Chi Yong couldn't help but think how remarkably sensible Yang Zhi was, considering she had given birth. While she was in the hospital, she never caused him or his wife any trouble. Now that they were home, with people constantly coming and going, their daughter was only just beginning to voice her needs—a clear sign she was considerate of her parents' reputation.

Chi Yong said, "I know. I'll tell your mother."

Cheng Ying replied, "Uncle Gan has been incredibly busy lately. If we keep making him run errands, Wu Zi will get impatient with him. I'll have Wu Zi go back to school in a few days; his paternal grandparents must be worried by now."

Chi Yong reassured her, "It’s fine. Wu Zi's grandparents are very understanding people."

When the two reached downstairs, the old lady was already settled in the car, waving at the pair outside. "Hurry up and go; we can finally go home."

Cheng Ying shook her head. Just how eager was the old lady to leave?

Chi Yong and Yang Zhi, standing behind them, called out to the four people in the car, "You all go ahead." It wasn't just that there wasn't room in the car; even if there had been space, neither of them had planned to get in.

Chi Wu took the old lady, Cheng Ming, and the others and left first. Cheng Ying understood that the old lady's discharge was not the end of the matter concerning Yang Zhi; they still needed to go up and thank the people who had looked after the old lady for so long.

Cheng Ying understood better than anyone that even though Chi Yong and Yang Zhi usually visited the old lady infrequently, for this incident, her stepfather and birth mother had thrown themselves in with 120% effort. The fact that the old lady had been so comfortable in the hospital was all thanks to the arrangements made by her stepfather and birth mother.

Cheng Ying waved goodbye to her mother. Some things didn't need to be said aloud. Cheng Ying was certain their own old lady understood the depth of their gratitude.

By the time the old lady arrived home, everything had been prepared. The housekeeper had even cooked a meal.

The old lady missed her home, so Cheng Ming carried her around the house, inside and out, for a full tour.

When she finally sat down on the kang, the old lady's eyes grew red. "It’s not even spring yet; what’s all this fussing about? Look at the trouble you’ve gone to."

Chi Wu had been doing things quietly, and Cheng Ying hadn't paid much attention until now. "Grandma, I’ve wanted to fuss around for ages. I was just afraid you’d stop me when you were home. Since you’re finally away, shouldn't I get some good fussing done?"

Cheng Ying usually returned late at night and hadn't truly inspected the courtyard before. The leading paths had all been replaced with anti-slip tiles.

Along both sides of the path, stainless steel handrails, a meter high, had been installed. If the old lady lost her balance, she would have something to hold onto.

The home's toilet had been converted to a sitting commode. Furthermore, not a single threshold remained visible anywhere in the house.

This modernization was a significant convenience for the elderly lady right now.

It wasn't just the old lady who thought Wu Zi was thoughtful; Cheng Ying found Chi Wu incredibly considerate too. To have done so much without saying a word—staying at the hospital with the old lady at night and then undertaking all this renovation at home during the day—was he ever resting properly? Cheng Ying felt a pang of heartache, and even more so, a stirring of the heart. Who else would do so much for you, thinking of every detail so perfectly?

Cheng Ming, standing beside them, felt even more conflicted. He asked himself if he had ever been as attentive to his own parents, let alone the old lady. Moreover, he lacked the means to accomplish such things. He couldn't help but be impressed by Wu Zi.

The housekeeper, seeing the old lady of the house for the first time, was initially a little nervous. Such a wealthy family placed authority entirely in the hands of this matriarch, and her expression suggested she was not one to be trifled with. However, after interacting with her, the old lady turned out to be genuinely kind. The housekeeper felt much more at ease.

The housekeeper said, "It's already noon, Yingzi. Perhaps we should let the old lady eat first?"

Cheng Ying slapped her forehead. "Right! I was so caught up looking at the renovations, I forgot about eating."

The old lady added, "My stomach is grumbling. Should we wait for your parents?"

Cheng Ying replied, "Not now. My mom and dad won't be here until the evening." As for why they weren't coming back immediately, Cheng Ying had no intention of telling the old lady.

Cheng Ming and Chi Wu both understood. Yang Zhi and Chi Yong were out entertaining people. They couldn't possibly relay that to the old lady, who would surely disapprove.

The household was small. Counting the housekeeper, they barely managed to fill a table for the meal.

The old lady exclaimed, "Oh, I just wanted to eat a proper meal at home. Nothing tasted right in the hospital; everything felt like swallowing medicine."

Cheng Ying chided her gently, "Come on, Grandma. Uncle Gan is so busy. Everything he brought you, he made himself at home. With his cooking skills, you’re still complaining?"

The old lady sighed, "Ah, I haven't seen your Uncle Gan in so long. I only see the small portions he sends over every day. I know this child wouldn't intentionally avoid visiting me; something must be holding him up."

Cheng Ying confirmed, "You've guessed correctly. Neither of us could get away, so Uncle Gan handled all the running around. If he couldn't avoid it, he'd practically be frantic."

Chi Wu reassured her, "Grandma, Uncle Gan will get some rest in a couple of days. We'll let him spend some good time with you then."

The old lady knew that if her godson came to visit, it meant Yingzi or Wu Zi would have to leave to attend to other matters. This large enterprise wasn't entirely a blessing; it meant people were too busy to spend time together. "I was just saying. You handle things as you must; don't go making extra trouble on my account," she added, unwilling to burden the two children further because of her.

