Toward evening, a gentle breeze stirred as Qin Yu returned with Qin Yu to the simple little wooden cottage. The small courtyard behind it was clean and tidy, with a few wildflowers growing beside the fence and several bundles of firewood stacked by the stove. A faint scent of earth and fresh grass drifted through the air.
Qin Yu set down her vegetable basket and deftly lit the fire. The water in the pot soon began to bubble. Picking through the vegetables, she turned and smiled at the boy. "Yu'er, Mother will have dinner ready soon. Go play by yourself for a little while."
Qin Yu held the copybook against his chest and answered softly, "Mm..." Then he slowly walked into the courtyard.
The setting sun shone into the courtyard, and the clouds on the horizon were dyed orange-red. Wild grass beyond the fence swayed in the wind, rustling softly. Several hens flapped their wings as they returned to their coop. A stream flowed past the courtyard, its water leaping between stones and glinting with flecks of gold.
Qin Yu stood there in a daze, then simply sat down on a rock, his eyes fixed on the sky.
He did not know what "beautiful" meant, nor did he understand words like "scenery," yet a peace and fondness he had never known welled up in his heart.
-He only knew that all of this... was lovely to look at.
The wind tousled his soft hair and gently stirred his sleeves. The fiery clouds on the horizon reflected in his eyes, which shone like a clear pool of water, revealing for the first time the tranquility of a "mortal boy."
Inside, the firewood crackled as Qin Yu busied herself beside the stove. At that moment, the quiet courtyard and the scent of cooking smoke intertwined, laying the warmest foundation for Qin Yu's new life.
Night gradually settled over the villages of the Great Yan Continent. A pale blue tinged the horizon beyond the cottage, and distant mountains slumbered in silence, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog or chirp of an insect. The courtyard stove, however, burned brightly. Red firelight shone on Qin Yu's face as she stirred the fish soup and added wood, its crackling mingling with the bubbling broth.
The fragrance of fish soup gradually spread, mingled with the fresh scents of scallions, garlic, and wild greens, drifting into the courtyard on the night breeze. Sitting on the rock, Qin Yu's nose twitched. He unconsciously looked toward the house, an indescribable longing flashing through his eyes.
At last, Qin Yu brought out a steaming basin of fish soup and placed it on the wooden table. She then arranged several cooked coarse-grain flatbreads, a small dish of pickles, and a bowl of sweet potato chunks, one by one. Her movements were simple, yet carried painstaking care. The table was small, but filled to the brim, like the most sumptuous feast in the world.
Qin Yu turned toward the boy in the courtyard, her lips curving slightly, her voice gentle. "Yu'er, come eat."
Qin Yu trotted over, his eyes glued to the food on the table, swallowing despite himself. He had never eaten a meal like this. The steam washed over his face like a warm embrace. He hesitated for a moment, but obediently sat down beneath Qin Yu's gaze.
Qin Yu placed a piece of fish in his bowl and said softly, "Go on, child. You must be starving."
Qin Yu glanced up at her and stammered quietly, "Mm... th... thank you." Then he eagerly lowered his head and began taking great mouthfuls.
The fish soup was delicious. Though the coarse-grain flatbread was somewhat hard, hunger made it particularly sweet and fragrant. Satisfaction appeared on the boy's small face. He could not spare the attention to wipe the broth from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes narrowed as though he were experiencing being "full" for the first time.
Watching him, Qin Yu's eyes grew slightly moist, but her heart was full of smiles. Gently stroking his hair, she said, "Yu'er, eat your fill. Once Mother has washed the bowls and chopsticks, I'll teach you to recognize characters and read. Would you like that?"
With his mouth full of flatbread, Qin Yu nodded eagerly and gave a muffled answer. "Mm!"
That childish "Mm!" was the most heartfelt response of his short life.
Moonlight quietly climbed onto the eaves and spilled into the courtyard. The boy and woman sat around the little table, the fragrance of food mingling with smiles. Outside lay an ordinary mortal night, calm as water; within the courtyard rose a long-absent warmth-the feeling of "home."
