The last sliver of light on the horizon gradually faded. As the stars and moon emerged, they cast a quiet, secretive shimmer over the lake waters, which still radiated the day’s trapped heat.
The water shifted from a bluish-green to a dark, murky teal. Even the sound of the waves lapping against the shore seemed heavier than it had during the day.
Qin Jiuye carefully brought her skiff to the bank. She looked around in every direction but failed to see the familiar figure she expected.
She was a bit later than the appointed time, so she felt a trace of trepidation and guilt. All along the way, she had been rehearsing explanations for their meeting. But now that she had arrived only to find that he hadn't shown up on time either, her guilt faded, replaced by a touch of disappointment and irritation.
Even if she was the shopkeeper, she still had to have an excuse for being late. He was just a worker; how did he dare arrive even later than his boss?
The rising lake water soaked the soles of her shoes. Qin Jiuye stood in the reed beds for a moment before turning back, intending to return to her skiff step by step.
However, she had only taken three steps when she felt the reeds behind her sway gently, parting soundlessly.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She hardly dared to turn around immediately. A moment later, a familiar voice spoke from not far behind her.
"Sister."
Her heart, which had been hanging in her throat, instantly dropped back into her chest. Qin Jiuye let out a long breath and turned around with a hint of resentment.
"Since you were already here, why didn't you say something?"
"Sister didn't say anything either."
The youth stepped out from the night. He had somehow changed into a suit of black clothes, the color outlining his frame into something sharp and upright. He looked more cautious than usual—and more dangerous.
"Where did Sister go? Why are you only arriving now?"
Qin Jiuye paused. Thinking of the man she had encountered on the lake—the one who looked like a lotus spirit—her expression became somewhat evasive. She complained vaguely, "Bad luck. I ran into Wang Xiao of the Qiushan Sect. He kept pestering me about the matters on Qingping Road. I finally managed to escape him, only to be targeted by some shady characters. I had to hide for a while before I dared to come out."
Hearing the name "Wang Xiao," Li Qiao’s brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze swept over her face.
"Was there truly nothing else?"
Only then did Qin Jiuye truly focus her gaze on him. Looking closely at his expression, she realized that the sharp aura about him wasn't just because of the black clothes; he did indeed seem somewhat tense.
She found it strange. "What is it? Is something wrong? Do you know Wang Xiao?"
He stared into her bright, dark eyes. After confirming he saw no hidden pain or unease there, he softened his voice.
"Wang Xiao’s swordsmanship is known for being nimble and circuitous, but the man himself is incredibly stubborn and opinionated. Since his reputation as the Qiushan Sect’s top expert grew, few remember that he is actually a man consumed by lust. The foul deeds he committed in his younger years are too numerous to record. You would do well to stay far away from him in the future."
Qin Jiuye thought back to the absurd experience on the Qiushan Sect’s boat earlier that day and nodded involuntarily.
"You certainly know a lot."
The youth pressed his lips together, his voice sounding deeper than usual.
"Not just Wang Xiao. If you wish to know the filthy secrets of all the despicable people in this martial world, I can tell them to you one by one."
The more one knows, the harder life becomes. Besides, listening to pleasant things refreshes the spirit; she had never heard of anyone who enjoyed listening to such sordid affairs.
Qin Jiuye shook her head repeatedly. "I’m not Tang Shenyan; no matter how much gossip I hear, I can’t trade it for silver. Besides, one Wang Xiao is enough to keep me looking over my shoulder. I couldn't handle a few more." She paused here, suddenly remembering something, and looked at the youth’s empty hands. "Where are the things I asked you to buy?"
Li Qiao was silent for a moment before saying briefly, "The market ended early today. I went a bit late and couldn't buy them."
Qin Jiuye was speechless. After a long while, she spoke with a note of disbelief.
"How could you be late? Didn't you leave without a word this morning? I know this Sword Appreciation Assembly is a rare event in the martial world and many people are coming. You can go about your own business, but you can't forget the time—or the tasks your shopkeeper assigned you..."
She was clearly getting emotional, nagging him at length. The youth simply lowered his head and listened. Only when she stopped did he speak.
"Sister may punish me as she sees fit."
Qin Jiuye had been genuinely angry, but seeing his submissive attitude, she felt her anger had nowhere to go.
Jinbao often forgot her instructions, and even when he remembered, he often did a poor job. But she was never truly angry with him; even if she scolded and complained, she didn't lose her temper, simply because she knew Jinbao was someone who couldn't do things well. If she got worked up every time, she would surely shorten her lifespan. In the time it took to get angry or disappointed, she could have fixed everything herself.
