Star of Another Day

Chapter Two: The Eccentric（4）

Returning home in the evening, the servants were preparing dinner. Yumeng Wei asked a maid, “Has Longfei returned?” The maid replied, “No, everyone would know if he had.”

Yumeng Wei's worry deepened as dinner time arrived without Longfei. Pacing the courtyard, Yuqing tried to reassure her, “He's a grown man and won't get lost.”

Yumeng Wei fretted, “Despite his size, Longfei has no memory and only a recent understanding of the world. He lacks coping skills and could be vulnerable.”

Yuqing suggested sending someone to the Taixue Pavilion to look for him. Yumeng Wei agreed, realizing she hadn’t thought of that herself.

Just as they were about to send for him, Yumeng Wei heard a gasp. Turning around, she found Longfei standing behind her!

Yumeng Wei, startled, then calmed down, knowing this wasn’t the first time Longfei had vanished and reappeared elsewhere. She grabbed his shoulders, asking, “What happened? Did you run into danger?”

Longfei, looking confused, murmured, “Secret passages... a labyrinth...”

Perplexed, Yumeng Wei asked, “What about them? Weren’t you at the Taixue Pavilion?”

Ignoring her question, Longfei simply said, “I’m so hungry...”

Yumeng Wei, both amused and curious, took him to the dining hall. Longfei devoured the food voraciously, prompting Yuqing to chide him for eating before Yumeng Wei had a chance.

Longfei paused, looking guilty, and softly apologized, “Sorry... I almost got lost...”

Yumeng Wei reassured him and decided to discuss the matter later in the Snow Viewing Pavilion.

There, Longfei took his usual seat by the window, often lost in thought while gazing at the northern snow mountains. Yumeng Wei sat opposite him, and Yuqing served tea before discreetly leaving.

Longfei spoke about the Taixue Pavilion’s vast collection but criticized the books’ inconsistent quality and credibility compared to Yumeng Wei’s well-researched and personally witnessed accounts in her book.

Yumeng Wei laughed, teasing him about challenging the ancient scholars, but Longfei argued that their writings might be outdated, causing Yumeng Wei to reflect on the idea that even the words of the wise could be flawed. Her flexible mind was stirred by Longfei's perspective, challenging her long-held respect for tradition.

Longfei went on, “After getting bored with the books, I started exploring the room and noticed something strange about the floor. One tile under the bookshelf was darker and less dusty. Out of curiosity, I moved the bookshelf and found that the tile could be lifted, revealing a staircase beneath.”

Yumeng Wei gasped. Even as a core official of the Snow tribe, she had never heard of a secret passage in the Taixue Pavilion. Longfei’s keen observation skills had led him to this discovery.

Longfei continued, “Driven by curiosity, I went down. Despite descending deeper, the passage didn’t darken. The walls were lined with lampshades, each emitting a faint glow. Upon closer inspection, I found tiny insects inside each lampshade…”

Yumeng Wei interrupted, “Those are glowworms! They can live for hundreds of years without food, emitting a soft light. I’ve heard they were extinct centuries ago. It’s amazing they were found there.”

Sipping tea and munching on snacks, Longfei said, “I kept going down, and the staircase widened. Soon, I reached a long corridor lit by those glowworm lamps. As I walked, the path gradually ascended, leading me to a narrow passage through rocks. I had to squeeze through sideways.”

“And that’s the maze you mentioned?” Yumeng Wei asked.

Longfei nodded, “I chose the right path at a junction in the cave. I wandered for a long time, encountering several dead ends. Initially, I chose paths at random, but soon started marking my way with charcoal pencils. Eventually, I found an exit leading to a rock crevice outside a stone forest under a star-filled sky.”

Yumeng Wei was stunned, “The exit led to the Jinshi Forest? That’s a hundred miles outside the city, close to Nan County!”

Longfei added, “Yes, I was surprised too. I could barely see Snow City in the distance. I spent the whole afternoon in the maze, not realizing how time flew. I was worried you’d be anxious, so I tried to hurry back. I thought of home, and the next moment, I found myself back here.”

Yumeng Wei was no longer surprised by his sudden appearances and disappearances, “You have a special ability, let's call it instant teleportation. You can move instantly to a place you've been before and have a clear memory of. And, each teleportation uses a lot of your energy, making you very hungry and sleepy afterward, right?”

Longfei, who was about to reach for another snack, paused and yawned twice.

Yumeng Wei smiled, “You must be exhausted. Go rest. Today has been quite an adventure.” She carefully folded the maze drawing and tucked it into a book, then urged Longfei to go to bed.

As he left, Yumeng Wei thought about the maze drawing. She realized it could be important and decided to study it further later. She watched Longfei leave, her mind filled with wonder and concern for the unique abilities and adventures of her newfound companion.