Mei Hua disappeared from the western town without a word.

She knew she was being cruel, as she’d made some friends there. But she didn’t dare even hint at leaving. Mayor Li Hong kept a close eye on her, and no one in town ever went against him. Not even her friends.

It had crossed her mind to go further west. There were more places she hadn’t seen, giant cities and ports filled with exotic animals and goods. So much to see and do!

But every place she went, there would be another “Mayor Li Hong”, another “Madam Changyin”. The corruption within mankind would haunt her, nipping at her heels. There would never be a place as safe and free as the Blue Mountains.

She looked to those mountains and bit her lip. She’d abandoned Ye for two years to satisfy her own selfish curiosity. Would he forgive her for being so gone so long? Would he be angry? Would he still count her as a friend?

Even as those thoughts crossed her mind, her feet moved on their own, and suddenly she was at the edge of the forest. Looking in, she saw it was quiet, peaceful. A normal looking mountain forest.

Heart thumping in her chest, she took a few timid steps. Glancing around, she got on her hands and feet and bowed deeply until her forehead touched the ground.

“Oh Great Fairy Emperor, Ruler of the Mountains to the North and the South, I come to you and beg permission for re-entry. Whatever price you require, if it is within my ability, I will pay. Please grant mercy on this lowly one, Great Emperor!”

She sat, bowed, waiting for a response.

But none came.

Sitting back up, she looked around, fear gripping her heart. Why had the Fairy Emperor not come?

“Ye?” She finally called out. “Ye, are you there?”

Being a fairy, Ye could travel very fast. He somehow always knew where she was, no matter how far apart they might end up. Even if he wasn’t nearby, he would surely sense her entry into the forest.

But there was no response once again.

Heartbroken, she stood up, stumbling from her legs going numb.

“Ye! Ye answer me!” She cried out, tears filling her eyes. “Ye, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please come out! I know I was wrong!”

Her words seemed to echo back on her. Stumbling feet turned to running feet, and she rushed through the forest seeking out the one person she considered her true family.

“Ye! Ye! Where are you?” She was yelling now, tears streaming down her face, panicked beyond reason. He could not have simply disappeared!

“Please, if you’re there Ye, please talk to me! I know I broke my promise, I won’t this time. I promise, I’ll never leave you again. I’ll never leave the mountain. Not even if the entire world is set on fire! Please Ye, please answer me!”

Her vision was so blurred by her crying she didn’t see the tree root in front of her, and she fell sharply to the ground with a painful grunt. Rather than getting back up, she curled into a ball, weeping.

A shift in the air, very subtle, caught her attention. Sniffling, she looked up. A tiny fairy, with hair shaped like a leaf, stood in front of her.

“Do you promise to stay with me forever?” He said, his eyes narrowed slightly and a blank look on his face.

“F—forever is a l—long time.” She wiped her now tear stained face, her heart rejoicing. “But u—until I d—die, I’ll stay.”

He looked away for a moment and then nodded.

“YE!” She reached out and grabbed him, hugging his little form to her own and started sobbing again.

“Alright, alright,” Ye finally said after several minutes. “If you cry anymore, your face is gonna stay like that. And I don’t think I can be friends with anyone with a face that ugly.”

She laughed, despite his harsh words.

“I missed you Ye. I’m sorry, I’m sorry I was gone for so long.”

“Hn.” He responded and then tilted his head. “Did you enjoy your time among the humans?”

She sniffled some more, her tears slowing as she thought.

“There were some good parts to it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, the sweets were great.”

“Didn’t you make any friends?”

“Some.”

“They’ll miss you.”

“You’re more important.”

The fairy trembled slightly at this, and then chuckled.

“Well, I am Teacher Ye. Obviously I’m the most important, wisest person in your life. It’s a good thing you came back, how would you survive without me?”