Chi Wu nodded vaguely at Cheng Ying’s words, thinking: What do you mean, "your grandma?" Why hasn't Yingzi changed how she addresses her yet?
The most important thing, the one he was truly focused on, remained unsaid by Yingzi.
Chi Wu waited for a long moment, but Cheng Ying remained silent, even as they reached the car door. Chi Wu couldn't hold it in any longer.
His tall, steady figure showed a flicker of hesitation; as he went to open the car door for Cheng Ying, his hand actually trembled slightly. “Did you miss me?”
Cheng Ying opened the car door herself and slid in, genuinely not wanting to engage with that topic.
It was a pity that someone was standing right there outside; it was hard to ignore.
Chi Wu felt as if asking that single question had drained every ounce of strength from his body.
He desperately wanted to hear Cheng Ying’s reply. If Yingzi hadn't answered, there was still hope, but if she gave an answer he disliked, Chi Wu felt he would only be humiliating himself.
The waiting lasted only a few seconds, but for Chi Wu, it was pure torment. The more something mattered to him, the more nervous he became.
Cheng Ying said, “Yes, of course, I missed you. Why wouldn't I have?” Her tone was light, making it impossible to discern if she was joking, being sarcastic, or being completely sincere.
As for why she missed him, Cheng Ying offered no clear explanation.
Chi Wu was overjoyed. Regardless of the reason, the fact that she missed him was enough. He grinned, opened his own door, and slid into the car just as Cheng Ying had, his face radiating sunshine. His mouth was completely unrestrained. “I missed you too.”
He just kept looking at Cheng Ying, thinking: It doesn’t matter if you’re not enthusiastic; I can be enthusiastic enough for both of us.
Cheng Ying turned her face away. He wasn’t this thick-skinned before, she thought. Longing for the aloof flower was much easier to deal with than this shameless beggar in front of me now. “How is school going? Have you made any friends you get along with?”
Chi Wu’s expression immediately darkened. She’s expecting me to get into some messy situation, isn't she? “Don't worry, not a single one. I’m behaving myself.”
He decided against saying, I’m preserving myself for you, feeling that saying it aloud now might put too much pressure on Cheng Ying. He kept those words safely locked inside.
He then heard Cheng Ying say, “Dormitories at university are full of classmates. Make a few good buddies so you have someone to lean on. Get along well with everyone, and don't put on a cold face for them. Being proud only works in certain places.”
Chi Wu pursed his lips. She really is looking out for me. “Mm, I know. I have a very good temper.”
Cheng Ying offered no comment. She didn't find that claim credible.
Cheng Ying casually switched to a safe topic. “Did you go home? Grandma has been missing you.”
Chi Wu replied, “I did. Grandma asked me to bring you over for dinner.”
Cheng Ying closed her eyes. “Did you go back to your own home?”
Chi Wu answered, “We ate, and I’ll go back later tonight.”
Cheng Ying chuckled inwardly. To the Chi family, Chi Wu was like a married-off daughter whose water had been spilled—truly gone. It seemed this boy actually considered himself married off, just like a daughter. Poor old Mr. and Mrs. Chi. “Go back to your home first. Grandma and Grandpa have been missing you for ages.”
Chi Wu pursed his lips, pleased. See how good my wife is? She knows to care about my family. This was returning a favor in kind.
Chi Wu countered, “No need. Didn't you forget? I married into the family. Of course, we should go back to our home first. We can visit them when there’s time. It’s fine, Grandma is waiting for us at home.”
Cheng Ying thought to herself, If your grandma heard you say that, she’d flood the entire army. What a heartless thing to say! I’m never having a daughter, I guess all married-off girls are like this.
Chi Wu spoke up somewhat awkwardly. “Yingzi, the environment at your school seems quite nice. Are you doing well there?”
Cheng Ying replied, “Mm, it’s fine. You saw it yourself when you visited earlier, didn’t you?”
Chi Wu blushed. “Do you have any friends there? Someone you talk to often?”
Cheng Ying asked directly, “What exactly are you trying to ask?”
