With three tables and twelve benches, it would take multiple trips to move everything by hand. Luckily, Aunt Wang’s family had a cart, and Zhao Xiaoling brought Zhou Song along to retrieve it.

Though the cart wasn’t big, with some careful arranging, they managed to fit all the tables and benches onto it, securing everything with a rope.

Wu Lanshu wanted to go with Zhou Song to return the furniture, but the kitchen still needed to be cleaned, and she couldn’t leave Aunt Qian and Aunt Wang to do all the work. So in the end, Shen Qingzhu went along with Zhou Song instead.

Zhou Song pulled the cart while Shen Qingzhu walked alongside, occasionally steadying the furniture since the rope wasn’t tied very tightly.

“You don’t need to hold it. It won’t fall off,” Zhou Song said, worried that the rough surfaces of the furniture might scratch Shen Qingzhu’s hands.

Seeing Zhou Song constantly distracted by glancing over, Shen Qingzhu let go of the cart and stepped forward to walk alongside him, keeping a bit of distance.

He noticed that Zhou Song had finally focused on pulling the cart and, feeling playful, suddenly asked, “Zhou Song, I heard that the daughter of Li Yuanwai wanted to marry you. Why didn’t you agree? I heard she’s a Kun Ze too.”

Zhou Song abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned to him. “How did you know?”

Just moments ago, he hadn’t…

“When you went to get the cart with Zhao Xiaoling, I asked Aunt Qian,” Shen Qingzhu said with his hands clasped behind his back. “She said it wasn’t just Li Yuanwai’s daughter. A lot of girls in the village have proposed to you, but you haven’t agreed to any of them. She sounded quite worried about your delayed marriage.”

Zhou Song didn’t respond and turned back to continue walking.

Shen Qingzhu figured he didn’t want to discuss the topic anymore, so he suppressed his urge to tease and didn’t push further.

To his surprise, after a while, Zhou Song suddenly mumbled, “I don’t like them.”

Shen Qingzhu looked at him again, understanding what he meant. “You don’t like any of them?”

Zhou Song stared ahead, pressed his lips together, and gave a soft “Mm.”

“What kind of person do you like, then?” Shen Qingzhu asked with a smile.

Zhou Song fell silent again, and by the time they reached the house to return the furniture, he still hadn’t answered. He kept his eyes lowered, not daring to look directly into Shen Qingzhu’s bright gaze, fearing that his hidden feelings might be exposed. He worried that if Shen Qingzhu found out, he would never let him get close again.

After all, someone as outstanding as Shen Qingzhu, a Kun Ze with such grace and refinement, deserved to be with the best Qian Yuan in the world, not a mere country bumpkin like himself.

When they returned the furniture, the lady of the house warmly invited them to sit for a bit and have some water, given the heat. Shen Qingzhu politely declined, explaining that there were still things to be done at home. He handed her a bag of snacks that Wu Lanshu had prepared, telling her to keep them for the children.

The woman smiled, saying he was too polite, but her expression was full of joy—who wouldn’t appreciate someone so thoughtful and well-mannered?

As they pulled the now-empty cart back home, the atmosphere between them was quieter than before.

Zhou Song occasionally glanced at Shen Qingzhu, feeling that the earlier awkwardness was his fault for dodging the conversation. He hadn’t meant to be silent, but his fears had gotten the best of him.

Unbeknownst to him, Shen Qingzhu was simply feeling a bit sleepy. He usually took an afternoon nap, but today, with guests to entertain, he couldn’t just slip away to rest.

Just as Zhou Song was about to speak and break the silence, he noticed Shen Qingzhu raising a hand to cover a yawn.

He paused for a moment and then, almost instinctively, asked, “Are you tired?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized they sounded too familiar, almost intimate.

Shen Qingzhu, however, didn’t mind at all. Hearing the question, he nodded. “I usually take a short nap in the afternoon.”

Seeing him rub his eyes, Zhou Song stopped walking and said, “Why don’t you sit on the cart for a while? You can close your eyes and rest a bit.”

At this hour, most people in the village were taking their midday naps, and there weren’t many people around.

