During Chen Chong's absence, Tian Yu continued to expand the nearby wasteland, planning to buy some seeds in the county town in a few days to plant. Since it was all mountainous land, Tian Yu still needed to research what to plant. Since that day, Tang Yuan had been following Tian Yu around, helping her out, and hadn't run off to play anymore. When he couldn't help, he would stand aside reciting the poems Tian Yu had taught him, or practicing archery. He had also learned quite a bit of simple addition and subtraction within ten.

On the evening of the fifth day after Chen Chong left, cheers erupted in the village. Tian Yu was still watering the garlic sprouts she had planted when Tang Yuan heard the commotion and went to check. Tian Yu told him to be careful, but Tang Yuan had already disappeared. A short while later, he returned, panting, saying that Chen Chong had gone up the mountain with Zhao Jinxin and several other hunters from the village. They had caught a lot of game, but Chen Chong had separated from them halfway and hadn't returned yet. He then begged Tian Yu to let him visit Chen Chong's house. Tian Yu refused; it was getting dark, and it wasn't safe in the mountains. She advised Tang Yuan to go with her the next day. Seeing no hope, Tang Yuan returned home dejectedly. Tian Yu didn't say anything more. She also wanted to go see him, but she couldn't. Standing at the door, she looked towards Chen Chong's house, silently praying for his safe return. She watched for a long time, and as the sun was about to set and the village quieted down, Tian Yu finally went back inside to prepare dinner.

While Tian Yu and Tang Yuan were eating, someone knocked on the door. Tang Yuan ran to open it and was overjoyed to see Chen Chong standing outside. Chen Chong picked him up, closed the door, and went inside. He and Tian Yu looked at each other without speaking, just staring at one another. After a long while, a small animal's sound came from Chen Chong's arms. Tang Yuan asked him what he was hiding, and only then did he come to his senses, put Tang Yuan down, and take out a small, gray, furry wolf cub from his arms, giving it to Tang Yuan. Tang Yuan was delighted, hugging and kissing it affectionately.

"Have you eaten?" Tian Yu asked first.

"Not yet, I just got back and came here first."

"Then sit down for a while, I'll go get you some food."

"No need, you eat first, I'm not hungry."

"I've finished eating. Sit down and wait, it'll be ready in a bit."

Before Chen Chong could say anything more, Tian Yu hurriedly went to the kitchen, leaving Chen Chong and Tang Yuan to tease the little wolf.

Soon, Tian Yu served them a bowl of snail porridge and fried four eggs. Tangyuan, having had the wolf cubs, wasn't hungry anymore and busied herself feeding them. Chen Chong ate the rest of the food by himself. Watching him eat, Tian Yu wanted to say, "Who said they weren't hungry just now? Now you've eaten so cleanly, you don't even need to wash the dishes." But in the end, she asked, "What have you been eating in the mountains these past few days?"

"It's nothing. Someone brought some flatbread, or we can just catch a pheasant or something to fill our stomachs."

"This time we went further, hoping to catch some larger game like wild boar and deer, but not many. We caught some smaller game, but the quantity was still decent. Tomorrow morning, Zhao Jinxin and I will go to the county town to sell them. We should be able to earn a good amount of money."

"Are we going tomorrow morning?"

"Um, is there anything you need to bring?"

"No, there's nothing I need to bring."

After a moment of silence, Tian Yu got up to clear the table and reminded Chen Chong:

"It's getting dark, why don't you go back quickly? Don't you have to go to the county town tomorrow?"

"It's okay, I'll stay with you a little longer."

"Mommy, can Uncle Chen stay a little longer?" Tangyuan pleaded as well.

"Okay, but not for too long. Uncle Chen has to get up early tomorrow and needs to rest."

"Okay, I understand. Uncle Chen, let's give it a name."

"What name do you want to give Tangyuan?"

"Hmm, Mother, let's name him."

"Me? Hmm, I'll have to think about it. How about we call it Fluffy?" Tian Yu said after thinking for a while.

"Fluffy, fluffy, that's great! Fluffy, you have a name now, from now on you'll be called Fluffy." Tangyuan happily played with Fluffy in the yard.

"By the way, where did you get this wolf cub?" Tian Yu asked, remembering that it was a wolf and how Chen Chong had found it.

"I stumbled upon it on my way back. The big wolf must have been bitten by other wild animals, leaving behind this little wolf cub, so I brought it back."

Chen Chong played with Tangyuan for a long time before reluctantly leaving only after Tian Yu repeatedly reminded her.

The next day, Chen Chong and the villagers went to the county town. Tian Yu continued to cultivate the wasteland, and Tang Yuan, with its furry companion, played everywhere with it, running and frolicking in the bamboo forest. After lunch, Tian Yu and Tang Yuan went to the riverbank again. Tian Yu planned to collect more snails to sell in the county town, perhaps earning some money.

Chen Chong and Zhao Jinxin sold their game and returned to the village. After dividing the money, they went to Tian Yu's house. They searched the area but found no one. They decided to try their luck at the riverbank. Before they even reached it, they encountered Zhao Jinxiu, who had caught up with them halfway. She shyly handed Chen Chong a package and ran back. Chen Chong was puzzled and was about to ask if Zhao Jinxin had asked her to deliver it when Zhao Jinxiu ran off without looking back. Chen Chong weighed the package in his hand but didn't open it before continuing his search for Tian Yu and the others by the river. In the distance, he saw Tangyuan playing with Maorong on the bank, while Tian Yu squatted by the riverbank, searching for something. Chen Chong remained silent. Seeing no one around, he wanted to sneak up and surprise them, but after only a few steps, Maorong and Tangyuan spotted him and started shouting. Tian Yu also stood up, turned around, and looked in Chen Chong's direction. She waved, and seeing Tangyuan running towards Chen Chong, she squatted down again to continue searching for snails.

Once Chen Chong was closer, Tian Yu got up and went ashore. Seeing that she had done her rummaging, she prepared to go home. She asked Chen Chong if he had eaten, and he said he had eaten in the county town with Zhao Jinxin and the others. Chen Chong rummaged in his pocket for a while, just about to take something out, when Tangyuan saw the bag in his hand and clamored to see it. Without thinking much, Chen Chong gave it to Tangyuan. Tangyuan opened it and saw a pair of shoes and a sachet. Tangyuan exclaimed, "Uncle Chen, this sachet is so pretty! Did you buy it for me?"

Chen Chong was about to take out what was in his pocket, but upon hearing Tang Yuan's words and seeing what was in the bag, he quickly took it back from Tang Yuan's hand and nervously explained, "No, this!? This was given to me by Zhao Jinxiu just now, I don't know what's inside."

"Hmm, a hand-embroidered purse and cloth shoes, it seems she has feelings for you!" Tian Yu said thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hand. She then recalled what Zhao Jinxiu had said a few days ago. It seemed that when Chen Chong went to Zhao Jinxin to go hunting in the mountains, Zhao Jinxiu thought that Chen Chong was interested in her. No wonder she couldn't stand her and said those things.

"No, I'll go return it to her now. You guys go home and wait for me." Chen Chong couldn't explain it clearly either. After saying that, he took the things and walked towards the village. Tian Yu shook her head and sighed. Could they really be together? After packing up, she took Tangyuan home first.