After returning, the old woman couldn't eat for several days.

Cheng Ying, however, was thoroughly frightened.

She insisted they had encountered something unclean and wanted to take the old woman to the temple for exorcism rites.

The old woman finally confessed her unease. "It's fine, it will pass in a couple of days." Cheng Ming learned his lesson.

From then on, whenever he took the old woman out, he cleared it with Cheng Ying beforehand.

He dared not let her witness such things again; the old woman was advanced in years and sensitive to that sort of matter.

Cheng Ying wanted to kick Cheng Ming right in the rear. "You idiot, why on earth would you bring the old lady to see that? Mindless!" Cheng Ying stayed with the old woman in the east room for several days until the old woman's mood finally lifted slightly. "Yingzi, when I was young, I never feared things like that.

But now I do.

We just started living well, and Grandma truly can't bear to leave—can't bear to leave you, can't bear to leave Wuzi, can't bear to leave this life we have." Her words were painfully honest, striking a deep, sorrowful chord.

Cheng Ying felt it even more acutely.

It was the twilight of one's strength; though they weren't heroes, everyone aged, didn't they? Who isn't afraid of death? Clutching the old woman's hand, she added, "And I can't bear to leave our money.

Let me tell you, I've saved quite a few Goldfish [a term for money/wealth].

If you can't bear to leave, you must fight to live! Don't dwell on that, or else no one will look after me, and I'll just toss gold bars all over the street!" The old woman was instantly dispelled of her gloom and slapped her hand down. "You spendthrift! How dare you! You'd anger me right out of my coffin, and I'd spring back from the grave to deal with you!" This sounded like a setup for a resurrection.

Uh oh, switching to horror now.

Cheng Ying found the atmosphere quite poignant until the old woman completely derailed it.

It was both exasperating and amusing. "That would cause quite a stir, turning into a zombie." The old woman finally lost her patience. "You wicked thing, you won't even let me rest peacefully when I die! I'm telling you, if you dare to be so wasteful, I—I..." The old woman couldn't articulate it; who knew what happened after death? Wasn't it just...

over? Her tone immediately softened. "Just don't give me cause for worry." Cheng Ying took the old woman's hand again.

She was clearly still strong, having just delivered a solid slap.

Cheng Ying felt confident the old woman could remain vigorous for decades more. "Don't worry.

I’m even better at managing things than you are.

I won't squander anything.

Of course, if you are worried, keep a close eye on me." From then on, the old woman’s spirit revived.

Her granddaughter needed watching; she had to keep herself healthy and supervise.

When Cheng Ying went back to the west room to sleep, Sister Rong murmured, "I thought I was going to be dismissed.

If the auntie does no chores during the day and I’m not needed for company at night, I don’t know what use I have here anymore." Cheng Ying flushed with embarrassment.

Had she just stolen Sister Rong’s job? It was true; their Uncle Gan often brought the children over, and typically, no one was allowed in the kitchen when he was present.

Uncle Gan would whip up delicious meals for the whole family.

He wasn't shy about spending money; he'd eat wherever the best ingredients were sourced and then show off his culinary skills upon returning.

Uncle Gan had declared that once Wuzi and Yingzi graduated and finished school, he would open his own restaurant.

These were his days of "eating on the company dime," tasting the best cuisine from all corners of the land.

Cheng Ying felt a pang at being "fleeced" so openly, but tasting the regional delicacies Uncle Gan cooked made her feel it was worth every penny.

To sample more regional foods, Uncle Gan was constantly seeking out rare saplings and precious lumber.

In the last few years, with more wealthy people around, the demand for vintage furniture had soared; cost was no object for rare materials.

Wherever Uncle Gan traveled, he essentially swept the local flora clean.

For small specimens, they bought saplings; for large ones, they bought timber.

If Uncle Gan took a liking to it, he brought it back.

Uncle Gan was highly skilled.

A few circuits around, a discussion of the wood’s rarity, and often, before the finished product was even crafted, it was already pre-sold.

Coupled with Chi Yong’s mastery of artistic conception, Cheng Ying's company was soaring to new heights.

Furthermore, Uncle Shu had procured numerous valuable saplings for the nursery base.

Uncle Gan reasoned, "It doesn't matter if you can't pay now; you can pay later.

My niece can afford it." Naturally, he secretly hoped his eldest niece would accumulate enough wealth for his own son upon the family's division of assets—that would justify all his efforts.

Cheng Ying, ever calm, gifted her younger brother a small mountain range to develop freely.

Of course, Uncle Gan wouldn't see any profit sharing for several years.

Cheng Ying mused that even if she couldn't afford it, she wouldn't drag Uncle Gan into debt.

Consider it saving for her own children; planting trees was just getting ahead of the curve on "Green Peace." As for Chi Wu's interior design and construction company, there was no need to worry.

The national trend was set; even without extra effort, the prospects were excellent.

Despite currently being nominal CEOs, both of them were front-runners for the city's Top Ten Young Achievers award, and a magazine had even requested an interview with Cheng Ying.

Cheng Ying was secretly thrilled.

However, when speaking to Uncle Gan, she held her head high, rubbing her nose. "Having reached my current level, the key is to remain low-profile.

