Qingyun set down her glass and stepped out of the banquet hall to get some air in the courtyard. A path of gravel wound through the garden, and she followed it slowly toward the far end. It reminded her of the gravel paths at her modern-day school. Whenever she passed one, she would walk back and forth along it a few extra times. Eventually, her friends couldn’t stand it anymore. Whenever they saw that path, they would hoist her up and carry her off, no matter how she struggled.
Lost in the memory, Qingyun laughed aloud. “What are you thinking about that’s so funny?” someone asked. Qingyun answered without thinking, “I was thinking about when I was in school.” Realizing her mistake, she abruptly looked toward the voice. The man leaned against the courtyard wall with his arms folded. When he saw her looking at him, he raised an eyebrow, his expression carrying a hint of playful insolence. “We meet again, young lady.”
