Green Waterfall in its Youth 3

As promised, Shi Qing arrived the next day, this time bringing Yuan Xi's old cloak.

"I was wondering why I couldn't find it anywhere in the room after coming back from the ferry; turns out you took it." There was no blame in his tone. Yuan Xi touched the cloak a couple of times, his feelings a mix of emotions. The pattern on it was so familiar, but he hadn't worn a cloak in a long time. "Should I have it back?"

Shi Qing: "I'm afraid you don't have any clean clothes to change into..." He became more and more guilty as he spoke, and slowly lowered his head. His quail-like appearance made Yuan Xi unable to help but laugh. "It's okay, you can take it."

"Really?" Shi Qing's eyes lit up instantly. Only after speaking did he realize he had been too excited, and he felt a little embarrassed, his ear tips turning slightly red. He had brought the cloak to her and was taking it away with him, his steps light and joyful as he left.

He always left very late, telling Yuanxi about the North, Jingxi, and Tianquan Snow Mountain, seemingly with endless stories to tell. The latter listened quietly, his hands constantly busy, occasionally handing Shiqing a bowl of water, and handing him small straw animals or hats when he left.

Shi Qing came frequently, even when she was tired from practicing martial arts during the day. Yuan Xi was listening attentively when he noticed that the voice beside him seemed to be getting softer and softer. Then his shoulder slumped down, and Shi Qing leaned on his shoulder and fell asleep.

Caught completely off guard. This made the one who was awake feel dazed, as if he had returned to seven years ago, when Yuan Xi was still the one Shi Qing relied on the most.

They later met at a market in Kaifeng.

Yuanxi was helping his fellow disciples sell paper lanterns. The sun was high overhead, and it was almost noon, so there weren't many people around. He squinted and pulled his straw hat over his face to doze off.

Just then, a steady sound of footsteps approached from afar and finally stopped directly in front of them.

People are coming here in the middle of the day?

As Yuan Xi pondered this, he lifted his straw hat, but before he could see who it was, his vision was obscured by a rat... or rather, a wooden sign carved with a rat.

Shi Qing's laughter came from behind the wooden sign, "Does it look like it?"

Yuanxi took the wooden plaque, looking at it from left to right. "What does it look like?"

Shi Qing: "The one you gave me seven years ago, I made a copy of it." As he spoke, he went around to the inside of the stall and sat on the stool that Yuan Xixin had taken out. "I went to the Ghost Market to find you. Sister Hongyue said you came here."

"Isn't it hot in the middle of the day?"

"good."

"What's wrong with you guys from Tianquan? Why are you wearing a mink coat at a time like this?"

“That’s called a sect’s unique characteristic.” Shi Qing argued forcefully, and Yuan Xi, unable to argue with him, conceded, “Fine.”

As the market gradually emptied out, Shi Qing grew a little bored and turned to Yuan Xi, asking, "Why aren't you going back?"

"Let's sell a little more."

Shi Qing didn't quite understand his line of thinking. "Selling lanterns in broad daylight?"

"Then when?"

"You sell them tonight!" Shi Qing couldn't stand it anymore, her sense of responsibility overflowing. "Alright, alright, watch me."

He took Yuanxi to dinner, and after dinner they rested for a while. In the evening, he started hawking his wares at his stall.

Shi Qing was young and energetic, and had a good voice. People coming and going were attracted to him and crowded around his stall. The two of them were busy working hard.

The lanterns sold out quickly, and by dusk, the stall was almost empty. Shi Qing's voice was a little hoarse, but her eyes sparkled as she looked at Yuan Xi with a hint of pride: "How was it?"

Yuan Xi was counting copper coins with his head down. Hearing this, he looked up and saw the fine sweat on the tip of Shi Qing's nose and the lingering blush on his cheeks. His usual lazy expression faded, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "Hmm, impressive." His voice was not loud, and a little hoarse, but it was much more sincere than usual. He divided the counted copper coins into two parts and pushed the larger part in front of Shi Qing, "Here, your wages."

Shi Qing was taken aback, and quickly waved his hand: "I don't want it! I just... I just wanted to help." His cheeks were slightly flushed, and he felt that taking the money would only create distance.

"Take it." Yuan Xi shoved the money pouch into his hand without further ado, his fingers brushing against his palm, leaving behind calluses and a slightly cool temperature. "Tianquan disciples can't work for free. Besides, you're treating me to dinner tonight, so you'll have to spend money too."

Shi Qing gripped the heavy little money pouch tightly; the fabric was rough, yet it seemed to still retain the warmth of Yuan Xi's fingertips.

"So... what do you want to eat tonight?" he asked.

"Anything is fine." Yuan Xi had already started tidying up the few remaining paper lanterns. His back seemed to stiffen for a moment as he moved, but he quickly recovered. "Let's find a quiet place. It's been noisy all day, and my ears are ringing."

