"I'll wait with you for a while then," I said.
He, however, shook his head.
"No need, that person is quite shy and doesn't like others to be present."
"Ah? I can't either?"
I suspected he was saying this just to get rid of me, no, I had to find out.
He smiled slightly.
"She doesn't know you yet. When I have time, I'll introduce her to you."
"Alright then."
It seemed like what he said was true. Could that person have social anxiety?
If that were the case, I shouldn't linger.
So I told him,
"Okay, if you're not going up, I'll go back by myself."
He nodded slightly.
"Mm-hmm, hurry back."
"Mm."
Since he wasn't going, I'd go back alone.
But that darn curiosity still made me walk to the corner.
Unable to resist, I hid and peeked out slightly.
I wanted to see if that person was a man or a woman.
After waiting for a long time, I saw a person in black walking from a distance.
The person wore a black veiled hat and carried a sword.
Dressed all in black, they appeared thinner than Brother Yue.
"Could it be a woman?"
I couldn't help but wonder.
However, for a gentle, considerate, and powerful handsome man like Brother Yue,
It was only natural for others to like him.
As soon as they met, the person in black led Brother Yue towards the entrance of the Qianji Hall.
It seemed they had business to attend to here.
"Muye..."
Suddenly, two whispered calls reached my ears.
"Ah!"
I screamed in fright and hastily jumped aside.
"Hahaha, you're too timid."
It was Shui Fang speaking.
After I calmed myself, I saw that the ones who had startled me were Shui Fang and Ying Lu.
"Damn, when did you guys get here? You scared me to death."
Ying Lu rubbed his chin, looking forward with suspicion.
"I didn't expect you to like Brother Yue."
"Ah!"
My mouth gaped in surprise, my expression bewildered.
"Look at you, that jealous expression just now, that ambiguous tone, it's clear you like him."
I became suspicious.
"How do you know Yue Jiu?"
Shui Fang nodded.
"Mm."
I looked at Ying Lu speechlessly.
"Don't talk nonsense, I don't like him.
I just want to know who he's waiting for."
"I think you have no hope."
He replied leisurely.
"That's his betrothed wife, her name is Liu Mei."
"Liu Mei?"
I knew that Brother Yue was so outstanding, how could no one like him.
"What? Are you disappointed?"
Ying Lu looked at my thoughtful expression and guessed again on his own.
I pouted.
"Where did you learn such improper talk? I don't."
"Tsk tsk, so stubborn."
I was utterly speechless.
Shui Fang said,
"Muye, why are you here alone? Where is your friend?"
"You mean A Li? He's in the room. Are you coming back with me?"
Ying Lu became improper again, looking at me with amusement.
"To your room? That's not impossible."
I was so angry I wanted to hit him, and I reminded him,
"I think you should go to Qingfang Tower, there are plenty of beauties there."
He looked disdainful.
"What do you take me for?"
"Isn't that what you are?"
He thought about it but still couldn't figure it out.
I asked them again,
"Are you coming up with me?"
Shui Fang said,
"No, we have other things to do.
We're only here at Qianji Hall to see Boss Jin.
Tomorrow we'll be leaving Nan Hai City to roam the world."
"So soon?"
"We've been here for quite a while, it's time to go out and see."
"Alright."
Perhaps this parting would be the last time we'd meet.
Ying Lu looked at my somewhat dejected expression and couldn't help but tease.
"What? Can't bear to part with us?"
I got a little angry and punched him in the chest.
"Ouch!"
He feigned pain, squinting one eye and clutching his chest.
I snorted.
"We haven't seen each other for that long, how have you become like Liu Shi Nian?"
He chuckled and explained,
"Heh heh, I thought too much today and couldn't help but say a few extra words."
"Since you're not going up, I'll go back by myself then."
Shui Fang nodded.
"Go back, we should be leaving too."
"Mm, then we'll meet again if fate allows."
"We'll meet again if fate allows."
With that, we parted ways.
They walked towards the door, and I went upstairs alone.
Upon returning to my room, I finally made up my mind and took out a piece of paper to write:
"I'll wait for you to come back."
I folded it into a paper crane and sent it flying into the distance.
A Li looked curiously at the paper crane flying away and asked,
"Who is it for?"
He guessed it was either for Liu Shi Nian or Heavenly Master Zhang.
I replied slowly, "For the Heavenly Master."
"Then, Liu Shi Nian..."
He stopped speaking, perhaps wanting me to say goodbye to him.
I guessed that he would live well now, even without us.
At least, he wouldn't be living in confusion like before.
"I'll think about it."
Perhaps, it wasn't time to say goodbye yet, at least not now.
Ada sat to the side, eating dessert.
