It was October once again, the wind swirled around the courtyard bringing a chill, I was sipping tea admiring the maple trees in the garden when I heard a subtle tapping voice. A small smile adorned my face as I put the cup down and stood up looking toward the source of the voice

“Grandpa”

 “you're still as sharp as ever”

a hearty laugh resounded in the garden as grandpa chided me in a joking manner, his old face turning a shade of red and you could happiness dripping through his face.

Grandpa Yín had a authoritative aura around him but in front of descendants of his family especially the third generation he's like the snow that melts away under the early summer sun. A warmth settled in my heart as I looked at him walking toward me happily.

 I also stepped forward and took his hand out of the Steward Wang's hand “Steward Wang” I nodded toward Steward Wang as he bowed his head slightly to greet me

“It's good to see you back , Eldest Miss”

I escorted grandpa toward the gazebo where we could could easily the beauty of maple trees, these maple trees around the pond were planted by me when I was 4 years old. Once grandpa knew that I liked the maple trees he told me to plant as many as I want. Now that 18 years have passed since then these maple trees have also grown up alongside me. Grandpa has always been lenient towards me , he would grant me whatever wish I have. The only wish he didn't granted me was to not let me live in this country with him and my family. He was so adamant to send me away that I still wonder what was the reason behind it but I don't know why I just didn't had the courage to question anyone.

“ You still love the maple trees?” He asked me once we sat down,

 “I love them, I've always loved them grandpa”

“You're just like her Huan'er”,

“Like Aunt Liánhuā?” my eyes drifted towards him and sure enough I saw a layer of water in his eyes.

“Yeah just like Liánhuā , she also loved maple trees but your grandma didn't let her plant any in our garden so she would always sneak to Fragrant Hills Park and would enjoy her whole evening alone there”

 “ Aunt really loved them as well didn't she?”

“She did” , my Aunt , I've always been curious about her but no one tells us younger generation anything about her just once in while grandpa would reminisce something about her and then would just stop talking. I want to ask more but I know his answer would be “It was her fate that became her chaos”. Grandma and Aunt have always been a forbidden topic in our home.

 “You didn't just come to meet me directly from airport did you Yùhuán ?” Grandpa's voice brought me back to world, my body stiffened a little but I quickly put on a small smile and replied

“I just wanted to meet you quickly grandpa, I thought I'll go back quickly after meeting you”

 Grandpa laughed once again “you haven't changed a bit little kid”

“I have grown though Grandpa”

“ Still a kid to me, the one who would follow me all day calling me grandpa” His eyes were filled with smiles as my saw my face heated up in embarrassment

 “Alright I won't tease you anymore but remember to visit back home as well, don't just stay scooped up in your apartment all day”

 “Alright grandpa” .

Time passed slowly as we talked about the past years that passed without us seeing each other. The autumn wind was cold, but my heart was unusually warm, I soaked myself in the warmth of the family that I so dearly missed.

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Note:

It's a Chinese themed novel so there may be terms and words that readers may not understand but I'll try my best to explain them at the end of the chapter though I'm sure Mangtoon readers definitely read Chinese manhwas afterall even my first learning platform was Mangtoon. But if you still have any queries please inform me.

A layer of red has covered the earth, its surface reflecting the late evening sun. The maple trees—they have already turned red, a color so dear to my heart. Autumn always births a strange feeling in my heart; though the falling leaves symbolize the end of an era, isn’t the end of one era the start of a new one?!

I’ve always wanted to come to Xiangshan Park but hadn’t been given the chance. Today, I’m finally here. Taking in the beautiful view of the park, a soft sigh escapes my lips. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get enough of maple trees. Their beauty carries a kind of decadent feeling. The fleeting splendor of the maple trees reminds me of the fragility of life.

Coming out of my thoughts, I take a deep breath and start following the crowd. Since I’m here for the first time, I don’t know the right path. For half an hour, I follow the crowd, but it becomes overwhelming, so I decide to change my course. I spot a small winding path leading to the south, with no visible people, and I take it.

POV transition:

I take off my shoes and follow the monk leading me to the inner hall of the Qingyin Temple. The scene inside the temple is familiar. I take in my surroundings, watching the devotees happily bringing in offering after offering, finally setting my eyes on the white lilies in my arms and letting out a tired sigh. As we walk, the area becomes more secluded, and eventually, we reach the innermost hall of the Qingyin Temple. A person in monk’s clothing is prostrating before a large Buddha statue. Once the sound of our footsteps reaches his ears, he raises his head and slowly stands.

“Abbot,” I bow my head slightly to greet him.

“Amitabha! My dear, may the divine bless you with happiness.” A soft voice reaches my ears as I slowly raise my head. The Abbot approaches me with a gentle demeanor.

“Has the madam been well?” he asks, stopping in front of me.

“Grandma hasn’t been well, so she asked me to bring offerings to the temple.”

“Amitabha, my child. Do not fret, for life always offers us something—be it health or illness, joys or sorrows, wealth or poverty, ignorance or clarity. Everything it gives is a test, shaping us for the challenges we might face. For some, it gives visible quests, and for others, it presents mental queries,” the Abbot says softly, the vicissitudes of life reflecting in every reverberating word.

