Chapter 475: Farewell to Yangdu
The rain had barely stopped before the skies turned clear again. A rainbow arched across the sky, lingering for a long time.
For the next several days, the sun shone relentlessly. Each day grew hotter than the last, and after the rain, the cicadas began to emerge. At first, their calls were scattered, but soon they became a continuous chorus, buzzing through the city. Under the glaring sunlight, Yangdu was bathed in golden light—it already felt like summer.
Song You sat cross-legged under the eaves, alone. The cicadas' cries only made the world feel quieter.
The midday sun was relentless, making the afternoon drowsy. The entire city of Yangdu seemed to have turned into an empty shell, with only him sitting here.
The courtyard was no longer as desolate as it had been when he first arrived last year.
Jointgrasses and cattails thrived wildly. Along the walls, suanqie grew, their small green and red lantern-like fruits hanging like decorations. Peppers lined the other side of the yard, their plants now dotted with tiny blossoms, like scattered stars. In the open space, small green onions sprouted, their leaves swaying as tiny butterflies, no larger than a fingernail, flitted among them.
Fortunately, Lady Calico had taken her manuscript to be published.
Had she still been in the courtyard, few of these little creatures would have escaped her grasp.
Just as he had this thought, a sudden sound reached his ears.
“Clack.”
The wooden latch on the courtyard door fell open by itself. Then, with a slow creak, the gate swung open.