No matter how much Cheng Ying and Chi Wu made things difficult, this was not something they two alone could decide. And regardless of what happened in the future, Yang Zhi and Chi Yong had lost their good standing in the village because of those few words; in the village context, this was considered abandoning one's roots. Perhaps some would argue, "I can't even control where I stink after I die, how could I control anything else?" But the village was different; this was just how they held things.

Otherwise, why would they emphasize the original married couple so much? There were simply too many constraints involved. Chi Wu took his wife and child back to the city and told his wife that their issues were for them to resolve themselves; they weren't getting involved.

Why should they suffer on their behalf? The main thing was that Chi Wu had never seen his wife humble herself and speak softly to others; he couldn't stand that. Chi Wu thought that from now on, he had to strive harder, at least so that when he went out with his wife, she wouldn't have to bow her head to anyone.

His wife deserved to be the one people sought an audience with; Chi Wu had always treated Cheng Ying this way. His wife wasn't meant to go out and suffer slights with him. Cheng Ying also felt that since Chi Yong had the ability to think about this matter, he should have the ability to settle it himself.

Why should she, a mere daughter, meddle? She decided to let it go completely. Back in the city, she spent her days taking care of the children and comforting the elders.

No matter how comfortable life was, her heart wasn't settled. When the children were too much trouble, she would package both of them up and send them to Uncle Gan's house for a few days, under the pretext of letting the little brother be "influenced" by his elder siblings' good behavior. Every time Aunt Gan returned the children, she would solemnly tell Cheng Ying, "My son is being influenced by your two children; you really don't need to worry too much.

Your little brother is too well-behaved." Chi Wu and Cheng Ying would always look mortified and embarrassed to lift their heads. However, Old Mrs. Chi adored Aunt Gan, favoring her immensely.

People simply favor those they have a good feeling about; perhaps Old Mrs. Chi and Aunt Gan just clicked. All of Old Mrs.

Chi's best things were unconditionally available to Aunt Gan. Cheng Ying even suspected that the old lady treated Aunt Gan like a genuine daughter-in-law—could anyone be that generous? Little did she know, Old Mrs.

Chi felt she owed Aunt Gan a debt. Her children were so well-behaved! Allowing her grandchildren to associate with them was the greatest honor, no matter how virtuous the other party was.

Uncle Gan was incredibly capable; he had managed to turn one restaurant and hotel into a full-fledged chain. Cheng Ying thought that if she and Chi Wu stopped working, relying on the small clinic and their shares in this large hotel, they could live comfortably. When had she, Cheng Ying, ever dared to dream of having this kind of life?

Speaking of life's encounters, they were truly marvelous. Being reborn in that remote little mountain village where she could barely eat, and now, in a flash, her children were already this big. Recalling her previous life felt unreal, like a dream.

Because of this, Cheng Ying had never thought about returning to familiar places to see people or things, wondering if the "other" Cheng Ying still existed somewhere else. Cheng Ying was afraid that if she uncovered the truth, her happy life would vanish. She couldn't bear to part with her beloved sons and perfect husband, so she never wanted to look.

When the children started primary school, Cheng Ying had more free time. Often, when she had nothing else to do, she would spend time in her personal space. Although Chi Wu had built an ancient castle inside the space, Cheng Ying spent more time in the courtyard holding the mother hen.

Being there felt like the old lady was still around; sometimes Cheng Ying would lose track of time completely. One night, when Old Mrs. Chi hadn't seen her granddaughter-in-law return home, she mentioned it to Chi Wu, "Have you and Yingzi been fighting?

You said colleagues called; she can't really go out this late at night, can she? It’s so dangerous." Chi Wu, his face dark, coaxed the old lady away and waited for his wife inside. He knew this "space" thing wasn't right; since his wife couldn't explain it, she wouldn't come out.

When Cheng Ying emerged from the space, Chi Wu issued her an order: without his accompaniment, Cheng Ying could never enter the space again. Cheng Ying said, "I just lost track of time." Chi Wu felt a chill right to his core. Losing track of time was precisely what was terrifying.

