Chapter 3
In the following months, life in the small village continued peacefully. Zan Yunxiao spent his days tending the fields while Xueyun cared for their son, and though the cultivation world still lingered in the back of his mind, the warmth of family gradually filled the emptiness within his heart.
One quiet afternoon, the three of them visited the old man.
The once sturdy elder now looked frail and thin as he lay upon the wooden bed inside the dimly lit room. His breathing was weak, and the wrinkles on his aged face seemed deeper than before, as though time itself had finally caught up to him. The lively old man who once scolded Zan Yunxiao in the rice fields had become like a dying candle flickering against the wind.
“Grandpa,” Xueyun called softly as she entered while carrying the baby carefully in her arms. “Your grandchild is here.”
Hearing those words, the old man slowly opened his cloudy eyes.
The moment his gaze landed on the child, warmth immediately surfaced within them. His trembling hand slowly reached forward, gently touching the baby’s tiny face.
“Oh?” the old man chuckled weakly. “My grandchild is quite handsome… just like me back then, hahaha…”
Though his laughter was faint and tired, it still carried the same familiar warmth from before.
Zan Yunxiao and Xueyun both smiled softly at the sight.
The old man continued staring at the child for a long moment before letting out a slow breath filled with relief.
“Thank the heavens…” he murmured quietly. “I was finally able to see my grandchild before leaving this world. Now… I can go peacefully.”
Xueyun’s eyes instantly reddened.
She quickly sat beside the bed and tightly held the old man’s wrinkled hand.
“Grandpa…” her voice trembled slightly. “Thank you for raising me all these years…”
Tears slowly fell from her eyes.
The old man looked at her gently, his expression softening further.
“I’m sure your parents would be proud of you,” he said weakly.
Then his gaze shifted toward Zan Yunxiao.
“And Yunxiao…” the old man spoke slowly, “thank you for taking care of my granddaughter.”
Zan Yunxiao lowered his head slightly.
“No,” he replied quietly. “I should be the one thanking you, Gramps… for taking me in and raising me these past twenty years.”
The old man smiled faintly after hearing those words.
For the remainder of the evening, the three of them stayed by his bedside, chatting quietly about simple things from the past—the rice fields, old village stories, and childhood memories that once felt ordinary but now carried a strange heaviness.
Until eventually…
The old man’s voice gradually became softer.
His breathing slowed.
Then, little by little, it stopped completely.
Silence filled the room.
Xueyun’s tears immediately burst forth as she leaned against Zan Yunxiao, crying while tightly clutching his clothes. Zan Yunxiao gently held her in his arms, but his own expression was equally filled with sorrow.
Though he had once been a stranger to this world, the old man had given him a home when he had nothing.
And now… that warmth was gone.
The following day, the burial took place beneath a large tree overlooking the endless rice fields he had spent his entire life tending.
Many villagers came to attend.
Some sighed quietly, while others bowed their heads in silence as the old man’s coffin was lowered into the earth. The wind gently rustled the leaves above, as though even nature itself was offering farewell.
Zan Yunxiao stood beside Xueyun while holding his son in his arms.
He looked at the grave silently for a long time.
Then, inwardly, he spoke one final sentence.
Rest peacefully, Gramps.
The breeze swept across the fields once more.
And the old era quietly came to an end.
After the old man’s death, another seven years quietly passed beneath the changing seasons.
The small wooden house beside the rice fields remained the same, yet the people within it had slowly changed with time. Zan Tianming, once a fragile newborn wrapped in blankets, had gradually grown into a lively and energetic child. At eight years old, he possessed endless curiosity and boundless energy, often running throughout the village from morning until sunset without tiring.
As the evening sky slowly darkened and the last rays of sunlight faded beyond the distant mountains, Xueyun stood outside the house with slight helplessness on her face.
“Tianming! Come back here!” she shouted toward the village road. “It’s almost night already!”
Not far away, a small figure carrying a wooden stick like a sword immediately turned around.
“I’m coming, Mom!” Zan Tianming replied loudly before running back excitedly, his clothes dusty and his face filled with childish pride as though he had just completed some grand adventure.
Seeing this, Xueyun could only sigh softly while shaking her head.
Inside the house, warm light from the oil lamp illuminated the dinner table. Zan Yunxiao, Xueyun, and Zan Tianming sat together while eating their evening meal, creating a peaceful scene rarely disturbed by the outside world.
Zan Yunxiao looked toward his son and spoke calmly.
“Tianming, be careful when playing outside from now on. And don’t leave the village carelessly.”
Hearing the serious tone in his father’s voice, Zan Tianming blinked curiously.
“Why?”
Zan Yunxiao paused slightly before answering.
“There have been rumors recently…” his gaze darkened faintly, “that a monster has appeared somewhere near the surrounding mountains.”
The atmosphere inside the room became quieter for a moment.
However, instead of fear, Zan Tianming’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
“I know, Dad!” he declared proudly while raising his small wooden stick. “And if a monster really appears, I’ll beat it and protect both you and Mom!”
His childish voice was filled with confidence.
Xueyun, who had been quietly listening nearby, could not help but smile warmly after hearing those words.
“I know, I know,” she said gently while patting his head. “But you still have to be careful outside, alright?”
Zan Tianming nodded seriously.
“Got it, Mom!”
Seeing their son’s spirited expression, both Zan Yunxiao and Xueyun smiled faintly.
For a brief moment, the warmth inside the small house seemed enough to make them forget the dangers of the outside world.
...
Morning sunlight descended upon the quiet village, bathing the rice fields and small wooden houses in a gentle golden glow. The cool breeze carried the scent of earth and grass through the air, while villagers had already begun their daily work beneath the rising sun.
Inside the house, the peaceful atmosphere was suddenly interrupted by a loud childish voice coming from outside.
“Zan Tianming! Zan Tianming! Let’s play!”
The moment the voice entered his ears, Zan Tianming’s eyes immediately lit up.
Without hesitation, the young boy hurriedly ran toward Xueyun, who was busy preparing the morning meal.
“Mom!” he called excitedly. “I want to go outside and play, okay?”
Xueyun turned around and looked at her son’s eager expression. Seeing the anticipation in his eyes, she could only smile helplessly.
“Alright,” she replied gently. “But be careful out there.”
Zan Tianming nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.
“I know!”
The moment permission was given, he immediately rushed toward the door at full speed, nearly tripping over himself in excitement before disappearing outside.
The instant he left, the sounds of children laughing and running soon echoed throughout the village once more.
Xueyun watched the doorway for a moment before softly shaking her head with a smile.
“Children really are full of energy…”
Not far away, Zan Yunxiao silently observed everything while drinking tea outside the house. His gaze lingered briefly on Tianming’s departing figure, and although his expression remained calm, a faint warmth quietly surfaced within his eyes.
For him, this peaceful life… was something he had once believed he would never possess.