The house had never been used for cooking.
Qin Lie had always drunk water straight from the well.
He scooped up a ladleful, tipped back his head, and gulped it down in several long swallows.
The well water had already turned icy with the arrival of autumn. Earlier that day, Arui’s hands had nearly gone numb washing clothes in it.
One ladle wasn’t enough.
He lowered it again for another.
Arui frowned, struggling with herself before finally reaching out and gently tugging at the corner of his sleeve.
“You shouldn’t drink raw water. It can upset your stomach. Please… don’t drink so much.”
Her younger brother had loved drinking water straight from the well.
After suffering several bouts of stomach pain, the traveling physician who visited the village had explained that untreated water contained tiny parasites and should always be boiled first.
Arui knew how miserable an upset stomach could be.
Qin Lie had given her food today.
She couldn’t simply stand by and watch him make himself ill.
The man lowered his head.
The timid young woman stood before him, her slender fingers, delicate as fresh scallion shoots, clutching his sleeve.
He had spent the entire afternoon hunting.
His clothes were stained with dirt and dried blood.
Ordinarily, Qin Lie never cared much about appearances.
But for the first time, he found himself thinking his clothes were too filthy.
Too filthy for her hands.
When he remained silent, Arui cautiously looked up.
She met eyes that held an unusual trace of irritation.
Truthfully, Qin Lie was very handsome.
Even more striking than Qin Song.
But the fierce aura between his brows was so intimidating that she swallowed nervously before speaking again.
“I… I can boil some water for you… if you’d like.”
She used the same gentle tone she always used when coaxing her little brother.
Her naturally sweet voice seemed dipped in honey.
A sudden rush of heat shot through Qin Lie’s body, gathering fiercely in one place.
His fists clenched.
The muscles along his arms tightened beneath bronzed skin.
For an instant, he resembled a wolf poised to strike.
Arui turned pale.
Her knees weakened as she froze where she stood, already regretting saying anything at all.
“I… I…”
Qin Lie tore his gaze away from her.
He tossed the ladle back into the bucket.
Water splashed against his legs, but it did nothing to cool the fire raging inside him.
“All right.”
…All right?
Arui blinked in confusion.
It wasn’t until she saw him walk off to gather firewood that she finally understood.
He had…
Actually agreed.
…
There was firewood behind the house.
When Qin Lie returned to Qinghe Town at the beginning of the year, it had still been winter.
The wood he had chopped then had yet to run out.
He picked up an axe and began splitting logs.
The setting sun still cast warm golden light across the courtyard.
His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing powerful bronze forearms thick with muscle.
Each swing of the axe made the muscles ripple beneath his skin.
The heavy blade looked weightless in his hands.
With every strike, thick logs split cleanly into several pieces.
Perhaps sensing someone watching him, Qin Lie turned around.
Sweat glistened across his calm face.
A bead rolled from his forehead, traced the scar on his cheek, and disappeared across his broad, muscular chest.
Arui’s heart skipped.
She hurriedly looked away and fled into the kitchen.
Pressing her burning ears, she found her heart racing uncontrollably.
Qin Lie pursed his lips.
The veins along the hand gripping the axe stood out sharply.
He had grown up among soldiers.
He had heard every crude joke and vulgar story imaginable.
Life on the battlefield was monotonous, and the men often passed the time with filthy conversations.
Qin Lie had never joined in.
Because of Madam Cui…
He had always despised women.
Marriage and children had never once crossed his mind.
Until he met Arui.
That night…
She had clung to him.
Crying.
Begging him to hold her.
Her soft, curvy body had melted against his chest.
Even her sobs had sounded sweet and helpless.
Though Qin Lie had never been with a woman before, he wasn’t ignorant.
He had endured the painful ache in his body all night, forcing himself not to touch her beyond what was necessary to save her.
Now…
All it had taken was one timid glance from her.
That familiar sensation returned with startling force.
His face darkened.
Throwing the axe aside, he strode to the well and filled a wooden bucket with water.
Inside the kitchen, Arui waited for him to bring in the firewood.
Instead, she heard splashing water outside.
Curious, she cautiously peeked through the doorway.
The stove faced directly toward the well.
Qin Lie had already removed his shirt.
Standing beside the well, he lifted the bucket over his head.
Water crashed over him in a single rush.
