Chapter 2 Jiu Yun Leaves

After washing the dishes, it was time to bathe. She grabbed her small backpack, which contained another set of monk's robes, identical to the one she was wearing.

"Master, I'm going to take a bath first," she said, and then, hugging her clothes, she scampered off, cleaning herself thoroughly before finding a wooden tub to diligently start washing her clothes.

"Master, hurry up and wash, and wash the clothes for Ruanruan," said the Little Monk very industriously to Jiu Yun.

Jiu Yun smiled, took Little Baibai to bathe, and afterward, he was a damp and somewhat bedraggled little wolf cub.

Ruanruan wrapped the little wolf cub entirely with a towel, rubbing it all over to dry off, then, cradling the wolf cub in one arm and her clothes in the other, went outside to hang the laundry.

"Little Baibai, don't squirm. You can go in only after your fur is dry."

After patting the Little Monk's small head, Ruanruan hurried back to vigorously wash Jiu Yun's monk robes, and then she rushed outside to keep Xiaobai company in the breeze.

Jiu Yun stepped out in slippers and sat down, taking Ruanruan into his arms, removing his outer garment to cover her.

"Ruanruan isn't cold, Master, wear it yourself, don't catch a cold," she said.

Ruanruan pulled on his hand, refusing to be covered and insisting that Jiu Yun put it back on.

"With Ruanruan, my little heater, I won't be cold," Jiu Yun patiently explained.

The little guy contemplated for a moment and finally didn't resist, nudging even closer into Jiu Yun's embrace, wrapping her arms around his slender waist.

"Then Ruanruan will warm up Master," she sniffed, taking in the faint fragrance of orchids emanating from him and contentedly rubbed her small face against his chest.

Master smells so good~

Just like before, Ruanruan's favorite thing was to nestle in Master's arms, being held by him.

Unfortunately, Master wasn't in good health, and Ruanruan, heartbroken for him, hadn't let Master hold her much after she grew up.

"Master, when are you leaving? Can you stay with Ruanruan a bit longer? Do you really have to go? Can't you stay with Ruanruan? I really don't want you to leave."

Ruanruan spoke softly, her head buried in his chest, her voice usually tender and lively, now choked with loss.

Jiu Yun looked down at the little one in his arms, his eyes touched with a tinge of sadness.

He didn't want to leave either.

If possible, he would have liked to always be with Ruanruan, living their modest life up on the mountain.

Jiu Yun gently stroked the little one's bald head, his gaze fixed on the star-filled night sky.

"Ruanruan is a big kid now, you can't always depend on Master. Little birds must leave the nest to learn how to fly. Ruanruan, all the principles of life, as well as medicine and martial arts that I've taught you, you mustn't fall behind. I will check your progress when I return," he said.

Ruanruan nuzzled against Jiu Yun a few times, and Jiu Yun knew that his little one was crying.

"Hmm, Ruanruan... wouldn't fall behind in her studies, I... I've been very diligent," she said quietly.

"Hmm... Ruanruan is always the best," Jiu Yun chuckled softly, the cool breeze of March was refreshing, neither too hot nor too cold.

The dark night was adorned with a crescent moon, surrounded by twinkling stars.

A master and his disciple, a large one and a small one, sat on the balcony gazing at the sky, while a sleepy-eyed White Wolf lay beside them, the room immersed in warmth and silence.

***

Having lived in the small mountain village for two days, the villagers probably all knew that two monks, a tall one and a short one, had come to the village. The tall Monk was extraordinarily handsome, and many of the village's young ladies had sneaked peeks at him, though they didn't dare get too close.

After all, the village had never seen a man of such outstanding appearance before. Even though he was a Monk, his good looks were simply irresistible.

Ruanruan and Jiu Yun lived carefree for two or three days, and she had almost forgotten that Jiu Yun was about to leave.

Although Jiu Yun appeared cheerful when looking at Ruanruan, the sadness and reluctance in his eyes grew increasingly evident.

On the third night, after telling a story to lull Ruanruan to sleep, he stared at her flushed, sleeping face for a long time, sighing softly.