Skip the interview, but you can certainly introduce our company and the nursery." Uncle Gan’s teeth ached at her pretense.

Could this girl be any more ostentatious? Shortly after, Uncle Gan himself appeared in that magazine.

Cheng Ying immediately lost her composure, stomping her feet while grabbing Auntie Gan. "He stole my thunder! He did that on purpose, Auntie Gan!" Auntie Gan held her son. "Even if you dragged me out, I couldn't ask the magazine to retract the published story! Don't worry, you'll get the next one." Cheng Ying was mortified.

That wasn't the point! The point was she refused the interview in the first place! It was infuriating.

For days, she looked at Uncle Gan with fire in her eyes.

Uncle Gan finally confronted her directly. "Well? You wanted to be low-key, so I made you famous, taking your troubles away!" Cheng Ying stared at her own hands, feeling an urge to scratch.

How could anyone be this provoking? She took a deep breath, comforting herself that the low-profile route was correct; these uncultured people just didn't understand that the trend among the truly wealthy was increasing discretion.

Their class was higher; their vision was broader.

Still, the feeling of being slighted lingered unhappily.

As summer vacation neared, the old woman’s leg cast could finally come off.

Cheng Ming took the two of them to the hospital for a follow-up and rehabilitation.

The old woman went twice, then stopped.

She declared, "I can walk just fine holding the railings at home, and I walk longer than I would at the hospital.

We're not wasting that money." Cheng Ying agreed to follow the old woman’s wishes.

What did a few days sooner or later matter? As long as the old woman felt comfortable, that was enough.

Moreover, Cheng Ying noticed the leg was recovering remarkably well.

While still in the cast, the old woman had already been walking laps around the yard holding the railings.

Now that the cast was off, she was directly feeding chickens while carrying a bucket.

Such speed! Cheng Ming even called the old woman a medical miracle.

The old woman sighed contentedly. "Finally, some relief.

Having that heavy plaster strapped to my leg every day felt like dragging a weight around; it suffocated me." Cheng Ying watched her shake her leg, genuinely worried the bone hadn't set properly and she might dislocate it. "You should still take it easy." "Don't listen to those quack doctors! Back in the day, once a leg healed, you got up and worked, and everything was fine.

These black-hearted doctors insisted I keep it bound for three months!" Cheng Ying thought the doctors were terribly wronged.

The old woman hadn't noticed that in the old days, a broken leg often meant a permanent limp.

Cheng Ming chimed in, "Grandma, your grandson and granddaughter are going to be doctors.

Can you really say that? If we become doctors, we'll advise patients to rest longer—that’s being responsible! Are you trying to give me a lifelong complex?" Cheng Ying nodded beside him. "If we just told patients to get back to work immediately, which hospital would ever hire us?" The old woman frowned. "How did I raise such a morally questionable child? This is a real problem." Cheng Ying was speechless, wondering how the old woman had become so unreasonable.

What did doctors gain from this minor issue that she had to undermine an entire profession? Cheng Ying countered, "Can we avoid professional bias? You never complained when you said your daughter-in-law came from a family of itinerant healers.

Why not criticize them then?" The old woman was silenced by her granddaughter's retort.

She pouted, especially since her granddaughter had just brought up her own maternal grandfather, the traveling physician.

What more could she say? Cheng Ming stepped in to mediate. "Grandma, let's just take the check-ups seriously.

You don't want to end up with a permanent limp; that wouldn't look good." The old woman snorted. "I'm this old; what do I care about looking good?" "It’s about your own convenience, isn't it?" Cheng Ying offered. "Fine, fine.

When I can walk smoothly, I'll go to the hospital with you for one more look." Then she turned to Cheng Ying. "People back then were honest; you can't compare them to today." Cheng Ying understood she was referring to her own maternal grandfather, the itinerant doctor. "If Grandpa knew your evaluation, he'd be celebrating his success." The old woman was about to explode.

What kind of vexing child was this, specifically sent to nag her? "Get away from me!" Cheng Ying drew herself up proudly. "I'll be gone tomorrow.

Wherever is far away, that's where I'll go.

Don't you worry about me." "You're really leaving? Where to?" Cheng Ying and Cheng Ming burst into laughter.

Cheng Ying said, "I'm not telling you.

I figured it out long ago—you just can't stand the sight of me.

I’ll get out of your way." The old woman was too embarrassed to press further and turned to Cheng Ming.

Cheng Ming said, "Grandma, ignore him.

See how outgoing a young woman is? She’s off to meet her lover." Cheng Ying rubbed her arms. "What kind of mushy nonsense is that? Do you know how to speak?" "What did I say that was wrong? Isn't Chi Wu your lover?" Cheng Ying shuddered. "Stop disgusting me.

We are properly engaged fiancés; you make it sound like we're running away secretly." The old woman looked at her grandson, her face a mask of conflicted disgust. "It sounds sickening to me too.

Calling him Yingzi's man sounds much nicer.

Mingzi, is this how they talk at your school? Don't pick up these strange habits; speak properly when you get home." Cheng Ming felt utterly unable to communicate with these two women.

No matter what he said, he ended up being the one in the wrong.