Shen Qingzhu had never sat on a cart like this before, and he was curious about what it would feel like. But he hesitated, asking politely, “Will it be too heavy if I sit?”

“No, it won’t,” Zhou Song shook his head. With Shen Qingzhu’s slight frame, Zhou Song could easily lift him with one hand, let alone pull him on a cart.

Since Zhou Song said it was fine, Shen Qingzhu didn’t hold back. He was ready to experience what sitting on the cart would be like.

“Wait a moment,” Zhou Song suddenly called out just as Shen Qingzhu placed his hand on the edge of the cart. Confused, Shen Qingzhu looked over.

Zhou Song let go of the cart handle, walked over, and carefully wiped the spot where Shen Qingzhu was about to sit. He even ran his hand over it to check for any splinters before stepping back, saying, “Now you can sit.”

Shen Qingzhu watched him, his gaze flickering slightly with thoughts he didn’t voice. Without saying anything, he waited for Zhou Song to finish before sitting down on the cart.

As Zhou Song resumed pulling the cart, Shen Qingzhu chuckled softly, watching his back.

The cart, typically used to haul things around in the countryside, was nowhere near as comfortable as a horse-drawn carriage. The seat was hard, and there was no backrest. Still, it was more relaxing than walking. Shen Qingzhu leaned his arm on the side of the cart and, lulled by the gentle sway, closed his eyes to rest.

Zhou Song, not hearing any more conversation, turned his head slightly and saw that Shen Qingzhu had closed his eyes. The sunlight bathed his serene face, making him look peaceful and almost divine.

Zhou Song quickly averted his gaze, slowing his pace to make the cart roll more smoothly.

Under the scorching sun, Zhou Song no longer felt the heat or the urgency to get home quickly. He even wished that the road to Shen Qingzhu’s house could be a little longer.

But despite these thoughts, he didn’t drag his feet. The sun was too strong, and he didn’t want Shen Qingzhu to get sunburned.

When they arrived back at the house, it seemed like Aunt Qian and Aunt Wang had finished tidying up. Wu Lanshu and Aunt Qian were chatting at the doorway, but Aunt Wang and Zhao Xiaoling were nowhere to be seen, likely having gone home to rest.

“Why are you sitting on the cart?” Wu Lanshu noticed them and approached with concern, worried that something might be wrong with her young master.

Shen Qingzhu, who had just been resting his eyes, opened them and replied, “It’s nothing. I was just a bit sleepy and wanted to rest.”

Hearing that, Wu Lanshu was relieved. She reached out to help him down from the cart and didn’t forget to thank Zhou Song. “Thank you so much, Zhou.”

Zhou Song only let go of the cart handle once he was sure Shen Qingzhu was steady on his feet. “It’s no trouble.”

Aunt Qian, watching the scene, paused for a moment but said nothing.

“I’ll return the cart now. You can go and rest,” Zhou Song said, noticing that Shen Qingzhu still looked a bit sleepy.

Wu Lanshu waved her hand. “I’ve already told Aunt Wang that we’ll keep the cart here for now. She and Zhao Xiaoling have probably gone home to nap too.”

Since that was the case, Zhou Song didn’t insist. He helped place the cart in the yard and, before leaving, glanced once more at Shen Qingzhu. But just then, Shen Qingzhu lowered his head to stifle another yawn and didn’t notice.

Aunt Qian, however, saw everything and discreetly glanced back and forth between the two of them.

After saying their goodbyes, Zhou Song and Aunt Qian headed home together. Zhou Song walked with his head lowered, lost in thought, while Aunt Qian occasionally glanced at him, wanting to ask something but hesitating.

By the time they reached their house, she still hadn’t asked her question. She watched Zhou Song head back to his place, deciding to save the conversation for another time when the opportunity arose.

When she entered the courtyard, she saw her son, Lin Erzhu, coming out of the kitchen. She paused. “Why aren’t you resting with Liu Fang?”

Lin Erzhu gestured toward the kitchen. “She was thirsty, so I came out to boil some water for her.”

