Though Chi Wu didn't mind purchasing several properties, he still preferred to move directly into their staff housing area.

Cheng Ying worried about the inconvenience for the children's schooling and her own commute, so she kept deliberating. Fortunately, the five-story building wasn't finished yet, leaving time to prepare.

Cheng Ying planned to buy a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment downtown for them to live in temporarily. A smaller place didn't matter; the four of them together would be cozy. She had long wanted to live in an apartment building. Originally, she focused on maintaining their small courtyard because of the difficulty for the old lady to navigate stairs. Now, with a family of four, Cheng Ying yearned for a life where they could adapt to any environment.

It was just the two children who were unwilling. The main issue was that there was no space in an apartment building for their large fish tank—the one that took up more than 1.5 meters in diameter in their courtyard. Truly, there was no room for such a thing in a building.

The children vehemently refused, and before any agreement was reached, Old Mrs. Chi made her move. Her face was so dark that water could drip from it as she addressed Chi Wu and Cheng Ying: "I finally hoped the whole family could live together, and you still want to make a fuss. Even your grandmother isn't arguing with me, and you two are going against me. If you want to move, you move; these two will definitely stay with me."

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying simply gave up on buying a house and packed up to take care of the elderly couple instead. When people get old, they naturally love having their children and grandchildren around. There was no reason to be filial to their own grandmother but not to Chi Wu’s grandmother.

Cheng Ying thought Chi Wu had some experience in looking after the elderly, so living together was fine, saving them the hassle of commuting back and forth on Sundays. Think of how much gas money they’d save! Although their current net worth meant they didn't care about that small amount of gas money, Cheng Ying couldn't stop calculating expenses in her head.

Of course, with their family of four, plus Aunt Rong, Cheng Ying wasn't sure if the old lady could handle it. Cheng Ying was quite eager to see if they could be mutually understanding and communicate without barriers. However, she suspected it would be difficult.

Cheng Ying felt that maintaining a distant relationship with Old Mrs. Chi was far better than one without distance. They truly weren't the same kind of people.

If anything, the person happiest about Cheng Ying's maneuvering was the elderly Chi couple. No matter how knowledgeable or culturally profound Old Mrs. Chi and the old man were, they still held certain aspirations for having many children and grandchildren. Future issues could be discussed later. For now, having their grandson and great-grandson close by was undoubtedly the right thing.

Furthermore, having their own granddaughter-in-law voluntarily step out of the workforce meant she could have children freely. At least she wouldn't have to worry about delaying childbirth due to losing her job. The thought alone was wonderful. If they happened to have twins, Old Mr. and Mrs. Chi would wake up smiling in their dreams.

Before Chi Wu and Cheng Ying’s apartment building was completed, Old Mr. Chi was already arranging for his son to move the grandson in. In Old Mr. Chi’s words, they had to move eventually, so why wait? This arrangement was perfectly fine. The old couple had already cleaned and prepared the rooms Chi Wu and Cheng Ying were supposed to occupy, ready for immediate move-in.

Cheng Ying shook her head, smiling wryly. The old couple was so welcoming to their whole family moving in.

Privately, behind the old lady’s back, Chi Wu had selected a relatively independent small villa with his wife. Chi Wu reasoned that while living with the elders was lively, he and his wife also needed private space. Then, they could leave the children with the elders and go out for some relaxation. Chi Wu’s gesture was romantic, and Cheng Ying felt secretly delighted.

There was another feeling: I am among the wealthy now, because this kind of thing isn't casually obtained. Looking at the villa's deed, Cheng Ying thought her mother lacked foresight. This was much better than gifting a cemetery plot; at least it wasn't depressing to look at, and she could sleep soundly at night.

Because of this small thing, Cheng Ying teased Chi Wu by smiling foolishly for several days, making him reflect on how little he gave his wife. Look how happy she was over such a small item! He wasn't short of money, after all.

Cheng Ying even specifically showed off the villa to Yang Zhi, boasting that regardless of area or terrain, it was better than what her stepfather gave her. Especially since her villa also faced the sea. Pah, pah, I don't want to compare myself to that blockhead Chi Yong.

