When Cheng Ming returned, he ran right into Chi Wu speeding out. Cheng Ming felt that Wu Zi’s exit was incomparably cooler than anything he could manage, instantly regretting not bringing his own hot rod. What a chance to show off he’d missed, letting that kid steal the spotlight!
Turning back inside, he saw Cheng Ying standing there, utterly stunned. Cheng Ming asked, “What are you doing? Why did Wu Zi leave?” Cheng Ying blinked, “Nothing, just spacing out. I’ll get back to what I was doing. Chi Wu has these moments of sheer madness a couple of times a year; Cheng Ying just treats it like he’s going through some kind of monthly cycle.”
Seeing her own grandson and granddaughter, the old lady was truly content. She had never dreamed their family could achieve such standing. Look at that—two university students! Chi Wu didn’t count; his talents stemmed from the Chi family lineage.
These two were finally truly part of the old Cheng family. The old lady counted on her fingers, “Forget the village, forget the township, even in the county, few families are like ours. Two university students! If I were still living in the village, the township would have sent me a massive red banner long ago.” Cheng Ming rolled his eyes. The old lady was quite satisfied; he knew his own limits—he’d only managed to latch onto one university spot. Cheng Ming felt awkward accepting the praise.
Cheng Ying puffed out her chest, this one possessing a thick skin, “That’s right! The grass growing on the graves of our old Cheng family is about to be dug up by outsiders.”
The old lady and Cheng Ming both stared at Cheng Ying, bewildered. “Why? We don’t get that. We haven’t heard of us offending anyone lately.”
Cheng Ying replied, “See if there’s any mugwort among the weeds, and plant it on their ancestral graves to nourish the feng shui.” The old lady raised her hand to hit her but stopped mid-swing. Wu Zi was right; she wasn't smart to begin with, and hitting her would only make her dumber.
Cheng Ming looked at Cheng Ying, “I know why Grandma only has eyes for you. You’re a total brown-noser, completely without principle. Back in the old days, you’d be a lackey.”
The old lady snapped, “Nonsense! That’s your sister. How can you say that? She’s just obedient, at most she’s just a...” The old lady realized where her words were leading and quickly cut herself off, “Scram! You’ve got me going now. If she’s a lackey, what does that make me? You ill-fated child!” Cheng Ying looked between them, “Still dogs, but not as infuriating as you two.” The old lady sighed, “Alright, all of you go to bed. Wu Zi called when he was eating, said he’d stay home for a few days to eat with his grandparents. I don’t know if he’s coming back to sleep. I forgot to ask. You two go to sleep; I’ll wait up for him.”
Cheng Ming’s room was in the back courtyard building. Cheng Ming was thrilled to finally have a room to himself and nodded before leaving.
At home, he always shared a room with his brother. Having this kind of treatment in the city made Cheng Ming ecstatic, even washing away his slight disappointment about not having lodging elsewhere.
Cheng Ying thought to herself, the kid must have been driven crazy to leave like that. At least he remembered to call Grandma. “Grandma, you should go to sleep. He’s definitely staying at their place.”
The old lady glared at her granddaughter. “If Wu Zi wasn't coming back to sleep, he would have called me. If you’re tired, you go to sleep. Then, turning to the somewhat untrustworthy Cheng Ying, she began lecturing, “It’s not me saying this, but look how good Wu Zi is to you. You need to put some effort into being good to Wu Zi too. Don't treat him like you’re barking orders; he’s your man, not your son. And listen, Wu Zi will be going far away to school soon. You need to know how to hold a man’s heart close to you, do you understand?”
Cheng Ying replied, “I understand. I’ll tell him when he gets back: if he forgets to bring his heart back with him, I’ll smack him.”
The old lady’s face turned shades of purple. “How did I end up with such a wicked creature? You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? You’re trying to anger me, right?” Cheng Ying raised her hands in surrender. “Yes, yes, I’m doing it on purpose. I’ll change. You should sleep, Grandma. I’ll wait up.”
The old lady insisted, “You sleep. I’ll wait up.” Cheng Ying felt a pang of pity for the old lady. “But you just told me to hold his heart close? Of course, I should wait up. You don’t really expect me to use physical force, do you?”
The old lady pursed her lips and went to bed. “You better wait, understand?”
This showed she didn't quite trust her granddaughter’s character.
Cheng Ying rolled her eyes. “Is this really my own grandmother?” She sighed, “Don’t worry.” Watching the old lady lie down, Cheng Ying turned off the light for her and quietly slipped out of the room. Looking up at the sky where the moon was barely visible, Cheng Ying felt a wave of melancholy. She had been reduced to waiting up for someone.
Thankfully, it wasn't long before the sound of a car approached outside.
Cheng Ying thought, Good, you finally acted sensibly, you brat. You didn’t make your sister wait too long.
When Chi Wu returned and saw Cheng Ying, the only person still awake in the yard, most of his anger vanished. At least his wife knew to wait up for him before sleeping; she knew how to wait at the door for her man. He counted this as progress. That was how Chi Wu comforted himself.
Cheng Ying’s presence was like a shaft of sunlight that could illuminate every corner of his heart.
However, he maintained a slight pout for a moment; after all, he had stormed out in a huff. Having been proud and willful for so many years, even though he knew he needed to adopt a thick-skinned approach with his wife, executing it required some technical finesse right now.
Chi Wu’s expression kept shifting, making him look troubled—changing every moment.
Cheng Ying was used to this proud posturing. If he were completely shameless, she would actually get goosebumps.
Lately, Cheng Ying had been meaning to see a dermatologist; perhaps her constitution was poor? Was she allergic?
