The moment Cheng Ming got home, Old Madam looked as if she might burst into tears. While some of it was certainly due to the cold from moving things earlier, a significant part stemmed from being deeply moved. She had finally found family. It was just that this family barely recognized him.

However, that didn't dampen Cheng Ming's excitement at finally finding his people.

Counting the five members of Cheng Ying's family, they spanned three generations—old, middle, and young. Add in Uncle Gan and his wife's family, and the Lunar New Year atmosphere was lively.

When the firecrackers went off, Uncle Gan actually pulled out a golden egg—complete with yolk, white, and shell—and tucked it under the hen’s rump.

The old woman was so delighted, she almost elevated the family hen to ancestral status.

And in a rare moment of generosity, perhaps because Uncle Gan’s youngest son had been keeping her company lately, the old lady handed the egg to the younger boy.

Uncle Gan was ecstatic. He didn't care about the golden egg; what mattered was that the old lady cherished his son. He noticed that neither of Cheng Ying's children got one, or rather, Cheng Ying didn't get one. Uncle Gan swelled with pride internally. His son ranked first.

To Cheng Ying and Chi Wu, Uncle Gan seemed a bit carried away. What was the big deal? He just rigged an egg and got the old lady to pass it along. Why was he so happy?

Chi Wu looked at his frowning wife. “Don't worry. During the New Year, I’ll make sure this hen lays a double-yolked egg, one for each of our two kids.”

That was quite the comforting gesture. Cheng Ming shook his head; this family was completely nuts. He seemed to be the only sane one.

As Chi Wu and Cheng Ying (of the Cheng family) exchanged New Year's visits and gifts, the traffic was heavier than in previous years.

Cheng Ying felt this was the advantage of having a man in the house. In the past, no one paid a proper New Year’s call to the boss and his wife, since they were both young. Now that they had children and had established a family, things were different.

It wasn’t until the evening of the second day that the couple had time to take the children to visit Chi Wu’s elderly parents.

You could tell how busy Chi Wu’s New Year had been.

With Cheng Ying’s sharp perception, she noticed that her stepfather might have angered her biological mother in some way, judging by how Yang Zhi treated Chi Yong and the others.

Cheng Ying recalled that before the New Year, her stepfather had stormed out after an argument. Now, why was her own mother upset? She couldn't make heads or tails of it.

In fact, Chi Yong was grinding his teeth in frustration. How did things turn into his wife completely ignoring him? He felt he was in the right! Yet now he was totally boxed in, with both his kids watching him get mocked.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have brought the children to his mother’s house. It made him look like a henpecked husband.

When Chi Yong saw his daughter and son, he became extraordinarily warm. He even asked Cheng Ying, with rare effort, if she had let his own father have a proper, lively time. Cheng Ying felt she could practically hear the grimace in her stepfather's voice as he spoke.

If you’re not genuinely generous, don’t pretend to be! Look how suffocated he is. Out of respect for Chi Wu, she couldn't make things too difficult for Chi Yong. “Dad, is everything okay between you and Mom? Should I talk to Mom for you?”

Chi Yong blushed, though he genuinely needed the help. “Look, your mom is just petty. It’s such a small thing to be angry about. Honestly, I was mainly concerned about the two little ones. It’s not that I don’t want you to visit your father—the kids are so young! I haven't even subjected them to visiting Chi Wu’s parents or my own brother, yet your mom just doesn’t understand me.”

Cheng Ying nodded gravely. “Mom is indeed in the wrong. You, sir, are so magnanimous for not stooping to her level. I’ll have a word with Mom later; she really shouldn’t act this way, especially when you’re doing it all for the children.” She glanced pointedly at Chi Yong.

Chi Yong coughed, flushing with embarrassment. If he could just manage his wife, why would he need his daughter-in-law to corner him like this? He looked toward Chi Wu, signaling him to speak up quickly.

Chi Wu, holding the children, stepped in. “Yingzi, why don't you go chat with Mom? Dad and I will watch the kids.” In a crucial moment, his own son proved reliable.

Cheng Ying went to the kitchen to counsel her mother. There was no reason to let something concerning a dead person ruin the happiness of the living. Her mother’s current life was hard-won; she needed to cherish it. Besides, Chi Yong was genuinely good to her biological mother. Cheng Ying felt her mother was lucky.

A man who gets jealous—once you understand it, it just means he cares deeply for you. That’s much better than one who doesn't care at all.

Seeing her mother in the kitchen, Cheng Ying thought she looked every bit the standard homemaker, so virtuous. How could Chi Yong manage to make her so agitated? Chi Yong was clearly in the wrong. Why get jealous over a deceased person? “Mom, are you cooking today?”

Yang Zhi replied, “Your grandparents are getting old; they like softer food. I was worried it wouldn't suit your tastes, so I made a few things Wu Zi likes.”

“Mom is the best,” Cheng Ying affirmed, continuing her task. She was indeed close to her daughter, but Yang Zhi was someone who wasn't good at expressing herself; her words were few, focusing more on action.

“Mom, why do you look upset with Wu Zi’s dad?”

“Don’t meddle, just leave it be.” But her expression was genuinely sour. Cheng Ying knew anything that could change her mother's face like that must be serious. “Oh, you’re really angry. I’ve never seen you fight with Stepdad before. What did he do to upset you? Tell your daughter, and I’ll help you.”

