"Okay, Dad." Mr. Xie let out a sigh of relief and looked at his father gratefully. Compared to his unreasonable and pestering mother, his father was much more sensible. His mother was so overbearing that it made his father seem weak by comparison.

"Go back? What’s this about going back? We agreed I’d stay for a month. If you want to go, you can go by yourself. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t leave before the month is up, not even if God himself came to drag me away," Granny declared, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Wife, stop making trouble for our eldest’s family," Grandpa said.

"Is what I’m asking so unreasonable? I’m not trying to live here forever, just for one month. I’m his mother. Is it such a heinous sin for me to stay in my eldest son’s home for a month?" Granny demanded.

Grandpa fell silent for a moment before saying to Mr. Xie, "Go on and get a room ready."

"I want the room next to Jing Si’s," Granny stated.

"Granny, I’ve already moved out. You and Grandpa are Mom and Dad’s guests." Jie Jingchen’s gaze was cool and distant, but his eyes were filled with unwavering resolve.

"Jing Si, speaking of which, I have a bone to pick with you. The family was perfectly fine, so why did you have to make a fuss about splitting the household? What sort of talk is that? But forget it. Since it’s already done, there’s no use in me saying anything more. How about this: Grandpa and I will stay with you." That way, she could live in the room next to Jing Si’s.

Granny just didn’t understand. That room was empty, so what was the big deal about them staying in it? They weren’t stealing Jing Qi’s room, and they weren’t fighting the newlyweds for theirs. ’The room is sitting empty, but they still won’t let us use it. Aren’t they just showing their disdain for us?’

"This is outrageous." Hearing this, Mrs. Xie couldn’t sit still any longer. It was one thing to give her and her husband a hard time, but she wouldn’t stand for her mother-in-law tormenting Qin Mei.

"Mom." Qin Mei held Mrs. Xie back, shaking her head.

"Xiao Mei, they’re going too far," Mrs. Xie said.

"Let Jie Jingchen handle it." Qin Mei offered her mother-in-law a reassuring smile.

Mrs. Xie took a deep breath to compose herself. ’Jing Si had better not let me down,’ she thought.

When Jie Jingchen remained silent, Granny prompted, "Jing Si."

Mr. Xie looked at Jie Jingchen. He knew his son; there was no way he would agree.

"You aren’t welcome," Jie Jingchen said bluntly.

"You wretched boy, what did you just say? We’re not welcome? We’re your grandpa and granny!" Granny’s hands were empty; otherwise, she would have hurled whatever she was holding straight at Jie Jingchen.

"Granny, do you know why I moved out with Qin Mei and Jing Qi in the first place?" Jie Jingchen asked, then continued without giving her a chance to answer. "It was precisely to prevent you from showing up and causing trouble. You want to stay here for a month? I have no problem with that, on the condition that you don’t disrupt my home. Granny, Qin Mei and I haven’t even been married a year. Our new household is still fragile. It can’t withstand you making a scene."

Granny was so furious she was rendered speechless. She wanted to be close to Qiao Yanqiu’s three children, but unfortunately, none of them felt any affection for her.

Mr. Xie’s mouth twitched. "You really do think ahead, don’t you," he said sarcastically.

"When you have a granny who’s a pestering troublemaker, you have no choice but to think ahead." Jie Jingchen’s retort left Mr. Xie completely speechless.

Granny took a few deep breaths to regain her composure, then tried to play the sympathy card. "Oh, Jing Si! Your mom and dad have to work all day, so they don’t have time to wait on us. Your wife doesn’t work; she just sits around the house with nothing to do. Since she’s already looking after Jing Qi, taking care of two old people as well shouldn’t be too much trouble for her."

"Granny, you’re my grandmother, not Qin Mei’s. Why on earth should she have to take care of you? Besides, she doesn’t know how. She can’t even cook. I have to make breakfast every morning before work, and when I get home, I have to make her dinner. I spend my days at work worrying if she’s even eaten lunch," Jie Jingchen said.

Granny didn’t believe it. She looked to Mr. Xie for confirmation, and even when he nodded, she was still skeptical. "If she doesn’t know how to do anything, then what in the world did you marry her for?"

"For the same reason Grandpa married you." Jie Jingchen’s retort completely shut Granny down.

"But I’ve seen how well she takes care of Jing Qi," Granny argued.

"Jing Qi is learning to cook. I make breakfast and dinner. Once he gets the hang of it, he’ll be making lunch," Jie Jingchen explained.

Granny said no more. It was true; she didn’t do any housework either. In her youth, she had been the apple of her family’s eye. Then, her world had been turned upside down, and she had married him at her lowest point. If it hadn’t been for him, she couldn’t imagine what would have become of her.

At last, Granny relented. She waved a dismissive hand. "Eldest, have Second Daughter-in-law Jing get the room next to hers ready. Your father and I will stay there."

"Okay." Mr. Xie felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. Fearing his mother might change her mind, he hurried out of the main room.

Xu Chunyan gritted her teeth, already regretting her decision. ’Having them stay next door... what if Granny moves in and then refuses to leave? If she couldn’t stay next to Jing Si, there was still an empty room next to Jing San’s. She could have just stayed in the aunt’s old room! It wouldn’t even need to be tidied up.’