"Miss Ming, Granny Wang is calling for you. You should go over now."

Just as Ming Lingyi was flusteredly waving her hands in refusal, an older woman came out from the inner room, saw her, and spoke.

Ming Lingyi sighed inwardly.

Granny Wang was lying in bed, and the moment Ming Lingyi entered the room, her gaze fell upon her.

After returning home, she had discovered that none of the silver she’d hidden in the vase was missing. Clearly, even after being told where the money was, Ming Lingyi hadn’t entertained a single thought of touching it.

"Little girl," Granny Wang called to Ming Lingyi.

This was also the first time she had ever called Ming Lingyi so affectionately.

The moment Ming Lingyi saw Granny Wang, she knew the old woman wasn’t doing well.

She took a step forward and clasped the hand Granny Wang had raised.

"I’m here."

Granny Wang looked at Ming Lingyi with relief in her eyes. "This old woman’s only wish in life was to get justice for my poor, ill-fated daughter. But that Liu family is just too despicable, and her father and I were useless. For so many years, we couldn’t get justice for Wu Niang. I thought I would have to face Wu Niang with regret for the rest of my life, but then... you appeared. Miss Ming, you are our family’s savior..."

"Granny Wang, please don’t say that. I don’t deserve it." Ming Lingyi tightened her grip on the old woman’s withered hand. "We’re all neighbors. What happened this time was the result of everyone working together. I didn’t really do much."

That was a humble thing to say.

The Fang Zheng was also at the door. Hearing Ming Lingyi’s words, his favorable impression of her grew even stronger.

As for Granny Wang’s affair, if Ming Lingyi hadn’t pushed it forward, the final outcome would have been hard to predict.

After all, while everyone was indeed indignant about Wu Niang’s case, not everyone had the courage and energy to get personally involved for the sake of a stranger.

But Ming Lingyi had managed to do just that.

And she was just a young woman who had only recently moved to Huaided Fang.

Now, Ming Lingyi had taught the Liu family a lesson, yet she remained modest and composed. She hadn’t forgotten the neighbors in the fang who had helped gather information, which truly made the Fang Zheng see her in a new light.

"I know all that. COUGH, COUGH." Granny Wang took a few deep breaths. "I called you over today to arrange my affairs for after I’m gone. I know I don’t have much time left. Wu Niang left me long ago, and all I have left is a bit of money that needs to be properly handled. The silver I have at home, I plan to divide among everyone who’s taken care of me recently. I’m grateful for all your care during this time. As for this house... I am giving it to you."

Ming Lingyi: "This..."

Before she could finish, Granny Wang interrupted her.

"I’m not senile yet. After all, in these final days, you’ve been the one taking care of my meals every day. This is what you deserve," Granny Wang said.

Ming Lingyi was at a loss for a moment. She had never thought of scheming for this house.

"Please, accept it. This is this old woman’s final wish," Granny Wang said, looking at Ming Lingyi with pleading eyes.

She had fulfilled the old woman’s last lingering wish in this world; it was only right that Ming Lingyi receive this.

Ming Lingyi met those expectant eyes and finally had no choice but to nod.

"Alright. I understand."

"Good child." A look of relief appeared in Granny Wang’s eyes. Then her gaze lost focus, staring at some point in the air. "Don’t work so hard in the future. It’s better for a girl to be a little foolish and a little lazy. Don’t tire yourself out, you’ll make your parents’ hearts ache. Wu Niang, isn’t that right? It was Mother who failed you... Wu Niang, oh, my Wu Niang..."

As her final, whispered words faded, the withered hand that had been clutching Ming Lingyi’s went limp and fell away.

Granny Wang had passed away.

All things considered, at her age, it should be considered a peaceful passing after a long life.

Moreover, she had fulfilled her final wish before she died and should have left this world without any regrets.

Looking at the old woman lying on the bed, her eyes now closed, Ming Lingyi felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

’To think that this seemingly unapproachable Granny Wang had lived most of her life with guilt over her own daughter. Now, she is finally free. She can go to the underworld unburdened to find her daughter and reunite her family.’

Suddenly, she found herself missing her own mother. ’After learning of my death, did my mother carry the same kind of burden?’ Ming Lingyi didn’t dare to dwell on the thought.

Granny Wang’s funeral was handled by the entire community of Huaided Fang.

When Ming Lingyi had first suggested helping to gather information, everyone in Huaided Fang had volunteered. They had also volunteered to help at the medical hall. No one had expected that in the end, Granny Wang would divide all the silver coins her family had saved over the years among the neighbors who had cared for her in her final days.

And Granny Wang had saved up a considerable amount of silver coins over the years; everyone received about ten taels of silver.

This included the dowry of Wu Niang’s that the Liu Family had seized back then.

"Back then, Old Aunt Wang had only that one daughter. When Wu Niang got married, Old Aunt Wang and her husband were still running their tailor shop. They had two large storefronts in Shangjing City, so of course Wu Niang’s dowry was generous—it almost rivaled the dowry of an official’s daughter getting married..." Aunt Gui said in a low voice.

At that time, almost everyone thought that with Wu Niang’s generous dowry and her reputation for being virtuous and gentle, her married life would surely be prosperous and happy.

Who could have imagined it would end like this?

「Not two days after Granny Wang was buried, it was the Qingming Festival.」

Ming Lingyi was now the boss of two storefronts. In the past, many of her patrons had suggested she find a bigger location, as the current Ming’s Restaurant was too small. Ming Lingyi had also thought about looking for a larger space once she saved up a bit more silver. She never expected to get one so soon, and without even having to move.

If these two storefronts could be connected, the space would be huge—almost three times the size of her original restaurant.

After receiving the property and land deeds issued by the government, Ming Lingyi began the work of renovating and connecting the two storefronts.

Ming Lingyi had her own ideas.

Before, she didn’t have much silver, so when she hired Zhang Qi and his men to redecorate, they had only done a rough job, spending very little.

But things were different now. She was no longer short on silver to spend.

The tables and chairs in her restaurant were the low tables currently popular in Shangjing, and everyone was used to sitting cross-legged to eat.

But Ming Lingyi had always preferred to sit up high.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor at a low table—she had always found the posture very uncomfortable.

Moreover, she had seen the dining hall at the Imperial College. They used long, low tables, each of which could seat about twenty people.

This type of table was very space-efficient, but she planned to make them into high tables with high stools, just like the rest of the tables in the restaurant.

To save space, she thought it would be a great idea to place these long, connected tables against the wall.

This was an idea she had deduced from the habits of some of her customers.

Previously, she had placed many books in her restaurant. Literate and cultured people like Mr. Du, when dining alone, sometimes saw a book they liked and preferred to eat while reading, without interacting with others.

If she set up a row of tables against the wall like that, these patrons who enjoyed eating and reading would have a reasonably quiet place to themselves.