As the sun gradually set, cooking smoke rose throughout the village. Fallen autumn leaves scattered, adding to both the desolate and warm atmosphere of the bustling Qi Shan Village.

Zhou Song, carrying a bow and arrow on his back and holding a basket filled with eggs and cured meat, stopped in front of Lin Erzhu’s house. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

“Coming, coming!”

A loud voice quickly sounded from within, followed by hurried footsteps. The wooden door swung open, revealing Lin Erzhu’s cheerful face. “I was just saying you should be arriving about now.”

Without ceremony, Zhou Song handed over the basket in his hand. “Take it to the kitchen for Auntie.”

Lin Erzhu took it without hesitation, seeing it was just some common food, and led Zhou Song inside, his gaze landing on the bow Zhou Song carried. “Brother Song, you didn’t even go hunting, so why are you still carrying a bow? And it looks new… Ow!”

As he reached out to touch it, Zhou Song smacked his hand, making Lin Erzhu yelp and shake his hand in pain, muttering, “Fine, fine, no need to hit just because I can’t touch it…”

Zhou Song ignored him, giving him a glance before stepping further into the yard. But just as he took two steps, he suddenly stopped.

In front of the main room, Shen Qingzhu stood there in simple clothing, smiling as their eyes met. “Zhou Song.”

Zhou Song responded in a daze, still taken aback by Shen Qingzhu’s unexpected appearance.

Lin Erzhu walked up next to him, holding back a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. “I forgot to tell you, Aunt Wu brought Shen Xiaolang over early. She’s helping my mother in the kitchen.”

Lin Erzhu’s words snapped Zhou Song out of his stupor, and he quickly looked away, averting his gaze from Shen Qingzhu.

With a grin, Lin Erzhu patted Zhou Song again, “You two go ahead and chat. I’ll take this stuff to the kitchen.”

Without waiting for Zhou Song’s response, he turned and strolled away.

For a moment, the two of them stood there with some distance between them, silent. Finally, Shen Qingzhu broke the silence. “Did you go up the mountain earlier?”

Zhou Song was momentarily puzzled, realizing Shen Qingzhu had assumed he’d been hunting because of the bow on his back. He shook his head, took a few steps forward, and unstrapped the bow and quiver from his back. “It’s for you.”

Now it was Shen Qingzhu’s turn to be surprised. “For me?”

Zhou Song nodded, quickly glancing at Shen Qingzhu’s expression before lowering his eyes. “I promised you I’d make you a bow.”

Shen Qingzhu blinked, remembering now. During a previous encounter in the mountains, Zhou Song had indeed said he would make a bow for him. At the time, Shen Qingzhu had only thought they were joking and hadn’t taken it seriously, long since forgetting about it.

Who knew Zhou Song would remember all this time…

Shen Qingzhu looked up. Zhou Song, who was giving the gift, seemed more nervous than he was receiving it. Though his expression remained stoic, his lowered lashes trembled slightly, betraying his inner thoughts.

If Shen Qingzhu didn’t reach out to take it soon, the big guy might just drop his tail in disappointment.

Shen Qingzhu’s eyes softened with a smile as he took the bow, gently tracing the carved patterns on the bow’s body. The engravings were decorative and didn’t add to its practicality, merely an unnecessary touch.

But the effort Zhou Song put into it showed his dedication.

Though this bow couldn’t compare to those crafted by master artisans, it was the thought behind it that made it valuable.

Seeing Shen Qingzhu quietly examining the bow, Zhou Song couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. His hand, hanging at his side, tightened as he asked tentatively, “Does it work?”

Shen Qingzhu looked up at him, nodding with a smile. “It’s great. I really like it.”

Only then did Zhou Song relax a little.

Shen Qingzhu glanced at the quiver Zhou Song still held, pulled out an arrow, and noticed the arrow was slightly shorter than usual, fitting perfectly with the bow. “Let me give it a try.” He stepped down from the front porch, moving to one side of the yard.

Zhou Song followed him.

To avoid accidentally hurting anyone, Shen Qingzhu stopped at the edge of the yard, facing the wall, nocking the arrow and drawing the bow. Thanks to its design matching his strength, he easily pulled it to full draw. Smiling in satisfaction, he aimed at a fallen leaf on the ground and released the arrow, pinning it precisely to the leaf.

The power wasn’t as strong as Zhou Song’s usual bow, but it was still functional.

Shen Qingzhu lowered the bow and turned to Zhou Song beside him. “It’s been a while since I’ve practiced, but it seems my aim’s still good.”

Zhou Song, still caught up in admiration for Shen Qingzhu’s precise shot, came back to his senses, retrieved the arrow, and handed it back. “You’re amazing.”

Zhou Song’s straightforward words couldn’t compete with the elaborate compliments Shen Qingzhu was used to hearing, but his gaze was more genuine than any flowery words.

Shen Qingzhu twirled the arrow in his hand. “Do you think I could hunt a rabbit with this in the mountains?”

“Yes,” Zhou Song nodded without hesitation, then added, “But the deep mountains are dangerous. It’s best not to go there lightly.”

Shen Qingzhu smiled at this and nocked another arrow. “Don’t worry, I won’t wander too far—just a casual stroll near the edge of the forest.”

His sudden smile was so radiant that Zhou Song momentarily lost his composure, staring dazedly at his profile, not even noticing what Shen Qingzhu had said.

Another arrow flew, pinning another leaf.

“Whoa!”

A voice sounded from behind, and Shen Qingzhu turned to see Lin Erzhu, who had just emerged from the kitchen, clapping his hands. “Didn’t know Shen Xiaolang could shoot!”

Shen Qingzhu lowered the bow. “I only know a little. Sorry if it’s not impressive.”

