Insects chirped, dark clouds parted, and moonlight spilled over emerald fields. Rice swayed in the breeze with a soft rustle.
Inside the little mountain village, the faint sounds of children playing drifted from the lit houses.
In the courtyard of one wooden house, a girl worked busily. She wore a pale white dress, with a green ribbon tied around her slender, delicate waist.
She put the last herbs from the wooden tray into a small chest and wiped the sweat from her brow. After gazing at the full moon for a few seconds, she smiled. "Looks like it won't rain tomorrow, either."
Good weather was essential for drying herbs. Rain would be troublesome.
An elderly woman with a slightly hunched back came over on her cane, smiling. Her eyes filled with concern when she saw Xiao Yi Xian. "Child, go inside and get some rest. You've been busy all day."
"You're the one who needs to rest. Didn't I tell you not to get out of bed with your leg and back like that? Not for at least another month!" The girl hurried over to support her.
"I'm much better than before." The old woman patted the girl's hand gently. "Xiao Yi Xian, the old man brought a chicken back from town today to make soup. Go have some. I'll stay out here for a little fresh air."
"No. It's getting cold. Come inside and have a bowl of hot soup with me," Xiao Yi Xian insisted.
The old woman agreed again and again, her gaze full of tender affection.
By flickering candlelight, Xiao Yi Xian ladled soup for the two elders before serving herself. Like a family of three generations, they shared the day's simple pleasures in warmth and harmony.
It had been almost a year since she left