Yang Zhi watched her daughter, purely happy for her, without reflecting the situation onto herself at all.

Chi Yong, however, overheard the conversation. He pursed his lips, flicked his sleeve, and went inside. What choice did he have when his small salary couldn't compare to his son’s? He could only afford to gift his wife a piece of cemetery land. No wonder his daughter was showing off so shamelessly.

Fortunately, his wife was someone who focused on daily life and didn't fuss over such things, never one to engage in idle comparisons. But he was still displeased.

In Chi Yong’s mind, whatever positive virtues Yang Zhi possessed, his daughter and daughter-in-law had corresponding areas needing improvement. Chi Yong complained to Yang Zhi in private, "Good thing this girl married into our family; otherwise, you’d see how a mother-in-law would discipline her."

When Yang Zhi needed to defend Cheng Ying, she didn't hold back: "I think she's doing very well. Do you think Yingzi did anything wrong?"

Chi Yong glanced at his wife, said nothing, and choked on his words. They were mother and daughter; how could there be a mother-in-law problem? Complaining to Yang Zhi was just inviting trouble for himself. "No, everything is fine."

Yang Zhi felt relieved. "I also think Yingzi and Wuzi are doing great."

Chi Yong felt indignant. The old literary youth, finally calming his anger, demanded the key to the villa from his son.

So, before Chi Wu could even take his wife to visit his villa, the shameless Chi Yong took his wife and son there for a whole weekend. Cheng Ying truly saw the depths of Chi Yong’s brazenness. He was unbelievably shameless; this level of audacity was practically a state of being. How could he even manage it?

Chi Yong even shamelessly told Cheng Ying, "When there's a good place, don't forget your mom and dad!"

Then he took his wife and son home. Judging by the expressions of the family of three, they had a blast.

Chi Wu said, "Dad seems to have gotten hooked on this. How many villas do I have?"

Cheng Ying let out a muffled sound from her nose. Chi Wu realized a source of conflict was emerging. He didn't know how to resolve the battle between his father and his wife. His father was truly capable—he managed to incite a father-in-law versus daughter-in-law conflict where no mother-in-law conflict existed.

Chi Wu felt he was having bad luck lately, running into this kind of situation. Dear father, why don't you understand your son? Why don't you feel sorry for your son? In the end, Chi Wu categorized Chi Yong as simply going through menopause, just as his wife had suggested.

In a rush, Chi Wu spent several days busy inside the Space. Cheng Ying, meanwhile, transported various things, both familiar and unheard of, into the Space. She really didn't know what Chi Wu was up to.

Cheng Ying teased herself: she'd had the Space for over a decade but hadn't spent as much time in it as Chi Wu had recently. She supposed that she and Chi Wu were quite useless; guarding such a treasure, they only knew how to play with it, never considering utilizing it.

Even Chi Wu hadn't mentioned relying on the things in the Space to support their comfortable life later on. Was this considered being successful? Cheng Ying couldn't quite figure it out. She didn't know what Chi Wu was messing with inside; he had occupied a large open area, and Cheng Ying couldn't even understand what he was doing.

Moreover, after putting things in, Chi Wu would kick Cheng Ying out. Cheng Ying had truly become Chi Wu’s chauffeur—dropping people off, picking them up, and handling various packages.

When the house was almost organized, and they were about to move in with the grandparents, Chi Wu took his wife into the Space and gave her a blueprint. Honestly, if the open area hadn't been piled high with too many things, Cheng Ying would have viewed this blueprint like something out of a fairy tale.

Cheng Ying looked at it, stunned. "What do you mean? I absolutely can't do that!"

Chi Wu was full of confidence in his wife. "How will you know if you don't try? I’ve prepared everything for you, including blueprints for every stage of construction. Come on, I’ll guide you."

A chill ran down Cheng Ying’s spine. This was going to be a shoddy construction project. "You didn't study architecture either!"

Chi Wu replied, "I’ve been studying recently. Hurry up and get started. Think how happy the children will be when they see this!"

Alright, Cheng Ying was swayed. Her own children roaming inside a medieval castle—the thought alone was thrilling. They could travel without leaving the country.

