The way people interact is always a process of slow adjustment and gradual understanding. Cheng Ying’s temperament wasn't exactly easygoing; the only sister-in-law who truly got along with her was the Second Aunt. Sometimes, watching the Second Aunt’s way of handling things, Cheng Ying would introspect deeply. People say that birds of a feather flock together; the fact that she clicked with the Second Aunt suggested, to some extent, that she and the Second Aunt were cut from the same cloth. Yet, in Cheng Ying’s view, the Second Aunt’s temper was truly something special. Cheng Ying once asked Chi Wu: “Do you really think my temper is like the sister-in-law’s?”

Chi Wu replied, “More or less, but the sister-in-law treats Mingzi even better. If you treated me even better, you’d be an even closer match.”

Cheng Ying ignored the nonsense Chi Wu was spouting: “Don’t you ever find it difficult to adjust? Don’t you ever think it’s too much?”

Chi Wu casually responded, “Do I? Is this too much? The sister-in-law is like this, Second Uncle’s wife is like this, First Uncle’s wife is like this too, and our grandmother is the same. I see Old Aunt is also that kind of person. Only our mother is a bit different. Don't you worry yourself sick watching the way our mother lives? Isn't this what wives are supposed to be like? Isn’t having a good life enough?”

Cheng Ying was stunned. So, a woman being domestically inclined was actually the social mainstream? In Chi Wu’s eyes, someone like Yang Zhi was considered unable to manage a good life. This was the most surprising realization Cheng Ying had in both her lifetimes. It turned out that people's ideas and philosophies changed along with society. Look at how simple people are nowadays; when they talk about wives, they mean the homemaker type: “Do you really think it’s good? If you think it’s not good, I can still change a bit.”

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying, immediately recognizing that his wife was just making polite conversation. If he dared to say it wasn't good, his wife would surely lose her temper: “How could it not be good? Didn't you see Mingzi search high and low for thirty years to find someone like you? Don't worry, it's wonderful. Your temperament is what men dream of; proper families want wives just like this.”

Cheng Ying retorted, “It would be more sincere if you hadn't added that last part. But I also think my temper gives a strong sense of belonging to the family. Like grandmother says, we’re all of one sort. That’s just me; you’ll have to get used to it.”

With that, Cheng Ying left. She had made up her mind. Chi Wu watched Cheng Ying’s retreating figure; she truly possessed a certain allure. Ever since he was young, he’d been drawn to Yingzi’s spirited nature. If it weren’t for her temper, their family might have turned out very differently. His mother-in-law’s temper—she could give things away and still not earn goodwill. Chi Wu truly couldn't stand that.

It was only his father who seemed to cherish his mother’s sunny disposition. Chi Wu suspected his father lacked affection internally, which is why he liked someone like his mother. But he dared never say this aloud, or his wife would start arguing with him first.

Looking at his plump little daughter, Chi Wu was reluctant to let her spend too much time with his mother-in-law. What if she turned out exactly like her? It would be better if she took after his own grandmother. At least Grandma never cared what others thought; others had to care about her expression.

Chi Wu put immense effort into educating his girl. Didn’t he have a perfectly successful negative role model right there? In Chi Wu’s view, his daughter could be a princess at home, kind and adorable, but outside, she absolutely needed a touch of his wife's fierceness. Failing that, a bit of her grandmother’s sharpness would do, or if all else failed, the innate arrogance of his own grandmother was acceptable.

After hearing Chi Wu’s words, Cheng Ying worried her daughter wouldn't be able to marry well in the future. Perhaps his mother’s personality seemed a bit soft now, but many young men in the future would prefer cute, sweet girls. A woman who was too domineering was hard to marry off.

Looking at her chubby daughter and considering that domineering streak, Cheng Ying wanted to tell Chi Wu that he didn’t need to over-instruct; his daughter was clearly not going to take after her paternal grandmother. What you see in childhood is often what you get later on. If things continued as they were, Cheng Ying felt she should already be scouting prospects for their daughter—not everyone was as lucky as she was to meet a man who specifically appreciated her temperament.

Seeing Chi Wu looking worried, Cheng Ying earnestly comforted him: “Just put your mind at ease. Look at the people around our daughter—besides me, there’s her Second Aunt. If our daughter developed slightly less perfectly than them, how bad could she be? Truly, don’t worry about your daughter not knowing how to manage a household.”

Chi Wu replied, “Later, maybe we shouldn't let her spend so much time with her paternal grandparents. If you think those two are boring, send our son over to play instead.”

Cheng Ying asked, “Aren't you afraid your son will turn out crooked?”

Chi Wu calmly stated, “The son worships his grandfather.”

Cheng Ying was speechless and kept quiet. This father was truly dedicated, considering everything, but wasn’t he afraid his son would end up idolizing her grandmother?

Regarding the personalities within the family, Cheng Ying truly didn’t want to discuss it anymore. In earnest, they weren't very likable. To summarize, Chi Wu possessed an unconventional way of thinking and unique points of charm.

To the Old Mrs. Chi, Cheng Ying was just a country girl, the burden brought along by the daughter-in-law whom she already looked down upon; there wasn't a single thing about her that pleased the old woman.

