Chi Yong was even more vexed. "Mom, Xiao Ye is supposed to attend tutoring during the break. His mother has already paid the fees." I would never let you ruin my son.

Chi Yong was sharp enough to understand the Old Madam Chi's intentions without even thinking hard. Yang Zhi looked blankly at Chi Yong. Was that true?

She didn't recall any such thing. Old Madam Chi said, "What tutoring for my Xiao Ye? Besides, could I be any worse than those teachers?" Chi Yong countered, "But you also said it’s important for the child to have more contact with peers, right?

Going to tutoring is just the perfect chance for Xiao Ye to interact with kids his own age." The Old Madam Chi frowned. How could that be the same? She opened her mouth to argue, but the Old Man Chi stopped her.

"Slow down," the Old Man Chi murmured quietly behind his wife. The Old Madam Chi glanced at Cheng Ying. This couldn't wait.

"Tell me, when did your grandson take a liking to his future granddaughter-in-law? When they interacted more, how old were they? Around ten, weren't they?

Look at the bond they have now, a connection so deep a knife couldn't sever it. That’s such a successful example. No matter what, I won't let just anyone ruin my Xiao Ye." "No, Xiao Ye must come here during the break.

Cancel the tutoring. We aren't going. I'll tutor Xiao Ye at home myself." The Old Madam's statement was absolute.

Even Chi Yong felt embarrassed to press the issue further; he couldn't exactly argue with his own mother. Seeing the Old Man standing silently behind her, Chi Yong knew they had conspired. Poor son.

Chi Yong shot a resentful look at Cheng Ying. If the Old Madam could have ruined her eldest grandson, she surely wouldn't have set her sights on the youngest. It was all because of these two troublesome children that his youngest son was dragged into this mess.

Who could he argue with about this? It only proved that Chi Yong had some insight, guessing the truth instantly. Having dealt with her son, the Old Madam Chi turned her attention to Cheng Ying.

"Yingzi, have you been busy with your studies recently? Why haven't you come to see Grandma?" One benefit of being someone who didn't grasp social nuances was that they couldn't sense hidden complexities; the subtlety in the air was completely missed. For the Old Madam to chat so innocently, Cheng Ying wondered if the Old Madam viewed her as too naive, or if Cheng Ying was just being too dull.

The Old Man Chi felt his wife was living authentically. Look how well she lived; no wonder he guarded her so fiercely, he couldn't afford not to cherish her. Cheng Ying replied, "No, not too busy.

Isn't this why I came to exchange this item for Grandma?" The Old Madam admired the fiery red pomegranate. "Ah, this is truly lovely. Yingzi, you are so thoughtful.

Grandma cherishes things like this. It means a lot that you thought of me. Stay for dinner today, and I'll have the cook prepare something delicious for you." With that, the Old Madam personally carried the flowerpot toward the conservatory, showing how much she treasured the gift from her future granddaughter-in-law.

Cheng Ying conceded that the Old Madam possessed aspects worthy of admiration. It reminded her of the saying: no matter how villainous a scoundrel, they always have one commendable trait. Look at Qin Hui; though universally reviled, his scholarship and intellect were undeniable.

Otherwise, how could a brainless villain be reviled to this day? Only those with minds achieve such lasting infamy. Cheng Ying understood this principle profoundly.

Yet, it also revealed her rather negative view of the Old Madam Chi; not everyone could be compared to Qin Hui. The Old Man Chi followed his son and daughter-in-law while the future granddaughter-in-law chatted in the living room. "Yingzi, how have things been?

Has Wu Zi’s situation affected you at all?" See, now this was a wise man. Cheng Ying smiled shyly. "Wu Zi's military honor has half my merit, and I have the other half.

I am very happy for Wu Zi." What she said was almost a clear message to the Old Man Chi: This has nothing to do with you; stop showing off. Chi Yong chuckled foolishly. This truly meant his daughter was making her stance clear.

"Why aren't you ashamed?" Cheng Ying retorted, "What are you talking about? It’s the truth. What is his is mine." Yang Zhi turned her head; her daughter’s skin was always so resilient.

Chi Yong glanced at his own father. Dad, you have to hold strong. I can't discipline my future daughter-in-law; I have to wait for your grandson to return.

Chi Yong genuinely wanted to offer this guidance to his father. Fortunately, the Old Man was magnanimous and showed no reaction against Cheng Ying's words. Chi Yong continued his banter.

"And yours?" Cheng Ying answered without hesitation, "Mine is still mine, of course." It was clear that this father and daughter understood each other well. The Old Man Chi observed that his son and his future granddaughter-in-law were getting along well. This meant his son and his grandson’s fiancée were on good terms.

At least there was one family member he could speak frankly with. The Old Man Chi now regretted allowing his grandson to participate in that marriage recruitment event; it wasn't a member of their direct family anymore. Of course, the Old Man knew that someone like Wu Zi, once sought after, would be so regardless of any formal recruitment.

Seeing the grandfather and granddaughter growing closer, the Old Man felt a sliver of comfort. These two grandchildren weren't as at ease with him and his wife as they were with each other. "Hmm, it’s good that it hasn't affected you.

