Zhu Xian · Chat

The wind of Caomiao Village poured in from the mountain pass, swirling with the scent of rice ears, warm as it brushed against the face. Zhang Xiaofan crouched by the pond at the village entrance, his pant legs rolled up above his knees. His bare feet soaked in the muddy water, mud squeezed between his toes. He was trying to catch a thumb-sized crucian carp, but half an hour had passed and he still hadn't caught it. "Can you do it or not?" Lin Jingyu sat on a rock by the bank, tossing a green jujube he had just picked from a tree in his hand. "My mother said we have to be back before dark." "Just a minute." Zhang Xiaofan didn't even turn his head. The twilight pressed down inch by inch above their heads, and the clouds on the horizon burned tangerine red. Lin Jingyu grew impatient, jumping off the rock and stepping into the pond, splashing water all over Zhang Xiaofan's face. The two of them started thrashing about in the water; the crucian carp had long since escaped. Right at this moment, a monk walked along the village path. His gray robes were covered in patches upon patches, but his footsteps were incredibly light, practically silent as he stepped on the gravel road. His face was gaunt and withered, yet his eyes were unusually bright, like two lamps lit in the dim yellow dusk. Zhang Xiaofan looked up at him, and the monk looked back, the corners of his mouth curling up into a faint smile. Without a word, he continued walking into the village. "An outsider," Lin Jingyu lowered his voice. Zhang Xiaofan stared at the receding figure and didn't reply. The wind suddenly turned cold for a fleeting moment, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He pulled his feet out of the water and stepped onto the grass by the bank; the blades of grass were soaked, clinging to the soles of his feet. A few dog barks drifted from the village entrance in the distance, but quickly quieted down. The moon hadn't risen yet, leaving only a sliver of white on the horizon. Cooking smoke began to rise from Caomiao Village, drifting softly in wisps in mid-air. Zhang Xiaofan grabbed his shoes and ran toward home, while Lin Jingyu shouted from behind, "Are you coming again tomorrow?" He turned back and answered, "I'll come!" The sound collided with the twilight, shattered in two, and dissipated. The monk stepped through the doors of the ruined temple at the village entrance. With a creak of its hinges, the door closed.