Fu Yun’s heart pounded so heavily that he felt it would jump out of his chest the next moment. Before, he had worried whether Yue Ji would show up and if he would accept his gift if he did. He never would have imagined witnessing such a scene though.

He put the plain fabric over his arm and lifted the white fur with trembling hands, carefully placing it over Yue Ji’s shoulders and making sure it would stay where it was. His hands lingered for a moment as he was suddenly reminded of the dream from last night.

In the dream, they hadn’t stood much differently from now, just that he had wrapped his arms around Yue Ji’s waist. For just a moment, Fu Yun was tried to do the same. His gaze even slipped down, noticing how the willowy waist in front of him seemed even more slender compared to his dream. Before he could reach down there, he chastised himself though.

Last night might not have been a spring dream but it sure was one filled with a sweet and romantic atmosphere. In reality, their relationship was nothing of the like. Even if he wished for it, he couldn’t rush it. They had hardly even talked, after all, and he did not know what Yue Ji’s attitude toward him or humans in general was.

He took back his hands with some effort and smiled lightly. “It’s all done.” His voice had sunken to a whisper but in the quiet night and this close to each other, it was still audible enough.

Yue Ji turned around to him and reached up, brushing over the white fur on his shoulders before reaching over and touching the gray one over Fu Yun’s. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” He thought for a moment and then leaned closer, his neck craning lightly.

Fu Yun stared at him in a daze, unable to believe what was happening even until the moment their lips touched.

Was he … still dreaming? He blinked in confusion and gazed at the silvery eyes in front of him that were different from the green ones he had seen last night. It shouldn’t be?

No, this indeed seemed to be reality. Otherwise, it would be much too real. He could see every detail of Yue Ji’s appearance, he smelled a faint scent of roses standing this close to him, and there was the faintest warmth where their lips touched. If this was a dream … well, he’d rather not wake up again.

“Yue Ji …” He whispered his name when the spirit finally pulled back. He wanted to ask but didn’t even know where to begin.

Yue Ji held onto his cheeks for a moment longer before he dropped his hands. Still, he held out one of them as if expecting Fu Yun to grab it.

The hunter was still in a daze but he reached out despite that. Their fingers touched and he took a deep breath, silently following Yue Ji around the trees in front. He didn’t understand but whatever was supposed to happen, he’d accept it. If it was a dream and he’d wake up in an hour or so, he’d also be willing to take it. Anyway, it was a sweet dream that he liked very much.

The two of them reached the clearing that Yue Ji had come from and the spirit pointed to the middle where the rose bush was covered in snow. “This is where I live.”

Fu Yun looked around with a sense of wonder. This clearing looked a lot like the one he had seen in his dream. It didn’t make any sense though. Seeing a slightly different version of Yue Ji and imagining a sweet scene of them being a couple wasn’t too odd. Maybe a little too specific to be comfortable after just one encounter but still possible. But yesterday, he had not set foot on this clearing. How could it appear in his dreams then?

Yue Ji looked up and noticed his gaze. “What is it?”

Fu Yun turned his face and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his expression. “Well …” He wasn’t sure how to explain. If he said that he had dreamed of Yue Ji, wouldn’t the spirit think his thoughts were too impure? He was a bit afraid but also felt that he couldn’t stay silent now that he had been asked.

He sighed and then motioned ahead. “Last night, I had a dream. I don’t know how but I feel that I saw this clearing in my dream. I … I was talking to you, saying that I wanted to build a hut here and I even described it in detail.”

Yue Ji nodded with a faint smile as if this was nothing odd.

Fu Yun couldn’t help but think that spirits really were different from humans. He was pretty sure that if he had told this to one of his own people, they either would have accused him of lying or thought he was somehow possessed. Seeing as he had wanted to know more about Yue Ji and the people of the spirit tribes, he couldn’t help but ask further. “Don’t you think it is weird? How can I see something I haven’t seen before?”

Yue Ji tugged at his hand, holding it with both hands and playing with his fingers. “Maybe you have been here before in another life and it is a memory that came to you.”

Fu Yun looked at his hand in Yue Ji’s and his heart thumped. “Is there something like that?”

Yue Ji glanced up and gave a hum. “Why not?” In fact, if Fu Yun knew the truth, he would be even more surprised than after having such a dream. But then, he wasn’t sure if he should tell him. If just a dream confused him so much, maybe it wasn’t a good idea. He couldn’t forget that he was human, after all.

Fu Yun looked up again. Seeing the faint smile on Yue Ji’s lips, he felt that he indeed didn’t seem to find it weird. He hesitated for a moment but then gave a hum. “Maybe you’re right. These things, I am sure spirits would understand more about them than humans.

“Speaking of which …” His expression turned a bit sheepish. This way of starting the topic he wanted to introduce seemed much too clunky but he couldn’t find a better way. “I don’t know much about the spirits themselves either. Would you mind telling me more?”

Yue Ji quietly requited his gaze, taking in Fu Yun’s embarrassment and also the faint hope in his gaze. His lips curved further. He wasn’t new to the idea of teaching a human about his people so there wasn’t much resistance to doing it again. In fact, he was happy that Fu Yun asked so early.

He tilted his head, some curiosity revealed in his eyes. “What do you want to know?”

