"Sir, I'm amazing."

"You have no idea how sneaky those fish were. First, I did this and that, then splashed right into the water before finally catching them."

"So, am I impressive or what?"

Night in Pingshui County.

Tranquil, dim, the crescent moon gently caressed the Milky Way, drowning out the clamor of daylight.

In the flickering light of a few candles, within a cramped and crowded room, Wu Yingxue, wrapped in a thick quilt, animatedly described her fishing exploits to Xu Xi.

The candlelight danced.

Like delicate stardust shimmering in the darkness.

Casting the girl's face in alternating light and shadow.

Xu Xi smiled, offering praise: "Of course, no one is more impressive than you."

As he spoke.

Xu Xi ladled out a bowl of fish soup.

Steaming hot, its surface glistening with a milky sheen—this was the soup the young mistress had prepared. Though her culinary skills were far from refined and lacked any aromatic enhancements, in these times of scarcity, it was a rare delicacy.

Before even taking a bite.

The aroma rushed eagerly into his nostrils.

"Sir, you should eat first."

Wu Yingxue tugged at the quilt around her.

Wrapping herself even tighter.

She urged him, watching intently as if willing Xu Xi to take the first bite.

"No, Yingxue, you eat first."

The candlelight flickered, sparse and faint, casting a hazy glow that illuminated the man's gaunt face in the dim room.

That was his answer.

Tonight’s hero was the young mistress.

She had brought back the fish, easing their food shortage, even at the cost of falling into the water and catching a chill.

Heroes deserved their due.

"But, sir, this fish..."

"No buts. You rest well."

Holding the bowl in his left hand, Xu Xi scooped up a spoonful with his right, blowing away the steam before bringing it to her lips.

Nestled in her quilt, Wu Yingxue blinked.

She saw.

The spoonful of soup, glistening with oil under the candlelight, rippling in concentric circles.

Perhaps the quilt had done its job.

A faint warmth rose in her heart, coaxing her lips to part as she accepted the fish and broth.

"Mmm, delicious~~"

"As expected of my cooking~~"

The corners of her lips curled slightly as she gazed at Xu Xi, so close, delighting in her own culinary triumph.

……

……

The passage of time always brings change.

Not just to people.

But to the world as well.

The Survival Army, with Pingshui County as its foundation, expanded its influence outward. Life transformed month by month, and the pallor of starvation gradually faded from people’s faces.

That ragged band of "condemned folk," once on the brink of death by the roadside.

Unbeknownst to them.

Had become a force the Great Qian court could no longer ignore.

Xu Xi, however, did not rush forward. After sensing something amiss in the martial world, he halted the Survival Army’s advance, allowing his people to recuperate in the rear.

Naturally.

As Xu Xi’s Expeditionary General.

Wu Yingxue found herself with an abundance of free time in the absence of major battles.

Under a bright sun and clear skies.

The young woman, clad in red-and-white martial robes, lounged leisurely in the shade of a tree, gazing at the sky as she reminisced.

"Xue’er, come try this dress—it suits you so well!"

"Ugh, Mother, I told you I don’t like these things."

"I know, I know. My Xue’er wants to be a chivalrous hero, not a doll in rouge and dresses."

"Then why do you keep—"

"I just thought… maybe one day you’d need it."

……

"Wow, so cool~~"

"The hero in this book is amazing! I want to be a hero too!"

"No—I will become a hero!"

"Hahaha, such spirit! That’s my daughter!"

……

Childhood memories had long since faded.

Hazy, fragmented, and elusive.

The faces of the departed grew fainter with each passing day, their voices and smiles slipping further away.

"Stars, huh…"

Looking up at the blue sky, the girl recalled Xu Xi’s words—that those who passed on became stars in the heavens, watching over their loved ones below.

It sounded like a tale meant to comfort children.

But she chose to believe it.

A gust of wind swept by, carrying a broken blade of grass that brushed against Wu Yingxue’s cheek before vanishing into the distance.

Her thoughts drifted.

But the images in her mind were no longer of her parents.

Instead, they were of someone clearer, someone she saw every day.

What exactly was this feeling?

Wu Yingxue couldn’t put it into words. She only knew that being near Xu Xi brought her an inexplicable sense of peace and security.

"To borrow Mother’s words, this must be—"

"‘One thing tames another’?"

"Or maybe… uh, ‘a wanderer’s heart finally settling’?"

Frowning beneath the tree’s shade, the young mistress racked her limited knowledge, trying to define the bond between her and Xu Xi.

Suddenly.

A frantic cry shattered her contemplation.

"Bad news! Bad news!"

"Miss Wu! Something terrible has happened!"

Several familiar women came running from afar, their voices urgent as they shouted.

Wu Yingxue sprang to her feet.

Her qi surged, propelling her forward as she dashed toward them, her expression grave. "What is it? A demon beast tide? Or has Great Qian launched an attack?"

In her mind, a crisis could only mean one of those.

Yet.

The women exchanged glances before delivering an entirely different answer.

Not an enemy.

But something just as dire.

"Miss Wu, hurry back! Some shameless hussy has set her sights on the Grandmaster!"

Wu Yingxue’s eyes widened. "What?!"

The women urged her on. "Go now! The matchmaker’s already at his door!"

The news struck like a bolt from the blue, exploding in her mind with a deafening crack.

Wu Yingxue froze for a few seconds.

Her expression shifted rapidly—shock, confusion, then utter bewilderment.

"I’m going now!"

Her meridians burned with energy as she unleashed her full strength, soaring through the air with innate qi, racing back to the city at top speed.

When she arrived at her destination.

She saw it.

At the doorstep, where green bricks paved the path, Xu Xi stood with a gentle smile, bidding farewell to a family as they boarded a carriage.

Had he… agreed?

Her heart clenched, but she forced calm onto her face, masking the turmoil within.

Feigning nonchalance, she sidled up to Xu Xi and asked, "Sir, who were they?"

"Nothing much."

Xu Xi turned, walking back inside with her.

"Just a matchmaker’s proposal."

"Did you… accept?"

"Of course not."

Xu Xi lightly flicked her forehead with a curled finger. "Stop overthinking. I have no plans to marry anytime soon."

"And besides—"

He paused, then added.

"I don’t even know that girl."

"I prefer things to unfold naturally—meeting, knowing, understanding."