His fingers caressed her small face, his eyes dark and deep with unspoken emotions.

His fingers lifted from Ruanruan's face and clenched into a fist. After a moment, he opened his hand, revealing several crescent-shaped marks on his palm.

"Ruanruan, wait for Master to come find you."

He rose to his feet and wrote a letter at the desk, then placed it next to Ruanruan's pillow before bending down to kiss her little face.

"Ao ao..." Little Baibai bit onto Jiu Yun's monk robe, seemingly aware that he was about to leave, and began anxiously crying out.

"Take good care of her," Jiu Yun said just that.

Then, reluctantly taking his own things, he left the room. When he reached the door, he lingered for a long while before finally closing it behind him.

"Ao..." Little Baibai tilted her little head, pushing and digging at the door with her head, making quite a ruckus; yet, Ruanruan still slept soundly through it all.

When Jiu Yun left, he ran into the old lady who owned the house downstairs.

"Master, are you... leaving?"

The old woman quickly put down what she was holding and asked doubtfully. The adult was leaving—what about the child?

Jiu Yun nodded.

"I must leave due to urgent matters, but I can't take Ruanruan with me. Please, could you look after her for the time being? Tomorrow, her father will come to take her home."

Through the hazy light beneath the eaves, the old woman could see his complexion was particularly pale, his eyes dark and heavy, the whole of him exuding an aura of solitude.

Seeing this, the old woman's eyes suddenly felt sore; she hurriedly said, "Then why don't you wait until the child awakens before leaving? She will be heartbroken tomorrow."

Jiu Yun looked up, gazing into the distant night sky; his beautiful eyes gradually reddened.

"Because..."

He feared he wouldn't bear to leave. He was afraid if he saw Ruanruan crying, he would find it even harder to leave her behind.

His quiet murmur hung in the air and then faded; the old woman had not caught what he said before Jiu Yun had already turned away and departed, his white figure disappearing into the night. The cool moonlight bathed him, making it seem as though he could vanish at any moment.

The old woman watched Jiu Yun leave for a long time before finally sighing deeply.

It was someone else's affair, and she shouldn't say too much. The master must have been reluctant to leave the child, she thought.

Even though he had stayed at her place for just a few days, the master was not an easy person to approach.

Though he often smiled, his smile was tinged with loneliness, deterring people from coming too close. However, his patience and kindness towards that child were exceptional, and his smile was different when with her.

The next day...

The rooster had just crowed when Ruanruan suddenly opened her eyes.

"Master!"

She quickly looked towards the bedside; the Master always slept together with her, and every morning when she woke up, she would be nestled in his warm embrace, fragrant with the scent of orchids. But today, she was alone in the bed.

Ruanruan instantly became frightened, her eyes reddening, struggling to hold back her tears. She hurriedly flung the blanket aside, jumped down to the floor without even bothering to put on shoes, and began to search everywhere for that familiar figure.

"Master, where are you? Wuu wuu wuu... don't abandon Ruanruan."

She searched everywhere, but obviously, she couldn't find him.

Ruanruan had always been strong; even when martial arts training was exhausting in her younger years, she never cried. But now, she could no longer contain the tears that surged forth.

Her face, pale and delicate, turned red from crying. Ruanruan, sobbing, returned to the bedroom. Little Baibai kept whimpering at her feet, rubbing its body against her ankles.

"Little Baibai, the Master... I've lost the Master, he's gone, wuu wuu wuu... I have to find him."

Ruanruan wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand, and began to pack her little bag. She didn't want to find her father anymore; she wanted her Master. Wuu wuu wuu... The Master didn't want her, she was a bad child.

"Ao ao..." Little Baibai cried restlessly and finally nibbled at Ruanruan's pant leg before running to the bed and pawing at it a few times.

Ruanruan, choking back sobs, finally turned her gaze and then saw a small wooden box.

The little box was beautiful; in her haste, she hadn't noticed it before.

Ruanruan could tell at a glance that it belonged to the Master.

She set down her little bag, climbed onto the bed, and opened the little box.