After two days of being tossed around by the Rain and Dew Period, Shen Qingzhu’s body finally felt at ease. When he opened the door, the weather outside was beautifully clear, and under the golden sunlight, he squinted his eyes with a light smile, clearly in a good mood.

Aunt Wu had woken up early to take the recently changed clothes and bedsheets down to the river for washing. Before she left, she told him she had left some food in the kitchen, keeping it warm in the pot.

Lifting the lid, he saw a plate of thin-skinned dumplings on the steamer rack, each one just about two bites in size. Beside it was a bowl of red bean porridge, cooked to just the consistency Shen Qingzhu preferred, along with two round, boiled eggs.

Shen Qingzhu wasn’t particularly fond of eggs, but in the village, nutritious foods were hard to come by, and eggs were the most common. So, Aunt Wu made him eat two every day—sometimes boiled, sometimes fried. She was determined to get them into him somehow.

Shen Qingzhu didn’t argue with her about this, understanding it was for his own good. He knew his own body well enough.

He found a tray, carried his meal out to the table in the courtyard, and ate his breakfast under the warm sunlight.

Wu Lanshu had taken quite a bit of laundry with her, including two bedsheets, so she probably wouldn’t be back for a while.

Left alone at home, Shen Qingzhu felt a bit bored, especially after being cooped up indoors for the last two days. After cleaning up the dishes and putting out the kitchen fire, he decided to go for a walk.

It may have been the off-season for farming, but village life was never truly idle. While there wasn’t fieldwork, there were still endless small tasks at home, and the livestock needed constant care.

On his way, he came across a group of young boys carrying baskets and sickles, off to cut pigweed for their families. They’d feed it not only to the pigs but also to the chickens and ducks.

As they walked along, noisily chattering with each other, they suddenly noticed him and grew bashful. They nudged each other and, with flushed faces, called out, “Brother Shen!”

These boys were at the age where they’d soon be considering marriage. They already had a budding awareness of things, and seeing a beautiful Kun Ze like Shen Qingzhu made them shy.

If it were the village girls, they might tug on the girls’ braids or steal the little wildflowers they’d stuck in their hair as a playful show of affection.

But when faced with someone like Shen Qingzhu, they didn’t dare act out of line. Instead, they kept a respectful distance, stealing shy glances at him.

When Shen Qingzhu gave them a warm smile in response, the boys beamed and scampered away, still laughing and arguing over who he’d smiled at the most.

Village kids were always so full of life, running and climbing everywhere without tiring.

Shen Qingzhu shook his head with a smile and continued his stroll.

He realized that, though he had been in Qi Shan Village for some time, he hadn’t yet explored the whole village. Aunt Wu mentioned that the area was divided into East and West Villages, and they were on the East side.

He’d never been to the West Village, though he knew the village head lived there. Maybe one day he’d take a look over there, but not today. He didn’t want to worry Wu Lanshu if he got back too late. Plus, he wasn’t familiar with the paths, so it wouldn’t be good to get lost.

A withered yellow leaf drifted down beside his ear and landed on his shoulder. Shen Qingzhu reached up and picked it off.

He remembered that when he first arrived in the village, everything was green and lush. Now, most of the leaves had fallen, and time truly did fly.

He had once thought he couldn’t settle here, but now it seemed like there was nothing one couldn’t adapt to. Soon enough, he might even get married.

The thought brought back memories of that honest man who had promised to come and visit in a couple of days. So far, there had been no sign of him. He was probably still waiting for him to regain his health.

Shen Qingzhu chuckled softly to himself. He’d never seen someone so clueless. If it were any other Qian Yuan, they would have already taken action, securing the match one way or another. After all, he’d already been bitten—no backing out now.

He reached up to touch the back of his neck where the bite marks had long healed, and the scent marks had faded. If he changed his mind now and didn’t want to marry him, there’d be nothing that man could do about it.

Shen Qingzhu tossed away the leaf with a smile. Still, that “cluelessness” was exactly what he appreciated about him.

His body wasn’t fully recovered from the bothersome Rain and Dew Period, so he started feeling tired after walking around nearby. He turned to head back home.

He didn’t notice that a pair of eyes were watching him from a distance.

Zhou Xiaofu had been growing restless at home lately. His grandmother had grown even more nagging with age, scolding him over every little thing.

His mother, on the other hand, only wanted him to flatter the old woman for her bit of silver.

His grandmother was practically on her deathbed, so why did she still cling to the family assets? She’d have to pass it down to them sooner or later, so what difference did it make?

