The wind of the grasslands whistled past my ears. The pastures beneath my feet and the distant foothills blurred into streaks of green and brown, flashing by so quickly they gave me the illusion of flying through the clouds.
There was a truly mysterious connection between me and "Love You Forever." This feeling was especially intense when we were galloping wildly across the plains. He could instantly grasp my every subtle cue and react immediately. Combined with his natural advantage in speed, Shao Ming and his "Little White Dragon" were once again left far behind in our wake.
Initially, Mr. Sima had been intent on having Shao Ming and me duel. But once I claimed the great black horse, it turned into Shao Ming being unwilling to accept that my mount was superior. Over the past two days, we had raced three times. "Love You Forever" had secured the championship title with a definitive three-to-zero lead.
Shao Ming finally caught up, his Little White Dragon huffing and puffing with exhaustion. I loosened the reins, allowing Love You Forever and his companion to stroll slowly across the grass.
We were now far from the Linxi settlement. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but blue sky, green grass, and a few small lakes as still as mirrors. The scenery was so tranquil it felt as though time itself had frozen.
Shao Ming let out a sigh, a hint of regret in his voice. "I'm afraid there won't be many chances to ride like this in the future."
Uncle Qiu had mentioned that Mr. Sima would be taking Shao Ming away tomorrow. It was no wonder he felt sentimental. In truth, I felt a bit of reluctance as well; once I returned to Zhongjing, I likely wouldn't have such opportunities for unbridled fun either.
"Xi Xia, will you... be going to Zhongjing?" he suddenly asked.
"Maybe," I said vaguely. "It depends on my Master's wishes. Why do you ask?"
Shao Ming gazed into the distance, his voice calm. "There is a ranch called Falling Star Spring near Dai County, on the outskirts of Zhongjing. If you ever have the chance to visit the capital, don't forget to bring 'Love You Forever' and find me. We'll have another race."
"Alright," I promised.
He turned to look at me, a rare smile gracing his face. After spending time with him, I realized he wasn't actually as cold and distant as he first appeared. He was just a man of few words.
That evening, the tribe held another lively gathering to see Mr. Sima off.
The Chief spoke many words of gratitude to Mr. Sima, as if the man had done the Linxi people a great favor. I wasn't sure of the specifics, but judging by their expressions, they were all deeply moved. Almost every adult male came forward with a wine cup to toast him.
I had intended to ask Uncle Qiu about it, but he was sitting right next to Master Rong Qin. The two of them were whispering incessantly, leaving no room for me to butt in. The sight made me feel a bit wistful. I had gone to so much trouble to clear up their misunderstandings, only to end up being the one tossed aside like a used tool.
I was just looking for someone to talk to when I turned around and saw that Gulita girl pestering Shao Ming again.
After returning from the lake the other day, I had learned that Gulita was the Chief's youngest daughter. In the firelight, she was quite striking with her bold features. Because Mr. Sima was right there, she couldn't say anything too intimate; she could only sit beside the stony-faced Shao Ming, weeping continuously. Eventually, the Chief couldn't bear to watch any longer and had several of his wives drag her away.
I made a face at Shao Ming. He said nothing, only offering a bitter smile.
My own wine flask was empty, so I reached over and took Master's flask to refill my cup. Thinking that I didn't know when I'd ever taste this wine again, I found it exceptionally delicious. Master had just said that we would be leaving tomorrow after Mr. Sima departed. Though the news was a bit sudden, a few days had passed here without me noticing. Plus, I had unexpectedly gained a magnificent horse. It wasn't a wasted trip.
Master Rong Qin looked back and saw her flask in my hands. She found it amusing but didn't stop me. Uncle Qiu took my flask away, watching my expression carefully as he said, "Drink if you want to." He probably thought I was drinking to drown my sorrows about leaving the grasslands.
In reality, I wasn't thinking that much. I just felt that I might never taste this milk-scented wine again and wanted to drink my fill. Ideally, enough to last a lifetime.
The girls had begun to dance in the center of the clearing. Watching them refreshed my spirit, and before I knew it, I had drained another flask. I looked around; the wine was with Uncle Qiu, who was too far away to reach, so I reached for Shao Ming's flask instead.
