Speaking of which, how pure and kind can a child taught by my own nature be? Is this what they call reaping what one sows?

Cheng Ying sincerely did not want to think too deeply. If Chi Wu had done something wrong, she would bear half the responsibility. After all, the child's words and deeds were all influenced by those around her. Therefore, no matter how she thought about it, Cheng Ying had to take the blame.

Who says rebirth means being invincible? Who says rebirth means carrying a cheat device? Who says rebirth means everything is under control? That’s all nonsense. Even with rebirth, you have to suffer losses, otherwise, how will you learn your lesson?

Cheng Ying entered the house with Chi Wu, "Grandma, it's late, you should rest now."

The old lady didn't even lift an eyelid to glance at her. "Wuzi is back, are you tired? Rest a bit first."

Chi Yong's cheeks seemed to be trembling uncontrollably. He had never received such treatment before. "Mom, it’s getting late. We'll come back tomorrow to keep you company. Let Wuzi rest a bit more, send us back, please."

The old lady said, "Mm, go then. Wuzi, take your parents back first."

Chi Yong said, "Mom, it's too late. Having Wuzi run back and forth isn't appropriate. Let Wuzi stay here tonight."

The old lady replied, "Mm, alright." Given what had happened between Chi Wu and Cheng Ying, it wasn't suitable for them to stay here anyway.

Old Master Chi hadn't kept Chi Wu at home, which made the old lady wonder.

Chi Wu insisted, "No, it's just Grandma and Yingzi here, I'm worried about them!"

The old lady felt relieved. "It's just for a day or half a day, no one will know. Besides, we have Zhaocai and Jinbao. Don't worry."

Chi Wu said, "Grandma, please lock the door for us. I'll climb the wall to get back in. You all should sleep, it won't be a problem."

Chi Yong looked at the unlucky child's elaborate performance and couldn't say anything. No wonder the old lady cherished him like a precious pearl even after what happened; he truly lacked that ability.

Chi Yong sighed, "Alright, let's go."

Yang Zhi looked at Chi Wu with eyes full of guilt. Looking at her own daughter, her gaze wasn't much firmer either; she felt the same guilt. This was her failure in discipline. No matter how Yang Zhi thought about it, she was a sinner for raising a child who had gone astray.

If only she hadn't remarried the second time. If she hadn't remarried, she wouldn't have moved to the city, and at least her daughter would have been under her watch. Of course, Yang Zhi failed to consider that, given her own temperament, it wouldn't have mattered where her daughter grew up; she wasn't the crucial factor and couldn't play any significant role.

Cheng Ying couldn't bear to see Yang Zhi like this. "It has nothing to do with you. My character and upbringing are fine. I was just drunk, it was an accident."

Yang Zhi was troubled. "Then whose fault is it?"

Cheng Ying had just reached the main gate. She looked up at the sky. "Perhaps the moon is to blame."

Such an irresponsible deflection.

Chi Yong looked up at the sky. "Perhaps you are my real daughter, to have such a dramatic event happen at this hour." His tone was laced with sarcasm.

Chi Wu said, "Let's go."

Then, once in the car, he said seriously to Chi Yong, "We are mutually fond of each other. Saying the moon is to blame isn't wrong either."

This was to prevent Chi Yong from speaking ill of Cheng Ying.

Chi Yong asked, "Are you sure?" His tone carried a dangerous edge.

Chi Wu immediately shut up. He knew what his father was like, how shrewd he was. Perhaps even his mother, who slept in the same bed with him, didn't know everything. But he had grown up with his father and truly knew. In that era, anyone not smart enough wouldn't have survived, wouldn't have endured. It could be said that when his father married into the Cheng family as a live-in son-in-law, they were truly at a point where they couldn't manage alone. Therefore, only the two of them knew how grateful they were to the Cheng family. Facing his stepfather, Chi Wu didn't dare say another word.

However, he finally managed to squeeze out, "Dad, we’ve essentially paid back Grandma by providing a live-in son-in-law."

Chi Wu’s words were cleverly chosen. Regardless of the circumstances, Chi Yong had completely wiped clean the slate of having been a live-in son-in-law to the Cheng family when they moved to the city. Now that Chi Wu brought it up, Chi Yong was reminded of his guilt. Their Chi family owed the Cheng family a live-in son-in-law.

Yang Zhi was so submerged in her own sorrow that she couldn't surface; she paid no attention to what the two men were saying or what it meant.

Chi Wu hadn't visited Chi Yong and Yang Zhi's new house often. So, when Chi Yong dragged him into the guest room, he was curious. Of course, he also deeply felt the difference in physical strength between a developing man and a fully grown one. Never mind that his father looked like a scholar; standing before him now, he was completely outmatched. Chi Wu admitted, however, that his own guilty conscience played a part in this. Facing Chi Yong's pressure, Chi Wu naturally shrank back.

Chi Yong said, "You sleep first," and closed the guest room door.

Yang Zhi noticed the tense atmosphere between the two men and didn't go to sleep. She looked at her son, Chi Ye, waiting in the living room. Late that night, Yang Zhi witnessed Chi Yong losing his temper for the first time. When the guest room door opened, Chi Wu emerged, bruised and battered, pulling on his jacket.

Yang Zhi cried out, "What are you doing? Why are you hitting Wuzi? How could you? How can you be so unreasonable?"

