Star of Another Day

Chapter Two: The Eccentric（1）

Yumeng Wei opened the window, letting the fresh air flow into the room, instantly feeling invigorated and refreshed, sweeping away yesterday's fatigue. She opened the door and slowly walked into the courtyard to start her morning exercise.

Since childhood, Yumeng Wei had cultivated the habit of early morning exercise, which was why her agility skills were far superior to her peers. Coupled with her innate intelligence, she was profoundly knowledgeable at a young age, earning the affection of the Snow King and various officials. The Snow King had even arranged a unique courtyard for her on a highland in the Snow City. The highest point of the courtyard housed a pavilion with windows on all sides, offering a panoramic view of most of Snow City. Yu mengwei transformed it into a small study, naming it the Snow Viewing Pavilion. After her morning exercises, she would spend time here reading and writing, tirelessly drawing endless inspiration from this place.

After practicing her martial arts, Yumeng Wei walked up to the Snow Viewing Pavilion and sat in her usual chair. Yuqing slowly approached, bringing a pot of hot tea and a plate of snacks. Surprised to see Yuqing up and about, Yu mengwei asked, “Yuqing, can you get out of bed already? How are you feeling?”

Yuqing replied, “I’m fine now. It's been almost a month since I came back; I can’t lie in bed all day.”

Yu mengwei joked, “Why not? I heard Yunbo is still not recovered, spending his days in a daze!” They both laughed heartily, imagining Yunbo's confused state.

It had been over a month since their return from the Snow Mountain. Apart from bringing back a Snow Mountain Garan, a plant known for extending life, and a man with amethysts embedded in his body, they had little else to show. The Snow King, more interested in the Garan, had accepted it eagerly and assigned his men to study the amethyst man. Ten days passed with no findings.

As the Snow King aged, he grew more impatient, especially with matters yielding no results. Seeing no progress with the man, he ordered his scholars to remove the crystals, an action that led to one scholar collapsing foaming at the mouth before even approaching the man.

Hearing this, Yumeng Wei hurried to the Snow Palace, imploring the Snow King not to act rashly and to hand the man over to her for study. Reluctantly, the Snow King agreed, sending the amethyst man to Yumeng's residence five days prior. Other than faint signs of breathing, the man showed no evidence of life.

After breakfast, Yuqing quickly cleaned up and left the Snow Viewing Pavilion. Yumeng Wei opened a window, sitting at a table near it, the entire Snow City visible from her vantage point. The city, shaped like a hexagon and divided into inner and outer sections, with the Snow Palace at its center, was a marvel of ancient engineering. Yumeng's home was in the southwest corner of the inner city. In Snow City, most buildings were white, with conical living rooms and round roofs elsewhere. The Snow Palace, in contrast, was predominantly red, standing out starkly against the white backdrop.

Yumeng Wei looked at a thick book on her table, titled "Chronicles of Monsters and Eccentrics." She turned to the section about eccentrics, reading the latest entry: "Amethyst Man of Snow Mountain Peak - Longfei." The page detailed their recent expedition, where Yu mengwei wrote that calling him 'Amethyst Man' seemed unfair. Having brought him into this world, he deserved his own name. When he had first awoken, he had murmured something that sounded like "Longfei," so she temporarily called him that.

Lost in thought, Yumeng Wei was startled by the sound of hurried footsteps. Yuqing burst in, breathless and unable to speak immediately. Yu mengwei calmly said, “Take your time, what’s the rush?”

Catching her breath, Yuqing gasped, “The… the man… he’s… he’s woken up!”

Yumeng Wei sprang from her chair, rushing out of the room with Yuqing grabbing her coat to follow. Longfei was being cared for in a guest room in the back yard, watched over by two maids who, upon Yu mengwei 's arrival, were trembling behind a rockery. They rushed over, one tall and thin, informing her, “Miss, the man woke up and is curled up on the floor…”

Gently assuring them, Yu mengwei asked them to prepare light food and water before entering the room. Inside, she found Longfei curled up on the floor, shivering slightly. She approached and crouched beside him, speaking softly, “My name is Yumeng Wei. I brought you here from the Snow Mountain. Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. What’s your name?”

Longfei slowly looked up at her, his black eyes tinged with purple but filled with confusion. He tried to speak but couldn’t. Yu mengwei reassured him, “It’s okay, don’t rush. Have some food, and we can talk later.”

The maids had brought food to the door but hesitated to enter. Yu mengwei took the tray, placing it on a table, and reached out to Longfei. “Let me help you up. Sit here and eat.” Her voice was calm and soothing. Longfei, not resisting, took her hand.

At their touch, Yu mengwei felt a strange sensation, as if countless unfamiliar memories were flashing through her mind, things she was certain she had never experienced. Longfei’s expression also turned bewildered, and as he stood up, he quickly let go of her hand, the sensation disappearing.

He began eating the food, clumsily swallowing. Yu mengwei knew he hadn’t eaten in a while, so she had ordered light, liquid food. He finished quickly.

Yu mengwei spoke softly, “I don’t know your name. When I first saw you, you said 'Longfei', so shall I call you that for now?”

Longfei turned to her, a faint smile appearing on his lips, then collapsed onto the table, falling asleep once more.

Startled, Yumeng Wei quickly ordered people to carry Longfei to a bed and arranged for attendants to take turns caring for him, ensuring constant vigilance. Once everything was set, she returned to the Snow Viewing Pavilion to continue writing her book on eccentrics, detailing the extraordinary events of the day.

A few days later, Xue Qingsong visited. Yumeng Wei knew he had been concerned about Longfei's condition but was too caught up in government affairs since returning to Snow City. Now, he finally had the chance to visit. Welcoming her teacher to the Pavilion and having Yuqing prepare tea, Yumeng handed him the "Chronicles of Monsters and Eccentrics," saying, “He’s still mostly sleeping, but if you’re not busy, you can stay longer. He's been awake more than asleep lately!”

Xue Qingsong nodded, accepting the book and reading Yumeng's entries: “It's been three months since Longfei first awoke. Initially, he slept a lot, but his sleeping hours are gradually aligning with those of the Snow people. At first, he didn’t eat much and would often collapse while walking in the yard. Over time, his appetite has increased significantly, now comparable to an adult woman's, and I sense it will grow further. His language skills are improving, from single syllables to my name after a month, then simple words, and now short sentences. His appearance has changed markedly; once pale and thin, he has become much sturdier with increased food intake. Just the other day, he imitated my martial arts moves quite accurately. If not for his tall stature, I'd think he was a Snow infant…”

While reading, Xue Qingsong was startled by a knock at the window. Yumeng Wei, equally surprised, opened the window to see Longfei perched on the sill, smiling and calling out, “Yumeng... I’ve come to play…” His smile was like a ray of sunshine illuminating the Pavilion.

Yumeng Wei was shocked! The Pavilion was built on a hill, accessible only by a spiral staircase. She asked in amazement, “How did you get up here?”