At lunch time, the usually noisy dining table was empty.
The situation was as follows.
Shen Yichen left home to buy frogs.
Shen Shuangyi was home but taking a long nap.
Shen Shuangchen left home to build a gun.
Shen Jize left home to supervise his third brother's gun building quality.
Shen Wu left home to accompany his fourth brother in supervising his third brother's gun building quality.
Shen Yue stayed home sleeping, studying, and sleeping again.
It was not until the afternoon that the few who went out to build the gun came back home after buying the necessary materials.
With the help of Shen Jize and Shen Wu, even the tools for grinding and cutting parts were prepared.
Shen Shuangchen silently took the materials and started drawing part diagrams. He had to draw the parts first to avoid missing components during later assembly.
Shen Jize was at the side helping out. He had good control over data accuracy from frequently conducting experiments, and could spot problems in the part diagrams with one glance.
In the past, even if he noticed issues, he would silently adjust by himself without informing others, unless someone discovered it afterwards and forced him to explain.
But now...
"Third brother, the tolerance of these two numbers should be accurate to ±0.008mm, otherwise there will be issues during assembly."
Although Shen Jize's voice was still gentle, and often very soft, it was no longer as subservient as before.
The difference was subtle, but he had become much stronger.
"You're no longer afraid of me," Shen Shuangchen stated as he adjusted the numbers according to what Shen Jize said.
Shen Shuangchen preferred to personally confirm things with his own eyes and experience. He would not easily believe others' words, nor casually answer their questions. Once he verbally expressed something, it basically meant he had recognized it as fact.
Hearing Shen Shuangchen initiate a conversation surprised Shen Jize, then he smiled, "Yes, you're my third brother. I'm not afraid."
Shen Shuangchen did not react to this, only said to Shen Wu, "You've changed too, matured quite a bit. I used to see you as a snarling mad dog who would bite whenever you got someone in your jaws."
Shen Wu, who was carving an intricate part: ?
How rude to your third brother?
"You're the mad dog," Shen Wu retorted unreservedly. He was clearly a medical genius.
Shen Shuangchen was unaffected. He directly acknowledged, "Whether or not I'm a mad dog is not for you to decide."
This sentence seemed to be just a rebuttal, yet also hinted at something more.
This was the first time in Shen Jize's life that he had an actual conversation with his third brother. Previously, his third brother would never initiate any interaction, and he didn't dare start a conversation either.
But now, Shen Yue's appearance had given Shen Jize trust in his family and courage.
"Fortunately none of you are mad dogs, otherwise I'd be the mad dogs' brother, hahaha." After speaking, Shen Jize laughed at his own joke, but noticed Shen Shuangchen and Shen Wu were not laughing. He suddenly felt uneasy, and was about to ask what was wrong when he heard Shen Shuangchen seriously state, "The Mad Dogs Brothers were a criminal gang, they were caught recently."
Shen Jize was horrified. "Third brother, you weren't hurt right?"
Shen Shuangchen's drawing hand paused, and he calmly said, "No."
Shen Wu, on the other hand, had a new idea. "Then we shouldn't call ourselves the Mad Dogs Brothers anymore, it's inauspicious."
While he said this, he was preoccupied with Shen Shuangchen's earlier words "Whether or not I'm a mad dog is not for you to decide."
Having gone mad in the past, Shen Wu somehow detected another implication behind this sentence.
If the one who decided could make Shen Shuangchen go mad, would he then change accordingly?
If that was the case...
Shen Wu suddenly turned to Shen Jize and asked, "Fourth brother, last time you participated in a weapons research project. Tell me again your reason for choosing that project."
Shen Jize seemed to recall something and bashfully lowered his head. "One day, my sister and I read a historical fiction novel set in the Republican era. The protagonist was a modern girl who time-traveled to the past thinking it was the most romantic period, and was determined to marry a warlord. But when she actually arrived, she realized the true Republican era was filled with war, famine, and death everywhere.
The common people were wantonly trampled and exploited, while the rulers led extravagant, profligate lives, utterly dissolute and corrupt, completely disregarding the people's suffering. There was a common saying then: 'Beatings in the human realm, ten thousand people worried, wielding the common folk like oxen and horses.' Everywhere was a horrific scene.
History is written by the victors, yet even so the former brutality can still be seen.
Nowadays many think the world is already peaceful, but it's really just that our country has grown strong, providing us shelter. There are still people shouldering the darkness, suppressing conflict, maintaining order, so we have time to complain about life rather than exert all our effort just to survive.
My sister said those who work hard for our country's strength, and the unknown heroes protecting the people of our nation, are the coolest, just like third brother."
As he spoke, Shen Jize bashfully stroked his face. "I also want sister to praise me for being cool, so I chose to participate in national defense building. The project has wrapped up for now, but if they invite me again in the future, I will certainly continue the research.
I want to work hard like third brother and be a cool brother in my sister's heart!"
To become a brother his sister found handsome and awesome!
During Shen Jize's narrative, Shen Shuangchen remained silent and kept working, seeming unmoved by it. But after Shen Jize finished, he began taking the initiative to hand the completed part diagrams to Shen Jize for inspection.
Recalling Shen Jize's words, Shen Shuangchen gave a self-deprecating laugh.
He wasn't protecting anyone, he was merely following orders.
As they chatted, the gun slowly took shape.
With Shen Shuangchen alone it would have taken some time, but with three people the efficiency skyrocketed geometrically.
Shen Yue, who had been holed up in her room, was dragged out to experience the gift presented by her three brothers.
At first Shen Yue was confused. Based on her calculations, the gun shouldn't have been finished this quickly. But upon seeing the expectant Shen Jize and the smug Shen Wu downstairs, she suddenly felt backstabbed.
And Shen Jize was still obliviously beckoning her over. "Sister, come try it out!"
Shen Yue was quite speechless, but still took the gun out to the yard, assumed a stance, and fired.
Then, nothing happened.
Shen Yue checked the magazine. "No bullets."
So the four gathered to make bullets with the remaining materials, completing the gun at last.
The four returned to the yard, ready to test it out.
Shen Wu had long since taken out the pork he bought and placed it in front of Shen Yue, demanding, "Shoot this."
Shen Yue weighed the gun's heft, gripped it steadily, then pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang.
The pork exploded.
Before Shen Yue and Shen Wu could carefully observe the blasted pork, they heard eldest brother's voice from outside the gate.
"What are you doing?"
