"It's fine, I'll have someone send some over later. A short trip won't spoil it. Adding more salt helps the flavor penetrate," Cheng Ying looked at the old woman.

The old woman immediately perked up, though she maintained a hint of affectation, "How far is it, anyway? Besides, where does one find someone so conveniently available?"

Cheng Ying saw the brightness in her grandmother's eyes as she spoke, realizing this was an intentional nudge toward finding that specific person. "I'll ask around later. Nothing is certain; maybe if it’s a coincidence, we'll bump into someone." Who could guarantee such a thing anyway?

She couldn't possibly drive over just to deliver a few ears of corn.

Cheng Ying turned and went into the kitchen, returning with boiled corn and a plate of sweet potatoes. "This is dinner tonight."

Cheng Ming scoffed, "Sure, I can fill up on just this. I really miss the taste, but you're a bit wasteful. Why bring out so much at once? It's better to have one thing at a time."

"You're quite the glutton. Then you cook for me tomorrow," Cheng Ying retorted.

Cheng Ming replied, "The way you say that—aren't these things hard to come by? Seasonal items. As long as you have them, I'll cook them for you, what's the big deal?"

"They're not rare. We brought back plenty, and I have them frozen in the refrigerator. We can have them whenever we want."

Cheng Ming fell silent. Ah, the more he spoke, the more mistakes he made; he'd end up being relegated to the role of cook.

The old woman interjected, "Let me fix you both a bowl of soup. How can you fill up on just this? It's just for show."

Cheng Ying munched on an ear of corn. "Grandma, we can eat our fill. I know you're used to better things; you spoil Cheng Ming. Back then, just having this was a luxury."

"I worry you aren't eating well. Look at how you've slimmed down; your appetite hasn't been great lately," the old woman said.

Cheng Ming glanced sideways at Cheng Ying's stomach with a strange look.

A flash of anger ignited in Cheng Ying. What kind of look was that? She immediately kicked him. "I'll teach your filthy thoughts a lesson!"

The old woman rolled her eyes. This was internal strife—the own brother and sister kicking each other.

Of course, it was still one-sided for now; there was no exchange of blows yet.

Cheng Ming felt a bit guilty and didn't dare strike back. "I didn't even say anything."

"If you dare voice those sordid thoughts, I'll hold you down in the vat and salt-cure you," Cheng Ying threatened.

Cheng Ming looked towards the old woman. "Is this even a woman? Too vicious. Mom was right. It's a good thing we only have this one girl; how will she ever marry off if she's this violent? A violent woman."

"Shut up! That's your little sister. Is that how you talk about her?" the old woman snapped.

Cheng Ming glared back. "Is it okay to hit your brother like that?"

The old woman turned to Cheng Ying. "You've gotten bold."

This child truly wasn't as worry-free as Wu Zi was when he was home. When Wu Zi was around, she never had to stress about this.

Ying Zi glared at Wu Zi twice, and the young man just strode off with his chin held high.

Look at Cheng Ming, so troublesome, not even yielding a bit.

Cheng Ying snatched two ears of corn and walked away; there was no sense in staying where no one spoke kindly.

Cheng Ming became even angrier and followed, carrying two ears of corn along with a basin of peanuts and edamame.

The old woman was extremely frustrated, missing Chi Wu terribly. Having a sensible child around was such a comfort. Look at these two; they were like ancestors, neither of whom she could afford to offend.

The old woman packed two bundles of items and left too. This house was unbearable.

Outside, the old woman missed her grandson-in-law even more. It was much better when Wu Zi was home; at least he always drove her places. Now, without Wu Zi around, she had to squeeze onto the public bus.

The old woman delivered her two large bundles to her godson.

Sun Fatty felt genuinely touched that the old lady remembered him, his heart swelling with pleasure as he shelled the boiled peanuts, his mind as flavorful as the nuts themselves.

The old woman mentioned, "Have you been to B City recently? I have some things here; if you happen to be passing through, could you take them to Wu Zi? If it's out of the way, never mind."

Sun Fatty asked, "Mom, what good things? Why are you still thinking about Chi Wu? Do you think that boy would ever let himself be mistreated?"

"Even if he isn't mistreated, he's still away from home, unused to everything. These little treats you’re eating—he hasn't had the first taste of this year's batch."

Sun Fatty felt that Chi Wu was even more pampered than he was, seeing how much the old woman cared. "I only just started eating them myself. Besides, can these even taste good when transported to B City?"

"If you could get them sent over tonight, Wu Zi would be eating them by tomorrow morning."

Sun Fatty looked at the old woman. You want me to deliberately send food to that delinquent Wu Zi, don't you? That’s quite a journey. She really dotes on her grandson-in-law.

How can she be this affectionate?

The old woman quickly sat up straighter. "I was just asking casually. If there's no one going, forget it."

Sun Fatty could sense the intensity of the old woman's emotions. He couldn't just eat these things for nothing. "Yes, there is. Coincidentally, a driver is going over to deliver some goods. Wu Zi set up a storefront over there, and they're delivering stock right to him. They were scheduled to leave tomorrow, but since these items are important to you, we'll have them leave tonight. I'll urge them to start loading the truck now."

The old woman pursed her lips, pleased. "Oh, that's so inconvenient for you."

But she still handed over the items, clearly more eager for her granddaughter's husband to taste them quickly.

After the old woman left, the God-Aunt said to the God-Uncle, "Mom is truly devoted to Wu Zi."

