My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 37 Part 4

The largest bow shop in the city was called Ju’an Fang. It had a complete selection and lavish decor, attracting the sons of wealthy and noble families who liked to browse.  

Many hunters also frequented the place.  

As soon as Huo Shu entered, a clerk came to greet him. He waved the clerk away, not needing an introduction, he could judge the quality of bows himself.  

For a beginner like Zhao Pan, an overly expensive bow wasn’t necessary; something comfortable to handle would suffice.  

After testing a few bows for draw weight, Huo Shu suddenly felt eyes fixed on him from behind.  

Without a word, he set down the bow and went upstairs, confirming that the gaze was still following him.  

Huo Shu picked up a blunt bamboo shaft, nocked it on the bowstring, and abruptly turned to shoot toward the source of the stare.  

Whoosh!  

The bamboo shaft grazed past the person’s face and embedded itself in a target.  

"Captain Huo! It really is you!"  

The nearly hit man, instead of getting angry, looked at the bamboo shaft stuck in the target beside him with shining eyes. "Your archery is as sharp as ever!"  

Huo Shu observed the young man, his features were delicate, but his skin was darkened by the sun. He appeared to be in his early twenties.  

Given how he addressed him, they must have met before, but Huo Shu had no recollection of him.  

"Who are you?"  

The man grinned and hurried forward, introducing himself eagerly:  

"My name is Ge Liang, from Hongli Village under Tongzhou City. Six years ago, I was conscripted and sent to the northern border."  

Huo Shu nodded. As expected, another soldier from the northern frontier.  

He lowered his guard slightly and asked, "Which battalion?"  

"I was in the Fourth Battalion under Deputy General Ma."  

"How do you recognize me?"  

The army had thousands of soldiers, and few faces stood out on the front lines.  

Back then, Huo Shu had also been under Deputy General Ma, but in the Third Battalion. Though adjacent to the Fourth Battalion, each battalion had over a thousand men, and their training and living quarters were separate.  

Thus, even neighboring battalions didn’t necessarily know each other.  

Ge Liang scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Captain Huo probably doesn’t remember me, but we did meet once."  

Years ago, Ge Liang had been a new recruit. Fresh soldiers were often bullied, and his frail build made him an easy target.  

For months, he barely ate a full meal, and his training was dismal. Then, misfortune struck, he was pushed to the front lines as cannon fodder.  

By chance, Huo Shu, then a senior soldier in the Third Battalion, had come to the Fourth Battalion to replenish troops after heavy casualties. Seeing Ge Liang’s weak frame, Huo Shu demanded to test his riding and archery skills. Finding him lacking, he berated those who had sent him to die and had him reassigned.  

Later, Ge Liang was transferred to the logistics kitchen, sparing his life.  

At the time, Ge Liang was baffled. Huo Shu was just a senior soldier in the Third Battalion, overseeing only a dozen men. Why could he storm into the Fourth Battalion, scold fellow soldiers of the same rank, and have them cower without retort?  

An old soldier later explained: Huo Shu had been in the army for years, born and raised in the northern frontier, fierce in battle. Though only a senior soldier, his archery and horsemanship rivaled those of higher officers.  

He had a foul temper and a cold demeanor, refusing to flatter superiors, which stalled his promotions.  

But while the higher-ups favored flatterers, they still needed warriors like Huo Shu on the battlefield. So though they denied him authority, they kept him close.  

The little soldiers knew they shouldn't provoke him, because if matters escalated, those above would certainly favor the one who won them battles.

Ge Liang said, "After that incident, they all assumed I had connections with Captain Huo and never dared to harass me again. I spent years in the kitchen, rarely saw the front lines, and even received favors from other soldiers. That I survived the war and returned home was entirely thanks to Captain Huo’s protection."  

"I’ve always wanted to thank you in person, but with my limited standing, I couldn’t wander the camp freely. I never got another chance to see you. I only heard fragments, that you were promoted to captain. Never did I imagine I’d meet you in Tongzhou one day after the war."  

Huo Shu, hearing this, faintly recalled the incident.  

"Back then, your riding and archery were truly abysmal. Sending weak recruits to the front wouldn’t have helped me. Newbies dying is one thing, but I’d gain nothing from it. You don’t need to take it to heart."  

Ge Liang, far from offended, laughed. His words were just as blunt as he remembered.  

"Whether by accident or not, the fact that I’m back in Tongzhou is because of you."  

Huo Shu gave a slight nod. "Surviving is what matters."  

Ge Liang asked, "Why didn’t you return to the capital with the army for commendation? What brings you to Tongzhou?"  

Since they were old acquaintances and shared the bond of comrades, Huo Shu briefly explained his reasons for coming to Tongzhou.  

Ge Liang was saddened to hear of Zhao Changsui’s death. They had been fellow villagers, yet never recognized each other in the army.  

He counted himself among the luckiest of the unlucky.  

Now that he had left the northern frontier behind, Huo Shu didn’t dwell on the past. With someone he was willing to protect with his life, he had new hopes for the future.  

"I’m currently in Mingxun Village. On the eighth of next month, I’m getting married. If you’re free, come for the wedding banquet."  

Ge Liang’s eyes widened in delight. "Captain Huo is settling down in Tongzhou? That’s wonderful! Mingxun Village is practically next to my village!"  

"Dare I ask, which family is so fortunate?"  

"The village head’s family, the ger of the Ji family."  

Ge Liang’s eyes grew even wider. "The Ji family’s ger!"