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After a few hours of much-needed sleep, I woke up feeling refreshed. The golden hue of the late afternoon sun filtered through my window, reminding me of one more thing I needed to do.
I left the Li estate and made my way toward the quieter district where the Mo family lived. My destination wasn't Mo Fan's place, however, but the small, peaceful residence nearby where Ye Xinxia live with her aunt.
As I approached, I saw a young girl sitting in a wheelchair beneath the shade of a large ginkgo tree. Her long, dark hair fell over her shoulders like silk, and she was focused intently on a book in her lap.
"Xinxia," I called out softly, not wanting to startle her.
Ye Xinxia looked up, her pale, delicate face momentarily frozen in surprise. When she realized it was me, a soft, shy blush crept up her neck, and she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Yuzi-ge," she murmured, her voice like the chime of a small silver bell. She quickly closed her book, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the hem of her skirt. "I didn't expect you to come by today. Wasn't the High School Exam this morning?"
"It was," I said, walking over and leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Mo Fan is currently at home trying to process the fact that he can't solve for 'x' anymore. I figured I'd come check on you since things are about to get very busy."
Xinxia ducked her head, a small, bashful smile playing on her lips. "Brother Fan... he was very worried about the exam. Is he truly alright?"
"He'll be fine. The Li family is handling his enrollment," I reassured her. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box I had picked up during my time at the Zhao Clan's auction house. "I brought something for you. It's a calming incense made from Spirit-mending Grass. It helps with meditation and... well, it just smells nice."
She took the box with trembling hands, her eyes wide as she looked at the craftsmanship. "It's beautiful... but Yuzi-ge, you shouldn't have spent so much on me."
"It's nothing," I replied, watching her carefully. Xinxia was always so selfless, so quiet, yet her soul held a strength that most mages would envy. "How has your leg strength been lately? Any improvement with the physical therapy?"
She looked down at her lap, her expression turning slightly dim, though she kept that gentle, shy smile. "The doctors say it's the same. But it's okay. As long as I can help Brother Yuzi in other ways, I'm content."
I looked at her, knowing the secrets of her lineage and the latent power hidden within her fragile frame. In the original story, she was the Parthenon's soul, a goddess in the making. But here, in the shade of a ginkgo tree in Bo City, she was just a girl who was too shy to meet my gaze for more than a second.
"Don't be so content with staying still, Xinxia," I said, my tone turning uncharacteristically soft. "The world is changing. Soon, you might find yourself standing on your own two feet, leading others."
She looked up at me then, her clear eyes searching mine. "Do you really believe that, Yuzi-ge?"
"I don't just believe it," I said, reaching out to give her hand a light, encouraging squeeze. "I know it."
Her face turned a deep crimson at the contact, and she quickly looked back at the wooden box in her hands. "Thank you... for the gift, and for believing in me."
We sat in a comfortable, quiet silence for a while, the rustling of the leaves the only sound between us.
I stepped a bit closer, the scent of the spirit-mending grass from the box lingering in the air between us. Xinxia was still looking down at the gift, her small hands tracing the carvings.
"Xinxia," I said softly.
She looked up, her long lashes fluttering. Up close, her skin looked like pale porcelain in the fading light. "Yes, Yuzi-ge?"
"Everyone is so caught up in the exams and the schools," I said, reaching out to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. My fingers brushed against her cheek, and I didn't pull them away this time. "But even while I was busy with things here in the city this past year, I found myself thinking about this tree quite a bit. And the girl sitting under it."
A soft blush crept up her neck, turning her cheeks a dusty pink. She didn't pull away; instead, she leaned slightly into my hand, her usual shyness giving way to a quiet sort of courage.
"I... I thought about you too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Even though you were nearby, I always wondered if you were doing well. I'm just glad you came by today."
I felt a genuine tug of affection. I leaned down, bringing my face closer to hers until I could see the reflection of the rising moon in her wide, clear eyes. For a moment, the world around us—the upcoming ceremony, the magic, the exams—simply ceased to exist.
I placed my other hand gently on her shoulder, and she reached up, her small fingers curling around my wrist. I tilted my head and pressed my lips to hers. It was a soft, tentative kiss, tasting of the cool evening air and the faint sweetness of the spirit-mending grass.
Xinxia let out a tiny, shaky breath against my lips, her eyes fluttering shut as she melted into the kiss. It wasn't a grand, dramatic vow; it was just a quiet, honest moment between the two of us.
When I eventually pulled back, her face turned a deep crimson for once I even imagine steem coming out of her ears, and she looked dazed, a small, breathless smile playing on her lips after her first kiss. She looked down at her lap, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her book again, but she didn't let go of my wrist.
"Get some rest, Xinxia," I said, my voice a bit lower than before. "I'll come by again after 9 o'clock tomorrow"
She nodded, her eyes bright and searching mine. "I'll be waiting. Good luck, Yuzi-ge."
As I walked away, the air in Bo City felt a little lighter. I didn't need a grand declaration. That simple moment under the ginkgo tree was enough.
To Be Continue....
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