Yunye Comes Down the Mountain

A story about hunting, living in the mountains, and finding a husband.

Shang Ningye is unlike other hunters. He has lived in the mountains for years and rarely comes down except when he needs to buy supplies.

Some say that he wears an eyepatch and keeps away from people because a beast's claws tore across his brow and the corner of his eye, blinding him in one eye.

Shang Ningye is twenty-four and has never considered finding a spouse. He had planned to live out his life alone.

But unexpectedly, he found a young ger in the mountains: Lu Yun, who was seventeen, a fine age for marriage.

After the rain let up that day, his wolfhound started barking wildly. He followed it to investigate and found a bundle of bones wrapped in a straw mat.

Lu Yun's family was poor, so his father sold him to a wealthy household to be the child bride of a sickly little boy.

But after just two years, the boy passed away, and Lu Yun caught the illness from him.

The two had never married, so Lu Yun was not considered part of the wealthy household. Even if he died, he could not be buried in their family grave.

They rolled him in a straw mat, threw him onto a mountainside, and left him to fend for himself.

Though they said he was left to fend for himself, in truth, they were waiting for him to die.

A strong wind sprang up, and rain swept down the mountain. After an unknown amount of time, the distant sky slowly cleared.

Lu Yun thought he was already dead, but then he suddenly felt something very warm against his face.

He struggled to open his eyes and saw a large, wet nose. His blurry gaze traveled upward to a pair of round, bright eyes. Then a loud, cheerful bark rang out beside him.

Content warnings:

1. The top isn't blind. His left eye is green, so he wears an eyepatch to cover it.

2. The top has spent so long in the mountains that he's quiet and taciturn.

3. A slice-of-life story about everyday life in the mountains.

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Theme: Work hard and strive forward