Where bamboo grew deep and trees stood dense, insects sang; at times a faint coolness came, though it was not the wind.
Shadows of trees swayed, mottled sunlight spilled down, and a thin chill mist rose. The little beast's cheeks bulged with purple-red berries. The white-clothed person lay on the ground with a bamboo hat covering her face, taking an afternoon nap, forming a tranquil and peaceful scene.
The sun hanging in the heavens gradually moved, yet the sunlight showed no sign of growing gentler. The world remained shrouded in scorching heat waves. Few animals moved about at this hour; most stayed quietly in their nests. Only the shrill chirping of insects seemed never to cease.
The little beast had already made several trips and stored enough food for the next few days. It now crouched halfway in the grass, grooming its fur, while keeping its gaze fixed on the white-clothed person ahead. After so much time had passed, it had not seen her move even once.
If she had not still been breathing, the little beast would have suspected that the white-clothed person was dead.
Time slipped quietly by, and in the blink of an eye the sun was setting. Half the sky was dyed blazing red, while an inky-blue night curtain silently spread from the opposite direction. Much of the stifling heat in the air had dissipated, and the creatures of the forest began to stir.
The white-clothed person removed the bamboo hat covering her face, revealing her features beneath. Her eyes were clear, her brows and features elegant. She looked around seventeen or eighteen, with a barely perceptible sharpness hidden within her soft beauty. Her ink-black hair scattered behind her, and her eyes still held the haziness of one who had just awakened.
The girl sat up,