Qi Shan Village wasn’t particularly large, but it wasn’t small either. Zhou Song and Shen Qingzhu had spent over an hour walking around the eastern side of the village, stopping and starting as they explored.

Shen Qingzhu, having been a pampered young master in the past, was not used to walking long distances. He typically traveled by carriage, and his health wasn’t particularly robust. By now, he was starting to feel a bit tired.

Zhou Song noticed this and suggested that they call it a day. They could visit the western side of the village another time when they had more free time since Shen Qingzhu didn’t live over there anyway and didn’t need to familiarize himself with it urgently.

Zhou Song escorted him all the way to his door but stopped a few steps away, not getting too close.

Shen Qingzhu, being alone at home, found it inappropriate to invite Zhou Song inside to rest and have a drink, so he stood by the door and thanked him. “Zhou Song, thank you for your help today. I really appreciate it.”

Zhou Song shook his head, as if to say it was no trouble at all. In fact, it had been a pleasant experience for him.

He watched as Shen Qingzhu smiled at him, nodded slightly, and gently closed the courtyard door.

Zhou Song let out a long sigh, pressing a hand to his chest, which hadn’t calmed down the entire time. Then, a smile tugged at his lips, softening his usually stern face.

With lingering joy in his heart, he turned around and headed home, his steps noticeably lighter than usual.

As he passed by a farmhouse, he noticed the smoke rising from the chimney and realized it was already time for lunch. He thought to himself that it was about time he headed back too…

Zhou Song paused, suddenly turning to look back at the path he had just taken.

Aunt Wu wasn’t home, and the family next door, Aunt Wang’s family, had gone to town to visit their son. Shen Qingzhu didn’t seem like someone who could cook—so what was he going to eat for lunch?

A flicker of hesitation crossed Zhou Song’s face. Maybe Aunt Wu had already arranged something for him. After all, she was so attentive that she wouldn’t even let him run out of eggs for a few days. Surely, she wouldn’t let Shen Qingzhu go hungry.

But what if?

What if she hadn’t thought about it? Wouldn’t Shen Qingzhu be left without lunch?

Maybe… he could invite Shen Qingzhu to eat at his place?

No, no, that wouldn’t work. Zhou Song shook his head. He was a Qian Yuan—inviting a Kun Ze to dine alone at his house wouldn’t be proper.

He pressed his lips together, turned, and quickened his pace toward home.

Once he got home, he headed straight for the kitchen. He rummaged through a few jars of grain and found half a jar of fine white flour that he rarely used.

The food in the countryside was usually coarse, but this fine flour should be something that Shen Qingzhu would find acceptable.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Song also took out two wild eggs he had brought back from the mountains yesterday, along with some braised wild rabbit meat he had prepared himself.

This should do the trick.

Zhou Song placed everything on the stove, scooped some water to wash his hands, and then got to work.

Since he lived alone, he was used to cooking for himself and worked quickly.

Before long, he had made a steaming bowl of noodle soup. It was a large portion, enough to fill even a burly man.

He carefully placed the bowl in a brand-new bamboo basket he had never used before and covered it with a clean cloth. Then, he hurried out the door.

It was midday and quite hot. After working in the kitchen for so long, he was already sweating profusely, but he paid no mind and wiped his face with his sleeve.

To prevent the noodles from cooling or clumping together, he walked quickly. When he arrived at Shen Qingzhu’s door, he lifted the cloth to check and saw that the noodles were still steaming.

Relieved, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Shen Qingzhu’s clear voice came from inside, and for some reason, Zhou Song suddenly felt nervous. Without thinking, he put down the basket and turned to leave in a hurry.

Shen Qingzhu opened the door, looking puzzled as he found no one there. He glanced around but saw no one nearby. Then, he lowered his head and noticed the lone basket sitting on the ground.

He bent down, picked it up, and lifted the cloth.

Inside was a steaming bowl of noodle soup made from fine white flour. Two eggs rested on top, along with slices of braised meat and vibrant green vegetables. The aroma was mouthwatering, with a hint of sesame oil, showing the care the cook had put into it.

For some reason, Shen Qingzhu immediately guessed who had sent it.

He lifted the cloth to his nose and sniffed. Sure enough, there was a faint scent of pine and cypress.

Looking at the bowl of noodles, Shen Qingzhu couldn’t deny that he was a little touched.

To him, it was just an ordinary bowl of noodle soup, nothing too special. But for the villagers, this was a precious meal. The white flour alone was something Zhou Song probably wouldn’t eat for himself.

Moreover, the fact that Zhou Song had thought about his difficulties in cooking for himself showed his thoughtfulness.

In fact, Aunt Wu had already prepared food for him before she left. She had bought a chicken in the village and made chicken soup, which was still simmering over the fire. There were also various snacks and pastries, so Shen Qingzhu certainly wouldn’t go hungry.

But this thoughtful gesture from someone else felt different.

“Well, I might as well accept the kindness,” Shen Qingzhu smiled lightly and carried the basket back into the courtyard.

Not far away, Zhou Song, who had been hiding, watched as Shen Qingzhu closed the door. Only then did he dare to step out.

Seeing that Shen Qingzhu had taken the basket inside, Zhou Song let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Shen Qingzhu wouldn’t like it, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Wiping the sweat from his chin, Zhou Song, now feeling much more at ease, turned to head back home. His clothes were damp with sweat, but he didn’t mind the effort at all. The thought of Shen Qingzhu eating the noodles he had made filled him with satisfaction.

