Dealing with Cheng Ying wasn't a battle one could afford to pick. The crucial thing was that her heart was tethered to him, and Chi Wu couldn't gauge how thick the rope anchoring his wife’s affections truly was. Stretch it too far, and it might just snap.

Chi Wu poked his head out from under the covers. "What you said yesterday doesn't count anymore, right?"

At least he still knew how to negotiate for his own rights. Not a total pushover, then.

Cheng Ying replied, "I went to bed ages ago yesterday. I have no idea what I was saying."

The sister-in-law's aging face still needed to save face; why bring it up repeatedly?

Chi Wu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Without even bothering to dress properly, he came over to wrestle food away from his wife, channeling frustration into sheer force, stuffing things into his mouth. His gaze, however, remained deeply reproachful.

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu acting like he hadn't eaten in eight days. "Did that stimulate you too much?"

Chi Wu patted his burping chest. "I'm impact-resistant, I can't be knocked down, I—" His grand declaration was choked off by a loud belch.

Cheng Ying brought over a glass of water with a dark expression. "Enough, eat. You're living backward these days."

Chi Wu felt that although his wife’s words from the night before were voided, she was still quite good to him. Seeing this considerate side, she was becoming more and more like a village wife. Chi Wu's face flushed slightly, impossible to hide because of the excellent construction of his skull—his imagination ran wild without limit.

Furthermore, in front of Cheng Ying, this man could shine perpetually whether given sunlight or not; he was easily content.

Last night was purely Chi Wu being possessed. A complete miscalculation; otherwise, Chi Wu would certainly have seized the opportunity. This was his own post-hoc analysis—he wasn't the type to be so reserved, especially facing his wife.

After eating, Chi Wu said only one thing to Cheng Ying: "My greatest hope is that tonight my wife will talk in her sleep again."

Cheng Ying scoffed, "Dream on."

Chi Wu left looking quite dejected.

Cheng Ying took a deep breath. She was genuinely considering marriage. The old lady definitely wanted to see her children happy; that was certain.

Cheng Ying wanted the old lady to live out a few years happily.

As for what Chi Wu was agonizing over, Cheng Ying truly understood. While she did want to marry, it was indeed a bit rushed. It deviated somewhat from her original plan, but she wasn't the type to just get a marriage certificate with anyone.

A legal relationship wasn't something established casually.

Chi Wu was overthinking things tremendously. Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up as a solitary bachelor in her previous life.

They really weren't ones to compromise on such matters.

However, seeing this boy act up did make Cheng Ying quite angry. If this sister says she’ll marry you, you should be as overjoyed as if you were marrying the Queen Mother of the West. Wait, what kind of comparison is that? The Queen Mother already had a husband. This was her very first time getting into a bridal sedan. It should feel like marrying a princess, a sudden descent of joy—how dare he act cocky with her?

Cheng Ying absolutely refused to admit her pride was hurt. In this era, a direct proposal like hers wasn't popular; Chi Wu’s low-class methods were preferred. Men stammering and stumbling were just so subpar. Cheng Ying had demoted Chi Wu by more than just one level.

Cheng Ying thought seriously. Did this boy expect her to force the marriage before he felt valued? Was he perhaps trying to save face?

When looking at Chi Wu, Cheng Ying’s eyes were engaged in complex thought, truly pondering his idea about marriage.

This kid was too unusual; too arrogant, perhaps?

Chi Wu was thicker-skinned than Cheng Ying expected, and his powers of visualization were intense. Regarding Cheng Ying's unique discerning eye, Chi Wu simply reasoned that his wife must be seeing his potential as a man.

He frequently held his head high, chest out, and abdomen tucked in, allowing Cheng Ying to admire his strong and martial physique.

Cheng Ying's conclusion was this: her highly strategic master had produced a disciple who was clearly brainless. Obviously, Chi Wu's limbs were too developed, and his brain health hadn't kept up. Cheng Ying inwardly blamed the poor living conditions of that era, insufficient nutrition—she saw a severe lack of necessary supply to the brain.

If Chi Wu knew Cheng Ying's conclusion, one wonders if he would still be smug. Forget standing tall with his chest out and stomach in; he probably wouldn't look handsome even if he powdered and rouged himself.

But still, one had to admit Chi Wu was a hundred percent devoted to Cheng Ying. No matter how Chi Wu fidgeted, he kept his wife's concerns at heart.

Chi Wu set the marriage issue aside and focused on figuring out his wife's thoughts. That was actually quite simple to grasp.

He turned to Cheng Ying and said, "How about we take Grandma to B City for a full physical examination?" This suggestion struck a chord deep within Cheng Ying's heart.

Cheng Ying was quite moved. "Traveling back and forth is too exhausting. Grandma is that age, with her current health—can she manage it? Let's not wear her out until she gets sick."

Chi Wu countered, "What are you saying? Think of it as taking Grandma on a trip. We'll take her gently to the place where I studied. We should have taken her out to see things long ago. Maybe she’ll be happy, her mood will lift, and her body might even rejuvenate."

Chi Wu reasoned further with Cheng Ying, "It’s not that she’s sick just because she’s old; walking around won't hurt."

