Chapter 15

So this was his house.

The only stilt house in the entire forest—lonely, quiet. I’d assumed it was abandoned, but no. It was where Shen Jianqing lived.

We exchanged glances before following him up the steps into the house.

At the entrance was a narrow corridor, about two meters wide, connecting three rooms on the first floor. At the far end, a staircase led up to the second-floor hallway. The furnishings were simple—a solid wood table stood in the living room, looking like it had been cut and sanded just enough to serve its purpose. Beside it was a long wooden bench, uneven and slightly tilted.

The room was dim, lit only by the sunlight leaking through the doorway. Even in early summer, the air inside was cool and damp. I glanced around curiously: no wires, no switches, no lights—no trace of electricity or modern appliances at all. Not even a bulb.

The place was so pristine and untouched it could’ve doubled as a film set for a historical drama.

Setting down his empty basket, Shen Jianqing said, “It’s simple here—you’ll have to make do. There’s only one bench. If you want to rest, go upstairs. There are three rooms, but they haven’t been used in a while, so you’ll need to tidy them up.”

I asked, “Do you live here alone?”

He stood in the shadows, the dim light outlining his sharp, quiet features. “My parents passed away,” he said. “I used to live in the village, but later I moved here.” He tried for a small smile—perhaps to comfort himself—but his eyes stayed flat and emotionless.

So young, yet already without parents… It wasn’t hard to imagine what life in a small, tight-knit place would be like for someone like him. Judging by his fine clothes and ornaments, his family must have left behind some wealth.

A solitary boy with money—it wasn’t difficult to guess what might have driven him out here.

Realizing I’d touched on something painful, I fumbled for words, unsure how to console him. But before I could speak, he changed the subject. “You should settle in first,” he said. “I’ll make some food. It’s almost noon.”

I nodded quietly, the weight in my chest making it hard to speak.

The stilt house was built from bamboo and cedar—rickety in appearance, but surprisingly sturdy. The air inside carried a constant dampness, the kind that clung to your skin after a while.

Just as we reached the stairs, Shen Jianqing poked his head out of what looked like the kitchen. “Oh, one more thing,” he said. “You can use the second floor, but don’t go to the third.”

His black eyes locked onto mine as he said it, calm but heavy with meaning—a warning.

At that exact moment, a cold gust of wind swept through the trees, chilling me to the bone.

Apparently, a windbreaker wasn’t going to cut it up here.

We agreed to his request and headed upstairs. Three rooms stood side by side, silent and waiting. Back in the Miao village, Qiu Lu and Xu Zirong had shared a room, but since this was someone else’s home, we decided not to be presumptuous. Qiu Lu and Wen Lingyu took the middle room, and Xu Zirong chose the one near the stairs.

I opened the door to the innermost room.

The air inside was thick with the smell of mildew, laced with something bitter—like dried herbs. I couldn’t place it.

Probably just from being unused too long, I thought, not taking it too seriously.

An east-facing window let in a sliver of light. Wanting to air the room out, I pushed open the wooden lattice window. The view outside was a wall of dark green forest. A thin branch poked through the opening; I could have snapped it off without leaning out.

I turned to leave—but something caught my eye. Beneath the window, carved neatly into the sill, was a line of small circular indentations, evenly spaced. Time had filled them with dust.

I glanced up—there were matching indentations above the window frame.

I knew that pattern. In old rural houses, those grooves were used to fit wooden rods—to bar the window shut from both sides.

Like the window of a prison cell.

The thought made me chuckle at myself for being paranoid.

A wide wooden bed sat against the wall beneath the window—big enough for two. Other than that, the room was empty.

Truly simple.

I sat down on the bed and organized my things, making sure the camera and essentials were safe. The mountain wind slipped through the open window, brushing the back of my neck with a chill.

Once everything was in order and boredom set in, I headed downstairs. The others were still in their rooms. Passing by, I could hear Qiu Lu and Wen Lingyu laughing and teasing each other, their voices light against the weight of the mountain’s silence.

Downstairs, Shen Jianqing was busy in the kitchen.

At last, the place carried a bit of the warmth of human life. The stove was molded from clay, with a large pot set on top. Beneath it, a lively fire burned bright. In one corner stood an old wooden cupboard, and by the window, a bamboo pole hung a row of cured meats, their rich, salty aroma faintly drifting through the air.

Shen Jianqing stood beside the stove, skillfully lifting the pot lid with practiced ease. Steam surged out, white and thick, swirling around him like mist. He bent slightly, leaning forward to catch the scent, and the motion made his shoulder-length hair fall loose, softening the sharp lines of his youthful face.

