Beneath the amber canopy, memories sway,

The winds whisper tales of a bygone day.

Falling leaves dance, a nostalgic mime,

the quiet rustle reminds one of the passage of time.

Yet another year had passed...

"What happened? You seem lost in thought," Approaching Tiandi who sat by the garden, staring at a tree, Li Hua asked, her face covered with a soft smile. She held an air of maturity around her now.

"Nothing, just admiring the autumn leaves," Zhou Tiandi replied, his gaze fixed on the foliage around them.

The aura of maturity faltered as she looked at Tiandi with a tired expression. "That's such a boring hobby..."

Sighing, Tiandi responded, "You still know nothing about nature's artistic palette."

"I don't think there's anything like that," Li Hua continued.

"Yeah, sure."

"I mean, isn't it boring to watch leaves fall?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Hey, listen to me!"

"Yeah, sure."

"You...!"

With each falling leaf, Tiandi was once again reminded that time hadn't stopped. Even if, to an immortal like him, this was but a mere year, to Li Hua, a year was a significant portion of her lifespan.

'Should I fetch some life-extending treasures?'

This was the first option that popped up in Tiandi's mind. However, unless it was a treasure containing a fragmental manifestation of the Dao of life, it wouldn't be able to extend her life beyond a certain threshold. 

Not to mention, feeding something like that to a mortal like Li Hua could cause cancerous growth of her body, leading to incompatibility of body and soul.

'Some treasure to grant her cultivation aptitude, perhaps? Or maybe I can create a vessel for her and nurture her soul to be compatible with it, but even then, the risk would be too high-'

Feeling something weigh upon his shoulder, Tiandi turned to his side, finding Li Hua leaning onto him, looking towards him.

"Why are you worrying so much?" Her voice was laced with concern and a trace of helplessness.

Looking at her, Tiandi couldn't help but feel guilt well up in his chest.

"I am not worried about anyt-"

"Liar~" Cutting off Zhou Tiandi's words, Li Hua grabbed onto his arm, rising from her seat using her knees to prop herself up to be on the same height as the behemoth that was her "husband."

"I can tell when you're lying or when you're worried~" Putting her forehead against his, she stared into his eyes.

"I love you, I really do..." Her moist eyes sparkled like jewels, yet Zhou Tiandi did not hold any desire to admire them.

"Please don't try to carry it all alone... Even if I'm not that great of a wife, I can at least try to help you..." Her voice trembled as she didn't know what to say. 

She wasn't someone great with her words, often not saying what she meant to. But even so, she couldn't help but feel so frustrated that she'd rather not stay silent.

"It's fine, I was just worried about something stupid." Tiandi smiled, embracing Li Hua in his arms. He was uncertain about their future, but he couldn't forsake the present for that. "I am sorry for worrying you..."

Looking at the tree shedding its leaves, Tiandi realized that even if all the leaves were shed this year, in spring newer leaves would sprout.

'But, eventually...' His face lost his smile, an expression he hid from Li Hua, 'The tree will die and rot away...'

...

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...

Spring came, and they drank tea, ate snacks, and talked as they gazed at the newly budding leaves amid the spring breeze.

"This garden..." Looking at the garden, Tiandi almost felt like sighing, "We must take better care of it."

"Urgh..." Li Hua averted her gaze, "Well... I never really had the time to..."

"The whole house is pretty run down.."

"..." She lowered her head as her shoulders slumped...

"Well..." Bringing the teacup to his lips, he spoke with a smile, "We can do it over the year..."

"Yeah!" Li Hua's recovery was fast as she slammed her palms onto the table, "We can do it little by little!"

"Mhm, we still have time..." Tiandi mumbled, his gaze growing distant focusing on something seemingly far away...

Pulling onto his sleeve, Li Hua brought him out of his reverie, "Dear?" 

"Hm?" 

"Um... You seemed lost in thought." While Li Hua was quite used to her husband's random pauses, at times he'd seem more unusual. 

Usually, he was someone who was always somewhat of a worrywart but, at times his face would be completely clear of any worry or sorrow...

She could somewhat tell that this was when her husband was the most worried after all... 'He's hiding from me again...'

He was someone who didn't like to worry her and would often not tell her about things that might trouble her. 