Watching the two of them exchange words like they were speaking a secret code, he didn't quite understand.
He just said,
"Is your home very far?"
I nodded slightly, knowing he was asking me.
"Then when can I come to visit you?"
I sighed slightly, perhaps there would never be a chance.
But I still said,
"Maybe there's a chance."
"Alright."
Ada had known for a long time, and had heard from others, that Muye came from the human world.
It was a distant place, so distant it seemed like another world.
Perhaps, after she returned, they would never see each other again.
However, he still held onto hope, looking forward to the continuation of this friendship.
A few days later.
Heavenly Master Zhang returned to Nan Hai City from Bei Shen Du. Jin Yu Lan specially hosted a banquet for him.
After the banquet, he suddenly found me at night.
The moment the door was pushed open, everyone's faces showed peculiar expressions.
A Li was composed, Ada was surprised, with a hint of resentment, and I was calm.
"Heavenly Master, you're back."
I spoke first.
Heavenly Master Zhang smiled slightly, walked into the room, picked up the dessert on the table, and began to eat.
He suddenly noticed Ada's resentful gaze and asked helplessly,
"Young Master Ada, what's wrong? You don't look very happy."
Ada snorted, crossed his arms, and said,
"Why did you come back so quickly?"
Heavenly Master Zhang looked innocent and guessed what was happening. He stroked Ada's head and said,
"I missed you, so I came back quickly."
Ada wanted to say more, or to vent his anger at him.
But what reason did he have, and what right?
Thinking of this, he calmed his emotions and no longer resented.
Heavenly Master Zhang sat down on his own, put his arm around Ada's shoulder, and asked me,
"Muye, what is your world like?"
"The human world?"
I asked.
He nodded.
"The human world is a vast and abundant land, with many countries and many ethnic groups."
"Isn't that like the other realms?"
"Pretty much."
"Then do you want to go back?"
He had seen through my reluctant thoughts long ago.
I sighed and affirmed,
"I want to go back, after all, my family is there."
Knowing my resolve, he no longer concealed anything and told me,
"To return to the human world, only one person can help you, and that person is the High Monk."
"High Monk?"
This was a name I had heard countless times.
"He is also a human. Many years ago, I had the fortune to meet him and overcome my inner demons.
It is said that he is a highly accomplished monk who can travel freely between the human world and other realms."
Heavenly Master Zhang narrated.
"Then where do we find him?"
I asked curiously.
"Go to Wang Shan Valley. He returns once every hundred years.
Just to see the beautiful scenery there. In another half a month, it will be a hundred years.
If you have nothing else to do, let's set off for Wang Shan Valley tomorrow."
"Okay."
I didn't expect the departure I had been longing for to come so soon.
It's just that I probably couldn't fulfill my promise to Liu Shi Nian.
After much thought, I decided to leave him a letter to encourage him.
So I asked someone for paper and began to write:
When I first met you, you were so nonsensical, loving to play and to drink.
You were idle all day, with nothing to do.
Even then, you were not unlikeable.
After getting to know you, I realized that you had been silently bearing unspeakable pain all along.
Forgive me for not being able to fulfill the promise made in Wan Gui Lin.
This time, I only hope you live well, and we will meet again someday.
Remember! Remember! Remember!
Left by Muye.
Although I knew we would never meet again, I still wanted to encourage him.
To encourage him to continue believing in the existence of beauty.
I took the wooden whistle from my neck and wrapped it with the letter.
Then I cut off a lock of my hair and divided it in two.
One part for Liu Shi Nian, and one for A Li.
The ancients often said,
"Giving green silk to a friend," I suppose this is the feeling.
This portion for A Li, I would give to him when the time of departure came.
Heavenly Master Zhang saw me sneaking behind the screen and walked over curiously.
He suddenly asked,
"What are you doing?"
Hearing the sound, I was startled.
"Ah!" I exclaimed, hastily putting things away.
Only then did I slowly turn back and reply,
"Nothing, nothing."
He looked at the ground suspiciously, seemingly guessing something, and said,
"Since you don't want to say, I won't pry.
Have you decided? To leave tomorrow."
I nodded slightly.
He said,
"It's good that you've decided. Alright, get some sleep quickly so we can travel tomorrow."
I nodded slightly.
After he left, I hastily put things away, tucked them into my chest, and then walked out from behind the screen.
A Li, uncharacteristically, slept side-by-side with Ada tonight.
Heavenly Master Zhang also unceremoniously slept next to them.
Seeing me come out, Ada turned to me and asked,
"Muye, do you want to sleep side-by-side too?"
I waved my hand slightly.
"No, no, I still prefer to sleep on my own side."
