Ruffling Er Ya's head, she instructed the girl to keep a close eye on Miao Miao. Watching their interactions with a mongrel and a child, she finally felt at ease, releasing her grip as she joined Elder Li in weeding saplings.

This season, Elder Li was guiding Cheng Ying to remove weeds from young trees. The ground had grown too rank for his liking. Gazing at the sapling that had thickened to wrist size within months, Cheng Ying worked with renewed vigor, plucking edible wild vegetables to take home for her grandmother.

Straightening up later, she noticed Er Ya's plight by the spring waters. Miao Miao was tormenting the girl as if raising a pet fish, pinning her under water. Judging the disproportionate struggle between child and dog, Cheng Ying questioned her own gentleness - how could such a tiny creature dominate this way?

"Grandpa Li, I'll fetch some cucumbers, let's rest by the spring," she suggested.

"Aye," he agreed. "I'll join you soon. Check for ripe persimmons to bring the children."

As they made their way, Cheng Ying marveled at Elder Li's two garden plots under the wooden shed on the mountain - convenient for home use and stocked with melons. Though only cucumbers and tomatoes were ready now.

Holding a crimson tomato out to Miao Miao, she chided, "Why are you bullying her?"

"I'm giving her a bath!" Miao Miao protested. "Sister Er Ya's belly looks like it's swollen."

"Probably overeating," Cheng Ying replied dismissively.

Elder Li, hearing this from nearby, chuckled. "No need to worry about finding puppies now - Er Ya must be pregnant!"

Charging the girl with an accusation too sharp for her, Cheng Ying stared at Er Ya's distended belly in disbelief. Despite the dog's human-like understanding and obedience, moral concepts remained foreign.

Elder Li spat out his cucumber, lecturing, "Stop talking nonsense! No wonder your grandmother says you've no sense in your mouth!" Then to Miao Miao: "Quickly get Er Ya out of the water - we can't let her stay there. If she gives birth later, give one pup to the girl."

Cheng Ying still felt betrayed by this companion who'd kept such a secret. "Forget it, if they find out in town, they might kill them," she muttered.

Elder Li nodded grimly. "True - these creatures are almost human. How could anyone bear to harm them?"

This was one truth Cheng Ying couldn't defend, her conscience too burdened.

"Only hope my mother is well," she sighed. "She must be about ready to give birth."

Noticing his granddaughter's longing for a mother figure, Elder Li offered, "When school lets out, visit your mother in the city - I'll cover the travel costs." As an orphan with no children of his own, he'd always been generous toward Cheng Ying.

"I miss her," she admitted. "But the city is so far... what if I get lost?"

This was just for show. In truth, she needed to check on her mother's well-being. Her letters were frequent but vague - her biological mother was too timid to ask for help even when mistreated. The only trustworthy correspondence still came from Chi Wu.

Wandering through their mountain property with Miao Miao, Cheng Ying admired the tidy area beneath the old pine where she'd cultivated ginseng for two years now. Though considered a novelty in town, her roots were growing steadily - just not something easily sold.

Choosing gifts for her mother would be tricky. She needed to show care without seeming stingy, depending on how warmly they received her.

"Are you tired, sister?" Miao Miao offered unexpectedly, having learned massage techniques from Elder Li.

"Not really," Cheng Ying smiled. "I'm used to hard work."

"But mom and dad say we can afford school tuition for both of us," the child reminded her.

"Why would I let them pay? When you go to university, I'll support you!" she teased.

"Mom says we shouldn't waste others' money," Miao Miao insisted.

"Oh come on," Cheng Ying laughed. "Remember when you used to call me 'wife'? Using wife's money isn't wasting it!"

The girl turned red, having learned from preschool that calling someone one's wife wasn't casual. Retaliating with a face pinch: "You're saying nonsense! I won't play with you anymore."

"Alright alright," she relented. "Since you're my little brother, wouldn't it make sense to spend money on you? Just look at Auntie and Uncle - they share freely between siblings!"

The child easily surrendered. "Then... I'll use sister's money."

Cheng Ying suppressed a grin, having successfully coaxed her.

As they explored the mountain, Miao Miao proved more thoughtful than Cheng Ying. She often gathered flowers with attached soil for their grandmother, while Cheng Ying only brought practical wild vegetables - less impressive in an elderly woman's eyes.

Grandmother doted on the boy. After all, her granddaughter was still young and might grow closer to the maternal uncle who'd secretly favored them over her own sons. Though the girl had been cautious not to favor one son over another due to past wounds from her first marriage, she believed in family bonds - even distant ones.

"Ah, this chubby boy is much more endearing than his sister," Grandma remarked as Miao Miao carried home fragrant blossoms. "I haven't seen such beautiful flowers since years ago."

Cheng Ying rolled her eyes at the sight of Miao Miao's bouquet. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I could have brought these for you!"

Grandma sighed, exasperated by her granddaughter's cluelessness about floral appreciation. "If only I dared tell you..."

"Blackmailing me now?" Cheng Ying scoffed. "What a childish thing to do - making me guess your wishes when you're not even young anymore!"

The elderly woman's face turned purple with anger. "Shameless child, what are you implying? Are you trying to guess which boy's thoughts I'm considering?"

This was dangerous territory - early romance rumors could spread easily in the village.

"I was just joking!" Cheng Ying hastily defended herself. "All I see daily is Elder Li and Miao Miao! Where would I find some green-faced youth for your matchmaking fantasies?"

Grandma pursed her lips, then reconsidered. While disapproving of her granddaughter's mountain obsession over school life, she feared the girl might become too distant from family.

After washing up, Cheng Ying arranged the flowers in clay pots with water drawn from her spatial pocket. "Look, there are golden houses and handsome youths in these mountains!" she sang dramatically, mixing elements of Peking Opera and Kunqu melodies to provoke Grandma's usual reaction - a soft cushion flying through the air.

As Grandma dragged Miao Miao indoors for dinner, Cheng Ying groaned over introducing this "little emperor" into her home. But soon, even with rainy days forcing them to watch TV together on the kang bed, the household dynamics shifted - the sunflower seeds that usually belonged to Cheng Ying now went to the energetic child.

When weather improved, her uncle finally arrived in a loud tractor full of goods and an unexpected guest. The changes were so drastic she nearly missed recognizing the boy who'd just grown taller since their last meeting.

"Your father sent him back," she told Miao Miao, pointing at Chi Wu jumping off the vehicle. And with those words, time seemed to reset - as if they'd never parted at all.