Shuang Tang Ji

It was half past three in the afternoon, and the sky outside was more than a little cold.

Although the snow had lessened, the howling north wind showed no sign of stopping. It swept goose-feather snowflakes into spirals through the streets, flinging them onto passersby's bodies and faces, impossible to avoid.

Hearing Zheng Qing's question, the gypsy witch straightened up from the candy figurine shop window, turned around, and raised a hand to brush away the snow caught in her hair. She looked prettily at the young scholarship student, her eyes and brows brimming with laughter. "Cold? Why would it be cold? How could it be cold?! We're wizards! We know magic!"

As she spoke, she offered her arm to the young wizard.

A rich fragrance wafted from the witch, intoxicating him and catching the scholarship student off guard. He did not know where to put either his eyes or his hands.

"Luxi Fang's latest winter dress," the witch's slightly husky voice sounded beside Zheng Qing's ear, jolting him from his daze and making him realize his mistake. "It has a whole set of cold-proof runes embroidered on it. Even if the temperature drops twenty or thirty degrees below zero, it won't make any difference."

The young scholarship student collected himself and carefully examined the arm she held out before him.

Fine gold and silver threads had embroidered many tiny runes onto the thin sleeve. Looking closely, he found that, just as the gypsy witch had said, they were all charms for warding off the cold and keeping warm.

"Oh, what an oversight, what an oversight." The boy smiled, showing none of the embarrassment of having asked a foolish question. Instead, he teased lightly, "I tutor you in runes every day, yet I didn't even notice such a simple application...