The rain was torrential, the thunder and lightning deafening. It felt as though the sky had a gaping hole, letting down rain the size of beans in a deluge that splattered noisily on the eaves. All the shops on the long street had closed their stalls, even the taverns by the roadside had shut their doors. A boy in ragged clothes ran through the rain curtain and took shelter under a relatively large eave. The whole street was deserted, he looked around and took out a steamed bun from his bosom.
It must have been a freshly baked bun, it was still steaming.
The boy grinned and started to gnaw at it, but his face was so dirty that he stained the white bun black. He laughed as he ate, but then the laughter turned to tears. He swallowed the whole bun and then collapsed on the ground, sobbing. He looked at the rain falling and choked out, “Who are you? Why… why do you want to kill me?”
A few men in straw raincoats, who were knife-wielding assassins, had somehow appeared on the opposite eave. They silently watched the boy cry, and then slowly drew their long knives.
The rainwater washed the blades until they were shining, shining so coldly that it made one’s heart ache.
“Someone save me! Please, someone save me! Is there anyone who can save me?” the boy cried out to the sky in desperation.
Several swordsmen leaped down from the eaves, splashing rainwater onto the boy’s face. The boy seemed to wake up in an instant, and suddenly straightened up and ran along the eaves.
One of the assassins immediately leaped in front of the boy, lifted his foot and kicked the boy into a nearby puddle. He then raised his long knife and walked towards the boy step by step.
The boy lay on the ground, looking up at the sky. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, staining his clothes red.
Is it over?
His life had not even begun properly, and it was going to end like this?
The blade flashed, and the boy closed his eyes.
“Never put your fate in someone else’s hands, not every time in life, there will be someone to save you.” A gentle voice sounded above his head.
The rain seemed to stop, but why was the sound of rain still in his ears?
The boy opened his eyes and saw a paper umbrella held above him, blocking the rainwater. A handsome scholar in white looked down at him and smiled slightly, “But maybe this is too harsh for a boy.”
“Who… who are you?” The boy asked fearfully.
“I’m temporarily called Xie Kanhua.” The scholar bent down and reached out a hand to the boy.
The boy hesitated, subconsciously wanting to retreat.
“I’m your family.” The scholar still smiled gently.
The boy looked into the scholar’s eyes, and finally extended his hand. The scholar pulled the boy up and then reached out to ruffle his wet hair. “Let’s go.”
The boy glanced around, and saw that the assassins in straw raincoats were all lying on the ground, motionless.
“Are they dead?” The boy asked.
“I don’t like killing people, I just crippled their martial arts.” Xie Kanhua bent down and handed the umbrella to the boy. “I’ll carry you, you hold the umbrella for me.”
The boy looked at his clothes and then at Xie Kanhua’s snow-white robe, feeling a bit embarrassed. “It will stain your clothes.”
“It doesn’t matter, they are trivial things.” Xie Kanhua put the umbrella in the boy’s hand and then picked him up.
“White clothes are hard to wash when they get dirty.” The boy said softly.
“That’s why I have a lot of white clothes.” Xie Kanhua laughed. “Traveling in the martial arts world, it’s inevitable to get some dust, but I can’t change my white clothes, so I just have a lot of them.”
“Why can’t you change your white clothes?” The boy asked.
“Because women like them.” Xie Kanhua’s voice was serious.
“I want to wear them too.” The boy said shyly.
“I have prepared some for you.” Xie Kanhua’s voice had some pride. “From now on, you will live with me, and naturally you will be like me, white as snow, graceful and elegant.”
“My name is Chen Sancai.” The boy suddenly said.
Xie Kanhua shook his head. “No, from now on you’ll be called Su Baiyi.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. He didn’t care about his name, but he cared very much about his surname. “Su?”
“Yes. A very nice Su. There was a very beautiful and gentle woman who had this surname Su, and there was also a very great and heroic man who had this surname Su. So you’ll also be amazing in the future. Because you’re not only surnamed Su, but you also have a master surnamed Xie.” Xie Kanhua raised his head. “Hold the umbrella higher.”
The boy hurriedly lifted the umbrella. “A master surnamed Xie?”
“Me.” Xie Kanhua smiled.
Su Baiyi, from that day on, lived with this person who claimed to be his family and also his master, Xie Kanhua. They found a quiet little village called Apricot Blossom Village, because Xie Kanhua said the wine there was good. They bought a courtyard and settled down. Su Baiyi always wanted to ask about his origins, but Xie Kanhua always said that he would naturally know more when he grew up. And Xie Kanhua, he drank wine every day, read books, taught Su Baiyi martial arts, and seemed to enjoy himself in this small village. Only sometimes, when he drank too much of the Apricot Blossom wine, he would lie on the apricot tree and sing.
“Gathering firewood with care, under the three stars in the sky. What night is this, that I meet my beloved? Oh you, oh you, how could such a wonderful person be?
Tying the hay with care, under the three stars in the corner. What night is this, that I encounter you by chance? Oh you, oh you, how could such a chance meeting be?
Binding the branches with care, under the three stars at the door. What night is this, that I see such a radiant one? Oh you, oh you, how could such a radiant one be?”
The song was melodious and lingering, with a hint of sadness in it. Every time he listened to it, he would shed tears, but… why was the voice this time a woman’s?
Su Baiyi finally opened his eyes in a daze. He saw a woman sitting on the tree not far away, wearing a purple dress, swinging her long legs.
“You’re awake?” The song suddenly stopped. The woman leaped down from the tree and landed in front of Su Baiyi. Her voice had some surprise.
Su Baiyi slowly opened his eyes, and the appearance of the woman before him gradually became clear. Bright eyes, white teeth, fair and beautiful skin—if the “beloved” sung in the song had a specific appearance, it would probably be like this.
“Speaking of which, this is the third time we’ve met, but maybe this time we can really get to know each other.” The purple-dressed woman stood up and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “My name is Nangong Xi’er.”
“What night is this, that I encounter you by chance.” Su Baiyi had just woken up from a deep sleep. His head was buzzing. He didn’t know if he was still dreaming.
The purple-dressed woman nodded. “Yes, it’s this night.”