HNYWEF -Chapter 54 A Future

Second day of the second month, Zhenguan Year Two.

Dragon Raises Its Head.

The weather was still cold, but the sun was good. When it shone on your body, you could finally feel a hint of warmth.

Most of the leftover snow in the alley had melted away. Only a few dirty piles remained in the shaded corners by the walls, huddled there, waiting to slowly disappear.

The Zhou family blacksmith shop was open.

The sound of hammering came from inside, steady and rhythmic.

“Clang.”

“Clang.”

“Clang.”

Zhou Yi stood at the long workbench, hammer in hand, striking a piece of iron.

He could already work on his own now.

From lighting the furnace, to choosing materials, to forging and shaping—he could handle the entire process himself.

The last time Cheng Yaojin came by, he stood there watching for half the day, praising the boy’s hoes as even better-looking than the ones his father made.

Zhou Xiong hadn’t said anything at the time.

But Zhou Yi had seen the corner of his mouth twitch.

It had been slight, fleeting, gone in an instant.

But Zhou Yi had seen it.

He raised the hammer and brought it down again. Sparks burst out, one landing on his arm and burning a tiny mark into the skin. He neither dodged nor stopped.

He was thirteen now.

At this time last year, he had only known how to squat outside with a tree branch, scratching lines in the dirt. But now, one year later, he could stand at the workbench and forge iron one hammer strike at a time, just like his father.

He had changed a lot.

He had shot up in height. The clothes made for him last year already had sleeves that were too short.

The baby fat on his face was gone, and his jawline had begun to sharpen.

Even his voice had started changing. Sometimes in the middle of speaking, it would suddenly crack like a broken gong.

He still remembered Cheng Yaojin laughing so hard he nearly doubled over when he first heard it.

Zhou Yi’s face had turned red as a monkey’s backside back then.

But Zhou Xiong hadn’t laughed.

He had simply looked at him for three breaths before saying one sentence:

“It’s normal. In a couple years, it’ll settle.”

Zhou Yi had frozen at the time.

His father… was comforting him?

He didn’t know.

But he remembered those words.

Zhou Yi set down the hammer and used tongs to lift the iron piece, holding it close to inspect.

Mm. The shape was about right now. A little trimming around the edges and it would be finished.

He placed the iron back into the furnace to heat again.

The fire crackled.

He turned around, about to grab another piece of iron—

Then he froze.

Zhou Xiong was standing behind him.

No one knew when he had come over. He was simply standing there, watching him.

Zhou Yi opened his mouth.

“Dad?”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He only stood there, looking at Zhou Yi.

Then he spoke.

He said something Zhou Yi had never imagined hearing from his father.

“Do you want to pursue an official career?”

His voice was still hoarse.

But compared to before—

There was more to it now.

Zhou Yi could feel it.

At this time last year, his father spoke so little that everything he said in a day could be counted on ten fingers.

Now, even though he still didn’t speak much, at least… at least he would speak first sometimes.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

And looked for another three breaths.

Zhou Yi was completely stunned.

He stood there holding the tongs, mouth slightly open, staring at his father.

The furnace crackled.

Wind blew outside, stirring the hanging door curtain.

Zhou Yi felt like he must have heard wrong.

“Dad?”

He called again.

Zhou Xiong didn’t answer.

He only stood there watching him.

Waiting for his reply.

Zhou Yi stood frozen, his mind blank.

Pursue an official career?

Him?

He had never thought about something like that.

His father had always taught him blacksmithing, horse stance training, poetry recitation, and all those things whose names he didn’t even know.

He had thought his whole life would simply be blacksmithing. Just like his father—open a shop and spend a lifetime forging iron.

Pursue an official career?

That was for those people—

The ones dressed in silk, riding in sedan chairs, the ones who called his father “Uncle Zhou” when they saw him—

That was their business.

It shouldn’t have been his.

He opened his mouth.

But he didn’t know what to say.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

For a very long time.

So long that Zhou Yi felt his legs going numb from standing.

Then Zhou Xiong turned around.

He walked back to the bench where he usually sat and lowered himself onto it.

The furnace light flickered across his face, bright one moment and dim the next.

Then he spoke.

“Take your time and think about it.”

Three words.

After that, he fell silent again.

Zhou Yi stood before the workbench, still gripping the tongs tightly.

He stared at the man who had turned away and sat down on the bench.

For a long time.

Then he lowered his head and looked at the glowing red iron inside the furnace.

The iron burned bright red, like a ball of fire.

He stared at that fire.

For a very long time.

So long that the iron overheated.

Only one sentence kept circling in his mind—

Pursue an official career?

Did he want that?

He didn’t know.

He truly didn’t know.