Late into the night, the little courtyard gradually grew quiet, with only insects and the occasional sound of wind. After washing the bowls and chopsticks, Qin Yu lit a dim yellow oil lamp and set an old wooden desk inside the house. The flickering light made her figure look especially gentle.
Qin Yu sat before the desk, holding the newly bought copybook, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. To him, everything was unfamiliar and fresh.
Qin Yu opened the copybook, picked up a brush, and wrote a simple character on the paper. Her voice was gentle. "Yu'er, this character means 'person.' A person is you or me, the living beings of this world. Do you remember it?"
Qin Yu widened his eyes, looked once, and softly repeated, "Person... person..."
He picked up the brush. Though a little clumsy, he soon copied a crooked "person" onto the paper.
Qin Yu paused, her smile deepening. "How clever. I only wrote it once, and you remembered."
The boy looked up with a shy smile, his eyes clear as water.
Warmth filled Qin Yu's heart. She raised her brush again and solemnly wrote another character on the paper-Mother.
She explained softly, "Yu'er, this character means 'Mother.' 'Mother' means your mother, the person who cares for you. If you call me 'Mother,' it means you accept me as your family. Do you understand?"
Qin Yu stared at the character, carefully tracing it in his heart, his lips moving slightly. "Mother... Mother..."
After a moment, he raised his head, an unprecedented light in his eyes, as though he had finally grasped a sense of belonging.
He carefully opened his mouth, his voice young but clear. "Mother..."
Qin Yu trembled slightly.
That call seemed to light up the deepest part of her heart, striking it with a long-absent tenderness and dependence. Her eyes instantly filled with tears that shimmered in the lamplight.
"Yes, Yu'er... good boy." With trembling hands, she gathered him into her arms. Tears slipped silently down her face, but she was smiling.
Qin Yu did not understand why she cried. He merely nestled quietly in her arms, repeating that word. "Mother... Mother..."
At that moment, an orphan and a widow had finally pieced together the warmest bond of family on the vast Great Yan Continent.
Morning sunlight filtered through the thin mist and spilled into the courtyard. Cooking smoke curled upward, and the air carried the fresh scent of damp earth and grass. Qin Yu rolled up her sleeves and set a wooden bucket beside the well, preparing to fetch water for the vegetables.
Qin Yu was already up, following her spiritedly, his eyes shining with wonder. Compared with yesterday, he looked much more at ease. He no longer stumbled over his words, and his young voice rang clear and bright.
"Mother, is this... a chicken?" He pointed at the hen clucking beside the fence.
Qin Yu smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's a chicken, a chicken that lays eggs. From now on, you'll have eggs to eat every day."
"Chickens-lay eggs." Qin Yu repeated softly, his eyes bright, seemingly committing the impression firmly to memory at once.
Before long, he crouched beside the field, looking at a green vegetable seedling, blinking as he asked, "Mother, what about this?"
Qin Yu patiently explained, "That's a vegetable. When it grows, we can pick it and cook it in soup."
"Vegetables... can go in soup." Qin Yu nodded with a child's earnestness. He reached out and lightly touched a leaf, as though greeting it.
As they walked past the well platform, woodpile, chicken coop, wooden plow... he pointed curiously, asking about everything.
Whenever Qin Yu patiently answered him once, he remembered firmly and never needed her to repeat herself.
"Mother, this is a well."
"Mother, this is firewood."
"Mother, this is a plow."
As Qin Yu listened, her astonishment grew. She had thought the child would need a long time before understanding dawned, yet he seemed born with a memory that never forgot anything he saw, grasping almost everything with a single hint.
Watching his earnest manner, Qin Yu felt an unprecedented joy well up inside her, as though she had glimpsed a ray of hope for the future.
She laughed softly. "Yu'er, you really are a clever child."