Chi Wu clarified, “I just feel that no matter where my wife is placed, she is exceptional. There must always be people who want to look at her twice, right? Are there any annoying ones? While I’m home, I can deal with them for you.”
Hearing Chi Wu utter the words “my wife,” Cheng Ying got a headache. “You should just rest well at home. I’ve barely been to school a few times; I don’t even remember the names of the people there. Don’t worry, there’s no need for you to step in. And stop calling me ‘wife.’ I’m not your wife yet.”
The last part stung deeply. “How am I not your wife? If you don’t believe me, go ask around the village. Who doesn’t know you’re my wife?”
Cheng Ying countered, “This is the city. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I told you not to call me that, so don't. Are you asking for a beating?”
Chi Wu was dissatisfied but didn’t dare to argue. He was used to being bossed around after so many years. “Yingzi, let’s call Mom and Dad to come home for dinner.”
Cheng Ying was satisfied. This boy is finally showing some sense. Even though he forgot about the elderly couple, at least he hadn't forgotten his parents.
Cheng Ying and Chi Wu brought Chi Yong and his family home. Good heavens, the yard was brightly lit.
Under the grape arbor sat a lavish spread of dishes.
Cheng Ying thought to herself, Thank goodness I used water from my spatial dimension to water the grapevines, otherwise the leaves would have withered by this season, which wouldn't have been appropriate.
Old Madam Chi exclaimed, “Hurry up! This certainly makes up for the Mid-Autumn Festival!”
Cheng Ying teased, “Grandma, aren't you worried about the electricity bill? Can the Mid-Autumn Festival really be made up for? I’ve never heard of that.”
Chi Yong smoothed things over for his mother. “If it’s not the Mid-Autumn Festival, then the October 1st holiday is just as good.”
The Old Madam thought that among living people, three festivals were the most important: Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and Spring Festival. But what Chi Yong said was also true.
The Old Madam announced, “No matter what, as long as our whole family can sit down together for a meal, it’s a celebration! Hurry inside and wash your hands to eat. I’ve been preparing for half the day!”
Cheng Ying asked, “Why did you start preparing so early?”
The Old Madam replied, “Wuzi called me before he got back; of course, I knew then.”
Cheng Ying looked at the two of them. Heh, still hiding things from me. “Fine, so you two can keep secrets from me now.”
Cheng Ming chimed in, “Tell me about it! I wish I could have been kept in the dark too. You have no idea; Grandma grabbed me like a bundle, a woven basket in one hand, a net bag in the other, and Grandma was just about ready to hang things around my neck! As we walked back, people were staring at me like I was an ape in a show.”
Cheng Ying scoffed, “What a great opportunity! Grandma gave it to you. I can’t be jealous of that!”
Chi Wu added, “That’s right. If I were home, this job wouldn’t have fallen to you. I would have had to accompany Grandma to do it. You got lucky.”
The two of them ganged up, almost bullying him.
Cheng Ming grumbled through clenched teeth, “Shameless adulterers!”
The Old Madam swatted him from behind. “You wretched boy, is that how you talk about your sister?”
Cheng Ming clutched his head. “Grandma, this is a university student’s head! You can’t just hit it carelessly! I’m the younger one, I must be the younger one.”
Cheng Ying snickered. “I’ve heard of being raised by a stepmother, but never by a step-grandmother. Enough of that. By the way, why aren't you driving?”
Cheng Ming shot a wronged glance at the Old Madam. “Grandma said we still need to buy fish, and it would stink in the car. You wouldn’t know, but Grandma heard Wuzi was coming back and spent an hour polishing the car. She wouldn’t let anyone else touch it.”
Chi Wu sat next to the Old Madam and poured her some fruit wine. “Grandma, why didn’t you wait for me to come back so we could wash it together? That’s an activity for you and me.”
Cheng Ying scoffed, “Pfft! Even if you asked me to wash that car, I wouldn't do it.”
