Chapter Three: If Life Were Only as It First Appeared

In truth, I am not even sure if Zilian still remembers me now. I only recall the day we met—he was elegant beyond compare, each step blossoming with lotus flowers, while I was merely a small carp hiding beneath the petals. Because I had carelessly swallowed too much water, I floated up to the surface, blowing bubbles beneath the lotus. Just as I was thoroughly enjoying myself, nearly finished with my bubbles, I saw his pale feet step right over me, crushing every last one of my rainbow-hued bubbles.

I flapped my fins in distress, my face a picture of heartbreak as I mourned my lost bubbles and complained about his carelessness. Just then, a pair of soft little hands scooped me up from the lotus. I thought it was the end for me—truly the end this time. I would not escape, and I was sure I was destined to become someone’s nourishing fish soup.

The young girl before me held me carefully in her hands, bringing me close to her eyes for a good look, and suddenly exclaimed, “Uncle Master, Uncle Master, come quickly! This little carp is crying!”

“Is that so?” a gentle male voice responded.

A faint lotus fragrance wafted through the air as a man dressed in a violet robe approached, his lips curving into a slight smile. “All things possess spirit, Mo Yu. There is no need for surprise. Come, let me have a look.”

He extended his hands toward me, palms open. His long, slender fingers, pure and white as jade, nearly dazzled my eyes in the sunlight.

“Yes, Uncle Master.” The girl lifted me high and passed me to him. The man in violet accepted me with a cool, lightly scented palm, his fingers brushing gently over my back, making me blush and sending my heart into a frenzy.

“Uncle Master, what’s wrong with this little carp?” The girl blinked her large, curious eyes at the man before her.

“It’s nothing,” he replied with a soft, lotus-blooming smile. “It simply drank too much water and choked a little, that’s all.” As he spoke, he stroked my back a few more times, then bent down and placed me gently back in the water.

“Uncle Master, is the little carp all right now?” The girl still seemed unconvinced, looking up at him with concern.

“It’s fine now,” he replied.

“Immortal Lord Zilian, Immortal Liu Jin invites you to the ‘Splendid Palace’ for a drink,” someone shouted from afar. I committed his name to memory—Immortal Lord Zilian.

Lying atop the lotus, I watched him and the young girl walk away together, feeling a sudden pang in my chest. If only I could be that girl, following in his footsteps—how wonderful that would be!

Now, a thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye. How could he possibly remember a plain little carp like me? He had that adorable girl by his side; in a thousand years, she must have found countless ways to take advantage of him. By now, she must be grown, perhaps having already ensnared Zilian for herself.

Carrying my uneasy heart, I wandered the streets, eyes darting everywhere, hoping for a chance encounter like the one from a millennium ago.

The midday sun grew ever fiercer. Having been out of water too long, my skin was speckled with red blotches, and my throat burned with thirst. I found a shaded spot and crouched down.

What should I do? Will I turn into dried fish under the sun before I ever find Zilian again?