Chapter 21 2/2

The lane was densely packed with houses, old residences typical of the provincial capital. Outside the lane was a dock, and there were not many shops nearby, so apart from the residents of this area, few people frequented it.

However, the houses in the lane were small and crowded, so it was already quite lively.

Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu turned left and right in the narrow and endless lane for about fifteen minutes before finally finding Wu Lianhe’s address.

Ji Taoyu knocked on the door with a pair of slightly crude and even slightly green red couplets pasted on it. Soon, a voice came from inside: “Who is it?”

The response was a female voice, but when the door opened, a boy stuck his head out.

The boy had a youthful face but was quite tall. He straightened up and was almost as tall as Ji Taoyu.

Seeing the two unfamiliar faces, he was about to ask who they were, but then a woman came out hurriedly from the kitchen, wearing an apron. She crossed the short courtyard and came straight over. “Brother Huo, Taoyu is here! Come in quickly!”

Wu Lianhe quickly introduced the boy, “This is your father’s apprentice, and from now on, you should call him Uncle Huo.”

Zhao Pan looked at the tall and sturdy Huo Shu, quite curious as such a physique was rare in Jiangnan. However, she still followed her mother’s instructions and tentatively called out, “Uncle Huo.”

“Huo Shu noticed the slightly round face of Zhao Pan in front of him, with thick black eyebrows, resembling a miniature version of Zhao Changsui.

Zhao Changsui’s demeanor was kind and almost foolish, smiling like a simpleton, even after becoming a corporal, he still sometimes needed help from Zhao Pan to deal with troublemakers.

He squatted down, squeezing Zhao Pan’s shoulder. ‘You look a lot like your father.’

Zhao Pan had long heard from his mother about his father and had been looking forward to meeting him today.

Seeing the tall, stern man who arrived, he didn’t feel the same apprehension as others did when they first saw Huo Shu. Instead, because he had longed for his father’s affection since childhood, he felt a sense of closeness upon realizing the intricate connection between this man and his biological father.

‘Huo Uncle.’

Huo Shu handed Zhao Pan something. ‘Your mother told me you’re attending a private school, so I got you a set of writing supplies. Take a look.’

Excited about the gift, Zhao Pan’s face lit up with a smile as he eagerly took the package. ‘Thank you, Huo Uncle.’

After expressing his gratitude, he couldn’t wait to unwrap the gift.

‘It’s the Four Treasures of the Study from Qingzhuangfang!’

Seeing the items, Zhao Pan’s eyes sparkled with joy. ‘And is this scented ink?’

He eagerly brought the inkstick to his nose, delightedly squinting his eyes and revealing his tiger teeth. ‘It really is scented ink! Huo Uncle, you know about these things!’

He quickly bowed to Huo Shu again. ‘Thank you, Huo Uncle.’

‘Huo Big Brother coming over was meant as a token of appreciation from me and the child. You didn’t have to go through the trouble.’

Huo Shu stood up, watching Zhao Pan’s joyous demeanor, resembling his father so much that even her temperament was similar, truly a carefree soul.

When Zhao Changsui was a new recruit, despite being bullied and enduring hardships, she could still talk endlessly, encouraging others. Even when eating a simple meal like a steamed bun, she would be as happy as if it were New Year’s.

She said, ‘As long as the child is happy.’

After speaking, she glanced at Ji Taoyu beside her, expressing gratitude.

‘I’ll go make tea for Huo Uncle.’

With the gift in her hands, Zhao Pan also looked at Ji Taoyu and asked her mother for help, ‘Who is this sister?’

‘This is the older sister from the main family in the ancestral village, the same generation as me. You can call her Aunt Taoyu.’

Understanding, Zhao Pan called out to her respectfully before running inside to make tea for the two.

Wu Lianhe was also surprised to see Taoyu here. Although she hadn’t returned to the village for many years, her parents and siblings occasionally came to the city to visit her.

She knew some of the major events in the village and understood that Taoyu was engaged to someone from the Ji family.

After the child entered the house, she asked, ‘What’s the relationship between Huo Big Brother and Xiaotao?’

Taoyu was about to explain but found it difficult to start. Before she could say anything, Huo Shu, who wasn’t interested in such complicated matters, spoke up first, ‘I asked her to come with me.'”

“A single sentence stopped Wu Lianhe’s inquiries. Seeing this, Wu Lianhe didn’t say much, warmly inviting the two inside to sit.

‘I went to the market early this morning and bought some meat and vegetables. It’s almost ready now. Pan’er also went to join the hustle and bustle this morning. Crabs are plump this season, and I thought since Huo Big Brother is from the north, he probably rarely gets to eat these things, so I bought quite a few.’