Yet now, she felt a very real sense of disappointment and frustration. In fact, from the moment her boat hit the shore, she realized she felt an emotion toward the person in front of her that she had never felt before.
She thought that perhaps it was because the person before her almost never failed, and she had begun to grow accustomed to this feeling of reliability. Thus, when that reliance suddenly fell through, she couldn't help but start complaining.
Qin Jiuye stiffened, a string of tension tightening in her heart.
She couldn't become so dependent on him. The three-month limit was approaching; he would leave sooner or later.
Thinking of this, she turned away with her hands behind her back.
"Forget it. Returning to Guoran Residence empty-handed like this, Jinbao will surely seize the opportunity to pester me and act out. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
The youth followed behind her. After a while, he asked, "It isn't the Ghost Month yet. Why was Sister in such a hurry to buy incense, candles, and paper money?"
Qin Jiuye’s figure paused. Without turning around, she said, "Today is the anniversary of Aunt Yang’s death. Every year Jinbao offers incense and prayers, and Grandfather and I follow suit. However, I’ve never been one for strict rituals. It’s fine if we miss these few days; we can make it up next month."
Silence followed for a moment before the youth’s voice rose again.
"If Sister is willing, I can take you to a place."
***
The small hills amidst the lake at night were pitch black. Overgrown wild grass completely obscured the foot-wide path. Walking through it, one couldn't see their own shoes when they lifted their feet, nor their shadow when they looked down. After walking for a while, one might forget exactly where they were headed.
Qin Jiuye followed the dark silhouette in front of her. For the fifth time, she stumbled on the path where jagged rocks and tree roots intertwined, staggering half a step before steadying herself.
She had been walking for fifteen minutes, and her clothes had already been snagged and torn in three or four places. These clothes were the "survivors" she had specifically picked out from her pile of rags—decent pieces she had carefully maintained and repeatedly mended.
The thought of having to stay up late to sew her clothes again made her heart ache.
"Exactly how much further is it?"
The youth in front turned back. Sensing the impatience in her tone and thinking she was angry because the night path was difficult, he suddenly walked toward her.
Before Qin Jiuye could react, her hand was grasped.
The moonlight caught the edges of his silhouette, faintly illuminating the expression on his face. Like the silent, undulating lakeshore and hills in the distance, he seemed deep and far-reaching.
"Few people come to this island, so the path is indeed difficult. Just stay close to me, Sister."
After saying this, he spoke no more and led her forward.
Qin Jiuye didn't think much of it and instinctively followed.
The distance between them changed from several paces to a mere half-step. She kept her head down, barely discerning where he placed his feet. Wherever he stepped, she followed, and in this way, she didn't stumble again.
After walking like this for a while, Qin Jiuye realized that something about the current situation felt off.
In the past, she was always the one walking in front. She was the one holding his hand, guiding him toward the unknown, toward the destination, toward wherever she wanted to go. When she held his hand, she could never quite grasp it fully; she either caught his fingertips or held half his palm.
But now, everything was reversed. The way he moved through the darkness was so practiced—how did he look like someone who needed her guidance? When he reached for her hand, he had grasped it entirely without effort, as if he could lift her whole body with just a bit more strength.
Her leading him was like a cowherd leading an ox; him leading her was like a strongman leading a goose.
Strange images suddenly popped into her head, and the more Qin Jiuye thought about it, the more inexplicably annoyed she became. But it wasn't her fault she was somewhat short and thin. Though she was small, she was the pillar of Guoran Residence!
Was it because they had changed locations that things became like this?
After all, the martial world was his home turf, and she didn't fully understand its rules.
Remembering that they had business to attend to, Qin Jiuye suppressed her strange emotions and decided not to sweat the small stuff for now.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the path finally opened up. The moment they emerged from the thicket, she found herself standing before a small, hidden temple.
At first glance, this shrine bore some resemblance to Tingfeng Hall, but it was much smaller and far more crudely constructed. One had to look closely to see the traces of past worship. Inside the half-collapsed hall, one could barely make out the shape of a divine statue: a broad, sturdy base, four short and thick legs, a round head, and a pointed tail. No matter how she looked at it, it looked like a... turtle.
Qin Jiuye watched for a while longer but couldn't make anything out. She shook her head and walked to the side, continuing to observe her surroundings.
"The oldest shrine in Jiugao City is the one at Tingfeng Hall. This place looks even more ancient than that. How did you find such a place?"
"I found it by chance."
To be precise, he had found it by chance while fleeing for his life.