The Old Madam retorted, “Wait until you drive it for a couple of days and it gets dirty, then we’ll wash it together. Let me tell you, Wuzi, Mingzi is utterly slovenly. That car has never once been polished properly. I was too lazy to bother with him when you weren’t home. That car has suffered.”
Chi Wu exclaimed, “Aiyo, fine pearls covered in dust!”
The Old Madam slapped her hands together. “That’s exactly the feeling!”
Cheng Ming felt his lungs burning with anger. “We share the surname Cheng, but he’s also surnamed Cheng! This is a cuckoo occupying the magpie’s nest!”
Cheng Ying sighed. “Just get used to it. There won’t be any good days ahead. My youth is gone forever.”
The Old Madam ignored the bickering of the two boys and thoroughly questioned Chi Wu about all aspects of his life away from home—his food, his clothing, and his daily routine.
By the time Yang Zhi and Cheng Ying had the food laid out, the Old Madam had already found out how many female classmates were in Chi Wu’s class.
This was all done with the granddaughter’s best interests at heart. Chi Yong watched from the side, deeply moved. She was practically about to ask her son how many times a day he went to the restroom and if he had any strange encounters in between.
Chi Wu addressed the Old Madam but clearly aimed the comment at Cheng Ying: “Grandma, the female classmates over there are like children—delicate and pampered. None of them look as pleasing to the eye as Yingzi. You can tell immediately they aren’t the type to build a stable life with.”
This was meant to reassure the Old Madam, but it was mostly for Cheng Ying’s benefit. Chi Yong thought his son was becoming shamelessly bold. Can’t you say things like that in the bedroom?
The Old Madam was thoroughly satisfied. “Exactly! Let me tell you, among the girls from our village, there isn’t one who isn't presentable. They are all excellent homemakers, capable managers of the household.”
Chi Yong intervened before the two could continue. “Alright, alright, let’s eat. This is a grand feast!”
Before starting, the Old Madam expressed regret. “It’s a shame that Uncle Gan and his wife couldn't come.”
Chi Yong thought: Grandma has too soft a spot for that chubby kid.
Cheng Ying glanced at Chi Yong. So, Dad still cares about him after all. Men aren't that generous.
The meal was warm and lively. Watching Chi Wu and the Old Madam, Chi Yong thought: I raised this son for almost twenty years, and just like that, he belongs to someone else. It wasn't that the other party aggressively pursued him; it was our own son who desperately rushed towards them. Who can I blame?
Sighing, he took a deep drink of wine, feeling rather gloomy.
Yang Zhi said gently, “Drink less. How old are you to still be so fond of the drink?”
Chi Yong looked at his wife, and his mood instantly brightened. I took someone else’s, so I guess I’ve given one back. Besides, his son was happy with the arrangement. “Now that you mention it, I’m being so pathetic, letting one drink reveal it all. This is homemade by Mom herself.”
The Old Madam exclaimed, “Oh, Yongzi knows how to drink! Look at you two, giving it to you is a waste. This little jar is made from the wild grapes you two gathered in the mountains the year we first divided the property. I went to great lengths to save it; otherwise, you two would have given it all away.”
Once the Old Madam said that, it was basically a session of recalling past hardships. Everyone gathered around, talking endlessly about that time, even though looking back, that period had been filled almost entirely with bitterness and very little sweetness.
Cheng Ying felt a wave of bitterness rise when recalling those years. To this day, Cheng Ying still didn't particularly like corn porridge; he felt he’d had enough of it back then.
Chi Wu, Cheng Ying, Chi Yong, and Yang Zhi all drifted off into their memories.
Only Chi Ye, a child who understood nothing of those troubles, ate with gusto. For a little fatty, gourmet food was always the greatest temptation. Besides, the years they were describing were incomprehensible to him anyway.
Yang Zhi had told Chi Ye not to waste any grain, recalling how scarce food was back then.
When asked about it, he simply replied, “If there’s no food, can’t we just buy some?”
This stunned Yang Zhi and Chi Yong. They suddenly realized they had a little crown prince in the house! From that moment on, Chi Yong became much stricter about Chi Ye’s education.