In his youth, Grandpa Tate was proud and impetuous. The moment he heard Rose Jennings had never been to school, he felt a sense of unease. When he later saw the photo of her his mother had sent, he saw she was short and plump, with a frumpy sense of style—nothing at all like the fashionable, beautiful female students he was surrounded by. The unease in his heart deepened.

If his mother hadn’t lied about being gravely ill, he would never have returned home.

As soon as he returned, his mother forced him to marry. He didn’t consummate the marriage until half a year later. For those six months, he was cold and indifferent toward his wife. Thinking back on it now, he realized just how cruel he had been.

But his wife dutifully fulfilled her role as a daughter-in-law. She not only kept the house in perfect order but also took meticulous care of him and his mother. She even used her own dowry to supplement the family’s income, all without a single word of complaint.

People have hearts, after all. As time went on, Grandpa Tate’s began to soften.

’We’re already married,’ he thought. ’If we divorce now, her life will be ruined. I can’t be the one to destroy an innocent young woman.’

Besides, Grandpa Tate had been watching her over the past six months. He discovered that while his wife might be uneducated, she had a natural and keen business sense. Every venture she invested in turned a profit. She was a master at keeping the books, her fingers flying across the abacus, and her mind was exceptionally sharp. When it came to navigating social complexities, she was just as savvy as his own mother. She could even charm the most difficult relatives in the family and get on their good side.

In just six months, his wife had won over the entire family. Everyone sang her praises, telling him how lucky he was to have found a wife who would bring prosperity to both him and their home, guaranteeing a good life ahead.

After that, Grandpa Tate and his wife consummated their marriage, almost in a daze. Soon, she was pregnant and gave birth to their eldest son. Their second, third, and fourth sons followed. With each child, his wife grew plumper, but the love between them also grew deeper.

It was only then that Grandpa Tate slowly discovered his wife’s true nature. She wasn’t just gentle and caring; she was a bona fide tigress. She was the type who, if pushed into a corner, wouldn’t hesitate to brandish a kitchen cleaver. Her ferocity could outmatch a tiger descending from the mountains. In any case, she kept him completely in line, so obedient that he never dared to even think about straying.

Grandpa Tate couldn’t help but smile at the memory, but a wave of sadness washed over him. ’I wonder if I’ll ever see my dear wife again in this lifetime?’

’I really miss her braised pork ribs. No one else could ever make them with that same, unique flavor.’

Grandpa Tate couldn’t help but swallow and lick his lips. Tang Xiaonan whispered, "Are you hungry?"

"Not hungry. Just have a craving. I feel like eating ribs."

Still lost in his memories, Grandpa Tate had spoken without thinking. The words brought him back to the present, and he gave a slight, self-deprecating chuckle. He gently patted Tang Xiaonan’s head. "Grandpa’s just kidding."

Tang Xiaonan, however, took his words to heart. ’Looks like Grandpa Tate really is craving ribs,’ she thought. ’I’ll have to find a way to get some for him to build up his strength. And Dad... he’s butchered so many pigs, but he always brings home the fatty cuts. He’s never once brought back something as good as ribs.’

What she didn’t know was that in those days, fatty meat was the prized cut. Lean meat was second best, and bones were considered even less desirable. Very few people would buy them. Felix Thorne was no exception. He would much rather bring home offal like pig intestines than heavy, bony ribs with little meat on them.

Standing off to the side, Jacqueline Spann grew bored. Watching the deep affection between Grandpa Tate and Tang Xiaonan made her heart burn with jealousy and resentment. She hated Tang Xiaonan for stealing her opportunity, and she hated Grandpa Tate for sacrificing her just to curry favor with the Thorne family.

"Grandpa Tate, I’ve already memorized the twenty words I learned last time. Shall I recite them for you?" Jacqueline Spann refused to give up, looking at Grandpa Tate with a pleading expression.