Chapter 41

Zhang Tieshan had been hunting alone in the mountains since he was fifteen. The first time he went out, he suffered a serious injury and lost a lot of blood. He was on the brink of death, and his mother nearly fainted from crying. But he pulled through. Less than half a month later, he was already out of bed and moving around again.

Over the years, he’d been injured countless times. During his years in the military, he faced death repeatedly. Yet he never once cried out in pain. He always bore it silently, telling himself, It’s nothing, just a scratch. With time, he truly began to believe that small injuries weren’t worth fussing over, and he never gave them a second thought.

But now, as Li Hehua finished rubbing medicinal wine into his back and asked again if it still hurt, he met her worried eyes and, as if under a spell, he nodded.

Seeing him admit it hurt, Li Hehua’s face filled with guilt. She couldn’t ease his pain, so she bent over his back and gently blew on the sore spot. “Let me blow on it—it’ll help with the pain.”

The warm breath made Zhang Tieshan’s ears flush red, and his back stiffened.

Li Hehua saw his tense posture and assumed it was from pain. Guilt and worry surged again. There was nothing she could do to make him heal faster, so she resolved to make nourishing food for him—something to help his recovery along.

“Zhang Tieshan, you haven’t eaten since lunch, right? You must be starving. Just hold on a little longer—I’ll stew some chicken soup for you. I’ll head to the market and buy a free-range chicken. It’ll help your body heal.” As she spoke, she turned to leave.

Zhang Tieshan quickly grabbed her arm. “Don’t go to all that trouble. Just make something simple.”

In truth, he wasn’t comfortable letting her go out alone. Even though those men had clearly fled, he still worried they might come back.

Li Hehua shook her head. “No, we don’t have anything nourishing at home. I need to make something good to help you recover. I’ll be quick—it’s no trouble.”

Zhang Tieshan wanted to say it was just a minor injury, not even bleeding. He’d be fine in a few days. But when he saw the concern in her eyes, the words caught in his throat. Instead, he stood up and said, “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“You’re injured—how can you just go walking around?” Li Hehua quickly pushed him back down. “You should stay home and rest. I’ll go on my own.”

Zhang Tieshan chuckled, took her hand from his shoulder, and led her toward the door. “Come on, I’ll go with you. I don’t feel right letting you go alone. Who knows if those men might come back?”

Li Hehua was startled. She hadn’t considered that. Those men had clearly been sent to cause trouble. Since their task wasn’t complete, they might return if they saw she was unguarded.

It was true—she needed Zhang Tieshan with her.

Just as she was about to agree, she suddenly noticed her hand was still in his. Her face flushed, and she quickly pulled it back.

Zhang Tieshan acted as if he hadn’t noticed, letting her hand go naturally. “Come on, lock the door.”

Li Hehua blinked and, seeing he was already walking out ahead, forced herself to shake off the awkwardness and follow. It took a while before the redness on her face faded.

Maybe it was because Zhang Tieshan was with her, but nothing happened on the way. They smoothly bought the chicken and returned home without incident.

Without another word, Zhang Tieshan grabbed a knife and took the chicken out to slaughter. Li Hehua breathed a sigh of relief—truthfully, she’d never killed a chicken before. She had planned to grit her teeth and do it, but now the problem was solved.

With the chicken taken care of, Li Hehua boiled water and got ready to pluck the feathers. Just as the water finished heating, Zhang Tieshan came back in with the fully bled chicken.

“Let me take it—I’ll handle it,” she offered, reaching for it.

But Zhang Tieshan lifted his arm and dodged her hand. “It’s fine—I’ll do it. The water’s too hot. I don’t want you to burn yourself.” He placed the chicken in the basin and expertly began plucking the feathers.

With nothing else to do, Li Hehua went outside to organize the cart. Her heart wasn’t in it, though. She could hear movement from the kitchen and felt a mess of emotions stirring inside her.

Today, Zhang Tieshan seemed… different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something off. It wasn’t just that he stood up for her—that might be expected—but why did he hold her hand? Why was he so concerned about her getting burned?

Was it some kind of gentlemanly behavior? But did such things even exist in this era?

The way he treated her felt a little… ambiguous. But when she thought about it more, it seemed absurd. She was living under Li Hehua’s identity—a woman with a terrible reputation. Zhang Tieshan used to hate her. How could he possibly like her?

Even putting that aside, with her looks and figure now, how could someone like Zhang Tieshan ever be interested in her? She didn’t believe it for a second.

Most likely, he was just being kind for Shulin’s sake. The child depended on her and she treated him well—Zhang Tieshan was probably just repaying that kindness. That had to be it.

