Cheng Ying wanted to turn back and ask the Old Mistress if there was a suitable medicinal plaster recipe; after all, they came from a family of healers, even if they only sold dog-skin plasters. If there was a proper one, that would be best.

After the family finished eating, Chi Yong said, "Mom, Zhi Zi and I will head to the field first and finish harvesting the beans. Next week, we'll do the corn. What do you think?"

The Old Mistress frowned. "Isn't it a bit early? No one else has made a move yet."

Chi Yong countered, "No one can compare to our two, and we can only work on Sundays."

The Old Mistress said with maternal distress, "It's a pity. If we left them for a couple more days, the pods would be plumper. It’s a waste now, they definitely won't weigh as much."

Chi Yong replied, "Mom, this is all for us to eat. Let's leave it at that. If we wait longer and can’t get to them, the pods will burst open and fall to the ground—that’s the real waste."

"Fine, we'll listen to you. You should have said so earlier! I would have cooked sooner. Now you have to work under the hot sun."

"Mom, those beans aren't a big deal. I can manage them myself. I won't be out under the sun."

Yang Zhi chimed in, "That's right, Mom. It won't delay dinner at all. I’ll cook at home today. The meat rolls from the school cafeteria were delicious. I specifically learned the recipe from the chef. I’ll make them for you to taste today."

The Old Mistress looked at Yang Zhi with immense satisfaction, pleased that her daughter-in-law cared about the household. "Meat rolls? You’re wasting money! White flour and meat—how could they possibly taste bad?"

Yang Zhi lowered her head in shame, "The meat is sold, but I brought the flour back." The implication was clear: she should be allowed to cook it.

Cheng Ying understood perfectly; the Old Mistress was certainly pleased deep down, but her words always came out so awkward, always leaving room for misinterpretation. If she weren't so sharp-witted, she might think the Old Mistress was just mean and stingy.

Cheng Ying piped up, "Grandma, I’ve never tried them before."

The Old Mistress let out a cold snort—a sign she would offer no further comment.

Yang Zhi bit her lip and went out, understanding that the Old Mistress had implicitly agreed.

From behind the door, Yang Zhi called out, "Mom, should I mix in a bowl of cornmeal?"

Cheng Ying felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Can’t we just have one meal with just white flour?

The Old Mistress looked at her granddaughter’s expression, then at Chi Wu beside her. "Forget it. It’s a rare treat to improve the diet; don’t add the cornmeal."

Cheng Ying pursed her lips, mirroring Yang Zhi’s earlier expression.

Chi Yong only heard his wife’s cheerful agreement outside; clearly, she was in a better mood now. "Yes," he sighed and walked away, deciding to go work instead. His wife seemed to have a tendency toward masochism, yet she never acted that way around him. Chi Yong was utterly puzzled.

Cheng Ying turned to the Old Mistress. "Grandma, Mom is cooking today, so Uncle doesn't need us two to follow him to the fields. Shall we go for a walk?"

Chi Wu raised an eyebrow, wondering what scheme the Old Mistress was being drawn into. "Where to?"

The Old Mistress replied, "You two go ahead. I won’t tag along with you two."

"Don't be like that, Grandma. I specifically wanted you to come see our mountain property. Don't you want to see what it’s like?"

The Old Mistress pursed her lips and stayed silent. Seeing the mountain land was a small matter, but since her son was buried, she, as his mother, hadn't been there more than a few times. It was because of her feet. It was no lie that the Old Mistress envied women with unbound feet. But what could she do? She had lived this way for so many years. "You go ahead."

Cheng Ying knew exactly what the Old Mistress's silence meant. "Grandma, it’s really no trouble. It’s just Chi Wu and me; we can’t possibly fail to manage you. Let's go."

"Don't sweet-talk me. No matter how well the path is fixed, it’s still uphill. How can you carry someone uphill?" Look how self-aware the Old Mistress was.

"Oh, my dear Grandma! We won’t push, we’ll just roll you along! Look how tall and strong Wu Zi is. Just come!" With that, Cheng Ying tugged the Old Mistress toward the door.

Chi Wu finally understood: today, he was meant to be the labor. Didn't they just say he was tall and strong? He cooperated, following them out, shoving the items he was holding back into his pockets. The little dog outside barked excitedly but was locked inside by Cheng Ying. "Today, I’m not taking you. No one will wait on you!"

The three locked the door and prepared to set off.

The Old Mistress hesitated when she saw the bicycle. How was she supposed to ride that? Chi Wu was indeed noticeably taller than Cheng Ying, but carrying someone still made him look fragile. "I'm not going. You two go have fun."

Chi Wu straddled the bike and started pedaling with one foot. Cheng Ying, however, hauled the Old Mistress onto the rear seat. The Old Mistress felt completely unstable, carried by a child; she had no confidence. Besides, Ying Zi hadn't even gotten on yet.

"Grandma, don't move around! If you jostle him, you'll make Chi Wu fall. Didn't you see he’s already struggling?"

The Old Mistress immediately stilled. Even though the bike wasn't moving, to her, it still looked dangerous. Cheng Ying walked to the front and settled onto the crossbar, and with Chi Wu pedaling, they set off. Although it wobbled slightly at first, it grew steadier the farther they went.

Chi Wu could tell how tense the Old Mistress was from the grip of her hands on his waist—the flesh there actually ached! Chi Wu didn't dare make a sound. Carrying the Old Mistress put immense pressure on him, though he felt a flicker of pride as well.