"It's nothing." 

Hearing his response caused Li Hua to pout, after all, he should rely on his wife some more!

"You know..." Scowling at her husband, Li Hua continued, "You should rely on me more!!"

The sight of Li Hua frowning and yelling aloud was a sight that to Zhou Tiandi was exceptionally cu-

"Cute."

"Huh?!" 

"No, while I find all your flaws to be adorable, you being both angry and jealous is definitely, truly cute!" 

Tiandi made sure to give a thumbs-up to show his appreciation.

"Ya... Ya're trying to change the topic!" she slammed the table yet again, But her face did show traces of a crimson hue.

"Well..." looking at his wife, Tiandi sighed, "I was just wondering if we would have enough time..."

"Huh? If we both do our best together, we will be able to do it eventually."

"Indeed... Eventually, we will..."

...

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...

Seasons passed, years passed and yet again winter came,

"What happened?" Zhou Tiandi confronted his wife.

To which she simply played oblivious, "What do you mean by that?"

"Something happened. You're being far too quiet it's uncanny."

"Nothing... Happened." She still didn't tell him anything.

"Sigh... You're so bad at lying."

"I'm not!"

It all began exactly 3 days ago. Li Hua seemed a bit down all of a sudden. So, Zhou Tiandi, as her husband, did what a husband should do and tried to ask her. 

However, she repeatedly said that she was fine and tried her best to deflect his questions.

Finally, Zhou Tiandi couldn't take it anymore and decided to ask her directly, "Did someone say something to you?"

"...!" Seeing how his wife's entire body twitched, Zhou Tiandi was now sure of it.

"Who was it?" His voice grew icy as he asked this, he most certainly did not have a favourable opinion of the village.

"..." Li Hua lowered her head, not answering him.

"Sigh..." Feeling increasingly frustrated, Tiandi sighed, "Well then, at least tell me what those bastards said."

"..." Li Hua remained silent, but her trembling shoulders and light sniffs spoke volumes.

"Hua'er..." Tiandi grabbed onto her hands with his own, lowering his body till his knees touched the floor, "There is no need to mind those people's words. They only know how to speak nonsense!"

Looking up at his wife's face, Tiandi could see the tears welling up in her eyes, her sorrowed expression filled his heart with pain.

"B-but... *Sniff... They... are right *sniff..."

"Hua'er," rising from his prior position, Tiandi pulled her by her hand and led her to a place to sit, then seated her, and brought a glass of water for her, "Can you please tell me about it... It hurts me to see you in pain... So, please share it with me..."

How many years had been that Tiandi had begged someone like that? Even in his memory, he couldn't recall any such event.

"...They..." Li Hua hesitated for a moment, "They said that I was a waste who... c-couldn't even... give birth to a c-child..."

This was it. Tiandi had been enduring the village's slander for the past years. But, this was too much!

He rose from his seat abruptly, a murderous rage enveloped him.

"H-husband!"

His wife's voice snapped him out of his rage, her face filled with worry and traces of fear made Tiandi feel remorse for his foolish actions...

Not only did he do something like this... he didn't try to probe her more for the past week... He was so busy with the matter of life-extending treasures...

'No... that's nothing more than an excuse.'

Taking in a deep breath, He looked into his wife's eyes, "Hua'er, I have something I must confess to you."

"???" Li Hua's expression turned into a dumbfounded one.

"You see, I actually..." Tiandi's expression shifted into a stoic and serious one, "...hate children!"

"Huh?!" Li Hua's face turned even more dumbfounded.

"I just dislike how annoying they are!" Saying this, he comically let out a breath out of his nose.

"..."

"..."

An awkward silence filled the air, as Tiandi felt an unbearable pressure weigh upon him comparable to his first meeting with 'The Great Dao Wise Sage'.

Staring at her husband's stoic expression, Li Hua felt it hard to process what was happening.

Until... "Pfft..!" She finally let out a light laugh.

"..."

Seeing how her husband was still silent, "Hehe... Hahahaha.... Hahahaha!"

"Hey! No need to laugh that much!"

"..." Stopping her laughter, she looked at her husband for a moment, "...HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!"

And then she laughed even louder.

For the next few years, Li Hua would always bring this up whenever she had an argument with her husband.