Early the next morning, the sky was overcast with thick, dark clouds, and a soft, drizzling rain began to fall.Zhuang Zi’ang had gotten up very early. As he listened to the spring rain pattering against the window, he couldn’t help but worry about Little Butterfly. Although he longed to see her, he decided to send her a message instead:

  “The weather isn’t too good today—maybe you shouldn’t come.”

  This time, Little Butterfly’s reply came quickly:

  “No matter the wind or rain, I want to see you.”

  Zhuang Zi’ang stared at the words on his screen as if something had struck his heart. To think that a girl was willing to come see him, undeterred by wind or rain—traversing mountains and rivers just to meet him—was an immense joy. Even though the sun hadn’t broken through the clouds today, her arrival would be like sunshine.

  Just after nine, a knock sounded at the door.Zhuang Zi’ang immediately went to answer it and found Su Yudiel standing there. Although the rain made the air a bit chilly, she was still wearing that thin white blouse. In the little over half a month they had known each other, he had never seen her wear anything else—perhaps she owned many identical outfits!

  Her bangs were damp with rain, lending her an extra touch of delicate vulnerability. In her hand she held a floral-patterned umbrel—its tag still attached, suggesting it was a recent purchase after getting off the bus.Without hesitation, Zhuang Zi’ang pulled her inside. “How can you dress so lightly in this cold weather?” he chided.

  Su Yudiel mumbled, “When I left home, it wasn’t raining yet!”

  Zhuang Zi’ang quickly fetched a dry towel and helped her wipe the raindrops from her hair. Then he found one of his own jackets and draped it over her shoulders. The jacket was a bit rge, which only made her appear even more petite and charming.

  Carefully, Su Yudiel retrieved an insuted container from her backpack and pced it in front of him. Inside was the tofu pudding she had painstakingly made.“I worked on this for a long time—if it doesn’t taste good, you still have to say it’s delicious!” she decred.

  As she lifted the lid, warm steam billowed out. The tofu pudding was silky white and tender, topped with an array of colorful condiments that made it look as appealing as it smelled. The aroma immediately set Zhuang Zi’ang’s appetite alight. He scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to Little Butterfly’s lips. “The first spoonful is for you,” he said.

  Little Butterfly obediently opened her mouth, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.“Mmm, it’s so good—I really must be a little genius,” she boasted.

  Hearing her self-praise, Zhuang Zi’ang couldn’t wait any longer and took a spoonful for himself. The tofu pudding slid smoothly over his tongue, and a familiar fvor began to unfurl. He paused in surprise and murmured, “Eh?”

  “Not used to it?” Su Yudiel asked dejectedly.

  “No,” he replied, shaking his head. “Do you remember when I texted you st time about that really delicious tofu pudding I had?”

  “I do—how could I forget? What’s up?” she prompted.

  Zhuang Zi’ang hesitated before saying, “The tofu pudding you made tastes exactly the same as the one made by that old dy.”

  At these words, Su Yudiel’s smile froze. She stared at him bnkly, and her once-bright eyes gradually turned hollow and lifeless.

  Last time at Xiaoyao Pace, Zhuang Zi’ang had been advised by Zhang Bansian to help out with the old dy’s snack business. The chili oil in her tofu pudding had a uniquely unforgettable aroma—so memorable that he had pnned to take Little Butterfly there to try it, only to discover that she could make it herself.

  “What’s wrong?” Zhuang Zi’ang waved his hand in front of her, trying to dispel her shock.

  In a trembling voice, Su Yudiel managed to ask, “What did that old dy look like?”

  “Rumor has it she was a lonely, elderly woman with no retives—her hair all white and her face covered in wrinkles,” Zhuang Zi’ang expined with a sigh. “Her eyes were so cloudy, as if she’d lost all hope in life. It was heartbreaking to see…”

  Before he could finish, Su Yudiel suddenly burst into tears. Streams of tears cascaded down her cheeks.“Little Butterfly, what’s wrong? Who is that old dy?” Zhuang Zi’ang asked, panic rising in his voice.

  “It’s all my fault, all my fault…I’ve wronged her…” she cried, her voice growing louder, more anguished, until it was heart-rending to hear.

  Zhuang Zi’ang was at a loss. Who was that old dy? Judging by the depth of Little Butterfly’s sorrow, he suspected she might be referring to her own grandmother. Yet just yesterday, she had said her grandmother hardly had any white hair or wrinkles, and that her eyes sparkled with life. How could such starkly different descriptions refer to the same person?

  He recalled that st time on the riverside meadow, Little Butterfly had mentioned she didn’t know any old dy selling tofu pudding. But now he realized that the tofu pudding made by the old dy and the one she made tasted exactly the same.

  Zhang Bansian’s words suddenly rang in Zhuang Zi’ang’s mind:??“When you know the truth, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear it!”

  At the time, he had dismissed that old chartan’s ramblings as nonsense. But now he wondered if there was something he had missed. His head spun with confusion, and he couldn’t think clearly.

  He took a tissue and gently wiped away Little Butterfly’s tears. Abruptly, she leapt from her chair, crying uncontrolbly, “I’m going to find her!” Without another word, she dashed out the door.

  Zhuang Zi’ang hurried after her. He saw that Little Butterfly hadn’t even taken her umbrel; she had sprinted down the stairs and plunged into the heavy rain. His heart ached as he grabbed the floral umbrel and chased after her.

  Once outside the apartment complex, the rain grew even heavier, obscuring his view. There was no sign of Little Butterfly anywhere. The streets were nearly empty—only cars passed by. A car sped past, spshing water that drenched him, and a bone‐chilling cold spread throughout his entire body.

  Desperate, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number, but all he heard was the endless ring; there was no answer.

  Soon, a taxi slowed at the roadside.Zhuang Zi’ang fgged it down decisively: “Driver, please take me to Xiaoyao Pace.”

  All along the ride, his mind was a jumbled mess as he struggled to rationalize what was happening. Could it be that Little Butterfly had deliberately embellished her description of her grandmother’s appearance? If she had a granddaughter, why would her grandmother cim to have no family?Already battling a terminal illness—and now soaked by the rain—Zhuang Zi’ang’s head throbbed with a splitting pain. He dared not think any further.

  Because of the rain, Xiaoyao Pace was nearly deserted; its mountain gate y quiet, and the old dy who sold snacks was surely not out setting up her stall today. Braving the downpour, Zhuang Zi’ang searched the area outside the Taoist temple for quite a while. Finally, beneath a Bodhi tree, he spotted a fragile figure.

  Little Butterfly was completely soaked, crouched on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees, shivering uncontrolbly.Rushing over, Zhuang Zi’ang reached out and lifted her by the waist. “Come back with me—you’ll catch a cold,” he urged softly.

  Little Butterfly clung tightly to him, burying her face in his chest as she cried, “I can’t find her, I can’t find her…” Her voice was agonized and heart-rending.

  “Let’s go back for now. Once the rain stops, I’ll help you look for her,” he promised.

  Rainwater continued to drip steadily from her drenched skirt. Whether from the cold or from fear, her body trembled uncontrolbly.

  After taking a taxi back to the rented room, Zhuang Zi’ang insisted that Little Butterfly take a hot shower in the bathroom. He then went out to the nearest clothing store and bought her a fresh set of clothes.On the way back, his steps were unsteady and his whole body felt feverish. Once again, the specter of his illness reared its head.