Qin Yu turned back, sunlight shining on his face, his eyes clear and bright. His answer was childish but certain. "Mm! I'll listen to Mother."
At that moment, a breeze swept across the Great Yan Continent, as though bathing the entire courtyard in warm golden radiance.
The morning sun gradually rose, and the courtyard brimmed with life. Roosters crowed and dogs barked in succession. Dewdrops in the vegetable patch glittered like tiny crystals in the sunlight. Qin Yu repeated his newly learned words over and over, pointing at the fence, firewood, and seedlings like a pupil just beginning his schooling, his eyes clear and curious.
Watching him, Qin Yu gradually felt a sense of awe-this child not only spoke without the slightest stammer now, but remembered everything she taught him after a single lesson, never forgetting it.
A gentle smile stirred in her heart, but her thoughts were heavy:
Such a bright child-wouldn't his gifts be wasted if he simply stayed in this courtyard, learning from my constant instruction?
She looked down at the boy earnestly crouching to feed the chickens and slowly spoke. "Yu'er."
"Hm?" The boy raised his head, his black-and-white eyes as clear as spring water.
Qin Yu bent down and said softly, "You learn quickly, and that makes Mother happy. But there's only so much I can teach you. If you only learn to recognize vegetables and read copybooks, your cleverness will go to waste."
The boy only half understood, but still nodded obediently.
Qin Yu stroked his hair, her gaze resolute. "Mother plans to... send you to the village school in a few days. There's a teacher there who can teach you to read and write, tell you stories, and help you study the classics. When you grow up, you can earn scholarly honors and become a proper scholar. That would do justice to all your cleverness."
Qin Yu stared at her blankly. His lips moved, and he spoke clumsily but clearly. "I... will... listen to Mother."
His response was young but pure, like a drop of sweet spring water falling upon her heart.
Qin Yu's eyes stung slightly as she looked toward the sun rising on the horizon. She seemed to see a new future slowly unfolding in the morning light.
Outside the courtyard, the morning breeze gently stirred the green vines on the fence. An orphan and a widow were writing their first hope in the simplest way upon this mortal land.
Several days later, before the morning mist had fully dispersed, Qin Yu held Qin Yu's hand as they slowly followed the path at the village entrance toward the school.
It was a small building of blue bricks and gray tiles. Beneath the eaves hung a wooden plaque engraved with two large characters-[School]-in bold, vigorous strokes. From the courtyard came the children's clear recitation: "At birth, human nature is good..." Their young but orderly voices carried a pure, vibrant vitality.
Qin Yu stopped, his eyes wide and ears pricked, as though deeply drawn by the sound of recitation. He gripped Qin Yu's hand tightly, an unfamiliar stirring rising in his heart: this place was different from the little courtyard; here, there seemed to be a broader world.
Qin Yu crouched down and stroked his hair, saying softly, "Yu'er, don't be afraid. Once you're inside, just listen to the teacher, study hard, and remember carefully, just like the other children."
Qin Yu nodded earnestly and answered softly, "Mm... Mother, I'll behave."
When the courtyard gate opened, the pupils looked up one after another. Someone whispered, "It's that naked wild child!"
"Why has he been brought to school?"
"Can he read?"
A few quiet laughs and questioning voices stabbed like needles into Qin Yu's ears. He instinctively lowered his head, but felt Qin Yu's hand gripping his tightly, giving him strength and reassurance.
At the front sat a teacher with graying hair and beard, his gaze deep as water. He tapped the wooden desk to silence the children and said, "You must not mock your fellow pupils. School is a place of education. Everyone may attend, and everyone may read."
Qin Yu bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Teacher, this child's name is Qin Yu. He has lost his memory and knows few characters. I am willing to pay his tuition and provide paper and brushes. Please accept him."
The teacher nodded slightly, his gaze settling on Qin Yu, and remained silent for a long time. After a moment, he slowly said, "This child's eyes are clear. He doesn't seem dull-witted. Since he's here, let him sit and learn."
