Moonlit Ponderings and Martial Arts Dreams

The night was clear and bright, with moonlight streaming through the window, casting a silvery glow across the room. The wind rustled the trees, their shadows swaying gently. Xu Niantang lay on her bed, fully clothed, unable to sleep. She stared at the ceiling with her sparkling eyes, her mind still racing with thoughts of the evening’s events. She remembered the villain’s strike, wondering if it was called ‘Five Kernel Moon Cake’ or ‘Green May’. How could the villain effortlessly topple a building with a single sword strike? Puzzled, she finally sat up. Shaking her head, she pushed her scattered hair behind her shoulders and turned to Ye Di, who was leaning against the wall, eyes closed in slumber. ‘Hey, villain, are you tricking me?’ she asked. Ye Di didn’t even lift an eyelid, merely responding lazily, ‘Tricking you about what?’ Xu Niantang replied, ‘How could you be so skilled? One sword strike, and…’ Ye Di interrupted, ‘I told you, you can’t learn my moves. You’re asking for humiliation.’ Xu Niantang’s face flushed with anger, but then she thought of something and blinked. ‘You destroyed someone’s building. Will there be any trouble?’ Ye Di raised his gaze slightly, looking at Xu Niantang perched on the bed like a duck. Embarrassed, she wiggled her toes and tried to act nonchalant. ‘What are you looking at?’ Ye Di sighed and closed his eyes again. ‘Relax, that building was going to be demolished anyway. Probably some rich kid’s eyeing it for a new garden.’ Xu Niantang was taken aback. ‘How do you know?’ Ye Di huffed, clearly dismissive. ‘You think you’re a wanderer just because you have a bit of money and luggage? You’ll be eaten alive out here.’ With that, he lowered his head, his breathing evening out as he seemed to fall asleep. Xu Niantang was speechless, seeing Ye Di ignore her. She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, letting out a defiant ‘Hmph!’ before burying her face in the pillow, falling silent. Later, the room filled with the gentle sounds of her breathing. Ye Di, pretending to sleep, opened his eyes and looked at Xu Niantang, her head covered with a quilt. He gently pulled the quilt down, revealing her peaceful face, and tucked her in, making sure her feet were warm. Suddenly, he heard a soft whisper: ‘Mom…’ Ye Di stood by the window, the moon resting on a distant roof. Under the moonlight, he listened to the girl’s dream talk, his face expressionless. The next morning, Xu Niantang’s scream pierced the sky: ‘Ah! Who took my beloved sword?’ The door creaked open, and Ye Di entered, carrying a basket of steamed buns. Seeing Xu Niantang, he frowned. ‘Yesterday, you said I was invincible and wanted to see my skills. You gave me your sword, and now you’ve forgotten?’ Xu Niantang, still groggy, blinked her sleepy eyes, remembering their conversation. She coughed politely and elegantly tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘Well… that’s right. I was testing your honesty. After all, as a notorious thief, you might deceive me.’ Ye Di ignored her and sat at the table, lifting the lid of the basket. A wisp of steam rose, and several plump, glistening shrimp dumplings were arranged in a circle, the yolk oozing from the center. ‘What is this?’ Xu Niantang hopped down, barefoot, and leaned over the table, curious. The steam dissipated, revealing the perfect dumplings. ‘Gulp…’ The sound of her stomach rumbling filled the room. Xu Niantang’s face turned red, and she glared at Ye Di, who was already looking out the window, whistling a tune. Seeing his indifference, she boldly declared, ‘Villain, are you hungry? I heard your stomach growl. It’s okay, everyone gets hungry.’ Ye Di raised an eyebrow. Xu Niantang continued, ‘I’ll go freshen up, and we can eat when I return.’ She rushed out, only to run back, threatening, ‘Don’t eat them all!’ Ye Di was speechless. After a moment, he took Xu Niantang’s ‘Beloved Sword’ and began practicing with it. Xu Niantang watched, her eyes wide as Ye Di wielded her sword with ease. Although she saved the dumplings, she felt a sense of loss. Conflicted, she struggled to understand her feelings. She tensed her face and went behind a screen to get ready. … After breakfast, Xu Niantang, her belly full, was about to take a nap, but Ye Di pulled her out the door. On the street, they walked side by side. Xu Niantang, still sleepy, decided to ignore Ye Di for a while, showing him she wasn’t easily pushed around. The sun was bright, and she squinted, but she stayed close to Ye Di, afraid of getting lost. Soon, they stopped at a gate. Sounds of weapons clashing and a coach’s shouts echoed from inside. Ye Di said, ‘This is it. Let’s go in.’ Xu Niantang, her fair skin sensitive to the sun, rubbed her eyes and pouted. ‘What is this place?’ Ye Di replied, ‘This is one of the largest martial arts schools in Quzhou, called ‘Lei’s Martial Arts School’. You wanted to learn martial arts, and since you can’t learn from me, I thought you could train here.’ Xu Niantang was surprised, looking at Ye Di. ‘You brought me here to learn martial arts?’ ‘Of course. Isn’t that what you wanted?’ Ye Di nodded, matter-of-factly. ‘But I’ve almost spent all my money…’ ‘That’s the point. If you still had money, how could I collect my debt?’ ‘So, you’re just eager to get your money back and send me home?’ ‘You’re not happy about that?’ Ye Di, uninterested in her thoughts, explained, ‘Stay here for a month or so. The tuition should cover your debt. I’ll take care of your meals and lodging. When the time comes, you can go home. If your family comes, then that’s a happy ending…’ ‘I won’t be happy…’ Xu Niantang grumbled, growing more irritated with Ye Di. A loud voice boomed from inside the school: ‘Who are you looking for?’ Ye Di recognized the man and smiled. ‘Are you the owner of this martial arts school?’ The man, a tall, muscular figure with a strong build, had a half-open shirt revealing his sweaty, bronze skin. ‘I am Lei Ling, the owner. What can I do for you, young man?’ Ye Di replied, ‘I’ve heard of your reputation in Quzhou, skilled in all weapons, with many talented students. My sister has always loved swordplay and traveling. I brought her to learn from you.’ Under the current emperor’s rule, martial arts were revered, and the trend of learning martial arts spread among the people. Private schools like Lei’s, which taught for a fee, were common in Quzhou. Lei, flattered by Ye Di’s praise, put an arm around him and invited them in. ‘Come in, come in! I’ll take good care of your sister…’ They chatted for a while before entering the school. Seeing Xu Niantang still outside, Ye Di turned and glared at her, signaling her to follow. Xu Niantang, annoyed, thought, ‘If he dislikes me, why should I follow?’ She hesitated, but ultimately followed, holding onto his sleeve. Lei remarked, ‘Your sister is truly beautiful. If she were mine, I’d never send her here…’ ‘Ha, my sister is tough. She’s always been rolling in mud and jumping on beams… Ouch…’ ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘Nothing, just a mosquito bite.’ ‘Ah, yes, Quzhou has a lot of insects in the summer. Should we light some incense?’ ‘No need… the mosquito only bit me.’ ‘Is that so? Then this mosquito really likes you, ha ha…’