Chapter 16

“Chang Sui!”

The door suddenly swung open, and a woman in her twenties rushed in, her cheeks flushed from the haste.

When they saw each other, both parties clearly paused for a moment.

“Wu Sanjie.”

Taoyu stood up and called out softly, afraid that Wu Lianhe wouldn’t recognize him. He intended to introduce himself, but Wu Lianhe squeezed out a smile and called him, “Ta… Taoger.”

“Wu Sanjie still recognizes me?”

“How could I not recognize you? You’re as handsome as when you were a child.”

Although they were old acquaintances from the same hometown, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wu Lianhe’s thoughts were all on Zhao Changsui. She hurriedly brought out the hairpin. “Where did this come from?”

As she spoke, she didn’t even notice her own voice trembling.

Seeing this, Taoyu stepped forward and closed the door. He introduced Huo Shu standing beside him. “This is Changsui Ge’s token. He specially brought this hairpin back from the north.”

When Wu Lianhe entered the room, she saw Huo Shu. She originally thought it was Zhao Changsui who had returned, but upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t him.

She felt a sense of unease in her heart. When she heard Taoyu’s introduction, Wu Lianhe’s heart sank into an abyss, tears welling up visibly in her eyes.

Finally seeing the person Zhao Changsui had been longing for, Huo Shu also stood up. He looked at Wu Lianhe for a moment, then finally focused his gaze on the hairpin.

“This is something he always carried with him, whether on the battlefield or not. Before he died, he entrusted it to me. Now that it’s returned to its owner, I have fulfilled my promise.”

Wu Lianhe looked at Huo Shu steadily, then suddenly glanced at the sky, preventing the tears that were about to burst from her eyes from falling. She clenched the fingers holding the hairpin tightly, almost wanting to break it.

After a long silence, she suddenly laughed, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.

“For so many years, I thought he had forgotten about me.”

Seeing this, Huo Shu frowned slightly. “No, during the eight years in the Northern Territory, he never forgot for a single day, until he closed his eyes.”

Wu Lianhe looked at Huo Shu’s stern face, and his words, devoid of any fluctuation in tone, seemed to be stating something insignificant.

But the more he spoke like this, the more reassured she felt, because she couldn’t help but believe that everything he said was true.

“As long as he didn’t forget about me, that’s all I need.”

Wu Lianhe smiled, “In that case, these years haven’t been in vain for me. It’s not like a joke.”

Although Taoyu had never experienced such emotions firsthand, seeing Wu Lianhe like this deeply moved him.

He stepped forward to support the swaying woman. “Sister Wu, please have a seat.”

Wu Lianhe sat down as instructed.

“Back then, did Sister Wu and your family have a falling out because of Brother Changsui?”

Taoyu poured a cup of tea and gently handed it to Wu Lianhe, asking the question that had been on his mind.

“Yes, Brother Changsui was conscripted, and I wanted to save money to pay his military service exemption tax, so he wouldn’t have to travel far to serve. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough money, and borrowing from my family didn’t work out. Instead, it let my family know about our relationship.”

The Wu family didn’t agree with the two of us being together. The Zhao family was poor, but as long as the man was hardworking and ambitious, things would eventually improve. However, there was also an elderly father bedridden with paralysis to support, and the continuous need for medical expenses. Given the Wu family’s financial situation, they could easily find a good family for Wu Lianhe to marry into, so they were unwilling to let their daughter suffer.

Knowing that Zhao Changsui was going to serve in the army, the Wu family thought it was a good opportunity to break off the relationship between the two. How could they be willing to lend money to subsidize the Zhao family?

Later, when Zhao Changsui went to the Northern Territory, the Wu family immediately arranged for Wu Lianhe to marry someone else.

But the two had already made a lifelong commitment. Wu Lianhe refused to marry anyone but Zhao Changsui, insisting on waiting for him to come back, which led to several disputes with her family.

The Wu family scolded and even beat her, and even thought about starving Wu Lianhe for a few days to force her to give in. But Wu Lianhe was strong-willed and refused to yield, even if it meant starving to death.