It was deathly quiet in there; if she genuinely lost track of time, wouldn't she never get out? He hugged his wife, "Yingzi, the children are still young; you really must be obedient. We can never go in again without me.

I've figured it out; that thing is nothing good." Cheng Ying replied, "Alright, stop badmouthing it. I won't go in anymore." Cheng Ying truly didn't care; she wasn't dependent on going in. Chi Wu still introduced many uncertainties into Cheng Ying's life, especially to keep his wife away from that ghostly place.

Since the old lady passed, Cheng Ying felt her life had become a continuous series of farewells. First Grandpa, then Second Uncle. Life was always like this.

Cheng Ying honored Second Uncle's request and buried him next to Father Cheng. Second Uncle had said that during festivals, he could still mooch off some spirit money. Every time Cheng Ying visited her father's grave, she never forgot to leave a portion for Second Uncle.

Second Uncle left Cheng Ying many things, most of which she kept in the space. After Second Uncle passed, Cheng Ying dug up all the ginseng remaining in the woods. Without trustworthy people watching over it here, these things would only cause trouble.

Cheng Ying brought Er Ya into the space, as a companion for the mother hen. Cheng Ying hadn't fully adapted when Old Man Chi and Old Mrs. Chi also passed away one after another.

Cheng Ying felt her affinity for relatives was too thin; they had only spent a few years together. So, when mourning Old Mrs. Chi, Cheng Ying cried with genuine emotion.

She had truly gotten along wonderfully with the old lady. The old lady could tolerate her nouveau riche aura, and she could tolerate and even admire the old lady's occasional flights of artistic fancy. How could she just leave without giving anyone time to prepare?

From now on, when she disciplined the children, who would stop her? Cheng Ying mused, "Why do people have to die? If they are going to die, why were they born in the first place?" This was such a profound, Zen-like question.

Chi Wu thought his wife might be about to flip out again. "You're already in your thirties; how much longer can the elderly hold on? This is considered a long life.

Don't be too sad. Save your tears for when I die." Cheng Ying didn't want to listen. The key was that in the last few years, too many people had died; there hadn't been any happy events.

Chi Wu had to provoke her. But the thought of Chi Wu dying made Cheng Ying unwilling to even contemplate it—life would be unlivable. "You must live well.

I'll just worry more, and I'm happy to deal with a few more ill-mannered women if it means you stay." Chi Wu was secretly pleased. His wife was like this, willing to stand in for him against other women, and since his wife said it, those women wouldn't stand a chance. "Thank you so much.

I'll remember to pay you a salary later." Cheng Ying sighed, "I don't know why those women keep flocking around you. There are plenty of rich bosses; why must they fixate on this one spot?" Chi Wu boasted, "It can't be helped. Your husband is rich and handsome; it's hard not to attract women." Cheng Ying retorted, "I don't know where they get such nerve.

You know, the last woman actually asked me directly to give her five million, or she wouldn't stop hounding you. I just wonder what makes her think she's worth five million? Truly shameless." What annoyed Cheng Ying was that she hadn't even had time to throw the five million at the woman before she asked.

The world was changing too fast! "You better behave yourself; you absolutely cannot get involved with other women. It bothers me." Recalling her past life, whether being dumped or dumping someone with a check was upsetting.

If she could have thought like this back then, would she have been so angry? But if she hadn't been angry, would she have the current life? Chi Wu said, "I’d be more upset than you if that happened." It wasn't just other women; Chi Wu couldn't manage his own daughter and son either.

His daughter, when she went to the company, all the female employees called her "Auntie" because "Auntie" posed no threat. So, despite being a cute, chubby little girl, once she was at the company, hardly any female employees dared to approach and tease the child. Who wanted to be called "Auntie"?

That was asking for trouble, wasn't it? Even though President Chi was overwhelmingly handsome, it wasn't to the extent that people would follow him to their deaths, right? Thinking of this pair of precious children and his truly cherished wife, he felt overwhelmingly happy.