Once home, Zhou Song scooped a ladle of water from the kitchen vat and drank a few gulps. Then, he set about making something for himself to eat.

This time, he was much more casual. He stir-fried a plate of wild greens, sliced some braised meat, and ate it with some leftover coarse-grain buns from the previous day.

After lunch, he didn’t forget to go to the backyard to feed the chickens.

Over the past half a month, the chicks had grown a lot. They were no longer fluffy little things, now half-grown and plump, chirping noisily.

In the past, Zhou Song would have found their noise annoying.

But now, all he could think about was how they would soon be laying eggs.

Just as Zhou Song finished rolling up his sleeves and returned to the front yard, he heard a loud banging on the door. He frowned and walked over to open it.

As soon as the door opened, Hu Lan, who was standing outside, spoke before he could even say anything. “Nephew, where’s my Xiaofu? It’s already lunchtime, and he hasn’t come back to eat yet.” As she spoke, she craned her neck to peer into the yard behind Zhou Song.

Zhou Song was puzzled. “Where he went, why are you asking me?”

Hu Lan frowned. “Earlier, he said he was going to ask you to take him hunting in the mountains. It’s already so late, and he hasn’t returned. Who else would I ask?”

Her son was usually very punctual when it came to mealtime. No matter where he was, he would always come back to eat.

Zhou Song understood and explained, “He didn’t come looking for me.”

Perhaps he had come, but Zhou Song hadn’t been home earlier, so Xiaofu might have missed him.

“What?” Hu Lan was stunned, her expression growing more anxious. “He wouldn’t have gone up the mountain by himself, would he?!”

This morning, his grandmother had scolded him, saying he was too lazy and always lazing around. Annoyed by her nagging, Xiaofu had thrown a tantrum and said he was going to ask Zhou Song to take him hunting.

Hu Lan had thought that since her nephew was skilled in the mountains, he would be able to protect Xiaofu, so she hadn’t paid much attention. She figured it would be good for Xiaofu to get out and blow off some steam.

“Oh no, you need to go find him! Xiaofu hasn’t been up the mountain much before. If he gets lost or runs into wild animals, what are we going to do?!” Her voice was anxious, and her tone wasn’t exactly polite. But Zhou Song didn’t argue with her at this moment. He asked, “Are you sure he went up the mountain? Did you ask around?”

“He definitely went up the mountain!” Hu Lan was beside herself with worry. “That kid is so stubborn and prideful. He probably thought he’d catch a wild chicken or rabbit to show his grandma!”

Seeing Zhou Song still thinking it over, she grew even more frustrated and blurted out, “Zhou Song, you’re not trying to let my son die in the deep mountains like your father, are you?! What kind of heart do you have?!”

Zhou Song lifted his eyes and gave her a deep, cold look.

Hu Lan realized she had misspoken and averted her gaze awkwardly. Forcing a smile, she said, “Nephew, Auntie is just too worried. Don’t take it to heart. Please, you must go and bring your cousin back. He’s the apple of your uncle’s eye, and your grandmother’s too. You don’t want to see the old lady upset, do you?”

Zhou Song stared at her for a moment, then silently turned and went to grab his bow and machete.

Seeing him ready to leave, Hu Lan hurried to follow, but Zhou Song stopped her. “You should go back and wait. I’ll go alone.”

Hu Lan hesitated, thinking that the deep mountains could be dangerous, so she reluctantly stayed behind. Still, she didn’t forget to urge him, “Make sure you bring Xiaofu back safely. Don’t let him get hurt!”

Zhou Song didn’t respond and headed off with his bow.

The mountains near Qi Shan Village weren’t particularly dangerous. The animals there were mostly wild chickens and rabbits, and the villagers regularly went there.

The real danger lay in the deep mountains, where few people ventured. The terrain was steep and easy to get lost in, and there were larger wild animals like mountain cats. Ordinary people could lose their lives if they encountered them.

Aside from Zhou Song and a few experienced hunters, no one dared to go too deep.

If Xiaofu, who was lazy and out of shape, had really gone in, he would likely become prey for the beasts.

Though Zhou Song wasn’t particularly close to them, a life was still a life, and he couldn’t just ignore it. Even if another villager had come to ask for his help, he would have gone to search for them.

Zhou Song climbed the mountain, searching the outskirts first, but found no sign of Zhou Xiaofu.

Drawing the machete from his belt, he ventured deeper into the forest.

Though Zhou Song was skilled in the mountains, he didn’t venture into the deep areas every time. He was still only human, and going too often would increase the risk of encountering something dangerous.

Today, he didn’t plan to go too far. Given Zhou Xiaofu’s limited abilities, he wouldn’t have gone that deep. At most, he would have been wandering around the outer edge—or he might have already fallen prey to a wild animal.

The mountain forest was vast. It was easy to talk about, but actually traversing it took a lot of time, even for someone with Zhou Song’s stamina.

Searching for someone in such a place was a laborious task. He scoured every hidden nook and cranny.

As the sun began to set and darkness approached, Zhou Song knew he couldn’t stay much longer. The deep mountains were far more dangerous at night. If he didn’t plan to find shelter, it was best to head back before it got too dark.

In fact, after searching for most of the day and finding neither Zhou Xiaofu nor his body, Zhou Song was fairly certain that he wasn’t in the mountains.

Continuing to search would likely be a waste of time.