Feeling reassured by this reasoning, she told herself she’d been overthinking things.

While her thoughts swirled, Zhang Tieshan emerged from the kitchen. “The chicken’s all cleaned up.”

Li Hehua snapped out of it, eyes flickering as she gathered herself. “Oh… I’ll go make the soup. You should rest.”

Zhang Tieshan noticed her awkwardness and didn’t follow her into the kitchen.

Li Hehua breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn’t want him helping—if he did, her thoughts would start running wild again. Thankfully, after the meal, he went to pick up Shulin and left shortly afterward, though not without reminding her to lock the doors and stay safe at night.

Truthfully, she would’ve done that anyway. Who knew if those people might sneak back? If something happened to her, fine—but Shulin couldn’t be put in danger.

After thinking it over, she still felt uneasy about keeping Shulin with her. “Zhang Tieshan, take Shulin home with you tonight. I don’t feel safe having him stay here. It’s better if he’s with you.”

Before Zhang Tieshan could respond, the little guy threw himself at her leg and hugged her tightly.

Li Hehua sighed. She knew the child couldn’t bear to part with her, but his safety came first. No risk could be taken—not even the smallest one. She scooped him up and kissed his cheek. “Shulin, how about you spend the night with Daddy? You haven’t stayed at his place in days. Grandma and Little Uncle haven’t seen you in a while—they must really miss you.”

The little guy blinked and shook his head stubbornly, still clinging to her neck. It was clear he didn’t want to go.

Li Hehua tried again, “Grandma and Little Uncle love you, right? But you don’t want to see them? That’ll make them sad, won’t it? Just go home with Daddy for a bit so they can see you, okay?”

His shaking slowed a little.

Li Hehua saw she was getting through to him and was about to continue when Zhang Tieshan suddenly picked him up.

Looking into his son’s eyes, Zhang Tieshan said gently but firmly, “Shulin, haven’t I told you? You’re a little man now.”

The boy blinked, suddenly looking serious.

“If you’re a little man, you should know that protecting Mama is your job too. She’s scared to sleep alone—so you need to stay here and keep her company, okay?”

It was as if the boy had found the perfect excuse to stay. His eyes lit up and he turned, throwing his arms open for Li Hehua to hold him.

Li Hehua’s eyes widened. “Zhang Tieshan! What are you telling him?!”

But Zhang Tieshan, looking at her flustered expression, didn’t feel intimidated at all. He found it funny. The corners of his lips curled up. “Just let Shulin stay with you. Don’t worry—those people won’t come back. I promise.”

Li Hehua was still annoyed. She had nearly convinced the boy to leave, and now everything was messed up again. What if something really did happen?

Seeing her still upset, Zhang Tieshan gently handed Shulin back into her arms. “Alright, I promise—you and Shulin will be completely safe. So don’t be mad, okay?”

That last line sounded like he was coaxing a child. It made Li Hehua feel flustered again. She held Shulin and said nothing.

Zhang Tieshan smiled and waved. “Alright, you two head in. I’ll get going.” With that, he walked off down the alley and disappeared from view.

Li Hehua pouted and carried Shulin back into the house. She locked the doors tightly but remained on edge all night. She didn’t sleep well, waking up over and over to listen for any suspicious noises outside.

The night passed uneventfully. Although she didn’t rest well, she still woke up at the first crow of the rooster. She lay in bed unable to sleep, so she got up and decided to make a hearty breakfast.

She planned to make soup dumplings and egg pancakes—two things she’d never made for Shulin before. With plenty of time, she could make enough for Shulin to take to Mr. Gu and Gu Jin Zhao too. If Zhang Tieshan dropped by, he could have some as well. If not, she’d save a portion for him.

As soon as she made up her mind, Li Hehua fetched some flour, kneaded the dough, chopped the meat filling, and started wrapping soup dumplings.

Just as all the prep work was done and she was about to light the stove, she suddenly heard barking outside the door.

But there weren’t any dogs in this alley… so where did that bark come from? Had she misheard?

She held her breath and listened closely. There really was barking—not loud, but definitely there. The sound came from right outside her courtyard.

Li Hehua’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly set down what she was holding, tiptoed behind the stove to grab the firewood stick, and crept into the courtyard toward the door.

“Woof woof… whimper…”

Yes, the sound was coming from right outside! Li Hehua swallowed nervously, gripped the firewood stick tighter, and pressed her body against the door. Her heart was pounding so loudly it felt like it might burst out of her chest. But for her safety and Shulin’s, she gritted her teeth and shouted sternly, “Who’s out there?!”