Following Chi Wu’s instructions, she cleared a massive open area and used her intention to create trenches in the earth, then filled those trenches with large stones and cement. It actually looked somewhat authentic, though the construction speed was too fast—in the blink of an eye, this massive construction area was done.

Chi Wu sighed with emotion, "If my wife had this ability out in the real world, would I need to hire so many workers? One wife is worth several construction teams." Then he looked at Cheng Ying, "You truly excite me. No wonder I chose architecture as a career in the first place; my wife is the ancestor of construction!"

Cheng Ying sincerely lacked confidence in herself; stacking all these things into a building seemed truly difficult. "It would be even better if it turns into happiness." Then, looking at the sight before her, she felt quite happy. "Why didn't I ever think of this before? I actually have this talent. Say, after it’s built, can we just move out here directly?"

Chi Wu asked, "Do you want to be gawked at?" Right, that wouldn't work.

Cheng Ying said, "Continue. I want to see if I can create something exactly like the drawing."

Chi Wu replied, "Great. I also think it's time to move on to the next phase."

Cheng Ying asked, "I wonder how you managed to bring so many things in without anyone noticing?"

Chi Wu assured her, "Leave that to me. I can bring in as much as I want from our own warehouse."

Cheng Ying understood. This was real material, and they had spent a significant amount of money. She had to be meticulous so it didn't actually turn into shoddy work. She specifically ran around the foundation to check its sturdiness before continuing to add height and structure according to Chi Wu’s requirements.

Fortunately, Chi Wu had been busy inside beforehand. Cheng Ying had various models to reference; otherwise, even with the power of intention, she couldn't have managed it. She ended up dismantling and rebuilding several times before completion.

Cheng Ying felt it was similar to building with blocks, just more detailed.

Finally, Chi Wu and Cheng Ying stood a hundred meters away from the structure, looking at the castle—a genuine medieval castle! Chi Wu actually thought of this. He had managed to pull this off.

Cheng Ying admired herself, nearly moved to tears. "It's too magnificent! I have this ability!"

Chi Wu exclaimed, "I also didn't expect a medieval castle to be finished in half a day. Wife, you are nothing short of a goddess. I truly adore you."

Cheng Ying responded, "I also admire myself. But can we actually go inside? I'm a bit scared. Won't it collapse?"

Chi Wu assured her, "Theoretically, as long as your intention sustains it, even an 8.0 earthquake won't harm us. Relax. Let’s go take a look."

Cheng Ying hesitated. She truly didn't trust her own architectural style. "Maybe I should just skip it. I really don't think I can do this. For something like this to be finished in half a day, no one would believe it wasn't shoddy work."

Chi Wu huffed, "You lack ambition. I'll go myself. You wait here." And with that, he walked in, not even waiting for Cheng Ying.

Cheng Ying rubbed her hands. If we die, we die together. She finally adopted the attitude of that critical sourpuss, Chi Yong. "I'll go in with you. If a piece falls, I can at least try to block it for you."

Chi Wu stopped suddenly. "Once we're inside, don't let your mind wander!"

Cheng Ying laughed. That was true; she couldn't afford to overthink things inside. "Then I won't sleep in there. I can't control what happens in my dreams."

The two walked in hand in hand. As they walked, Chi Wu asked Cheng Ying to plan the courtyard. The garden was crucial; it couldn't be bare.

Cheng Ying used a perfectly apt metaphor: "You are my remote control."

Chi Wu countered, "If you have higher-level insights, I can let you handle the arrangement."

Cheng Ying paused to consider her own aesthetic sense. Forget it; she'd listen to Chi Wu. This wasn't about how long someone had lived; Chi Wu truly possessed unique discernment.

Chi Wu said, "Later, I'll bring in a car. The courtyard is too big; walking is slow."

Cheng Ying remarked, "Why didn't you say so? We could have just teleported inside."

Chi Wu shot his wife a look. "When the kids come in, can you teleport them instantly too?"

Right, Cheng Ying conceded that she wasn't as thoughtful as Chi Wu.

At the entrance, Chi Wu instructed, "We need a fountain here, and maybe some stone sculptures. Later, I'll look for stones, and you think up some sculptures modeled after our family of four, got it?"

