Chapter 3

Because it had rained in the afternoon, the night air was crisp and fresh.

The moon hung bright in the sky, accompanied by only a few scattered stars. In the quiet school hall, the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of insects. Little Flower shook off the lingering raindrops and slowly opened his eyes.

Despite cultivating for so long, he was still trapped within his true form—unable to speak, unable to move.

Yet all he wanted was to be a little closer to that person—close enough to stay by his side always, so he would no longer have to endure this solitude.

"Do you wish to leave this place?"

A silvery voice sounded by his ear. Startled, he looked around in a panic, only to spot a tiny girl, no larger than a petal. Dressed in yellow, she stood atop one of his branches, smiling impishly.

He nodded eagerly but quickly caught himself, tilting his head in confusion. After a brief hesitation, he asked timidly, "Jie jie, who are you?"

The girl laughed and perched on one of his leaves, kicking her legs as she regarded him. "I am a flower fairy."

Sure enough, a soft, white glow surrounded her, shimmering with a divine radiance. She truly did look ethereal and beautiful. His heart stirred with hope, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "I really want to leave this place. Please, jie jie, help me!"

"Your cultivation isn’t strong enough. By all rights, you shouldn't be able to leave your true form. But meeting me is your good fortune. After all, there’s nothing in this world I can’t do. That said…"

She deliberately dragged out the last words, casting him a sideways glance.

"Jie jie, please don’t hesitate to say it. As long as I can become human, I’ll do anything."

The girl blinked before breaking into a smile. "It’s for that person, isn't it?"

He froze for a moment, but when he met her gaze, he nodded resolutely.

"You’re truly stubborn. And what if he doesn’t like you? What will you do then?"

"I only wish to stay by his side," he murmured, his voice soft but unwavering.

The fairy fell silent, lowering her head as if lost in thought. After a moment, she suddenly smiled brightly. "How about we make a bet?"

She continued, "If he falls for you before you bloom, you will be able to take on a human form whenever you wish and be with him forever. But if he doesn't…"

Her delicate smile became laced with something almost sinister. "When you flower, you will lose all feelings and memories. You’ll surrender your cultivation to me, and become nothing more than an ordinary flower—no consciousness, no thoughts. What do you say?"

His body trembled slightly, but his expression soon hardened with determination. "Alright."

The fairy seemed briefly surprised at how readily he agreed. Then, with a faint smile, she recited an incantation before instructing, "Remember, until then, you must not move your true body. If you do, you'll lose all your cultivation, and even I won’t be able to save you."

He repeated the incantation as she had taught him. In an instant, he found himself standing in a familiar courtyard. His green leaves had transformed into a jade-colored robe, cascading softly to the ground.

When he turned to look at the fairy, he had to lower his gaze.

"Jie jie, did you know me before?"

She scoffed, amused by his ignorance. "I am a flower fairy. Which flower don't I know?" 

His wide eyes shone with an earnestness. "Then, what is my name?"

"I've never met such a foolish flower. You don’t even know your own name?" The girl snorted, unable to hold back her laughter. "Your name is Xiao Ye."

"Xiao Ye…" He whispered the name, testing it on his tongue. A shy smile formed on his lips—only to fade a moment later, as if he had suddenly remembered something.

"I-I have one more request…" He bit his lip, hesitation clouding his expression. "Jie jie, could you make me a little more beautiful?"

"Oh?"

"I know I'm ugly. If he sees me like this, he surely won’t like me…" His long lashes trembled, lightly misted. "I overheard them say that he only likes beautiful people."

His voice grew even quieter. "I know it's wrong to deceive others but… I just want to stay by his side. I just want to see him smile at me."

The flower fairy smiled wryly and said nothing. With a wave of her hand, shimmering stardust filled the air.

The tears in his eyes threatened to fall, but he held them back. Then, he pressed his lips into faint, grateful smile. "Thank you, jie jie."