Chi Wu felt that becoming rich had changed people—that having more people around was total nonsense. The actual difficulty was the lack of time! Didn't more people require time to dote on?

If he were fickle, wouldn't his daughter and wife cause trouble? So, the family-oriented Chi Wu always felt time was insufficient—too little time for his wife, too little time for the children. He didn't even have time to explain the difference between "Auntie" and "Big Sister" to the kids.

Consequently, under Cheng Shi's education, the children grew up somewhat crookedly, though whenever they veered off, upright people around them could quickly guide them back. Chi Shuo and Cheng Le both grew up robustly, but whether these two big trees could become useful structural materials in the future was hard to say. The key was that these trees had too many twists and turns, bulging in several spots.

They didn't know which bulge would be the one that couldn't break through to become good material. Fortunately, their parents didn't rely on them to become great pillars or achieve grand endeavors; as long as they grew tall and solid, that was good enough. There were no specific expectations.

Cheng Shuo was a successful second-generation rich kid. He was proficient in all forms of entertainment—eating, drinking, and playing. Yet, in arts like calligraphy, chess, painting, and music, there was nothing he couldn't handle.

This was because he had a mother who supported his lifestyle of eating, drinking, and playing with his sister, and a wife who doted on him while nurturing his skills in the arts. This was what people meant by someone who knew how to play, knew how to earn money, and was still desirable. Few people, inside or outside their circle, dared to cross Chi Shuo because his mother was fiercely protective.

From childhood onward, Chi Shuo's mother could apologize to others, but she could never tolerate others apologizing to her. The only time Chi Shuo suffered a loss—someone visited their home to gloat—he was immediately thrashed with a feather duster by his mother when he got back. She had no other reason; he had disgraced himself.

If you can't even win a fight, what good are you? Thus, Chi Shuo learned that fighting wasn't shameful; losing the fight was shameful, and getting beaten twice (once outside, once at home) was even worse. From then on, Chi Shuo fought ruthlessly.

Basically, anyone his age who had ever laid a hand on Chi Shuo dared not provoke this boy again. When this boy got truly angry, he wasn't human. Furthermore, this boy feared nothing.

Others feared teachers, feared parents; Chi Shuo feared no one. This fearless attitude drove Chi Wu crazy. He spent over half a year trying to correct his son's behavior without success.

Chi Wu looked at his thinning hair and worried. He must have had poor cardiovascular circulation to agree to let his wife raise the child. Look at the problem youth he was turning into.

Fortunately, Chi Shuo wasn't completely derailed; at least he could be guided by others, growing up crookedly but generally sound. Chi Shuo knew his family was rich, very rich, and knew his father was always busy. But as for what their family business actually was, Chi Shuo couldn't really say.

From childhood, Cheng Ying had only one rule: "If you want to work, then work; if you don't, then don't. Are we working so hard just so you can live comfortably for a lifetime? Why are we striving so hard?" This second-generation rich heir, raised so freely, didn't know the extent of their family's assets after his parents were gone.

Someone managed everything for him; he and his sister just took the money. However, Chi Shuo kept a few yellowed papers in the home safe. His mother had one rule: "You can be a spendthrift, but you must never lose these things or sell them.

Money can always come back, but if these are gone, you truly have nothing left." Fortunately, Cheng Shuo was obedient and kept these items safe. They were, after all, a keepsake. The company Chi Wu left for the children wasn't ironclad.

When faced with such a profligate heir, some people would certainly scheme. Chi Shuo hadn't enjoyed his freedom for two years before he was kicked out by someone. Chi Shuo and his sister weren't worried at all.

Their parents had said that if these things were lost, they could always come back. Indeed, less than half a year later, all the directors and managers of the company came to invite Chi Shuo back to continue as the honorary director. Unfortunately, this person, Cheng Shuo, was a scoundrel.

He told them, "My great-grandmother taught me that money is like dirt. She played with matchsticks as a child; I played with RMB cards. Why would I go and tire myself out for a bit of money?

