Moonlit Reunion [子夜归]

Chapter 6

A warm breeze drifted gently over Yudai Pool in the city's southern district, where small pleasure boats gathered in groups, their faint music drifting across the banks, captivating all who passed by. Yudai Pool, an artificial canal, wasn't especially wide, accommodating only four or five boats side by side, yet its considerable length made it easy to lose an entire day traversing its waters. 

This, however, wasn't Yudai Pool at its liveliest; the peak had passed just recently when the peach, plum, and apricot blossoms on either side were in full bloom. Back then, from afar, the banks looked like they were wrapped in a cloud of misty pink and white, with petals drifting down like rain, covering the pool's surface in layers. Boats were so plentiful that they nearly blocked the pool entirely.

Poets, romantics, noblewomen, and commoners alike all flocked to Yudai Pool to enjoy the blossoms, soaking in the vibrant beauty of spring. Now, however, the flowers had fallen, leaving only the lush green willows stretching along the banks, their branches swaying in the breeze and casting down stray wisps of fluff.

Wu Zhen leaned against the second-story window of one of the painted boats, her eyes half-closed in a light doze. Down below, her rowdy companions were bustling about to the tune of a pipa, the mix of noise disturbing her attempts to nap. Before long, the sound of lively footsteps came up the stairs. Wu Zhen cracked one eye open for a glance. It was Young Master Mei Si, carrying two scrolls of paintings as he hurried toward her with a grin.

"Sister Zhen, found you at last! Why're you hiding up here alone, trying to nap?"

Wu Zhen sat up, propping herself against the rail and muttered drowsily, "Stayed out listening to songs too late last night. Then my old man woke me up bright and early—about to pass out." 

She'd snuck off to the lively Pingkang District the night before, returning at dawn, only to be dragged up to breakfast with her father. The Duke of Yu, currently back from his time at the temple, kept her for hours in the morning, drilling her on propriety until she finally managed to escape. She sighed inwardly at the thought of her father, knowing he was set on having her wed to the eldest son of the Mei family, and wouldn't return to the temple until her marriage was finalized. It seemed her freedom would be curtailed for a good while.

Unaware of his elder brother's trials, Mei Si proudly unfolded one of his paintings for her to see. "Look, Sister Zhen! Freshly painted—your expert critique, please!"

Wu Zhen looked down at the painting to see a fierce blue-faced demon, grinning. "Hmm, yes, quite menacing," she replied, nodding approvingly.

Mei Si puffed his chest with pride. "I modeled it after descriptions in Records of Spirits and Demons. If there's a blue-faced demon out there, I'm certain it'd look just like this!"

Well, not quite, thought Wu Zhen, who had indeed encountered such beings.

Young Master Mei Si was enthralled by old tales and folklore, with a particular fascination for ghosts and monsters. His obsession was so intense that apart from Wu Zhen, his only other idol was Bai Shelang, the mysterious author of Records of Spirits and Demons. Though he'd never met Bai Shelang, Mei Si often claimed he and the author were kindred spirits, and if they met, they'd be fast friends.

In his passion, Mei Si had embarked on an ambitious project: to illustrate every creature described in the book, gather them into an anthology, and present it to Bai Shelang himself upon finally meeting him. Most people found his tales tiring, and his family outright scolded him for his 'spirit mania,' but Wu Zhen never ridiculed him for it.

Mei Si was just gearing up for another long conversation about his plans when he suddenly stopped and pointed toward the bank. "Hey! It's that group of Liu girls!"