“No, no,” Lin Erzhu waved his hands repeatedly, “I’ve been learning from Brother Song for years, and I’m still not as accurate as you. He said I don’t have the talent and should stick to farming.”

Zhou Song, who had retrieved the arrow, glanced at him. “I was just being honest.”

Lin Erzhu, slightly embarrassed, rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, I lack the talent. And here I thought I could at least touch that bow, but it turns out it was meant for Shen Xiaolang.”

Zhou Song’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively looked toward Shen Qingzhu.

However, Shen Qingzhu’s face showed no change, only a faint smile, indicating he hadn’t taken it to heart. Zhou Song looked down, unsure if he felt relieved or disappointed.

The atmosphere turned slightly awkward, and Lin Erzhu, noticing his unintended faux pas, quickly cleared his throat to change the topic. “Dinner won’t be ready for a bit. Are you all hungry? Maybe we could snack on something?”

With his wife’s pregnancy progressing, Lin Erzhu had been keeping some snacks on hand for when she needed them.

Shen Qingzhu shook his head. “I’m not hungry, but thank you.”

Zhou Song waved his hand in response.

“Alright, that’s fine. Don’t want to spoil your appetite for dinner,” Lin Erzhu nodded.

“Husband.”

They had barely exchanged a few words when Liu Fang came out. Due to her advanced pregnancy, she often slept more than she was awake these days.

Lin Erzhu immediately hurried over to support her, guiding her into the yard.

“Ah, so the guests are here.” Liu Fang blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed. She gave Shen Qingzhu a slight bow, apologizing for her tardiness. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s fine. Your health is what matters.” Shen Qingzhu held the bow by his side, careful not to bump into her.

He glanced at her rounded belly, noticing it had grown much larger since he last saw her, to the point where she struggled to walk. “It must be soon?”

“Yes,” Liu Fang lovingly stroked her belly. “Less than three months left.”

By then, it would be winter. The cold weather might make her confinement period uncomfortable. Shen Qingzhu sighed. “It truly is a challenge.”

Liu Fang smiled softly. “It is, but thinking about finally meeting the child makes it all worthwhile.”

She looked at him, “One day, Shen Xiaolang, you’ll understand.”

At her words, the three men froze for a moment.

“Oh, right! Shen Xiaolang is Kun Ze…” Lin Erzhu muttered before scratching his head in embarrassment. There hadn’t been any Kun Ze in Qi Shan Village, so it was easy to forget Shen Qingzhu could bear children. He stole a glance at him, trying to imagine this serene, graceful person with a large belly, which felt rather unimaginable.

Even Shen Qingzhu was briefly stunned. Suddenly hearing this brought a rare sense of awkwardness, unsure of how to respond.

Zhou Song, on the other hand, unconsciously glanced at Shen Qingzhu’s flat stomach, then quickly looked away, feeling he’d overstepped. When he looked up again, he noticed the faint blush on Shen Qingzhu’s ear and froze.

Noticing the look, Shen Qingzhu steadied himself and turned to meet Zhou Song’s gaze, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Caught red-handed, Zhou Song quickly looked down, nervously clenching his fingers. Shen Qingzhu’s satisfaction showed in his raised brow; he refused to be the only one feeling awkward.

Unaware of the effect her words had, Liu Fang continued, “Once the baby’s born, I’ll finally be able to relax. This little one is so lively, always kicking about.”

As she spoke, her belly visibly shifted, causing her to draw a quick breath.

Lin Erzhu bent down, pressing a hand to her belly and playfully chiding, “You little rascal, behave and stop bothering your mother.”

Watching the affectionate couple reminded Shen Qingzhu of his own parents. Their love had always been deep, unwavering over the decades. He could almost imagine his parents behaving the same way, back when he was in his mother’s womb. Yet, those images of them together were now lost to time.

Not even able to visit their graves, he could only burn paper money from afar to honor them.

Shen Qingzhu’s expression darkened slightly, and Zhou Song noticed immediately. He looked at Shen Qingzhu’s normally bright eyes, now cast down, the usual smile at his lips fading.

Zhou Song shifted uncomfortably, not knowing the source of Shen Qingzhu’s sadness or how to comfort him.

Fortunately, Shen Qingzhu quickly recovered, sensing Zhou Song’s gaze on him again. He turned, asking, “What is it?”

Kun Ze’s face regained its gentle smile, as if his earlier sorrow had never been there.

For the first time, Zhou Song felt that he didn’t want to see that smile. A smile on the lips, with eyes that seemed ready to cry.

Pressing his lips together, he handed over the arrow. “Why not try the bow again?”

Shen Qingzhu instinctively took it, intending to say two shots were enough, but before he could speak, Zhou Song had already picked up a fallen leaf, holding it up from a few paces away.

Zhou Song met his gaze. “Hitting this one should be more challenging than those on the ground.”

Shen Qingzhu froze. In the capital, he had witnessed noble sons forcing their servants to hold apples on their heads, laughing at the servants’ terror. Such scenes had always filled him with disdain.

But here was someone standing before him, offering himself as a target, voluntarily holding up a leaf.

Zhou Song held the leaf beside his face, showing no fear, and when Shen Qingzhu hesitated, he even called out to him again, “Shen Qingzhu, go ahead.”

“Brother Song, isn’t this a bit dangerous?” Lin Erzhu quickly protested, “If you’re looking for fun, we can go hunt rabbits in the mountains tomorrow!”

“It’s fine,” Zhou Song shook his head, unwaveringly looking at Shen Qingzhu. “I trust Shen Qingzhu’s aim.”

Shen Qingzhu’s lashes fluttered as he looked into Zhou Song’s sincere eyes. After a moment, he smiled softly, lowered his gaze, and nocked the arrow. Drawing the bow to full tension, he aimed—at Zhou Song’s brow rather than the leaf.