"Rest now, child. Your Second Auntie has nothing else on her mind. Just make sure your Grandma rests well and doesn't grieve too much. Thinking back, when your Grandpa passed, only Third Mistress was truly good to your Grandma and helped our family so much. Your Grandma must be hurting terribly inside," Second Auntie murmured.

Cheng Ying felt like Second Auntie was performing a soul analysis. How could someone be so insightful? It seemed she understood everything that needed understanding. "Mm, I will watch over Grandma. Don't worry, Second Auntie," she replied.

Second Auntie continued, "Alright, I'll bring you and your mother two bowls of rice and some dishes. It was all made in the big pot, don't forget to eat. I'm leaving now."

As Cheng Ying saw Second Auntie out, she ran into First Auntie, who had come to visit the old lady. First Auntie’s expression toward Second Auntie was far from pleasant; Cheng Ying guessed that in First Auntie’s eyes, this Second Daughter-in-law had clearly come to stir up trouble again.

Cheng Ying saw no reason to wake the old lady just because First Auntie was being unreasonable.

So, when First Auntie left, her mood was noticeably worse than Second Auntie's had been.

Cheng Ying was already accustomed to First Auntie’s temperament and paid it little mind. However, that evening, Cheng Ming came over early to keep Yingzi company, fearing the old lady would be alone at night.

Few people could sleep well after blowing the horns all night. Cheng Ming truly had the old lady in his heart, knowing that Cheng Ying alone couldn't handle everything.

The old lady woke up in the late afternoon and, as expected, hadn't rested well. Late that night, she began reminiscing with her grandchildren about the past.

First Uncle visited the old lady for a while, and Second Uncle came to chat with her briefly, but then they both went to help at the village head's house. The only ones left to keep the old lady company were the two grandchildren. Cheng Ming showed his maturity: "Yingzi, you rest beside Grandma. I'll keep her company chatting."

It was only then the old lady remembered her granddaughter hadn't slept properly after two days and a night of commotion. Her melancholy, momentarily focused on Third Mistress, shifted just a tiny bit. "Go sleep quickly. It’s just me being old and babbling nonsense."

"Aiyo, my Grandma still cares about me? I thought you forgot all about me! Look how heavy your heart is," Cheng Ying teased.

The old lady sighed, "You wouldn't understand."

Cheng Ming watched from the side as the old lady started sinking into gloom again. The next day, she joined the village elderly ladies in weeping and lamenting beside Third Mistress's coffin. Cheng Ying stayed by her side for the entire process.

When she saw no one was paying attention, she tried to comfort the old lady a few times: "Please don't cry anymore, or you’ll wear yourself out, and then who will I have to accompany me?"

The old lady glared at her granddaughter a few times but continued grieving along with the others. Cheng Ying felt such heartache.

With all this back and forth, Cheng Ying and Cheng Ming missed a week of classes.

After returning to the city, the old lady’s spirits never fully recovered. Sometimes her speech became muddled.

Cheng Ying truly saw the signs of aging in her grandmother for the first time. It made her deeply uncomfortable. She specifically sought out an old Chinese medicine doctor to prescribe tonics using ginseng to regulate her system. But when people grow old, no amount of effort can truly hold back time; that relentless force never shows favoritism.

The old lady’s previously well-maintained hair, which had only a small streak of white, was now almost entirely silver.

Even soaking her hair with the spatial water Cheng Ying used didn't reverse the change.

When Chi Wu returned home for the winter break, he learned about Third Mistress’s passing. Seeing the state of his own grandmother, he immediately held Cheng Ying close: "Yingzi, let's get married."

Cheng Ying didn't need to say anything; Chi Wu understood exactly what his wife was thinking.

Whatever the old lady cherished, his wife would surely try to get it for her. Given the old lady's current condition, how many more years could she last?

Cheng Ying leaned against Chi Wu. "Okay." Neither of them felt the usual excitement about getting married.

