"Good, we’ll bring Grandma along," Chi Wu could sense his wife’s unwillingness on the other end of the line. "That day, Grandma even said, all she does is potter around our little patch of land."

Cheng Ying managed an unnatural smile. Ah, men really lack romance, she thought, even though this wasn't what she originally intended. Still, the fact that Chi Wu didn’t forget the old lady at a time like this was somewhat comforting.

Chi Wu moved his lips for a long time but ultimately didn't dare to probe his wife about being surrounded by enthusiastic girls at school. He knew his wife’s little jealous streak quite well.

He could light her fuse, but he wasn’t necessarily capable of putting out the resulting fire. Chi Wu lacked the courage to court such self-immolation.

Chi Wu dealt with the pink slips of paper from school quietly.

His roommates saw the evidence of Chi Wu's notoriety and had only one question: "Our sister-in-law—your young cousin—can really cultivate a company out of farming? You two are something else."

Chi Wu replied, "My wife’s main business is still farming; that’s truer than true. Otherwise, if that company burned down to nothing, what great skill would we have to start all over again?"

It was hard not to believe him. Still, someone asked, "Just tell us, what exactly does your wife grow?"

Gang Zi, who was nearby, chimed in, "I really don’t believe it. Is she really growing money trees?"

The entire room stared expectantly at Chi Wu for an answer. Chi Wu felt that keeping things low-key was only attracting more resentment. "My wife’s family grows saplings. While they aren't exactly money trees, they certainly lead to prosperity."

The group looked at Chi Wu, genuinely displeased. "Why do rich people always stick together?"

Chi Wu stated he couldn't control their envy of wealth. However, the pink notes in his hand were immediately confiscated by his roommates. They declared that since he already had a wife, he shouldn't be leading other women on. He was hogging the attention they might have otherwise received from beautiful girls, so he should broadcast the news about his wife proudly.

Thus, with the collective effort of the entire dormitory to eliminate a perceived rival, Chi Wu’s marital status became common knowledge among virtually everyone at the school who knew or admired him.

This, unbeknownst to Cheng Ying, was where she encountered a benevolent helper.

Facing such a group of enthusiastic promoters, Chi Wu had absolutely no regrets; they were exactly right. We must be unapproachable. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have bothered trying to be a progressive youth; wasn't this just disrupting domestic harmony? Luckily, his own grandmother didn't know the aftermath of this incident, or who knows how much trouble she would have caused.

If Chi Wu’s thinking was astute, then where his wife’s grandmother possessed positive virtues, Chi Wu’s grandmother was firmly rooted in the negative.

The Chi family matriarch had an indelible impression of Cheng Ying: this was her granddaughter-in-law, immutable.

But when faced with so many outstanding young women, the Chi grandmother felt regret. "Why did Wu Zi get engaged so early? Look at these girls—good families, good character, good looks, good temperament, and they know how to talk and be charming. Aren't they wonderful? Why was Wu Zi so single-minded?"

It was pure reluctance. She looked at the other young ladies with lingering affection.

The Chi grandfather addressed his elderly wife. "With so many fine girls, you could only have one granddaughter-in-law anyway. It’s lucky Wu Zi got engaged early, or you would be utterly indecisive. You have spirit; why don't you look for a little girl around Xiao Ye’s age? We missed our chance with Wu Zi; we can’t let the child choose as he pleases when it comes to Xiao Ye."

Men solve problems in a single sentence. Although Chi Wu extracted himself, the old man had thrown Chi Ye into the fire.

The Chi grandfather felt such guilt. His grandson was only ten years old, and now he had to face this kind of issue. It was agonizing, yet he couldn't entirely blame the elder. When the grandson eventually married, he must remember to demand a substantial gift from Wu Zi—his younger grandson was taking his older brother's place.

This was only to placate his wife.

Despite her lingering reluctance, the Chi grandmother ultimately focused on what she could still influence. Wu Zi, that crooked tree, truly couldn't anchor her affections.

Her little Ye was her apple of the eye; she must start now to instill the correct aesthetics, views on relationships, and outlook on life. Wu Zi was the prime example of failure.

When facing the young ladies from prestigious families, the Chi grandmother was much calmer. She could naturally disclose that her grandson’s girlfriend had commendable character and family background, was approved by the parents, and stood up to scrutiny. "We old folks are very pleased."

After the Chi grandfather sacrificed one grandson as an argument, the Chi grandmother finally resigned herself to Chi Wu’s situation.

The stream of various young ladies passing before the Chi grandmother thankfully dwindled, and the Chi grandfather breathed a sigh of relief; things had quieted down considerably.

Living in the city, Cheng Ying’s stepfather and birth mother were related to the old lady in a relationship that was closer than mere acquaintances. How could Cheng Ying not know the scene unfolding around the Chi matriarch?

Facing his daughter, Chi Yong flushed slightly—after all, it was his own mother. Sometimes, he could only comfort his daughter with a cliché: "Don't worry, Wu Zi’s affection for you is strong as gold and iron." He understood what his son was thinking. Could he blame his own mother for undermining his son?

