The old woman intended to make padded shoes for the family, specifically crafting a pair of layered-sole shoes for Cheng Ying, knowing her granddaughter was being frugal.

Cheng Ying's padded shoes were special. The old woman scolded her, "You don't have the life to enjoy comforts. Everyone else wears snow-white plastic soles, and you're still wearing these old things; they look so rustic."

Cheng Ying was speechless. Was her grandmother criticizing her now?

Cheng Ying replied, "No matter what, these shoes are comfortable to wear."

The old woman retorted, "When it snows, they'll get wet and won't keep out the cold."

Cheng Ying smiled, "I won't even step outside when it snows; I certainly won't get cold."

The old woman was also speechless looking at her granddaughter. Her granddaughter was simply lazy. Hadn't she stayed indoors the entire previous winter? She must have already planned this out in her laziness. Thinking about how hard her granddaughter had worked all year, resting indoors for a whole winter was fine.

The old woman didn't say another word, but as she sewed the soles, she secretly added two more layers of cloth.

When Cheng Ying tried on the padded shoes, she was reluctant to take them off. They were practically works of art.

It would have been even better if Grandma hadn't used flowery cloth for the uppers. Grandma's aesthetic sense truly needed an overhaul. "Grandma, can you avoid using flowery cloth? It gets dirty so easily."

The old woman insisted, "Young girls should look like young girls. Don't try to dress like a grown woman; it's not attractive. This way is perfectly fine."

Cheng Ying conceded, "Alright, if you say so. As long as they are comfortable for me, that’s what matters."

She thought to herself, Since we aren't going out, being embarrassed inside our own home doesn't count for much. Besides, everyone in the village already knows I wear flowery tops; it's too late to hide it now. She glanced again at the tiny floral pattern on the shoe uppers. It really won't stay clean.

The old woman looked at her granddaughter, "You don't have to scrub them clean right away, so what are you complaining about?"

Cheng Ying was thoroughly exasperated. The old woman simply would not accept dissenting opinions. So stubborn.

When Chi Wu returned, the first thing he did was call Cheng Ying outside to relay his mission.

Chi Wu's face was flushed with excitement. "I really didn't approach Dad again. I went twice, and just watching that woman from a distance, he actively skirted around me, as if I were something unclean."

Cheng Ying thought the boy was a bit strange. That woman treated him like he was repulsive, yet he was so excited about it.

She then commented to Chi Wu, "What a sensible person she is, knowing when to retreat. Stop staring at her so much in the future." Those types of mistresses, once established, are impossible to drive away; they have very thick skin.

Chi Wu mumbled, "Even if I wanted to stare, I couldn't. I heard that woman is going to work in the city after the New Year; she won't be in our commune anymore."

Cheng Ying thought, So, she’s failed in romance but succeeded in career—a promotion! She told Chi Wu, "See? When you focus your efforts on the right path, results appear immediately. Otherwise, a city school wouldn't accept her. That woman is heartless; she should thank us. Oh, remember, this incident teaches us a lesson: people must walk the righteous path."

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying, estimating that the woman in question might thank their ancestors for eight generations.

He pursed his lips. "Nothing else new happened." Then he went inside.

Cheng Ying watched the back of the troublesome kid and felt frustrated. She hadn't finished sharing her profound insights yet, so why did the boy leave? He was intentionally stifling her ability to speak.

Cheng Ying was deeply annoyed. Since she'd woken up in this place, Chi Wu was the only one who could keep up with her thoughts and converse with her. She could say whatever she wanted when talking to him. Now that Chi Wu was ignoring her, he had deliberately cut off one avenue for her self-expression. How could she not be upset?

Chi Yong saw the two annoying children entering one after the other and didn't feel like saying anything. Let them cause trouble; as long as it wasn't too excessive, he didn't care to manage them.

The first thing Yang Zhi did upon returning home was ask the old woman if there was any work she could help with. This daughter-in-law couldn't sit still and always felt guilty that she was working in the commune while the elder was at home.

The old woman looked at her daughter-in-law, feeling satisfied. Being family-oriented was what mattered. She then turned to Cheng Ying, remembering, Doesn't this child want chicken? Waving her hand, she said, "Go slaughter a chicken. We're having stewed chicken today."

Yang Zhi was stunned. Was this really her mother-in-law? How could she be so generous? "What?"

The old woman looked at her daughter-in-law. "The children are about to take exams; we need to nourish them first. We'll eat chicken. Hurry up, catch a big one!"

Now Yang Zhi was certain she hadn't misheard. She agreed crisply, "Okay!" Feeling uplifted, she grabbed a knife and headed out. Chi Yong had been flexing his muscles behind her, ready to help, but Yang Zhi hadn't even suggested she needed assistance. Seeing his wife stride toward the chicken coop, Chi Yong turned back toward the house. Why is this woman so irritating? When killing a chicken, they usually call the men. But here, I'm not needed. He rubbed his nose, clearly displeased.

Cheng Ying preferred not to witness such gory events, but Chi Wu was too excited. Killing a chicken—that was something he had heard of but never actually seen. He followed Yang Zhi around, practically glued to her heels.

Cheng Ying gathered firewood to start the stove; plucking the feathers required hot water. She also set the rice to steam in the east pot. These chores came quite smoothly to Cheng Ying now.

Watching his daughter's efficiency, Chi Yong realized the girl must have helped the old woman with chores at home frequently.

