The old woman, though lacking spirit, was assumed by both Fatty Sun and Aunt Gan to be simply aged and worn out from the recent stress and late nights, which left them both feeling deeply guilty.

Fatty Sun thought to himself, From now on, this is my own mother.

Seeing Chi Wu and Cheng Ying like that, the old woman felt completely out of touch with the modern era.

What is wrong with these two unfortunate children? Why don't they show even a hint of distress?

The key was that Chi Wu, the one who was clearly disadvantaged, showed no reaction whatsoever, which utterly confounded the old woman.

Then there was her own granddaughter—how could she be so brazen as to walk down the main road like that?

Oh, the old woman was vexed; it felt like a frozen persimmon lodged in her chest—impossible to warm up, impossible to melt, an awful, sticking feeling.

Was this even the child she had raised?

What made matters worse was that the old woman had no one to confide in; a family’s shame should not be aired publicly, as it was too embarrassing. It was even harder to accept than any scandal the old woman herself might have caused.

The old woman gritted her teeth and addressed the two "unfortunate children," “Here, come see your big cousin.”

Then, she pinched Cheng Ying’s arm hard. “I ask you, why don’t you know how to avoid suspicion? Are you not embarrassed enough? Must you accompany that young man in and out everywhere?”

Cheng Ying cried out in pain—it truly hurt. The old woman was sparing no effort in punishing her. “Grandma, I made chicken soup for Auntie. Let her drink it while it’s hot so she can recover quickly and start lactating, or else Big Cousin will go hungry!”

The old woman snorted coldly. “Put it down.”

Then, she went to look at the baby, taking the opportunity to bring a bowl of chicken soup to her daughter-in-law’s lips. “Though the unfortunate child is still young and doesn’t know better, what she said is right: nothing beats what a mother produces herself. But you can’t be too proud of that little bit of milk you have. Do you know what they put in that formula powder? Unless you truly have no milk, you must feed the baby yourself. Understand?”

This made Aunt Gan hesitate. Breastfeeding meant taking how long of a leave? Would her company approve it? Her expression was troubled.

The old woman knew what the problem was just by looking at her. Work was too important. Women shouldn't work outside the home; it was much simpler to stay home, look after the children, and cook. “It’s not easy giving birth, child. How many times in your life can you do that? Which is more important?”

Those words really hit a raw nerve.

Cheng Ying thought to herself that the old woman was just upset; otherwise, she wouldn’t speak that way to Aunt Gan.

She glanced guiltily at Aunt Gan—this was all because of her. “Uh, that won’t be a problem, Auntie. We have several months of maternity leave, right? Once you return from leave, you just leave the baby with me, and when you get off work, you rush home to the baby. It’s not far from the office, so you can definitely breastfeed. That way, nothing is delayed, right?”

The old woman exclaimed, “Oh, you can really provoke people!” It didn't sound right no matter how she heard it.

Aunt Gan said, “It’s thoughtful of Yingzi. Mom, I will definitely prioritize the family and the child first.”

Cheng Ying thought, This is the reality for women; when a conflict arises between family and career, most choose family.

Chi Wu looked at the chubby baby next to him. Though not particularly handsome, he was quiet and well-behaved, which was quite good.

Then Fatty Sun boasted proudly, “Look, that’s my son, doesn’t he look like me?”

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu simultaneously made faces. If the child truly took after him, the boy would be truly cursed. To discard good genes and resemble Fatty Sun—it would be hard for him to find a wife when he grew up.

Cheng Ying peered at the baby. “Nonsense, doesn’t he look like Aunt Gan?”

Fatty Sun protested, “Who said that? Look at these eyebrows, look at these eyes, look at this face shape—he’s exactly like me!”

Cheng Ying retorted, “His eyebrows haven’t even fully grown in, yet you can discern the shape? His eyes are closed, he’s sleeping, so how can you say he looks like you? Besides, his face is still swollen—newborns are puffy. Once the swelling goes down, he won’t look like you, rest assured.”

On his day of great joy, Fatty Sun had never encountered someone so intent on pouring cold water on him. “Did I smash your window glass? Did I kill your family’s wealth mascot? Must you be so deliberately irritating to me?”

Chi Wu chimed in, “Yingzi is clearing a bright path for my cousin. Why would he resemble you instead of the beautiful Aunt Gan?”

Aunt Gan was chuckling on the side; as long as they had a child, their happy life would only become happier, regardless of who the child resembled.

Fatty Sun complained, “Are the two of you deliberately ganging up to tease me? Is this how friends behave on my big day?”

Cheng Ying replied, “Don’t say that. I’m thinking of my nephew’s future. If he looked like you, it would be hard to look at.”

The old woman didn't like hearing that, but she still felt Chi Wu was sensible. She quickly handed him a bowl of chicken soup. “Wu Zi, here, you drink a bowl too.” Truthfully, the old woman didn't want to see these two children right now; they were too vexing.

Cheng Ying’s mind raced. What did Grandma mean by that? Did she think Chi Wu needed nourishment, or did she think Cheng Ying looked so much like a delinquent that she had managed to wear out a big, burly young man to the point where he needed chicken soup?

Chi Wu flushed. Regardless of the reason, he felt awkward and deeply embarrassed. Seeing the look in the old woman’s eyes, Chi Wu guessed she felt guilty, which only made his own face redder. He felt guilty, especially facing his grandmother. “Grandma, I already drank some at home. You’ve been up all night; you should drink it quickly.”

