Ling Xiaodong and Mi Xiaoyan’s meeting goes back four years.
It was summer then, the sun shining brightly, a gentle breeze stirring the air.
On Cat Ear Mountain, trees stretched their branches high into the sky, forming a canopy of deep green leaves that cast cool shadows on the ground, making the heat barely noticeable.
The cicadas’ cries mingled with the rustling leaves, weaving together the unique symphony of summer.
Twelve-year-old Mi Xiaoyan skipped happily through the forest of Cat Ear Mountain, carrying a basket. The two braids bouncing behind her head swayed in rhythm, her excitement like that of a little fawn.
The little girl wore a light green blouse. Her hair had been braided into two adorable plaits by Ye Yiyun. Her delicate, jade-like face was adorned with a pair of big, sparkling eyes.
Though still young, it was already clear she was a beauty in the making.
Tomorrow was her master’s birthday. Mi Xiaoyan had snuck out of Qingfeng Temple just to pick flowers in the mountains, planning to make a wreath as a gift.
Looking up through layers of leaves at the blue sky, the thrill of sneaking out made her heart race—like a bird freed from its cage, soaring in the open.
Her master would surely be pleased to see the wreath she made with her own hands. She would probably stroke her head and praise how sensible she was.
Thinking of being praised by her master, Mi Xiaoyan couldn’t help but smile.
Two shallow dimples appeared on her tender little face, and her steps grew lighter.
One flower, two flowers—what colors did her master like?
Never mind, she’d pick a bit of every color. A multicolored wreath would be even more beautiful!
The girl bent down carefully, selecting what she thought were the most beautiful flowers to use for the wreath.
As the daylight dimmed, she wandered deeper and deeper into the forest.
“All done! This should be enough!”
Mi Xiaoyan looked at the full basket of flowers with satisfaction.
Turning around, she suddenly found herself utterly lost.
Where was this place?
The sun had set, and the forest grew darker.
Nervously clutching her basket, Mi Xiaoyan searched through the thicket for the way home.
Her big, watery eyes welled up with tears. Tiny droplets rolled around in her eye sockets, her small nose wrinkled, and her delicate lips had long since puckered in fear.
Yet she did not cry. Her master had told her that in times of danger, one must remain calm.
Mi Xiaoyan was an obedient and brave child.
She kept telling herself this in her heart, trying to summon courage.
Suddenly, something flashed through the dark woods behind her, shaking the branches wildly.
“Ah!”
Startled, Mi Xiaoyan’s legs gave way, and she fell hard onto the ground.
The dim forest grew even more sinister. The stories her senior sisters told her about man-eating monsters haunted her mind.
No matter what, Mi Xiaoyan was just a twelve-year-old girl.
She could no longer hide her fear. Tears streamed down her smooth face like broken pearls, and with a childish voice, she burst into sobs.
“Master, where are you? Boohoo, I’m so scared. I won’t run off anymore. Master, where are you? Boohoo…”
Her cries awakened the ferocious beasts in the forest. They paced forward heavily, drawn to the irritating sound.
It seemed even Heaven could not bear to watch the girl’s grim fate and shed its merciful tears.
Summer rain came suddenly and fiercely, pounding the leaves with a clatter that drowned out the cicadas’ song.
Ling Xiaodong struggled up the muddy mountain path, carrying a huge bamboo basket far too big for his frame.
“Rain again just as I’m about to leave—what rotten luck!”
Ling Xiaodong wasn’t in the mountain to pick flowers. His master had sent him to collect medicinal herbs to sell for money.
They called it “training.”
As he walked toward Qingfeng Temple, a panicked scream pierced the storm.
Ling Xiaodong frowned, turning toward the source of the scream.
Behind him, a massive bear was relentlessly pursuing. Fortunately, Mi Xiaoyan’s small frame allowed her to nimbly weave through the dense forest.
But even with the thick undergrowth slowing the beast, how could a twelve-year-old’s short legs outrun a black bear?
The giant bear drew closer and closer, and Mi Xiaoyan suddenly tripped over a vine.
Her flower basket flew from her hands, scattering flowers onto the muddy ground, staining them with dirt.
Despair filled her eyes as the bear lunged at her. She tightly shut her eyes.
Sorry, Master, I won’t see you again.
The pain she expected never came.
Mi Xiaoyan peeked one eye open and found someone standing in front of her.
The youth’s slender figure was insignificant compared to the black bear, yet he stood firm against the fierce beast.
Mi Xiaoyan covered her mouth, her eyes wide as saucers.
This moment would be etched forever in her memory.
In her eyes, the boy’s figure was so imposing, and sitting behind him, she felt so safe.
Ling Xiaodong slowly withdrew his arm, which had been stabbed deep into the bear’s heart, and stared in surprise at his own fist.
He turned to the girl behind him and asked, “Are you alright?”