"Xi Xia, you've had enough." Shao Ming pressed his hand down on the flask, preventing me from taking it.
What a stingy guy.
I glared at him. "I can hold my liquor."
He stared back, looking skeptical. I had to patiently and seriously explain, "Really, I have a high tolerance."
He still wouldn't let go, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. Was it because my male disguise wasn't "manly" enough that he was looking down on me?
Seeing that he truly wouldn't give it to me, I gave up on him. Instead, I gestured with my empty flask toward the girls who were refilling drinks for the guests. A Linxi girl in festive dress ran over enthusiastically and filled both empty flasks in front of me.
Unlike the last time I drank, I didn't feel dizzy at all. Instead, I felt more and more energetic. I suddenly remembered "Love You Forever," who was wandering by the riverbank, so I grabbed a handful of dried cheese and headed out. That was his favorite treat.
A round moon hung in the deep blue canopy of the sky, without a single cloud in sight. A sky full of stars silently watched over the quiet, beautiful grassland.
I called out softly for my precious mount. Whether he heard my voice or sensed my presence, "Love You Forever" came trotting up to me, followed by Shao Ming's Little White Dragon. It seemed the two of them were enjoying a leisurely stroll in the lemon-colored moonlight.
I pulled out the dried cheese to share between them. Originally, I had intended to use my "liquid courage" to let him take me for a wild lap around the plains, but the cool breeze blew away my excitement, leaving me full of heavy thoughts instead. My body felt weighted down, so I simply sat on the grass.
Footsteps sounded behind me. I looked back to see Shao Ming. He patted Little White Dragon's head and came over to sit beside me.
Gazing at the sleeping grassland under the moonlight, I couldn't help but let out a long sigh. "I'm afraid I won't have such a carefree time again."
Shao Ming looked at me, curious. "Why?"
I sighed again. "Because once I leave here, my glorious career will officially begin..."
"What career?" Shao Ming asked, amused.
"The most righteous career under the sun, of course!" I shot him a look. "The most sacred career..." As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt there wasn't much more to say. After all, I was currently a nobody. It suddenly occurred to me—was I this worked up because I really was drunk? I stole a glance at Shao Ming; he didn't look surprised, just sat there quietly with that amused expression.
"Do you know how to sing?" I quickly changed the subject. But as soon as I asked, I regretted it. Wasn't that a pointless question? Could a man who barely liked to talk even sing?
As expected, Shao Ming shook his head and asked in return, "And you?"
"I do," I said. "But I can usually only remember half the lyrics. Do you want to hear?"
He smiled. "Half is fine. Sing."
I thought for a moment. "I'll sing you a song by the Backstreet Boys."
He asked, puzzled, "Who are... the Backstreet Boys?"
I sighed. "Just a band made up of some handsome guys. Actually, they're already outdated."
He frowned, looking even more confused. "What does 'handsome guy' mean?"
"Why are you so full of nonsense?!" I snapped, losing my patience. "Are you listening or not?"
"I'm listening," he said simply.
So I began to sing "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely," then Sarah Brightman's "There For Me." These were basically my favorite songs, and they suited my current mood. I really did feel a bit of melancholy... though I didn't know if it was the alcohol or the impending departure.
I was like a wind-up toy, singing one song after another with great emotion. I think I even sang a snippet of the opera "Wujia Slope." Later, for some reason, I finally remembered a song I could sing in its entirety—Jay Chou's "Chrysanthemum Terrace"—and I started singing it over and over again...
Shao Ming just listened quietly, saying nothing.
Eventually, I sang myself into exhaustion. In my daze, I seemed to open my eyes for a moment. The moon had turned pale and hung low in the distance. I asked him, "Do I sing badly?"
Shao Ming said, "It's not bad."
I shook my head, looking at him through bleary eyes. "The moon was clearly right above us, but as soon as I started singing, it hid so far away—it must think I'm terrible..."
Shao Ming didn't speak, only smiled softly. He really looked beautiful when he smiled... That thought circled in my mind for a long time, but when I woke up sober the next day, I couldn't for the life of me remember if I had actually said it out loud.
By the time I sobered up, it was already noon the next day. Master Rong Qin said I had been dead drunk last night and that Shao Ming had brought me back.
He and his master had already left early this morning.
