The old lady never separated from the two children when speaking to them. Cheng Ying felt more like the Queen Mother of the West than the actual Queen Mother; ever since getting in the car that morning, she felt like a villain.

Chi Wu didn't even go to work, staying on campus with his wife to face the scrutiny of so many children. Finally, as others ate lunch, the old lady complained about the food, grabbed her two grandsons, and left.

She voiced her opinion: everything was fine, just the food was bad. It was child abuse.

The director thought, if you were going to be dissatisfied, we should have eaten earlier. Cheng Ying felt her face flush; finally able to go home, the family made their way back.

Chi Wu immediately arranged for a batch of new toys to be delivered to the kindergarten, along with grains, eggs, and meat. Improving the meals was crucial.

Otherwise, he genuinely didn't dare face the director again, having caused trouble for half a day only to complain about the lunch afterward. You should have seen the look on the director's face.

Chi Wu said four words to the old lady: "My own grandmother." Cheng Ying bravely followed up, "My very own grandmother." The couple turned away, neither daring to look at the other. The three behind them sat firmly, completely unburdened by any guilt.

Cheng Ying waited until the three ancestors were fully fed and content before she could stretch and sigh alongside Chi Wu. School was going to be a problem.

If she had to face this scenario every day, Cheng Ying felt she would collapse. Chi Wu thought deeply, then spoke, "There's nothing to be done.

Even with my father's capabilities, after twenty years of work, he couldn't establish a school that could enroll children spanning such a wide age range. His word doesn't count.

They certainly won't take all three of them together." Cheng Ying found his words grating; he actually dared to make demands of Chi Yong, not fearing that Chi Yong would be infuriated by such talk. "It must be so hard for you, and even harder for our father.

Let's eat something first; I'm tired." Chi Wu murmured, "My wife truly has it so rough." Before they could feel wronged, the old lady felt wronged. She had played too hard and was exhausted.

She couldn't even get up after her nap. Sister Rong brought her food and fed her.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu attended to the old lady solicitously at her side, and they even had to have the two children stay with her. The old lady was quite tyrannical now.

Cheng Ying truly didn't dare send the two children off to school without the old lady's explicit permission. What if something went wrong with children of such tender years?

And here she was, too tired to move. As for the bond between the two children and the old lady, it was a relationship forged since they were toddlers.

Seeing the old lady unwilling to rise, they didn't mention school again; it seemed they were determined to stand or fall together. Could Cheng Ying really say she was delighted by the strong bond between the three of them?

It was all being used against her. Sister Rong did say, "The children can't even wipe their own bottoms; why send them to school so young when there's no one else at home?" This clearly showed she didn't want the children to start school so soon.

Cheng Ying thought, who knows my difficulties? Has anyone ever considered me?

Facing these two vexations all day—how am I supposed to live? The critical thing is the children are older now, have ideas, and know how to conspire with the old lady to deal with their mother.

If she didn't take action soon, things would truly spiral out of control. But looking at the two children sitting next to the old lady, Cheng Ying dared not intervene.

She had to yield. Chi Wu said he had spoken with the director, and they could send the children whenever they wanted; there was no rush in the next couple of days.

Cheng Ying understood clearly; her man had expressed himself adequately to the director. She really couldn't deny that her guidance had been effective.

Look at the man she chose; in this relatively reserved era, he was far ahead of many others, already understanding the importance of maintaining good relations with teachers. Truly, there was no barrier to communication.

She had initially assumed the old lady was merely tired and would recover in a couple of days, but Cheng Ying's assumptions were too simple. Despite having the two little ones accompanying her, the old lady's health truly never rallied.

When Cheng Ming examined the old lady, the results were kept secret from Cheng Ying, Chi Wu, and Third Aunt. The old lady was simply old; all her bodily functions were slowing down.

She was just old—so old she could barely move, so old she looked on the verge of not being able to breathe. As for Cheng Ming, his skills were honed through years of practice; having such an elderly patient always available gave him ample opportunity to apply himself.

Therefore, no one doubted the results Cheng Ming provided. However, upon seeing Cheng Ying, everyone became reserved.

How could they tell the children? Everyone could see Cheng Ying's mindset towards the old lady; she was an irreplaceable presence.

Chi Wu, his face tight, opened his mouth to the person beside him and said, "I'll tell her," then walked away. Yang Zhi’s eyes instantly filled with tears; she grabbed Cheng Ming, almost collapsing onto the floor.

"How could it be so fast? She looked perfectly fine.

Yingzi won't be able to handle it." Cheng Ming supported Third Aunt; no one felt good. If the old lady were lucid, she surely wouldn't want this either.

But everyone ages. Cheng Ming supported Third Aunt, saying nothing.

Even though they all lived in the city, he didn't have many opportunities to speak with this widowed Third Aunt who had remarried. They all revolved around the old lady, perhaps meeting infrequently.

They were no longer as casually close as they were in childhood. Everyone had changed, but wasn't it inevitable the old lady would age?

Cheng Ming stared at the sky for a long time before his tears receded. Cheng Ying didn't know what they had said.

