By the time the village entrance finally appeared in the distance, the sun was already sinking low.It dragged long shadows across the dirt road like tired limbs refusing to lift.
The sky burned in muted shades of orange and gray, as if even the heavens were weary.
The return journey felt longer than the trip to town.
Not because the road had changed, but because the people walking it had.
No one spoke loudly. No one joked. No one complained about sore feet.
Dust clung stubbornly to sleeves, hems, and worn shoes.
Sweat had dried into uncomfortable patches against skin, but no one bothered to wipe it away.
Compared to what weighed on their hearts, these discomforts were nothing.
I walked among them, head lowered slightly, listening to the rhythm of footsteps and breathing.
Ahead, near the village gate, dark shapes gathered.
Women stood with hands clasped tightly at their waists, eyes scanning the road again and again.
Children bounced restlessly, running forward only to be pulled back.
Old men leaned on canes, pretending calm while watching with sharp, unblinking gazes.
They were waiting for their loved ones.
The moment Old Han noticed them, his expression hardened.
He raised his hand.
"Stop."
The group slowed and came to a halt.
Several people looked confused, but no one questioned him.
Old Han turned around slowly.
His face was rough, lined deeply by sun and hardship, but his eyes were steady.
Eyes that had seen too much to be fooled by false hope.
"Listen carefully," he said, his voice low but firm.
The chatter died instantly.
"What happened on the road today," Old Han continued, "stays on the road."
A young farmer clenched his fists.
"Old Han, but that..."
"No," Old Han interrupted sharply. "No 'but'."
The young man fell silent.
"You want your wives to lose sleep every night?" Old Han asked. "You want your children crying whenever you step outside the village?"
No one answered.
"Fear spreads faster than hunger," Old Han said grimly. "Once it enters your home, it never leaves."
That's true, I thought, my gaze darkening slightly. Fear rots people from the inside.
Old Han swept his gaze across the group.
"Only those who survive to the end get the right to laugh," he said quietly. "So endure it."
He paused, his voice dropping further.
"Even if it hurts. Even if it burns inside your chest."
Some people swallowed hard.
"Endure," Old Han finished, "and wait for better days."
Silence followed.
Then, slowly, people began to move.
Hands brushed dust from clothes. Sleeves were tugged straight. Faces stiffened into something resembling calm.
Forced smiles. But smiles nonetheless.
When the group started walking again, they looked like villagers returning from an ordinary market trip.
No one would guess how close they had been to disaster.
The moment they crossed into the village, the fragile silence shattered.
"Father!" "Mother!"
Small figures rushed forward, colliding into familiar arms.
Some children cried openly, faces pressed against rough clothing. Others laughed with relief, tugging excitedly at sleeves.
I slowed my steps, watching the reunions with quiet eyes.
A group of children spotted me almost immediately.
"Big Brother Shen!" "You went to city again!" "Is city really huge?" "Did you bring any food?"
Their voices overlapped, bright and unfiltered.
My expression softened.
I reached into my sleeve and opened my palm.
Wrapped candies glinted faintly in the fading light.
The children froze.
Then, all at once, "Candy!" "City candy!". They stared as if afraid it might vanish if they blinked.
I nodded once.
"Don't worry. Everyone gets one."
Carefully, almost reverently, they took them.
One little boy unwrapped his candy and tasted it. His eyes widened, and his breathing stopped for a heartbeat.
"It's... sweet," he whispered, as if speaking too loudly might offend the heavens.
Another child laughed. "So sweet!"
This is enough, I thought, watching their faces glow.
After exchanging a few words, I waved them off and continued moving toward my home.
In the courtyard, my grandfather sat on a low stool, carving wood with patient hands.
Thin curls of wood fell softly to the ground, piling beside his feet.
Several wooden dolls lay nearby, simple and rough, but shaped with care.
"You're back," he said without lifting his head.
"Yes," I replied. "I bought some spirit meat."
He chuckled.
"Good. Meat gives strength. Come Sit"
We spoke of small things. Market prices, familiar faces, Shopkeeper Wu asking after his health.
Nothing important. But Everything important.
I carried the meat into the kitchen and began cooking.
The scent soon filled the air, smoke drifting lazily from the chimney.
As I began preparing the meal, the familiar rhythm of chopping and stirring steadied my thoughts.
Then, a faint sound.
A rustle.
I paused.
Again. A faint rustle, coming from the window beside the kitchen.
I set the knife down and stepped outside.
Two small figures froze like startled rabbits.
A thin boy stood in front, shoulders squared despite his slight frame.
His clothes were patched and dirt-stained.
Behind him, a tiny girl clutched his sleeve, half-hidden, eyes wide and frightened.
I recognized the boy immediately.
He was the one who had initially refused when I was distributing fish the other day.
"You," I said gently. "Why are you here?"
The boy swallowed hard.