But you mustn't get complacent." Cheng Ying thought to herself, You should be telling that to your wife, not me. She still felt dissatisfied about the recent commotion in the Chi family. Fortunately, she and Wu Zi wouldn't be living here in the future.

The Old Man Chi sighed. "I wonder how Wu Zi is doing over there. He should be coming back for the holiday soon, shouldn't he?" Cheng Ying thought, When he comes back, he’s coming to my place.

Seeing the white in the Old Man Chi’s hair, she held back the words. It was fortunate the Old Madam Chi had gone to the conservatory; otherwise, facing her might have prompted Cheng Ying to blurt it out. Chi Yong chimed in, "He’s not that busy anymore.

I hear the factory has gotten on track. Wu Zi will be home for the break. Are you missing your grandson, sir?" The Old Man Chi sighed, "Isn't that so?

I haven't seen the boy in almost half a year." Cheng Ying pursed her lips, silent. I miss him too. If she hadn't been so busy, she would have driven over long ago.

But she couldn't say that in front of the Old Man, no matter how thick her skin was. Yang Zhi spoke up, "When Wu Zi gets back, Cheng Ying’s grandmother says we must host a celebration, a proper congratulation for Wu Zi." The Old Man Chi said, "It’s enough for us family members to gather and be happy. We shouldn't make too big a fuss about it." Cheng Ying finally let go of her inner conflict and shared, "Yes, Grandma said it should just be our family celebrating together, no one else." The Old Man Chi thought to himself, The in-laws are handling the arrangements.

It’s like the boy they recruited is now being managed by the other side. He cast a dissatisfied glance at Chi Yong. This was something his own son should have organized.

That way, both families wouldn't be so awkward. The Old Man Chi felt his son hadn't played the proper intermediary role here. Too clueless, he thought.

But then he considered his son's existing relationship with the Cheng family and decided he couldn't expect too much from him. It was good enough that the boy remembered his own surname was Chi. The Old Man Chi’s thoughts drifted to his youngest grandson, the future of the Chi family.

They really needed to bring that child back, prevent him from losing sight of which family he truly belonged to. This was deeply troubling. His reply was somewhat subdued.

"Yes, the in-laws are thoughtful." Cheng Ying thought, Of course, they are attentive to my family. I certainly don't need your affirmation here. Chi Yong understood his father’s look instantly.

But what could he do? Cheng Ying’s grandmother had acted first. "Ahem, Dad, are there any guests we should invite?

We can celebrate together when Wu Zi gets back." The Old Man Chi reiterated, "I said, no fanfare. Happiness within the family is all that matters." This was clearly directed at his son, an expression of deep dissatisfaction. Chi Yong felt that his luck had turned sour.

Ever since Yingzi and Wu Zi got engaged, he, Chi Yong, had been stuck in a position where he pleased no one. Whatever he did seemed wrong. It was a blessing that his wife wasn't overly complex and didn't overthink things; otherwise, their marriage might be riddled with arguments.

After entering the house, Chi Yong shot his daughter a resentful glance for the second time. It was all because of the young couple’s antics that the already complicated relationships had become even more tangled. Chi Yong couldn't figure out how his family had gotten so deeply entangled.

Of course, he preferred to believe that his son, Chi Wu, had dragged him in, or perhaps Cheng Ying had pushed him. Cheng Ying felt this was an undeserved disaster. Who told you to have such parents?

Can't you just live a quiet life? I’m tired of the drama! If it weren't for this annoying connection, Wu Zi and I might have gotten our marriage certificate by New Year’s.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ying started, startled. Wait, am I that eager to get married? When did I start looking forward to marrying the two of us?

This has progressed too fast. Cheng Ying had to seriously examine her own heart: how much did she truly anticipate this? Did she love him that much?

Yang Zhi stepped in, "I’ll listen to Dad. When Wu Zi returns, we’ll have a lovely celebration, just the family." She was merely trying to ease the atmosphere since everyone else had gone quiet. She couldn't understand why things had suddenly become awkward.

Chi Yong put an arm around his wife. "Let's not be the meat in the sandwich anymore; we've turned into Second Brother Pigsy, stuck in the middle of everything. Wife, let’s go make a couple of dishes for Dad and show off our skills." If we can’t fight them, we can hide.

Yang Zhi was very happy. She wasn't naturally skilled at conversation, tending to answer only what was asked. Such situations didn't suit her well.

This left Cheng Ying sitting with the Old Man Chi. They could still talk about flowers, plants, fish, and insects—topics Cheng Ying considered utterly frivolous. If this man weren't Wu Zi’s grandfather, she would have walked out long ago.

She considered any man who spoiled his wife to that extent not to be very sensible—this was Cheng Ying's lingering resentment toward the Old Man Chi. She’d much rather be back in her space teasing her own speckled hen. The Old Man Chi wondered what his wife was doing.

Look, his future granddaughter-in-law was trying to bridge the gap between them. Perhaps she was dissatisfied with the two of them. His heart wasn't entirely eased.

After all, she was his grandson's fiancée, not his grandson; he couldn't speak his mind freely. He couldn't expect his future granddaughter-in-law to be as outspoken as his wife.