In the end, instead of going to a restaurant, they took the braised meat and several sesame cakes they had bought from a deli stall, along with a pot of light rice wine, and went to a secluded spot under a willow tree on the bank of the Bian River. The river flowed gently, reflecting the scattered lights on the opposite bank and the first stars appearing in the sky. The evening breeze, carrying moisture, dispelled the daytime heat.

The two sat side by side on the stone steps of the riverbank, silent for a moment, listening only to the sound of the water and the faint sounds of the distant marketplace. Yuan Xi tilted his head back and took a swig of rice wine, his Adam's apple bobbing. Shi Qing took small bites of a sesame seed cake, occasionally stealing glances at him. In the dim light, Yuan Xi's profile appeared softer than in the daytime, but the lingering weariness between his brows was all the more pronounced.

"Yuanxi." Shi Qing suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

"Um?"

"...Are you really alright after your injury?" Shi Qing asked cautiously, his gaze falling on Yuan Xi's hand holding the wine pot. Those fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and they were steady at the moment, but he remembered Hong Yue's words—"You injured your spine."

Yuan Xi smiled, the rice wine swirling gently in the pot. "He can walk, he can jump, he can sell lanterns, he can fight," he turned his head, meeting Shi Qing's worried gaze, "He won't die."

"That's not what I meant!" Shi Qing exclaimed anxiously.

“I know.” Yuanxi interrupted him, his eyes softening and his tone becoming gentler. “I’m really fine now. It’s just that my skin aches a bit on rainy days, and I can’t use even a tenth of my strength as before.” He spoke casually, even with a hint of self-deprecation. “So now I can only do some work selling lamps and delivering goods, which is fine too, it’s easy.”

Shi Qing's heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly.

“That poison…” His voice was a little hoarse.

Yuan Xi seemed surprised by the question, his gaze suddenly sharpening before relaxing again as he tilted his head back and took another sip of wine. "That big mouth of Hong Yue," he muttered, before continuing, "It can be a bit troublesome when it flares up. But the medicine from the Daoxuanhu can suppress it, and I'm usually no different from a normal person." He paused, then added, "As long as I don't suffer any serious internal injuries, or experience any extreme emotional fluctuations that might aggravate it, I'll be fine."

The more casually he spoke, the more uneasy Shi Qing felt. This was hardly "nothing's wrong"; it was as if a sharp sword was hanging over her head, ready to fall at any moment.

"Let's go." Yuan Xi rubbed Shi Qing's head. He seemed to really like this gesture, and Shi Qing never dodged it.

The Bian River reflected the sparse stars in the sky, as well as the two people walking one after the other on the riverbank.

*

The days passed by with Shi Qing's frequent visits and Yuan Xi's occasional "jobs." Sometimes when Shi Qing came, Yuan Xi happened to be away, and Hong Yue would chat with him, telling him embarrassing stories from Yuan Xi's childhood or inquiring about interesting anecdotes about Tianquan. Shi Qing noticed that this straightforward senior sister seemed quite happy to see him visit Yuan Xi, and would even occasionally subtly "reveal" some of Yuan Xi's whereabouts.

That day, Shi Qing was disappointed again. Hong Yue was not there, and another unfamiliar disciple of the Nine Streams Sect told him that Yuan Xi had gone outside the city to deliver repaired tools to an old craftsman living alone. Shi Qing thought for a moment and followed the general direction the man had pointed out.

The old craftsman's residence was in a somewhat desolate suburb, the gate of which was ajar. Shi Qing was about to knock when she heard Yuan Xi's voice from inside, much lower and slower than usual, with an unusual patience.

"...Your legs are weak, so don't do these heavy chores yourself anymore. Just send a message to the Ghost Market, or leave a message at the Straw Sandal Shop. If I'm not here, other fellow disciples will come."

An aged voice responded in a muffled, grateful tone. Shi Qing peeked through the crack in the door and saw Yuan Xi bending over, neatly stacking a bundle of chopped firewood. His movements were slow, even deliberately careful; as he stood up, he subtly pressed his lower back. Sunlight fell on his profile, and fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead.

Shi Qing's heart skipped a beat at Yuan Xi's actions. He didn't go in, but silently stepped back a few paces, leaning against the old tree outside the courtyard wall, waiting patiently.

About fifteen minutes later, the courtyard gate creaked open. Yuan Xi walked out, his face once again bearing his usual slightly lazy smile, though a hint of weariness lingered in his eyes. He saw Shi Qing and was visibly taken aback: "How did you find your way here?"

"I was asking." Shi Qing answered briefly, stepped forward, and naturally took the empty tool bag from his hand. "Going back to the city? Together."

