[Wang Jiexi] Fate

[From childhood friends to finding their way back to each other

[The story spans many years, from the days of missing teeth and whistling gaps to adult life, with all the sweetness and bitterness in between

[I, Lao Wang, am a landmark big shot in the capital. To my left, an unmatched scholar; to my right, a peerless beauty. I spot a beauty with every glance. Disagree if you like, I won't argue.

"Beyond the bamboo, the sound of water, like jade pendants clashing, delighted my heart. I cut through the bamboo to make a path and came upon a small pool. The water was exceptionally clear and cold. The pool's bed was entirely stone, which rose near the bank, curling up to form islets, reefs, rocks, and crags. Green trees and emerald vines wound around them, draping and swaying in uneven profusion.

...I sat by the pool, surrounded on all sides by bamboo and trees. There was no one around. The desolation chilled my spirit and bones, and the stillness seemed deep and sorrowful. The place was too bleak to stay long, so I recorded what I had seen and left."

- "The Record of Little Stone Pool"