She just walked off, not even bothering to say goodbye. Yingzi had been held up long enough; she was slipping away now.

The young girl watched the door close, her feelings complicated. She turned to look at Old Mrs. Chi, her face flushing slightly.

Old Mrs. Chi was in a sour mood, but it didn't stop her from comforting the girl. "That boy is just like that, but he's not a bad person underneath."

Old Mr. Chi shook his head disapprovingly. How old was their own grandson? Why was his wife rushing things? It was delaying important matters.

Besides, their grandson had a vast space for future development. It was clear they weren't of the same world.

The young girl felt awkward. By seniority, she should be calling them "elder uncle."

But these small thoughts in her heart wouldn't come out; otherwise, the generations would be off. She wanted to follow Old Mrs. Chi's lead and treat Chi Wuping as an equal, but it felt presumptuous, as if she were rushing him.

Never mind that they were city folk; the commonality everywhere was that status had to be observed.

So the young girl remained silent, unsure how to navigate this generational gap.

Chi Yong emerged at that moment. On the surface, he appeared clueless, pretending to be unaware. "Where's Wu Zi? Why did that kid leave again? Mom, you need to talk to this child later; why is he always out roaming instead of staying home?"

With that lighthearted comment, Old Mrs. Chi was unable to say anything back to her son. She had wanted him to manage his grandson, but look how cleanly he had deflected the blame.

Old Mr. Chi watched his son and thought that indeed, his son knew how to navigate life better than he did.

With just two sentences, he had completely absolved himself. Considering his son's complex relationship with his wife's family, this must be a skill honed through practice.

Old Mrs. Chi couldn't vent her bottled-up anger at her son, so she snapped, "Your grandson, you manage him!"

Then, facing her son, the nameless fire burned fiercely within her: "That's not the countryside; this is the city! Change that accent of yours!"

Chi Yong closed his eyes; his mother wasn't even concerned about appearances. There were outsiders present. Then again, he knew he was just here to absorb some stray fire. It was all Wu Zi's fault; who did he have to provoke? He made a mental note to bring back the best-looking furniture later; otherwise, he’d be at a major loss.

Just then, Yang Zhi pushed open the door. She wore the fashionable curly hair of the time and short high heels; her complexion was fair and delicate. If she hadn't spoken, no one would have guessed she had come from a remote mountain village.

Yang Zhi said, "We have guests, Mother, Father? You are all here."

The young girl stood up, her heart beating fast, and automatically lowered her generation's status: "Auntie, you're back."

Old Mrs. Chi felt a moment of conflict over the address. Wasn't this messing up the generational order? But considering her goal, she held it in.

Old Mr. Chi almost laughed. His old wife was upsetting him.

Old Mrs. Chi raised an eyebrow, not bothering to feign interest: "This is Qingfang." She said no more, because there was no easy way to introduce her—she didn't know how to position her well.

Chi Yong felt somewhat guilty about his own mother's attitude toward Yang Zhi. His son was already so grown; what was his mother so dissatisfied with? She rarely gave her daughter-in-law a kind look. Speaking of which, the better he treated his wife now, the more it seemed directly related to his mother's attitude; he felt terribly ashamed. Furthermore, when Yang Zhi first came to the city alone with him, she had no one to rely on. If he didn't treat her well, who would? Even now, he felt a tendency to defer to his wife.

Yang Zhi felt nothing about it; this attitude was completely normal. It wasn't just Old Mrs. Chi; back then, she had her mother-in-law plus two sisters-in-law, and she never felt truly oppressed by them. At worst, she treated herself as invisible, as if she couldn't see anything. Life still had to go on. It came down to the same old saying: as long as she wasn't starving, that was enough. Yang Zhi was a person who cherished her blessings.

Old Mr. Chi glanced at his son's expression. "Xiao Ye, your mother is back. Go eat. In the future, if you have a night shift, try to switch it; we worry when you are out late."

Yang Zhi replied, "It's fine. Everyone dislikes the night shift; what can be done? I just return a bit late, disturbing your rest."

Chi Yong felt his wife was becoming more articulate: "Go eat now. This is your work; your parents understand."

Old Mrs. Chi's chest rose and fell sharply. She was clearly not in a good mood.

Yang Zhi gave a soft, gentle smile. "Alright, Mom. Qingfang, you sit first. I'll just wash my hands." With that, she went into her room nearby.

Chi Yong followed his wife inside. As the door closed, he heard his mother mutter, "It's been so long, and she still speaks with that mountain ditch accent."

Chi Yong looked at their room, then thought about the furniture Cheng Ying had promised him. Perhaps he really should start furnishing the house. Chi Yong currently hoped the unit would allocate them housing soon.

The young girl, unclear about the family's issues, dared not interject. Seeing everyone looking awkward, she managed, "Auntie is so young."

Old Mr. Chi looked at the young girl. His old wife still had good judgment; at least this girl was decent.

Chi Yong also glanced at the girl. This girl really was nice. His own wife had become prettier over the past two years. Standing next to him, she looked several years younger; where were the traces of time? Feeling cheerful, he led his son into the room.

Old Mrs. Chi didn't even look up. Young—what good was that? She knew her own age; things she couldn't show off. In Old Mrs. Chi's view, compared to the former eldest daughter-in-law, Yang Zhi was far inferior. Just based on her origins, in Old Mrs. Chi's mind, that was an insurmountable gap. If it weren't for her son's condition, she wouldn't even want to think about it. Fortunately, now that she had a grandson nearby, it was some comfort.

