The sky was still dark when Lin Wu rose.
She pushed open the door to the bedchamber, and a damp warmth rushed toward her, clinging stickily to her skin.
The room felt stifling. She turned back and opened the window, letting the wind blow in.
She looked up at the sky. There were no stars or moon, only a heavy layer of clouds pressing down overhead, racing swiftly across the heavens. Far away, a faint glimmer flashed through a break in the clouds, then vanished at once.
Lin Wu suddenly remembered that Jingzhe—the Awakening of Insects—was only a few days away. As yang energy rose and the first spring thunder stirred, the rains would soon begin.
She did not hurry off that morning. She planned to see Lin Jing off first.
Just as she had lit the fire in the stove, the window was suddenly blown by the wind and began to rattle.
Lin Jing climbed down from the bed. His eyes were not yet fully open, but he was already shuffling toward the window in his slippers.
Rising onto his tiptoes, he reached out his little hand for the window latch. With a hard tug, he pulled the window shut.
Drip.
A raindrop landed on the roof tiles.
Lin Jing stood where he was, listening drowsily.
Drip, drip…
A few more drops followed, like little stones being tossed onto the roof.
“It’s raining!”
He woke up all at once, bent down to put on his shoes, then went scampering to the doorway. He poked his little head outside to look.
A rumble of thunder rolled across the horizon, drawing nearer and growing louder.
The rain suddenly thickened. The sparse drops from moments before transformed into a roaring sheet of water.
A flash of white light lit up the entire courtyard.
Immediately afterward, a thunderclap exploded overhead.
Lin Jing hunched his shoulders, but he did not run back inside. He stared outside with round, gleaming eyes, his small face alight with excitement.
Laifu had been lying in its kennel, but now it came running over as well. It was not afraid of thunder either, and kept circling around Lin Jing’s feet.
Rumble, rumble—the thunder sounded again.
“Wow!” cried Lin Jing.
“Woof!” barked Laifu.
Their timing was remarkably perfect.
Before long, the rain beneath the eaves joined into continuous streams, pouring down with a rush.
Lin Jing crouched by the threshold and stretched out one hand to catch the rainwater.
Lin Wu gazed at the curtain of white rain, feeling somewhat troubled.
Would the shop open today? Would Lin Jing still go to school?
After the afternoon meal, however, the rain suddenly eased.
Only a moment ago it had been pouring in torrents; now it had become a fine drizzle, slanting gently through the air.
Yet Lin Wu’s brows remained furrowed.
Since coming to Huzhou, they had hardly encountered any rain. She had never thought to buy a rain cape, and they had only one small bamboo hat. She had bought it earlier for Lin Jing, who spent his days weeding and drying radishes in the vegetable patch beneath the blazing sun until his little face turned bright red.
Even a rain cape would probably not be much use. When dry, a straw rain cape was light and easy to wear, but once soaked, it grew heavier and heavier, seeped water, and eventually became cold and clammy. Lin Jing’s small frame would suffer in it.
Just as she was worrying over this, the sound of wagon wheels came from the courtyard gate.
The Shen family’s carriage came to a steady stop outside. The coachman jumped down with an umbrella, and when he saw Lin Wu, he greeted her with a smile. “Ah, Shopkeeper Lin, you haven’t gone to the shop yet?”
Lin Wu opened her oil-paper umbrella and went to meet him. “The rain was heavy earlier, so I waited a while. It’s lighter now.”
“That was the right thing to do. Thunderstorms like this come quickly and go quickly. It won’t rain for long.” The coachman nodded, then pointed back toward the carriage. “There’s an oil coat and an oil-paper umbrella inside. Little Jing can put them on after he gets out of the carriage. He’ll be sure to arrive at the academy warm and dry.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Lin Wu knew what an oil coat was: it was made of cloth brushed with tung oil and was expensive. The cheaper ones were made from oiled hemp cloth, while the more costly varieties used oiled silk or silk. Naturally, the one the Shen family had prepared was of the latter kind—soft, light, and tightly woven.
She went back inside to get Lin Jing ready.
Lin Jing had seen the carriage arrive and had already put on his book satchel.
Lin Wu fetched a pair of small wooden clogs from the bedchamber. “Come, put these on.”
