I did it all for the satisfaction of being able to tell people when my granddaughter eventually married that her father and mother were good people.

The old woman looked at her granddaughter, then squinted her eyes shut. She was old, and sudden emotional swings were truly too much for her to bear.

If it weren't for the old woman’s robust health, any ordinary person would have been struck down with cerebral hemorrhage, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease all at once. Cheng Ying dared to be so rowdy because she knew the old woman was healthy and didn't even take pills usually.

As dusk settled, Yang Zhi came in. "Mom, let's eat. If you sleep more, you won't sleep tonight."

The old woman woke Cheng Ying. The family ate a meal of cornmeal gruel and green onions dipped in sauce from the yard.

Only then did Cheng Ying feel truly alive. "Finally, I have some strength! Grandma, you don't know, nothing tasted good these past few days. Only today does this meal taste right."

The old woman scooped her granddaughter another spoonful. "Eat more." She knew the child was troubled, which was why nothing tasted good.

Chi Wu chimed in, "Everything tastes good to me, just like the flavor the day before yesterday."

Cheng Ying shot back, "You just eat and sleep like a fool."

Chi Wu immediately took offense and stopped speaking to Cheng Ying.

Yang Zhi watched the two children remain silent. Though they fought fiercely, they would work together later; there was nothing to worry about.

Chi Yong said, "Mom, I'll go out for a while tonight. This matter, this is an opportunity right now. The commotion at home is drawing attention, so it will look acceptable if I borrow money from the production team."

The old woman replied, "Fine."

Chi Yong continued, "Mom, I was thinking, later you can prepare a couple of dishes, and tomorrow we should invite the team leader and the village head over. After all, that mountain plot was given to us; we spent a lot of money on it. We should clearly document the boundaries, etc. Even if no one values it now, who knows what the future holds?"

Cheng Ying quickly grabbed the ladle and poured a scoop of the gruel for her stepfather, entirely satisfied with his proposal.

The old woman said, "Mm, I know. You call the people over; whenever works, we'll be ready at home."

Their plans were well laid, but before Chi Yong could even step out, people from the production team arrived to distribute money—one hundred and fifty yuan per household. The rest would be kept by the team for future contingencies, saving them the trouble of asking everyone for money later. The village head and the accountant would hold the funds, reporting every penny spent to the village.

Cheng Ying calculated that the village had over a hundred households, and this was the whole village, not just a small team. When she inquired about the amount, the old woman said, "Are you still not satisfied? Ours is considered a large village. That elementary school was almost established in our village back then. If that teacher hadn't been from the village where you all went to school, you wouldn't have to travel so far now for school."

Cheng Ying resented that teacher for not establishing the school in their own village. Look at the suffering endured just in the first half of the year.

Chi Yong declared, "Now there's no need to borrow money."

Cheng Ying agreed, "Indeed, we wouldn't have a way to tell people we were broke."

Chi Yong started to say, "It's fine, later..." but then fell silent.

The old woman interjected, "Later, I'll chat with your Third Aunt. You silly girl, you were tricked. I'll handle it."

Chi Yong thought to himself that it was good the old woman understood; this was for Ying's own good. Being fooled was better than being targeted.

Chi Yong then said, "Mom, I'll go talk to the team; we'll reserve the mule cart first."

The old woman nodded. "Mm, go ahead."

Cheng Ying said nothing. It was clear her stepfather was a man of immediate action.

When it was time for bed, Chi Wu started tossing and turning. Cheng Ying turned on the lamp and saw him lying on the mattress in only his large shorts, completely uncovered. Then she noticed a dense patch of small bumps on his chest, the tips already turning white.

Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Why didn't you say something earlier? Look how bad it's gotten."

Chi Wu replied, "I didn't notice. I only realized when I couldn't sleep. I don't know when they started growing."

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu; denying she was moved would be a lie. All those heat rashes were from being wrapped up yesterday. He had ridden his bike with the tiger skin tied to his chest—how could he not get rashes? It was just that these past couple of days had been too busy, too chaotic, too full of worries, and she had forgotten about Chi Wu.

How uncomfortable this must be. Cheng Ying said, "Wait for me, I'll get water for you to wash first."

Chi Wu demurred, "No need. It'll pass later."

The old woman got up. "Oh, you troublesome child, what were you doing to bring on a whole body of this? This stuff itches like drilling thorns; how could you possibly sleep?" With that, she got up and pulled on her clothes.

Cheng Ying explained, "The day before yesterday, Wu Zi was afraid I’d be unsafe carrying the tiger skin, so he tied it to his chest."

The old woman glanced at Chi Wu, thinking this child was endearingly foolish. "Serves you right." She stepped down and pushed the door open, going outside.

Cheng Ying followed, fetching an armful of firewood and lighting a large pot, filling it halfway with water. Luckily, it was summer, so the water heated up quickly.

Cheng Ying called out, "Wu Zi, get up, soak a bit first."

While no one was looking, Cheng Ying fetched cool water from her space. Moreover, she put a generous amount of honeysuckle—all produced from her space—into Chi Wu's large basin.

Chi Wu emerged, scratching his chest. "Oh dear, you spendthrift! That’s money! Why did you put it all in the basin?"

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu, still concerned about money even in this state. "Go wash."

Chi Wu was thoroughly displeased, finding the sight of the flowers more irritating than the itching on his chest. It was all money!