After all, she was their own flesh and blood, and the family’s intention was only to make her life better, not to drive her to death. In the end, they had to yield to her.

“If that’s the case, why did Sister Wu leave the village and tell others she went to the mountains? If she openly said she was engaged to the Zhao family and waiting for Brother Changsui to come back, the villagers wouldn’t gossip. On the contrary, they would think Sister Wu was loyal.”

Wu Lianhe looked at Taoyu and said frankly, “Because I was pregnant with Changsui’s child.”

Taoyu’s eyes widened, and even Huo Shu, who was usually calm, furrowed his brow.

Huo Shu originally wanted to ask directly where the child was now, but his sleeve was tugged.

Taoyu was worried that the child might no longer be alive, and Huo Shu’s straightforwardness might unintentionally cause heartache, so he signaled him not to ask right away.

Fortunately, Wu Lianhe continued and addressed their concerns. “I hadn’t married yet and was already pregnant. Staying at home would only bring shame to my family. My parents and brothers pitied me and sent me to the city to live.”

Upon hearing this, Huo Shu glanced at Taoyu. Seeing that he didn’t stop him, he asked, “Where is the child?”

Wu Lianhe respected Huo Shu and didn’t hide anything. “He’s living with me now. When he’s older, I’ll send him to a private school. I work in the neighborhood during the day, and when I finish work, he’s usually done with school as well.”

Taoyu was surprised to hear this and couldn’t help but feel sorry for Wu Lianhe. “It hasn’t been easy for Sister Wu to raise a child on her own all these years.”

“It’s all in the past. Fortunately, I have some skills, and the owner of the fabric store appreciates me. I’ve been doing well these past two years. It was harder two years ago when I didn’t have a job, relying solely on my family’s support.”

Wu Lianhe sighed as she spoke, “In the past few years, I felt guilty for burdening my family.”

Finally meeting someone from the same hometown, Wu Lianhe couldn’t help but ask, “Is Madame Yuan doing well? I heard that Mr. Zhao passed away earlier. Actually, you should take the child to visit him. Unfortunately, it’s not appropriate, and I’m afraid it will only cause trouble for the old man.”

Taoyu looked at Huo Shu and said, “Madame Yuan has recognized Brother Huo Shu as her adopted son. With Brother Huo taking care of her in the future, Sister Wu doesn’t need to worry.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Lianhe couldn’t help but feel relieved. “That’s great! I haven’t been able to fulfill my filial duties to the elders, and I often feel uneasy. Now that someone is taking care of the elders, I can rest assured.”

Huo Shu nodded. “Can I meet the child?”

“Sister Wu, are you done with your work?”

A knocking sound came from outside the door. “The weaver in the back workshop needs you to check the new silk thread, and the shopkeeper will come soon.”

Wu Lianhe sighed. She wanted to tell the person outside not to disturb her at this time, but her livelihood was too important for her to be stubborn, even at a time like this when she just learned about her husband’s death.

Her husband’s death was already a foregone conclusion, but the child still had to be raised, and life had to go on.

“I’m coming.”

Taking a deep breath, Wu Lianhe stood up. She looked apologetically at Huo Shu and Taoyu. “Brother Huo, Brother Taoyu, I’m sorry, but I can’t leave my work in the neighborhood. It’s really inconvenient.”

Taoyu quickly said, “Neighborhood matters are important, Sister Wu. You go ahead and take care of it.”

Wu Lianhe nodded and hastily composed herself. She took a piece of paper from the side shelf and wrote a few words on it. “Brother Huo, this is my current address. Please make sure to come then. I want the child to meet you.”

Huo Shu glanced at the paper and pocketed it. “Okay.”

Wu Lianhe looked at the item she had been holding tightly in her hand. “This hairpin…”

Huo Shu said, “It belongs to its rightful owner.”

Wu Lianhe nodded and touched the hairpin repeatedly, feeling as if her last glimmer of hope had turned to ashes that day.

She felt a heavy shadow looming over her, making her tremble all over, but there was no time for more grief.

