Once there was a Mountain God who dreamed of becoming a Cook.
So one day he decided to go down to the mortal World, to fulfill his wish.
There, he met a beautiful girl. She was different from any girls he met in the mortal World.
She was much smaller and yet had a strong body
Her face was small like a child in his hand and yet had big eyes like a curious bear.
Her hair was too short for a girl even her dress didn't match up for a gentle Lady. Yet the Bell on her hair behind her ear sounded like Chime, like home.
It was at this moment that he realized she was the one who had been waiting for him.
But sadly and soon enough he found out that the girl he fell for at first sight was a boy and also a Kid
And so the Mountain God decided to let go just to realize that his heart wasn't on the same page as him.
So he decided just to stay by his side, as his friend, as an older brother just to protect him from the World. Even if he wasn't treated by him like that.
But during their Time and journey, he realized that the little boy was once afraid of Demons and ghosts started to stand against them.
To protect others instead of being protected. And he saw him even shed tears for him when they had to go their separate ways.
Was this what they call "the charm of a Human", asked the little mountain God himself. As they went their separate ways, he realized it was the best for both of them.
The little boy was meant to chase his dreams and become a much greater Healer than he already was and for him, he was the mountain, God.
He was needed to protect the Gate between the mortal world and the Wilderness.
He needed to stay in Kunlun Mountain so that one day his little healer would able to walk between the two Worlds
As the Time passed by he often thought about the little healer.
His smiling and worried face. His quick voice and his witty thoughts. His tears and laughs. He used to look at the picture which he had once
drawn of him. It was meant to tease him at first, then he thought of gifting him but eventually he forgot about it.
On Peaceful days he would often go down and stay at the nearby Water Town. During his visits, he would often meet Travellers.
Some of them were small Demons who settled down in the mortal world some of them were scholars who wanted to widen their knowledge.
He would sit down in a small Tavern and listen to their story about the past, present, and the future. But one of them was able to match up with the little Healer he once met a long time ago.
And so he decided to give the Idea of seeing him once again in this lifetime.
So the years went by and as like every year the Moon Festival took place. This time it was not in the usual place instead in a small town which was called "the Bridge between two Worlds."
And usually, Ying Lei would always find a way to skip the Festival in order not to any higher Demones or Gods.
Who liked to either scold him for not having a wife or advise him that it was necessary to have a successor.
But this time, he wasn't even sure if it was destiny or if he was just too drunk, instead of refusing the Invitation he agreed to attend.
And so he was forced to attend the Festival, enjoy the dance and food, which he wasn't allowed to cook, and talk with old folk. Who complained about their life and work.
Ying Lei took another cup of wine and tried to ignore it -, or rather get drunk himself so he would be able to find an excuse to leave the Festival earlier.
"My poor boy, my poor boy, you shouldn't wait for her!", said one of them.
"What?... wait I'm not waiting for anyone," answered Ying Lei.
"Don't worry. We already knew about your heartbroken story!"
"What heartbroken story?"
"If you miss her so much, you should go to the Bridge between the two Worlds, It may seem like a normal bridge but during the Moon Festival it gets another meaning."
"What are you talking about, Grandpa? You should stop drinking or you will end up dead."
"Ah, don't worry. I won't die, I'm not like those weak mortals. So hurry up and go perhaps you will see her. You will never know, if you never try it.", the old man laughed as he pushed Ying Lei.
Ying Lei wasn't drunk but enough confused to notice that this was a perfect excuse to leave them and go back home.
While going back he passed the Bridge although it was high up, he could see the full moon behind it and how graceful it looked today.
As it was waiting for someone. He didn't expect anything when he
decided to go to the bridge nor he wanted to wait for anyone. And so he stood there in silence and watched the moon.
"It's been so many years and you still look the same." he heard a voice speaking to him.
"I think you have mistaken me for someone else. I'm not expecting anyone to meet me here," he replied.
"Me neither but I would be sad to know that the little mountain God who was once witty and weird became a dull adult!"
It has been ages since someone called him like that. And the one who named him like that...
"Bai Jiu!"
"It's nice to know that you didn't forget my name after all these years.", the young man who was standing in front of him replied.
No, how. How could he forget his name but the boy who was standing in front of him wasn't small anymore. He was not a boy anymore.
He was a young man. He had the same smile but not a small face.
His voice was deeper and his eyes became smaller. His hair got longer and was tied up to a ponytail but his small Bell was gone.
He was a bit taller than him and a had fit body that shined through his black coat.
"Did you forget that gods are not able to forget anything?" smiled Ying Lei as he pulled Bai Jiu towards him and embraced him with his whole body