Admittedly, the water from the space was excellent. Chi Wu felt that as he soaked, the intense itching on his chest subsided considerably. The water had grown cool, yet he was reluctant to get out.

Chi Yong and Yang Zhi heard the commotion outside and got up too.

Cheng Ying assured them, "It's nothing, just Wu Zi came out with heat rash all over, so I'm soaking him."

Chi Yong grumbled, "When you're done soaking, get up. Stirring things up in the middle of the night." He came out reluctantly.

As soon as he dried off, the old woman re-entered from outside, holding two sesame stalks in her hand.

Yang Zhi asked, "Mom, why didn't you call me when you went out in the middle of the night? It's so dark; what if you ran into trouble?"

The old woman retorted, "I'm much more spry than you are." This suggested she didn't want to be told what to do.

Cheng Ying watched as the old woman picked the flowers off the sesame stalks, crushed them into a paste, and rubbed it onto Chi Wu’s chest. "Alright, go to sleep now. This is an old folk remedy; I guarantee you'll be fine by morning."

Chi Wu felt the stinging itch on his chest subside, though it was now covered in a layer of paste, which was still uncomfortable. After all the fuss, they finally managed to sleep.

The next morning, when Cheng Ying woke up, there was already a cartload of stones in their yard.

Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Grandma, so early!"

The old woman was cooking outside. "At this hour, we can still do some work. It’s too hot by noon, unbearable for us and the mule."

An auntie from outside called over, "Old Mrs., what are you building? Why did you tear down the brush fences?"

The old woman stepped out and chatted at the doorway. "My girl is too willful; I'm building a wall to stop her from running off."

The visitor laughed heartily. "Ying'er is good, such a well-behaved and filial child!"

The old woman’s face immediately fell. Well-behaved, yes, but the hundred-plus yuan the visitor mentioned was money her granddaughter had squandered. However, she didn't want to say that in front of her granddaughter. The granddaughter had done it for her son, but the old woman didn't want people thinking her granddaughter was a complete fool and laughing behind her back.

Cheng Ying didn't mind; she knew what the woman was likely thinking—three thousand yuan given to the village just for a piece of barren mountain land. Cheng Ying had seen enough of the villagers' gossip. With a bright, smiling face, she addressed the woman outside, "Auntie, we're building a wall. Aren't you building one? The team gave our family over a hundred yuan!"

The woman looked at Cheng Ying with pity. Three thousand-plus yuan reduced to a little over a hundred, and the girl was still so happy. Who would ever want to marry such a girl? She was as foolish as her mother.

Cheng Ying thought, This is the rhythm where they just let me be foolish to the end.

The old woman looked at Cheng Ying but said nothing. It was enough for her to know her granddaughter's character. In any case, she wouldn't approve of the kind of mother-in-law the woman seemed to be, and her granddaughter certainly wouldn't marry into such a family.

Cheng Ying pursed her lips. "Auntie, I heard there are many wolf cubs in the mountains now. Everyone in the village will be busy later, and it's worrying to leave the young children at home. Grandma is afraid that I'll be left alone and a wolf cub will snatch me away, so she's specifically building a stone wall."

Oh dear, did this girl have no shame? She was a grown girl; what wolf cub would snatch her? If a cub snatched anyone, it would be a small child, right? Then again, she had young children herself, and a high, imposing stone wall would indeed be comforting to look at once it was finished.

The auntie looked at the old Cheng family's supposedly foolish girl and chuckled a few times. "That's good, that's good, very good. Your grandma is so kind!" Then she turned to the old woman, "Old Mrs., keep busy. If you need help, just say so. I’ll be going now." With that, she left. This was considered decent of her; she hadn't openly asked if Ying’s head was addled.

That's how villagers were. Wherever there was excitement, they had to gather information. Soon enough, the auntie would spread the news that the Cheng Ying family was building a stone enclosure.

Cheng Ying thought that the best thing about this era was the incredibly cheap advertising. No special promotion was needed. She could already imagine the villagers' interpretation: building an enclosure? That’s to guard against thieves in the house. The tiger skin caused so much trouble; this wall should have been built long ago.

Cheng Ying looked at the woman and thought that she had benefited the entire village, but instead of gaining a reputation for wisdom, she was seen as a complete idiot. Ah, even the kind-hearted were remembered like this.

"Grandma, that auntie is really nice. Why does she look so endearing? She even praised me!"

The old woman looked at her granddaughter, wondering if the girl was having a fit. Ignoring her, in a bad mood, she didn't stay outside but went straight indoors.

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying, certain she was hatching some new scheme. When had he ever seen her suffer a loss? Someone else was bound to be unlucky.

Cheng Ying truly felt the misunderstanding was too large. If spending money bought a good reputation, Cheng Ying didn't mind. If it bought a reputation for being honest and genuine, she minded even less. But they couldn't treat her like a complete simpleton and then look at her with pity right to her face; that was just provoking her.

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu’s chest. "Does it still itch?"

Chi Wu replied, "It's fine now, I don't feel anything. Grandma's sesame flowers really work."

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu with a deep, enigmatic expression. Why was it Grandma’s sesame flowers that worked? Did he have any idea what I used on you last night? Why didn't he mention it at all? Forget it; good deeds should remain unknown. I won't bother arguing with a hapless child. "It's good that you're fine. Come on, let’s go take a look at our mountain plot."

Cheng Ying grabbed Chi Wu and pulled him along to head up the mountain.