Chapter 56 — Changhe City

Zhou Yixuan was silent a moment. "Actually, this matter has to do with your father."

Xiaowan said in surprise, "My father? But didn't he pass away twenty years ago?"

Zhou Yixuan nodded. "Thirty years ago, I brought your father—little more than a boy then—to Changhe City. Young as he was, he had a true gift for the art of physiognomy, just like you. At that time Manager Wang was nothing but an ordinary servant in an inn, but your father said his features were excellent—broad, level brow, square face without harsh angles, large eyes without hooked brows—signifying a peaceful life and safe prosperity. So I..." Here he smiled. "So I found a chance and secretly gave him some guidance, saying that if he planted a white birch over the East Sea Dragon Den with a channel opened through it, he would surely prosper. And so..."

Xiaowan continued, "And so he did as you said, and indeed made his fortune, opened this great inn, and business flourished—so he believes it was all thanks to your guidance back then. Is that right?"

Zhou Yixuan chuckled.

Xiaowan glanced at him and said, "But I am rather curious—that Eastern Sea dragon lair you spoke of, where exactly is it?"

Zhou Yixuan raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Come here." He took her by the hand and led her to the window, then pointed downward. "Isn't that it?"

Startled, Xiaowan looked down and saw that he was pointing at the half-dead white birch. "This is the place? Why does the tree look like it's at death's door?"

Zhou Yixuan snorted. "Nonsense. If a tree of yours were planted in a slab of bluestone, do you think it would fare any better?"

Xiaowan was left speechless.

Zhou Yixuan gazed at the sky with an air of leisure. "The sky is so overcast today—I daresay it will rain tonight."

The night deepened. The rain that had begun falling at dusk showed no sign of letting up now, in this hour when all sounds of the world were still.

Bili lodged in the best rooms on the third floor, while Zhang Qingyue and Shitou shared a room on the ground floor. After the rain began, the air had turned somewhat damp.

Zhang Qingyue tossed and turned, unable to sleep—though one reason for that was plainly obvious enough.

Shitou had fallen asleep, but the burly fellow's snoring was, fittingly enough, in perfect proportion to his bulk. If not quite earthshaking, it was enough to set the bed frame faintly humming.

Zhang Qingyue sighed, sat up, threw on his clothes, and sat awhile in the darkness before rising, opening the door, and stepping outside.

In the black of night, the courtyard where he stood seemed itself to plunge into unfathomable depths.

Some faint, ghostly glow from who knew where gave him just enough light to make out the dim shape of the white birch standing in the rain at the far end of the courtyard.

He lifted his head and looked at the sky.

And drew a deep breath.

Cool air, tinged with a chill dampness, rushed into his chest. Though he stood in the corridor, the wind outside drove fine threads of rain against his face.

He turned, pulled the door shut behind him, and strolled along the encircling corridor.

The night was deep; the wind howled, and the rain fell heavy.

Raindrops falling from the vault of heaven struck the bluestone slabs of the courtyard and burst into countless little splashes.

Along the eaves above the covered walk, rainwater gathered and ran down in thin, fine streams like tiny waterfalls. Walking this path, one might fancy oneself in some secluded, silent cavern deep in the mountains.

Or perhaps, once upon a time, a boy's memory had once held just such a—

Night!

Somewhere in the darkness, a low sigh!

The wind blew past with a drawn-out "woo," and the curtain of rain tilted aslant.

Several patches of Zhang Qingyue's clothing had grown damp, yet he paid it no mind at all. He only stared forward in astonishment.

There in the wind and rain, someone held an umbrella aloft with a pale hand, standing silently beneath the tree in the downpour, utterly still.

Bright eyes like water, their gaze drifting—as though she had heard something, sensed something, the woman gently turned her head.

The heavens were silent; the wind and rain were silent.

He and that woman gazed at each other wordlessly, silently, saying nothing.

And the wind still blew, and the rain still fell...