Cheng Ying quieted her fussing, deciding to look at it with an open mind. For the Old Matriarch to be eating, sleeping, and even finding joy in her condition, only to suddenly pass away—it was like the graceful departure of a high monk, truly a death by old age.

Cheng Ying asked, "How can someone who is eating and sleeping just suddenly pass away?"

Cheng Ming sighed, "Even if she keeps eating and sleeping, she still has to be able to absorb it, right?" He held the Old Matriarch’s hand. "Look, there's barely anything left but skin and bone. That she has lasted this long is thanks to good care, but no matter how fine she looks on the outside, the core is old and can't turn anymore."

The three of them watched over the Old Matriarch all night like that.

First thing in the morning, the Old Matriarch opened her eyes only to see the doctor, the sight of whom she usually only encountered in the hospital, and she was quite displeased.

However, the doctor merely examined her and left without doing anything further.

Cheng Ying, however, could barely hold it together. If it weren't for Chi Wu and Cheng Ming supporting her, she would have nearly collapsed outside. There was absolutely no hope left.

Chi Wu said, "Hold it together, Grandma is still inside waiting for you with the two children."

Cheng Ying couldn't help but weep, but Chi Wu saw her inexplicably grab a handful of water from somewhere and smear it over her eyes. Her slightly puffy eyes quickly returned to normal.

Just then, Cheng Ming approached. Chi Wu casually grabbed a towel and handed it to his wife to place over her face.

He absolutely could not let Cheng Ming see his wife summon water from thin air. This little trick was a bit too grand.

Cheng Ying regained her composure, wiping her nose. "Could you tell?"

Cheng Ming replied, "You look fine."

Chi Wu wordlessly took the towel back and offered it again. "Applying it is quite effective."

This was meant as an explanation for Cheng Ming, though in truth, it was unnecessary; Cheng Ming hadn't noticed anything amiss. He hadn't considered anything beyond the surface.

Cheng Ying entered the room, her tone cheerful as usual. "Grandma, what would you like me to cook for you today? I'll handle the kitchen."

The Old Matriarch stopped playing with her grandsons. "I just want to go home."

Cheng Ying was instantly stunned. The Old Matriarch hadn't mentioned her old home in years; since she became confused, she had completely forgotten about it. This meant she had regained clarity.

Chi Wu asked gently, "Grandma, isn't this home?"

The Old Matriarch shook her head. "Not this one. The big courtyard, I want to go back. I dreamt of Third Son."

Cheng Ying’s tears started flowing uncontrollably. This Old Matriarch was stirring up the atmosphere unnecessarily. The doctor had already delivered a blow, and now she was promoting feudal superstition—was she trying to leave no way out for herself?

In Cheng Ying's view, the Old Matriarch was signaling that the King of Hell was knocking at the door.

Cheng Ying, having come from the village, couldn't easily dismiss such beliefs. The timing of this was too precise; why would the Old Matriarch dream of her own father just last night?

Panic filled Cheng Ying’s eyes. She clutched the Old Matriarch’s hand and wouldn’t let go.

Chi Wu didn't need to guess what his wife feared. "It's alright. The Old Matriarch is very old, her body is weak, and she is prone to wandering thoughts. It has nothing to do with that."

Cheng Ming also spoke soothingly from the side, "Don't overthink it. However, if Grandma wants to go home, we should take her. I will ask for leave when I arrange for the transportation, taking off all the vacation time."

This sounded exactly like they were preparing for the Old Matriarch's final journey.

Cheng Ying sniffled. "Grandma, you miss the big courtyard? Okay, we'll go back."

The Old Matriarch brightened. She hadn't worn her dentures recently, and her mouth looked sunken. When she smiled, only her red gums showed. "Mm, take my grandson with me."

Cheng Ying pursed her lips. "Great-grandson, if you say it correctly, we'll bring him."

The Old Matriarch was displeased. "Grandson? You're off by a generation."

Cheng Ying finally felt a bit better; it was still the same Old Matriarch.

Chi Wu went out to make arrangements for the Old Matriarch’s return to the village. They still needed to call the Old Aunt, but not to come to the city; she should go straight to the village and wait for the Old Matriarch. To be honest, when the Old Matriarch first became confused two years ago, they had been told she wouldn't last more than a few years even without an illness. But Cheng Ying had believed that with good things to sustain her, the Old Matriarch could hold on much longer. It just showed how many things in life do not go as one wishes; even if you pile up ginseng at home, you cannot stop the aging of those who are elderly.

Chi Wu needed to inform Uncle Gan and Aunt Gan, as he was their godson.

And his own parents—if the Old Matriarch passed away, his own parents would certainly go to see her off. All old people are the same; seeing someone their age in decline lowers their spirits considerably.

Chi Wu was extremely cautious when discussing this with his own elderly parents.

Fortunately, that little rascal Chi Ye was there to keep the elders company; otherwise, Chi Wu wouldn't know which side to prioritize.

Mrs. Chi burst into tears upon hearing the news. "You go back. Take good care of the Old Matriarch. When the time comes, your grandfather and I will come over. Don't worry about things here. We'll look after Xiao Ye. If we can't manage, send the two little ones over too; we’ll watch them."

Chi Wu insisted, "You help Mom and Dad look after Xiao Ye, and then you can all come over together. The two little ones cannot be separated from the Old Matriarch; she only has eyes for them now, we can't leave them."

Mr. Chi agreed, "Yes, they can't be separated. They are the great-grandchildren, the only two. You must stay with the Old Matriarch. Go on, get busy. We two old folks will go over and check things out at home."

Chi Wu could tell his parents were not in good spirits. But this wasn't the time to worry about them. He bid them farewell and went to the company to sort things out.

