Chapter 36.2

Gu Zhijin watched Shulin eat on his own and didn’t offer to feed him, only occasionally placing food on his plate.

After tasting Li Hehua’s cooking, Gu Jinzhao decided he had to officially acknowledge Shulin as his younger brother. After the meal, he surprisingly took Shulin to his own room for an afternoon nap—a privilege even Gu Zhijin wasn’t granted. It clearly marked Shulin’s acceptance into his inner circle.

From that moment on, the two became inseparable. Even as they grew older and pursued different paths, they remained the closest of friends, their bond unshaken.

After a day of worry, Li Hehua was already waiting outside the schoolhouse before dismissal, accompanied by Zhang Tieshan.

She hadn’t seen when Zhang Tieshan arrived—he had simply appeared at the alley entrance as she was leaving the house.

She looked at him questioningly.

Zhang Tieshan explained, “It’s Shulin’s first day at school. I wanted to check on him.”

Li Hehua nodded in understanding. “Alright, come with me. Shulin will be out soon.”

She felt a bit embarrassed. Shulin was supposed to be living with Zhang Tieshan, yet now he had to travel to town just to see his own son. If Zhang Tieshan hadn’t agreed to let Shulin stay with her, she wouldn’t have been able to spend these days with him. She was deeply grateful to him.

Zhang Tieshan said nothing and silently followed her to the school gate, where they waited together.

When school let out, Shulin launched himself into Li Hehua’s arms like a whirlwind, snuggling into her without even glancing at his father.

A faint melancholy flickered across Zhang Tieshan’s face.

Li Hehua cradled Shulin, finally letting go of the worries she’d carried all day. She kissed his cheek twice and turned to Gu Zhijin. “Master Gu, was Shulin well-behaved today? Did he give you any trouble?”

Gu Zhijin smiled gently. “Not at all. He was very well-behaved and focused on his writing and painting. He needed no supervision.” He handed them a few sheets. “These are his calligraphy and painting from today. Quite remarkable for a child his age. With time, he’ll surely accomplish great things.”

Li Hehua eagerly accepted the papers and unfurled them for Zhang Tieshan to see.

The calligraphy featured the simplest characters—yi (one), er (two), san (three)—but the brushwork already showed early signs of elegance and control. The painting was even more delightful: a scene of a child herding an ox. Though drawn with childish lines, the composition was vivid and full of charm, clearly shaped under Gu Zhijin’s guidance.

Overjoyed, Li Hehua kissed Shulin again. “Shulin, you’re amazing!”

The little one peeked up from her shoulder, blinking at her with a soft expression.

After chatting briefly with Gu Zhijin, Li Hehua carried Shulin home. Zhang Tieshan followed behind, carrying Shulin’s satchel and lunch basket.

Li Hehua couldn’t help but feel a trace of sympathy for Zhang Tieshan. Why does it feel like he’s barely present as a father? she wondered. Shulin hasn’t acknowledged him at all. His heart must be breaking…

Feeling a little guilty, she looked back at him. He still hadn’t spoken a word to his son.

Trying to ease the awkwardness, Li Hehua said, “Zhang Tieshan, would you like to come in and play with Shulin while I prepare dinner?”

Zhang Tieshan paused, then nodded. He took Shulin from her arms. “Go ahead and cook. I’ll watch him for a while.”

Li Hehua nodded and went into the kitchen, where Xie Saozi was preparing ingredients for the next day’s meals. Since Zhang Tieshan would be heading back to the village in the dark, she decided he might as well eat dinner here too. After all, he’d been kind enough to let her keep Shulin with her.

To save time, Li Hehua made a big pot of chicken dumpling soup. She filled the largest bowl in the house and brought it to the main room for Zhang Tieshan and Shulin to share. She and Xie Saozi ate in the kitchen.

As they ate, Xie Saozi glanced at Li Hehua several times, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating.

Li Hehua noticed. “Xie Saozi , is something on your mind? Feel free to speak.”

Xie Saozi glanced toward the main room. After a moment’s hesitation, she leaned in slightly. “This might be out of line, but you’re a good woman, so I wanted to remind you. Don’t take it the wrong way.”

Li Hehua smiled. “It’s fine. Go ahead.”

Lowering her voice, Xie Saozi said, “I’ve seen that man around a few times now. Didn’t you two divorce? Why does he keep coming by? It’s not good for your reputation. If word gets around, it’ll be hard for you to remarry.”

Xie Saozi had asked before about Zhang Tieshan’s identity, and Li Hehua had answered honestly: he was Shulin’s father, and they were divorced.

Li Hehua understood the sentiment. People of this era were deeply conservative. A single woman spending time with a man, even her ex-husband, was enough to spark rumors. If  Xie Saozi was bringing it up, whispers had likely already begun.

But Li Hehua didn’t care much about gossip. As long as she lived upright and did no harm, she couldn’t concern herself with every opinion. People who wanted to talk would always find something to talk about.

Besides, she had no plans to remarry. In this era, what could a divorced woman expect from remarriage? More likely than not, she’d end up as a stepmother or someone’s unpaid servant. Why invite such misery when she could live comfortably and independently?

Knowing Xie Saozi wouldn’t share her views, Li Hehua said gently, “Thank you for your concern, Sister-in-law. You’re not wrong, but he’s Shulin’s father. I’m grateful he lets Shulin stay with me. If he wants to see his son and spend time with him, how could I refuse? What kind of person would I be if I kept a father from his child?”

Xie Saozi thought about it and nodded. “That’s true. Shulin’s father does seem like a decent man. But Sister, if this goes on too long, how will you ever remarry? Men always ask about a woman’s reputation first. What if—”

Li Hehua patted her hand. “I understand, but I really don’t intend to remarry. Look at the world around us. How many second marriages bring women happiness?”

Xie Saozi fell silent. Second marriages rarely went well for women. More often than not, they were taken for granted and treated poorly.

Still, how could a woman remain unmarried forever?

Seeing she was about to protest again, Li Hehua smiled and cut her off. “Enough, Sister. Don’t worry about me. I’m making a decent living, and life is peaceful. Besides, who would want someone like me? No one’s going to bother trying to match me with anyone now. You’re overthinking it.”

She said it lightly, trying to reassure her. She had no idea fate was already working behind the scenes.

The very next day, someone introduced her to a potential match.