Cheng Ying attended classes during the day, dedicating her lunch breaks and evenings to the construction site at the employee dormitory complex. This building was, after all, their first truly representative structure.

Cheng Ying had made discreet inquiries; according to Uncle Gan, once the company dormitories were complete, they would boast the best benefits package among all private enterprises in the provincial capital, ranking first overall. Cheng Ying felt that in one's lifetime, having something that stood head and shoulders above the rest was a source of light.

Therefore, when it came to pouring money into this project, she held nothing back, adopting an attitude of "who else but me?" The old woman had accompanied Cheng Ying to the suburban site. Seeing the vast expanse of land and the beautifully landscaped green belts—even before the dormitories were finished—the old woman had exclaimed that she might as well move there herself; she had never seen a landlord so careless with their silver.

And when it came to this matter, the old woman truly felt the pinch: "I’ve heard of providing food and lodging, but never of paying a salary and gifting apartments. You are far too generous." Cheng Ying replied, "Don't you worry, Grandma.

Don't the street advertisements say it all? This fosters a sense of ownership.

With such excellent benefits, who would dream of causing trouble? Everyone will work diligently." The old woman sighed, "I can't argue with you.

If you have the money, you can show off. Look at Wu Zi over there; he is so steady." Cheng Ying casually pointed, "See?

That’s their company’s dormitory complex right there. The workers are all from their company.

Do you see how focused they are on their work? They are all eager to move into their new homes before the New Year." The old woman widened her eyes to look.

"They really can?" Cheng Ying said, "How could they? I estimate the dormitory buildings won't be ready for occupancy until around the fifth month of the next year, perhaps even after the New Year festivities." The old woman’s brow furrowed so deeply it could form gullies.

"You mean our workers will be on holiday until next May?" Cheng Ying explained, "No, the factory buildings are done, and the workers have already started production. It’s just that the dormitories will take longer to move into.

Right now, the living conditions for many workers are poor; some are renting outside the city. The upside is, with these splendid dormitories standing ready, not a single one of our master craftsmen has left.

As soon as work starts, the output flows." Cheng Ying didn't tell the old woman that as long as they didn't lose any external clients, and they could produce the goods, the other losses were minor matters. Telling the old woman about it would only cause her more anxiety.

Besides, the clients hadn't suffered any real losses. After all, their products were absolutely top-tier, especially the Ming and Qing Dynasty antique reproductions—those were not something just anyone could replicate.

The grinding and finishing equipment in Cheng Ying's factory had been specially customized based on the aggregated opinions of her assembled master craftsmen. It wasn't something easily flaunted.

The old woman patted her chest. "Hurry up and get it done quickly.

The sooner it’s sent off, the more peace of mind I’ll have. Otherwise, watching so many items, all destined for others, gives me anxiety every single day." Cheng Ying smiled faintly, acknowledging her grandmother's inherent nature.

"We just won't come here as often from now on. Out of sight, out of mind for you, Grandma." The old woman bristled.

"How can that be? These are still our own things, after all.

Furthermore, if you don't come, how will others know how much you value these things? Are you daft?" Cheng Ying understood.

For the sake of upholding her "not daft" argument, the old woman would likely be making frequent, self-imposed pilgrimages to suffer through site visits until the staff moved in next May. All just to demonstrate her status as a generous benefactor.

"Grandma, why do you only make things hard for yourself? Look at the trouble you’re enduring just for show." The old woman sighed.

"It pains me, truly hurts, but once I accept it, it's nothing." Cheng Ying didn't want to watch her grandmother delight in this any longer, fearing it would provoke a fit of pique. "Alright, let's go home.

I'll take you to see the factory later. You have no idea how massive our current workshop is.

Raw materials, semi-finished goods, finished products, and the manufacturing floors—everything is separated. If there were an incident, it wouldn't result in losses like this one." She couldn't speak too plainly; bringing up that event caused the old woman pain every time.

Since everything involved wood, finding the cause after the fire was genuinely difficult, though the possibility of arson had been ruled out. The most likely cause was electrical failure; as the factory’s power consumption increased, the wiring probably couldn't handle the load.

Cheng Ying had completely overlooked this issue herself. Regret, she thought, was the tuition paid for experience.

Thankfully, there were no casualties. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a loss solvable merely with money.

Cheng Ying resolved that no matter what field she pursued going forward, safety had to be paramount and strictly adhered to. Looking at the vast site, the old woman reflected on when they first arrived in the provincial capital—who could have imagined her young granddaughter would earn her such a large tract of land, complete with buildings.

The old woman had this kind of awe-filled sentiment frequently since seeing that dormitory complex. Cheng Ying mused that perhaps the shock of handing her grandmother bankbooks was less potent than buying her a piece of land.

The old woman truly recognized tangible assets. At the end of the year, the old woman tore out the "Top Ten Youth" feature from the newspaper to tape near the main gate, though the person featured wasn't Cheng Ying, but Chi Wu.

Cheng Ying felt it was an equivalent honor. Even if she wasn't the one selected, the recipient was someone she had personally mentored, her fiancé to boot.

This achievement brought Chi Wu considerable fame. It wasn't every day that a young man in his twenties shone so brightly.

