Cheng Ming finished speaking, raising an eyebrow at Chi Wu, wondering how the brat would stop him now. This was his own sister's room; did he need to consult with Chi Wu? Besides, his whole purpose in coming here was to needle him, so he'd needle him however he pleased.

Chi Wu’s face turned as black as Bao Heizi’s—that look of sheer disgust could have melted holes in Cheng Ming’s face, had it possessed any real heat. Lacking any actual piercing power, it accomplished nothing, and finally, Chi Wu reluctantly stepped aside.

Cheng Ying, watching Cheng Ming follow inside, was genuinely surprised. “Well, look who it is! A rare visitor. Not practicing your today? Have you finally found time for a casual drop-in?”

Cheng Ming shot a look at Chi Wu. “I just thought I should discuss things with you, perhaps we can both improve together.”

Cheng Ying took a sip of water, his expression curdling with distaste, watching the two interact like a seizure he couldn't join. “Are you out of your mind? Learn that nonsense? Get out of here now.”

Cheng Ming inwardly mused that they hadn't even exchanged two sentences, yet it was clear the brother and sister had nothing in common. He swiftly changed targets. “Hmph. I was looking to discuss things with Wu-zi.”

Chi Wu spoke with a cold edge. “I have even less interest in that hobby. All that jerky, seizure-like flailing—are you suffering from some kind of motor impairment? Go back to your own room and practice by yourself.” That was his clear intention: to send the man packing. Cheng Ying let out a short laugh; finally, the two shared some common ground.

Cheng Ming grinned mischievously. “I just came here to offer a firsthand account. I’ll tell you the benefits of, I’ll explain the concept of, and I’ll tell you about our shooting starlight, and then you’ll think it’s quite something.” He figured, if he succeeded in annoying them, he’d feel instantly better. That was Cheng Ming’s sole aim.

Cheng Ying sat cross-legged on the heated brick bed, flipping through a novel. Chi Wu sat listening to the nonsensical lecture with a dark expression. If Cheng Ying hadn't been present, Chi Wu would have thrown a punch by now. How could one person be so irritating? “How’s that bike of yours riding these days?”

Cheng Ying nearly snorted out his water; the boy was clearly trying to bring up old embarrassments.

Cheng Ming’s face didn't even flush. “It’s passable.”

Chi Wu, seeing Cheng Ming show no mercy regarding the past, pressed on. “I heard they just released a new Yamaha.”

This time, Cheng Ming showed some backbone. “A man likes his bike, and he has to earn the money to buy it himself. Riding one someone else gave you just isn't cool.”

Chi Wu fell silent. This tactic—luring him away with material temptation—had failed.

Cheng Ying thought to himself that maybe he could sponsor a bike for Cheng Ming; at least the ambition was commendable.

Cheng Ming simply stopped talking, content to wait it out. You won't let me enjoy my dumplings in peace? This grudge is deep.

Before long, the old woman’s voice called from outside. “Ming-zi, aren't you going to bed yet? Do you think you’re a night owl like that one?”

Chi Wu turned, the corner of his mouth nearly lifting into a triumphant smile. Oh, thank goodness for Granny.

Cheng Ming’s face darkened, and he gritted his teeth as he walked out. All the old woman’s affection seemed concentrated on that boy. Who, exactly, was her real grandson?

Once Cheng Ming was gone, Chi Wu immediately shut the door. “Tomorrow, let’s go for a walk. See if there’s anything Granny might like, and I’ll buy it all for her.”

Cheng Ying rolled his eyes, and the two lay down side-by-side to sleep. Nothing extra happened between them, which left Cheng Ying feeling rather let down—like preparing a whole arsenal to catch a mouse, only for the mouse to stay quiet all night.

Cheng Ying sometimes genuinely wondered what pleasure the boy derived from this. There were no actual boundary-crossing acts; did Cheng Ming’s presence even make a difference?

He couldn't comprehend Chi Wu’s need for shared space, where silence spoke volumes.

The word “late-bloomer” drifted through Cheng Ying’s mind, though he didn't think it applied to Chi Wu.

In the mornings, Chi Wu was always up before Cheng Ying, just so he could steal a few glances, perhaps even a sneaky kiss. This man’s display of maturity was highly selective. When facing Cheng Ying, Chi Wu could be shamelessly persistent while his lover was awake, but when it came to the real action, Chi Wu wouldn’t dare even if threatened. Thus, he played to his strengths. Cheng Ying, in the mornings, was at his most pliable and somewhat languid. Chi Wu typically tried to take advantage when the other was still half-asleep, and indeed, Ying-zi was nearly impossible to wake in the mornings.

It was something Cheng Ying had only recently discovered about himself: for quite some time now, he had been slightly afraid to sleep alone, a habit that seemed long-established. Thinking back, it made sense why he hadn't minded staying up late trying to catch burglars back then—he was simply too restless to sleep.

It was all because their reborn location was poor, the house small. Cheng Ying had always slept in the same room as his grandmother and had never experienced sleeping truly alone. On the rare occasion he had, he just dismissed it as unfamiliarity. Since getting engaged to Chi Wu, his grandmother had insisted he move to the west room.

When Chi Wu was away, sleeping alone revealed the truth: he couldn't sleep soundly through the night, only settling down just before dawn. That’s why he’d been sleeping so well these last few days—Chi Wu’s presence filled the room with human warmth. But the habit had already set in.