Aunt Qian nodded in understanding and was about to head back inside when she could no longer hold back her curiosity. Glancing at her son, she pulled him into the main hall.

Lin Erzhu, confused by his mother’s actions, asked, “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Aunt Qian dragged over a stool for him. “Sit down.”

Seeing her serious demeanor, Lin Erzhu was even more puzzled but sat down as instructed. “What is it?”

Aunt Qian thought carefully about how to phrase her question. After all, it was just her suspicion, and she didn’t want to make wild assumptions. She decided to probe gently. “Has Zhou Song said anything to you recently?”

“Said what?” Lin Erzhu didn’t understand.

Seeing his confusion, Aunt Qian clicked her tongue. “I mean, has he mentioned if he likes someone?”

Lin Erzhu chuckled. “Mom, are you still hung up on finding a wife for Brother Song?”

“I’m not talking about that,” Aunt Qian cut herself off, unsure how to proceed.

Lin Erzhu gave her a knowing look and crossed his arms. “Mom, you’re actually asking about him and Shen Xiaolang, aren’t you?”

Aunt Qian was stunned, then quickly asked, “Did he tell you something?”

“Brother Song’s such a reserved guy—he wouldn’t talk to me about stuff like that,” Lin Erzhu replied, dropping his arms. “I figured it out on my own.”

He and Zhou Song had grown up together, so he knew his friend’s temperament inside and out. Others might not notice, but he could read Zhou Song like a book.

The fact that Zhou Song had dressed up to go to Shen Qingzhu’s place for dinner was already out of character. Add to that how he had helped clear the dishes and kept glancing over at Shen Qingzhu’s table—it was too obvious.

And when Shen Xiaolang offered a toast, Brother Song, who usually hated alcohol, downed a whole cup. That spoke louder than words.

“Brother Song usually avoids the village girls like the plague, but I heard that just the other day, he took Shen Xiaolang on a tour of the village.”

While most villagers didn’t think much of it, believing Zhou Song was simply being his usual helpful self, Lin Erzhu saw through it. After all, he had learned to understand Zhou Song with just a glance over the years. His friend’s unusual behavior couldn’t go unnoticed.

After listening to her son, Aunt Qian was even more convinced her suspicion was right. But she still hesitated. “Today, when they went to return the furniture, Zhou Song had Shen Xiaolang sit on the cart and pulled him home. That’s not something he usually does. But do you think it’s because Shen Xiaolang is a Kun Ze and a man, and Zhou Song sees him as a younger brother?”

Lin Erzhu scoffed. “Mom, I’m his younger brother too. Does he treat me that way?”

Aunt Qian gave him a dismissive look. “You’re nothing like Shen Xiaolang.”

“Exactly,” Lin Erzhu shrugged. “If even you can see the difference, how could Brother Song not?”

His argument was solid, and Aunt Qian had no comeback.

Lin Erzhu sighed. “I always wondered why Brother Song was so indifferent about marriage. Turns out his standards are high—he’s only interested in someone like Shen Xiaolang.”

“But what about Shen Xiaolang? What does he think of Zhou Song?” Aunt Qian couldn’t help but worry. Shen Qingzhu was so polite and friendly to everyone, but they didn’t really know him well enough to gauge his feelings.

Lin Erzhu shook his head, admitting he didn’t know.

But in his heart, he guessed that Shen Qingzhu probably didn’t have any romantic interest in Zhou Song—at least not yet. After all, Shen Qingzhu came from a big city and had likely seen all sorts of refined Qian Yuan. While Zhou Song was the best in the surrounding area, he couldn’t compare to the wealthy and talented men Shen Qingzhu was used to.

“Mom, let’s not meddle in this. And don’t say anything to Brother Song. Let’s pretend we don’t know,” Lin Erzhu suggested. Since Shen Qingzhu was staying in the village for a while, there was no need to rush things and risk making matters worse.

Aunt Qian understood the importance of discretion. No matter how close they were, she wasn’t Zhou Song’s mother, and it wasn’t her place to interfere in his private affairs.

If Zhou Song and Shen Qingzhu were truly meant to be, she would be happy for them. But if not… well, that would just be fate.