Cheng Ying felt she couldn't refuse, given the circumstances, especially concerning her own mother. It was a matter of blood ties. Moreover, she was occupying the body of the other woman's daughter, and she hadn't even managed to look after the mother properly. It simply wouldn't do.

What had been promised at the father's grave was not something to be dismissed lightly.

However, Cheng Ying wasn't confident about her own grandmother; the old lady had a firm moral compass and wasn't easily swayed by a few words.

Besides, Cheng Ying couldn't bear to see her own grandmother having to defer to Mrs. Chi's matriarchal authority.

Once her sister bought the house and secured assets, her grandmother would be the mistress of her own domain—the kind of person who didn't have to bow her head to others. This required careful consideration.

For her birth mother, she could perhaps swallow her pride, but for her grandmother? Absolutely not.

Furthermore, there was the awkwardness of the social positions: the former mother-in-law meeting the current one. Introducing them would be impossible.

Cheng Ying couldn't fathom what her own mother was thinking. Could she really say that ignorance was bliss? A mother shouldn't speak that way.

"The summer break is two months," Cheng Ying said. "Let's focus on getting your medicinal herbs gathered first."

Chi Wu replied, "Right. Oh, I sold some things for you."

"Didn't you give all that to me?"

"Not that. I specifically picked these out for you."

With that, Chi Wu left, only to return almost instantly, rushing back in like the wind, handing Cheng Ying a plastic bag—not the modern kind, but one woven from coarse plastic strips.

He looked at Cheng Ying expectantly as she opened it. Cheng Ying thought, Do I have to open this with enthusiasm for the sake of this child’s expression?

When Cheng Ying saw the contents, she nearly leaped up in shock. She took a deep breath, managing to suppress the surge of excitement—the urge to brandish a large knife—before exclaiming, "Is this what city girls wear? Is this the current fashion in the provincial capital?"

She pointed to a pair of printed, drop-crotch trousers and a small, floral blue shirt.

Looking at Chi Wu, who was wearing a white shirt, she almost wanted to smooth out the crisp fabric on him—how smug can you get?

Chi Wu countered, "Girls in the provincial capital don't wear this. They don't know beauty; they dress very plainly."

Cheng Ying bristled. So, you see me as some garish country bumpkin? But she was confident Chi Wu wasn't deliberately trying to waste her money. She could only attribute this to the boy having unique aesthetic taste. "You think I look good in this?" she asked, genuinely puzzled, hoping the child might exhibit some normal judgment.

Chi Wu blushed scarlet. "Didn't you say you admired Sister Cheng's style?"

This was a complete misunderstanding. Cheng Ying had long forgotten her previous attempts to coax the child into city life, let alone the 'development trajectory' she had set for him in front of her.

Seeing the flowered vest and the bashful teenager clearly waiting for praise, she forcibly held back her critique. Fine, I must have a destined connection with flowered vests. "So, you're dressing me up as a local specialty, are you?"

She clutched the bundle and walked away. Cheng Ying felt she had remarkable mental resilience, otherwise, this hapless child would have driven her to death with frustration.

In Chi Wu's perception, Cheng Ying was complex; she treasured things but never admitted it, judging by how carefully she tucked the garments away.

It was worth the effort, going from the provincial capital to the suburbs just to find such good material for a floral outfit. Thinking about how Cheng Ying would look wearing it made Chi Wu’s face flush again.

Parents everywhere must pay attention: a child's aesthetic sense needs nurturing from an early age. If they encounter someone like Cheng Ying, who misguides them, it’s truly ruinous.

Cheng Ying dismissed Chi Wu’s adolescent fancies, tossing them into the gutter of her thoughts. But she couldn't say anything in front of the boy; after all, he had put thought into this for her sake. She didn't lack a few articles of clothing. Fine, she'd keep them as mementos; in fifty or sixty years, they’d be antiques.

Cheng Ying decided to shift her focus back to business. "Right, spread the word. The medicinal herbs will take a few more days to collect. You'll follow me up the mountain these next two days to help build the shelter. No slacking off."

Chi Wu nodded. "I know. Uncle said once the house is done, it’ll be time to collect the herbs."

The vehicle Chi Wu drove proved invaluable for Cheng Ying, who was coordinating construction. Delivering lime, cement, and stones was now convenient. As for lumber, the mountain had plenty.

Cheng Ying led the crew, driving the materials up the mountain. It had been overcast for days, and Second Uncle had already finished the foundation. With Uncle and Chi Wu assisting, the work progressed quickly, finishing in less than two days.

The old wooden shed wasn't torn down; Cheng Ying kept it for storage.

Second Uncle sighed contentedly. "I was just expecting a shack to get through winter, but this turned out so comfortable! I’m living in luxury; it’s warmer than home."

Cheng Ying countered, "Please don't say that, Uncle. Everything here is good, except there's no company. How can it be as cozy as home? Once we get a television up here, then you’ll truly be comfortable." She did plan on doing that.

Chi Wu interjected, "Once I get back from the provincial capital, I’ll bring one. They aren't very good, not expensive, but lugging it back and forth is a bit of a hassle."

Second Uncle's eyes widened. "Really? You can just buy one?"

"In the provincial capital, every household has switched to color TV. Nobody watches black and white anymore. As long as you don't mind that it's small."