Wu Lianhe turned around, took a deep breath, and put the crabapple hairpin back in her hair.

Before leaving, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, tidied herself up, and bowed to the people in the room before opening the door and leaving.

Wu Lianhe walked for a long time, but Taoyu was still standing at the door, unable to recover from his daze.

“I didn’t expect the whole story to be like this. There are so many unfaithful people in the world, but it’s rare to find such unwavering loyalty.”

He sighed deeply, feeling a lot of emotions in his heart. “It’s just that Sister Wu waited for so many years, and when she finally heard the news, she couldn’t even cry her heart out immediately. Instead, she had to maintain her composure and continue working. It’s really too hard for her.”

A woman raising a child and trying to make ends meet naturally had no time for anything else.

Even if her heart was already broken, she still had to drag herself through each day with a blank expression.

He turned to look at Huo Shu, but there was hardly any fluctuation on his face. Taoyu couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Huo, don’t you feel anything?”

“I do. But women who have lost their husbands and children in the Northern Territory are commonplace. I’ve seen it since I was a child, so I thought it was normal.”

As each body falls on the battlefield, it represents the blood and tears of many families left behind, and how many of them were destroyed by his own hands.

He didn’t deny that his heart was already harder than others’. If he were soft-hearted, he would have turned into dust long ago.

Taoyu suddenly felt that he had said too much. Considering Huo Shu’s background in the turbulent Northern Territory, he felt guilty for saying these things.

However, Huo Shu didn’t mind. His gaze seemed to drift away, and he suddenly felt a weight lifted off his chest.

He picked up the tea and poured it out the window onto the ground. “I’ve completed the tasks you assigned me. You can rest assured.”

“However, this time, you’re stronger than me.”

Taoyu watched Huo Shu’s actions silently, pursing his lips.

Indeed, Chang Sui was strong. Not only did he have a faithful girl waiting for him, but he also had a child in the world and a brother willing to fulfill his wishes even at the cost of traveling a thousand miles.

The atmosphere in the room seemed a bit heavy. Taoyu didn’t know what to say to lighten the mood when he suddenly saw Huo Shu looking at him.

“As a man, it’s natural to be happy to give everything to his girl, to defy his parents’ orders and wait patiently for many years, and even raise a child alone.”

“But as a girl, one should cherish oneself, consider the consequences of everything, and prioritize one’s own well-being. If one acts rashly without considering the future, it’s fine if one is lucky enough to meet a faithful man, but if one is unlucky and meets someone with a wandering heart, it will be too late to regret it.”

Taoyu’s brow furrowed slightly. He didn’t expect Huo Shu, who usually spoke little, to have such a balanced view on the matter.

However, why did he suddenly say these things?

Seeing Taoyu’s puzzled expression, Huo Shu said coldly, “Before you get married, it’s best not to mess around with others.”

“!”

Taoyu widened his eyes, his mind suddenly blank.

“Mess, mess around with what? Who… who behaves like what you said? I have always had proper interactions with others, never crossing the line!”

“Not now, but can you guarantee in the future?”

Taoyu hurriedly said, “Why couldn’t I?”

Huo Shu casually looked at the stubborn young man. “If that person raises his hand and swears to the heavens that you are his lifelong love, and you are his only choice, can you refrain from overstepping?”

“Me? Yeah, I can.”

“Alright, but can you still remain clear-headed when that person, with tearful eyes, tries to evoke sympathy, portraying themselves as pitiful and in distress? Can you guarantee your clarity of mind at that moment?”

“You see them with tears streaming down their face, asking for a hug, asking for a kiss; could you still refuse them?”

As Taoyu listened to these probing questions, her face flushed suddenly, and she hurriedly replied, “I absolutely wouldn’t do that.”

Huo Shu looked at the young man in front of him, his face reddened, realizing he was too inexperienced in the ways of the world.

He stopped his somewhat cruel assumptions, fearing that these inquiries might be too sharp and wound him.

But if someone did indeed disappoint him, he could always wield his sword again.

After all, in recent years, who hadn’t he killed?