The blossoming spring has begun

Chapter one (edited and rewritten)

It is all dark. I have the impression that I am alone in a pitch-black sea, with no indication of nearby life or humans. It is as soothing and soft as if someone had covered me with a warm blanket.

It was in the never-ending blackness that I began to see light. When I opened my eyes, everything was hazy for a short while as it continued to get brighter. It was difficult for me to see clearly; perhaps I had just woken up from a dream.

The dream seemed really cozy and peaceful. It took me a while to realize that I was lying with my head between my folded arms and resting it on a table. Why is my head leaning against a table? I looked around me as my vision eventually cleared. I felt as though I was in a garden, surrounded by lush vegetation and flowers. I glanced down and noticed a tea cup nearby. Is this a Suzhou garden?

"What brings me here?" I can not recall anything. I tried to reflect on why I was here and what had transpired, but all I got was a headache. I proceeded to massage my temples when I suddenly realized something startling.

I seemed to raise only my right arm when I rubbed my temple. My left arm, what happened to it? Not at all, I can not feel it. My eyes went round as I gazed down to where my left arm was supposed to be. My left arm does not exist. I am wearing a hanfu dress that appears to be light blue, almost turquoise, from where I am looking now. The belt around my waist is a darker blue color, and the bottom half of the dress is a dark gray that almost looks black.

What am I donning? Where is my arm? How come I? Nothing at all comes to mind! Everything is quite hazy. Remaining standing, I left the teacup on the table by itself. I started to meander about the garden, crossing a tiny bridge that was built over a tiny pond. I placed my palm on the rail, raised my gaze to the lake, and let my eyes get really big.

I have a harsh and icy countenance, light blue eyes, long, untidy black hair that appears to be in a messy braid, pale pink plum blossom flowers on some parts of the hanfu I am wearing, and I am missing an arm. I reached for the left sleeve where my arm should have been, but all I managed to do was tighten my grip on the sleeve without experiencing any arm pain. I appear completely different. I would lie if I said that no human has blue eyes.

I am not this. I am not this person. This girl's stern, icy expression did not flinch from the moment I was first astonished. Hey, how did I look earlier? I really can not recall. However, I can say with certainty that I have always had two arms.

"Your ladyship!" It felt like a small child reaching out for someone significant, so at first I disregarded it, believing the girl was asking for someone else. The voice called out, "My lady," again, but this time it was coming from beside me, so I turned my head to look at her as she gazed at me. I remained mute, thinking, 'Oh, so she was reaching out to me.' I had no idea, your ladyship, that you were in the garden. You do not typically visit the garden unless you need some alone time to reflect." She had a soothing, kind voice that made me feel as though we had known each other for a very long time.

She smiled and added, "Your father has sent me to get you." I stood where I was, and she turned around and started to walk. After turning back and glancing at me, she realized I was not following her. "My lady, is there a problem?" She spoke in a troubled tone, "I can let the sect leader know that you are not feeling well if you still do not want to visit him. How thoughtful.

At last, I turned to follow her and murmured, "Coming." She smiled slightly, turned around, and followed me, walking at a moderate pace. 'Section head?' As we walked further, I thought to myself. We would go from the Suzhou garden to the steps, and I doubted that I noticed at the time because I was lost in concentration. I am aware that climbing some of the massive stairs will exhaust me.

The steps and cement have a light blue undertone. As I got to the top of the steps, I could even see how big the area was where they led. As soon as I saw the young woman start up the stairs, I went straight after her. All you can hear are the sounds of our footsteps on the ground and the rustle of our clothing.

We made it to the top at last, and I am doing everything in my power to hold my breath and not pass out like a fish that has run out of oxygen. There, we were facing two enormous doors, each of which bore a massive emblem of a plum blossom. The doors gently opened for us as the girl clapped her hands and pressed them against them, causing the sign of the plum blossom to light up in a pink hue. We were struck by a gust of wind as soon as the doors opened.

The girl said, "Follow me, my lady," and I did just that, following her inside. The doors behind me slammed with a loud echo as they slowly closed. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed two closed doors bearing the same flower symbol—a plum blossom. I looked past the closed doors and continued on my journey. This location is huge.

This location appears to have been crafted from white jade with a subtle blue hue. Three flags with the sign of a plum blossom in the middle of each on the left and right sides of the roof were suspended from the ceiling. The flags were light turquoise.

With the sun beaming through the windows, the sound of our footsteps resounded with every stride we took at this location. I even noticed that there was no glass in any of the windows. The girl in front of me had stopped walking because I had squarely hit her back, but I was too engrossed in the view to notice it. "Are you okay, my lady?" she questioned, glancing back at me. I instantly nodded and said I was sorry for bumping into her when she inquired. With a smile, she acknowledged me. She whispered softly, "It is okay."

How come she is whispering now? Gazing past her, I noticed someone in front of us and thought to myself. They had their back to us, their hair in a bun perched atop their head with a pin through it, and their whole head was covered in white hair, so I could not tell who it was. I can only surmise that they are older than the girl and me.

When at last the individual turned around, I recognized him as an older man. He looks smart despite having very few creases on his face and a full white beard and mustache. 'Is my father this man?' I wondered myself as I kept looking at him, till the girl spoke to the man and cut me off from my train of thought. She puts her hands together and bows to him, saying, "Sect leader, I brought her ladyship here precisely as you requested of me."

The man extended his hand toward her, and when he did so, his white hanfu sleeve moved as well. "Many thanks, Min. He says to the girl, whose name I just found out is Min, "You may go now; I would like to speak to my daughter alone." She nodded, straightened up, turned around, and left. I heard the doors open again and shut. I glanced up at my father, feeling anxious and my heart racing. I started to perspire a little. 'What am I feeling at the moment?' As this man, my father, smiled at me with closed eyes and put his arms behind his back, I pondered. "Now, how about we have a little father-daughter time and chat?" he asks.

He will share with me some crucial information that pertains to me. Gods above, please make this all a dream so I can wake up right away!