In Zhou Xiaofu’s opinion, the old woman was biased toward Zhou Song and wanted to leave the money to him. It was downright unfair.

Thinking this, Zhou Xiaofu spat on the ground.

And as for his wife, she always had that lifeless expression, as if someone mistreated her. She didn’t even know how to be charming. Just looking at her annoyed him.

So he’d been avoiding home these past few days, spending his time with friends in the village.

Today, he’d planned to visit a drinking buddy in East Village to blow off some steam. But, as luck would have it, he spotted an unexpected delight along the way.

Standing behind a tree, his eyes roved greedily over the white-robed figure in the distance, admiring the delicate features that stirred something within him.

Look at that figure, that face—no village girl could compare. Even the beautiful Kun Ze daughter of the neighboring village’s Li Yuanwai couldn’t hold a candle to him.

Caught in this trance, Zhou Xiaofu began following the figure from afar when the person turned to leave.

If he could somehow bring this person home, it would be a great pleasure.

Trailing behind Shen Qingzhu, Zhou Xiaofu stared at his straight back, remembering the indifferent look Shen Qingzhu had given him before—a gaze that regarded him as something insignificant.

That thought annoyed him. Who did he think he was, acting so high and mighty? No matter what status he once held, he was now just some stray, living in this little village. Did he still think he was some grand young master?

If Zhou Xiaofu showed interest, it was his good fortune!

Last time, Shen Qingzhu hadn’t even let him ride in the carriage, making him lose face in front of Zhou Song.

Fuming, Zhou Xiaofu watched the lone figure and glanced around, a sinister idea forming in his mind.

He was a strong Qian Yuan, and if a lone Kun Ze like him crossed paths with him, wouldn’t he be at his mercy? Once the rice was cooked, he’d have no choice but to comply to protect his reputation.

A twisted smile spread across Zhou Xiaofu’s face, and he rubbed his hands together, following as Shen Qingzhu turned onto a small path.

The village had wide open spaces with houses spread far apart, so the roads were often interconnected by quiet pathways.

Shen Qingzhu was growing tired and wanted to get home quickly, so he didn’t take the main road but instead a shortcut that would bring him closer to home.

Aunt Wu had shown him this path a couple of times and had warned him not to take it at night, as there was an abandoned house nearby and few people ever passed by.

Still, she knew her young master rarely went out after dark, so she’d only mentioned it once.

The path was secluded, with more trees than usual. Yellow leaves blanketed the ground, and now and then one would flutter down. With the sunlight filtering through the branches, it made for a picturesque scene.

Unconsciously slowing his pace, Shen Qingzhu turned his head to admire the scenery.

The fallen leaves underfoot made a satisfying crunch with each step.

He hadn’t gone far before he realized someone was behind him.

At first, he thought it was another villager taking a shortcut and didn’t pay it any mind. But after walking a bit further, something felt off.

He was deliberately strolling slowly to enjoy the view, but the person behind him matched his pace exactly, as if they were following him.

Feeling a surge of unease, Shen Qingzhu stopped, and sure enough, the footsteps behind him halted as well.

He waited for a while, and when there was no sound, he was certain the person was indeed following him. Without revealing his intentions, he resumed walking, picking up his pace slightly.

As he neared the deserted house, he sensed the person speeding up, clearly trying to catch up.

His brows arched slightly, but he kept his stride steady, showing no signs of panic.

Zhou Xiaofu saw the area becoming increasingly deserted and couldn’t contain his impatience, quickening his steps to catch up. He intended to drag him into the old house where no one would hear him scream for help.

The innocent Kun Ze walked leisurely ahead, unsuspecting. Zhou Xiaofu smirked coldly, reaching out to grab him.

“Ah!”

A painful cry escaped as Zhou Xiaofu’s wrist was twisted by the suddenly alert Shen Qingzhu. The slender fingers found a pressure point, causing Zhou Xiaofu to lose all strength.

“You bastard! Let go of me!”

Hearing his foul words, Shen Qingzhu narrowed his eyes and dug his fingers harder into his wrist, making Zhou Xiaofu yelp in pain.

Shen Qingzhu was no fighter and had little talent for martial arts, but his father had taught him a few tricks for self-defense, aware that his frail son might face trouble out in the world.

For instance, there were spots on the human body that, when pressed just right, could render an opponent helpless without needing much strength.

This kind of trick wouldn’t work on a trained fighter, but for a blustering bully like this, it was more than effective.

Recognizing Zhou Xiaofu as Zhou Song’s cousin, Shen Qingzhu had little regard for him, finding him thoroughly despicable. “Why were you following me?”

