Grandchildren surrounding you, the joy of family life.
Shen Jiye's wife, Liu, came from a scholarly family in Jiangnan. She was gentle and virtuous, able to keep her husband company as he studied military strategy at night, and also capable of managing the household frugally and protecting the homeland for her husband who was stationed far away. She gave birth to Shen Jiye's only son, named Shen Nian'an, which not only reflected the couple's longing for their homeland but also their hope for the safety of their country.
Shen Nian'an grew up surrounded by the sounds of bugles in the border military camp, deeply influenced by his father Shen Jiye's unwavering spirit. He began learning martial arts at the age of three, wielding a wooden sword, and at five, he studied classics and history with a military tutor, aspiring from a young age to "follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and guard the border." With Shen Jiye constantly stationed on the frontier, his mother, Liu, took on the responsibility of his upbringing alone. She not only taught him poetry and etiquette but also frequently recounted stories of the Shen family ancestors' unyielding spirit and loyalty to the emperor, deeply imprinting the family motto of "putting the country first" into his heart. Whenever Shen Jiye rarely returned home, the father and son would spar for half a day at the training ground. Shen Jiye would personally teach him spear techniques and strategies, while Liu would stand under the eaves, watching their shadows lengthen in the setting sun, her eyes filled with tenderness.
That autumn, with clear skies and crisp air, Shen Jiye, finding the border peaceful, took leave to return to Jiangnan with his wife, Liu, and seven-year-old Shen Nian'an to visit their family. When the boat arrived at the Jiangnan dock, Shen Jifang, dressed in a plain cloth dress, was already waiting on the shore with her apprentice from the medical clinic, her eyes filled with anticipation. Seeing her brother's family disembark, she quickly stepped forward and embraced Shen Nian'an tightly: "Nian'an, I've been waiting for you! Do you remember your aunt?"
Shen Nian'an broke free from the embrace and respectfully performed a child's salute. Her voice was childish but clear: "Auntie, Nian'an remembers! Father said that Auntie is a living Bodhisattva who saves lives and heals the wounded, even more compassionate than the Guanyin in the painting."
Shen Jifang was amused and her eyes crinkled with laughter. She reached out and gently pinched his little nose: "This child knows how to please his aunt."
The group returned to the Shen family's old residence. The osmanthus trees in the courtyard were in full bloom, their sweet fragrance filling the entire yard. Liu Shi, arm in arm with Shen Jifang, entered the kitchen. The two chatted casually as they prepared vegetables, and soon the soft clatter of the chopping board and their laughter filled the air. Shen Jiye led Shen Nian'an through the courtyard, pointing to the pine and cypress trees planted by his grandfather, Shen Chengyou, and said, "This is where your grandfather taught me archery. He said that a son of the Shen family should not only be able to bend a bow, but also understand the ways of the world." Shen Nian'an looked up at the towering tree trunk, nodding as if she understood, her little hand tightly clutching the small wooden bow her father had given her.
At noon, the stone table was laden with food: the soft and sticky osmanthus cake was specially made by Madam Liu according to Wang Ruoxi's recipe from years ago; the delicious perch was bought by Shen Jifang from the lakeside early that morning; and there was also Shen Nian'an's favorite steamed sweet cheese. Shen Nian'an held his small bowl, taking small bites of the snacks, occasionally looking up to put a piece of fish on his father's plate and a spoonful of soup on his aunt's plate. His childish words and actions drew frequent laughter from everyone. After the meal, he took Madam Liu's hand and ran around in the courtyard, chasing after fluttering butterflies. His clear laughter drifted through the osmanthus trees and into the distance.
Looking at the scene before him, Shen Jiye picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes filled with a rare sense of relaxation and happiness: "Sister, since you opened your clinic, I have rarely been able to reunite with you like this. Now, watching Nian'an grow up and seeing your clinic thriving, this is the life I have been hoping for."
Shen Jifang smiled and nodded, her gaze sweeping over her grandnephew playing in the courtyard and Liu Shi busy with a smile, and said softly, "Brother is right. As long as the border is peaceful and the country is safe, our family can always enjoy such family happiness. In the future, I will also teach Nian'an to recognize herbs and understand meridians, so that he can not only know how to use martial arts to protect the country, but also know how to use medicine to help people."
As the sun sets, the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms grows stronger, enveloping the courtyard in warmth. The joyful laughter of the Shen family, carried by the autumn breeze through the bricks, tiles, and vegetation, becomes the warmest scene in the autumn of Jiangnan.
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