Chi Wu knew this wouldn't be resolved in a day or two. They said the Old Matriarch was failing, but she didn't look critically ill; how long she could hold on was uncertain. They needed long-term plans.

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't step away from this. He then arranged for a large, comfortable sedan, specifically so the Old Matriarch wouldn't be jolted around during the trip, which could further distress her fragile state.

Uncle Gan and Aunt Gan were very direct. Upon hearing from Cheng Ying, they immediately agreed to come over, saying that given the Old Matriarch's condition, they would simply take time off work.

Cheng Ying felt that this was the destined connection between Uncle Gan and Aunt Gan and the Old Matriarch, and she shouldn't interfere. She said nothing.

However, she did pack up the few fish from the Old Matriarch’s tank for her. The Old Matriarch didn't care for many things, but these few fish were something she might fuss over when she felt restless; she couldn't be without them.

By the time Chi Wu, Cheng Ming, Uncle Gan, and the others returned to the village with the Old Matriarch, two days had passed. The Old Matriarch’s spirits had declined further, and she had little appetite.

Cheng Ying tried every method she knew to get the Old Matriarch to eat more.

Yang Zhi and Chi Yong returned to the village, first paying respects to the Village Head, and then gathering the eldest and second sons together to inform them of the Old Matriarch's current condition. The Second Uncle immediately became distraught; if the Second Aunt hadn't held him back, he would have gone directly to fetch the Old Matriarch.

The Eldest Uncle remained silent, his eyes brimming with unshed tears—after all, she was his own mother.

The Eldest Aunt tried to speak, and it was clear she wouldn't say anything nice, which earned her a kick from the Eldest Uncle that sent her sprawling onto the ground.

He simply couldn't reconcile his feelings. He believed that because he hadn't gotten along well with his mother over the years, his wife’s interference was the cause.

It goes to show that no matter how much a woman disagrees with the elders, she shouldn't let her temper show. If she does well, that's fine, but if she errs, she will be blamed. Back when the Eldest Aunt was challenging the Eldest Uncle, he probably felt he had a wife who understood him and stood up for him. But now that his mother was near death, the Eldest Uncle didn't think about how much his wife had understood him then; all he could think was that the prodigal woman had caused him to see his mother fewer times. That’s how people are.

In such a situation, not only was the Eldest Aunt stunned, but Yang Zhi and her husband, as well as the Second Uncle and his wife, were all equally bewildered. What was going on?

The Eldest Brother’s temper was completely out of line.

The Eldest Aunt got up from the floor, staring at her husband's glaring eyes, not daring to utter a single word. A sense of guilt swelled within her. When the family was still together, the Old Matriarch hadn't treated the two of them badly; no one could deny that. Even if she complained about being shortchanged, when she pondered things late at night, she always kept her own little calculations in mind.

Yang Zhi spoke up, "Eldest Brother, if you hold any grievances against us, just say it now. We are both here. We will bear the responsibility. But now that Mom is coming back, we can't afford to cause a scene in front of her. Tell us now."

Chi Yong had been somewhat lacking in confidence around Yang Zhi since their argument during the Lunar New Year. He wasn't sure when his wife would be able to take charge of things. If they could resolve the accumulated resentments among the brothers before the Old Matriarch returned, achieving filial harmony in her presence would be ideal.

Chi Yong said, "Eldest Brother, the children are the younger generation. The Old Matriarch is very old; whatever goes wrong, it's our fault—my wife's and mine—for not thinking things through thoroughly."

The Second Aunt interjected, "What are you saying? Even though we aren't city folk and are less educated than you, we understand birth, aging, sickness, and death. It’s beyond anyone’s control. The Old Matriarch can’t stop this wherever she is. If an elder and a child get along, that’s fate. We aren't completely ignorant of such basic principles."

The Second Uncle was a simple, honest man. Hearing that his biological mother was about to pass, he didn't say a word; he just squatted down by the wall and started weeping. Whatever his wife said, he agreed with it and hadn't truly listened.

The Second Aunt kept her gaze fixed on the Eldest Brother’s family. Surely, before the Old Matriarch even returned, he wouldn't start a commotion? Besides, he hadn't been the one raising the elderly woman. If he caused trouble now, he couldn't blame anyone else, and no one would agree with him.

Yang Zhi and Chi Yong were somewhat relieved to hear the Second Aunt’s words. Having someone who understood the situation was invaluable; otherwise, the entire family would look bad.

Regardless, the Eldest Uncle was the head of the household, the eldest legitimate grandson—he held the authority, especially at a time like this. The couple waited for the Eldest Brother to speak.

Chi Yong thought that if he had to listen to a few harsh words for the sake of the Old Matriarch, then so be it. After the Old Matriarch passed, if he didn't want to hear them, he could simply minimize contact. One had to be open-minded about this. Ever since the day the Old Matriarch went to the city with Cheng Ying, Chi Yong knew this day would come.

No matter where the Old Matriarch went, she would eventually have to return, and there would always come a day when they had to face this reality. It depended on whether the Eldest Brother was a sensible person.

If he caused a fuss, it wouldn't just make Chi Yong look bad. In fact, Chi Yong and Chi Wu wouldn't be able to stay in the village for long if things got messy. The family that would look the worst wouldn't be theirs, especially since they had nothing to feel guilty about. I am the one caring for the elder, what more can you demand? What justification do you have?

Yang Zhi was more nervous. In her experience, the Eldest Brother possessed an established authority, which made her feel a little apprehensive. No matter what, since the Old Matriarch was under her care, if he said anything about how she and her daughter had been, she would have to accept it and listen.

The Eldest Aunt turned away. After being kicked once, she wisely kept quiet. It took the Eldest Uncle a long time before he finally spoke, "Do what needs to be done. Make the necessary preparations as required."