Qin Yu carefully walked to a pupil's seat and sat down, holding his copybook. Children around him still studied him curiously. Some curled their lips, and some secretly laughed, but a few friendly looks also stole his way.
The teacher lifted his brush and wrote a character on the wooden board: "Heaven."
He said, "Today, we will begin with the character for 'heaven.'"
Qin Yu stared at that character, as though his entire mind had sunk into it. He murmured, "Heaven... heaven..." A strange familiarity rose in his heart.
To his surprise, the teacher discovered that Qin Yu remembered its shape and pronunciation accurately after seeing it only once.
Standing in the doorway, Qin Yu watched her son's focused expression, and her lips curved involuntarily. She knew this child would never be ordinary.
Morning light filtered through the paper windows onto the school's wooden desks, while traces of oil-lamp smoke still drifted among the beams and pillars. Dozens of pupils sat upright at their desks, reciting in unison after the teacher: "Heaven, earth, person..."
Qin Yu sat in the last row, clutching his copybook in both hands, staring unblinkingly at the large characters the teacher wrote on the wooden board.
The teacher wrote the first character-[Heaven].
He explained, "Heaven is that which covers. The vast firmament overhead is heaven."
The pupils repeated after him, some sounding childish, others earnest. Only Qin Yu stared deeply at the character, his lips moving. "Heaven... heaven..." His voice was soft but clear.
Something flickered in the teacher's eyes. He then wrote [Earth] and slowly said, "Earth is that which bears. The ground beneath our feet is earth."
The pupils read after him, their voices rising and falling, with frequent mistakes.
But Qin Yu lowered his head and, after only one glance, clumsily copied [Earth] onto his paper. Though the strokes were crooked, its outline was distinct.
The teacher approached for a look and raised his brows: he had actually remembered every stroke without a single error.
Next, the teacher wrote several common characters: [Person], [Heart], and [Book]. Each time he wrote one, he looked up at Qin Yu-and Qin Yu merely watched quietly, repeated it softly once, and firmly remembered it, copying its shape onto the paper.
Several mischievous pupils secretly mocked him. "This wild child doesn't know any characters. He's bound to make a fool of himself."
Yet their smiles soon froze: Qin Yu remembered every character faster and more accurately than they did.
Finally, after writing ten whole characters, the teacher turned and asked, "Who can recite what we learned today?"
The classroom fell silent. The pupils lowered their heads, and only a scattered few quietly recited three or four characters.
Qin Yu, however, stood up timidly, holding his copybook, and spoke in a clear voice. "Heaven, earth, person, heart, book... water, fire, mountain, moon, Dao."
Ten characters, without a single mistake.
The classroom instantly fell silent; even the sound of breathing stopped.
The teacher stared for a long while, a rare shock passing through his eyes, and murmured, "Never forgetting what he sees... this child is exceptionally gifted."
The pupils exchanged looks. Admiration flashed in some eyes, astonishment filled others, and no one dared look down on him anymore.
Blushing, Qin Yu added quietly, "Mother... Mother said... to study hard."
The teacher gave him a long look, his beard and hair trembling slightly, and inwardly marveled: This child is no ordinary mortal... if nurtured, he may achieve greatness in the future!
Listening from the doorway, Qin Yu felt an indescribable joy and emotion surge through her, and her eyes grew moist again.
That day, Qin Yu revealed his astonishing talent at school for the first time, and truly took his first step along his own path of learning.
The sun gradually sank westward, and the recitation inside the school slowly ceased. The teacher closed the wooden scroll, stroked his beard, and nodded. "That will be all for today. Tomorrow, we will learn new characters."
The pupils scattered in a rush, carrying bamboo slips on their backs and copybooks in their arms as they left the courtyard, laughing and playing.
Holding his own copybook, Qin Yu stood cautiously by the doorway, not daring to leave first. His eyes held some nervousness and some anticipation.