Cheng Ying hadn't gone far before Chi Wu caught up to her. That troublesome kid had a sour look on his face.

Cheng Ying figured it had nothing to do with her and playfully bumped shoulders with Chi Wu. "Your grandmother misses you."

Chi Wu scoffed. "That's my own grandma; of course, she's good to me and misses me. Not like some people, who use you and then toss you aside, not caring about you at all."

Cheng Ying felt awkward hearing this. "Don't you talk about me; I’m not that kind of person. Wasn't I just reluctant to ruin your moment? That little girl was quite pretty; Wu Zi, you did well!"

Chi Wu took a deep breath, clearly displeased. "She’s much prettier than you." He strode forward, wishing he could stomp a hole in the asphalt road.

Cheng Ying didn't like that. "You shouldn't talk like that; at best, we each have our own merits!"

Chi Wu snorted. Just wait; he’d deal with her sooner or later. Sooner or later, he’d make her cling to him, treating him like a treasure.

It was because Chi Wu had grown up hearing and seeing things that he understood Cheng Ying's nature. Moreover, he knew Cheng Ying had always treated things like this as a joke. Otherwise, in this era, for Cheng Ying to discuss marriage and romantic relationships so openly would shock the world. That was why the old lady had such a hard time with Cheng Ying. It could also be said that Chi Wu had been influenced by Cheng Ying, developing rather modern sensibilities.

Neither of them returned home happily.

Cheng Ying saw Chi Wu as a wolf—a white-eyed wolf at that. That kid was too much. But she had to admit, the young girl she had just met was indeed quite pretty. Cheng Ying looked at the girl like a junior, without a trace of envy, jealousy, or hatred.

The old lady said, "You're back; come in quickly. The weather isn't getting warmer."

Cheng Ying replied, "Exactly! Think about it, we have the money to buy a car, but we still have to wait for the right time. Wouldn't it be so much more convenient to drive out? Why do we have to be so cold?"

Chi Wu raised an eyebrow, feeling happier when cars were mentioned. "Mm, it's almost time; it will be very soon." Then he added, "Actually, if I hadn't known someone, we would have had to wait much longer." This was clearly him trying to take credit.

Cheng Ying huffed. "Showing off, are we?" Just wait twenty years, and I’ll drive a top-of-the-line car out of here. She couldn't be bothered to argue.

Cheng Ying's way of comforting herself was to go inside and check her bankbook. Of course, seeing the entry for the money set aside to buy the car still made her wince a little.

Cheng Ying looked around to make sure no one was watching—the old lady and Wu Zi were chatting outside—and turned into her space. Looking at the saplings was also a source of comfort; row upon row of nursery stock was almost as good as seeing stacks and stacks of money.

Cheng Ying patted her chest. Earning money was for enjoying life; earning money was for returning home in glory; earning money was for spending. They weren't short on cash. Even if the nursery stock in the space was like ill-gotten gains that couldn't see the light of day, she could treat it as savings. Why shouldn't she spend the money that was legitimately earned?

Cheng Ying closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was no reason to stare blankly at this beautiful environment thinking about money. Be detached, be detached, she told herself.

Cheng Ying felt a tug at her pant leg. Turning around, she saw two little puppies she must have acquired from somewhere. After half a month in the space, they were much better behaved.

Cheng Ying thought that the space water developing sentience was nonsense. However, letting the puppies and little fish play around definitely made them much more obedient. At least in her own space, she could do as she pleased, right? This was a form of silent transformation.

Cheng Ying stroked a dog's head. "I’m raising you two like a thief. I have to put you out in the yard when people are around; it’s so difficult for me." She patted the puppy's soft fur. "One cat, two dogs, prosperity increases. If I were to name you, you'd both be called 'Not Short of Money,' but Grandma would surely smack me. You shall be called Zhaocai (Attract Wealth) and Jinbao (Bring Treasure). Grow up fast, and then I’ll let you go out and play."

Hearing the door opening outside, Cheng Ying quickly slipped out, still holding her bankbook.

The old lady said, "You truly are my granddaughter, always looking at this thing when you have nothing better to do."

Cheng Ying let out a laugh from her chest. "Mm, in that respect, we are certainly alike."

The old lady realized she had spoken out of turn and changed the subject. "Yingzi, school is starting soon. Study hard. Look at Wu Zi; since coming here, you haven't been studying properly, letting Wu Zi surpass you."

Cheng Ying sighed. Elementary and middle school were manageable, but high school—even for a reborn person, one had to put in the effort. This thing wasn't just about having a foundation; she had been too fond of indulgence. Skipping self-study and skipping classes frequently meant her studies would naturally suffer. Compared to Chi Wu, it might have been acceptable, but having such a high achiever in the house made it difficult. Cheng Ying felt Chi Wu was perhaps a slightly negative influence on her; the pressure was too immense.

The blueprints Cheng Ying brought back were given to the old carpenter masters she had brought with her. As for the two master craftsmen in the city, Cheng Ying didn't entirely trust them. However, since these men lived closer to home, following the principle of 'never abandon a willing hand,' she invited the two masters to work in her own small courtyard. They remained her original apprentices.