Hot flashes

Xiao Jue was practicing his sword in the backyard. After completing a set of sword techniques, he stopped and stood still, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead. He handed his sword to the servant waiting beside him and was about to go find Zhou Heng when someone from his master's side arrived.

"Young master, the old gentleman requests your presence."

Xiao Jue was taken aback. His master was usually resting at this hour, so why did he suddenly want to see him?

Without thinking much, he walked towards his master's courtyard.

As I pushed open the door, a strong scent of agarwood wafted out. The old man sat by the window, holding a letter in his hand. Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the envelope and on his face.

Xiao Jue walked over.

"Master, whose letter is this?"

The old man looked up at him and handed him the letter.

"Your father's."

Xiao Jue paused for a moment, then took the letter.

He opened it and looked down at it.

The letter is short.

"...Some people in the court framed me, saying that I was holding military power and had ulterior motives...After much deliberation, I decided to bring my family to the capital, hand over my military power to the Emperor, and prove my innocence..."

Xiao Jue's breath caught in his throat.

He raised his head and looked at his master.

The master did not speak.

Xiao Jue lowered his head again and continued reading.

"...Now that you've fully recovered, we can return home together and reunite as a family..."

A family reunion.

Xiao Jue raised his head.

"Master, my father said—"

"I know," the old man nodded. "It was mentioned in the letter."

Xiao Jue held the letter tightly, so excited that he didn't know what to say.

Seven years have passed.

He was sent up the mountain at the age of seven to learn skills from his master, and seven years passed in the blink of an eye. He only went back in his dreams. He dreamed of the snow on Cangyun Ridge, of the pastries his mother made, and of his father riding back on horseback, lifting him high above his head. Every time he woke up, his pillow was wet.

His parents sent someone to visit him every year, but it was just a visit. He missed them, missed his home, and missed his little nephew whom he had only heard the name of but never met.

The letter said that my nephew is three years old this year. He can run and jump, and spends all day chasing chickens and dogs around the house.

Xiao Jue's lips curled into a smile.

He turned his head, about to say something to his master, when he suddenly saw the old man sitting there, the sunlight shining on his gray hair and the wrinkles on his face.

Xiao Jue was stunned for a moment.

"Master?"

The old man came to his senses.

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Jue walked over and squatted down next to him.

"Master, are you unhappy?"

The old man shook his head.

"Happy. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

Xiao Jue looked at him.

"Master," he suddenly said, "I know you can't bear to part with me."

The old man was stunned for a moment.

Xiao Jue continued, "But I'll miss you too."

He moved closer, grinning.

"Master, please come down the mountain with me."

The old man looked at him.

Xiao Jue said, "It must be so boring for you to stay on this mountain all by yourself. Come with us, and you can go wherever you want. My parents will definitely be happy too, having someone to talk to every day. You can also keep an eye on me, so I won't slack off on my studies."

As he was talking, he started laughing first.

The old man looked at him, at the face that was slightly flushed with excitement.

That gaze was complex.

But Xiao Jue was too busy being happy to notice.

After a while, the old man nodded and smiled softly.

"Okay," he said, "I'll go down the mountain with you."

Xiao Jue became happy.

"real?"

The old man nodded.

Xiao Jue jumped and spun around several times, then suddenly remembered something and ran away in a flash.

"I'll go tell the young master!"

The old man sat by the window, watching the figure run away into the distance.

The sun is shining brightly.

The smile on his face slowly faded. He sighed.

Xiao Jue ran all the way back to the courtyard.

When he rushed into Zhou Heng's room, Zhou Heng was sitting by the window reading a book. Hearing the door open, he looked up and saw Xiao Jue burst in.

"Little teacher!"

Zhou Heng put down his book.

"What's wrong? Did you strike it rich?"

Xiao Jue ran up to him, stopped, and took a few breaths.

"My father wrote a letter!"

He handed over the letter.

Zhou Heng took it and looked down at it.

As he watched, he smiled.

"This is good news." He handed the letter back to Xiao Jue. "Finally, I can go home."

Xiao Jue nodded vigorously.

"I haven't seen them for seven years," he said. "And my nephew, who's three years old, I don't even know what he looks like."

As he spoke, he sat down next to Zhou Heng.

"Young master," he suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining as he looked at Zhou Heng, "come with me too."

Zhou Heng was stunned for a moment.

"I?"

Xiao Jue nodded.

"Yes, that's right. You're my husband, so of course you have to go with me."

Zhou Heng opened his mouth, then hesitated.

"This...isn't that a bit inappropriate? You're all having a family reunion, and I'm just an outsider..."

"What outsider!" Xiao Jue interrupted him.

"I mentioned you to my dad. I told him you were my teacher and that you taught me a lot. My dad said he wants to meet you."

Xiao Jue continued, "And my master is going too. You're all going, we'll all go together."

He moved closer.

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Zhou Heng looked at him and remained silent for a while.

Then he laughed.

"Okay," he said. "I'll go."

Xiao Jue was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

That night, Xiao Jue lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

He placed the letter beside his pillow and would pick it up and glance at it every now and then.