His state of mind had become utterly different from before. In the past, he had blended into the world; now, he watched it calmly from the sidelines, unable to integrate no matter what. This peculiar sensation struck Chen Xun as rather interesting.
Ten years later.
Chen Xun settled with little Wuhen in a small village outside the city, opening a tiny clinic to muddle through their days.
As for why he had chosen to settle in this Little Mountain Village, Chen Xun had given it careful consideration. This village held feasts rather frequently, so they could join in the merriment.
The hearts of men were no longer what they once were. In the end, Patriarch Chen Xun had passed his bad habits on to little Wuhen.
Whenever there was a feast, little Wuhen was sure to attend. He sat only at the children's table, and whenever little candies were handed out, he would swiftly pocket them with lightning reflexes, leaving the surrounding children dumbfounded. Such a huge candy—where had it gone?!
It was autumn now, and the rice in the paddies had ripened. A breeze swept through, making the golden stalks sway as though they shimmered with the joy of harvest.
In the orchard by the village, apples and pears weighed down the branches. The heavy fruits rocked in the autumn wind, their enticing fragrance spreading through the air.
The old houses in the village still stood firm, their red walls and dark tiles steeped in the vicissitudes of time.
The leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard gradually turned yellow. Golden leaves danced in the autumn wind, as though recounting tales of bygone years.
The villagers wore simple autumn clothes and busied themselves in the fields during the harvest season. Their laughter and songs spread throughout the