Yang Zhi managed a smile. “How would you help me?”

“I’ll have Wu Zi go make his dad miserable. How about that, Mom?”

“No mixing in! I’ll just be quiet. Wu Zi’s dad is a good man.” Cheng Ying frowned. “Hearing you say that makes me nervous, Mom. People who say they want to be quiet usually end up taking vows at a temple. Are you aiming for enlightenment?”

“Nonsense! I still have Xiao Ye, and besides, I have you and your Grandma.” Cheng Ying pressed, “You really can let them go? What did Wu Zi’s dad do to provoke you? This is a serious issue. It’s just because he slammed the door curtain that day, isn’t it? Men have tempers sometimes. It proves Stepdad is worried about you and jealous. You shouldn't think of it that way.”

Yang Zhi sighed, pausing her work. Sharing feelings with a friend was indeed helpful. Few people could discuss this matter; it was practically a family scandal. “It’s my fault too. I was too naive back then, I don’t know what I was thinking when I married Wu Zi’s dad.”

Oh my goodness, regretting the marriage! That was a huge problem during the New Year. “How sad that must make Stepdad feel, Mom. After so many years together, is the feeling fake? What would Xiao Ye think?”

Yang Zhi sighed again. “I just feel like I’ve backed myself into a corner. When I married Xiao Ye’s father, life was tough. The only goal was to keep the children fed; I never thought feelings were an issue. Everyone knew about your father’s existence. Although I didn’t dare speak up much, I had my father make it crystal clear to Xiao Ye’s dad that I was a widow bringing a child.”

Cheng Ying patted Yang Zhi’s back. Marrying as a widow is hard beforehand, and even harder afterward. This whole situation wasn't simple.

Yang Zhi continued, “I thought since I had a child and Wu Zi’s dad had Wu Zi, they could understand each other. It would be fair—no one could mock the other. Maybe we could live well. I never thought too deeply. We focused wholeheartedly on enduring the poverty; I didn’t think it was so hard back then.”

“Poverty with a clear path ahead is manageable. Mom, you miss those days. You wouldn’t want Xiao Ye and us to stare anxiously at the bottom of the pot over half a bowl of porridge, would you?”

“Yes. Later, when life got better and your Grandma and the others tracked us down, Wu Zi’s dad suddenly told me Wu Zi wasn't his child. I regretted coming to the city with them; I held back his future.”

Cheng Ying countered, “Mom, that’s not right. Stepdad never said that. He’s always been so good to you. Thinking like that is unfair. Besides, you benefited from him; how can you just discard that now?” The last part was mostly teasing.

Yang Zhi blushed and lightly punched her daughter. “No matter how you put it, I should have thought more back then. I’m naturally timid; once I adapt to a way of life, I’m afraid of change, afraid to try new things. I just want a stable life. When Wu Zi’s dad said we’d live like that, I don’t know what possessed me, but I just followed him to the city.”

Cheng Ying laughed. “You fell for the handsome face trick, but it’s not a bad thing. Look how happy you are now.”

Yang Zhi gazed toward the kitchen and sighed. “But since that happened, I haven't been able to stand up straight in front of Wu Zi’s dad. I always feel like I owe him something. The fairness I thought we had is gone.”

“That’s where you went wrong, Mom. When you build a life together, you can’t harbor that kind of thought.”

“My mistake was forgetting this. Since Xiao Ye was born, I gradually started forgetting about it, and Wu Zi’s dad is so good at coaxing me that I forget my own name sometimes. Things I used to avoid saying, I said them openly. For so many years, your father’s existence, your existence—they were all out in the open. I genuinely felt we were one family, and I just spoke my mind.”

Cheng Ying felt her mother had probably bottled things up for too long and needed to vent; her emotions were running high.

Women should find friends to talk to at appropriate times to relax. Seeing her mother like this was an explosive release. Twenty-nine years of pent-up words were coming out now.

Chi Yong had been strolling casually outside the kitchen, not meaning to eavesdrop, nor expecting to hear everything. Snippets reached his ears, and he wanted to know why his wife was angry so he could soothe her.

But then Chi Yong stopped moving. He felt terrible hearing Yang Zhi say she regretted things. Chi Yong felt a sharp pain, wishing he could kick the door open and ask the woman inside if she had a heart. Had he treated her poorly all these years? To regret it so easily?

Seeing that the situation was becoming difficult, Chi Wu held him back. “It’s New Year’s, Dad, don't make a scene. After slamming the door curtain and leaving, where else could you go?”

Chi Wu effectively froze Chi Yong in place. He went from listening alone to listening with someone else.

As they heard the conversation progress, Chi Yong’s face turned red, and Chi Wu stifled a laugh. It turned out his wife actually felt she had benefited from his father.

Cheng Ying said, “Stepdad is just jealous, why are you making such a fuss? It’s not a major issue. You should be proud to have someone who gets jealous over you. It’s a good thing.”

Yang Zhi replied, “Jealousy—it sounds similar. When I came back that day, Wu Zi’s dad wasn’t home. I searched outside for a long time, and it was already dark. Xiao Ye hadn't answered.”

Chi Wu shrugged. His dad really hadn't been manly in handling that. He shook his head. Chi Yong’s face flushed.

Yang Zhi continued, “When I got home, your grandfather called. I only then found out Wu Zi’s dad had brought Xiao Ye here. I felt like crying right then.”