Days passed, calm and uneventful.
Until today, when the day came to worship at the Mountain God Temple.
At this time every year, the villagers dressed in their finest clothes, slaughtered the three sacrificial animals, brought the five grains, and, with pious hearts amid thunderous drums and music, offered worship and praise.
Young and old alike stood quietly before the Mountain God Temple, listening to the clan elders' impassioned praises. Reverence filled their eyes as they all prayed for a bountiful harvest in the coming year.
"A Niu, stop looking around. It's disrespectful to the Mountain God."
Amid the crowd, Chu He, restless and glancing from side to side like an ant on a hot pan, was rebuked by his second uncle beside him.
"O... okay."
Chu He answered instinctively, but the unease in his heart only deepened.
"Come here..."
It was happening again!
All of a sudden, a cool presence flowed into his mind. Somewhere in the unseen, a faint consciousness seemed to emerge from within the temple, calling to him.
Yet that consciousness seemed far too weak and vanished in the blink of an eye.
It could convey no more information.
However, irritation appeared on Chu He's face.
This was not the first time the voice had surfaced in his mind. Ever since returning from the Mountain God Temple that day, that strange voice had lingered in his ears like summer mosquitoes, driving him to distraction.
As time passed, the call became increasingly frequent.
Chu He had been plagued beyond endurance, never knowing where the voice came from. Only today did he suddenly realize that it was coming from the temple.
"Yumei..."
"Yumei, why isn't she here..."
He looked around, but there was not the slightest trace of Yumei.
The irritation in Chu He's heart grew fiercer, nearing