Wooden clogs were commonly used as rain shoes here. They had wooden soles with low ridges and made a clacking sound when worn. There were also rain boots made of oiled cloth, but Lin Wu considered them both expensive and impractical. The weather was not cold just now, so the small wooden clogs would do for Lin Jing.
Lin Jing obediently took off his cloth shoes and put on the wooden clogs.
Once he was ready, he stood up.
Clack.
He took his first step.
He looked down at his feet, then up at Lin Wu, his eyes shining.
Another step.
Clack.
As he continued walking, he suddenly began to laugh. His steps grew faster and faster, the clogs going clack-clack-clack as though he were keeping time to a song.
Laifu trotted merrily behind him, chasing after the sound.
“Walk properly. Don’t hop,” Lin Wu said, squatting down to place his cloth shoes in a small cloth bag. “Change back into your cloth shoes when you reach the academy. Be careful in these wooden clogs, and don’t slip. The academy has so many steps, and they’ll certainly be slippery after the rain.”
Lin Jing took the small cloth bag and nodded his little head. “I know!”
Outside, the coachman had already opened an umbrella. Lin Jing came bounding out, climbed straight into the carriage, and disappeared inside.
Lin Wu was going to the shop as well, so she took the opportunity to ride there in the Shen family’s carriage and avoid getting drenched on the way.
The carriage moved slowly through the rain. Lin Wu lifted a corner of the curtain and looked outside. The streets were nearly empty. Every now and then, a person with an umbrella hurried past. Most of the shops on either side remained open, but there were hardly any customers. The benches, tables, and braziers that usually stood beneath the awnings had all been brought inside, and there were no peddlers along the roadside. The street looked far quieter than usual, as though the rain had washed away its ordinary bustle.
The entire street lay shrouded in a damp mist.
The drizzle fell steadily, pattering against the carriage’s oiled cloth roof. Yet the louder the rain became, the quieter everything seemed.
When the carriage passed in front of Jizhen Pavilion, it suddenly stopped.
Lin Wu lifted the carriage curtain and saw the shopkeeper standing in the rain with an umbrella, waving to her.
“Shopkeeper, is something the matter?”
She got down from the carriage, folded her oil-paper umbrella, and leaned it against the doorway before taking Lin Jing’s hand and entering.
The words had barely left her mouth when someone came out from inside.
Lin Wu was looking down and brushing the tiny beads of rain from her shoulder. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she raised her face.
Her eyes met the other person’s precisely then.
Today, Shen Guanting wore a plain white zhidu robe, its wide sleeves edged with trim and its hem falling all the way to his feet. He walked slowly toward her.
Outside, the sky was dark and overcast. Lamps had been lit inside the shop, and their warm yellow glow fell over him. Against that light, his white robe appeared especially fresh and clean, dispelling much of the damp heaviness outside.
Lin Wu paused in what she was doing and asked casually, “Guanting, why did you come to Jizhen Pavilion so early today?”
As though she had thought of something, she added on her own, “I suppose the weather is poor today, so you and A Jing aren’t practicing martial arts?”
“There are some matters I need to discuss with you.” Shen Guanting nodded slowly. He stopped in front of her, his gaze settling on her.
Lin Wu wore a slightly worn blue-gray beizi over a moon-white jacket and a blue skirt. Her colors were plain and understated, as though she might blend into the gloomy sky outside. Her hair had been swept up neatly, the dark blue silk cloth wrapped around her bun almost indistinguishable from her black hair at first glance.
Women of this era wrapped their hair in cloth, and even the simplest styles would shape the fabric into flowers or drifting clouds, then decorate them with pearls, jade, or fresh blossoms. Lin Wu, however, never did any of that. She simply wrapped her hair and left it at that.
Clean and neat, she resembled the sky after the rain—clear, bright, and pure.
“Come inside and sit.” Shen Guanting stepped aside to let her pass. His voice mingled with the sound of rain, seeming almost ethereal.
Lin Wu stared blankly for a moment, then followed him inside.
Lin Jing had already been led away by the shopkeeper to look at the newly arrived toys. His little wooden clogs went clacking across the floor of the Curio Pavilion. The sound seemed quite novel to him, and so he deliberately stamped his feet a little harder.
The two of them entered the tearoom.
Shen Guanting poured her a cup of tea. Steam curled upward before her, rising and fading away.
He sat down across from her. When he lifted his eyes, he saw that she was looking down at the teacup, her brows and eyes tranquil, revealing nothing of her thoughts.