Each of the boy’s features was delicate, but somehow squished together on his face, it looked strange and not handsome—in fact, almost ugly.
But Mi Xiaoyan did not care how he looked.
Her heart pounded wildly. At that time, she did not know what love was.
She only knew her cheeks burned red, and she was too shy to meet the boy’s gaze.
“Hey! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
Ling Xiaodong squatted down to get a closer look at the girl.
“Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”
Mi Xiaoyan whispered timidly, “I live at Qingfeng Temple.”
“Qingfeng Temple?”
Ling Xiaodong knew the name. His master had told him there was another Taoist temple on a different peak of Cat Ear Mountain called Qingfeng Temple.
But his master had warned him that if he ever went there, he’d break his legs.
Yet seeing the helpless girl before him, he couldn’t just leave her.
Well, he could keep it a secret from his master.
“Can you walk? Do you want me to carry you?”
Though tripped by the vine, Mi Xiaoyan wasn’t injured.
“My foot hurts. I can’t walk.”
That was her first lie.
Ling Xiaodong thought the little girl was charming and didn’t question her. He set down his bamboo basket and squatted down with his back to her.
“Get on.”
The mountain path was bumpy, but Mi Xiaoyan felt very safe lying on Ling Xiaodong’s back.
“My name’s Ling Xiaodong. What’s yours?”
The stranger suddenly asked. Mi Xiaoyan answered, “Mi Xiaoyan.”
“Oh! Our names sound pretty similar! What a coincidence.”
A coincidence? Really?
The girl’s cheeks flushed a deeper red.
As they neared Qingfeng Temple, they could see flickering torches in the distance.
An anxious crowd called out, “Xiaoyan! Xiaoyan! Where are you?”
The people at Qingfeng Temple had discovered Mi Xiaoyan’s disappearance and come looking for her.
“Master! Master!”
Mi Xiaoyan spotted Ye Yiyun in the crowd. Excited, she jumped off Ling Xiaodong’s back and ran to her.
The simple Ling Xiaodong stood there, dumbfounded, watching the lively girl run ahead.
The prettier the girl, the better she was at tricking people.
The master and apprentice hugged, crying in relief.
After they had cried enough, Mi Xiaoyan pointed at Ling Xiaodong and introduced him:
“Master, it was Brother Xiaodong who saved me and brought me back.”
Ye Yiyun looked at the awkwardly plain youth and thanked him:
“Thank you for saving Xiaoyan.”
She noticed Ling Xiaodong’s clothes were soaked through.
“Little brother, come inside the temple and rest so I can thank you properly.”
Ling Xiaodong politely declined, bowing his fists.
“Thank you for your kindness, Daoist. It was nothing, really. Besides, my master forbids me from entering Qingfeng Temple.”
Ye Yiyun did not expect such an answer.
“Oh? Little brother, where is your master from?”
“I’m from Mingyue Temple, the top disciple of Daoist Mingyue.”
Though “top disciple” meant he was the only student.
Ye Yiyun was surprised to hear that familiar name. She hadn’t expected this boy to be her own junior uncle.
“Since your master forbids it, I won’t insist. Here, take this silver as a token of our gratitude.”
Ye Yiyun took a purse from her bosom, emptied it, and handed it to Ling Xiaodong.
He did not refuse and accepted it all.
After all, his master only forbade entering Qingfeng Temple; he never said anything about taking money.
After bidding farewell to Ye Yiyun and Mi Xiaoyan, Ling Xiaodong hurried back to Mingyue Temple.
Summer rains came and went quickly. The downpour had stopped, clouds dispersed, revealing a full moon.
From afar, Ling Xiaodong saw Yue Yingying standing at the temple gate, gazing into the distance.
He hurried forward.
“Master, I’m back.”
“Why are you so late? Where have you been wandering off to again?”
Yue Yingying lightly tapped Ling Xiaodong’s head, clearly a bit annoyed.
Back inside the room, Ling Xiaodong recounted everything that had happened to Yue Yingying.
“I didn’t step foot inside Qingfeng Temple!”
He emphasized this point again.
Yue Yingying lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought. After a long silence, she said:
“If you want to go, then go.”
“Huh?”
“I said, if you want to go to Qingfeng Temple, just go. It’s late; you should get some sleep.”
With that, Yue Yingying got up and left the room, returning to her own quarters.
The next day, Ling Xiaodong ran to Qingfeng Temple.
The path leading to Qingfeng Temple was surprisingly crowded. Upon asking around, Ling Xiaodong learned today was Daoist Qingfeng’s birthday—the day she would succeed as the next head of Qingfeng Temple.
At the gate, Ling Xiaodong saw Mi Xiaoyan dressed in festive clothes, welcoming the guests.
Mi Xiaoyan spotted him from afar, excitedly waving.
“Brother Xiaodong!”
Ling Xiaodong chuckled and ran over to her.