"Yi'er, you really are something."
"Your Second Uncle is here, why didn't you give me a heads-up?"
Wang Guifang chattered on, just like any ordinary elder in the family. Even though she had no real relation to him in his past life, her presence stirred memories of his own parents who had passed away. In that former life, he had been utterly alone, as if cast out by the entire world. A long-forgotten warmth, the feeling of having family, quietly took root in his heart, bolstered by the original owner's own deep affection for Wang Guifang.
Shi Yi smiled. "Thank you, Aunt."
"What are you thanking me for? You child, is that really necessary between us?" She paused, then turned. "Also, Zhijiao, go over to your aunt's place later and get some bean seeds; I'll teach you how to plant them."
"Alright, thank you, Aunt."
Shi Yi was quite surprised. Wang Zhijiao had been icy cold ever since she stepped through his front gate. She was actually talking to his aunt like that?
The moment the words fell, Shi Qianqian broke free from Shi Yi’s arms and ran toward Wang Zhijiao. "Sister, are you going to wash the furs? Let Qianqian help you."
"Alright, come here."
Although Wang Zhijiao’s expression remained indifferent, her gaze had clearly softened. They had only known each other for a day or two, but Shi Yi couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to her—a sensation he couldn't quite put into words.
Afterward, Wang Guifang discussed the situation with Hu Mazi. This was her greatest concern, and her stance was the same as Third Uncle’s: she hoped they would just run away.
Shi Yi countered with a question: "If I leave, what will happen to you all?"
"Back then, Third Uncle severed his own arm in front of Hu Mazi as a guarantee just so he would let me go. If I run now, won't Hu Mazi take it out on your family?"
"Third Uncle is always boasting that since he works as a guard at the Song Family, Hu Mazi wouldn't dare touch him. But if Hu Mazi goes on a killing spree, will the Song Family really stand up to him for the sake of Third Uncle?"
At this, Wang Guifang’s temper flared. She slapped the table. "You brat, why won't you listen to reason! What happens to our family is none of your business. You need to pack your things!"
"Years ago, your Third Uncle and I promised your mother we would make sure you survived. If anything happens to you, I..." Wang Guifang’s nose soured, and hot tears spilled down her face.
Shi Yi knew her character well. Even Second Uncle feared her; her voice was the loudest in the entire village.
In the past, when the village was being bullied, his father had stood up to lead everyone against Hu Mazi, only for Second Uncle to lead the village in a betrayal. From then on, Hu Mazi had targeted them, demanding double the monthly tribute compared to other villages. The villagers had turned on his father, blaming him for provoking Hu Mazi. When his parents died, Third Uncle and Third Aunt had brought their bodies back to be buried in the ancestral graveyard, only for the villagers to dig them up overnight and toss them onto the stone path outside the village.
It was Third Uncle and Third Aunt who, with Shi Yi in tow, dragged the bodies back on a wooden cart. When Second Uncle tried to incite the villagers to block them, Third Uncle and Third Aunt each took a machete, hacking their way forward. For every stroke they made, the crowd retreated a step; for every step they moved forward, Shi Yi dragged the cart one step closer. That was how they brought them back to the village.
Since then, Third Uncle’s family had been ostracized, but Third Aunt’s strong-willed nature meant that even those who disliked her dared not cross her.
As these memories surfaced, Shi Yi felt a pang of sorrow. He reached out to wipe the tears from Third Aunt’s face. "Aunt, it’s okay. I can protect myself, and I can protect my sister and this entire family."
Third Aunt hadn't expected the boy to be so considerate, let alone wipe away her tears. He had never spoken like this before. "But how can you possibly protect—"
"You'll know tomorrow," Shi Yi said, giving Wang Guifang a sincere smile.
She wanted to say more, but Shi Yi interrupted with a laugh, "Come now, don't worry."
"Zhijiao, can I take the rice from home..."
"It’s already prepared," Wang Zhijiao said, pointing to the table. A ceramic basin was already filled with several pounds of rice, alongside some cleaned rabbit meat.
Shi Yi paused, stunned. "Are we that in sync? You’re a natural-born wife."
Muttering this to himself, he took the basin of rice and meat and placed them into Wang Guifang’s hands.
"Child, what are you doing? You don't need—" she started, panicked.
"Aunt, can you stop treating me like an outsider?" Shi Yi asked. "You and Third Uncle always say you look at me like a son, so just take it. For all these years, you’ve withstood so much pressure for me; from today on, I will shoulder the hardships for this family!"
Having said that, he went to help Wang Zhijiao with the furs.
Wang Guifang was deeply moved once again. She glanced toward the graves of his parents not far away and whispered to herself: *Brother, Sister-in-law, did you come to scare Yi'er last night? How does it feel like this boy has suddenly woken up overnight?*
She didn't say another word and left with the supplies. She understood Shi Yi’s resolve now and had already mentally prepared herself. Her maiden family was from the Wangjia Village in Qingniu Mountain, descendants of a former dynasty’s border general. After the Great Chu Dynasty rose to power, the general had retreated into the mountains with his family and men, forming Wangjia Village over the centuries. They were a people who practiced martial arts from birth, and even Hu Mazi wouldn't easily provoke them.
She had tried to contact her family days ago, but there had been no news. She would have to find someone else to send to Wangjia Village to find out what was going on.
...
In the afternoon, Shi Yi went into the mountains. He had already caught dozens of rabbits over the past two days, so there weren't many left, but he still managed to bring back a dozen more. By evening, he had gathered plenty of other materials from the woods.
As dusk fell, a burly young man arrived at their home carrying two ox horns.
"Brother Yi," he said, looking deeply troubled. "You absolutely cannot tell anyone I gave these to you. If my dad finds out, he’ll beat me to death!"
"I don't really get what you want with ox horns. And, you really found a wife? Didn't we swear that whoever found a wife first was a beast? I only went to my mother's family for a few days, how did you manage to find someone behind my back?"