She busied herself coaxing the old lady and the two children to play inside, afraid the old lady would be bored lying alone on the kang bed. She sincerely didn't believe the old lady was seriously ill, just tired from playing.

Yang Zhi and Chi Yong went back to their respective workplaces to request leave. With the old lady in this condition, the household needed arrangements, and the village did too.

That evening, Chi Wu held his wife and said just one thing, "Auntie hasn't visited Grandma in a long time; let's give her a call tomorrow and ask her to come see Grandma." Cheng Ying asked lightly, "No, didn't she just visit? She was here in March." Chi Wu remained silent, just holding his wife tightly.

Cheng Ying sensed the atmosphere was wrong; this wasn't the prelude to intimacy. Then, Cheng Ying felt dreadful; the world suddenly seemed ugly.

This realization deeply distressed her. There was only one reason the family would call Auntie to see the old lady now.

Cheng Ying bit her lip, let out a muffled sound, and began to sob. She hadn't failed to consider it, but she had always refused to face the reality of the matter head-on.

In her heart, she had known the truth all along. Some things don't wait just because you don't want them to happen.

Chi Wu felt a pang of heartache. No one understood his wife's feelings better than he did.

Ever since the old lady used the fire poker on him, Cheng Ying and the old lady had been practically inseparable; never mind his own stepmother. Towards Cheng Ying, the old lady had always been more attentive than towards Yang Zhi.

Therefore, the bond between Cheng Ying and the old lady was deep, very deep. Chi Wu dared not put himself and the old lady on a scale to see who Cheng Ying valued more.

If the old lady hadn't protected her so fiercely, his wife wouldn't have achieved what she had today. His wife spoiled the old lady even more than she did their own two children.

You could tell; if Cheng Ying could manage not to cry, she wouldn't be Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying felt terrible, profoundly so.

Although she had long accepted that the old lady couldn't live forever, the realization had never felt so immediate—it was like the siege had arrived without giving her time to prepare. It came just like that, without allowing for any easing period.

Chi Wu patted Cheng Ying's shoulder, "It's alright. I'm here.

Grandma has lived such a long life; she's endured every hardship; that's..." Chi Wu couldn't finish. He truly loved the old lady.

She had disciplined him with a fire poker and a feather duster, but since she arrived, the old woman had never allowed anyone outside the family to discipline him. He remembered that protection deeply.

When he was with Chi Yong, the two of them had a difficult background and suffered every kind of hardship. People are human; affection can be cultivated.

The two of them were sad for a long time. If they hadn't worried about being overheard in the east room, Cheng Ying would have liked to let out a loud wail; it was too stifling.

When she managed to calm down slightly, Cheng Ying composed herself. "Who examined Grandma?" Chi Wu replied, "Mingzi." A flicker of small sparks appeared in Cheng Ying's eyes, still holding out hope.

"That can't be right. What ability does he have?

I'll find another doctor to look at her." She was becoming obstinate. Chi Wu said, "I've already arranged for a doctor to come tomorrow.

I just didn't want you unprepared. Grandma seems in good spirits; try to hold on.

Everyone gets to this stage when they are old." Cheng Ying felt worse again. "I'll go watch over her." Chi Wu said, "It's been a day; you rest.

Mingzi is staying in Grandma's room; if anything truly happens, he'll call us." Cheng Ying couldn't bear it. Every moment now felt like one less moment she had left.

She couldn't bear to be away. Chi Wu saw her distress and knew he couldn't persuade her.

He would follow his wife's wishes. Fortunately, with Sister Rong and the caretaker at home, they had enough help.

Cheng Ying stated, "If the doctor confirms it tomorrow, we'll pack up and return to the village. No matter how good it is here, Grandma always misses the village; I know that." Chi Wu said, "Mom and Dad have already gone back to make arrangements." Cheng Ying's eyes turned red.

"You kept it from me?" Chi Wu explained, "We need to prepare ahead of time. When people reach old age, one must always plan for the end." Chi Wu left the two children with the caretaker and accompanied his wife to watch over the old lady.

The old lady was sleeping soundly alone. Cheng Ying sat beside her, holding her hand, tears flowing incessantly.

Cheng Ming sighed and approached. "It's alright.

You didn't see Third Madam back then; she couldn't eat anything, wasting away until she was just a basket of bones. That was truly more heart-wrenching.

Grandma can still eat and drink; that's wonderful." Seeing Cheng Ying like this, Cheng Ming couldn't bring himself to call it a happy passing. The old lady was almost eighty.

Considering the poor living conditions back then, her physical foundation was already damaged; it was truly not easy for her to live to this age. Furthermore, Yingzi's grandfather died early, and the old lady had to painstakingly care for the entire family by herself.

Add to that losing a son young; it had truly worn out her body and her spirit. Her current condition was the accumulation of blessings earned.

Chi Wu watched the two of them and covered the old lady with a quilt. "Stop making a fuss; if the old lady wakes up, she won't even get a moment of peaceful sleep."