Cheng Ying replied brightly, "Thank you so much for finding a use for me! I will definitely make the figures look beautiful."

Chi Wu glanced at Cheng Ying. "Forget it. I was going to draw them, but you create them. I don't trust your aesthetic judgment."

Cheng Ying’s mind was filled with the image of her chubby son crying his most beautiful cry, but Chi Wu’s remark crushed her ambition. He really knew her too well.

Once inside, Cheng Ying was astonished. "It's really impressive!"

Chi Wu measured dimensions from various angles, jotting notes in a small book. "Later, I’ll have the craftsmen make several sets of furniture based on these dimensions."

Cheng Ying asked, "Can we put in Ming and Qing dynasty style furniture?"

Chi Wu blinked. "This is a castle. Do you think it relates to Ming and Qing furniture?"

Cheng Ying insisted, "I like Ming and Qing styles."

Chi Wu sighed. "Fine, whatever you wish. I should have just made it a princely garden."

Cheng Ying nodded. "That's not impossible, you know. We could build another one—a neighbor!"

Chi Wu really had nothing to say to his wife. "As you wish. Okay, see what else is missing."

Cheng Ying suggested, "We just need to buy some textiles."

Chi Wu countered, "We have to bring the children in to play."

Cheng Ying knew he was an absolutely great father who never forgot the children when there was something fun to do. Looking at the magnificent castle, she realized why every space novel featured a courtyard or a simple hut. Most people in the past preferred private architecture, like Chi Wu’s. She, Cheng Ying, was also talented, yet she never considered such things—using the earth as a bed and the sky as a blanket. Was her level of awareness higher than others?

When Chi Wu and Cheng Ying came out, they both paused, thinking of childhood fun.

Chi Wu mused, "I don't know if this is real or not, but it feels like we’ve gotten our childhoods back."

Cheng Ying said, "Let’s just call it a magical experience. Let’s go shopping." Clearly, both of them were in a good mood.

Aunt Rong saw them emerging. "Were you home the whole time? I didn't hear a sound."

See? People living communally are not suited for secrets; how can you hide things during long-term cohabitation?

Chi Wu spoke calmly, "Yingzi was reluctant to get out of bed, hiding under the covers the whole time. I only returned after you took the children to their grandparents' house."

Aunt Rong went straight to serving food, not even paying close attention to what they were saying.

Cheng Ying shook her head. Why bother explaining so much? Silly child, the more you explain, the weirder you sound.

She tapped Chi Wu lightly on the head. Chi Wu realized he had said too much. He should have just said they hadn't gone out at all. What was that called? A guilty conscience.

Cheng Ying sighed. "Buying the house was the right decision. We really need a completely hidden space, or this will be troublesome."

Chi Wu reassured her, "Don't worry, I'm here. Pick a good day, and we’ll bring our son and daughter in to play while they are young and their memories aren't sharp."

Cheng Ying nodded in agreement. "Maybe I can even pretend to be an immortal to fool the kids for fun."

Chi Wu cautioned, "You rest. Just don't lead my son and daughter astray, understand?"

Cheng Ying pursed her lips. But she had to admit, a child's worldview shouldn't be easily misled; it was better to be honest.

In the afternoon, Cheng Ying and Chi Wu went shopping. Outside, things seemed free—they grabbed whatever caught their eye and tossed it into the small cart.

Cheng Ying thought, the place inside is so big, naturally, we can't shortchange our daughter and son. Our family isn't short on money; let’s just buy! She would put everything in the Space later. Especially in the home textiles store, Chi Wu personally picked out an entire set for their daughter, refusing to let Cheng Ying offer any input. Since he couldn't dress up his daughter as he pleased at home, he was going to indulge his tastes in the Space.

The two played around the mall for half the day. Cheng Ying, wearing thousand-layer-soled shoes, felt her feet aching. But buying things and spending money was addictive.

Cheng Ying commented, "This is more tiring than building a castle."

Chi Wu was about to say something, but thinking of his wife’s convenient Space, he agreed. This afternoon had been much more tiring than the morning.

That evening, after the children were asleep, Chi Wu took his wife into the Space and arranged all the things they had bought.