To her surprise, a familiar voice answered immediately, “It’s me.”

It was Zhang Tieshan!

All her tension melted in an instant. The stick slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground. She didn’t even bother to pick it up—she just rushed to open the door. Sure enough, Zhang Tieshan was standing outside, and beside him squatted a dog as tall as a small person, looking fierce and intimidating.

Li Hehua was stunned. “Zhang Tieshan? Why are you here so early?”

Zhang Tieshan smiled faintly. “I got up early.”

Early? But it was barely dawn. It took him more than half an hour to walk from the village to town. Just how early had he gotten up?

Li Hehua studied him. Only then did she notice the redness in his eyes, the dark circles, and the stubble on his chin. He looked exhausted and a bit haggard—it was obvious he hadn’t slept well at all.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?” she asked.

Zhang Tieshan pressed his lips together and nodded. “Not really. But it’s fine.” He patted the dog’s head. “I brought you this dog. It’s smart and strong. From now on, you can keep it to watch the house—you won’t need to be afraid anymore.”

Li Hehua froze. She hadn’t expected Zhang Tieshan to not only worry about their safety but to actually find a guard dog for them overnight. And such a big, fierce-looking one at that.

He’s… just like my older brother.

Truthfully, she really did need a dog like this for protection. After a moment’s thought, she didn’t refuse. Words felt inadequate for the gratitude she felt, so instead, she resolved to thank him through her cooking.

She welcomed Zhang Tieshan and the dog inside and closed the gate behind them. Then she finally got a good look at their new companion. The dog was huge, its body sturdy and imposing, with a sleek, shiny coat that gave off an air of intimidation. Its eyes were especially fierce—just looking at it would make most people back away.

“Where did you find such a dog? It looks so ferocious,” Li Hehua asked in awe.

Zhang Tieshan chuckled. “It is fierce, but it won’t bite its owner. It’s very loyal. Its mother was a dog I raised myself, and it had three pups. All of them inherited her temperament—excellent guard dogs. I picked the best one for you. From now on, it’ll protect you and Shulin.”

In truth, this wasn’t just any mutt—it was a wolfdog, a very capable one. Its mother had been raised by Zhang Tieshan himself, but during his time away at war, the old dog passed away. His mother couldn’t manage all the puppies, so two of them were given to Luo Er’s family to raise. When Zhang Tieshan returned, the one he left at home had gone missing—thanks to Li Hehua’s former self.

The two dogs at Luo Er’s place, however, had grown strong and healthy. They resembled their mother in both looks and temperament—fierce and loyal, perfect for guarding a home.

After yesterday’s events, he thought of those dogs. If he left one here, it could keep Li Hehua and Shulin safe. He returned to the village, picked one up from Luo Er’s family, and came back to town in the night, keeping watch outside their courtyard with the dog until dawn.

But he had no intention of telling Li Hehua any of that.

Li Hehua looked at the dog. It might look scary, but it didn’t feel threatening to her—in fact, it felt oddly familiar. She had always liked dogs. Back in the modern world, she had owned a husky—an infamously chaotic one, but dearly loved all the same. Sometimes, she missed that silly creature terribly.

Though she could never see her husky again, this new dog felt like a blessing. It was going to be her and the little one’s new bodyguard. She instantly adored it and resolved to treat it even better than her old husky.

“By the way, what’s its name?” she asked.

Zhang Tieshan patted the dog’s head. “Heizi.”

As soon as he said the name, the dog barked loudly, “Woof!”

Li Hehua laughed. “It’s so smart! It knows we’re talking about it!”

Zhang Tieshan smiled too, seeing her so happy.

The more she looked at Heizi, the more she liked him. She couldn’t resist the urge to pet him. “Can I touch him now? He won’t mind?”

Zhang Tieshan nudged the dog toward her. “Go ahead. Heizi is your dog now—he won’t reject you.”

Encouraged by his words, Li Hehua reached out and gently stroked Heizi’s furry head. Sure enough, Heizi didn’t flinch. Instead, he rubbed his head against her hand like a big softie. He was incredibly well-behaved.

“Zhang Tieshan, he’s nuzzling me!” she said, delighted.

He smiled. “Mm. He’s accepted you as his owner. He’ll stick close to you from now on.”

Li Hehua beamed, patting Heizi’s head again. “Come on, Heizi! Let’s go make you some meat!”

Heizi understood her words and followed eagerly behind her.

Zhang Tieshan watched the pair—one woman, one dog—and his eyes softened with a quiet smile.