"Good morning, Zhou Rui." Julius stepped outside, yawning as he rubbed his eyes.
A thick layer of snow blanketed the ground and rooftops. A mist lingered in the air, and villagers were already busy with their morning routines. Clouds loomed overhead, hinting that heavy snowfall was on its way. A cold wind rustled through the wooden houses of the mountain village.
Zhou Rui stood nearby, his expression tired and grim. Just one look at his face made it obvious—he hadn't slept at all.
"What happened to your face, Zhou Rui?" Julius asked, puzzled.
Through gritted teeth, Zhou Rui muttered under his breath, "If only I had permission to kill this guy..."
"Did you say something?" Julius tilted his head, catching the tone but not the words.
"No. Nothing at all," Zhou Rui replied with a forced smile.
A loud voice called out from the distance.
"Hellooo!"
Both of them turned to their right. Walking toward them was the village chief, waving cheerfully with one hand raised. His face wore a warm smile, eyes gently closed in his usual friendly manner.
They both greeted him, "Good morning, Chief."
"Good morning, Mr. Zhou Rui and Mr. Airu," Yu Zhen greeted with a bow of his head.
Then he asked, "Have you two had breakfast yet?"
They shook their heads in unison.
"Oh, I see. In that case, why don't you come with me?" Yu Zhen smiled. "The villagers have arranged a celebration for you two. Normally, we'd host a party at night, but the heavy snowfall here makes that difficult—so we're doing it during the day instead."
"You really didn't need to go through all that trouble," Zhou Rui said, surprised.
"Nonsense. You both helped us so much. It's the least we could do," Yu Zhen replied with genuine gratitude.
"Yeah, why not? We'll come. I'm starving anyway," Julius added, stretching.
"Excellent," Yu Zhen said. "I'll arrange some hot water for you to wash up. Once you're done, come straight to my house."
"Sure, and thanks for the party, Chief," both Julius and Zhou Rui responded together.
Yu Zhen chuckled softly, his hands tucked into his sleeves as he strolled off to prepare.
After freshening up, Julius and Zhou Rui arrived at the front of Yu Zhen's home. Right outside stood a tall, majestic pine tree—decorated like a Christmas tree—with a silver bell hanging beneath it. The bell, pure and polished, was only to be used in times of emergency, to warn the villagers of danger.
Yu Zhen stepped out of his house just then. Seeing them, he smiled.
"Ah, you're here. Please, stand near the bell while I gather everyone."
"Sure, Chief," Zhou Rui replied, and the two of them moved beside the tree.
Soon, Yu Zhen gathered all the villagers who had been busy with preparations. One by one, the townsfolk came together, each holding a small wooden barrel—about the size of a glass—filled with aromatic wine. Yu Zhen carried two barrels himself, which he handed to Zhou Rui and Julius, before picking one for himself.
Then he turned to address the crowd, raising his barrel high.
"To our two heroes, who saved our village by conquering the dungeon—cheers!"
All at once, the villagers lifted their barrels in the air, cheering in unison. Some of the wine spilled during the gesture, but no one cared. They all drank deeply, celebrating with full hearts.
Zhou Rui and Julius watched the heartfelt gesture, smiling as they took their first sips. The wine was rich and warming, perfect for the icy day.
The feast began. There was much more than just wine—roasted meat, fresh vegetable salads, bowls of fruit, and other delicacies lined the tables. Everyone laughed, ate, and shared stories. Soon, music filled the air, and people began dancing.
Julius, Zhou Rui, and Yu Zhen joined the joyful crowd, spinning and laughing together with the villagers. Children were only given orange juice, but they were just as happy—running around and playing with cheerful energy.
Julius had left his staff and wide-brimmed hat at home, wanting to enjoy the day without the weight of battle. Hours passed in carefree bliss. Some villagers even fell asleep outside from sheer exhaustion, cuddled in warm blankets and coats.
Under the massive tree, the three men sat again—Julius, Zhou Rui, and Yu Zhen—resting. All three had flushed faces from the wine, their breath visible in the cold evening air.
Yu Zhen leaned back and asked, "So, how long have you two been traveling together?"
"Not too long," Zhou Rui replied. "Just about a year."
"That year flew by, didn't it?" Julius said, smiling through the fog of his light buzz.
Yu Zhen looked between them curiously.
"How did you two meet?"
Zhou Rui laughed, brushing snow from his shoulder.
"That's a long story. Want to hear it?"
"Of course," Yu Zhen replied, intrigued.
"Then sit tight," Zhou Rui said with a smirk. "Here's how it all started…"