Cheng Ying was completely preoccupied with the old lady's health, speaking hesitantly, "Can we do it?"

Chi Wu gave his wife a guarantee: "Leave it to me, I'll arrange everything."

Chi Wu was efficient. In less than two days, he had everything settled, arranging everything from the hospital check-up by calling in favors to securing the attitude of his own grandmother privately.

Cheng Ying had no idea how Chi Wu managed to persuade the old lady, who usually only went to the park twice a day, to agree to travel so far. Didn't the grandmother despise motion sickness in cars?

Never mind an old lady who hated going to the doctor. What kind of magical potion did this kid Chi Wu feed the grandmother?

It wasn't until the old lady happily boarded the car with Cheng Ying that Cheng Ying truly understood. She was actually leaving with them? Was this really their stubborn old lady?

As they got into the car, Cheng Ying heard her grandmother say, "Wuzi, why don't we stop and greet your paternal grandparents? It gets boring if I’m the only one having fun, right?"

Cheng Ying could tell her grandmother’s voice sounded forced, clearly insincere.

Chi Wu could certainly hear it too. The two exchanged a look, and Chi Wu followed the old lady's implied desire: "Grandma, it’s fine. Just the three of us will go out and have fun. We two will keep you company; how could you be bored? You’re setting the bar too high," he teased.

The old lady laughed so hard her dentures almost showed. "See? I was just suggesting things. You two decide what we do."

This statement was much more sincere, and her laugh was genuine too.

The whole way, they listened to Chi Wu telling the old lady about places to visit, the best scenery, the oldest sites, and where the crowds were thickest.

The old lady was so delighted she wished they could arrive immediately.

Cheng Ying finally realized that this was a grandmother completely charmed into the trip. Chi Wu hadn't mentioned the comprehensive physical examination once.

Honestly, Chi Wu, you terrible child, couldn't you have been even more persuasive? Aren't you afraid the old lady will get angry when she finds out?

During a rest stop, Cheng Ying pinched Chi Wu’s side, whispering fiercely, "You even dare lie to the old lady? Can you be any more unreliable? With her temper, if she refuses to cooperate once you get there, won't all your efforts be wasted?"

Chi Wu gasped in pain—she hit too hard. His wife didn't know how to be gentle. "So what if she doesn't get the check-up? Grandma gets to travel and relax a bit; that’s good too! Why must you think so negatively?"

Cheng Ying conceded the point. The old lady had never traveled before; they could just treat it as a relaxing outing for the three of them.

Seeing that Chi Wu seemed to be hurting from her pinch, Cheng Ying realized she hadn't been that deceptive even when urging the old lady. Chi Wu’s actions were exceeding her expectations.

Then she heard Chi Wu say, "Besides, you never really understood what Grandma is like. Do you think Grandma is someone who doesn't know what’s proper? As long as there’s time, we’ll take Grandma wherever. Whether it’s for your face or mine, Grandma won't refuse."

Chi Wu said this with great confidence. He truly understood his own grandmother; Cheng Ying probably hadn't seen through her because she was scared stiff by the old lady’s feather duster.

When the two returned to the car, the old lady was already dissatisfied. "It’s so chaotic outside. Let’s hurry up. Look how slow you two are. Wuzi, you can't be this careless when driving outside later; it’s safer inside the car. Understand?"

Chi Wu thought such nagging was usually reserved for children below middle school age, but since the grandmother cared so much about him, he accepted it completely. "Grandma, I understand. It’s just that I was with Yingzi, and we had company, so we stayed out a little longer. Let's go now, or it will be dark by the time we reach B City."

The old lady felt there was no way Chi Wu wouldn't let someone have their way.

Once a person is favored, age or relationship—be it familial or romantic—doesn't matter. The old lady's heart was entirely wrapped around Chi Wu. "Exactly! Think about how hard it is to travel back and forth. Wuzi, don't run around so much in the future. I don't know about such long distances. If I just think about you driving back and forth ceaselessly, it upsets me."

She was worried about Chi Wu having to drive long distances.

Cheng Ying thought this was unnecessary; compared to most people, what Chi Wu did wasn't really "running around." "Grandma, you should be content. If we took the train or a public bus, it would be much more miserable than this. Him driving himself is already very convenient."

The old lady countered, "No matter how convenient, don't run around pointlessly over such a long distance in the future. Yingzi, isn't your company quite large? Why don't we hire a driver?"

Cheng Ying rubbed her ear. "Grandma, what did you say?" This wasn't the old lady's style. Being eager to spend money wasn't her usual approach, especially for what the old lady often called the landlord's extravagance.

The old lady was very unconcerned. "I said hire a driver."

Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Great, great! I've wanted to escape poverty for a long time! You don't know how those ambitious young women at school show off their 'drivers' and 'skis.' I’ve wanted to show off my capabilities for ages, but I held back considering your feelings until now. We finally have a dedicated driver!"

Chi Wu's expression suggested he tried very hard not to look in the rearview mirror. The 'driver' his wife mentioned was clearly not the same person as the 'ski' the others talked about; Chi Wu understood this deeply.

Basically, their conversations were on entirely different wavelengths. (.)RU