The sudden downpour arrived without warning, and the cool wind tossed the willow branches into disarray.
Rain fell from the heavens, drumming against blue tiles and lotus ponds before shattering into pale mist that spread through the air. At the bridgehead beyond town, ancient rocks slanted beneath a coat of moss. Verdant old trees twisted their roots and leaned over the road, their green leaves bowed beneath more rain than they could bear, bean-sized droplets falling through the tangled branches.
Looking down from the canopy, a gray paper umbrella slowly passed along the ancient road beneath the tree.
The paper umbrella rustled softly, water sliding off it like droplets off a lotus leaf. The drops shattered, gathered again into beads, then slipped toward the edges and fell.
Bai Yujun sauntered toward the newly built mansion, glancing at the old tree bound with old and new red ribbons, then at the moss-covered rocks. Whoever had inscribed those words on the stone had not withstood wind and rain; no matter how deeply they were carved, they could not escape the erosion of time.
The fat tiger following behind Bai Yujun also looked at the rocks. It saw only moss and stone. Shaking its head and shuddering its fur, it sent rainwater splashing everywhere.
As they passed the brewery, a young apprentice dozed by the entrance. A Raccoon Dog crouched on the threshold, its eyes fixed on the old street veiled in faint mist. Suddenly, it sprang up. It had caught the scent of a mountain tiger in the damp air, and the survival instinct in its blood sent it fleeing at full speed.
Bai Yujun continued at an unhurried pace until she reached the vicinity of the brand-new residence.
White walls enclosed a deep courtyard, and the lotus pond brimmed with green