Matthews

"You all, take a good look—who do you think this is?"

Hodge called out as he drove the donkey cart to the village entrance, gesturing to the golden-haired young man behind him.

The young man clutched his backpack nervously.

The group of elderly men heard Hodge's words and gathered around, curiosity piqued.

They moved closer to the young man, studying him carefully but failed to recognize him.

"Why did you bring a stranger back to our village?" one bald old man questioned.

Hodge laughed heartily.

"Look closely—who does he remind you of?"

"This young man... he looks just like Leon! Is it just me?" the yellow-toothed elder asked, frowning.

The other elders, upon hearing this, squinted their eyes and took another closer look at the golden-haired youth.

Their faces slowly changed from confusion to realization, eyes widening in surprise and understanding.

"You're right!

This lad's features are just like Leon's, almost as if they were carved from the same mold!" one wrinkled elder slapped his thigh and marveled.

"Yes, especially the eyes—they're identical to Leon's!" added the bald elder with a nod.

The golden-haired young man scratched his head awkwardly, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.

Seeing that the elders still hadn't guessed, Hodge pointed to the youth behind him.

"He's Middleton's grandson, Borne. Have you all forgotten?"

As soon as Hodge revealed this, the elders erupted into animated chatter, voices rising with excitement.

"I knew it—he looks so much like Leon!"

"Aye, old age has dimmed our eyesight."

"This lad is solid—look at those arms, as strong as his father was when he was young!"

One of the wrinkled elders even reached out to squeeze Borne's arm, feeling the firm muscle beneath. He couldn't help but chuckle and offer praise.

"Come, have some dates," the yellow-toothed elder offered, pulling out a handful of dates from his pocket and handing them to Borne.

Borne, still feeling a little shy, accepted the gift with a nod and thanks. The other elders followed suit, passing him dates as well.

"Don't go telling Middleton yet; his grandfather doesn't know he's back," Hodge quickly said, noticing one of the elders about to leave.

The elder turned around and nodded in agreement, stepping back to join the group.

"Your grandfather talks about you every day, wishing for your return," said one elder, his voice full of care and concern.

Suddenly, the bald elder furrowed his brow and asked, "Wait a minute, why is Borne alone? What about the kids from the Redfield and Terrence families?"

Borne's heart tightened at this question, knowing the elders were asking about Dillon and Victor.

Forcing a smile, he tried to keep his tone light.

"They're still in the army. Both of them want to become officers."

Hearing this, one elder frowned, grumbling in discontent, "What's the matter with those two? Why haven't they come back to see their families?"

Another elder, not pleased, patted the frowning elder on the shoulder.

"You old fool, don't say that. Wanting to be officers is a good thing!"

"What do you know? It's not right not to come home and visit their parents!" the frowning elder shot back.

Unwilling to back down, the other elder retorted, "You're old fool! They're bringing pride to our village!"

The elders began arguing about this, each speaking over the other, and the lively scene quickly became quite chaotic.

Borne stood by, helpless, as he watched the group of elders debate, a deep ache tugging at his heart.

Hodge patted Borne on the shoulder, gesturing for him to follow as they crossed the stone bridge and entered the village.

Over the years, the village had changed a great deal.

Borne looked around, noticing that many parts of the village were unrecognizable.

Even some of the old houses were gone, replaced by new buildings.

As they walked, Borne pointed to the new houses, curiosity brimming, and asked Hodge about them.

"These houses are new, right?

Wasn't this area empty land before?"

Hodge, leading the donkey, patiently explained, "Yes, those houses were built recently, in the past couple of years.

That house over there belongs to the George family.

They made some money and moved over here to build a new house.

That shed over there? That's Taylor's cow barn—just finished a few months ago."

As Hodge explained, Borne nodded, taking in the sights.

The village had changed so much that it felt unfamiliar to him.

As they continued walking, villagers noticed Hodge and Borne, and Hodge introduced Borne to each one with a smile.

"This is Borne, Middleton's grandson.

He's just returned from the army."

Upon hearing this, the villagers looked surprised, then warmly greeted Borne, some even rushing back to their homes to fetch gifts for him.

In no time, Borne's hands were full of baskets containing eggs, fish, and fresh fruit.

In his other hand, he held a hen that flapped its wings nervously.

Borne felt grateful but embarrassed, wanting to refuse the gifts.

Yet the villagers' enthusiasm was overwhelming.

"Take these back to your grandfather—he could use some nourishment! Don't be shy!" they said, smiling.

What should have been a few minutes' walk stretched to nearly half an hour, as every time they encountered a villager, Borne would be stopped and asked a question or two.

"How was army life? Was it tough?" 

"You've grown so tall and handsome!"

Borne patiently answered, smiling politely.

But whenever someone asked about Dillon and Victor, his heart would sink slightly.

Still, he maintained his smile and explained, "They're still in the army, working their way up. They both want to become officers."

The villagers praised them, saying how promising the two young men were.

Several women eagerly offered to introduce Borne to potential brides.

"What do you think of my daughter?" one plain-dressed woman asked, beaming as she pulled her daughter forward to stand before Borne, her eyes full of hope.

No sooner had she spoken than another woman, looking anxious, rushed back home and soon returned, dragging her sixteen-year-old daughter along.

"And what about my girl? She's hardworking, beautiful, and skilled!"

Seeing this, other women immediately protested.

"What's the hurry? Your daughter is only sixteen.

Why are you in such a rush?"

The first woman shot her an indignant look, unwilling to back down.

"Middleton's grandson is so handsome!

If I wait too long, someone else's daughter will snatch him up!"

Borne, surrounded by the eager women, blushed furiously, utterly at a loss for how to respond.

His soldier's aura, honed from years in the army, drew the young women's attention, and they couldn't help but steal glances at him.

His sharp features, with well-defined eyebrows like two blades, deep blue eyes full of intensity, and tall, strong frame, made him an attractive figure that invited curiosity but also carried an air of intimidation.

A few of the girls couldn't meet his gaze for long.

After just a brief glance, their faces flushed red, and they quickly lowered their heads, nervously twisting their fingers in their clothes.

One of the more daring girls reached out and lightly touched Borne's arm, her smile playful.

Borne immediately stiffened, his face growing even more awkward.

He struggled to keep his composure, maintaining a polite smile despite his discomfort.

Internally, Borne groaned.

His left hand held the baskets, while his right hand was occupied with the flailing hen.

All the while, he was surrounded by villagers and girls vying for his attention.

"You're all blocking the way! He still needs to see Middleton!"

Hodge waved his hand, shooing the villagers and young women away from Borne.

Borne let out a sigh of relief, casting Hodge a grateful look.

He continued his journey towards the edge of the village, his heart both heavy and light with the weight of so many emotions.