As Cheng Ying fretted over Chi Wu's affairs, the Old Madam truly wondered if it was Chi Wu's good judgment or her Yingzi’s inherent good fortune; how could her granddaughter be so utterly capricious?

But looking at the state of the two young ones, the Old Madam truly couldn't stand it. What on earth were they doing? Old folks genuinely couldn't abide such things. These two usually clever kids, how could they have created such a scene? Wasn't this deliberately embarrassing them?

The Old Madam felt this was beneath the usual standards of the pair. Then she looked at Chi Wu—her granddaughter was certainly tied down now—but all sorts of dissatisfaction with Chi Wu surfaced.

How utterly messy this business was! Yet, at this moment, the Old Madam couldn't blame Chi Wu, after all, they were just one step away from the finish line, weren't they?

The Old Madam unleashed all her spirit and fury squarely onto Cheng Ying; she was truly laying into her with words.

So many unreliable things the wretched child had done, yet she had to make a spectacle of it like this, practically challenging the Old Madam’s entire worldview. With the certainty that her granddaughter’s future was secured, the Cheng family’s Old Madam picked up the feather duster and truly let loose, beating him with relief.

To say the Old Madam didn't spare Yingzi would be a lie, but she didn't believe that with Chi Wu standing there like that, the feather duster would actually land on Cheng Ying. The Old Madam’s intentions were crystal clear.

So, each blow was harder than the last. Regardless, she was beating her own granddaughter; as for Chi Wu, the Old Madam didn't touch him even once. It was Chi Wu who shielded Yingzi, taking the brunt of the stick blows across his body.

The Old Madam felt immensely satisfied. She was supposed to be educating that little bastard anyway.

Chi Wu took the beating happily. Finally, he was treated like family! Look how solid those hits were.

The mother and son achieved a wonderfully logical state of mutual satisfaction.

The Old Madam truly cared for her son, and she never forgot the son who had passed away. But if forced to choose between the living and the dead, the Old Madam understood what needed to be done, and she never hesitated.

After all, the Old Madam had lived through those years and knew how hard it was just to survive.

Thus, when the Old Madam realized Yingzi intended to be with Wuzi, she gave up hope on the idea Yingzi had once mentioned about finding a live-in son-in-law for the Cheng family. The Old Madam knew Chi Wu was the only son of the Chi family’s eldest branch; there was no way he would change his surname to join the Cheng family.

Therefore, when acknowledging the relationship between the two children, the Old Madam already accepted the notion that her granddaughter would become someone else's wife.

What the Old Madam hadn't expected was that Yingzi still cared so much about this issue. While comforting her, the Old Madam also worried that such a wonderful potential grandson-in-law might be lost over this small matter.

The Old Madam regretted it deeply. If she had only made things absolutely clear with Yingzi earlier, they wouldn't be worried now, as long as the children were happy, nothing else mattered.

The Old Madam didn't know how to bring it up with Yingzi. On one hand, she felt guilty towards her son for ending the lineage; on the other, she couldn't let her granddaughter miss out on her life. She was getting old and wouldn't be able to accompany her granddaughter much longer. After agonizing over it repeatedly, the Old Madam realized that besides Chi Wu, she wouldn't trust Yingzi with anyone else.

No one knew the Old Madam's worries. In just a few days, she lost a small clump of hair to anxiety.

What the Old Madam expected even less was that Chi Wu had absolutely no objection to the reckless notions of that brat Yingzi. Moreover, looking at Chi Wu, he was always smiling, seemingly perfectly willing to join the Cheng family. The Old Madam even woke up laughing one night, slapping her thigh.

She thought, It wasn't for nothing that I doted on this child Chi Wu. How could this child have such good taste, spotting her granddaughter at first glance?

The Old Madam pondered carefully: Chi Wu had been watching over Yingzi for years; his feelings must have stirred long ago. Recalling past events, everything suddenly clicked. Chi Wu had frequently spoken ill of Cheng Ying’s mingling with boys in front of the Old Madam.

The Old Madam had wondered why two such good children would have such divergent ideas at that time. It turned out Wuzi had been actively pursuing her all along. There was no anger, only relief. The intentions of young people were pure, in the Old Madam's view. Chi Wu truly adored her granddaughter, and not for superficial reasons, but purely for who she was as a person.

After all, when Chi Wu was digging and planting saplings all over the mountains with Cheng Ying, their family wasn't in the prosperous state they were now. So, the Old Madam felt nothing but relief, and then even more relief. No one could be better to Yingzi than Chi Wu.

Sometimes the Old Madam felt Chi Wu treated Yingzi better than she, his own grandmother, did.

The Old Madam occasionally thought of her other two sons; how could she not care about them? Seeing her granddaughter doing well didn't mean she should let her own sons starve. The Old Madam wasn't heartless. She hadn't ignored the fact that she turned a blind eye when Yingzi subsidized her two uncles regarding their sons' schooling expenses.

The Old Madam wasn't entirely without selfish motivation. While hating that her sons hadn't achieved more, she was gratified that her granddaughter was generous and far-sighted, giving her brothers a way out.

But then she looked at Chi Wu—he didn't even present this problem.