"That would be wonderful! I don't mind at all. If I have a TV, after work, I can sit on the heated brick bed and have music to pass the time. When I was young, Second Uncle never dreamed of such fortune."

Uncle grumbled, "Don't just talk big, you two. Don't tease us."

Cheng Ying laughed. "How could we? Uncle, did you see my things? Some people are worth less the older they get, but I, your niece, increase in value with every year."

Uncle’s face darkened. "What nonsense are you spewing? Keep your mouth shut."

Cheng Ying dared not speak further. Her words were indeed ambiguous and ripe for scrutiny—no wonder she was being scolded.

Chi Wu piped up, "You’re in middle school now, how can you still not control your mouth?"

Cheng Ying shot back, "Mind your own business, you little brat, or I won't feed you when we’re doing the actual work."

Chi Wu fell silent, using the leftover cement by the doorway to build a low wall for Second Uncle, something to block the wind, at least.

Cheng Ying remarked, "It’s a good thing Er Ya is about to give birth, or I’d have to go look for puppies."

Uncle shook his head. "You always have too many schemes. People would be beating dogs, but you hid Er Ya up on the mountain as if nothing happened, and now you’ll have a whole litter to deal with. See how you manage that."

Cheng Ying justified, "What choice did I have? With this huge mountain area, Second Uncle can’t watch it alone. A few more dogs make things much easier."

Uncle worried, "There are a lot of people on the mountain. What if one gets hurt?"

Cheng Ying reassured him. "I've thought of everything. I carved signs on several stones saying, 'Wolves on the mountain. Consequences are your own.' If some reckless person gets hurt, they're a scoundrel anyway, and I’ll call the police—say they were stealing timber from the forestry station."

Uncle looked at his niece, realizing arguing would be futile. But seeing how vast the operation she was setting up was, he decided he should prepare something for Second Uncle, just in case they encountered real trouble.

He shook his head and returned to his work. He was an employee and didn't have time to linger here; he needed to finish up and get home.

Once the mountain shelter was ready, Second Uncle was officially settled up there. If Cheng Ying hadn't come up to relieve him periodically, Second Uncle would rarely have gone back to the village.

After seeing off Uncle and Miao Miao, Cheng Ying started gathering herbs with Chi Wu. Though they were just two youngsters, nobody could fool them; they were high-achieving students, after all. Thanks to Grandpa's widespread announcements, everyone in the township knew the situation.

When Cheng Ying sent Miao Miao off, the boy gave her such a reluctant look. Cheng Ying snorted and firmly sent him away, telling her grandmother, "Hurry up and take him away. If he stays any longer, I’ll end up being his step-grandmother." This earned her a flying kick from the old lady behind her.

Although Grandmother cherished Miao Miao and was sad to see him go, she still took out a beautiful large fish from her own cistern to give the boy. Cheng Ying didn't mind that; she could easily get her grandmother an even prettier one later—they weren't lacking in that regard.

Miao Miao clung to Grandmother's hand, acting spoiled and charming. How does this child read faces so well? He knows exactly how to appease the old lady.

Chi Wu stood by, making a sarcastic comment, "See? No one is as good to you as I am. That kid isn't reliable."

Cheng Ying scoffed internally. Wait until you have a wife, and then we'll see if you dare say that. Go fool some simpleton.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu’s herb gathering went smoothly. The locals were happy to earn some income; returning from the mountain for a day could bring in two or three yuan. They just hoped that 'Cheng the Fool' would keep stirring things up, as no one else in the village was as wasteful as Cheng Ying.

However, Cheng Ying's mountain area saw a few groups of people pass by while she was collecting herbs, but they were all scared off by Er Ya. Rumors spread through the village that wolves were haunting Cheng Ying’s section of the mountain, which unintentionally reduced exposure to her area. Cheng Ying planned to release a whole pack of puppies once Er Ya gave birth; the effect would be even more pronounced then.

When Chi Wu had spent nearly all his money, Cheng Ying and the others had collected enough herbs to fill one cart.

Chi Wu could drive the vehicle himself. They enlisted villagers to help load the cart and then secured everything with thick ropes before setting off.

Cheng Ying's grandmother was worried. How could Wu Zi handle such a large vehicle?

Cheng Ying reassured her, "Grandma, the 'big truck' you're talking about is just a tractor. It’s very noisy and very slow; it really can't cause much danger." In truth, if Chi Wu couldn't drive, she could. I drove a 2000-model QQ; I can certainly manage a tractor.

Chi Wu asked, "You trust me that much?"

Cheng Ying thought: I trust myself. "Of course. Everything on that cart is your money, earned by you. What is there to be afraid of? At this speed, if anything actually happened, I could jump out safely." I’ve done a full assessment, thank you very much.

Chi Wu drove off with a dark face. Why did this girl have no sense of propriety? Anyone hearing that comment about driving would be offended.

Of course, Chi Wu couldn't hear Cheng Ying's thoughts over the tremendous noise of the engine.

When Chi Wu reached the township, he didn't go directly to deliver the herbs. He drove the vehicle to Grandpa’s house. The old man had dealt with this kind of material his whole life; he knew his business.

They immediately found people to unload the cart. Selling the herbs half-dried like this would result in a huge loss.

Grandpa advised, "Work with me for a couple of days. You can earn the wages, and this stuff is worth much more when fully dried."