A Lotus Rising from the Water

Li Xuan turned toward the voice. The girl had changed into clothes for the banquet: a pale lotus-pink satin padded jacket embroidered with sprays of plum blossoms, which set off her skin, fairer than snow.

Her raven-black hair had been gathered into a simple hanging bun, with a pearl flower pin tucked in at an angle. She wore few other ornaments, yet this only made her neck seem longer and her beauty more refined and otherworldly.

The warmth indoors and a little fruit wine had brought a faint flush to her cheeks. Her eyes were clear and bright as she looked at him with a slight smile.

"Miss Shen." Li Xuan nodded in greeting.

"Father and Uncle Chen told me you're an extraordinary hunter, Brother Li. With just a bow, you can venture deep into the forests and hunt fierce beasts all by yourself."

Shen Qingyi's voice held a young girl's natural yearning.

"I grew up in town. The farthest I've ever gone was to a temple outside town to offer incense. I've never seen what a real mountain forest looks like. I wonder... are the mountains truly so dangerous, and so... interesting?"

She asked cautiously, curious but afraid of seeming presumptuous.

Li Xuan considered for a moment, then said:

"The mountain forests certainly have their dangers. Venomous insects, fierce beasts, the weather, and the terrain can all take a person's life. But they have their delights, too. The scenery changes with each season, and everything brims with life. Nothing in town can compare."

He spoke plainly, without exaggeration.

Shen Qingyi's eyes brightened a little, and she said softly:

"The way you describe it makes me long to see it, Brother Li. I wonder... if the chance comes someday, when you go into the mountains, could you... could you take me along to see a little of them? I promise I'll follow obediently and won't cause any trouble."

Once she had spoken, she seemed to feel she had been too forward. Her cheeks reddened further, and she lowered her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly.

Beside them, Shen Wanjun stroked his beard with a smile and made no move to stop her. Clearly, he was not displeased by his daughter's somewhat bold request; he even seemed happy to see it happen.

Li Xuan looked at the girl before him, as fresh and lovely as a lotus rising from the water, with a touch of sweet innocence. She was worlds apart from the deliberately affected manner he remembered in Xu Yulian.

He nodded and readily agreed:

"If there's a chance someday, when the weather is clear and the mountain paths are easy to walk, I could take you around somewhere safe in the nearby hills, Miss Shen. You could enjoy the scenery and learn to recognize a few medicinal herbs and wildflowers. But going deep into the mountains to hunt is out of the question."

He did not really take Shen Qingyi's request to heart. She was just a girl looking to have some fun.

And hold me up while I'm earning points? What nonsense!

Still, when she heard him agree, a genuinely radiant smile bloomed across Shen Qingyi's face, like the first flowers of spring. She nodded vigorously.

"Yes! It's a promise, then! Thank you, Brother Li!"

"It's nothing. No need to thank me. Next time, for sure!"

After the banquet, Shen Wanjun had the housekeeper bring over a bundle prepared in advance.

He explained that it was a small token for the elders and siblings in Li Xuan's family. It contained practical gifts such as cloth and pastries, valuable without being ostentatious-a clear sign of his thoughtfulness.

Unable to refuse, Li Xuan could only accept it with repeated thanks.

After Li Xuan said goodbye to the Shen father and daughter outside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Steward Chen sent him off in an ordinary little carriage covered in blue cloth, already arranged to take him to the teahouse where he had agreed to meet his brother and sister-in-law.

As expected of a wealthy household. They certainly are generous!

Come to think of it, unexpectedly making this connection with Master Shen had given him someone to turn to in town from now on.

And if he really could enter a martial arts school to train, that would be an unexpected windfall. He absolutely could not let this opportunity slip away!

In the teahouse, Li Zhong and Wang had long since grown anxious with waiting. The coarse tea before them had gone completely cold.

Seeing Li Xuan return safely with a sizable bundle in his arms, they both breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over.

"Third Brother! You're finally back! Are you all right? Master Shen wanted to see you... what exactly was it about?" Li Zhong asked anxiously.

Wang also looked Li Xuan up and down. Seeing his clothes neat, his complexion healthy, and an extra bundle in his arms, she felt somewhat reassured, but all the more puzzled.