Zhou Xiaofu, too pained to think clearly, squirmed to ease the pressure on his wrist and stammered, “I just…saw you from afar and wanted to say hello!”

A blatant lie. Shen Qingzhu applied more pressure, making Zhou Xiaofu scream, “Lying won’t end well for you. I might just break this wrist of yours.”

Of course, he had no intention of breaking it; he was merely scaring this fool.

The sharp, piercing pain, however, made Zhou Xiaofu believe him. In a panic, he blurted, “I just…liked you and wanted to get closer, that’s all!”

Though he made it sound harmless, Shen Qingzhu could see through his true intentions. Repulsed, he aimed a kick at Zhou Xiaofu’s crotch.

“AHH!!”

Zhou Xiaofu’s wail was loud enough to echo, and Shen Qingzhu released him, letting him collapse onto the ground, curled up in agony. He wasn’t satisfied yet and kicked him again. “Come near me again, and I’ll ruin you for good!”

Overwhelmed by pain, Zhou Xiaofu trembled on the ground like a pig on its way to slaughter.

That pathetic sight disgusted Shen Qingzhu further. He turned and walked away, pulling out a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his hands.

Villagers weren’t typically so fastidious, and Zhou Xiaofu was a slob, his stench foul. Shen Qingzhu, already particular about cleanliness, felt so repulsed he wanted to scrub his skin raw.

He could hardly imagine what he’d have done if he’d been caught off guard and held by him—he might have vomited his breakfast right then and there.

That thought lingered, and even after he left the path, he was still wiping his hands.

“Shen Qingzhu?”

A familiar voice made him pause. Looking up, he saw Zhou Song standing nearby with a bucket of water.

For some reason, the anger and disgust Shen Qingzhu had felt earlier suddenly gave way to a wave of vulnerability, and he lowered his gaze without replying.

Zhou Song had been in an uncharacteristically good mood lately, practically itching to propose to Kun Ze at the first chance. Still, he held himself back, waiting for him to recover.

Each day, Zhou Song would linger by Shen Qingzhu’s house when he fetched water, content with even the smallest glimpse of him.

These last few days, he hadn’t seen him, assuming he was still going through the Rain and Dew Period, so he kept his distance and patiently waited.

Today, he’d paused as usual, but to his surprise, he saw Kun Ze emerge from a path not far away. Unable to contain his delight, he’d called out his name.

But Shen Qingzhu, who usually greeted him with a smile, remained silent this time. Zhou Song felt something was wrong, so he set down his bucket and approached.

Before he could say anything, he noticed Shen Qingzhu’s reddened hand, nearly rubbed raw. He was still wiping it in small, obsessive strokes, which made Zhou Song’s heart clench with worry. Ignoring any thoughts of propriety, he gently took his hand, stopping him. “Stop rubbing; you’ll hurt yourself.”

The warmth of Zhou Song’s hand on his skin dispelled much of Shen Qingzhu’s earlier discomfort. He looked up, meeting Zhou Song’s concerned eyes, and murmured, “It’s just a bit red, nothing serious.”

“It still hurts, though.” Zhou Song gazed at his reddened hand, feeling as if he himself were in pain. He instinctively lowered his head and blew on it gently.

The warm breath made Shen Qingzhu’s fingers twitch slightly.

Realizing his impulsive gesture, Zhou Song flushed with embarrassment and let go. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

But before he could finish, Shen Qingzhu held his hand in place, the slight pressure of his fingertips holding him captive. Though Zhou Song could easily pull away, he found himself unable to move, staring as Shen Qingzhu placed his hand back in his palm.

Shen Qingzhu’s eyes gleamed like sunlight on a rippling lake. “I feel a bit cold.”

Almost instinctively, Zhou Song wrapped his hand around Shen Qingzhu’s, warming it with his own. Though his face flushed, his hold was firm and resolute.

This gesture warmed Shen Qingzhu’s heart, lifting the cloud of disgust that Zhou Xiaofu had left behind. He then remembered to complain softly, “I ran into your cousin on that path…”

Zhou Song, who had been savoring the moment, froze and looked up.

Shen Qingzhu lowered his eyes, letting a hint of vulnerability show. “He tried to hurt me. I was terrified.”

There was a long silence after he spoke, and Shen Qingzhu looked up in confusion.

The gentle Zhou Song now wore a dark, fierce expression, his gaze like a wolf on the hunt, with an aura that sent a slight chill through Shen Qingzhu despite knowing it wasn’t directed at him.

He heard Zhou Song’s low, threatening voice.

“Where is he?”