Chapter 241

In Chang'an, March brought peach blossoms in full, dazzling bloom. Standing before the mottled vermilion gates of Xuandu Taoist Temple, gazing at the sea of brilliant blossoms that filled the courtyards, I felt in a daze as though I had drifted back to that spring day long ago. I was fifteen that year, having traveled to the capital with my elder brother for his official review. Passing by Xuandu Taoist Temple, we were drawn in by the trees laden with blossoms and asked my brother to pause for a while. The temple grounds were thronged with visitors, filled with laughter and chatter, but my heart belonged entirely to a single tree of pale-red peach blossoms tucked away in a corner of the courtyard. Its soft pink petals were layered in delicate profusion, swaying gently in the breeze. Lost in contemplation, I suddenly heard a clear, bright laugh behind me. "Does the young lady also find this pale-red peach distinct from all the rest?" I turned to see a young gentleman in a moon-white robe standing with his hands clasped behind his back. His features were as fine as a painting, a gentle smile graced the corners of his mouth, and his eyes reflected the boundless sea of peach blossoms.