"I... I'm sorry, Big Brother Shen," he said quickly. "We didn't mean to steal. We just... smelled food. So... so..."
The girl with twin pigtails peeked out from behind him, then hid again.
I studied them quietly for a moment.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
The boy hesitated, then answered honestly.
"Yes... Big Brother Shen."
I stepped aside.
"Then come in and eat."
The boy blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
I turned and walked inside.
The two children followed silently, obedient as ducklings.
My grandfather looked up from his stool as we entered.
"Yuan'er. What happened?"
"Nothing. It's just the kids. They're hungry," I said simply.
The children came forward and bowed stiffly.
"Greetings, Grandpa Shen," the boy said earnestly.
The girl copied him, wobbling slightly.
"Hellow granpaa~"
My grandfather laughed warmly. "Sit. Sit."
They sat at the table, backs straight, hands folded tightly on their laps.
I finished cooking and brought out the dishes.
I served the children first, then my grandfather, then myself.
But they didn't move.
The little girl stared at the meat, eyes shining, lips trembling.
Saliva pooled at the corner of her mouth, but she didn't touch the food.
Her fingers tightened around her brother's sleeve.
My grandfather raised an eyebrow.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked gently. "Eat, kids. Don't hesitate. Eat till your bellies are round."
Still, they hesitated.
Only when my grandfather picked up his chopsticks did the boy finally relax.
He fed his sister first.
The moment she tasted the food, her shoulders shook. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks as she kept eating, not stopping, not slowing.
The boy wiped her face with his sleeve without a word, then continued feeding her carefully, his own eyes red.
I didn't react. I understood those tears. They weren't from sadness alone.
They were from relief. They were from fear loosening its grip. They were from hunger finally being answered.
My grandfather set his chopsticks down and watched with a gentle smile.
After they finished, both children slid off their chairs and bowed deeply.
"Thwank you, Grandpaw," the girl said softly.
"And thank you, Big Brother Shen," the boy said sincerely.
My grandfather laughed and handed the girl a wooden bird doll from the shelf.
Her eyes widened.
"For me?"
"Yes. For you."
She hugged it tightly against her chest, holding it as if it were made of gold.
Something eased inside my chest.
"So," I asked, settling back into my chair. "Are you full?"
"Yes!" the girl nodded enthusiastically.
The boy nodded too.
"Yes."
"What's your name?"
"My name is Mo Fan," he said. "This is my sister, Mo Ling."
"Where do you live?"
"We live near the creek beside the fields."
"Why are you alone? Where are your parents?"
Mo Fan lowered his head.
The brief silence that followed was heavy enough to fill the room.
"Our mother passed away from illness two years ago," he said quietly. "Father went to city yesterday. He didn't return."
He paused, then continued in a smaller voice.
"So we waited at the open platform until now. We were on our way home when we smelled something delicious, so we followed it here. We were watching through the window."
I studied him for a long moment.
"So you haven't eaten since then."
"Yes."
"You'll stay here tonight," I said firmly. "We'll wait for your father. Until he returns, you will live here."
Mo Fan's eyes widened.
"Don't worry about your food or bed. I'll take care of it," I added. "As long as you are obedient."
He bowed deeply, his small frame trembling slightly.
"Thank you," he said, his voice thick.
Mo Ling copied him immediately, nearly tripping over her own feet.
"Thwank you, Big Browther Shen!"
My grandfather laughed loudly at her enthusiasm.
"Yuan'er, go take some rest. I'll take care of their bedding."
I nodded and stood up.
"If you're hungry later," I told the children, "tell Grandpa. Don't hesitate. There's more food in the kitchen."
"Yah!!! Thwank you, thwank you, Big Browther!" Mo Ling laughed, hopping lightly on her feet.
I smiled faintly.
"Good night."
I closed the door behind me.
--------
The latch clicked softly, sealing my room off from the rest of the house.
The faint sounds from the hall, Mo Ling's quiet laughter, my grandfather's low voice, were gradually muffled until only silence remained.
I placed the sword I had bought at the market against the wall.
It was a plain weapon, its blade dull and unremarkable, but for now it was enough.
My attention wasn't on weapons tonight.
I walked to the bed and sat down cross-legged, spine straight, breathing even.
Status.
The familiar blue screen unfolded before my eyes, hovering quietly in the dim room.
My gaze moved past my cultivation level, past my techniques, and finally settled on the faintly glowing icon at the bottom of the panel.
Newbie Reward Package
Within it, a single card pulsed steadily with soft light.
Random Physique Card
My eyes narrowed slightly.
I had delayed using it until now for a reason.
Tonight, the house was calm. My cultivation had just stabilized. My mind, though exhausted, was steady enough to endure whatever was coming.
This was the best opportunity.
System, I commanded inwardly. Use the Random Physique Card.
The screen shifted.
----