"Alright."
A Li was squeezed between the two of them, like a pampered treasure.
Heavenly Master Zhang looked at his fluffy ears and couldn't help but reach out and touch them.
A Li's face instantly turned red. He turned his head, looking at Heavenly Master Zhang with flushed cheeks.
Heavenly Master Zhang joyfully requested,
"Can I touch your tail? It's fluffy and it moves, it's very fun."
A Li frowned slightly. No one had ever made such a request to him before.
But he wasn't shy, he turned sideways and exposed his tail.
Heavenly Master Zhang touched it joyfully, then rubbed it, finding it soft and fluffy.
It was extremely comfortable.
As he was stroking, he unknowingly fell asleep, still holding A Li's tail.
He sighed helplessly and slept like that.
As soon as dawn broke, Heavenly Master Zhang got up early.
Before everyone else had woken up, he had already left the room and gone downstairs.
I don't know what he went to do.
Not long after, we also woke up one by one.
"Where is Heavenly Master Zhang?"
Ada was the first to notice his absence.
A Li rubbed his sleepy eyes and said slowly,
"I think I saw him go out, I don't know what he went to do."
"Oh."
After a while, someone knocked on the door.
I said, "Come in."
The person slowly opened the door. It was a maid.
She saw us, bowed slightly, and then said,
"Miss, Young Master, Heavenly Master Zhang asked me to inform you that you can go downstairs now.
He is waiting for you at the entrance of Qianji Hall."
Knowing that we were leaving today, what was he doing?
With a hint of doubt, I replied,
"Okay, I understand, thank you."
"You're welcome."
The person slowly withdrew.
I turned back and said to the two of them,
"It's time to go downstairs."
"Okay."
They fumbled to get up and followed me downstairs.
Arriving outside Qianji Hall, I saw Heavenly Master Zhang leading two swift horses, standing at the entrance.
I asked A Li,
"Are you coming with me?"
A Li smiled slightly.
"Of course. Since I've accompanied you this far, I'll have to accompany you to the end."
I looked at Ada, took out the letter from my chest, and handed it to him.
"Ada, please deliver this letter to Young Master Jin.
Tell him to pass it on to Liu Shi Nian when he arrives."
Ada took the envelope, put it in his chest, and nodded solemnly.
I looked at him and gave him a hug.
A Li also came over and hugged him.
Then, with just a word of "Goodbye."
We turned and got on the horses.
A Li patted his shoulder and also said,
"Take care, we'll meet again if fate allows."
Then he also turned and got on the horse.
A Li and I rode on the same horse, while Heavenly Master Zhang rode alone.
Heavenly Master Zhang looked at Ada, who was still standing there in a daze, and said,
"Let's go back, we're leaving."
Ada nodded solemnly and waved goodbye.
"Okay, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
A Li and I replied in unison.
Then, with a "Giddy up!"
The horses galloped, with Heavenly Master Zhang leading the way, taking us westward.
After we left, Ada couldn't help but shed tears, wiping them away silently.
He knew that this parting might be forever, but he still remained strong.
He slowly walked back to Qianji Hall and handed the letter to Jin Yu Lan.
And along the way, when we had free time.
Heavenly Master Zhang told us about the beautiful scenery of Wang Shan Valley.
"That place is like a fairy tale, breathtakingly beautiful.
In spring, it's covered with colorful wildflowers.
In summer, the small river will be filled with delicate and alluring lotus flowers.
They stand tall and graceful like young girls.
The High Monk said that lotus flowers in Buddhist terms symbolize holiness and noble character.
That's a good meaning.
In autumn, it changes, with trees turning yellow and withered.
As the saying goes, 'A thousand pieces of gold are scattered before spring returns, a single gust of autumn wind blows the leaves yellow.'
And in winter, everything is covered in white snow.
Being there,
It's as if you've gone from a gentle haven of soft rain to the frozen polar regions of the north."
Heavenly Master Zhang spoke with great enthusiasm and vividness.
It was as if the beautiful scenery was right before our eyes. I asked him curiously,
"Heavenly Master, why don't you live there?"
He heard my question and couldn't help but laugh.
"As for me, I love to wander around. I can't stay in one place."
"Are there people like us there too?"
A Li asked.
Heavenly Master Zhang replied,
"That is a special place, surrounded by a barrier.
Ordinary demons cannot see it.
The High Monk once told me that it was very similar to where he lived as a child.
His family also lived by such a valley."
Listening to their words, A Li was moved.
"It seems that High Monk is also a sentimental person."
Listening to them talk, it made me look forward to Wang Shan Valley.
I also wanted to meet this High Monk, who was spoken of like a saint by everyone.