The soft, gentle rays of sunlight flowed quietly through the air. Birds chirped as if singing delicate melodies, while the slow breeze brushed past, causing every leaf on the trees to sway gently. It was as though every cycle of samsara within the universe was moving in silence.
It was truly a peaceful morning.
At that moment, a young boy was resting in the forest.
He lay atop a thick branch of a large tree, both hands tucked behind his head as he relaxed, gazing alone at the vast sky above.
The boy's face was neither exceptionally handsome nor unattractive. If he stood among a crowd, he would be the kind of person who wouldn't catch anyone's attention—just an ordinary face.
His hair had grown to about the length of his neck, yet it was styled simply like that of a normal youth. The hair at the back of his head and along his forehead was loosely gathered and tied with a simple cord, while a few strands on either side of his face were left to fall freely, reaching down to his nose.
His body was firm and well-built. He wore a tight, fitted top that allowed for easy movement, and on his lower half, he donned the lightweight trousers commonly worn by martial artists.
From his clothing alone, it was obvious that this boy was either used to hard labor—or someone always prepared for combat.
Just then, a bird flew across the sky he had been staring at.
As he calmly watched the small bird circling above, a series of questions surfaced in Xiao Lei's mind.
Is that bird really happy flying like that?
Is it happy living its life…?
But in the very next second, he snapped back to his senses and frowned.
Huh… why am I worrying about a bird?
That's not like me at all…
Though he no longer wanted to think about the bird, an odd feeling still lingered in his chest. It was a strange mix—part embarrassment, part sadness—an indescribable emotion that continued to disturb him. For a thirteen-year-old boy, such complicated feelings were simply too difficult to understand.
"Argh… this is so annoying!"
Irritated, he scratched his head vigorously with both hands, instantly turning his hair into a messy disaster.
…
At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly cut through the chaos of his thoughts.
"Hey—Xiao Lei! You lazy bastard! I'm done with my work already. Get down from that tree right now!"
The owner of that shout was none other than Bai Fei.
He was Xiao Lei's closest friend and also someone blessed with strikingly handsome looks. His height, hairstyle, and clothing were almost identical to Xiao Lei's, making it seem as though there was a special connection between the two.
Startled by Bai Fei's shouting, Xiao Lei's thoughts shattered. He shifted his body on the branch, brushed aside the strands of hair hanging by his face, and looked down.
"Alright, alright… I'm coming. Why are you yelling like your life depends on it?" he called back casually.
Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, he spoke in a lively tone.
"Okay, okay—I'm coming down."
Xiao Lei flipped himself off the branch. The wind rushed past his clothes, and for a brief moment, his thoughts seemed to drift away with it. Only when his feet touched the ground did he fully return to reality.
Bai Fei placed two fingers on Xiao Lei's shoulder and said with a grin,
"You're always like this. Your body's on the tree, but your mind's already floating in the sky."
Xiao Lei smiled back, scratched his head, and replied lightly,
"Well, if my mind isn't in the sky, how would I ever see your precious Fei Li?"
Bai Fei responded just as casually,
"Enough wasting time. This time we only need to collect the four-leaf green herb. Finally, it's my turn to rest."
Xiao Lei, still unable to hide his lazy and annoyed expression, replied coolly,
"Yeah, yeah… I get it."
Only then did Xiao Lei and Bai Fei begin their journey to gather the four-leaf green herb. Though they were deep in the forest, neither of them showed any fear or anxiety. Instead, they walked leisurely, chatting and joking as they went.
While searching for the herb, Xiao Lei suddenly spoke.
"Bai Fei, let me ask you something."
Bai Fei smiled. "Yeah? What is it?"
Xiao Lei turned to look at Bai Fei with a faint smile and asked in a relaxed tone,
"What do you think people do first when they wake up in the morning?"
At that moment, Bai Fei thought, What is this guy plotting now? Trying to mess with me?
"Hah, you think I'll fall for your trick?"
He pretended to think for a moment, then changed his tone.
Smiling mischievously at Xiao Lei, Bai Fei said,
"I think the proper thing to do is hug your beloved Li Sei first."
Xiao Lei cared more about laughing than being embarrassed.
"Hahaha… what bullshit! You think I'm blind enough to like Li Sei?" he shot back, laughing loudly.
"Trying to trick me with such a childish move?" he added, poking Bai Fei straight in the face with his finger while walking, wearing an expression that clearly said, I'm the master here.
Bai Fei rubbed his face lightly with his palm, then thought for a moment about how to strike back.
With a sly grin, Bai Fei looked at Xiao Lei and said,
"Oh? So you don't like her, huh? Alright then. So who was it that cried in their sleep, holding their pillow and sobbing, 'Li Sei… please don't leave me. Every other girl means nothing to me compared to you,' with that nasal, whining voice? That look back then—man, you were like a heartbroken tragic hero!"
Xiao Lei's face instantly turned bright red. Flustered, he shouted,
"Hey! Stop spouting nonsense!"
Seeing his chance, Bai Fei cupped his hand to his ear, pretending to listen carefully.
"What? What did you say? I can't hear you—it's too quiet. Oh… did you say 'I love Li Sei to death'? Is that it? Say it louder, please!"
Xiao Lei's face turned as red as a ripe tomato.
"Hey, asshole! Looks like your ass is itching real bad today. Come here—I'll give you a free treatment with my foot!"
With that, he charged forward with a loud roar.
But Bai Fei remained calm. He sidestepped easily and bolted away with a smug grin.
"Missed! Hehe!"
While running, he even turned back to shout,
"Xiao Lei! If you like her, just admit it! Why are you acting all shy like a little girl?"
Xiao Lei chased after him furiously, yelling at the top of his lungs,
"Shut up and keep running! I'll make sure your ass is well prepared!"
And so the two of them disappeared deeper into the forest, their laughter and shouts echoing through the trees.