He had already made up his mind to tell her everything when he called her in.
Yet now that she was sitting there so quietly, her hair dry and neat, the turmoil outside seeming to have nothing to do with her, he found himself hesitating for a moment.
Rain whispered softly beyond the window.
At this hour on ordinary days, she would have been at the pastry shop, wrapping steamed buns and making pancakes. The startling spring rain had already made this day unlike all the others.
The trouble had come because of him. If he told her, then with her temperament, she would show nothing on the surface, but turn it over and over in her mind, needlessly worrying herself.
But if he did not tell her? She certainly would not be willing to let it go. Knowing what was happening, at least she would be prepared. That would be better than suddenly discovering one day that she had known nothing at all about the storms brewing outside.
He set his teacup lightly on the table and slowly began to speak.
Lin Wu listened without revealing anything on her face. The pad of her finger gently rubbed the side of the cup, its warmth reaching her fingertips.
When he finished, Shen Guanting leaned back in his chair, propping his chin on one hand as his gaze drifted toward the window. The rain had just stopped, but water was still dripping from the eaves.
“Drip.”
A drop of water fell.
“For the next few days,” he said unhurriedly, “A Jing can stay at Master Jianshan’s residence for the time being.”
Lin Wu looked up at him. His features seemed more solemn than usual, lacking the lazy smile he so often wore.
She did not reply, merely waiting for him to continue.
“There are too many eyes at the shop. It would be best to use the Shen family carriage less often as well. It’s only a matter of keeping out of sight for a while. Once this is over, things can return to normal.”
“All right.” Lin Wu set down her teacup and nodded.
For the moment, she could not think of a better solution. Keeping Lin Jing away from the academy would be even more conspicuous. A child who went to the academy every day suddenly being kept at home would surely invite questions from the neighbors—questions she might not be able to answer convincingly. Taking him to the shop to be seen by everyone would be even more inappropriate.
Shen Guanting continued, “It happens to be the beginning of spring, and there will be frequent rains after the Awakening of Insects. Traveling back and forth won’t be convenient. The academy is in the woods, where the moss is thick and the paths are slippery. At this time of year, many students stay at the academy anyway. It won’t attract attention; it will seem perfectly natural.”
He turned his gaze back to her. “I’ll speak to Master Jianshan myself. You needn’t worry about it.”
“Thank you for taking such trouble to arrange everything, Guanting.” Lin Wu looked at him. He had thought of everything, even preparing a proper explanation for her, so she would not have to trouble herself over it.
“A Wu, that sounds so formal.” Shen Guanting shook his head with a laugh. “We’re on the same boat now. If one of us suffers, the other does too. Naturally, we have to patch the hull properly.”
Lin Wu lifted her cup and drained the now-lukewarm tea. Raising her face, she let a smile touch her lips. “My little boat could originally only hold A Jing and me. Now it seems we’ve managed to tie ourselves to a larger one.”
At her words, Shen Guanting’s brows shifted slightly. His gaze followed her hand as she placed the teacup back on the table.
“As for Master Jianshan, I’d be grateful if you would thank him for me.” She rose to her feet.
“Of course.” Shen Guanting rose as well and walked with her toward the door.
When they reached it, Lin Wu suddenly stopped and turned back.
“Guanting.”
“Hmm?”
She looked at him, her voice so soft that it was nearly drowned out by the dripping water beneath the eaves. “Be careful.”
“All right.”
Shen Guanting looked at her. Beneath the gloomy sky, his eyes seemed darker and deeper than ever, like the water collected under the eaves—reflecting the pale light of the sky, yet impossible to see to the bottom.
Lin Wu lowered her eyes, bent down to pick up the umbrella leaning by the door, and turned to step into the rain-damp street.
The rain had stopped, and more pedestrians were beginning to appear.
The shops on either side were setting up their stoves and boiling water. Steam mingled with the lingering dampness, floating in a white haze through the air. Everything seemed to be returning to the way it had always been.
She walked into the crowd. Her gray-blue clothes soon blended into it, unremarkable and impossible to pick out.
Shen Guanting lowered his head and reached out to pinch the little topknot on Lin Jing’s head.
“Let’s go. We’re going to see Master.”
Though the rain had scattered, the sky remained gray-white, as if veiled by a layer of gauze.
Wisps of mist rose among the mountain woods, slowly climbing the slopes. Canglang Academy seemed to be shrouded in clouds and fog.