Yuan Xi looked at him, did not refuse, and just smiled: "Okay, Tianquan disciple will be my follower, this is a good treatment."

On the way back to the city, the two walked side by side, initially in silence. Shi Qing's gaze kept drifting to Yuan Xi's back, and Yuan Xi noticed it, casually stretching his shoulders and making a soft thud.

"What are you looking at? It's an old problem, nothing serious." He said casually.

Shi Qing pursed his lips and suddenly asked, "Back then in the Forest of Awakening, was it really just to leave the sect that you fought so hard?" He still remembered the bruises on Yuan Xi's face the day he was sent away.

Yuan Xi paused almost imperceptibly, then chuckled, "What else? What else could it be for? To be a chivalrous knight in the Forest of Awakening? That's not my style." He turned his head, his eyes crinkling at the corners, with his usual teasing tone, "What, do you think my current cowardly and complacent appearance doesn't match the image of a powerful and influential martial arts hero you imagine?"

"No!" Shi Qing retorted hastily, his voice rising and drawing the attention of passersby. He lowered his voice, but his tone was unusually serious, "I didn't think you... I just think you didn't have to do this. If you had..."

“There are no ifs.” Yuan Xi interrupted him, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable sense of finality. “Shi Qing, you chose this path yourself, and you walked it yourself. When I sent you away back then, I felt you deserved a better place, like you are now, which is good enough. I stayed at the Nine Streams Sect, and everything that happened afterward was the result of my own actions. You don’t need to feel indebted, much less think about ‘repaying a debt of gratitude.’” He paused, softening his tone. “For me, it’s enough that you do your job as a disciple of Tianquan and occasionally come to see your old friend.”

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two. Shi Qing looked at Yuan Xi, thinking that seven years had indeed changed a lot. The boy who used to hang upside down from the tree with a bright smile and a touch of roguishness now had weathered brows and weary eyes. Only the habitual curve of his lips still faintly resembled the boy he once was.

But--

"Not enough," a voice inside Shi Qing told him.

...

After arriving in Kaifeng, Shi Qing frequently visited the Ghost Market, arousing the curiosity of his fellow disciples.

The senior brother raised his eyebrows and circled around him. "First, he was willing to risk losing points to compete with other disciples for a spot in Kaifeng. Then, once he arrived in Kaifeng, he disappeared for days on end... Xiao Qing, is something going on?"

"No," Shi Qing retorted instinctively, trying to defend herself. "An old friend is in Kaifeng, and we're catching up."

"Oh~" the senior brother drawled, "Could it be a friend named 'Yuanxi'?"

!!

Shi Qing could never hide anything on his face. The moment he looked over in surprise, his senior brother knew he had hit the nail on the head. The old fox snorted, meaning, "You think you can fool me?"

"No, no," Shi Qing stammered, "Senior brother, how could you—"

"How did you know?" the senior brother chimed in. "Do you know how many times you've called out this name while you're sleeping? More times than Supreme Treasure has called out Zixia's name."

"Uh." Shi Qing looked embarrassed. "...He, he helped me when I was little, and I'm very grateful, so..." Wait, what is he nervous about?

The senior apprentice leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching with amusement as Shi Qing's expression shifted from surprise to panic to feigned composure, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Oh—I helped you when you were little, and I'm very grateful. That's why I rushed all the way to Kaifeng, and since I've been visiting you every few days, I still think about you constantly..." He drawled, each word like a hammer pounding on Shi Qing's taut heartstrings, "Little Qing, your 'gratitude' carries quite a weight."

Shi Qing's face flushed instantly, all the way to his ears. He turned around abruptly, pretending to tidy up the clothes that were already folded on the table, but his fingers unconsciously tugged at the fabric.

"Senior brother, don't talk nonsense! I, I just...reminisced! Yes, reminisced!"

"Does catching up with old friends require this much effort? More punctual than our morning roll call?" The senior brother persisted, leaning closer and lowering his voice with the knowing wisdom of someone who's been there. "Tell me, what kind of person is your 'old friend'? Is he really worth our most hardworking junior brother from Tianquan being so distracted?"

Shi Qing froze. What kind of person was Yuan Xi? This question instantly stirred up a storm in his mind.

He was the wandering swordsman with a bright smile, hanging upside down from a tree; he was the boy who gave him malt candy and carried him as they ran; he was the figure who waved goodbye at the ferry crossing and left a deep imprint on his memory.

He is now the man with a frosty brow, carrying a chilling poison, living deep within the ghost market, using a lazy smile to mask his weariness and pain.

Yuan Xi represented his seven-year wait, the heart-pounding emotions he felt upon their reunion, and the heartache he felt upon learning the truth. Never before had Shi Qing felt such a strong urge to hold onto that person.

These surging, complex emotions were stuck in his chest, yet he couldn't utter a single word.