwind, you vanish once you’re let out."

Cheng Ying countered, "Grandma, you were the one who told me to go out and play. Why are you scolding me now that I’m back?"

The old lady patted the back of her granddaughter’s head, feeling relieved that she wasn't too cold. "You little rascal, I haven't even done anything to you yet, and you’re already talking back. Come quickly, Grandma has baked sweet potatoes for you. Eat those first to settle your stomach; it’s still early before we boil dumplings."

Cheng Ying was delighted; after wandering around, she was certainly hungry.

Watching her granddaughter eat the hot sweet potato warmed the old lady’s heart. She knew her granddaughter—this child was sensible and endearing.

Cheng Ying ate the hot sweet potato, feeling warmth spread through her. "Grandma, is this the only piece?"

The old lady raised an eyebrow at her granddaughter, then pouted, even giving a little wink.

Cheng Ying understood immediately. The old lady wanted her to call Chi Wu over—Grandma always made sure she was the one to invite him, proving she was a true grandmother.

Cheng Ying, when the old lady wasn't looking, leaned across the brazier and planted a quick kiss on the old lady’s cheek.

This earned her a disdainful slap.

Cheng Ying then shouted, "Wuzi, come here! Grandma has baked sweet potatoes for us!"

With that shout, the entire neighborhood must have heard. She was truly the type who insisted on publicizing every good deed.

The old lady flinched in surprise. "You noisy child, why are you shouting so loud? You’re scaring people!"

Cheng Ying chuckled mischievously; she did it on purpose, wanting everyone to hear how well their Grandma treated Wu Zi, just to stop those other women from gossiping privately. In the countryside, no matter how simple the people, idle talk traveled fast. Especially for a family with Cheng Ying’s complicated background, people would find something to talk about even if nothing was wrong.

Chi Wu stared blankly for a full moment before realizing it was a surprise falling from the sky. The old lady still thought of him! Chi Wu, who had held his breath for ages, finally called out, "Coming!" His voice was laced with delight and was certainly louder than Cheng Ying’s call.

With those two loud greetings, the house wasn't just returning to spring; it was truly warming up.

Yang Zhi’s face, typically thin as a vegetable leaf, now seemed flushed with life. Even Chi Yong’s eyebrows betrayed a hint of joy. Even the old lady felt that with these two children around, the whole house radiated a lively energy. For the first time, the atmosphere of the New Year truly began to take shape.

Chi Wu settled in the east room, leaning by the brazier, eating sweet potatoes, and didn't leave the room. Once Chi Yong and Yang Zhi finished their chores, they too came to the east room to sit by the brazier with the old lady.

It was the Lunar New Year, yet there wasn't a single firecracker sound in the village. The family just sat by the brazier until deep into the night. Despite the quiet, the New Year spirit was thick. The core emotion was there. Cheng Ying and Chi Wu stared at the dumplings, their mouths practically watering.

But the old lady refused to start boiling dumplings before midnight. Thankfully, with Cheng Ying and Chi Wu present, they had someone to talk to; otherwise, they wouldn't have known what to say.

When they finally boiled the dumplings past midnight, Cheng Ying finally felt a spark of liveliness. Every household cast a dim, smoky haze from their yellowed kerosene lamps—the steam from cooking dumplings. The courtyard outside was bustling; all the children were out and active.

The old lady fished out two bowls of dumplings and placed them on the stove—these were offerings to the Kitchen God. Just then, they heard the heavy, manually operated iron bell, hanging from the crooked-necked tree in the production team area, being struck. The sound was clear and sweet, carrying an extra note of festivity compared to usual.

The old lady announced, "It's twelve o'clock. Hurry up and eat the dumplings!"

Only then did she lead the family inside to eat. As Cheng Ying sat on the kang, eating dumplings, she was so overcome with emotion she didn't know what to say. It had been so long since they had a meal of fine grains! Why was she so moved? People always preached that eating coarse grains promoted health, but let anyone try eating mixed grains for every meal, and they certainly wouldn't be so smug. Seeing the dumplings made her want to cry.

Cheng Ying took a bite, feeling utter contentment. "Grandma, when your granddaughter becomes successful, our family will have dumplings every day!"

At this moment, this was Cheng Ying’s singular hope—to strive so their family could eat dumplings every day.

The old lady replied, "Grandma is waiting for our Yingzi to make it so we have dumplings every day!"

The two of them chatted excitedly, and even Chi Wu felt Cheng Ying's ambition was wonderful. He secretly resolved that he too would have dumplings every day in the future. This aspiration thus became a shared goal for the two of them.