But it was precisely this girl who first refused the Chi family’s kindness, arrogantly proclaiming she would get into a provincial city school on her own merit. If the Old Mrs. Chi hadn’t been well-mannered, she would have written to tell that girl how many top students across the entire province were striving for a spot at Provincial First High School.

Yet, this very girl managed to get into the city three years later, without accepting a single bit of help from the Chi family. She earned her entry through her results. The Old Mrs. Chi, looking at the girl who was as striking as a wild crabapple blossom, truly couldn't respect her, yet her own grandson pursued the girl relentlessly. Imagine the frustration of Old Mrs. Chi. However, she never truly believed her grandson would be interested in such a rustic girl; she just assumed her grandson had a good nature.

In the span of one summer vacation, the Cheng family girl had settled down in the provincial city, even bringing along that sharp-tongued, uneducated old woman. For Old Mrs. Chi, this relative was someone she desperately wanted to avoid. But on the very first visit, the gifts the girl presented made Old Mrs. Chi’s face flush red with anger, rendering her speechless. While perhaps unsophisticated, the items she gifted were undeniably high-class.

When it came to preparing a hot pot for the Cheng family, Old Mrs. Chi’s perception of this mountain girl hit a new benchmark. The way the house was arranged made Old Mrs. Chi seriously suspect that her son, Chi Yong, must have done it. If she hadn't known her son lacked that much money, Old Mrs. Chi would have asked outright.

It simply didn't align with the taste of the old Mrs. Cheng; even the decorative stones were meticulously selected, all natural and unpolished. In this era, this nationwide production era, few people would dedicate such focus to such details, nor would they dare.

Looking at the grandmother and granddaughter duo again, Old Mrs. Chi’s eyes held appraisal; she no longer saw them as just simple country folk by default.

The surprises Cheng Ying brought to the Chi family never ceased. From the koi carp Cheng Ying gifted, to the orchids, the meticulously managed garden, and then the ginseng she cultivated herself—not only was the Old Mrs. Chi’s spirit stunned, but Old Master Chi also reassessed Cheng Ying. For a young girl to achieve so much was hard not to admire.

Especially Cheng Ying’s Begonia Garden; although it had only been growing for a little over a year, the path beside it had been dubbed "Begonia Bay." Cheng Ying’s name began to be known by the provincial city residents, at least by a segment of them.

Of course, these weren't the biggest surprises. The most shocking thing for Old Mrs. Chi was that her grandson had actually fallen for this girl, and without any warning signs, he had gone straight to formality with her.

This was something Old Mrs. Chi found almost impossible to accept. While Cheng Ying was decent, in Old Mrs. Chi's eyes, she was far inferior to Chi Wu when compared to others of his standing. How could her cherished grandson become so obsessed with this girl? And it was clear he couldn't pull away, which greatly displeased Old Mrs. Chi. Her initially cautious attitude toward Cheng Ying immediately soured. In Old Mrs. Chi’s mind, no matter what Chi Wu said, it was Cheng Ying who had misled her child.

But Old Mrs. Chi couldn't defy her grandson, so she had to accept the girl as her grandson's wife, though she harbored deep reservations. Old Master Chi often tried to counsel his wife, saying, “Yingzi is a promising child. For Wu Zi to have chosen Yingzi, it’s their destiny, and Wu Zi’s good fortune. Otherwise, look at the children around us—is there anyone comparable to Yingzi?”

The old lady was stumped by her husband’s question; there truly wasn't any child more outstanding than Yingzi nearby. Yet, Old Mrs. Chi maintained a stern face and stated, “No matter how good she is, she still falls short when compared to Wu Zi.”

Old Master Chi found it impossible to change his wife’s attitude. After all, every parent thinks their own child is better than others. If he hadn't been trying to persuade his wife, Old Master Chi would also have felt that no one was worthy of his grandson.

Old Master Chi said, “You really shouldn’t say that. Look over these years; how many days does Wu Zi spend at home? Isn't he always centered around Yingzi? If you keep this up, you won't just lose your granddaughter-in-law, you’ll lose your grandson too. And let me tell you, your son’s wife is Yingzi’s mother; maybe your son is being lured away too.”

It must be said that Old Master Chi’s words carried weight. The Old Mrs. Chi genuinely began to consider the possibility and firmly believed it was a scheme by the Cheng family—that they had set a trap long ago. Old Master Chi couldn't enlighten his wife further. Even if it was a trap, wasn't it better to fall into it now?

The Old Mrs. Chi pinched her nose and accepted her grandson’s wife, suppressing her inner dissatisfaction. But what the Old Mrs. Chi didn't realize was that when this person wasn't related to them, she seemed merely good, but once she became part of the family, she became even better. At some point, she found herself completely won over by the girl. She genuinely started to think her granddaughter-in-law was the absolute best.

The old lady even comforted herself, thinking, even if the Cheng family set a trap for the Chi family, the Chi family was the one gaining the advantage—wasn't such an outstanding young woman now theirs? Moreover, she was sensible and filial, much better than her own mother. After Cheng Ying married, Old Mrs. Chi became even more convinced of this idea. Didn't she even bear them an extra child compared to others? There truly wasn't anyone better than this granddaughter-in-law.

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