The Longer You Live Together, the More Little Pleasures You're Bound to Have

If you like it, then like it; life goes on like this.

Soon after, good news arrived.

Zhou Heng is getting married.

However, there is also bad news.

He's leaving.

That woman lives far away in Qing Prefecture, making it troublesome for her to come and go.

Logically, it should be the woman who marries into this family.

However, Zhou Heng's business was already settled and he couldn't move on for the time being.

Furthermore, the great feud had long been settled, and for him, Willow Creek Town had become a place of sorrow.

Every blade of grass and every tree, everything I see evokes memories of the old days when my father was still alive.

Staying here will only add to my sorrow.

After much thought, he moved there with his mother and settled down.

I'll occasionally come back for a visit, bring some local products from Qing Prefecture, sit for a while, and then leave.

On the day of Zhou Heng's wedding, Qin Wangchuan went as promised.

At the wedding banquet, Zhou Heng was dressed in a wedding gown, and the bride carefully tucked in the empty sleeve, hiding it perfectly.

The girl beside him was gentle and lovely; she was the one he had risked his life to save years ago when he lost an arm.

After many twists and turns, it finally came to a happy ending.

When the toast was offered to Qin Wangchuan's table, the two exchanged a glance.

No one said anything more.

Everything is understood without words.

The death of the Master was a great shock to Qin Wangchuan.

Fearing that his neighbors wouldn't be able to find him when they needed to see a doctor, he only stayed for a few days before turning back.

He left only a few words of blessing, paused at the end, and said that if anyone encountered difficulties in the future, they could come to him for help.

Zhou Heng stood there, watching the figure grow longer and longer in the twilight.

His steps were neither hurried nor slow, maintaining his composure and calm.

Looking at him like this, two words rolled on my tongue many times.

But when the words reached his lips, Zhou Heng, just like that impulsive young man back then, couldn't bring himself to speak.

His wife noticed first.

She gently nudged his arm and urged him in a low voice.

"Hurry up. If you don't tell us now, it will be too late."

This push was like forcibly releasing that pent-up courage.

Zhou Heng took a deep breath and shouted out to the figure that was about to turn into the alley.

"Qin Wangchuan!"

The figure paused, its back turned.

"... Thank you!"

"Thanks..."

My voice trembled slightly as I shouted it out.

Thank you for avenging me, a mere mortal.

Yes, mortals.

Only after losing his arm did Zhou Heng truly understand those two words.

Looking at the big picture, I'm never short of extraordinary people around me.

The master is, Qin Wangchuan is even more so.

He had seen far too many of those methods that could manipulate events and destroy mountains.

After watching for a while, Zhou Heng almost had the illusion that he could be as omnipotent as they were.

Until that final blow, the arm was gone.

The excruciating pain brought him back to his senses.

So he wasn't.

Even if you risk your life and give it your all, you can only save one person, and you'll lose half your own body in the process.

From beginning to end, I am just an ordinary mortal.

Hearing the thank you, Qin Zhaoer looked up at the person beside her, wondering how he would respond.

Qin Wangchuan did not turn around.

Separated only by half an alley, and by all the kindness and gratitude accumulated over the years, they nodded to each other.

That instant was so tiny it was almost invisible.

But Qin Zhaoer saw it.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You..." she said, her eyes crinkling into a smile, her voice lowered, "So cute."

Qin Wangchuan glanced at her with a hint of helplessness.

"Cute."

"This word doesn't sound like it's praising someone."

"Why not?" Qin Zhaoer said matter-of-factly. "I said I was praising you, so I am praising you."

Qin Wangchuan was too lazy to argue with her about this, so he withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.

"Soliciting nonsense"

"No way!"

The two, one calm and collected, the other relentlessly bickering, slowly made their way deeper into the alley, one after the other.

Until the two figures completely disappeared into the twilight at the end of the alley.

Zhou Heng stood there, motionless for a long time.

His wife handed him a handkerchief, and he was startled to realize that his eyes had unknowingly become wet.

But the corners of his mouth were turned up.

She finally said it.

Since then, life has returned to peace and tranquility.

But from some point onward, Qin Wangchuan gradually noticed a change.

Eighth Sister is getting more and more troublesome.

The intervals between beatings are gradually shortening.

At first, it would only happen once every ten days or so.

It took three to five days after that.

Later on, something would happen almost every other day.

The reasons given became increasingly perfunctory.

From "Your tea is cold" to "My dress doesn't look good today" to "You didn't look at me just now," anything can become her excuse to commit crimes with a clear conscience.

Qin Wangchuan didn't want to think about it anymore.

It's normal to have some personal quirks after all.

It's a bit strange.

Until one day, Qin Zhaoer brought him a plate of pastries, saying it was a newly learned recipe.

He took a bite; it was cloyingly sweet. He looked up, about to say something, when he saw her gazing at him expectantly, a hint of... anticipation hidden in her eyes?

"You did this on purpose?"

Qin Zhaoer looked away, her ears turning slightly red, but she still stubbornly insisted, "No way..."

Qin Wangchuan stared at her for a moment, then said nothing more, only patting his knee.

Qin Zhaoer's body trembled slightly.

Then, she stood up and obediently walked over.

This happened repeatedly.

Later on, they didn't even bother making excuses anymore.

Sometimes it was afternoon, sometimes it was dusk, and she would just walk straight over to him, without making a fuss or arguing, and stand in front of him, looking at him expectantly.

Qin Wangchuan was initially somewhat helpless.

But seeing her slightly red eyes and half-drooping eyelashes, he still sighed, put down what he was holding, and gestured for her to come closer.

Having received this, Qin Zhaoer obediently lay down on him, burying her face in his hands, her voice soft and sticky.

Qin Wangchuan tidied her up while pondering this question.

"Does this kind of thing really feel good?"

I don't understand, but I respect it.

Over time, this incident became an unspoken little pleasure between the two of them.

From now on, whatever Qin Wangchuan wants to do, even if she is unwilling, she will not need to ask for her opinion in the slightest.

All you have to do is pat your knee and give her a nod.

Although the girl was still stubborn and hesitated for a long time with a flushed face, she eventually came over obediently and did whatever he asked.

Qin Wangchuan was well aware that their way of getting along was a bit off.

But every time he saw his fearless Eighth Sister obediently lying on his lap, a strange sense of pleasure welled up inside him.

Cool!!!

Time flows by silently.

The flowers in the courtyard bloomed and faded, the tea cooled and was refilled, and the wind chimes under the eaves tinkled in the wind.

The thin layer of sandpaper between Qin Wangchuan and Qin Zhaoer gradually became blurred amidst the daily quarrels and beatings.