The old woman now looked at Chi Wu with genuine affection, realizing how much the boy had grown and how capable he was. Most of the heavy work around the house during the summer and winter breaks was handled by Chi Wu, who was much more reliable than Chi Yong. Because of this dependability, the old woman tended to grant Chi Wu almost any request. "Oh, didn't you say that was sour plum water? Why are you still thinking about it?"

Chi Wu scratched his head. When he was younger, he truly hadn't appreciated the delicate artistry of the old woman's craft. Now that he was older and had seen more of the world, he understood that her skill was absolutely unique. Otherwise, why would his own father's fruit wine always be so highly praised by Old Man Chi every year? It was obvious just by watching how Old Man Chi kept his eyes fixed on the porcelain jars sent by the Cheng family every New Year.

Chi Wu said, "Grandma, brew a lot more this year. I'll bring you back a few jars from home to exchange."

The old woman teased him, "You're asking the wrong person now. In the future, you need to ask Yingzi for favors. Last year's and the year before's batches were all thanks to Yingzi's hustle."

Chi Wu smiled faintly, "Grandma, I still think yours tastes the best."

Cheng Ying, standing nearby, smirked wickedly. Just you wait, boy, don't come crawling to me later.

The old woman was unusually witty. "Delicious sour plum water? I seem to recall you saying something different back then, didn't you?"

Well, following Cheng Ying, Chi Wu was now being teased by his grandmother too. Why was she dwelling on such a small matter? His grandmother wasn't usually like this.

That evening, the three of them—mother and sons—were sprawled out on the kang, watching television. It was a feeling of indescribable relaxation and harmony. Chi Wu felt completely at ease, body and mind. Nowadays, not only Cheng Ying's family had a TV in the village, so the initial spectacle had passed, allowing them to simply sit together and enjoy some quiet entertainment.

Cheng Ying watched the sparse advertisements, usually for plastic sheeting. "What do you think if I advertised my saplings on TV?"

Chi Wu had never even considered advertising on television; it hadn't crossed his mind. "Are you kidding?"

Cheng Ying scoffed, "Money buys access to anything, so why not? Just wait until my nursery expands, and you'll see."

Chi Wu watched Cheng Ying, listening to her speak. He felt certain she would succeed; there was nothing she wanted since childhood that she hadn't achieved. "Then I’ll get some reflected glory from you. Maybe I’ll even get on TV!"

Cheng Ying looked him over seriously. He had such good features. While his look wasn't currently the most fashionable, he was bound to be attractive later on. "Oh my goodness, this is incredible! We've been hiding a handsome boy all this time! With a face like that, do you need to rely on anyone else to get on TV?"

The old woman kicked out a foot. "Stop making such a fuss; you startled me!"

Cheng Ying glanced at her grandmother. Are you sure you aren't a descendant of Wong Fei-hung, specializing in the Shadowless Kick?

Daring not to challenge the old woman's authority, Cheng Ying stood up and gathered Chi Wu's hair. Indeed, his hairstyle detracted significantly from his looks. The boy sported a trendy, short cut that Cheng Ying found utterly repulsive—it looked like something a collaborator would wear. She hadn't really looked closely at Chi Wu for the past two years because of it. Now, examining him carefully, she declared, "Hey, why would you need to borrow anyone's fame? With your looks, if you went on TV, you'd be a natural superstar! Oh, you’re so handsome, it’s just that your haircut is terrible. But don't worry, you have sis here!"

Chi Wu wasn't sure how handsome he really was. Cheng Ying had always told him men didn't rely on looks to get by. Still, he was captivated by the way Cheng Ying’s fingers moved through his hair, a feeling he couldn't pull away from. A faint floral scent made Chi Wu want to close his eyes and hold onto the moment, but he dared not. Who was Cheng Ying? If she knew about this feeling, Chi Wu feared she’d chase him away with a broom. He knew this secret crush had to remain hidden from her, at least for now.

Cheng Ying studied the shape of his face. "This haircut is doing you a disservice. Hey, how about I give you a new hairstyle? Trust me or not?"

Chi Wu felt as if he were drifting on the sea, with Cheng Ying's hands washing over his head like waves, rocking his heart into a dizzying sway. Cheng Ying cupped his cheeks with both hands. "Hey!"

This action brought them face-to-face. Chi Wu felt his heart race, his eyes squeezed shut, afraid to look at her. Cheng Ying felt, Are you crazy? Why is your face so hot?

Chi Wu's heart was still pounding, but this time it was from anger. Not only did she fail to understand his mood, but she called him crazy? He quickly freed his face from her grasp. "If you made me feel this way, wouldn't your face be hot too?" Then he turned away to watch the TV, refusing to look at Cheng Ying again, though a deep blush still covered his neck.

Cheng Ying scoffed, "You little brat, get up, sis is fixing your hair. I can't stand seeing a handsome face stuck with a half-baked squash head."

The old woman interrupted, "Enough of that, don't mess with Wu Zi. All the boys in the village think his hair looks good. Why do you find fault with it?"

Cheng Ying declared, "Grandma, wait and see. Once I'm done, you'll know what a real hairstyle looks like."

Ignoring Chi Wu's reluctance, she dragged the unlucky boy outside. It didn't matter that it was late; Cheng Ying acted the moment an idea struck her.