Chi Wu declared, "Regardless of the reason for marriage, I, Chi Wu, am wholeheartedly sincere toward my wife. From now on, I will always treat you well and listen to you for the rest of my life."

Cheng Ying felt the phrasing wasn't stellar, but she liked it, feeling just a little bit happier. "Listen? I’ll smack you until you listen! And remember this, I’m only saying it once: no matter the reason, if I, Cheng Ying, marry someone, it is absolutely not casually done. Understand?"

Chi Wu smiled wryly. "Understood. My wife is marrying me because it’s me."

He then raised an eyebrow at Cheng Ying, an air of smugness so pronounced that Cheng Ying couldn't bear to look away, even though it made her feel completely lacking in dignity. It was as if she were the one confessing her feelings. "One more thing, you need to think this through clearly, okay? Before marriage, I have no standing to mess with you, but after marriage, I can discipline you as I please."

Chi Wu immediately deflated. "Wife, one must focus on the future; there’s no need to look back. What’s past is past. Why should we always dwell on it?"

Cheng Ying grinned wickedly. "If you can’t get over it, you just wait."

Chi Wu didn't regret using such a terrible method to secure the rest of Cheng Ying’s life. "I regret it already! Please, show some mercy."

Cheng Ying thought Chi Wu’s attitude in admitting fault was good, but if she just accepted it, she felt too indignant. She had let him decide on the engagement and the wedding; why did she feel so passive?

Chi Wu was a man of action. Since both were still students, they didn't want a grand wedding, just a lively gathering at home would suffice. Of course, they needed to choose the right moment to tell the family.

Chi Wu knew how to settle things at once. They hosted a dinner party at home—Chi Wu’s two grandparents, Chi Yong and his wife, including Chi Ye, and Uncle Gan and his wife, along with their children—a lively gathering of the entire extended family.

Chi Wu announced publicly, "Yingzi and I plan to host two tables of guests in a few days and finalize the marriage."

Cheng Ying thought Chi Wu’s words were too bland, lacking any real impact.

Chi Yong and Uncle Gan immediately looked toward Cheng Ying’s stomach, unable to think of anything else. They truly couldn't imagine any other reason.

Aunt Gan, though her gaze was more reserved, also stole a few glances. Cheng Ying felt that those who could look away were the more discerning ones, but what Chi Wu was doing truly had nothing to do with that kind of logic.

Yang Zhi never overthought things. "Yingzi, why the rush? Weren't you planning to marry after graduation?"

Cheng Ying replied smoothly, "Weren't we under the age requirement then? Right now, this situation isn't much different from being married. Look, we are in the city now, and the environment is different from the village. Getting the certificate first will let us interact more freely here in the city." This was her way of suggesting they needed to adapt to the local customs.

Chi Yong swallowed hard. That surely wasn't the real reason. These two unfortunate children had been living together for years; why did the need to marry suddenly arise now? He worried intensely about whether Yingzi would still finish school and how he would explain this to Yingzi’s grandmother. Why were these grown children not practicing contraception? It was so maddening—and his wife was a nurse, shouldn't she have taught her daughter and son about hygiene? Chi Yong looked at his wife with unusual resentment for the first time.

Yang Zhi had no idea where this resentment stemmed from.

Cheng Ying didn't even want to look at her stepfather; his gaze was filled with naked suspicion. He truly underestimated them. They were people of ice-clear purity and unyielding integrity, thank you very much.

Chi Wu felt uneasy. What kind of look was that? He hadn't done anything outrageous; why were they looking at them like this? However, in front of the elders, Chi Wu managed to swallow his irritation. He felt wronged and shot Cheng Ying a look conveying that exact sentiment.

Cheng Ying’s expression soured. I’m the wronged one here! Who do I complain to? How can they be so excessive?

As they saw Chi Wu’s grandparents to the door, Grandpa Chi pulled his grandson aside and asked very seriously, "Getting married is such a huge matter; why didn’t you discuss it with the family beforehand? How could you decide this so privately?"