Chapter 8: A Bond in a Different World

"Third Brother." A familiar sweet and soft voice came from outside the room, interrupting He Fang's reminiscence. A peaceful smile appeared on his face, "Is it Yunniang! You can come in!"

Han Yunniang responded, leaning against the door and backing into the room. She held a tray with a small clay pot on it. Even before the lid was opened, the aroma of mutton and millet porridge wafted out.

"Did you just eat? Why are you bringing more?" He Fang asked.

"It's already past noon." The little girl smiled lightly, her pink lips revealing a row of white, even teeth, which were hard to imagine being brushed with just willow branches. She gently placed the tray on the desk and began to tidy up the books scattered on the desk and bookshelf.

"Has it passed so quickly?" He Fang felt that he had only read a bit and then got lost in his memories, and suddenly it was noon.

"You were so engrossed in your reading, of course you didn't notice." Han Yunniang was very nimble, and in a few moments, the messy desk was tidied up. She opened the lid of the pot on the desk, put a wooden spoon in it, and turned to help He Fang sit down to eat.

He Fang sat at the desk, looking down at the steaming hot millet and mutton porridge in front of him. His heart, which had been hardened by years of struggle in the real world, tightened slightly.

At this time, farmers usually had two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. They ate thin porridge when they were idle and solid food when they were busy, barely filling their stomachs. But the body He Fang had taken over was weak from long-term illness and was now being nourished with three meals a day. Every day, he had three or four eggs, a pound of well-cooked mutton, and thick millet and vegetable porridge. His parents spared no expense to nourish He Fang, making him healthier day by day. Now he knew how these three meals a day were earned. No wonder the family had no land left, and his parents still went out together every day, returning late and exhausted.

"What's wrong, Third Brother? Eat quickly, it won't be good if it gets cold." Han Yunniang, seeing He Fang sitting still, urged him softly.

He Fang shook his head, putting aside his worries. Worrying about his current frail body was useless. He smiled at the little girl standing beside him, ready to serve him, "Come and eat with me. I can't finish all this by myself."

Han Yunniang's fair face turned bright red, and she took a small step back, as if startled. She didn't understand what "Simazhao's intentions" meant, but she clearly understood her Third Brother's thoughts. Since he recovered from his illness, he had changed from being serious to often being playful with her. The little girl was naturally very willing to be closer to her Third Brother. However, the intimate moments made her, who was gradually becoming aware of the world, very shy.

Her beautiful eyes stared at her embroidered shoes, not daring to look at He Fang, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, "You should eat more, Third Brother, so you can get better soon."

He Fang looked at the bright red flush on her face, and the sudden bashfulness of the young girl made his heavy heart feel lighter. Teasing the gentle and considerate little girl was good for his mental health.

He Fang leaned forward and pulled Han Yunniang over, "It's no fun for me to eat while you watch. It's sweeter when we eat together." He pulled hard, trying to make the little girl sit in his lap.

While his parents worked hard outside, he was at home eating with a little girl. This wasn't because He Fang was heartless, but because he knew the best way to repay his parents was to recover quickly, both physically and mentally. If he insisted on suffering with his parents, it would delay his recovery, making their hard work meaningless, which would be filial impiety. He Fang wasn't a sentimental person; if he thought it was right, he wouldn't consider anything else.

Han Yunniang's face turned even redder as He Fang pulled her, and she struggled hard, refusing to sit down. Seeing that he couldn't succeed, He Fang, half-teasing, leaned close to the little girl's crystal-clear, jade-like ear and whispered, "Father and Mother are out, it's just the two of us at home."

The hot breath in her ear made her face and even her ears turn bright red, and her struggle weakened. However, she still felt embarrassed sitting in He Fang's lap and instead sat beside him, with one of his hands around her slender waist.

Under the lamp, the beauty had a unique charm, and in the daylight, the little girl's cuteness was impossible to hide. Especially her eyes, dark and bright, which would lower when she was shy, with long lashes covering them like a deep pool, and would sparkle when she was happy, paired with an innocent smile and a row of white, even teeth, almost entrancing. She wore a coarse, half-new and half-old blouse and skirt, which, though not enhancing her beauty, made He Fang feel a bit heartache.

According to the custom of the time, servant girls were called "yangniang." In the Han family, the little girl was not just a servant but also a child bride. It wasn't necessarily for the old owner of He Fang's body; the original plan of the Han parents was that if any of the three Han brothers couldn't find a wife, the little girl would be matched with him. This was a common practice in the Guanzhong countryside. In Xiaolongwan village alone, there were over a dozen families with child brides. When the eldest Han brother got married, and the second brother joined the army, the little girl was assigned to Han Gang, but now she was all for He Fang.

Han Yunniang knew the Han parents' plan and now regarded her Third Brother as her own. He Fang's affection after his recovery made her both shy and happy.

He Fang held the little girl's soft, slender body, and they took turns with the spoon, spending half an hour to finish the pot of mutton and millet porridge.

After eating, they spent some time together, and the little girl jumped up to clear the dishes. He Fang tidied his clothes and slowly stepped out of the door. His body was gradually recovering, and he no longer needed help to walk out for a stroll. He walked a bit every day, feeling a bit tired, but he persisted, walking a bit more each day. Only by strengthening his body could he recover quickly. In an era without antibiotics, fighting illness mainly relied on oneself. These days, he walked by the river for a while before returning home to build up his strength.

Walking on the dirt road in the village, He Fang used his stroll to re-familiarize himself with the surroundings and to look for ways to enrich the family, so his parents wouldn't have to work so hard.

The third brother of the Han family, who had shown a talent for reading from a young age, was highly respected in the small village. When he met villagers on the road, they would first come up to ask about his health, making He Fang feel a bit warm. His kind and polite responses surprised the villagers, who all said that the third brother of the Han family was becoming more and more like a scholar.

Along the way, he continuously greeted familiar neighbors, and from their surprised expressions, He Fang further understood that the old He Gang was not a person who treated others kindly. However, the third son of the Han family had been away studying for two years and fell ill upon returning, not having had time to interact with the villagers. The difference between He Fang and his predecessor could be attributed to the two years, which wouldn't make people suspicious.

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