Fu Yun’s ears turned red when he was looked at like that. Since he had asked though, he didn’t take the question back. “I’m not even sure where to begin. I feel like I don’t know anything so everything you can tell me will be welcome.

“If you don’t know what to say, you can just tell me a bit more about your life. For example, where do you come from? Have you always lived in this forest?” He felt that the questions were a bit lackluster and scratched his head. “I mean, I live in the village in that direction.” He pointed to where he had come from and smiled awkwardly.

“I’m a hunter so I regularly go to the forest but I’ve never seen you before. I haven’t heard from others that they have either.” He felt that they shouldn’t have seen Yue Ji. If they did, they certainly would have told everyone. After all, the reason he stayed quiet about it was that he had fallen in love with Yue Ji at first glance. But surely, he was the exception.

Most humans would likely freak out instead when seeing a spirit. They might try to hurt him or if not that, then they should be running for their lives in fear that he would hurt them. Later, they would likely warn everyone else.

Since this hadn’t happened, they shouldn’t know of Yue Ji. It seemed odd though. If he lived here, how come nobody knew? The forest might be big but not that big either. Still, it was good that it hadn’t happened. Otherwise, he was afraid of what might have happened to Yue Ji already.

The spirit smiled lightly. “I was born here on this clearing and I have never strayed from it. I wouldn’t either.” He tugged at Fu Yun’s hand and pulled him to the middle of the clearing, pointing at the rose bush growing there. “I told you yesterday I was a plant spirit. You didn’t seem to understand so let me tell you now: A plant spirit like me is born from a plant that has been soaking in the essence of the world. Throughout the years, we will absorb it, and finally, we will be enlightened and take on a different form.”

Fu Yun stared at Yue Ji and then glanced at the rose bush. Was he saying … “This rose bush is you?” Yue Ji, Yue Ji … It made sense now that he thought about it. “Is this why you are named Yue Ji?”

Yue Ji inclined his head. “Yes. At first, we are like children. We don’t know much and we can only live longer in the world to understand more. When I was slowly awakening, there would be humans coming by every now and then. Finding this clearing and the cluster of rose bushes that were still growing here at that time, they would point and say ‘Yue Ji’. When I was fully enlightened, that is what I took as my name.

“Over the years, the other roses were not enlightened and they withered, leaving me all alone here. I could leave but this is my home and it has always been. I don’t know anything else and I don’t want to either. My life is here.”

Fu Yun nodded even though he was in a daze. He understood what Yue Ji said and yet, there were so many new questions he suddenly wanted to ask. “If the others withered, then does that mean you don’t have any family here?”

Yue Ji pondered for a moment and then waved at Fu Yun before crouching down next to the rose bush. “Family … it depends on how you see it. There are no other plant spirits living in this forest that I would know of but sometimes, a fairy will be born. Right now, one of them is living here.” He reached out and carefully brushed aside some leaves, revealing a dainty figure that was barely as high as a finger.

Fu Yun’s eyes widened and he stared at the fairy in a daze. After a moment, he found his bearing again and turned back to Yue Ji. “Among humans, they distinguish only between fairies and demonic spirits. But you’re saying that this is a fairy and you are a plant spirit so …”

Yue Ji smiled and shook his head. “The humans don’t know much about us. It’s no wonder to get it wrong. What they mean by ‘fairies’ are spirits that won’t harm them. Actually though, fairies all look like Petal here. They are small and winged and born from the plants.”

“Like you?” Fu Yun didn’t quite get the difference.

Yue Ji shook his head. “No. They are born from it. Imagine …” He looked around and couldn’t help but regret that it was currently winter. Finally, he just motioned up at a tree at random. “If you have a tree like that, then when it blossoms, a fairy might be contained in one of them. When the other blossoms turn into fruits, that one will nurture the fairy inside until it is big enough to live on its own.

“Because of how the fairies are born, one plant can bring life to many of them but it needs the right nourishment. Only a healthy and strong plant allows a fairy to be born from it.”

Fu Yun nodded, somewhat starting to understand. “And plant spirits like you?”

Yue Ji reached out and brushed against the leaves in front of him. “We are the spirit of the plant. That is to say, we are the plant. This rose bush is my true body. Right now, what you see here …” He pressed a hand against his chest to distinguish which one he meant. “This is merely a projection.”

Fu Yun looked at Yue Ji or what he had believed Yue Ji to be before and felt confused. “But it feels so real!”

“Yes.” Yue Ji smiled brightly. He let go of the leaves of the rose bush, covering Petal again. “And yet, it could be gone in the blink of an eye. You watch! I will show you what I mean.” He got to his feet and raised his hands, making sure that Fu Yun would not think that this was some kind of magic trick.

The next moment, what Fu Yun had thought of as his body vanished and the rose bush in front of him lightly shook. The hunter’s eyes widened and he stared at the leaves in a daze. He believed Yue Ji’s words but it was still difficult to imagine even after watching it.

Another moment passed, the rose bush shook more wildly, and suddenly, where it stood, the plant vanished and instead, only Yue Ji’s familiar figure appeared, gently holding Petal in his hands.

Fu Yun got to his feet and looked the plant spirit over. “The rose bush …” He didn’t understand what this meant but he knew that there was a difference between what had just happened and what he had seen before. Not to mention … He looked into Yue Ji’s eyes and found the faintest trace of green in them just like in his dream.