"Yingzi's Grandma," the old woman brought two thick padded coats and padded trousers from the west room and handed them to Chi Yong. "Try them on inside. I noticed the padded clothes you and your son wore last winter weren't quite the right fit, and there was nothing to exchange them with, so I made these for you two first. Put yours on and let me check; I can alter any parts that don't fit."

Chi Yong took the two padded coats, his emotions complex. In past years, neither he nor Chi Wu ever worried about new clothes. Only after other children wore their padded outfits would Chi Yong start looking around for clothes for Chi Wu. As for his own, he simply made do. Even if they had money in the village, finding such items was difficult. Touching the seams of the padded coat, his fingers turned white. We are finally enjoying comfort; someone is finally thinking of us. His wife, daughter, and mother-in-law—they were all family now.

Chi Yong came out wearing the well-fitting coat. The old woman appraised him from a distance. "Not bad, although the trousers are a bit loose. You need to hurry up and put some flesh back on, then I won't have to alter them."

Cheng Ying laughed hearing this. "Grandma, aren't clothes supposed to fit people, not the other way around? Why are you making Uncle gain weight?"

The old woman shook her head. "With Wu Zi's dad's build, a gust of wind could blow him away. It upsets me just looking at him. Living in the countryside requires a strong body. He needs to gain some meat quickly; fat is the capital for resisting cold. No matter how much you wear, it's useless."

Chi Yong smiled broadly beside her. "Mom is the most insightful. I’ll drink two extra bowls of chicken soup today; I'll certainly put the weight back on."

Cheng Ying inwardly expressed disdain. She didn't know when it started, but her stepfather now spoke to her grandmother with this persistent, almost defiant tone. It wasn't just Cheng Ying who was speechless; even the old woman was at a loss. She had clearly spoken with a tone of complaint, but in Chi Yong's mouth, it turned into him sounding concerned for her.

Then again, she didn't need to correct him. Let him think what he wanted. Having a healthy person in the family was better than having a sickly one. Chi Yong’s illness required constant care, so killing a chicken wasn't a big deal.

The family had six or seven small roosters, which were useful. The old woman thought that as long as the whole family stayed healthy and free of illness, she didn't mind eating them all, provided they left her one hen for brooding.

If Cheng Ying knew the old woman's thoughts, she would certainly call Chi Yong cunning. He had completely charmed the old woman.

When Chi Wu came in to try on his padded clothes, he only said one sentence: "The back of this is really thick; is there cotton inside?" Hearing that caused a pang of sadness in everyone’s heart. Just how had this boy endured winters in previous years?

The old woman said nothing. She took off Chi Wu’s padded jacket and spent the night stuffing another half a jin of cotton into it. People truly were kind-hearted; they were all soft-hearted. Especially since Chi Wu had been quite agreeable to the old woman over the past year.

At dinner, for the stewed chicken, Cheng Ying deliberately gave Chi Wu the large drumstick. The boy’s eating habits had improved over the last year, but tonight he was still sweating profusely while eating, indicating how hard he was trying.

Yang Zhi said, "Mom, have a bowl of chicken soup. I put ginseng in mine."

Cheng Ying’s ears perked up immediately upon hearing ginseng. "Where is it? I didn't see any! Mom, why did you take that thing?"

Yang Zhi replied, "What good thing? Hurry up and eat!" Cheng Ying was depressed again. Well, for Yang Zhi, who often collected herbs in the mountains, ginseng slices weren't exactly a rare treasure.

The old woman corrected her, "Yingzi, that thing is only good when it’s fully matured, do you understand?"

Cheng Ying conceded, "I get it, I get it. Let's eat; it's not that big of a deal. In the future, our family will have as much of that stuff as we want!" Cheng Ying said this through gritted teeth: I am my mother's daughter; how could I be stingy? We will be as grand as possible!

Yang Zhi teased her, "Little thing, I’ll show you your maternal grandfather’s good stuff later. These ginseng slices I put in are slices I asked your maternal grandfather for."

Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Really? Why haven't I ever seen them?"

Yang Zhi said, "Good things aren't shown casually to a child. Your grandfather treasures them."

Cheng Ying was on the verge of tears. The old man was hoarding his private stash!

Chi Yong chimed in, "Your grandpa only brings that stuff out because he worries about my health. Otherwise, he’d be too reluctant to part with it. That thing can save a life in a critical moment. Drinking it in chicken soup... that’s a waste!"

Cheng Ying didn't care about the etiquette; she just knew the chicken soup was good, so she drank a large bowl.

Chi Yong shook his head. "Yingzi, you and Wu Zi should just eat the meat."

Cheng Ying insisted, "Even if I can't see the ginseng, I want to experience its effects." Under Yang Zhi’s strange look, Cheng Ying finished her meal with composure.

When it was time for bed, Cheng Ying realized what 'courting death' meant—it was terribly hot, and she couldn't sleep!

The old woman fanned her. "Serves you right, wanting to gulp down all the good things first. Who taught you that? You're nothing like your mother."

Cheng Ying's cheeks burned red. "I'm like my second uncle's wife's child, right?" She then turned away, hiding her face, too embarrassed to look at anyone.

The old woman felt awkward too, not daring to criticize her daughter-in-law in front of the children, but the unlucky child had blurted it out anyway. "Sleep, sleep!"

Chi Wu, lying beside her, wasn't much better off. Boys naturally run hotter.

The old woman looked at the two children’s conditions and gritted her teeth, scolding her daughter-in-law. You should have just given that good stuff to your husband to eat alone! You had to make such a fuss, look how you’ve troubled these two children.

Yang Zhi regretted it too. She had thought it was a good thing, so why not let everyone eat together?