When He Arrived, Glory Stretched for Ten Thousand Miles

He was a firefighter, his face blackened with soot as he emerged from the flames. One glance, and she knew he was the one for life. The first time he met the young girl, she dipped into a curtsy and said, "My lord..." He found it hilarious and thought she must be a little odd... She had never seen such a handsome man, tall as a mighty general. When their eyes suddenly met, she was so flustered she forgot she wasn't in the imperial palace... . Later, at the school's arts showcase, the girl sat onstage in traditional dress, her face veiled in gauze, holding a pipa. Her eyes were shy, and she was not only delicate but graceful... He lifted his peach-blossom eyes, recalling the girl's words: "I know a little about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting." The girl was too modest. When she saw him below the stage, her heart raced. She wanted to perform well, but nerves made her pluck the wrong string. Thankfully, he didn't notice... . Later still, the girl he'd watched grow up suddenly confessed her feelings to him. The usually calm and composed man panicked in an instant... It was a love she'd kept hidden in her heart for so many years, like shards of glass clenched in her palm, a torment of restrained longing... The joy of love at first sight, a romance kept hidden in the heart... She had no idea that the older boy she secretly loved had been waiting for her to grow up all along...