Chi Yong looked at his wife. Thankfully, she was easily persuaded. At this point, he had no choice but to follow the unlucky child's intent. Thankfully, the elders on both sides were managed. If there was any mishap, the relatives wouldn't even need to be involved anymore, let alone putting the couple in a difficult position in the middle. Why did the unlucky child turn out this way? It was also his fault for being too lenient with Chi Wu. He always thought the child he watched over wouldn't make mistakes, that having been with him for so many years, he would understand propriety and shame. He never expected that a slight lapse would lead to this deviation.

If Cheng Ying knew Chi Yong's thoughts, she would surely be ashamed. He was that element of 'slight lapse'; he was the guide who inadvertently led things astray. But she had lost out in the process too.

Chi Wu kept his head down, not daring to make a sound. While the beating hurt, he was more afraid of Chi Yong exposing the matter, which would undo all their efforts. Furthermore, years of affection would be lost, and he and Yingzi would have no hope whatsoever.

Chi Yong said sternly, "It's nothing. Regardless of who is at fault, in matters like this, it is the man who must take responsibility. If I don't teach him a lesson, am I supposed to wait until he is responsible for a second person? What would that make our Yingzi?"

Yang Zhi, caring for her daughter, immediately pulled Chi Wu closer. "Wuzi, you must be cautious about things like this. There cannot be a second time! If the first time could lead to an engagement, what about the second time?"

Chi Wu thought to himself, Still my mother, her thinking is so clear. "No, there won't be a second time. Yingzi and I will be together forever, there won't be any 'next time'."

Yang Zhi fell silent. It was no wonder the grandmother favored Wuzi; she favored him too. This was a good child.

Chi Yong ignored the unlucky child. How could he even say such a thing? He felt he owed Cheng Ying so much. Did Yingzi really look like she was taken with this boy? No wonder when they were leaving, Yingzi had said evasively, "The moon is to blame." That statement neither placed the blame on him nor on Wuzi. The fact that she hadn't accused Chi Wu of lying was already showing him considerable respect. "It's good if you truly believe that."

This boy was dreaming too sweetly. Chi Yong deeply understood what kind of person his daughter was. As a teenager, she could enter the city to buy tiger skins. As a teenager, she could even use the notion of ghosts and spirits to secure the mountain property that now allowed their entire family to establish themselves in the provincial capital. It would be strange if Chi Wu's petty scheming succeeded.

Chi Wu said firmly, "It will definitely succeed. I'm leaving now. It's late, and Grandma will worry."

Chi Yong snorted, "Didn't I tell you I wouldn't be going to Grandma's tonight?"

Chi Wu replied, "Grandma definitely won't lock the door if she doesn't see me come back. I have to go back."

Chi Yong thought to himself, He really thinks he's important to me. What kind of person is the old lady? I don't believe she cares that much for him. Chi Yong genuinely did not know how much effort Chi Wu had put into looking after the old lady in recent years. Thus, he didn't understand. Chi Wu wasn't without his own leverage. If nothing else, as long as the old lady was around, regardless of how this matter concluded, he and Yingzi would be confirmed as engaged fiancés.

Yang Zhi interjected, "You were too rough. The child is still young."

Chi Yong looked at his wife. Wait until you understand later, you’ll know my actions weren't rough at all, they were light. This child is a wild wolf cub, and all of you women who can't see clearly.

Chi Yong felt he was standing too high up, which seemed inappropriate. Thinking about it, the beating he gave was too light. This scoundrel Chi Wu actually managed to fool a group of women and the elderly—this was bullying orphans and widows! He hadn't done anything so morally bankrupt before. It was worse than stealing corn back in the production team.

Looking at his naive wife, Chi Yong was deeply struck by conscience. It was his fault for not managing his son well.

Chi Wu felt a chill down his spine. He sensed a deep malice emanating from this world, from his father. He opened the door, took two quick steps, and said, "I'm leaving now."

Chi Yong’s raised foot swung through empty air; his expression soured. He followed Chi Wu to the door. "Even if the Chi family owes the Cheng family a live-in son-in-law, it’s only if the Cheng family deems you worthy that it counts."

Chi Wu lowered his head and quickly walked away. I just can't let Yingzi become someone else's.

Chi Yong closed the door and went back inside, wondering if the unlucky child had understood.

Yang Zhi pleaded, "Don't mention this to Wuzi again, and don't hit him anymore. I already feel I've let down my deceased brother and sister-in-law. They only have this one son."

Chi Yong felt an overwhelming wave of guilt. When he married her, he hadn't felt he was letting down Cheng Ying's deceased father, but now he truly did. The thing Chi Yong was most unwilling to consider, he now had to face. "It's alright, no one is to blame. It's all because the moon caused it. We should treat them as childhood sweethearts, a rare fate. If their feelings for each other grow stronger, that will be a beautiful story."

Chi Yong felt disgusted by his own words, but who could he blame, having such a bothersome son?

Yang Zhi looked at Chi Yong. "Dare you come back to the village with me? People in the village say harsh things, and there will be endless gossip."

Chi Yong was boiling inside, but he couldn't take it out on his wife. He suppressed his anger. "It's fine. Villagers just talk; their hearts are good. Besides, we don't spend much time in the village. At worst, we'll return less often in the future. It's not a big deal, don't worry about it. You just need to put in some effort with our Dad and Yingzi's uncle, and talk to them properly. It’s best if only our family knows about this. Although Old Master isn't an outsider, we shouldn't let him worry. The children are grown now; they need to save face. The fewer people who know, the better. I noticed the two kids usually get along well, and Wuzi didn't show any unusual emotion today. There must have been something between them normally; it’s mutual affection. We adults can't do anything, so we should just let them be."