Fatty Sun glared at Chi Wu, thinking that this unlucky kid was full of schemes and surely meant no good. He pouted and looked at his cousin, noticing her expression was odd. “Your facial expression keeps shifting; what are you thinking? Is something wrong with my son?”

Cheng Ying blurted out, “Nonsense, I was just making faces to tease him!” What else could she say?

Chi Wu knew what was going on, and the old woman knew too.

Chi Wu said gently, “Grandma, you’ve been exhausted for several days. Aunt Gan is fine now, and Big Cousin is also doing well. Let Uncle Gan look after Auntie and the baby for the night. You should go home tonight.”

The old woman understood immediately. Everything before was buildup; the conclusion was the key. She looked at Chi Wu—how sensible this child was! He had salvaged her reputation. This meant she was supposed to go home tonight to discuss matters. “Ah, you good child,” she sighed.

Then, she glared at her own misbehaving grandchild. “You’ll have your grandmother from now on.”

This was a promise to Chi Wu. After all, what her granddaughter had done was improper, especially bringing that person to the house on such a morning. If this happened in the village, her reputation would be ruined. Chi Wu could overlook it, which was a great kindness, considering how important reputation was to a woman.

Now, the old woman was almost trying to placate Chi Wu.

Chi Wu understood the old woman’s inner turmoil; she felt a bit ashamed. She had been so kind to him over the years, and yet he had schemed against her. As for Cheng Ying, because of her various actions, Chi Wu felt she deserved it. Currently, he increasingly felt that he had to act this way, otherwise, the two of them would drag things out for a lifetime without any progress.

Chi Wu took Cheng Ying and the old woman home.

The old woman’s heart was pounding. All her life, she had been strong and self-reliant. She had never imagined facing a day where she was so clearly in the wrong. The other family had entrusted their child to her, and something had happened on her watch—it was entirely her fault. If Old Mrs. Chi slapped her twice, she wouldn't even have grounds to complain.

The more the old woman thought about it, the angrier she became, and she couldn't resist hitting Cheng Ying twice on the back.

Cheng Ying bowed her head. This life—she was a sinner. She didn't know when the old woman would forget this incident and stop hitting her when she remembered it.

Chi Wu drove ahead. He could see Yingzi being disciplined in the rearview mirror. He pursed his lips; suffering a little now was for their future. Just bear with it. He had to remember that his wife had also sacrificed for their future—he wasn’t the only one striving. Chi Wu felt a twisted sense of satisfaction; this must have been pent up for a long time.

However, the old woman clearly wasn't going to stop after just two hits, which made Chi Wu ache for Cheng Ying.

Chi Wu swallowed hard. “Grandma, when Auntie was pregnant with Big Cousin, was she especially delicate? Otherwise, how did Big Cousin grow up so fair and soft, so fragile-looking?”

The old woman’s raised hand froze mid-air and then trembled as she slowly lowered it. Her face became bitter, strained, yet she held it in, making Cheng Ying afraid to look. She had never caused Grandma such distress in her entire life.

Cheng Ying took the old woman’s hand and gently tapped it against her own back. “Hit me, hit me, it’s fine. I, your granddaughter, have nerves of steel. A few hits won't hurt. Your expression is making me miserable.”

The old woman began to weep sorrowfully. “You unfortunate child! You’re miserable? If you feared making me miserable, would you have done such a thing? You’re deliberately regretting it now! Was it easy to get into university? What if you were pregnant? You, you...” The old woman couldn't even voice the potential consequence.

Cheng Ying replied firmly, “I can’t be pregnant.”

The old woman couldn't be bothered arguing with a child; things don't just happen based on what you say.

Chi Wu pursed his lips; there was a chance she couldn't be pregnant, but he didn't want to say it. Moreover, hearing Cheng Ying say that made Chi Wu extremely unhappy.

Cheng Ying continued, “Grandma, even if I were pregnant, it wouldn’t matter. There have been more than a few women who went to college while heavily pregnant.”

The old woman closed her eyes. This girl was shameless; how could she have raised something so thick-skinned?

Chi Wu breathed a sigh of relief; at least he knew Cheng Ying’s heart was fundamentally decent. And she wasn't without hope for the future. “Grandma, don't be upset. Haven't the three of us—mother and two children—gotten by all these years? Won't we continue this way? I don't feel anything is different.”

The old woman looked at Chi Wu ahead of her. He was still a child; he didn't grasp the complexity of the situation.

What exactly was this mess? It was agonizing to think about. “I’m going to nap,” she muttered, unwilling to waste words on these two clueless youngsters. They understood nothing of her difficulties.

Chi Wu comforted himself. Grandma, you only have to be upset for a little while longer, and then you will have your only grandson. I’m sorry for putting you through this trouble. For the happier future of our trio, we must all endure a bit.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying settled the old woman on the heated brick bed when they got home, then quietly started cooking. They were both silent, as if waiting for a storm to break. But they both understood that this storm had to come; once a problem arises, it must be resolved.

For Cheng Ying, there were two possible outcomes: either she would acquire a second marriage prospect—even if that candidate was someone she had never considered—or the matter would be dropped, and they would pretend it never happened. She leaned toward the latter. Her mood, adjusting from being thirty back to a teenager after her rebirth, was finally settling...