Suddenly, a thin, small boy with delicate features approached and grinned. "Your name's Qin Yu, right? You were amazing today! I only remembered three of those ten characters, but you remembered them all!"
Qin Yu froze for a moment. His lips moved, and his awkward voice carried sincerity. "Mm... th... thank you."
The boy laughed and patted his shoulder. "We can study together from now on!"
This briefly warmed Qin Yu's heart. So not everyone at school was hostile toward him.
Just then, however, another group of pupils pointed at him from a distance. Their leader was a sturdy boy wearing slightly better cloth clothes. He snorted. "He's just a wild child. Remembering a few characters has gone to his head? What's so impressive about that!"
Several children beside him echoed, "Exactly! He was standing naked at the village entrance yesterday. Maybe he's a monster!"
"Yes, maybe he's some evil creature reborn!"
Those words struck Qin Yu's ears like icy stones hurled hard. He lowered his head and clutched his copybook, his fingers trembling slightly.
The delicate-featured boy beside him frowned and shouted, "That's nonsense! The teacher said everyone may attend school, and everyone may read! What monster?"
The boy opposite sneered. "Hmph, the teacher is the teacher. We're not afraid. Once we uncover where he came from, we'll know the truth!" With that, he turned and left with his companions, leaving a trail of sneering laughter.
Qin Yu raised his head, a trace of confusion and hurt flashing through his eyes. He did not yet understand jealousy or hostility. He only knew-some people offered him kindness, while others were full of coldness and rejection.
He murmured, "Mother... Mother said... to study hard and ignore these things."
The setting sun shone on his young face, casting a long shadow. Though slight, that shadow looked resolute.
Qin Yu had long been waiting at the gate. Seeing Qin Yu run toward her with his copybook, her eyes filled with affection. She reached out to take it and asked softly, "Yu'er, how did your studies go?"
Qin Yu pressed his lips together and answered earnestly, "I... remembered ten characters."
Qin Yu paused, the corners of her eyes reddening, and gently drew him into her arms. "Good boy."
What she did not know was that, beyond this warm embrace, a faint undercurrent had already begun to form.
Night fell, and moonlight spilled into Qin Yu's little courtyard. Beyond the fence, insects chirped and dogs barked in succession. Inside, an oil lamp flickered gently, its dim yellow light illuminating the wooden table and books.
Qin Yu sat cross-legged before the desk, holding the copybook the teacher had given him that day, his eyes sparkling. He opened the first page and scanned every character without missing one. Within moments, he recited softly, "Heaven, earth, person, heart, book..."
He did not stop, but continued turning the pages. After reading each page, he could immediately recite its contents fluently. His voice was young, but entirely accurate.
Wind blew through the window. In the flickering lamplight, that young figure did not look as though he were memorizing by rote, but rather-
Branding the characters on the pages into his heart, with a single reading enough.
Qin Yu had been sewing shoe soles nearby. Hearing his continuous recitation, she gradually put down her needle and thread and turned to stare in astonishment.
"Yu'er, have you already remembered all ten characters from today?" she asked gently.
Qin Yu looked up, his voice childish but firm. "Mm... I remembered them all... more than ten."
Then he actually recited the entire copybook from beginning to end. His pronunciation was childish, but he made no mistakes.
Qin Yu froze, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "The... the entire copybook?"
The boy nodded obediently and blinked. "Mm, Mother... I... I know it."
Before she could exclaim in wonder, he opened the books they had bought during the day-the Brief Record of Character Recognition, Essential Knowledge for Young Learners, and the first volume of the Thousand Character Classic. His small fingers passed over the pages one by one, his gaze intent as he murmured the words.
The rustle of turning pages mingled with his young reading voice. Before long, he looked up at Qin Yu, his eyes clear as spring water. "Mother, these... I remember these too."
Qin Yu was momentarily dazed, her eyes slowly growing moist. She knew these books would take an ordinary pupil years to learn, yet Qin Yu had absorbed them in a single night.