Cheng Ying sitting in front blocked half of Chi Wu’s view, as she wasn't much shorter than him.

"Ying Zi, tilt your head a bit. I can't see the road; all I see is the back of your head, you village idiot."

Cheng Ying was instantly displeased. If he wanted her to move, fine, but why insult her intelligence? "Your head isn't stupid, your head is smart! Your head can smash into a big tree!"

The Old Mistress spat, "Pah, pah! You two have no sense of propriety! Both of you, shut up!"

Chi Wu fell silent, and Cheng Ying laughed in front; this dynamic truly felt like it came from her own grandmother. The Old Mistress, relieved of dealing with the two youngsters, felt much more comfortable on the back seat, able to look at the scenery on both sides. Chi Wu felt the flesh on his lower back finally relax.

The Old Mistress started enjoying the ride. "Oh my, this thing is quite good. Although it’s not as comfortable as a mule cart, the speed is much faster!"

"Grandma, wherever you want to go from now on, I’ll take you," Chi Wu offered.

"Why would we need you? I’m taking her!"

Chi Wu shot Cheng Ying a look of disdain. Because Cheng Ying was sitting slightly turned to avoid blocking his view, even though she was looking straight ahead, Chi Wu could see the side profile of her face—her half-vermilion lip and the downy fuzz on her chin. This sight stirred deep emotions in Chi Wu, and he didn't understand why his pedaling legs suddenly felt so full of strength. He was also breathless from the exertion; his heart was pounding out of his chest.

"With your delicate frame carrying Grandma, Grandma still needs to feel secure, right?" After saying this, Chi Wu clamped his mouth shut. If he spoke again, his heart might leap right out of his mouth. Still, he risked a glance from the corner of his eye at Cheng Ying’s profile. The young girl’s face was flushed crimson.

Cheng Ying turned back. "And you think you’re reliable? Look how long you’ve been pedaling—your face is completely red! Do you want to rest for a bit?"

Chi Wu pursed his lips and stayed silent, pedaling with all his might. I’m not blushing because of that! But then again, he didn’t actually know why his face was red.

The Old Mistress listened from behind but said nothing, letting her mood follow the speed of the vehicle. However, she was still uneasy. How could this boy be riding so fast? "Oh, Wu Zi, slow down! There's no rush!"

"This kid ate too much this morning; he’s stuffed," Cheng Ying quipped.

Chi Wu pursed his lips and finally slowed the speed, but his own heartbeat didn't slow at all; it continued to pound. He dared not look at Cheng Ying anymore, not even a furtive glance. It was too dangerous; if his heart truly jumped out, it would be disastrous.

"Stop teasing people. Sit properly," the Old Mistress instructed.

Chi Wu stopped the bicycle when they reached the mouth of the gully. Firstly, the path ahead was uphill, and he lacked the strength to carry two people up it. Secondly, he needed the Old Mistress to see the newly constructed dam at the gully entrance—that spot had cost the most money.

Chi Wu stopped the bike, supporting it with one foot on the ground; he certainly didn't dare let the Old Mistress dismount on her own. Cheng Ying nimbly slid out from under Chi Wu’s arm, ignoring the dull ache in her own bruised backside, and immediately helped the Old Mistress down. "Grandma, look, this is our mountain ravine. This was all done recently. Our money wasn't wasted, was it? Isn't it beautiful?"

It will be even more beautiful in the future, Cheng Ying thought, but didn't say it, as the Old Mistress was clearly preoccupied with something else as she stared at the gully entrance. Cheng Ying sighed internally; her son was right there, how could she possibly think about her granddaughter now? "Grandma, move around a bit and look at the gully mouth. Chi Wu and I will push you up. The road is paved smoothly; it's very easy to walk on."

"Let's go, I'll take a look."

Chi Wu didn't understand why the atmosphere, which had been quite pleasant moments ago, had soured once they arrived here.

"Okay, Grandma, sit down." The Old Mistress wasn't going to be coy. Her feet were fine for moving around the village, but going up the mountain would be too much suffering. She sat on the bicycle seat. Chi Wu pushed the front wheel, and Cheng Ying pushed the back. The three of them cooperated with surprising synchronicity.

The Old Mistress exclaimed, "Ay, you foolish child! This is throwing money away! Why did you make one drainage ditch so wide? And this road—we only come here once a year or so, why did you build it?" In the Old Mistress's eyes, every inch of the road they had traversed represented money spent.

Cheng Ying grimaced. "Grandma, this will make money later! Can we rely on people carrying everything out of the mountains? You should just enjoy the scenery." Then she shouted toward the mountain, "My heart, you don't understand!"

It sounded rather poignant, but the fact that the Old Mistress spoke next made Cheng Ying feel down. "Stop yelling! You'll attract wolves!" The Old Mistress looked genuinely nervous, truly afraid of wolves, especially since there had been wolf cubs causing trouble in the village recently.

Chi Wu stopped the bicycle at that moment and pulled a small horn from his pocket. Cheng Ying eyed it approvingly. "I’m older than you, and you still buy me toys?"

"What? This thing is expensive. It cost me over two yuan." He looked expectantly at the Old Mistress, whose expression immediately darkened. Over two yuan for such a flimsy gadget? When did the children under her care become such spendthrifts?

"No, wait! This one has a cassette tape inside. Listen!" Chi Wu pressed the button on the horn, and a loud tiger roar erupted.

Cheng Ying stared blankly. "What's the meaning of that?"