One early summer night, the courtyard lay in tranquil silence. The peonies across the city had long since withered, their fleeting beauty fading into memory. But here, a single bloom had just began to unfurl—delicate, enchanting.
Pure white petals, translucent as moonlight, clustered together. A faint wash of green tinged their edges, even the heart of the blossoms flushed verdant. Their freshness was utterly beguiling.
Beside him, the man reached out, fingertips grazing the nearly transparent petals.
A shiver ghosted over his skin, as though those fingers had brushed against him instead. Xiao Ye couldn’t help but tremble, his cheeks blooming with colour.
The ever-attentive man naturally didn’t miss this reaction. A small smile played on his lips as he pulled Xiao Ye closer. "Are you cold?"
"N-no..." Xiao Ye couldn’t bring himself to explain, so he lowered his head, quietly gazing at his true form.
Behind the deep green leaves, a layer of fine fuzz shimmered under the moonlight. The long stems bore a faint hint of purple, setting off the pristine elegance of the white buds.
"What’s the name of this peony?" he murmured, glancing up.
Every peony had a name—fanciful titles like Changing Beauty, Golden Yellow, and Purple Splendor were renowned throughout the peony gardens. He knew he was a peony as well, yet his own name remained a mystery.
"Moonlight White—the purest white among the peonies," Qin Yuxuan answered, then leaned in, his breath warm against Xiao Ye's ear. "Now that I think about it, your name also has the character for ‘night,’ doesn’t it?"
He flushed before nodding faintly, realizing that the flower spirit might have given him this name for that very reason.
t/n The 'ye' in Xiao Ye is from Moonlight White, or ye guang bai.Several days had passed since his first bloom. His once-depleted strength had gradually returned, replenished by soaking in the light of the sun and moon, and also...
His face heated as he stole a glance at the man beside him.
Since their reunion, they had been inseparable, spending long hours entangled in bed. Strangely, after doing it a lot, his energy seemed to have been replenished, and Qin Yuxuan showed no signs of discomfort either.
Perhaps it was because flower spirits were inherently pure, different from other demons, so even if they xx, they only absorbed a small amount of the other's energy.
t/n We all know what "xx" stands for, wink wonkNow that he was fully recovered—and had found the love of his life—gratitude swelled within him, but so too did guilt.
After much contemplation, he realized that if not for the flower spirit's aid, he would never have taken human form, never have met him. He might have remained forever trapped within the peony, bound to solitude, untouched by love.
And yet, though his wishes had been fulfilled, he had given the flower spirit nothing in return, not even a sliver of his cultivation.
The thought weighed heavily on his heart.
Lost in his thoughts, his brows drew together in a faint crease. Qin Yuxuan reached out, smoothing the furrow with gentle fingers. "What’s wrong? Are you tired?"
He shook his head quickly, hesitated, then whispered, "I’d like to stay here alone for a while. Could you go back first?"
Qin Yuxuan paused, then smiled. "Alright. But be careful. I’ll be waiting for you at home."
Those affectionate words sent warmth curling through his chest. Yet he knew that if Qin Yuxuan lingered, the flower spirit would never appear. So, no matter how reluctant he was, they had to part for now.
He watched Qin Yuxuan’s figure disappear through the courtyard gate before turning back.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Such a lovesick little spirit."
Amid the peony's lush petals lounged the flower fairy, clad in purple. Half-lidded eyes swept over him with lazy amusement.
"Jie jie!"
Xiao Ye scampered over, his face alight with joy.
The flower fairy snorted. "Now that you have your beloved young master, do you even remember me?"
Xiao Ye's face burned. He lowered his gaze. "I came today to find you and to thank you for helping me. As for my cultivation, if you want it, you can take it. Just... leave me enough to keep my human form."
The flower fairy studied him for a moment, then burst into laughter. "You really are a fool. Your little bit of cultivation? I could gather that in mere days. Keep it."
With that, she tossed him a dainty brocade box.
Curious, he opened it, but instead of gold or jewels, a thin layer of soil nestled within.
"If you ever want to leave this place, just place your true form inside."
"Jie jie..."
Seeing his tear-brimmed eyes, the flower fairy pursed her lips. "You couldn’t eat or sleep just because that man left for just a few months. I couldn't stand watching you mope—it was annoying."
Xiao Ye laughed through his tears. Her words were sharp, but her heart was soft.
"Besides... I lied to you."
The flower fairy scratched her head, then waved a sleeve, conjuring a mirror-like puddle of water. "Take a look."
He peered into the water, but all he saw was his own reflection, staring back at him.
"Actually... This is your original appearance."
His eyes widened as he examined his reflection closely, stunned by the ethereal beauty gazing back at him.
The flower fairy straightened up, pulling a delicate porcelain bottle from the peony's whorl. She sniffed it and hummed in approval. "This nectar is good."
In the next moment, a pair of pale yellow wings unfurled from her back, fluttering lightly as she rose into the air.
"Jie jie, you..."
He stared in disbelief at the familiar figure before him, his memories returning to the first time he opened his eyes. That little butterfly had tickled him—before getting startled by the teacher’s scolding and flying away.
"It’s only fair that I lied to you. Serves you right for calling me jie jie all this time..." The little butterfly circled him once more before flitting toward the moonlit sky.
From the distance came a voice, hovering between laughter and exasperation. "You’re so clueless you can’t even tell male from female. I’ve never worn a dress—"
The words faded into the hush of the night, carried away with a wisp of fragrance. In the courtyard, the peonies bathed in silver light, as radiant as the moon itself.
"Young Master."
He knocked on the door and threw himself into the familiar arms. "Do I... look beautiful?"
The man chuckled softly, his voice warm. "No matter what Xiao Ye looks like, I’ll always love you."
Lifted into a steady embrace, he buried his face against Qin Yuxuan's chest.
Perhaps, even if he had truly been plain, this man would have cherished him all the same.
A small smile curled his lips. He nuzzled closer and closed his eyes in contentment.
Author's notes:
This chapter combines Xiao Ye and the flower fairy’s extras. And with this, Before the Spring Breeze Told You comes to an end! Personally, I really liked the flower fairy (or little butterfly) as a supporting character.
t/n Me too!! My favourite character hahahaFor the next three days, I’ll be traveling and won’t have access to a computer, so I won’t be able to update. I’ll see you all again on Saturday night or Sunday! I’ll miss you!