Hearing Chi Yong’s four-character idiom, Cheng Ying only felt a wave of nausea. Such saccharine talk was unnecessary between her and Chi Wu.

Cheng Ying remained silent, observing the Chi family matriarch from the sidelines. For Cheng Ying, if the old lady could withstand the test, she wouldn't mind respecting another elder—it would save Chi Wu some trouble.

But if she couldn't withstand the test, then, sorry, this was a match of my choosing. Her grandson would only pay courtesy calls on holidays. "Sorry, we’ll truly be two separate families, not intimately connected."

However, she felt a measure of psychological comfort that the Chi grandmother was proving resilient. After all, Cheng Ying preferred a marriage without areas requiring avoidance later on.

She genuinely didn’t want Chi Wu to have lingering attachments. Happy marriages usually don't need much policing. A marriage approved by both sets of parents was generally preferred. Cheng Ying felt she likely wasn't immune to this sentiment.

When word finally reached her that the Chi grandmother knew Wu Zi had a girlfriend, Cheng Ying brought a pot of vibrant red pomegranates to pay her respects to the elderly couple.

Chi Yong naturally accompanied his daughter. His daughter was so sharp; he’d seen it himself. The Chi grandmother made such a fuss, and his daughter just watched coldly without saying a word.

But when the Chi grandmother finally realized things, his daughter made her move. What kind of person was she? It was like watching someone make a mistake, staying silent, just waiting to trap them later.

It must be so. Chi Yong felt his daughter possessed an uncompromising nature. If his own mother had fussed any more, Ying Zi probably wouldn't have visited at all.

Furthermore, Cheng Ying had brought her own parents along, returning things to how they were before. Remember, there was a time when his daughter visited the elders every Sunday. This suggested a degree of disappointment.

Probably mirroring her own mother’s state, she wasn't entirely without grievance. Neither of them were exceptionally broad-minded people. Wasn't it them, the middle generation, who suffered? Life with elders above and children below was difficult. The key was that the old ones caused trouble, and the young ones got caught up in the fervor.

Looking at the bright red pomegranate blossoms, this was definitely a commendation for his own mother, she thought.

Watching his daughter, who looked neither particularly happy nor unhappy, Chi Yong wondered why she didn't just issue the old lady a formal certificate of merit.

It was fortunate his daughter had such composure; where did she get such confidence?

Any other girl would have been in tears from anxiety long ago. But then again, given her son's unwavering devotion, it was no wonder Ying Zi could remain so calm.

In the end, it all came down to his own son being too easygoing, letting the girl completely dictate terms. That’s why she could remain aloof. His mother’s mistake was that her grandson wasn't aligned with her—she couldn't expect the granddaughter-in-law to care.

Chi Yong felt his mother was pitiful; what was all this fuss for? Even if his grandson knew, he probably wouldn't appreciate it. He should blame the grandmother for meddling, for not knowing how to cherish her daughter-in-law.

Chi Yong felt his own mother was being wronged. What was she seeking, really?

The Chi grandfather felt radiant when his grandson's wife came to visit. This granddaughter-in-law appeared magnanimous, and her actions were straightforward. Except for one thing: she was sensitive and refused to suffer any slight. Once those rumors spread about their family, she immediately stopped visiting.

It had been two weeks since she last came. He saw her clear delineation of reward and punishment. If his wife didn't come around, they would have to wait until the grandson returned before seeing the granddaughter-in-law again.

Then he looked at the brilliant red pomegranates Cheng Ying held out—were these a reward for his wife, or encouragement for her to continue?

The Chi grandfather looked at his granddaughter-in-law, whose smile perfectly revealed two dimples, and felt conflicted, intensely conflicted.

The Chi grandfather genuinely couldn't read his granddaughter-in-law’s mind.

But she had her boundaries clear: you are kind to me, I am kind to you; you are dissatisfied with me, I won't even spare you a glance. This attitude was communicated perfectly clearly, without ambiguity.

The old man glanced at his simple-minded wife. If she were to swap granddaughters-in-law, why would the new one bother caring so much about her? Could this be blamed on the grandson’s wife?

The Chi grandfather thought his granddaughter-in-law’s temperament was fine, even good, considering his wife had almost yielded to temptation.

"Chi Yong," the Chi grandmother said after welcoming her granddaughter-in-law, "Why hasn't Xiao Ye come over?" She immediately asked about her younger grandson because that was where her focus lay now. She couldn't interfere with the elder grandson's matters.

Chi Yong glanced at his mother, feeling a prickle of unease down his back. "Mom, Xiao Ye is in school; have you forgotten?" He then signaled his father with his eyes, asking for help.

The Chi grandfather could offer no assistance, pretending not to see.

The Chi grandmother looked at her son. "Look at my memory; I'm getting old. When school lets out, I must take Xiao Ye with me. I only just realized so many children his age live in our complex. It would be great to have Xiao Ye come over and play."

Cheng Ying looked blankly at the Chi grandmother. Had all this fuss just been about finding a wife for Xiao Ye? That was far too early.