Not wanting to watch Chi Wu wrestle with his changing face, Cheng Ying coughed, “Ahem, remember to lock the door when you come back in,” before heading into her own room.
Chi Wu felt the need to switch his internal thermostat straight to Arctic mode. What kind of attitude was that? He was leaving in two days! Where was the atmosphere of farewell?
Cheng Ying went to sleep, feeling rather comforted by her sleeping habits. Thankfully, since her rebirth, the living conditions hadn't been great, meaning she always slept in the same room as her grandmother. Thus, her habits regarding intimacy had been cured to the very core.
Otherwise, sharing a room with a strapping young man would have felt truly awkward. Now, putting on a tank top and shorts, she felt absolutely no shyness. She could sleep in communal barracks like this.
She, who had sunbathed in a bikini on the beach, wouldn't find this troublesome at all.
After washing up, Chi Wu saw his wife sleeping soundly, and it stung his eyes. How could she sleep so peacefully? Why did she show no reaction to him whatsoever? Chi Wu lay down with a dark expression. Despite the hot weather, Chi Wu intentionally moved close to Cheng Ying, hoping that in her sleep, she might accidentally hug him. Since they were engaged, Chi Wu had been having this dream constantly.
Looking up at the pitch-black ceiling, Chi Wu let out a long sigh. After a long while, only the steady breathing of two people filled the room.
The next day, Chi Wu sprang back to life. He grabbed Cheng Ying and Cheng Ming and drove to Cheng Ying’s school.
Cheng Ying pursed her lips. See? It was just her monthly cycle. She had told him men have those too; they self-heal after time passes. There was no need to micromanage.
Cheng Ming was completely uninterested. “Why are you making me come along to your school? Are you intentionally trying to torment me?”
Chi Wu gave Cheng Ming a disapproving look. “Of course, I want you here. When it’s overcast, raining, snowing, or in special circumstances, you’ll have to pick her up. If you don't check things out now, it’ll be inconvenient later.”
Cheng Ming glared at Chi Wu, wanting to bite a chunk out of him. “So, not only do I have to guard your house, but I also have to guard your wife? Do I have any other use? Is there anyone as ruthless as you? You exploit people even more than a nouveau riche tyrant!”
Chi Wu calmly countered, “Xiao Er Wu, think about your Xiao Er Wu. I heard the new shipment is arriving in a few days, and it will be much quieter than your 250.” Cheng Ming immediately fell silent. Brother will endure this. Endure it for the new motorcycle in the future!
Cheng Ying realized this one had been bought off. She playfully kicked Cheng Ming. “You spineless weakling! You dare call me a lackey? You’re worse than I am!” She turned to Chi Wu. “Thanks for going to so much trouble.” Chi Wu replied, “No choice. She’s my only wife. Naturally, I have to arrange everything perfectly. For any heavy lifting, dirty work, tiring tasks, or anything she finds inconvenient to do, remember to call him.”
Cheng Ying looked at Cheng Ming. “Murder and arson—can you do that?”
Cheng Ming broke out in a cold sweat. “I don’t sell my body!” Chi Wu snorted with laughter.
Cheng Ying declared haughtily, “It’s an honor for you to be the driver for Ya [a term of affection/dominance]. If it were someone else, I wouldn’t even bother using them.” Such arrogance, such swagger.
Cheng Ming’s nose was practically steaming white smoke. The motorcycle! I’m doing all this for the motorcycle!
The three of them spent the entire day touring Cheng Ying’s school. Chi Wu was far more meticulous than Cheng Ying, even scouting out the small food stalls outside the campus.
He specifically warned Cheng Ying about several places she absolutely could not go: the maple woods behind the school, and definitely nowhere in the secluded corners. She had to be completely exposed to the sunlight, 360 degrees, all day long.
Cheng Ming looked at the frantic Chi Wu and worriedly said, “What about on cloudy days? Should you get her a giant lightbulb to wear on her head?”
Cheng Ying rolled her eyes. “Get lost, are you trying to attract lightning?” Chi Wu was a thousand times uneasy and ten thousand times reluctant, but he was a man, and he couldn’t voice these feelings. A man should be able to pick up and put down things.
He regretted the casualness he showed when filling out the registration form, but he couldn’t admit it out loud. If Chi Wu knew how he felt today, he certainly wouldn’t have been so magnanimous on the form.
Chi Wu hovered around Cheng Ying hesitantly, as if pleading for a single sentence: Can you give me some reassurance? Can you give me a definitive guarantee? Otherwise, I won’t be able to rest easy when I’m gone.
Unfortunately, Chi Wu couldn’t ask. He could say anything normally, but on crucial matters, Chi Wu still had his pride.
What was worse was the thought that if he asked and Yingzi still wouldn’t give him a guarantee, it would only upset him more. What a conflict.
When it came to making money, Cheng Ying and Chi Wu were completely in sync, possessing an almost telepathic connection.
But when it came to their relationship as man and woman, there was zero telepathy. Cheng Ying had no idea what the boy was moping about in the middle of the night, or why he wouldn’t let her sleep. What time was it already?
Every so often, Chi Wu would call out softly, “Yingzi...”
Cheng Ying replied sleepily, “Is there anything left to pack? Do you need help?” Chi Wu said, “No, everything is packed and ready.”
Cheng Ying sighed, “Then go to sleep. We have an early start tomorrow.” This kid is trying to summon spirits or something.
Cheng Ying kept her eyes closed, not wanting to engage with Chi Wu at all. This child deserved a good thrashing. If she weren’t sending this unfortunate boy off tomorrow, Cheng Ying would have already gotten up to kick him.