Seeing that every corner was pleasing, especially the castle's exterior, which Chi Wu had adorned with creeping vines and neatly trimmed flower beds according to his vision, Chi Wu sighed. "We just need some ancient trees of age to witness the castle's antiquity. When we have time later, I’ll take you to the old mountain in our village and bring a few back."

Cheng Ying praised him, "You really have the taste; I never would have thought of that."

Chi Wu took the princess suite he had chosen for his daughter to decorate her room, deliberately locking Cheng Ying out. No matter how much she begged, he wouldn't let her help. Cheng Ying was infuriated. Without her, it might take him half a month to get things arranged properly, yet now she wasn't needed. There was simply no fairness to it.

However, when Chi Wu finally let Cheng Ying in, she stared dumbfounded. Forget that room; she truly couldn't have managed it herself. She didn't possess such refined aesthetics. She couldn't help but feel jealous that the man hadn't decorated a set for her too.

Chi Wu asked, "How is it? The daughter will surely love it."

Cheng Ying replied, "If I had known a princess room could look like this, without being so excessively pink, I'd want one too."

Chi Wu laughed. "Haha, don't compete with my daughter. I wanted to get a set for her long ago, but you insisted it was tacky."

Could Cheng Ying say she hadn't known the room he created wasn't tacky?

It was past two in the morning by the time they came out, showing that decorating the rooms was even more arduous than building the structure.

Chi Wu said, "Now we just wait for the fountain and the big stones I’m going to bring in."

Cheng Ying shook her head. "Don't you think our castle is missing something?"

Chi Wu asked, "What?"

Cheng Ying stated, "Lights."

Chi Wu blinked. "I didn't feel darkness inside. No wonder I forgot about the lights."

Cheng Ying countered, "Fine, even if you install them, there’s no electricity connected."

Chi Wu insisted, "That won't do. I have to look around again tomorrow."

Cheng Ying declared, "I'm done with you. I have to go back to work; I’ve taken enough days off."

Chi Wu dismissed her, "We don't need you; the main thing is we don't need your aesthetic input."

Cheng Ying felt that either Chi Wu deserved a beating, or her own aesthetic sense was truly flawed, as she had never received approval from the Chi family members.

Chi Wu was highly efficient. When Cheng Ying got off work that evening, Chi Wu had not only brought in various types of lighting but had even installed a generator. No electricity? No problem; they had this. Cheng Ying had no choice but to admit defeat. She then directed her wife to connect the lights and wiring. She could only say that Cheng Ying felt tired; she didn't understand circuitry. Even intention had its limits here. It was easier for her to chip away at large stones. It was much later that Chi Wu expressed satisfaction with the Space.

Cheng Ying felt this was akin to incubating an egg.

But the result was gratifying—truly beautiful and magnificent. Furthermore, Cheng Ying said, "If the world really ended, our family wouldn't have to worry. Everything we need is in here. You even bought such an expensive car, considering no one can see it in here—I’m truly impressed by you."

Chi Wu thought his wife's ideas were off the wall, simply wild speculation. But lately, she had indeed been somewhat erratic, playing with building blocks inside the Space and forgetting to earn money to support the family.

Cheng Ying paused, wondering if this path led toward an apocalypse. However, one sentence from Chi Wu managed to pull Cheng Ying’s thoughts back onto the proper track. Life wasn't exactly pleasant as it was; what was the point of thinking such nonsense? Truly, she had nothing better to do.

When Cheng Ying’s five-story building was finally completed, Chi Wu and Cheng Ying moved into the Chi family home.

The rooms prepared by Old Mrs. Chi, after so many years, were finally being put to use. One could say the old lady was ecstatic. Never mind that the two youngsters already had children; the things Old Mrs. Chi had prepared were practically laid out as if for a newlywed couple.

Cheng Ying felt dizzy upon entering the rooms. She mused that lately, she’d been constantly involved with construction; why was there always building going on, inside and out? Why did they need to buy new household textiles everywhere?

When it came time to demolish the old structure, Cheng Ying brought the two children along, watching as the excavator pushed down the walls of the large courtyard residence they had occupied for so many years. R1152

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