You are capable; go play yourselves. Don't involve me; I won't play with people I find displeasing." The old directors wept, "We beg you, please come back." Cheng Shuo enjoyed this victory but knew he couldn't keep acting like a fool. The next time he was kicked out, it might not be so easy to get invited back.

Fortunately, Cheng Shuo learned quickly, and his diplomas were real, not bought—after all, Old Mrs. Chi had educated him. The first contract Cheng Shuo signed upon returning to the company was for several timber purchase orders.

Cheng Shuo pondered the document, "We are the buyer; why do both sides need to sign?" The director beside him ground his teeth in frustration. No matter how capable one was, it couldn't compare to having a good father. Look at him—he didn't even know what he held, yet he could be so arrogant.

How many others ground their teeth in despair? The director explained, "The timber we need is your private property; isn't it necessary for you to sign? Without your signed approval slip, the warehouse manager won't release the goods." Hearing this, Cheng Shuo laughed wildly and openly, making the old director beside him wish the ground would swallow him whole.

"I knew why you invited me back—you can't manage it without me." With that, he walked out. The company was his; he could play however he wanted. Cheng Shuo was essentially telling them, "I have a good father, Chi Wu." Cheng Shuo went home and dug out the yellowed papers.

Following the addresses, he and his sister spent two months traveling and found over a dozen warehouses filled with various types of timber, the majority being legendary, nearly extinct species. He didn't know how capable his parents were to have stored so much for him. Then there were the mountain reserves—several vast, deep forests.

While not much was ready for logging, in a few decades, as long as he, Cheng Shuo, didn't sell the forests, his son would surely be a third-generation rich heir. Cheng Shuo felt he couldn't leave his son with nothing to rely on. Seeing the path his parents had paved for their son, Cheng Shuo matured sometime around age thirty.

What Cheng Shuo thought then was: "No matter what, I must ensure my son can shout from the bottom of his heart, 'I have a good father like Chi Shuo!'" This became Cheng Shuo's pursuit after he turned three. Cheng Shuo returned to the company and made sweeping changes. No one dared to provoke this ancestor.

Despite the company's size, the profitable businesses were held tightly in his grasp. Could they afford to cross him? Thus, Cheng Shuo became a successful second-generation rich heir.

And one who was decisive and whom no one dared to cross. Of course, the only person who dared to challenge this President was someone who wasn't exactly a pushover either: his sister, Cheng Le. Cheng Le wasn't a big eater and always managed to maintain her figure in peak condition.

Of course, Cheng Le did like to eat, but her mother was also capable enough to keep her daughter slim at any time—Cheng Le knew this. Cheng Le felt her parents' departure was too sudden. She didn't even believe they were dead.

Neither she nor Cheng Shuo believed their parents were gone, especially since the photos on their phones showed their mother and father still looking eighteen. How could they suddenly be gone without illness or disaster? So, when her brother was ousted from the company, neither of them panicked.

Cheng Le even thought that perhaps if they were pushed harder, their parents might return. Unfortunately, before their parents returned, her brother, Chi Shuo, started striving. She thought, 'If you have ability, then show it,' and now he was controlling her everywhere.

Cheng Le felt life was unlivable and that they could no longer coexist pleasantly. So, Cheng Le packed her bags, said goodbye to her brother, and left to travel. After not having contact with her biological parents for several years, even if she felt they weren't dead, the probability of seeing them again had basically vanished.

So, when she spotted two figures who looked like her parents in a natural botanical garden, Cheng Le felt it must be a hallucination—Heaven was truly playing games with people. Cheng Le didn't know whether to go up and greet them. Her friend beside her asked, "What's wrong, Cheng Le?" Cheng Le pointed to the couple a dozen yards ahead, "That looks like my parents.

Should I go say hello?" This was a truly strange question. But the friend beside her laughed, "Don't joke. They'll be offended.

They look no older than their twenties; how could they be your parents?" So, Cheng Le felt numb. Should she go say hello or not? Her paternal grandparents also looked quite youthful, she recalled.