Someone once said it was hard to cultivate good habits, while bad ones formed without even trying. Cheng Ying attributed this to a latent side effect of rebirth, one he’d noticed rather late. When Wu-zi left again, he decided he should move back to the grandmother’s room. Cheng Ying didn't care about appearances; getting proper rest was paramount, and a woman neglecting her well-being suffered a great loss.

In his groggy state, Cheng Ying felt the mosquito from yesterday return, but the slap he aimed failed to have its usual effect, intercepted by a hand. Cheng Ying opened his eyes, pursed his lips, and withdrew his hand. He was still contemplating his inability to sleep alone, realizing that this must be why he spent so little time in his 'space' over the years—he needed human vitality more than he realized. Cheng Ying even half-joked to himself: perhaps because he was reborn, he carried too much yin energy and needed yang energy. Was he human or ghost, then? His gaze drifted vaguely toward the ceiling.

Chi Wu prompted, “Are you asleep or awake?”

Cheng Ying replied, “Whether I’m asleep or awake, I’m ready to stop you from taking advantage. Get away from me, or I’ll hit you so hard your grandmother won’t recognize you.”

Chi Wu pursed his lips. “If you have the guts to hit me so I’m unrecognizable to your grandmother, then I’ll truly submit to you.” Do you dare?

Cheng Ying pursed his lips again; he truly didn’t dare. If his grandmother ever found out he hit Chi Wu, what awaited him would be the dreaded feather duster and the grandmother’s ultimate move. He’d have to be insane to provoke his own grandmother.

Since Chi Wu had ruined his morning mood, Cheng Ying felt irritable. “Get up. You’re the boss, don't just play around. Go check on your renovation crew today.”

Chi Wu looked slightly displeased. His wife seemed to hold little regard for his career. “That’s a company,” Chi Wu corrected him.

Cheng Ying waved a hand dismissively. “Whatever it is, go check on it. Stop hanging around me.”

Chi Wu dramatically lamented, “Ying-zi, I’m your man! How can you treat me like this?”

Cheng Ying closed his eyes. “Can you please stop being so melodramatic first thing in the morning?”

Chi Wu insisted, “That’s the truth. Even if my words are coarse, no one can deny it. You need to face reality.”

Cheng Ying sighed. “I’ve been drowned by reality for ages. Just stop provoking me; I’m going through a period of uncertainty right now.”

Chi Wu immediately perked up. “What’s troubling you?” Please don't let this uncertainty be about our wedding. If it is, I’ll run away from home before I’ll discuss it with you. Chi Wu was highly protective of that aspect.

Cheng Ying admitted, “Your sister is worrying about the future. How should I choose the direction for my career path?”

Chi Wu was momentarily stunned. “Isn’t that a bit late to be thinking about it? Shouldn't you have decided before applying to university?”

“No, I didn't think that far ahead back then.”

Chi Wu was genuinely bewildered. “If you didn’t think about it, how did you apply to university?”

“You filled out the application form for me. It was your idea, not mine.”

Chi Wu closed his eyes. Back then, everything was so focused on their relationship that he hadn't considered Cheng Ying’s career path at all. Besides, Cheng Ying’s company was running smoothly. Chi Wu hadn’t truly factored in a ‘future plan’ for Cheng Ying. Running a company together as a couple sounded ideal. If Cheng Ying preferred to be a full-time homemaker, that would be lovely too. The thought of coming home to a gentle wife was certainly appealing—being a homemaker sounded fantastic. “Start small, getting a degree wouldn't hurt,” Chi Wu suggested, having his own selfish motive in mind.

Cheng Ying countered, “Am I such a person without life goals? Even though I’m starting late, I still need to map things out.” He adopted the tone of a seasoned veteran to lecture Chi Wu. “A person needs goals, or how will I know where to strive? Especially a grown man like you. Do you understand? Goals are the fuel for life. Otherwise, I’d just be eating and waiting to die, and where’s the fun in that?”

Chi Wu smiled smugly. “My life goal is much clearer than yours.”

“Oh really? Tell me about your grand ambitions.”

Chi Wu smiled without speaking. My life goal is for you to cling to me, hold onto me so tightly you won’t let go, be my good wife, and cherish me like Granny does. Can I say that out loud? Absolutely not. “My goals are minor matters. We need to focus on yours right now. In our family, your issues are the major ones; mine barely count as issues.” Listen to that attitude.

Cheng Ying commented, “If this were the past, you’d be a conniving schemer. And frankly, you’re not much better now.”

Chi Wu pressed, annoyed. “Are you going to talk about your future direction or not?” Does this woman have any awareness?

Cheng Ying pulled the quilt around himself, dressed in his long underwear. Truthfully, the undergarment styles of that era were not very attractive; they were extremely conservative, which perhaps explained why Cheng Ying could sleep so comfortably in the same room as Chi Wu. However, in Chi Wu’s eyes, regardless of the style, it was his wife, and his wife wearing lingerie at that. Chi Wu’s imagination alone was enough to make his heart pound.

Cheng Ying stared at the ceiling. “I considered becoming a teacher. But if I ended up with a student like you, having just two of you would keep me busy for a lifetime—so, forget that. If the school assigned me a job, who knows what I’d end up doing? I’m a loyal citizen responding to the state’s call. If I used connections or bribery, I’d be taking spots from other students, and I certainly won't do something so immoral. So, I think I’ll aim for a specialized vocational college. At least my future career path would be fixed then.”

Chi Wu realized he had already thought this through extensively. “After all that circling, just tell me what you want to do.”