Bai Ye ordered me to be confined to my room for penitence until the start of the tournament. Purely for show to the rest of Mount Hua, of course, though it still meant that I couldn't go gather herbs or visit anyone else. I spent most of the first day practicing in the garden and the second day grinding up the dried plants in my stockpile. By the third day, I was apparently looking bored enough that he started to notice it.
"You used to like spending time alone," he chuckled. "Your friends have changed you a lot."
I bit my lips. Of course I wouldn't tell him the real reason why I visited Xie Lun's hall so frequently these days—without the distraction, I'd be thinking about Bai Ye and those candied hawthorns all day. Being locked inside with him was the hardest test of my self-control.
"They are a lively crowd," I said instead. "Noisy, but fun and full of energy. Quite different from most other disciples at Mount Hua."
He looked pensive for a moment. "I can't let you break your confinement to visit them without risking the Gatekeeper giving you trouble …" he said after a little while, "but if some liveliness will cheer you up, I have a better idea." He summoned his flying sword to his side. "You haven't left Mount Hua much since you came, Qing-er. Last time at East Village, I saw the nostalgia in your eyes. Would you like to spend a day like a commoner for a change?"
I blinked, not expecting him to read so much into my excuse. "But I'm not supposed to break my confinement," I said.
"You're not supposed to let anyone else see that you break your confinement. There's a difference," he smirked.
"…"
I knew he didn't actually mean to punish me when he ordered me to stay within the hall, but still … Wasn't this a little too blatant?
"You could've been locked up in an interior chamber where you can't see or hear the outside," he explained, "and I could've been traveling like I frequently do, so even if anyone happens to visit while we're away, they won't be surprised to find no one around." He offered me his hand. "Are you interested?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed. Unexpected as the offer was, it was too tempting to resist. He laughed when I took his hand and hopped onto his sword all too eagerly. With a flutter of robes in the late morning breeze, we were off the ground and above the clouds.
The Gatekeeper was right about one thing, I thought as I hugged Bai Ye tight from behind—my master was indeed too lenient on me.
~ ~
The closest town to us was Silvergate, a small but vibrant place with a welcoming atmosphere. From above, I could see the polished stone roads dotted with people, lined by snack peddlers and food vendors setting up for lunch. A thin river ran alongside the buildings, and a big market square lay at the center of town, packed with colorful stalls and busy crowds, the smell of freshly roasted meat drifting on the wind and reaching miles away.
"I think I smelled lamb skewers," I said as we landed on the outskirts. Dining options at Mount Hua were limited—immortals didn't need to eat, whereas disciples followed a simple diet that provided just enough energy to the body without adding unnecessary burden—and I had forgotten how much I loved street food as a child until the scent awakened my old memories.
Bai Ye laughed. "All these years and you've never told me what your favorite food is. Let's go get some."
We strolled towards the market leisurely, keeping to the shades in the lingering late summer heat and taking in the scenery along the way. I was slightly concerned at first that since we left in a hurry without changing, our white cultivators robes would stand out too much from the crowd, but as the streets grew busier towards the center of town, I started to notice that so many people were dressed in bright colors that we didn't look conspicuous at all.
"Is Silvergate very rich?" I asked after passing a small group of young women clad in fine silk and sparkling headdresses. I had never seen such extravagance before in everyday clothing.
Bai Ye shook his head, the look on his face suggesting that he was puzzled as well. "Most who live here are farmers and local merchants. It didn't quite look like this when I visited last year."
I was about to comment more when one of the young women came up to us. She curtsied prettily before Bai Ye and said, "Will you accept my flowers, Mister? I fell in love with you at first sight. Your eyes twinkle like the brightest stars in the sky, your voice rings like the clearest spring in the woods, your smile melts my heart like the warmest fire in the winter. I'll be honored if you will watch the fireworks with me tonight!"
My eyes grew wider and wider as she spoke. Since when did girls these days become … so straightforward? I looked at Bai Ye, too astonished to even be jealous, wondering how he would respond.
He smiled at the young woman. A perfect smile in every way, but polite and reserved, devoid of the warmth that he always smiled at me with. "Is this … a tradition here?" he asked.
The young woman blushed at his reply. "You must be a traveler. It is a tradition … but I mean every word. If you are willing, I will pray to the Weaver to bless us with eternal love."
The Weaver? Realization dawned on me. Mount Hua didn't observe commoner's festivals, and we had forgotten that today was Seventh Sister Day—the day to honor the star-crossed lovers, the Weaver and the Cowherd, and to seek their blessings in a happy marriage.
I saw the same realization flash across Bai Ye's face. "I appreciate your generous words, young lady," he lowered his head in a polite nod to the girl, "but as you see, I'm already married. My wife and I hope that the Weaver will bless you with true love soon, just like she did for us."
The girl studied me in amazement. "Aren't you lucky that a man like him would settle for only one wife?" She smiled and bowed to both of us. "Thank you for your kind wishes, Mister. May the Weaver bless the two of you as well."
But I barely heard her words. Bai Ye's voice was still echoing in my ears even after she turned to leave—
"My wife and I."
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