She slowly approached and gently gathered him into her arms, her voice trembling slightly. "Yu'er, you truly are Mother's good boy... in the future, you certainly won't be ordinary."
The boy leaned obediently against her, the corners of his lips rising slightly.
Outside, the moon shone clear and bright. Shadows cast by the oil lamp swayed, yet formed the warmest picture.
That night, Qin Yu was no longer the "naked wild child" others mocked, but a boy of extraordinary talent and astonishing memory.
And for the first time, a firm premonition rose in Qin Yu's heart-perhaps this child would one day reach heights no one on the Great Yan Continent could match.
The next morning, clear recitation once again filled the school. Standing before the class, the teacher secretly kept an eye on the newly arrived boy. Yesterday's flawless memory had already filled him with wonder. Today, he decided to put him to the test.
After class, he walked over to the bookcase and solemnly took down a volume of more profound learning-the Initial Explanation of the Great Evolution. This was no primer, but an advanced book on Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and the principles of cultivation techniques. Ordinarily, only the cleverest pupils would occasionally leaf through it.
The teacher placed the book on Qin Yu's desk, his gaze deep. "Yu'er, would you like to take a look?"
Qin Yu paused, then obediently nodded and carefully accepted it with both hands. He opened the first page, his gaze immediately focused, and softly read the words aloud: "Heaven and earth possess spirit, from which all things unfold... Qi flows throughout, life and death follow one another..."
Page after page, he read faster and faster, his voice flowing as though he were reciting a song long since engraved upon his heart. In the blink of an eye, he had recited the entire volume from beginning to end.
The whole room fell silent.
The pupils gaped, each forgetting to breathe.
The teacher trembled from head to toe, his beard and hair quivering, as though he had witnessed a miracle with his own eyes.
He immediately put down the disciplinary ruler in his hand and hurriedly instructed someone nearby, "Quick, fetch Qin Yu!"
A short while later, Qin Yu hurried over, looking puzzled.
The teacher pointed at Qin Yu, his voice filled with shock and excitement he could scarcely conceal. "Aunt Qin, you truly have picked up a priceless treasure! This child's comprehension and memory have already transcended the ordinary. Even as a mortal, he has no need to spend eight or ten years studying painstakingly. He need only read any book once to engrave it upon his heart. This is already far beyond my ability to teach!"
Qin Yu froze, astonishment surging in her heart. Though she had known Yu'er was clever, she had never imagined his abilities would be this formidable.
The teacher continued gravely, "If this child merely follows the mortal path of studying and sitting the examinations for scholarly honors, even if he enters the court as an official, he will remain trapped in the mundane world. With his aptitude, he ought to embark upon the path of Dao cultivation. Aunt Qin, I strongly recommend that you send him to Cloud-Leveling Hall! It is a renowned orthodox sect in Central State, a place of true immortals who cultivate the Dao. Only there can this child fulfill his natural gifts, soar through the heavens and burrow through the earth, and wield immortal arts."
Great waves surged through Qin Yu's heart. Her breathing quickened as she gazed at the boy standing obediently beside her, her heart aching yet proud.
She crouched down, clasped Qin Yu's little hands in both of hers, and asked gently, "Yu'er, did you hear clearly? Your teacher said you can go and learn more advanced things. For example, you could ride the wind and fly, or slay a wild beast with a single strike. Would you like that?"
Qin Yu blinked, his eyes clear as stars. His young voice carried the understanding he had gained from books. "Mm... Mother, I know. I've read about it in books. It's called cultivating the Dao to become a true immortal."
He paused, then his gaze suddenly grew resolute, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. "Mother, I want to learn."
At that moment, Qin Yu's eyes brimmed with tears. She stroked the crown of the boy's head, her heart filled with both emotion and a heavy sense of responsibility.
She understood that from this moment onward, Qin Yu's path would no longer be confined to a little village and a small courtyard, but would lead into a far vaster world.