Casimir Shaw excitedly pulled Leah to tour his house. The small cabin was already minimalist in style, and the young boy’s room was also very simple. Only the bedroom had a row of tall bookshelves, filled with books, each marked with the age he should read that row. Leah glanced over it quickly and found it peculiar, thinking Casimir would have to read them all by the age of eighteen.

"Mommy, I’ll take you to see Old Richard’s room." Casimir Shaw hadn’t been back for a long time, and upon returning, he was like a carefree bird, restless, pulling Leah to Richard Shaw’s room. The man’s room was even simpler, with only a desk and chair, a bed, and a simple wardrobe with neatly folded cotton and linen clothes. No sign of winter clothes.

Although Leah lived in the Golden Triangle over the past few years, she enjoyed the best food, drink, and accommodation locally, spending money like running water. Especially in the Squire Manor in Southeast Asia, which cost hundreds of millions, she never thought much of it. She earned money and spent it, bringing nothing to life nor taking it to death. Yet seeing the living conditions of this father and son, she inexplicably felt a bit sad.

Casimir Shaw was a well-behaved child, seemingly very accustomed to this lifestyle. He could live in a villa in Southeast Asia but was also comfortable in a small cabin in the Imperial City. This child’s disposition was excellent.

Leah bent down, holding the constantly jubilant young boy, smiling as she asked, "Thomas, have you always lived here with Old Richard since you were a child?"

"Yes, during the winter and summer holidays, I go to accompany Great-grandma, but Old Richard needs me more." Casimir Shaw patted his small chest proudly and said, "I am the joy of the family. Old Richard can’t be without me, but Mommy, Old Richard only has eyes for you now. I’m out of favor."

The young boy sighed and said, "I’m sure I’ll be sent to Great-grandma’s house."

Leah chuckled, stroking his little head, softly smiling, "Thomas, you are Mommy’s treasure, and you’ll never fall out of favor."

"Really, Mommy?" Casimir Shaw’s dark eyes lit up, and in his joy, he almost jumped up, tiptoed, kissed Leah’s face, and then ran off happily, shouting to Old Richard in the yard, "Old Richard, Mommy says I’m her treasure."

Richard Shaw’s lips curved into a shallow smile, and beside him, Shuangzi felt an inexplicable urge to wipe away tears. In these years, it was the first time seeing the Major General smile. Now the young boy was lively and adorable, the lady was unharmed, and the Major General’s years of suffering were finally coming to an end.

Shuangzi felt both joyous and tearful, and after setting things in order, quietly left space for the family of three.

In the evening, Richard Shaw took to the kitchen and uncharacteristically made four or five dishes. Though he hadn’t said much, his eyes softened, and his whole demeanor seemed less cold and intimidating.

Dinner was set in the yard, with a gentle breeze brushing through, filling the garden with the scent of flowers, illuminated by old-fashioned ground lamps. Leah thought the place looked even better than Squire Manor.

After dinner, sleeping arrangements became a problem. Originally, Richard Shaw built the cabin for solitary living, with only three rooms in total. One room was filled with Crystal Landon’s old things, which remained closed off year-round, and the remaining two rooms belonged to the father and son.

"I’ll sleep with Xiaoze tonight. You can sleep in my room," Richard said in a low voice. "But the bathroom is outdoors. I’ll stand guard when you bathe."

Leah blinked, seeing the man’s slight discomfort saying these words. His tea-colored eyes avoided hers, making her find it amusing. Over the years, her extraordinary beauty had men eager to stick to her, yet this man, in his thirties with a child, was so innocent.

"Am I not pretty? Is that why you don’t like to look at me?" Leah parted her red lips lightly, her voice tender, her peach blossom eyes clear, shimmering beautifully.

The setting was already nightfall, and the mention of bathing was sensual enough. Richard Shaw exerted all his strength to disguise himself as merely a passerby to her. Seeing her slightly pouty and displeased, his fingers tightly gripped the wheelchair’s armrest, dryly saying, "Speak no evil, see no evil."

Releasing the beast of desire pent up in his heart would not only frighten her but could also disrupt the harmony before him. No matter how uncomfortable, he had to endure.

"Go take your bath. This is the suburban area. No one will pass by the cabin. I’m just worried insects or animals might startle you," Richard Shaw’s voice turned hoarse with authority, and he still wouldn’t look her way.

The suburban cabin had long been an enigmatic presence in the local residential area. The townsfolk knew it housed a father and son, living an elusive life, with frequent visits from soldiers, adding to its air of mystery. Hence, no one dared to approach.

Leah stopped teasing him, took her clothing and bath scents into the wooden bathroom, only now understanding why it was called ’outdoor’—it had no ceiling, no roof. Fortunately, its privacy was adequate, with all doors solidly built of wood.

She opened the door, indeed seeing the man guarding outside the bathroom. His tall figure sat straight in the wheelchair, exuding a sense of steadiness akin to a mountain in the night, providing a sense of immense security.

Leah closed the door again and took a slow bath, the sound of water faintly audible.

The man’s body tensed slightly. Partly due to the chill of the night wind, partly due to the fire in his heart. In recent days, his insomnia had worsened, often waking in the middle of the night to ensure his surroundings, repeatedly confirming her presence before he could rest exhaustedly until dawn.

He feared all this was a dream, that upon waking, he would still be alone, holding the newborn Casimir Shaw, standing solitary in the snow before her grave.

His time remained eternally locked in that snowy day, only until their recent reunion in Southeast Asia did the six stagnant years rush by, bringing life’s vicissitudes and piercing ecstasy.

"Old Richard, you haven’t told me your full name," Leah asked softly, her voice tender, while drying her body and dressing in pajamas, her words passing lightly through the barrier.

"Richard Shaw, born on the day of Waking of Insects. My father said, with the world warming and spring thunder beginning to rumble, it’s not just a good time but also a good omen. I should shoulder the family’s responsibilities," the man spoke calmly and gently, his gaze faintly nostalgic.

So it’s Richard Shaw, Leah nodded, feeling the name suited his imposing aura. Even when unsmiling, the man could intimidate others. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

She placed her changed clothes into the laundry basket, carried it out, and upon exiting the bathroom, she stumbled and fell. Richard Shaw? The illustrious military-political family from the Imperial City, the Shaw Family’s heir, who became a Major General at the young age of twenty-four? The Major General who chased her through Southeast Asia on the eighth day of the first lunar month, forcing her to escape by jumping into the sea?

This grudge has grown immensely.