As the sun set behind the walls of Fengcheng, Bai Jinshu entered the city through the northern gate. Accustomed to the hardships of a wandering life, he originally planned to find any small inn for the night. However, passing by the stables at the side entrance of the Yufu Inn, he changed his mind.
—If fate hadn’t intended for him to meet the young master he had encountered earlier that day again, how could it be that he happened to glimpse the white horse in the stables, the very same horse ridden by that young boy?
Bai Jinshu had always been curious by nature. Even though he found the young boy with surprisingly poor martial skills to be somewhat strange, his interest in causing a bit of trouble didn’t wane in the slightest. After checking into Yufu Inn, one of the more luxurious inns in bustling Fengcheng, Bai Jinshu headed directly toward the area with the top-grade rooms. If that young master, clearly born into wealth and privilege, didn’t stay in one of the best rooms, Bai Jinshu would write his surname backwards.
Before even half a stick of incense had burned, Bai Jinshu confirmed that he wouldn’t have to change his surname.
It was the end of summer, and the corridor outside the slightly deserted top-grade rooms was quiet. The young master, with no sense of precaution, had half-opened the window facing inside to let in the breeze. At that moment, he was seated at the table, facing away from the door, writing something. Bai Jinshu couldn’t resist the urge to tease him. With a slight shift in thought, he silently slipped in through the window and stood behind the young master, peeking at what he was writing.
The young master, still so youthful, was writing in elegant Chinese characters. Although Bai Jinshu didn’t know much about calligraphy, he couldn’t tell whose style the boy was imitating. However, he did recognize the lines the young master was writing on the white paper:
Who sends the letter from among the clouds? When the wild geese return, the moon fills the western chamber.1云中谁寄锦书来，雁字回时，月满西楼。
Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but laugh, “Actually, my name has nothing to do with this poem. I’m just from the Jin generation in my family, so I got this name.”
To be honest, Bai Jinshu had spoken up so suddenly, hoping to startle the young master. However, the young master remained completely unphased. He merely glanced back at Bai Jinshu with a calm expression, as if he had been expecting him all along. Then, the young master picked up his brush again and wrote another line:
If there were no regrets of separation in the eyes, I wouldn’t believe there are people with white hair in the world.2若教眼底无离恨，不信人间有白头。
“My surname is Ye. My name is taken from this poem.” the young master said without turning his head.
Bai Jinshu deliberately put on a look of sudden realization. “So your name is Ye Bai Tou3(叶白头)Ye White Head ?”
The one being teased finally couldn’t resist glaring at Bai Jinshu. Bai Jinshu sighed, “At your age, you really should have a bit of youthful spirit.”
The young master, without a change in his calm demeanor, examined Bai Jinshu briefly. “Bai Shaoxia4(少侠) Young Hero, you really speak as though we’re close friends.”
“Aren’t we?” Bai Jinshu feigned seriousness. “After all, we’ve already reached the point where I can enter your room without you needing to invite me in.”
The young master didn’t respond, simply lowering his head to continue writing the phrases “uninvited guest” and “unwanted visitor” on the white paper.
Bai Jinshu thick-skinnedly changed the topic, “Your calligraphy skills are truly impressive.”
“And your shamelessness is equally impressive.”
Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but agree with that remark. After all, anyone who cared about their reputation wouldn’t feel as happy as he did upon hearing such a comment, nor would they laugh out loud like he did. Hearing his laughter, the young master, who always wore a facade of cold arrogance unbefitting his age, glanced at Bai Jinshu with a hint of surprise. At that moment, Bai Jinshu could detect a trace of amusement in his eyes, as if the young master was also somewhat pleased.
The young master lowered his head again and wrote three characters: Ye Li Hen5(叶离恨) Ye’s Separation and Regret
“That’s my name.”
Bai Jinshu looked at the elegant handwriting and instinctively frowned slightly. “That name doesn’t sound very pleasant.”
The usually hard-to-please, arrogant young master didn’t question Bai Jinshu’s right to comment on his name this time. Instead, he casually explained, “If you don’t understand regret, how can you know the value of reunion?”
Bai Jinshu had a young nephew who liked to act mature, so he was familiar with childish pretenses. In his eyes, this young master named Ye Li Hen was just an older version of his nephew. However, at this moment, hearing the young master’s seemingly pretentious life insight, Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but feel touched, experiencing a different sensation.
“Have you ever experienced separation?” Bai Jinshu unconsciously asked.
Ye Li Hen didn’t answer directly, instead asking, “What about you?”
“To learn martial arts, I left my family. To uphold justice, I left my sect. And after every act of justice, I left behind the people I helped.” As he spoke, Bai Jinshu looked at the person before him and said earnestly, “It’s the same principle you mentioned—without separation, there would be no reunion. For example, I’ve reunited with someone I once helped, though he doesn’t seem to appreciate it. But at least we’re sitting at the same table now, having a conversation, which is a joyous reunion.”
The person being teased for not appreciating help didn’t get angry. Instead, he squinted his eyes slightly, and an indiscernible emotion flashed in his gaze. “I told you before, I don’t need your help. If you don’t believe me, we can compare our skills right now.” As he spoke, he casually picked up the brush in his hand as if it were a weapon.
Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but recall the branch that had been cut by bandits earlier. At the time, he had really thought Ye Li Hen was some expert who could wield flowers and leaves as weapons. Although he still couldn’t confirm whether this strange young master was hiding his true abilities, he didn’t see the point in engaging in a meaningless fight. He pretended to admit defeat, “Alright, alright, your brushwork is sharp as a sword. I concede.”
“It’s good that you know,” Ye Li Hen said, seemingly unbothered by Bai Jinshu’s insincere performance, and easily let go of the topic.
As dusk crept in, bringing with it a slight coolness carried by the evening breeze through the open window, Bai Jinshu, noticing the late hour, stood up from the chair he had taken upon himself to sit in.
“I won’t disturb your rest any longer. I suppose I should take my leave.”
“If you came uninvited, I suppose you won’t need me to see you off when you leave.” Ye Li Hen said, lowering his head again to continue writing.
Naturally, Bai Jinshu didn’t expect the room’s owner to warmly invite him to stay. Faced with the young master’s aloofness, he smiled indifferently and made his way to the door. Just as he was about to step out, he instinctively turned back to look at the figure still seated at the table. To his surprise, Ye Li Hen, who he had expected to remain focused on his writing, happened to be looking up at him. Bai Jinshu’s heart stirred, and before he could think, he blurted out, “What will you give me the third time?”
Ye Li Hen blinked, puzzled, “What?”
“You said you’d give me your name the second time we met. So, when we meet for the third time, what will you give me?”
Bai Jinshu had no intention of getting anything from Ye Li Hen and had only asked to tease him. But unexpectedly, Ye Li Hen seriously pondered the question before solemnly asking in return, “What do you want?”
Bai Jinshu was almost caught off guard by the question.
Everyone who knew Bai Jinshu thought he had a thick skin, but in truth, most of the time, he had no intention of taking advantage of others. Looking at the young boy who had surprisingly taken his teasing seriously, Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but think of his nephew, who was always pestering him to take him out to play. Without thinking, he said, “What I want is to take you out for a day.” Considering Ye Li Hen’s aloof and pretentious personality, Bai Jinshu could already imagine his reaction to this suggestion. Not giving the boy time to respond, Bai Jinshu quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.
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