Taoyu stood up. ‘Let me help Sister Wu.’

‘No need, you sit! Just a couple of dishes are fine. You’ve come to the city for a rare visit, there’s no reason for you to work. Sit down and rest for a while.’

Wu Lianhe pressed Taoyu back into her chair. ‘Have some fruit tea.’

Zhao Pan hurriedly brought the tea over. ‘It’s chrysanthemum tea.’

There was also a plate of pumpkin seeds.

Taoyu liked floral tea and was feeling a bit thirsty after the journey, so she happily sat down and had a cup.

Zhao Pan had thought Huo Shu would ask him many questions, but after Huo Shu entered the house, he didn’t utter a word, remaining silent like a mute.

Wanting to talk to Huo Shu, Zhao Pan took the initiative. ‘Huo Uncle, let me show you the characters I’ve written.’

He then fetched a stack of paper he had written on.

‘Master praised me for making some progress a few days ago.’

Taoyu, munching on pumpkin seeds, watched as Huo Shu examined the characters on the paper with great seriousness, but he remained silent.

Standing beside Huo Shu, Zhao Pan noticed the slight frown on the man’s face, which was already serious enough, but now it seemed even colder. Feeling anxious, he lowered his voice. ‘Huo Uncle, are my writings not good?’

Seeing several sheets of paper with the same words written on them, Huo Shu didn’t quite understand why he would write the same thing multiple times after learning how to write. Wasn’t it a waste of paper?

Just as he was at a loss for words, a head with a hint of herbal scent leaned over and glanced at the characters on the paper. ‘Hmm, the layout is beautiful, the strokes are smooth, and the lines are elegant. It’s good!’

Zhao Pan’s eyes lit up again. ‘Uncle Taoyu knows how to read? Just like Master said!’

Taoyu said, ‘Yes, I know. I also studied for several years.’

The Ji family collectively funded a teacher to educate their offspring, originally only for boys. However, since there was only one child in their family, her father said there was no reason not to send her to school, so regardless of gender, all the children from the different branches of the family went to study together.

Some of her cousins found studying boring and stopped after learning to read, but she found it interesting. Since there was no objection at home, she continued to study for seven or eight years and gained some literacy skills.

‘Uncle Taoyu is really amazing.’

Although praised by Taoyu, Zhao Pan didn’t feel too happy.

Seeing Zhao Pan’s hesitation, Taoyu, understanding children’s thoughts well, wanted him to talk to Huo Shu and get closer to him. But Huo Shu was naturally reticent, usually not one to chat idly.

Anyway, with his stern face and silence, he didn’t feel it was inappropriate, but others might feel uncomfortable.

Of course, she also understood that Huo Shu, who had served in the northern frontier for ten years, wasn’t very knowledgeable in literature and art.

Taoyu beckoned to Zhao Pan and whispered a few words in his ear. Zhao Pan suddenly became happy again and hurriedly went inside.

Huo Shu looked at Taoyu. ‘What did you say to him?’

Taoyu blinked. ‘I told him that you, Uncle Huo, can’t read big characters, so don’t embarrass him.’

Huo Shu squinted slightly, then slowly uttered two words. ‘I can.’

Taoyu raised her eyebrows, not arguing with Huo Shu, and instead resumed munching on pumpkin seeds.

In a moment, Zhao Pan came running out with a bow. ‘Huo Uncle, do you know archery?’

Huo Shu took the wooden bow and flicked the string with his finger. ‘I do.’

‘That’s great! Huo Uncle, could you teach me?’

Zhao Pan awkwardly pulled at the bowstring. ‘Master said I’m not young anymore, and if I want to excel in the examination halls in the future, I need to keep up with the Six Arts. The school only teaches what’s in the books, so I need to find another teacher for things like archery and horse riding.’

‘None of my uncles know how to ride or shoot, and it’s been two or three months since my mother bought me a bow, but I still haven’t figured it out.’

‘My mother is preparing to find a teacher for me, but there are few masters who teach riding and archery, and the fees are especially high.’

Taoyu said, ‘If you happen to meet someone who teaches for free, Huo Uncle’s riding and archery skills are from the battlefield, surely better than the teachers outside.’

Huo Shu heard this and subtly curved his lips. He didn’t confirm or deny, just lowered his gaze.

Suddenly, there was a swooshing sound, and a short arrow shot out from the open hall, landing firmly in the center of the target in the yard with a thud.

Zhao Pan ran to the eaves to see, only to find that the short arrow, which he couldn’t even shoot out himself, had hit the target dead center, even penetrating halfway through.

The target was just a circular sieve painted with colored circles, hanging on a clothes rack. It was still swaying back and forth after being hit, indicating how strong the force of the arrow was.