He noticed me standing by the doorway, straightened up, and smiled. “Li Yuze, done unpacking?”

“Yeah,” I said, stepping inside. “Need a hand with anything?”

He shook his head lightly. “No need. I’m used to doing this myself—it won’t take long.”

Watching him work, I couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious. When I was his age, I might not have had much affection from my parents, but I never lacked material comfort. Relatives, friends—there was always someone looking out for me. He, on the other hand, was so young, yet already living alone and apart from everyone else. Compared to that, I was the lucky one.

Besides, I honestly didn’t know the first thing about farm life. My father used to scold me for being all theory and no skill—“you don’t know your grains from your weeds,” he’d say. Harsh as he was, that part wasn’t wrong.

I stood there, unsure what to do with my hands, until Shen Jianqing suddenly smiled again. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask you something,” he said, his tone light. “But I didn’t dare before—your friends were around.”

“Ask away,” I said blankly. “If I know the answer, I’ll tell you.”

He tilted his head slightly, eyes curious. “I don’t go out much, so I haven’t seen many places. Are people from your world all as good-looking as you?”

“…Huh?” I blinked, certain I’d misheard.

What did he just say?

Good-looking?

Wasn’t that… something you asked a girl?

My brain buzzed, my face instantly burning up.

“I—uh—”

He watched me flounder, then slowly blinked, the tiny red mole on his right eyelid flickering in and out of sight with the motion.

“I already figured out the answer,” he said cheerfully, his expression as open and pure as ever, completely unaware of the weight behind his words. “Your three companions—none of them are even half as good-looking as you. So I guess people out there probably aren’t, either.”

My mind went completely blank.

Sure, I’d been complimented plenty before—girls had even been straightforward about liking me—but this was the first time a boy had said something like that to my face.

Shen Jianqing leaned a little closer, his eyes bright and unguarded, clear as spring water. “What’s wrong? Did I say something untrue?”

I: “…”

His face was suddenly so close I could easily count his long, curling lashes.

The kitchen felt sweltering, the air heavy and dry—I could hardly breathe.

And then, mercifully, a familiar voice called from outside the door.

“What are you two doing in there?” Xu Zirong stood in the doorway, stiff as a statue.

A savior!

That was the only coherent thought left in my head. I’d never found Xu Zirong’s face so dear in my life.

My eyelids twitched—I quickly stepped back, putting space between Shen Jianqing and myself. “I—I’ll go check outside…” My voice trailed off to a mosquito’s buzz, and before anyone could stop me, I’d fled the kitchen.

“Hey—” Xu Zirong started, but I was already gone before he could finish.

I rushed into the living room and dropped onto the only bench there, taking a long, shaky breath. Cold wind slipped in through the doorway, clearing the fog in my head.

Xu Zirong came in a moment later, looking puzzled. “Azé, did you piss him off or something?”

“Who?”

He jerked his chin toward the kitchen.

Shen Jianqing?

How could I have offended him? Just because I didn’t answer his question? Did that make me seem rude?

“Yeah,” Xu Zirong said. “You should’ve seen the way he looked at me just now—cold as ice. I swear, anyone watching would think I’d stolen something from him.”

That didn’t sound right. Shen Jianqing was pure-hearted—he’d shown us nothing but kindness since we arrived. He wasn’t the type to glare with malice.

“You probably imagined it,” I said. “The kitchen’s smoky—you couldn’t see clearly.”

Xu Zirong was left speechless.

Not long after, dinner was ready. Qiu Lu and Wen Lingyu came down from upstairs.

“This is all I have,” Shen Jianqing said, setting the table with a smile. “Hope you don’t mind.” He placed a plate of neatly sliced cured meat in the center and a small dish of pickled vegetables on the side.

We hadn’t had a proper meal in days. The smell alone nearly made us drool.

“It smells amazing.” The cured meat was glistening and tender, its smoky-salty scent mixed with the aroma of firewood.

Xu Zirong shoveled down a huge mouthful of rice, too busy eating to speak, just nodding furiously.

Seeing our approval, Shen Jianqing’s face lit up in delight.

Someone like him—so simple and genuine—couldn’t possibly have looked at Xu Zirong with hostility.

“I don’t have much at home,” he said, “so I can’t treat you properly. After we eat, I’ll take you into the village to borrow some things.”

He lived apart from the others, yet he was still willing to set aside his pride and ask for help—for our sake.

I hesitated. “Will that be okay? If it’s inconvenient, we can manage as we are.”

He lifted his gaze, smiling faintly. “It’s fine. I think they’ll all be very curious… and happy to see you.”