By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the sky was just beginning to brighten. Mid-autumn was a leisurely season, so no one in Qi Shan Village rose this early, leaving the village quiet, with only an occasional rooster crowing to break the silence.

The mountain path, muddy and slick from recent rain, was rough and uneven, making it difficult to navigate, especially with Zhou Song carrying a person on his back. Shen Qingzhu had offered to walk on his own a few times along the way, but Zhou Song refused. Besides Shen Qingzhu’s weakened state, Zhou Song didn’t want him walking on such a muddy path. Getting his clothes dirty was one thing, but risking a fall was something else entirely.

So, Zhou Song carried Shen Qingzhu down the mountain all the way to the base.

Once they reached the foot, Shen Qingzhu insisted on being put down. While he had a carefree nature, he still cared about appearances—there was no way he could walk into the village with someone carrying him. The village road was flat and easy to walk on, so Zhou Song didn’t argue, especially since he was also worried about encountering someone who had risen early. Having to explain things could damage Kun Ze’s reputation.

Zhou Song followed Shen Qingzhu all the way to his doorstep.

He wasn’t planning to go inside. He took the items he’d carried, placed them by the door, and clenched his hand at his side before finally saying, “Shen Qingzhu.”

His tone was more serious than usual, making Shen Qingzhu raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“I…” Zhou Song lowered his gaze, hesitated for a moment, then looked back up with newfound determination. “In a few days, I’ll send a matchmaker to propose to you.”

The words he’d rehearsed all the way down the mountain didn’t seem so difficult to say after all. Still, he worried about offending Shen Qingzhu. Perhaps the events of last night were simply a result of urgency, and the words Shen Qingzhu had spoken then were only to prevent Zhou Song from feeling guilty.

But…did Shen Qingzhu truly wish to marry him?

Zhou Song wasn’t sure, but regardless, as a man, there were things he had to say and take responsibility for. He couldn’t just pretend nothing had happened after taking advantage of Kun Ze. Even if Shen Qingzhu rejected him, Zhou Song wanted him to know that he respected him.

Shen Qingzhu hadn’t expected Zhou Song to say something like this now. A little surprised, he looked at Zhou Song’s composed face, noting the tightly clenched hand by his side—a sign of his anxiety.

Shen Qingzhu smiled and nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”

With those three words, Zhou Song finally felt his anxious heart ease. His own lips lifted into a smile, which softened his typically serious expression and made his features look even more handsome.

Shen Qingzhu tilted his head, gazing at him thoughtfully, thinking Zhou Song should really smile more often.

“Well… I’ll head back now,” Zhou Song said. “Rest for the next couple of days and get your strength back.” Having spent the night on the mountain and enduring the rain during the Rain and Dew Period, Zhou Song knew Shen Qingzhu must be exhausted. Though he was reluctant to part, he didn’t want to keep him any longer. It wasn’t necessary to rush things; the subtle scent lingering on Shen Qingzhu was enough to reassure him.

Shen Qingzhu watched him until he disappeared into the distance. Then, feeling weak, he turned back to his door and knocked.

Wu Lanshu had stayed up all night, worried, and her mind was filled with various unpleasant thoughts. Hearing the knock, she rushed over, her eyes red. “Young Master, you’re finally back!”

Shen Qingzhu understood her worry, but it wasn’t right to stand outside discussing things. He gestured for her to go inside, as he was feeling too drained to stay on his feet for long.

Noticing his pale face and muddy clothes, Wu Lanshu quickly helped him into the house, then hurried to the kitchen to heat water so he could wash up.

After Shen Qingzhu had soaked in a hot bath, changed into clean clothes, and lay down in bed, daylight had fully broken, and he could faintly hear the sounds of neighbors beginning their chores.

Knowing that Wu Lanshu had many questions, he didn’t go to sleep right away. Draped in a robe, he leaned against the bed and said, “If you have questions, go ahead and ask.”

Wu Lanshu, seated beside his bed, was momentarily taken aback. She indeed had questions—like how his night had been, if he still felt unwell, and… the teeth marks on the back of his neck.

While helping him brush his hair earlier, she’d noticed the mark, and her heart had skipped a beat. She feared he’d suffered greatly last night, but seeing that he didn’t appear resentful, she guessed he hadn’t been forced into anything.

Still, as a Kun Ze who’d been marked by a Qian Yuan, there had to be an explanation, right? She wanted to ask but felt it was inappropriate.

Seeing her hesitation, Shen Qingzhu decided to spare her the discomfort. “The Rain and Dew Period was tough, and Zhou Song helped me through it.”

His straightforwardness put Wu Lanshu somewhat at ease; as long as he hadn’t been mistreated, that was all she needed to know. “I figured as much…”

“He’ll be proposing in a few days.”

Wu Lanshu’s words caught in her throat, her eyes widening in shock. She was speechless for a long moment.

Shen Qingzhu, however, was calm as ever. He smoothed the strands of hair over his chest and said, “I’m telling you in advance so that when he shows up, you won’t be too surprised.”

This was already quite the shock!

Wu Lanshu collected herself and quickly said, “How can you be so hasty with such an important decision?”

Shen Qingzhu glanced up at her. “Is there something wrong with Zhou Song?”

Wu Lanshu paused. “Not… really.”

Shen Qingzhu continued, “In this village, is there any other man whose looks and character surpass his?”

“There isn’t…” Wu Lanshu murmured.

“Then, what’s hasty about this decision?” Shen Qingzhu rested his hand against his cheek and lazily inquired.

Wu Lanshu fell silent. It wasn’t that she had anything against Zhou Song; it was just that the suddenness of it all worried her. She was concerned that Shen Qingzhu might be acting on impulse and would regret it later.

