Xie Lun insisted that day that I take it easy and hold off on practicing. I didn't want to return to my room too soon though, so after leaving their hall, I went to the back mountains and sat by the meadows, staring absentmindedly at the late summer flowers blooming all over the hill. When the sun finally started to dip below the horizon, I stood up and reluctantly made my way back.
I had barely stepped across the threshold of the main gate when I saw Bai Ye standing under the plum tree in front of my room, waiting for me.
The sun had set by then, and the pale dusk light tinted everything in a soft, serene shade of blue. Bai Ye stood with his back to the gate, his long hair flowing gracefully down his white robe. It was a familiar sight that I had seen thousands of times, but somehow he looked different today. The cool hue made his figure seem a bit lonely.