Cheng Le eventually took photos with her phone and sent them to her brother with a single message: "Are these Mom and Dad? Should I go say hello?" When Chi Shuo saw this, his mind nearly exploded. "Hurry up and catch them for me!

I knew it couldn't be that easy for them to die!" Poor Chi Shuo had always felt he was forced to grow up. If his father could return, he could go back to his old life. Who wants to be a successful second-generation heir when they could be a happy child?

He didn't forget to tell his sister, "Hurry up!" Chi Wu and Cheng Ying were also helpless; they were forced to venture out and make a living early. Home was fine, they had children, who would want to drift around? But life was truly unavoidable.

Take Yang Zhi, for example. Although Yang Zhi looked young and Chi Yong always thought his wife inherited an anti-aging quality from her previous mother-in-law, Yang Zhi should at least have some white hair showing. As time sculpted her, there should be some marks on her face, some mature charm.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu didn't have that. At eighteen, people praised you for being in your prime—that was fine. At twenty-eight, when people praised you for looking just the same as before, the elegance remaining—that was even more of a point of pride; they lived exquisitely.

At thirty-eight, people would say, "You look younger the more you live." That's fine too; it’s enviable. But at forty-eight, when people see you still look eighteen, you shouldn't be proud anymore; if you stay proud, you'll be captured for research. When Cheng Ying and Chi Wu looked in the mirror at forty-eight and saw faces that resembled their daughter and son, they panicked.

They could feel their stamina was far inferior to their youth, certainly not the state of being young. Yet their skin was so tender and dewy. When several people asked Cheng Ying for her beauty secrets, Cheng Ying didn't choose to elevate her business further by opening a beauty center.

Instead, she frantically prepared necessities for her son and daughter to live on, just enough so the two children wouldn't starve, and then dragged Chi Wu away. They couldn't stay in this place anymore. Being young wasn't always a good thing.

But being mobbed for the secret of not aging was a death wish. Cheng Ying felt she had encountered the trouble of looking ageless. When she saw her daughter in a foreign land, it was impossible not to be emotional.

But the fact that her daughter didn't come over to greet them made the mother a bit irritable. That damned child—how good was she to them? It had only been a few years since she "died," and now she didn't recognize them?

It was Chi Wu who reached out his arm as his daughter slowly approached. "Daughter?" The people nearby heard the address and thought it was a joke; perhaps the young woman would be slapped for taking such liberties. But unexpectedly, the girl rushed forward.

"Dad, how could you fool people?" After speaking, she threw her arms around Cheng Ying. She missed them too much. "I knew my Mom wouldn't be alright!" Chi Wu asked, "Why didn't you think Dad would be alright?" Chubby girl replied, "Mom hurt when she hit me; how could she just die?" Chi Wu felt heartbroken for his daughter.

"She couldn't just die."

"So you two are just playing games with us, do you realize how badly we've been treated?" This statement seemed to immediately strike a nerve with Cheng Ying's temper.

"I'm not dead yet, and people dare to bully my daughter and son? Wu Zi, let's go back and beat the hell out of them, a bunch of blind fools!"

Chi Wu glanced at his wife. "We don't necessarily have to go back to deal with them; think carefully before speaking."

Cheng Ying instantly remembered why they had left in the first place. "Daughter, perhaps we should find a quiet place to talk properly. Why did you come out by yourself without bringing anyone? It's so dangerous out here; there are plenty of bad people around. You absolutely cannot do this again, understood?"

Cheng Le felt wronged; was this truly her mother? "You're only concerned about that? Did you really just watch us get bullied? Our family was almost destroyed!"

Chi Wu scoffed. "Impossible. Nobody can touch our family. Without the things your brother has, they can't make a move. Let's go home and deal with them properly. Rest assured, they won't dare to utter a peep."

And so, the crowd watched as the handsome young man, in the blink of an eye, had slung an arm around two women and walked away. It was utterly enviable; that was what true capability looked like. R1152