Up close, the leaves revealed that the rain had washed away all their dust. They gleamed with moisture, dark green and glossy. Droplets still clung to them, and whenever the wind blew, they fell with a steady patter, mingling with the birdsong in the treetops.
Shen Guanting held Lin Jing’s little hand as they climbed the stone steps.
Lin Jing kept his head down, veering aside every few steps. He remembered what Lin Wu had told him: moss was slippery, and stepping on it would make him fall. So whenever he spotted a patch of vivid green, he took a wide detour around it, his small body weaving crookedly along the path.
The two of them arrived in front of Cloud-Mountain Studio.
Yun Jianshan was beneath the eaves, bent over as he worked at the brazier. The charcoal had only just caught fire and was giving off smoke, which mingled with the mist and dispersed slowly.
Lin Jing let go of Shen Guanting’s hand and ran over. “Master, what are you doing?”
Yun Jianshan looked up. Lin Jing came running toward him in high spirits, his oilskin coat gleaming.
“You got here quickly.”
“Brother Ting brought me.” Lin Jing crouched beside him, watching the charcoal flame that flickered between bright and dim.
“I’m burning some charcoal,” Yun Jianshan said, stirring it with the tongs. “It’ll turn cold once the rain stops. Don’t go shivering like a little mouse later.”
“I won’t. I’m wearing lots of clothes, and I have my oilskin coat.” As he spoke, Lin Jing stood up and spun around, proudly displaying it to his master.
Shen Guanting stepped forward. “Master.”
“Guanting, you never come by without a reason. What is it this time—have you gotten yourself into trouble again?” Yun Jianshan used the tongs to place a glowing red coal into the brazier.
“Master sees everything. There’s nothing I can hide from you.” Shen Guanting was perfectly forthright.
Hearing this, Lin Jing turned his little head around curiously. “Brother Ting, did you get into trouble?”
Yun Jianshan carried the brazier inside.
The two disciples followed behind him, one after the other.
Once they were indoors, Shen Guanting bent down and whispered into Lin Jing’s ear, “The trouble Brother Ting got into this time would probably make A Jing laugh if I told you about it. Why don’t you go play outside for a while and help Brother Ting save a little face?”
Lin Jing blinked, immediately understanding. He nodded solemnly, then turned and ran out on his little wooden clogs, clacking all the way.
Yun Jianshan sat down in a chair and waited for his senior disciple to speak.
Shen Guanting then briefly recounted the matter between himself and the Gu family. His tone was calm, as though he were describing some ordinary old affair.
Yun Jianshan’s expression remained unchanged. He was still flipping through the homework Lin Jing had written over the past few days. He naturally knew that his senior disciple had gone to South Cliff recently; he simply had not expected Shen Guanting to have gone there not only to conduct business, but also to involve himself in other matters along the way.
“A Jing is connected to the Gu family, isn’t he?” Yun Jianshan set Lin Jing’s little notebook aside and raised his head.
Shen Guanting nodded without even blinking. “A Jing is still too young. I couldn’t bear to let him suffer in South Cliff.”
He said it so openly that it almost sounded true.
Yun Jianshan gave him a look but did not press the matter.
How many things in this world could truly be explained? At his age, he had seen too many people turn heartless to avoid suspicion, and sever ties to protect themselves. The Shen family’s willingness to involve themselves was rare in its own way. Even grass and trees knew to lean upon one another—how much more so should people?
He lowered his head and flipped through the little notebook again. Though the handwriting was still childish, it was much neater than before; every stroke revealed how seriously the child had taken it. He liked the boy as well.
“It’s fine for him to stay here for a few days. That will save him from running back and forth in the rain. The mountain paths are slippery when wet—if he fell, it would only cause trouble.” Yun Jianshan readily agreed.
“Thank you for taking the trouble, Master.”
Yun Jianshan waved a hand. “You’re being unusually formal today. A Jing is my junior disciple, so it’s only right that he stay here. There’s no need to thank me. It’s your first time being a senior brother, yet you’re putting in more effort than I expected.”
Hearing this, Shen Guanting guiltily shifted his gaze away and looked out the window.
Beyond the window was a grove of bamboo. After the spring rain, the bamboo had grown even more verdant. Beneath the layers of overlapping leaves, fresh shoots were breaking through the earth.
