The old man by the kitchen stared toward the courtyard gate, his eyes widening and his pupils dilating slightly. The figure at the entrance seemed somewhat unfamiliar, yet so very familiar.
The voice drifting in from the gate seemed to carry a melody. In a daze, the old man saw his own young, reckless self again, followed by flashes of all he had experienced since.
"Mr. Yi... Celestial Master Qi..."
Bracing himself against the stove, the old man stood and walked to the kitchen doorway, staring blankly at the two men who had already entered the courtyard.
Yet, strangely, he was not particularly surprised that Mr. Yi still looked exactly as he had all those years ago, even though Mr. Yi had seemingly grown old once at the Yi Household.
Yi Shuyuan's soft recitation gradually faded as he stepped into the courtyard with a smile.
In Yi Shuyuan's eyes, A Fei still looked as he had in the snowy mountains all those years ago, his eyes shining. Then that figure slowly overlapped with the old man he had become.
"What, aren't we welcome?"
Only at Yi Shuyuan's teasing words did the old man wake as though from a dream, excitement rising in his expression.
In all these years, very few things had stirred such excitement in him.
"Quick, quick! Sir, Old Celestial Master, please come in! The water's almost boiling!"
With nimble steps, the old man invited them into the inner room. But the layout of the house left it rather dark inside, so Yi Shuyuan simply carried out two benches and handed one to Qi Zhongbin.
Master and disciple sat beneath the eaves outside, where they could also watch A Fei tend the fire and make preparations.
By the time the old man returned to the kitchen, the water