Yang Zhi’s expression was joyful. Since the family split, smiles had become far more frequent on Yang Zhi’s face. Often, when alone, she would just be grinning foolishly. It showed how much pressure she had been under, and how happy she was to finally have her own life.

As for Chi Yong, he remained perpetually detached. In Cheng Ying’s eyes, he always seemed like a master recluse, the kind who avoids the world.

Of course, in the old lady’s view, Chi Yong’s demeanor was irritating—what master recluse? He was just putting on airs. He was full of scheming intentions, something the old lady had discussed with her granddaughter in private, and discussed in depth.

Cheng Ying slept soundly after eating the dumplings, but the old lady showed no leniency to her granddaughter on the first day of the New Year. She dug Cheng Ying out of her warm covers early in the morning. "Get up, hurry and eat! People will be coming to pay New Year's calls soon; you’ll be caught under the covers!"

Having stayed up late yesterday, Cheng Ying really couldn't get up. "Grandma, let me sleep a little longer. It won't be that early."

The old lady exclaimed, "Oh, you're spoiled! Hurry up and get out of bed. What will you do when school starts? Get up right now!"

Cheng Ying had no choice when the old lady threw her authority around. She got up slowly, reluctant to leave the warmth of the covers, not even wanting to step off the kang. She managed to put on her clothes while staying curled up on the heated brick bed, refusing to budge.

Chi Wu came into the room. "You get up too. Mingzi and the others are already wandering around outside."

Cheng Ying snapped, "Mind your own business!"

Chi Wu insisted, "Hurry up and get up, it’s snowing outside!"

That actually tempted Cheng Ying; she loved snowscapes. But she still didn't want to move—too sleepy, too cold.

Chi Wu turned and left. A moment later, Cheng Ying let out an excited shriek and chased after Chi Wu, yelling.

The old lady thought to herself, Children, they have so much energy on the first day of the year. She paid no mind to the two of them.

Cheng Ying’s internal fire was raging; she felt like tearing the roof off the house if she didn't get her way for two days straight. Chi Wu, you scoundrel! How dare you stuff snow down my neck! She was genuinely furious. It was equivalent to a woman in her thirties being bullied by a little brat; how could she possibly endure it?

As it was, although Chi Wu was the same age as Cheng Ying, and Cheng Ying was slightly taller, when it came to speed, Cheng Ying and Chi Wu were in completely different leagues. How could Cheng Ying possibly catch a boy like Chi Wu who spent all his days roaming the mountains? Besides, even if Cheng Ying’s body could keep up, her spirit couldn't. Cheng Ying always felt her old bones and tired legs weren't suited for strenuous activity; her mind couldn't keep up. She hadn't adjusted yet; her body and soul hadn't quite synchronized.

After running until she was sweating, Cheng Ying finally felt settled. The fire in her heart had vanished as she looked at the snow under her feet. She took a deep breath—the first day of the New Year, a fresh start!

Chi Wu waited until Cheng Ying’s anger subsided before sidling up to her. "Well? Not bad, was it?"

Cheng Ying huffed. "Hmph, I can’t be bothered with you. Next time, just watch how I deal with you."

Chi Wu teased, "If you can even catch me."

Cheng Ying decided not to stoop to the level of a child. "Let's go. Since we're out, we should go pay New Year's calls."

Chi Wu complained, "So early? They haven't even eaten yet."

Cheng Ying retorted, "Just follow me. What do you know? The earlier you go, the happier they’ll be."

Chi Wu had no objection and followed right behind Cheng Ying. At this time, Chi Wu was truly a little shadow, deferring to Cheng Ying in everything.

Although Cheng Ying said she was paying New Year's calls, she only visited three households: the Team Leader’s, Big Uncle’s, and Second Uncle’s. As for the others, she hadn't met them all yet; why bother visiting them?

Still, Chi Wu was thrilled, his pocket stuffed full of dried sweet potatoes, making him grin so wide his back teeth showed. The Team Leader's third wife even gave them each five cents. The child had suffered; this was the first year someone had given him food. In previous years, where would Chi Wu have gone to pay New Year's calls?

When Cheng Ying and Chi Wu returned, their own family was just sitting down to eat.

The old lady looked at the items in her granddaughter's pocket, asking one by one where everything came from and who gave it to her. When she heard that neither her eldest daughter-in-law nor her second daughter-in-law had given her granddaughter any New Year's money, the old lady’s expression immediately darkened.