“Wu Lanshu, I’m not doing this on a whim,” Shen Qingzhu said, seeing right through her concerns. “I did say I would seek out a steady partner in this village, but that doesn’t mean I’ll marry just anyone. I would never treat myself so poorly, nor bring sorrow to my late parents…”

He paused, a faint smile crossing his lips as he seemed to recall something. “Zhou Song and I have interacted enough. You should know how he treats me, and I am not entirely indifferent toward him. So, what’s wrong with marrying him?”

Wu Lanshu was stunned, feeling a bittersweet ache in her heart. She realized that the carefree young master of the past had matured greatly. Meanwhile, she herself seemed stuck in the past.

Wiping her moist eyes, she suppressed her emotions and softly said, “As long as you’re happy, I have no objections.”

Hearing her approval, Shen Qingzhu smiled faintly and looked toward the sunlit window. Life had to go on, didn’t it?

—

After spending the night on the mountain, Zhou Song hadn’t gotten any proper rest, so he should’ve gone home and taken a nap. Yet, he wasn’t the least bit tired and felt incredibly energized.

The mere thought of Shen Qingzhu agreeing to his proposal filled him with so much joy that he wanted to run laps around the village just to release his excitement.

To restrain himself, he grabbed a broom and started sweeping the courtyard, even though he hadn’t bothered changing out of his muddy clothes.

If it weren’t for Shen Qingzhu’s Rain and Dew Period, he’d have already gone to find a matchmaker and set things in motion. But these things couldn’t be rushed. Proper procedure had to be followed to show respect, and he was determined to make sure Shen Qingzhu felt valued.

By the time he’d finished cleaning the yard, the sun was fully up. Zhou Song, having abandoned all thoughts of sleep, went to the back to feed the chickens and clean the coop.

After that, he fetched water to wash up. Seeing his own disheveled reflection in the basin, he felt embarrassed. He’d proposed to Shen Qingzhu looking like this…how could he have been so careless?

Luckily, Shen Qingzhu had accepted.

He couldn’t suppress his excitement again, splashing water on his face to cool down.

Once he’d washed and changed into fresh clothes, he went to the kitchen to make himself something to eat. After eating, he looked outside, judged the time, and retrieved a basket.

He put ten eggs from his stockpile into it, added a piece of cured meat, and, thinking it still seemed a bit lacking, threw in a small jar of lard. Only then did he head out the door.

Since his parents had passed away when he was young, he hadn’t had anyone to guide him on marriage matters. He didn’t know much about this process, so he went to seek Aunt Qian’s advice, hoping she could help him handle things properly and avoid any breaches of etiquette.

He knocked on Aunt Qian’s door, and soon Lin Erzhu’s voice called out, asking who it was. Zhou Song replied, and footsteps approached quickly. Lin Erzhu opened the door, saying, “Brother Song, why are you here so early?”

“I have something to discuss,” Zhou Song replied, stepping in. Lin Erzhu noticed the basket he was carrying.

“Why bring all this stuff?” Lin Erzhu asked, puzzled.

Ignoring the question, Zhou Song asked, “Is Aunt Qian home?”

Lin Erzhu nodded. “Yes, she’s washing dishes in the kitchen.”

Hearing the voices, Aunt Qian came out, drying her hands on her apron. “Oh, Zhou Song, you’re here!”

“Auntie,” Zhou Song greeted, handing over the basket.

Seeing the contents, Aunt Qian tried to push it back. “Why bring all this just to visit? We have plenty to eat here—no need to bring gifts.”

But Zhou Song placed it firmly in her hands and said, “Auntie, I’m here to ask for your help. If you don’t accept this, I won’t be able to speak freely.”

“You only need to ask, child; there’s no need for gifts!” Aunt Qian protested, frowning slightly.

Lin Erzhu chipped in, “Exactly, Brother Song. You’re acting all formal suddenly. Someone would think you’re asking my mother to help with a proposal!”

He meant it as a joke, but Zhou Song’s expression froze, and he even seemed slightly embarrassed.

Lin Erzhu’s eyes widened in surprise. “Brother Song, you’re serious?!”

Aunt Qian quickly caught on, ignoring the basket in her hands as she looked at him expectantly. “Are you here about a marriage proposal, Zhou Song?”

Though he’d come with the intention of discussing this, having them guess it outright made him a little shy. Blushing, he finally said, “I’ve already spoken with Shen Qingzhu. I’ll go to his house in a few days to propose.”

Lin Erzhu slapped Zhou Song on the shoulder with a loud smack, using so much force he nearly knocked him over. “Brother Song! What’s going on?! You didn’t say a word, and suddenly you’re making such a big move?”

He’d thought with Zhou Song’s reserved nature, this would take a lot longer to happen!

Aunt Qian was just as pleased and quickly abandoned any formality, leading him inside while happily asking, “Zhou Song, what happened for you to suddenly decide to propose?”

Not wanting to share the details of last night, as they involved Shen Qingzhu’s reputation, Zhou Song simply said that he had rescued Shen Qingzhu from the mountain during the rainstorm, and seeing his beloved in danger had prompted him to confess his feelings.

“So, Shen Xiaolang agreed just like that?” Lin Erzhu asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

“Mm,” Zhou Song replied, refusing to elaborate further.

“Well, as long as there’s a happy outcome, that’s all that matters,” Aunt Qian said, giving her son a look when he tried to press further. She led Zhou Song to the main room, setting aside her own curiosity about the full story, knowing it was probably sensitive.

Lin Erzhu dropped the subject, too, though he was still curious about his friend’s sudden actions. He led Zhou Song to the main room, forgetting he was supposed to be chopping wood.