The wind rose in the night.
The Si Household's residence fell quiet, with only the wind chimes at the eaves occasionally tinkling.
Red Wind tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He pricked up his ears to listen next door, but there was not a sound from Black Mountain's room.
It was too quiet.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong. Where was the snoring?
Red Wind crept silently next door. Black Mountain's burly silhouette fell across the window, sitting bolt upright, seemingly holding a book.
Was he really reading?
Red Wind narrowed his eyes and gently pushed the door open a crack with his paw.
Then he froze.
Inside, Black Mountain was indeed sitting at the desk.
Some book lay open on the desk, but he was not reading it at all.
He clutched his head in both bear paws, his whole face buried in the pages, his shoulders hitching.
He was crying.
Black Mountain abruptly raised his head. His bear face was soaking wet, his fur matted into clumps.
Seeing Red Wind, he hurriedly wiped his face at random and forced a smile uglier than his tears.
"F-Fellow Daoist Red Wind... what brings you here so late at night?"
"You..." Red Wind stared at him. "What on earth is wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing."
Black Mountain snatched up the book on the desk and pretended to leaf through it. "This humble scholar was merely... reviewing his lessons."
The book was upside down.
Red Wind walked in, closed the door, and sat down in a chair. "Stop pretending."
Black Mountain's hands began to shake around the book.
They shook so hard the pages rustled.
"That old man..." Black Mountain's voice was terribly hoarse. "He... he's bullying a bear..."
As soon as he said that, his chin began to tremble, as though he were fighting