Chi Wu covered the top of his head with one hand. "Don't ruin me! This style is the most popular in the provincial capital!"

Cheng Ying snapped, "Take your hand off! Don't you trust sis?"

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying and confirmed again, "You really think my hair looks bad?"

Cheng Ying stated flatly, "It looks bad. Like a collaborator."

Chi Wu gritted his teeth. Fine. Regardless of what anyone else thought of his head, if Cheng Ying deemed the style bad, then it was unsuccessful. He lowered his gaze submissively. "You do it." He had surrendered. As for Cheng Ying's aesthetic sense, Chi Wu didn't dare to agree with it. Who knew what she favored today? But he couldn't bear to disappoint her. It was just his head; let her tinker. Chi Wu vaguely remembered the time when Granny and the others watched Er Ya with a half-shaved scalp during the winter. Chi Wu’s heart trembled. Could he still regret this?

The comforting thought was that Cheng Ying hadn't asked the old woman for clippers. Perhaps her movements wouldn't be drastic, or maybe he wouldn't end up like Er Ya.

It was unfair to Cheng Ying, though she truly couldn't cut hair professionally. Back then, to save money on barbers, people invented simple tools that were common household items: a small plastic comb designed to hold a disposable razor blade. That tool was better than scissors for breaking up thick hair. Even an amateur holding one could perform like a seasoned professional. If not for the existence of such a device, Cheng Ying wouldn't have dared to mess with Chi Wu's head.

Cheng Ying spent a great deal of effort on Chi Wu's head, seeming to search for every single strand of hair. Throughout the process, Chi Wu kept his eyes tightly shut, thinking that even if his head ended up bald, having Cheng Ying focus on him for so long was a kind of happiness. He dared not let this hidden feeling show, terrified she might discover it. Thus, he kept complaining verbally, "Be careful! Don't make me look like I can't show my face in public." Such deep concealment characterized the stirrings of a young man's heart.

When the old woman's TV began showing static and she came out to find the two troublesome children working on the floor of the main room, she was nearly shocked. Not only was Yingzi's skill quite good, but her granddaughter had excellent taste. And of course, her grandson was handsome too. The current Chi Wu looked much brighter than before. The hair now seemed casual, yet it made him look energetic.

The old woman tutted. "Tsk, Wu Zi looks even more handsome than a movie star now!"

Cheng Ying teased, "Grandma, should Wu Zi become your star?"

The old woman waved her off. "Nonsense! Wu Zi, don't listen to her. What kind of star? An entertainer, a gigolo? Focus on your studies!"

Cheng Ying threw her head back in exasperation. "Grandma, today's stars are nothing like those in the old days; they are highly educated!"

The old woman insisted, "I don't care about this or that. I only know that having a xiucai or a juren in the family is what truly brings glory. All other paths are false."

Chi Wu murmured, "I listen to Grandma."

Cheng Ying gave Chi Wu a sharp tap on the head. "Sycophant!" Then she turned to educate the old woman on entertainment culture. "Grandma, the stars today are on television; everyone knows who they are; isn't that great?"

The grandmother scorned her granddaughter's aspirations, thinking the girl was becoming frivolous and needing a serious talk later. "It's late, stop fooling around. Time for bed. It's only because it's Wu Zi that you get to be so tiresome." With that, she ignored Cheng Ying’s arguments about celebrities and went inside to sleep. The old woman was wise; no matter how much she admired movie stars, she couldn't say so in front of the girl. Young women were easily swayed by outside influences; what if she strayed onto the wrong path? Being a star wasn't easy. That was the wisdom of the aged.

Cheng Ying swept the cut hair off Chi Wu's neck. "It's done. See for yourself, how is it compared to before?"

Chi Wu thought that if Cheng Ying's movements could be a little gentler, the final look of his hair wouldn't matter much. Perhaps his relaxed mood caused him to speak his mind. "If you could be a little gentler, I wouldn't care what my hair looked like."

Cheng Ying laughed, exasperated. "So you think I'm a masseuse now? Fine, you really know how to enjoy yourself."

Chi Wu quickly backed down. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I’ll give you a massage back later." If only Cheng Ying would agree, Chi Wu thought. Ever since realizing his feelings, Chi Wu had been studying Cheng Ying secretly for a long time.

Cheng Ying commanded, "Enough, look at the result quickly. Sis put a lot of effort into this."

Cheng Ying produced a small, square mirror and handed it to Chi Wu. Seeing the reflection, Chi Wu was stunned. He could be this handsome? Yingzi's skill was truly good. Furthermore, Chi Wu believed that if he hadn't been so handsome in Cheng Ying's eyes, she couldn't have done such a good job. Thinking this, Chi Wu's face flushed and his heart pounded—it meant Yingzi cared about him. The young man felt a mix of pride, shyness, and a reluctance to let go of the mirror.

Cheng Ying watched his expression, her eyebrows furrowed. This boy is vain; blushing like that just looking at himself. "Are you sick? Looking at yourself and getting this worked up?"

Chi Wu's face darkened. He tossed the mirror onto Cheng Ying's body. He had never met such a woman; was she even female? "You're the one who's sick!" he retorted, his voice full of resentment, which oddly contrasted with his imposing physique. The burgeoning ardor of the young man wilted. Such were the unacknowledged sentiments of youth.