Li Qiao scouted the surroundings. After confirming no one was there, he leaped onto the dilapidated altar and skillfully retrieved a small oilcloth bundle from a hidden spot beneath the statue’s belly. He opened the bundle to reveal a small fire-starter and several small packets of medicinal herbs for injuries.
Qin Jiuye watched blankly. At first, she didn't realize why a place he found "by chance" would have a fire-starter and medicine hidden in it. Then she understood—the items in that bundle must have been hidden there by him long ago.
Lixin Lake was quite a distance from Jiugao City. During his three months at Guoran Residence, had he come here? Or were these traces left over from his previous life? Did every person who roamed the martial world have "three burrows for a crafty rabbit" like him?
Qin Jiuye was puzzled, but she didn't ask. Just as when she spoke of Aunt Yang, he hadn't asked much before bringing her here. Sometimes, you don't need to get to the bottom of things to accurately sense someone's intentions.
He was sharing his life with her. And she felt, inexplicably, that not many people had ever been to this place.
While she was thinking, her eyes remained fixed on the opened oilcloth bundle. The youth keenly sensed her gaze and spoke up.
"Perhaps they were left by villagers who came to offer incense. I’ve seen that they like to hide things here."
Villagers offering incense might leave a fire-starter, but they would never leave medicinal herbs for injuries. Those paper-wrapped medicines might fool others, but they couldn't fool her nose.
Qin Jiuye glanced at Li Qiao and followed his lead. "I see. But there’s no incense or offerings here. It seems the nearby villagers are quite casual with their worship."
The youth’s expression faltered, and he fell silent for a moment.
He didn't know what worship was. Because he had never worshipped any person or any god.
When he hid behind the statues of the Heavenly Kings in grand, gold-topped halls, he had witnessed the crowds of people flocking to temples during festivals. He had heard the whispered prayers of many pilgrims and believers. But he didn't understand why those people would chatter at the empty air, or even weep. Nor did he understand the meaning behind those repetitive, largely identical pleas. He would wait for them to leave and then pick out the good food from the offerings to take away. That was his only impression of so-called worship.
Li Qiao looked at the woman’s expression. Then, remembering something, he turned and pulled a piece of rough paper used for lighting fires from the oilcloth. He folded it skillfully with his fingertips. Before long, a paper lotus with symmetrical petals and sharp angles stood quietly in his palm.
Qin Jiuye looked at the paper flower, then up at his face. After a long while, she took the flower and murmured, "You really are... multi-talented."
The youth observed her expression and said softly, "I only know how to fold this."
The corners of Qin Jiuye’s mouth curved up, a warm smile in her eyes.
"It’s very good. I don't understand flowers, but Aunt Yang loved them very much."
It was a pity that her Aunt Yang, who loved tending to plants, only had a courtyard full of bitter herbs that could be eaten for three seasons while she was alive. Her basket held the sickles and hoes of the busy farming season, and her hands most often held the endless wild caltrops pulled from the fields. For a long time after Aunt Yang passed, whenever Qin Jiuye saw rare wild flowers or orchids while gathering herbs deep in the mountains, she would involuntarily stop and look for a while, thinking to herself how happy Aunt Yang would be if she could see them.
The smile slowly faded. Qin Jiuye carefully placed the lotus in her palm, closed her eyes facing the strange statue, and silently repeated "May the whole family be safe" several times. Then, she tossed the paper flower into the fire. The whole process took only a moment.
The leaping flames swallowed the paper flower in a single breath, quickly turning it into a pile of ash until no trace of the flower remained.
Qin Jiuye poked at the ashes, then carefully extinguished the fire and stood up, clapping her hands.
"Alright, let's go."
The youth looked at her, a hint of uncertain hesitation in his expression. This seemed different from the worship he had seen before.
"You won't pray a bit longer?"
Qin Jiuye waved her hand, already stepping into the night outside the temple.
"If you truly remember someone’s kindness, you won't only think of them on this one day. Since I think of her every day, there’s no need to be obsessed with this specific day."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
王逍 | Wang Xiao | Top expert of the Qiushan Sect.
秋山派 | Qiushan Sect | "Autumn Mountain Sect."
杨姨 | Aunt Yang | A maternal figure to Qin Jiuye and Jinbao.
璃心湖 | Lixin Lake | "Glass Heart Lake," the setting of the chapter.
听风堂 | Tingfeng Hall | "Listening Wind Hall," a location in Jiugao.
唐慎言 | Tang Shenyan | Likely a character known for gossip or information brokering.
火折 | Fire-starter | A small, portable tube used to start fires (fire piston or match-like device).
毛边纸 | Rough paper | A type of handmade, unfinished paper.
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