Sun Fatty mused, "No wonder that unlucky boy Wu Zi clings to her and won't let go. If I were him, I wouldn't let go either. The old woman knows how to pamper someone. That boy has sharp eyes."

The God-Aunt offered a surprisingly insightful comment: "Ying Zi's temper doesn't look very good."

The God-Uncle staunchly supported his great-niece, raising an eyebrow confidently. "A child raised by Mom, how bad could she be?"

In his heart, he thought: You haven't seen how Ying Zi protects that boy Chi Wu. She's clearly Mom's granddaughter.

The God-Aunt looked at Sun Fatty's expression and thought that if changing surnames were easy, this man would probably have switched to the Cheng family name long ago.

The old woman's to-and-fro took up most of Sun Fatty's night.

Cheng Ying had no idea that Chi Wu would be eating those treats the next morning. She truly didn't know the old woman could go to such lengths for a few ears of corn.

The space Cheng Ying had organized today still needed to be utilized to move the barrels she had filled in the spatial dimension out to the factory behind the house for fermentation.

Once she started this work, she couldn't stop, or she might forget about it until who knows when.

But the benefit of having something tangible to do emerged: her mind settled down, and she stopped fretting.

When it was time for bed that night, she casually asked if Wu Zi had called.

This prompted the old woman to tease her relentlessly. This was the first time Cheng Ying had actively brought up Chi Wu. The old woman felt much relieved; she had been afraid her granddaughter didn't understand the seriousness of the situation and might ruin things for herself.

The old woman told Cheng Ying that there was a school event, and they wouldn't be allowed back for the first month.

Cheng Ying understood; classes had just started, so it was naturally inconvenient for students to run back and forth.

That night, Cheng Ying slept especially soundly, attributing it to the fatigue from a day's labor.

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and energetic. Even attending classes seemed interesting.

Watching the other youths blooming with vitality, Cheng Ying found herself in the mood to enjoy some leisure on the side.

In this manner, Cheng Ying lived her life at an unhurried pace, balancing her semi-pastoral existence with the bustle of the city.

Sometimes, when she heard about a major opera performance somewhere, she would even find time to take the old woman out for a day in the car; the mother and daughter enjoyed those relaxed times immensely.

When the old woman felt spirited, she would soak a basin of soybeans in the evening, busy with them for half the next day, and then have her granddaughter drive her around to deliver them to acquaintances.

Cheng Ying calculated that driving around half the city consumed more in gasoline than the cost of the soybeans, but as long as the old woman was happy, Cheng Ying was happy to spend the money.

Every Sunday, Cheng Ying insisted on driving the old woman over to the Chi family home for a visit. The old woman told her, "When Wu Zi isn't home, you have to look after both families' elders; that is a woman's duty."

Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow but didn't dare argue with the old woman. I'll fulfill this duty, but what is my stepfather, her son, doing?

So, although she dutifully brought things over, she always detoured to Chi Yong's house, joining them—him, his wife, and their son—to visit the Chi family elders.

Though the Chi family's old woman maintained her proud demeanor, she hadn't spoken a harsh word to Cheng Ying since the two youngsters got engaged.

It seemed she understood that she couldn't rule her grandson's life.

Chi Yong sometimes felt his scalp tingle watching Cheng Ying and the old woman interact, afraid that these two firecrackers would spark a conflict at any moment. Without needing a specific invitation from Cheng Ying, he would bring his wife and son along whenever Cheng Ying came to visit the elders, ready to douse any flames. When these two were together, even in silence, the atmosphere was intensely charged, as if the air crackled with electricity.

The Chi family's old man really had some capability, or perhaps, it was simply that he doted on his wife so much.

In early August, he actually moved houses, without a single prior hint.

The old couple moved into a modest two-story house. Though the term 'villa' was used loosely, the former villas couldn't compare to modern ones.

When Cheng Ying went to help, she saw the two-story building was made of red brick, with no stucco finish on the exterior. It wasn't elegant, but it boasted a good environment, a prime location, and a decent plot of land.

Land wasn't particularly valuable in those days.

Cheng Ying wasn't stingy; besides, Chi Wu owned half of the furniture store, and the construction company was his as well.

She directly arranged for people from his company to renovate the old couple's house according to Cheng Ying's standards. Knowing her own limitations, Cheng Ying specifically asked the Chi family's old woman what kind of décor she wanted.

The Chi family's old woman replied, "You can arrange the other areas as you see fit, but there is one thing: create a sunroom for me on the second-floor balcony, and I want one in the courtyard as well."

Cheng Ying wondered if she was just trying to be difficult.

When it came time for the move, Cheng Ying appropriately gifted the old man two large jars of fish, complete with the massive water tanks. These weren't their household red porcelain jars, but specially commissioned celadon tanks. To put it plainly, an untrained eye might mistake them for blue-and-white porcelain. Despite not being a shareholder, the craftsmanship was certainly high-end for the time.

Her own grandmother gave them two jars of fine liquor.

The Chi family's old couple warmly invited Chi Yong and his wife, "Why don't you two come and live here too?"

Chi Yong looked at the newly finished rooms upstairs, clearly not intended for him and his wife. "You should keep them for the young couple."

The Chi family's old man secretly told his son, "To secure this house, to have a place for Wu Zi to marry into, even your mother, who is so high and mighty, had to leverage past favors and gifted two paintings to manage this acquisition."

Chi Yong shook his head. This situation wasn't about who owned the house; it was about who lived where.

The old woman was dreaming too big.