It was a bright summer afternoon.

The surrounding streets were bustling.

The scene was rather familiar, as it lay in the very same city that the girl used to be in when she was a stray.

The city was still as lively as ever.

Perhaps to difference to this was there no more snow.

There was no longer the past her.

The girl herself who stepped on this street was now wearing a pink dress.

Her skin was fair and tender.

Her blue eyes were shiny bright like stars.

Her hair was rolled into two small buns on each side.

She was like a phoenix reborn from the ash.

-

Xueer herself was stilling following the large man, Yanyi.

On a second look, Yanyi was not particularly large.

It was just that Xueer was too small.

Xueer skipped forward as she hummed a happy tune.

Yanyi followed along.

The two of them have been on a journey for two seasons already.

They have seen the surrounding forest and rivers.

Scaled the neighboring mountains and hills.

Crept into the closest caves and dungeons.

They have been wandering around this region.

Their final destination here would be the place of their first encounter.

-

As Xueer walked past a store, she noticed something that caught her attention.

It was not a bright pearl.

Not a pretty dress.

Not a jade pin.

It was a simple white fan.

The white fan was plain, unlike others which had intricate designs surrounding the stall.

The fan merchant noticed the girl's curiosity.

A potential customer.

"Little sister, do you want any of these pretty fans that I have. Looks here has one with pink flowers, there is another with little sparrows."

"It will be cheap for a cute young girl like you." He added.

Xueer who heard that puffed her cheeks.

Even if the merchant had no bad intentions, he still belittled her.

Yanyi who had been with her could tell her mood immediately.

"Xueer, which fan is it?"

Xueer pointed to the single plain white fan as she turned to Yanyi and said, "That one."

"Oh, why that?"

Yanyi was curious about her choice, he thought that she would like something more beautiful.

The fan she chose was a fan made for young scholars who liked to draw or write calligraphy on their fans.

"It looks like snow, like when we first met."

She chimed out.

It was indeed plain white like untainted snow.

Yanyi silently looked at her with an understanding smile.

He took out a few copper coins from his pouch and handed them to the merchant.

The confused merchant just accepted it without a word.

The two of them then slowly began to walk into the distance.