The Cheng family's Old Madam had witnessed the attitudes of Chi Wu towards Yang Zhi, Chi Ye, and the two elder Chi parents; they certainly didn't show the same level of closeness toward Yingzi as they did toward Chi Wu.

The Old Madam was so happy then that she made several sets of padded winter clothes for Chi Wu and stored them away. She was overjoyed beyond measure.

Sister Rong once asked the Old Madam, "Why did you make so many?"

The Old Madam smiled, unable to close her lips, "One set a year, is that too much? If it weren't for worrying that young people chase trends and they might not like them later, I’d make a few more sets. They’d be good for changing, too."

Sister Rong looked at the Old Madam and said plainly, "Old Madam, have you forgotten that cotton is warmest when it's new? Is it right for you to store them like this?"

The Old Madam's excitement immediately halted.

Faced with obstruction from the Cheng family, the Old Madam was certainly worried.

But seeing Chi Wu's demeanor, constantly revolving around Yingzi, the Old Madam felt much more settled.

When she saw Chi Wu silently handling the Chi family matters, the Old Madam was so delighted she slaughtered an old hen for him and insisted on feeding him nourishing broths every day.

When Chi Wu and Yingzi finally became engaged, Chi Wu's heart was set at ease, and the Cheng family's Old Madam’s heart stabilized. Now, this matter was truly sealed. Such a handsome, sensible, capable young man who knew how to cherish his wife—finally, he belonged to the Cheng family, finally, he belonged to her granddaughter!

The Old Madam woke up smiling several times in the night. If Yingzi hadn't still been in school, and if the Old Madam hadn't understood that the age gap between the couple shouldn't be too large to cause future friction, she would have demanded her granddaughter immediately bear her a great-grandchild.

Moreover, the Old Madam got up several times a night, just to listen by the window of the west room to see if the two children inside understood her feelings. The Old Madam had been conflicted before the engagement, and was even more conflicted after!

Fortunately, the Old Madam knew one shouldn't eavesdrop on the walls between a granddaughter and her grandson-in-law. She managed to resist the urge, lest the gossip get out of hand.

Since the engagement, the Old Madam felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. Seeing Chi Wu devote a hundred percent of his attention to Cheng Ying made her mood buoyant. The burden that had rested on her back for over a decade since her son’s passing felt suddenly gone.

People are often like this: when faced with a pressing problem, their spirit is excellent.

They seem fine to look at. But once the problem is solved, various frailties emerge. The Old Madam's physical condition immediately changed. She might not have noticed it herself, but Rong Sao, who cared for her, certainly did.

During the Old Madam's physical check-up, the doctor mentioned that her health had changed quite rapidly over the past six months.

No one dared tell the Old Madam. If she had known this situation, she would surely have said, "My granddaughter's future is settled; even if I die now, I have no regrets."

The Old Madam cared that much for her poor granddaughter. What choice did she have? Her son had died too young. Her granddaughter had bad luck, so her grandmother had to support her more.

The Old Madam felt her mind growing increasingly foggy. Things she thought of yesterday, she might forget today, and many matters became muddled. When the Old Madam did regain clarity, she felt distressed—was she becoming a burden to her granddaughter?

The Old Madam had told Yingzi she wanted to return to the village, and that Rong Sao could accompany her.

How could Yingzi not understand the Old Madam’s thoughts? When the Old Madam was clear-headed, Yingzi would grab her hand and say, "Grandma, if you aren't here watching over me, I feel restless. For so many years, the two of us managed together. Can you bear to leave me? If you don't keep an eye on me, you know how much trouble I can cause. Aren't you afraid I'll ruin my entire future and end up begging for food?"

To be honest, the Old Madam didn't fear that. Her granddaughter wasn't that kind of person, and besides, she had Chi Wu right there. But the Old Madam truly couldn't bear to leave.

Especially seeing her granddaughter suffering more than she was, the blessing and fate of mother and daughter being together was something precious; even if it meant causing some trouble, so be it.

Once she let go of the worry, the Old Madam knew she was getting muddled, but she didn't want to upset her granddaughter. When she was lucid, she would laugh and joke, never mentioning her health issues.

Moreover, while she was still fully aware, the Old Madam made sure everything was settled, for fear of leaving any lingering loose ends for her granddaughter.

She wasn't worried about her descendants; although her granddaughter was a bit willful, she wasn't truly bad-hearted. If not for anyone else, she wouldn't let them truly suffer hardships because of her. She only hoped her grandsons would be sensible and not waste the care they received. Therefore, the Old Madam left no trouble for her granddaughter.

When she was clear, the Old Madam even took her granddaughter to the department store and bought the material for her own burial shroud. Cheng Ying was nearly furious, but the Old Madam insisted on taking it home. And she sewed every stitch herself. The Old Madam said she was most comfortable making it herself, to avoid bothering anyone.

That evening, the Old Madam knew her granddaughter had cried in the west room for most of the night. But perhaps because the Old Madam had been tired these past few days, when she woke up the next day, she wasn't quite herself.

But the Old Madam knew she had forgotten something important. She held onto Yingzi’s hand for a long time, refusing to let go. At that time, Yingzi didn't even go to school; she stayed with the Old Madam the entire day.