Today was the fourth day of the fifth month.
Very soon, Ji Yuan felt the light above his head dim as great swathes of rain clouds drifted overhead.
"Rumble..."
Another violent peal of thunder erupted. Before the thunder arrived, lightning flashed like the shutter of an immensely powerful camera, illuminating the land already dim beneath the dark clouds.
Whooo... whooo...
Out in the wilderness, the rain had yet to arrive, but the wind came first, sweeping up grass, leaves, and dust. Fortunately, the little grotto in the stone wall where Ji Yuan was staying was somewhat special. The rock walls on either side blocked much of the wind, and with the slope overhead, it created a strange scene: several yards away, the wind churned wildly, yet within the grotto, all was comparatively calm.
"Looks like this rain will be a heavy one!"
Ji Yuan smiled and reached into his bundle. The next instant, his smile froze.
He grabbed the bundle, opened it, and rummaged through it. At last, he found four fresh jujubes tucked away in a corner. Other than that, there was nothing left.
I actually ate all the jujubes?
Scratching his somewhat itchy scalp, Ji Yuan truly felt that he might have stayed here for too long. After all, going hungry was a very real problem.
"Oh dear... These jujubes weren't easy to come by, and they fill the stomach well. I had meant to ration them, but who would have thought? Who would have thought it would only take this long..."
Just as he was lamenting, Ji Yuan's ears twitched. He caught a sound different from the wind.
Ji Yuan looked toward the left, following the sound. It was blurry and he couldn't see clearly, but it proved he had not misheard. Someone really was approaching.
*People