Past Autumn

"Xiao Yi, it's almost time for class. Why are you still here?" "Ah, I'm sorry, Master! It's just... the ginkgo trees in fall are so pretty, I couldn't help staying to look a little longer." Patriarch Lin's eyes soften as he watches the small girl in front of him fidgeting with her fingers like a guilty child. To be honest, he actually wonders if she really enjoys the scenery or just wants an excuse to skip his class. "Well, these trees aren't going anywhere. You can still come watch them after class, you know?" "Ah, but I'll have to go training right after that! And then I'll be way too exhausted to admire them. After training is dinner, where I'll eat a lot, end up feeling too full and sleepy, and won't be able to come back here!" The petite girl protests, crossing her arms with puffed-up cheeks. The old man only gives her an unimpressed look. He sighs, placing his hand on her upper back and nudging her along. "Come on, you're making me late for my own class too. If you're really worried about being too full, you should just eat less." "Master, how heartless! I'm still growing! How can I get taller and stronger if I don't eat properly?" She jerks her head up with a dramatic gasp at his advice. "Yeah, yeah. Then learn how to manage your time better. Since you like them so much, you can sleep out here with them tonight." He smirks at her pout as they walk along the path toward the study quarter. However, Patriarch Lin can still see her green eyes lingering on the row of yellowing trees. The silence stretches on before she speaks quietly. "Master." "Hm?" "What would you think if we made an outdoor learning area with these ginkgo trees planted all around it?" "What? You want to be a gardener instead of a cultivator now?" He raises an eyebrow curiously. She doesn't react to his teasing, her eyes fixed on the trees as if taking in every single detail. The old man lets out a breath that sounds suspiciously like a chuckle, reaching out to pat her head. "If you want that to happen, you'll have to do it yourself, little brat." She blinks up at him in surprise, but the patriarch is already walking ahead, leaving her to stumble after him in a panic. "W-Wait, Master! What do you mean by that?!"