His eyes widened, mouth agape, he had never seen such archery before.

He suddenly felt that the riding and shooting masters he had seen outside were not as good as this. He admired Huo Shu even more.

Huo Shu looked at Zhao Pan in the yard. ‘Your father’s archery skills were also taught by me. I’ll teach you as well.’

In the northern frontier where warfare was rampant, boys could skip literacy education, but not equestrianism and archery. When Huo Shu entered the military camp, he was already top-notch in riding and shooting. However, Zhao Changsui, as a southern man focused on literature, didn’t know these skills.

New recruits in the military camp had to learn equestrianism and archery every day, but the training provided by officers was always simple and hasty. Huo Shu was afraid that Zhao Changsui wouldn’t understand and would die soon, so he privately taught him.

That kid was clever and quickly learned things with both instructions. However, he always had a soft heart and refused to shoot living things, which slowed his progress. No matter how much he was advised, he wouldn’t listen.”

“In the end, after two tours on the frontlines, his archery became excellent. Mainly because those who weren’t good had already died on the battlefield.”

Hearing this, Zhao Pan felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. Although he had never seen his father, he still carried his blood and always missed him.

“Thank you, Uncle Huo.”

Huo Shu stood up and glanced at Ji Taoyu beside him. “Do you want to learn?”

Taoyu guessed that Huo Shu could ride and shoot, but she didn’t expect his archery skills to be so proficient. Although she thought it was cool, she knew she didn’t have the talent for it.

She quickly waved her hand. “Forget it, I can’t even pull the bow, and I’m not strong enough.”

“Not learning is fine too, as long as there’s someone to protect you.”

Taoyu hesitated for a moment, not quite understanding what Huo Shu meant by that.

So the three of them practiced archery in the small courtyard for a while. By the time they had dinner, Zhao Pan had learned how to hold the bow and pull the arrow, although he couldn’t hit the target yet. Still, he could at least shoot the arrow out, and he was very happy with his achievement. He even dragged his mother over to demonstrate.

After laughing and playing in the courtyard for a while, they finally went inside to eat.

Wu Lianhe had been busy preparing a large table of dishes all morning and even specially brewed some good wine from the city to entertain Huo Shu.

Zhao Pan no longer felt any distance from Huo Shu and busied himself serving him wine and peeling crabs for him.

He was as attentive as a hired worker, which made Wu Lianhe feel relieved to see him so happy after a long time.

“Uncle Huo, can you teach me archery again next time?”

“Will you come to see me again?”

In the afternoon, as the sky darkened, Huo Shu prepared to leave, fearing it would rain soon.

Zhao Pan was reluctant to see him go and accompanied him all the way to the main street outside the alley. She kept asking Huo Shu questions until Wu Lianhe finally stopped her and wouldn’t let her continue.

It was understandable that Zhao Pan behaved this way. Since she was young, Wu Lianhe had sheltered her and they had lived a secluded life, rarely seeing her grandparents and uncles and aunts.

When Wu Lianhe went to work in the neighborhood when she was a child, she would be left alone at home, unable to even go to the alley to play with other children.

She understood her family’s situation and was sensible. In order not to cause trouble for Wu Lianhe, she went to study at the private school, without making any friends and often keeping to herself.

In the end, she was still a child. Huo Shu was her father’s comrade-in-arms, having spent ten years together, and now teaching her archery, so she naturally relied on him.

“Come.”

Huo Shu didn’t say much, just agreed with a sentence.

Afterwards, he looked at Wu Lianhe. “Do you plan to let the child acknowledge his ancestry?”

Wu Lianhe glanced at Zhao Pan and said, “I plan to wait until she achieves something before deciding. By then, there won’t be so many rumors.”

Huo Shu nodded. He turned to Zhao Pan and said, “If you have any problems in the future, come to the village to find me.”

“Okay!”

Zhao Pan quickly agreed.

Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu then left.

“Aunt Huo, I’ll practice archery hard!”

Huo Shu turned back at the words, seeing Zhao Pan waving vigorously at the two of them.

“If Brother Changsui is in heaven, he can rest assured to have such a good daughter.”

Taoyu said.

Huo Shu looked into the distance, agreeing with Taoyu’s words.

“It’s also because of her mother’s good guidance.”

Taoyu couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at Huo Shu’s unexpected acknowledgment of Wu Lianhe’s efforts, thinking that it was Wu Lianhe who had raised the child well, not just because of Zhao Changsui’s bloodline.

It’s not easy for men in this world to acknowledge a woman’s contribution to raising a child rather than simply boasting about the man’s achievements.

She clapped her hands together, smiling, her eyes curved. “I think so too.”