It streamed from his sharp brows across his broad shoulders before tracing every powerful line of muscle down into the waistband of his trousers.
His pants were soaked instantly.
The wet fabric clung tightly to his body.
Even from the side…
It did little to conceal the unmistakable outline beneath.
Arui jerked her head away.
Her entire face burst into flames.
H-He…
How could he bathe out in the open courtyard?
And…
Without a shirt on?
Qin Lie had no idea he’d frightened the young woman.
Even if he had known, he likely wouldn’t have cared.
The house stood by itself.
The nearest neighbors lived nearly half a li away, and Aunt Wang’s house was hidden behind several large trees.
No one could possibly see him.
Even if he hadn’t been wearing trousers.
After changing into dry clothes, Qin Lie carried the firewood into the kitchen.
The moment he stepped inside, he found Arui with her head lowered like a frightened little quail, avoiding even looking at him.
He set the wood down but didn’t leave.
Standing over her, he looked down quietly.
She barely reached the middle of his chest.
So small.
Her long lashes trembled gently like tiny feather fans, brushing against his heart in ways he found increasingly difficult to ignore.
His eyes darkened.
Afraid of frightening her further, he deliberately softened his voice.
“What would you like for dinner?”
“I… I don’t want anything.”
Arui shook her head so quickly it was almost frantic.
Right now, food was the last thing on her mind.
She only wanted him to stand a little farther away.
The kitchen was already tiny.
She stood pressed against the stove, surrounded by the lingering scent of fresh water clinging to his body.
It made her cheeks burn and her thoughts grow dizzy.
Qin Lie remained silent.
His imposing presence filled the cramped room.
Panic welled up inside Arui.
Her voice trembled with unshed tears.
“I’m really not hungry.”
She still hadn’t digested the five buns she’d eaten at noon.
She was afraid he’d force her to eat again.
Qin Lie frowned.
The irritation inside him only deepened.
“Why are you crying?”
Was he truly that frightening?
Had a single question been enough to scare her into tears?
His face was naturally stern.
With his brows furrowed, he looked even more intimidating.
Sniffling softly, Arui stubbornly forced the tears back into her eyes.
Qin Lie looked at her for a long moment.
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
The instant he left, Arui finally breathed freely again.
Her legs had gone completely weak.
Sliding down the wall, she slowly sat on the floor.
This time, Qin Lie was gone for quite a while.
The water in the pot had been heated twice before he finally returned.
Leaning against the wall, Arui had already begun nodding off.
She had spent the previous night keeping vigil beside the coffin.
Even the brief moments she managed to doze had been shattered by nightmares.
Now that the tension inside her had finally eased, exhaustion swept over her all at once.
The firelight from the stove softened her delicate features.
Even the tiny hairs along her cheeks glowed in the warm light.
Qin Lie quietly placed the bowl he was carrying onto the stove.
Without waking her, he silently stepped back outside.
The night sky was already scattered with countless stars.
Even Qin Lie found it difficult to believe what he had just done.
He had walked more than twenty li to the county town…
Just to buy her a bowl of sweet soup.
Women had always been trouble.
Especially someone like Arui.
She was timid and delicate.
You couldn’t scold her.
You couldn’t touch her.
Even when she was in the wrong, you couldn’t bring yourself to discipline her.
Qin Lie rubbed his brow in frustration.
For the first time in his life…
He felt that fighting a war was easier than comforting a woman.
…
Arui woke because of a sweet fragrance.
The rich scent of osmanthus drifted gently through the kitchen.
Opening her eyes, she immediately spotted the white porcelain bowl sitting on the stove.
Inside was crystal-clear sweet syrup, tinted a light amber and sprinkled with delicate osmanthus blossoms.
Though it had already cooled, it still looked incredibly tempting.
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
“Ow!”
She pinched herself hard.
The sharp sting instantly brought her fully awake.
It really was sweet soup.
Once, she had accompanied her mother and younger brother to the county town.
As they passed a dessert stall, her little brother had begged for sweet soup.
Unable to afford more, their mother had bought only half a bowl, intending for the three of them to each have a taste.
Instead…
Her little brother had finished it all in one gulp.
Although Arui had never gotten a sip, she still remembered the sweet fragrance drifting from that bowl.
It smelled exactly like this one.
But…
Who had bought it?
Qin Lie?