“Come here, my dear. Light the incense in the burner and place the offering at the altar. May she succeed in this test that life has given her.”

I step forward and light the incense in the burner, the mellow scent calming my mind. Then, I place the lilies on the altar at the feet of the Buddha. The Abbot bows three times in front of Buddha for me to complete the offering. My grandma is a firm Buddhist devotee. She’s been coming to Qingyin Temple for as long as I can remember; it’s just recently that the physician advised her to avoid long walks and strenuous activities, so she sent me in her place to perform the offerings. Though I’m not of Buddhist belief, I’ve often accompanied her on her numerous visits, making me quite familiar with the layout of the temple. The Abbot has an amiable relationship with our household, so my grandmother has always performed offerings in the innermost hall of the temple. After I finish, I nod to the Abbot and turn to take my leave, but he stops me.

“Amitabha, my child. Would you like to draw a divination lot?”

I am a little stunned. After all, the Abbot knows that I don’t quite connect with Buddhism. I look toward him, my eyes filled with questions.

“I think a ripple might appear in the calm pond of your life, my child. The answers you seek seem to be in close proximity.”

“A ripple?”

“So, would you like to draw a divination?”

For a moment, I am shaken, but then calm returns to me. I look into the eyes of the Abbot and say, “Forgive my ignorance, Abbot. While there may be destiny, I believe in shaping my fate with my own hands. A divination stick? I could never be bound to a divination stick.” As I say this, I turn to leave the hall, but the gentle voice of the Abbot reaches me, halting my steps.

“Yǔn Lèiyuè! Though you may struggle and fight fate, it isn’t easy to break the shackles of destiny, my child”

I take a moment to digest his words but still leave without turning my head. For me, I have not learned the word “easy” in my world, but nor have I learned the meaning of defeat.

Yǔn Lèiyuè’s POV:

After I left the temple, the cold autumn wind hit me in the face, sobering me a little. Usually, I would leave immediately after visiting the temple, but today... I don’t know why, I just don’t want to leave so quickly. Maybe—maybe the Abbot’s words really did leave a quiet impression on me. I looked at the silently standing maple trees in front of me and decided to take the most secluded pathway.

As I was walking between the vibrant crimson-gold maple trees, a soft melody struck me. I stopped and listened attentively, trying to find the source of the sound. As I followed it, the melody became clearer. The enchanting sound seemed to be coming from a violin. There was a feeling of longing in the melody, making its listeners fall into a quagmire of melancholy and nostalgia. It had the power to bring to light the deepest wounds of a person, then caress them with a soothing touch, healing from the core. I wondered who possessed the power to manipulate emotions in such a hauntingly beautiful way as I continued searching for the player.

My steps came to a sudden halt as I was stunned into silence. The Abbot’s words echoed in my mind, and my breath caught in my chest. For a moment, I almost forgot how to breathe. Maybe this is the destiny the Abbot was talking about. Maybe—maybe this is my destiny.

Under the shade of a maple tree, she was sitting, leaning against the trunk. Her head rested on the base of the violin, supported by her shoulder. Her hair, as dark as the night sky, cascaded down her back and over her right shoulder. The stark contrast between her jet-black hair and her pale white skin added a layer of beauty to her already captivating presence. But more beautiful than her external appearance was the way her eyes were closed, as if sinking deep into her consciousness, while her right hand gracefully guided the bow across the violin strings, creating that spellbinding melody. Her existence melted into the backdrop of the red maple leaves, enhancing the terrain behind her.

The Jingcui Lake rippled beside her because of the falling leaves, and reflecting her image only added more tranquility to the already serene atmosphere.

Suddenly, the music stopped. My breath hitched as I saw her open her eyes. Those dark eyes, like midnight pools, were deep and profound, drawing me into the quiet mystery they held.

“Are you going to keep staring, Mr.?” she asked, looking me in the gaze. I wanted to answer affirmatively but quickly stopped myself. I thought that for the first time in my life I was going to make a fool of myself, but I couldn't... just not in front of her.

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Yín Yùhuán’s POV:

Once I took the south pathway, I ended up traveling until I reached a pond, which I suppose is the Jingcui Lake. The calm autumn pond adorned with golden-red autumn leaves seemed like a portal to another world—a world more fascinating than ours. The undulating water of the lake caused my reflection to sway as well. I took a moment to admire the splendor of the natural world, my heart calmer than ever.

After a while, I took off the violin case hanging down my back and sat down beside the lake, leaning against the tree behind me. I took the violin out of the case, and the bow in my hand stuck close to the strings of the violin as I adjusted its position. I slid the bow across the strings smoothly, and a forlorn melody reverberated, letting me sink into a world of my own.

I lost track of time until I felt a presence, my instincts telling me that I was not alone. As I opened my eyes, I saw a man dressed in a white shirt looking at me in a daze. He flinched a little when I opened my eyes, but then his Phoenix gaze seemed to stare deep into my eyes, making my heart tremble slightly. I composed myself and then asked him, “Are you going to keep staring, Mr.?”