To outsiders, he was an ideal catch: from a good family, wealthy, and unmarried—a dazzling golden bachelor. However much pride Cheng Ying felt, the fact that this man was hers meant others desired him all the more.

Though in this simple era, mothers-in-law assessing a potential son-in-law still looked primarily at these fundamental qualities. As ecstatic as the Cheng family old woman was, the Chi family old woman was equally pleased, though their social circles didn't overlap.

When congratulated, the Cheng family old woman heard remarks about her granddaughter snagging such a fine son-in-law. When the Chi family old woman was congratulated by those less familiar with her, the conversations invariably involved envy, followed by inquiries about whether her grandson had a girlfriend and what he was currently doing.

The Chi family old woman, being city folk, felt a bit awkward admitting her grandson was engaged before finishing university. So, she held back slightly: "The child has a girlfriend," she’d say, finding the term quite modern.

But this did nothing to deter the mothers-in-law eyeing the golden bachelor. They would practically parade their daughters or nieces in front of the elder Mrs.

Chi, arguing that a young man’s choice of girlfriend couldn't be trusted, and that young people these days lacked commitment—they went through several girlfriends. Moreover, for someone like Chi Wu, they needed to find someone of comparable standing, didn't they?

The Chi family old woman understood the motive behind these thinly veiled approaches, but these pleasantries couldn't be returned in kind. She hoped that once these people socialized more, they would realize on their own that her Wu Zi was already engaged.

Of course, even those who knew Chi Wu was betrothed hadn't entirely given up. Take, for instance, the repeatedly frustrated classmate Qing Fang.

Every time she saw Chi Wu featured in the paper, resentment would flare up: Why did such a wonderful man end up with a country bumpkin like Cheng Ying? Qing Fang felt aggrieved on Chi Wu's behalf, even suggesting he should have married into Cheng Ying’s family.

It was a classic case of a destructive fixation—knowing perfectly well the object of affection wasn't interested, yet being unable to tear her eyes away. Qing Fang constantly felt this way.

Whenever Chi Wu excelled, she would lament his fate, wishing he had any fiancée other than Cheng Ying. Her mindset had essentially twisted into a "If I can't have happiness, neither can you" equation.

Yang Zhi was even more conflicted. Colleagues who knew the situation knew Chi Wu was both her son and son-in-law.

Those who didn't know would offer congratulations, quickly followed by veiled introductions of their own daughters. This made the honest Yang Zhi want to grab a hospital alarm and broadcast, "That is my son-in-law!

Everyone stop thinking about him!" Why did everyone have such excellent taste? Why were their eyes fixed only on Chi Wu?

Yang Zhi conceded that Cheng Ying had brought this upon herself. In that era, how striking could a black-and-white photograph be?

Yet, Cheng Ying hadn't been shy about dressing up her man. The close-cropped hair was styled by her own hands, the suit was her own design, stitched by the old woman herself, and even the style of his shoes was one Cheng Ying had recently designed.

How could all this distinctiveness radiate from a simple headshot? The key was the aura he possessed—cultivated meticulously.

Standing there, he was the epitome of a successful man from any angle. Despite being just a close-up portrait, it made Chi Wu’s presence absolutely commanding.

Cheng Ying herself was the calmest. When classmates brought the newspaper around to critique her man, she could still offer objective commentary.

Internally, she thought, Wow, Wu Zi is really something this time. He’s probably causing quite a stir at school.

Chi Wu considered being named a Top Ten Youth an honor, but he knew his selection was due as much to his actions during the fire as to his inherent capabilities. A comrade who bravely took responsibility during an accident naturally deserved praise.

He was a prime example, especially since his subsequent handling of the aftermath had won widespread approval. Which private enterprise could muster such a grand display and possess such substantial backing?

Chi Wu wasn't entirely pleased, however. In a private chat with Cheng Ying, he mentioned that his classmates all wanted to see his 'firefighting medal.' "What medal?

The scar is gone, what medal is there to see?" he grumbled. Besides, Chi Wu had entered the blaze for his wife; it had nothing to do with anyone else.

He knew in his heart whether his actions were truly selfless. He had specifically reassured Cheng Ying, fearing she might misunderstand, "I'm not that reckless with myself." Cheng Ying scoffed at him.

"You're hardly a firefighting hero. My factory burned down!

No matter how many commendations you receive, you should prioritize protecting yourself first!" It wasn't a sign of coldness, just a reflection that neither of them was inherently saintly. This mindset should definitely not be promoted.

It could only be said that Chi Wu’s selection as a Top Ten Youth was a matter of perfect timing. Chi Wu conceded, "I agree.

And it was my own company, too. It really makes me feel quite guilty." Cheng Ying felt a touch of emotion.

"But not everyone has the courage to rush inside." Chi Wu countered, "Didn't you go in too?" Cheng Ying thought to herself that it was true, but she had a 'cheat code' that Chi Wu certainly didn't know about. Still, she remained genuinely moved by Chi Wu's actions that day.

Not everyone would risk their life for you. Even though their relationship didn't require such life-and-death tests, the gesture softened her heart toward Chi Wu by a few degrees.

"We're tied up this year, so let's go traveling for the New Year holiday. We've been so tight these past few years without taking a proper trip.

Just thinking about it feels like a waste."