Chapter 2: Talent

Wuyuan's market square was a hive of activity. Between the vendors peddling their wares and the chatter of townspeople, the square was alive with a vibrancy contrasting starkly with the quiet streets of the town. Among the regular sights was a small group of elderly men engaged in games of Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, a popular pastime in the town.

One day, as Li Yang wandered through the market after another tough day at the orphanage, he was drawn to the rhythmic clack of wooden pieces being moved across the Xiangqi board. Curiosity piqued, he edged closer, watching the game unfold.

As the game progressed, Li Yang found himself mentally retracing every move made, even predicting the next ones. It was as if the board was imprinted in his mind, with each piece's journey clearly marked. At the end of the game, without thinking, he approached the two players. "If you had moved your chariot two steps to the left three moves back, you would've had a better chance," he pointed out shyly.

The two old men looked at each other, then at Li Yang, eyes wide in surprise. One of them, Master Liu, a respected player in Wuyuan, challenged, "Recreate the entire game from the start."

And to their astonishment, Li Yang did. Move by move, without hesitation, he replicated the game. The square's noise faded into the background as onlookers gathered, whispering among themselves about the boy who remembered every move.

Realizing the attention he was garnering, a sense of unease crept over Li Yang. He'd always been at the receiving end of unwanted attention, often negative. The cruel world of the orphanage had taught him to guard his vulnerabilities, to shield anything that made him stand out.

And so, despite the awe and the many questions thrown his way, Li Yang chose to downplay his talent. "It was just a lucky guess," he mumbled, hurrying away. But the seed had been planted.

Over the next few weeks, Li Yang would secretly observe Xiangqi games, honing his ability. At night, in the dim light of his shared room at the orphanage, he would recreate games on a makeshift board, using pebbles as pieces. He would also borrow books on Xiangqi strategies from the town library, carefully hiding them under his bed. Though the written words were a challenge, he relied on diagrams and illustrations, allowing his exceptional memory to fill in the gaps.

With each passing day, his understanding of the game deepened. But he kept his gift hidden, fearing mockery or exploitation. In a world that had shown him little kindness, this newfound skill was his secret sanctuary.

However, fate had its own plans, and it wouldn't be long before Li Yang's talent would come to light, setting him on a path that would change his life forever.