With calm steps, accompanied by the sound of the wind, Arthur and Jing Liu walked toward Uncle Jack, who had been dozing off. Perhaps hearing the approaching footsteps and the voices of children from behind the house, Uncle Jack woke up. He saw Arthur and Jing Liu walking closer. Unlike the composed Arthur, Jing Liu was more lively she waved her hand while tugging at Arthur to walk faster.
"Uncle, we're home!" Arthur and Jing Liu called out together.
The moment he saw them, Uncle Jack immediately perked up and hugged them.
"Why didn't you send word that you were coming home today? If I'd known, I would have picked you up," Uncle Jack said, looking at them.
"We didn't want to be a bother. We're more independent now," Jing Liu replied proudly.
"Really? Somehow, I'm not so sure," Arthur teased.
Hearing that, Jing Liu immediately turned to Uncle Jack and complained, "Arthur's making fun of me!" Uncle Jack laughed, then invited them to eat and rest first. However, Arthur heard many children's voices from behind the house and asked Uncle Jack about it.
"Uncle, why are there so many children's voices coming from the backyard?" Arthur asked curiously.
"That's the sound of kids playing with the rabbits in the back garden," Uncle Jack answered, pointing toward a garden full of rabbits. Children around Arthur's age from the village could be seen happily playing with the rabbits.
It turned out that because the rabbits bred quickly, Uncle Jack had built a fairly large garden. Its green grass was well-maintained, fenced waist-high for an adult. For rabbit feed, Uncle Jack started growing vegetables and root crops on a small part of his field, also adding a few carrots from his martial spirit. Unfortunately, Uncle Jack had no spirit power, so he could only create a small amount. The village children were delighted to hear about the new playground and came by to play every now and then.
Arthur observed the garden closely. Neat green grass, a wooden fence all around, and inside, over a dozen white and brown rabbits hopping cheerfully. The village children laughed as they fed them carrots and leafy greens.
"Uncle really put a lot of care into all this," Arthur said with a small smile. He knew very well that even though Uncle Jack had no spirit power, his small efforts and attention could create something precious.
Already impatient, Jing Liu tugged at Arthur's arm. "Come on, let's go play! Look at that chubby white rabbit over there!"
"You two can play for a bit, but don't forget to have lunch first, okay?" Uncle Jack said, gentle yet firm. "I'll go prepare the meal."
As Arthur and Jing Liu entered the garden, the village children welcomed them joyfully. A boy with dirt still dusted on his face ran up. "Arthur! Jing Liu! You're back! Come see—this rabbit is one you and Uncle Jack helped take care of before!"
Arthur followed the boy to a corner of the garden. There, a mother rabbit was sheltering three tiny kits whose eyes had not yet fully opened. Jing Liu immediately crouched down, her eyes sparkling. "They're so cute... Uncle Jack must have been very patient raising them all."
From a distance, Uncle Jack watched them from the kitchen doorway while peeling potatoes. A faint smile crossed his lips. The once-quiet house was now lively again with laughter. The evening breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of earth and grass, as if joining in the celebration of this small, warm homecoming.
TO BE CONTINUED...