That evening, not only did Chi Yong and his wife arrive, but the old man and old lady of the Chi family also came over.

Grandma Yingzi said to Mrs. Chi, "Because of my ordeal, you two haven't been to school for half a month. I really feel uneasy about it."

Mrs. Chi, who had initially been slightly dissatisfied, found herself unable to press the issue after hearing this. "In-law grandmother, please don't worry. We are old; how can we go without a stumble or two? The children know what they are doing."

This sentiment was quite contrary to what she had been voicing at home, as the old man Chi knew. It was rare for his wife to speak so considerately at the Cheng house. "Exactly, exactly. If it were us, the children would do the same. In-law grandmother, please don't take it to heart. Just focus on healing your legs quickly; the children will feel much better. They'll be at ease knowing you are stable when they go to school."

The old lady Cheng felt that choosing relatives wisely—selecting those who were reasonable—paid off at times like this. They were sensible people. Her opinion of Mrs. Chi instantly rose a notch. No matter how haughty or sometimes tactless the old lady was, she understood reason. They should interact more in the future; after all, they were family.

The day after the old lady returned home, things unfolded exactly as Cheng Ying had anticipated: people came and went. Old ladies and gentlemen who were close to the old lady visited, along with neighbors, master craftsmen from the factory who had come from the village, the group of carefree dependents Uncle Gan usually brought around who only knew how to eat and drink, and even some of the business contacts of Chi Yong and Yang Zhi—all came to see the old lady. It was even more crowded than Cheng Ying had imagined.

Chi Yong and Yang Zhi, along with Uncle Gan and his wife who took time off to help, spent these two days hosting and seeing guests off.

Chi Wu estimated that there must have been at least ten tables' worth of visitors. Setting up at home would be impossible, and besides, with the grandmother still recovering and preoccupied, she would surely become agitated.

Chi Wu discussed with Cheng Ying that it would be best to arrange tables directly at a restaurant.

Cheng Ming, Chi Wu, and Cheng Ying spent an entire day making phone calls to invite everyone over.

On the day of the banquet, Chi Wu brought over a wheelchair for the old lady. The whole family hosted these guests properly at the restaurant, making merry for a whole day. The old lady’s smile never left her face. Thinking back to when she and her son first came to the city, how few people they knew! To have reached this point, through the efforts of the mother and her children bit by bit, how could the old lady not be proud? Seeing the hopeful gleam in Cheng Ying and Chi Wu’s eyes, she felt they had truly established roots in the provincial capital.

On the way home, the old lady jumped out of the wheelchair, insisting they take it away immediately. "No matter how convenient it is, we can't keep this thing at home. It looks unlucky."

Cheng Ying shook her head. The old lady’s superstition had reached an extreme level. "Grandma, don't worry. When we go back to the village, we'll give this to Third Mistress; it won't be inauspicious there."

The old lady whispered to her granddaughter, "We shouldn't have bought this thing in the first place. If people see it, they’ll think I’ll be confined to it forever."

Cheng Ying countered, "What's the difference between leaning on this and using a cane?"

The old lady argued, "What’s wrong with a cane? At least one of my legs still works. Is that comparable?"

Cheng Ying realized Chi Wu must have procured the chair. The old lady had deigned to sit in it once; if Cheng Ying had brought it back, the old lady might have smashed it. "It’s all up to you." Cheng Ying recognized that the old lady's rehabilitation work wouldn't require her nagging; look how actively involved she was now.

After the hosting, the old lady immediately urged Chi Wu and Cheng Ying to return to school. "I have Auntie Rong here with me." This was a new familial relationship the old lady had forged with the housekeeper, and from now on, all three of them would refer to her this way. "You should go to school; that's what you need to do."

Chi Wu responded, "Grandma, I took half a month off. There are still two days left; I'll go back to school after that. Don't rush me."

The old lady fretted, "Really? Don't let it delay your studies."

Cheng Ying assured her, "I'm going back to school tomorrow. Don't worry."

Cheng Ming felt relieved as well. Sooner or later, she and Cheng Ying would be the ones looking after the old lady, and with Auntie Rong present in the interim, it would be manageable.

Cheng Ying mixed a cup of honey water for the old lady. "Drink this quickly. Why are you so worked up now that you're home? Why can't you go to the bathroom?"

The old lady’s face flushed deeply as she admitted the truth, "Our new home toilet is excellent, but the problem is, once I sit down on the commode, I just can't manage."

Chi Wu and Cheng Ming stared, unsure what to say. This was an external issue, not an internal one. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I'll carry you to the public restrooms outside."

Cheng Ying thought to herself that this was a psychological block regarding the sitting commode.

The old lady didn't object; she hadn't used the toilet for two days and was clearly uncomfortable. She readily allowed Chi Wu to carry her out.

When the group returned after this excursion, the old lady looked much more comfortable. "People really aren't meant to enjoy every comfort. My destiny, I suppose, is just like this."

Cheng Ying tried to persuade her, "Grandma, you just need to get used to it. Your leg isn't suited for going out like that, yet you tell us to go to school. If you continue like this, how can we possibly leave? When Zhu Yuanzhang was begging for food, he certainly never imagined one day he would become Emperor. It has nothing to do with fate; it's about necessity. Once you get used to it, it won't be any different from squatting."

The old lady said nothing. While the logic was sound, actually using it still felt uncomfortable.

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