Chapter 10: An Unexpected Encounter

In the early morning, thirteen-year-old Xiaoyun was still dreaming in bed when his mother called out, “Xiaoyun, hurry and get up. It’s a clear day today. Eat your breakfast early and go up the mountain to chop firewood.” Once, twice she called, and finally Xiaoyun sluggishly dressed himself, then stretched lazily.

Five years ago, his mother brought him here to live. Xiaoyun had reverted from his previous girlish appearance to the look of a boy. His grandfather from before had become his mother now. Why did his mother once dress him as a girl, and why did she herself disguise as an old man? Though Xiaoyun carried many questions in his heart, he never asked them. He knew asking would be futile. His mother would never tell him anything.

Xiaoyun gazed out the window at the boundless snowy mountains, thinking: yesterday it snowed heavily, today is bright and clear—a perfect day for hunting. Unfortunately, he was too young; adults rarely wanted to take him hunting. His mother often said that hunting was too dangerous for children, and besides, children rarely caught anything. Gathering firewood was much more practical.

“Ah!” Xiaoyun sighed. He washed his face, grabbed the morning cakes his mother had made, and ate as he spoke, “Mom, today I want to go hunting.”

His mother laughed, “Yun’er, you’re too young. Wait a few more years before you hunt. Today, just gather some firewood.”

There was nothing he could do. Xiaoyun sighed again, finished his breakfast, and prepared to set out. He took a few cakes, hung a small axe on his belt, and brought along the little bow and arrows he had made himself.

His mother saw his outfit and felt both amused and a little sorry for him. This child was not naturally weak; it was only because she had raised him as a girl when he was young, which left some psychological marks. Letting him hunt now might help him regain his masculine nature, but even though he often brought bow and arrows up the mountain, he had never caught anything, not even a wild rabbit.

He was very familiar with the mountain before him. Since he was seven and started living here, he had tended sheep and cattle, chopped firewood, and later combined herding, chopping wood, and hunting into one routine—three tasks in one.

Every time before chopping wood, Xiaoyun would hunt for a while on the mountain. Though he had never caught any wild animals, it did not dampen his interest in hunting.

Shouyang Mountain was a peak in the Qinling Range, high and dense with forests. Xiaoyun loved hunting but dared not venture deep into Shouyang Mountain, for the forest there was thick and often prowled by fierce beasts.

For Xiaoyun, encountering rabbits or pheasants brought him joy. As for tigers, leopards, and wolves, though they excited him, fear always prevailed, for those were matters of life and death. He never dared to go deep into the forest.

He climbed the mountain, scanning around for rabbits or similar prey. Suddenly, he spotted a heap of something ahead in the snow and felt a surge of inexplicable excitement. He hurried over, and as he got closer, he saw feathers atop the heap—surely a fine catch.

He brushed away the snow and discovered a giant eagle, already frozen to death. He was overjoyed. He could boast to his friends that he had hunted an eagle and that his hunting skills were remarkable.

Just as he was about to pick up the eagle, he saw someone beneath it. Instantly, his face went pale, his hair stood on end, and his heart thudded wildly. He involuntarily stepped back several times.

Curiosity won over his fear, and he gently moved the frozen eagle aside. Looking closely, he saw a young, beautiful woman lying in the snow, dressed all in white—a flowing dress unlike the labor clothes of village women. Xiaoyun found her both beautiful and astonishing.

He looked again at her body and hands, both stained with blood. Suddenly, Xiaoyun felt a wave of unspeakable fear and quickly turned to run a few more steps.

Even as he ran, he glanced back. The woman in the snow remained motionless. Once more, curiosity overcame his fear.

Quietly, as if afraid to wake her, Xiaoyun approached the woman again. He slowly bent down, thinking she must be dead. The thought made him uneasy, but this time he did not run. He reached out, carefully touching her hand, and found it still soft, with a faint trace of warmth.

He pressed his hand to her chest and realized her clothes were very thin, not nearly enough for winter. Such attire was suitable for spring, but one should wear cotton garments in this cold. It was no wonder she had frozen.

At that moment, Xiaoyun caught a faint fragrance from the woman, the scent driving away his fear. When he felt her heartbeat still fluttering beneath his palm, he realized she was alive. His courage grew.

If he did not save this beautiful young woman and let her die, it would be a waste—and he would be useless. If he couldn’t even dare to save her, how could he ever learn medicine?

Summoning his courage, Xiaoyun tried to lift her. Though young, he was used to hard labor and had some strength. Besides, the woman was slender and light. He managed, with difficulty, to pick her up.

Staggering, Xiaoyun began to walk, step by step. After only a dozen steps, his arms felt exhausted. The mountain path was uneven, and the snow made it slippery.

Sure enough, his foot slipped, his body lurched, and he tumbled into the snow. The woman fell from his arms, rolling a few steps in the snow.

Alarmed, Xiaoyun scrambled up, ignoring the pain in his backside, and hurried to check on the beauty fallen in the snow. He bent down to look, and unexpectedly, the woman let out a soft groan, opened her eyes, and, seeing a head leaning toward her, instinctively slapped him.

Xiaoyun was utterly unprepared; even if he had been, he could not have dodged. Her slap was powerful, and with a sharp crack, Xiaoyun was knocked flat in the snow.

Stunned, Xiaoyun could not believe the woman would suddenly awaken and strike him. What amazed him even more was that when she raised her hand, he saw on her arm a carved image of a soaring eagle.

That eagle reminded him of years ago in the desert, when a white-robed woman had pulled him from a stampede with a long whip... Could the woman before him be the one who once saved his life? For a moment, Xiaoyun stood dazed.