I took a towel and lazily went to the river to wash my face. The water was still so clear, so still.
Perhaps because the able-bodied men of the tribe had gone out hunting, the entire camp felt empty. I turned to Master Rong Qin and said, "Let's head out too."
Master Rong Qin asked teasingly, "Does your head not hurt? We could stay one more day."
I shook my head. "No, let's go." The sooner she got me back to Zhongjing, the sooner she could return to be with Uncle Qiu.
Besides, I missed home.
As dusk fell, we finally confirmed that we were lost.
This was our fifth day since leaving the grasslands, and we had entered the Xiling Mountains, the largest mountain range in the west of the Flame Heaven Kingdom.
I wasn't sure if I had taken a wrong turn while chasing a rabbit on my precious horse, or if Master Rong Qin had misremembered this "shortcut" from the start. Regardless, looking at the fading light and the vast, desolate mountains surrounding us, Master Rong Qin looked just as lost as I felt.
The worst part was that no one knew if this mountain path actually led to the main road to Zhongjing...
Strange sounds drifted through the night—bird calls that sounded eerie and sinister. Although I wasn't afraid of the dark, I couldn't help but become alert. In such a wilderness...
"Xi Xia, look! Is that a house up ahead?" Master Rong Qin suddenly pointed and shouted.
Something flickered in the distance. It looked like a building, but then again, it didn't. At this point, however, we had no choice but to head in that direction and see.
As we drew closer, we saw it was indeed a small village tucked deep in the mountains. It was sparse, with only a few dozen households. Hearing our horses' hooves, the dogs began to bark in a rising chorus. A gate to a courtyard ahead of us creaked open; a head poked out to look, then quickly ducked back inside.
Master Rong Qin called out hurriedly, "Good neighbor! We are a mother and daughter who have lost our way. Might we stay the night?"
There was no sound from within.
Master Rong Qin waited a moment, then added, "It's a desolate wilderness, and we truly are lost. If you could help us, we will certainly reward you well."
A hesitant voice of an old woman came from inside. "Just the two of you?"
Master Rong Qin quickly replied, "Yes. Ma'am, please, show us some kindness."
The door opened. The old woman said, "Come in, then. But we can only spare one room for you two."
Master Rong Qin thanked her repeatedly, and I followed behind, leading the horses. Once inside the gate, I saw it was quite a spacious courtyard. Several large dogs were tied up. The door to the main hall was open, and a slender figure stood timidly at the threshold, peeking out.
The old woman said, "Zhuzi's wife, pour some hot water for the guests. See what's left in the kitchen..."
Master Rong Qin untied several pheasants and hares from her saddle and handed them over. "We caught these on the road. We'd appreciate it if you could prepare a dinner for us." As she spoke, she pulled a few pieces of silver from her robe and handed them to the old woman. The old woman made a few polite protests before accepting them, then led us into the hall.
The woman called Zhuzi's wife brought hot water and then hurried to the kitchen. She looked only a year or two older than me, with delicate features; she didn't look like a typical mountain dweller.
"My son went to the back of the mountain to visit relatives," the old woman said, sitting down to keep us company. She looked to be about fifty, her hair pulled back in a small bun, her dark, thin face set with a pair of shrewd little eyes. "That's why I hurried out when I heard the noise. Even if you know the mountain paths well, it's still worrying at night."
Master Rong Qin chatted with her politely.
Before long, the young wife entered carrying a tray. In addition to two large bowls of coarse white rice, there was a large bowl of roasted rabbit and two side dishes. The old woman asked her, "Is that all of it?"
The young woman kept her eyes downcast. "No, there's still one bowl left."
Master Rong Qin said quickly, "This is plenty for us. Isn't your son still to return? Keep the rest for him."
The old woman smiled. "Then we won't be formal. I'll go see if it's put away properly; wouldn't want the cat to get it." With that, she turned and left.
The moment she stepped out of the hall, the young wife's finger darted into the tea bowl in front of me. Using the tea water, she rapidly traced two characters on the table. Before she could finish the final stroke, the sound of the old woman's footsteps reached the door.
The young wife wiped the table clean with a swift motion and turned to retreat. Her movements were so fast I barely had time to react. However, I had seen the two characters clearly.
They read: *Save me.*
