I served as Li Bai's page.

When the four of us returned to Wutongyu, it was already dark. The lights shining from every household in the mountain village twinkled like stars in the sky, appearing so distant.

When we returned to Zhang Shuming's house, a lantern was lit in the courtyard, and the whole family was sitting in the pavilion outside the living room waiting for us. Upon seeing us, Zhang Shuming's eldest son ran over and said, "Grandpa and Grandma were worried something had happened to you, and they were just about to go to the village chief to send someone to look for you."

Li Bai approached Zhang Shuming's parents and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you, Uncle and Aunt."

"It's good that you're back. We can eat now," said Zhang Shuming's father.

Just as everyone sat down in the restaurant, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll go open the door." After saying that, Zhang Shuming's eldest son ran into the yard and soon came in with a young and beautiful girl in his hand.

Zhang Shuming's wife stood up, walked to the girl's side, and said, "Shiliu is here. Come, sit down and eat."

"I've already eaten. My dad asked me to come and ask if Uncle Ming and the others have returned yet."

Zhang Shuming replied, "I just got back. I'm sorry to have worried you."

"My dad said there have been wolves on Shimen Mountain lately, and he told you to be careful when you walk at night," Shiliu said.

"Thank you, Village Chief. We'll remember that. Shiliu, come, sit down and have some more," Zhang Shuming said.

"I'm not eating anymore. You're all back safely now, so I'm going back. You can continue eating." Shi Liu said, turning and walking towards the courtyard. Zhang Shuming and his wife got up to see her off.

From the moment Shiliu entered the room, Li Bai would frequently glance at her, and even after Shiliu left the room, he would turn back to look at her.

After this little incident, Li Bai, Zhang Shuming, and Han Zhun started drinking and didn't return to their rooms to rest until midnight.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Li Bai got up to practice his sword. I followed him to the courtyard. At that time, only the servants who were making breakfast at the Zhang residence were up.

I said to Li Bai, "Young Master, let's practice outside the village, so we don't wake the Zhang family."

"Alright, take my books." Li Bai led me out of Zhang's mansion and headed up the mountain behind the village. We came to a flat area on the mountain and started practicing swordsmanship. After we finished practicing, Li Bai sat down by the mountain and began reading. I had nothing to do, so I wandered around next to Li Bai.

"Yuehua, sit down. You're walking around and disturbing my reading," Li Bai said.

I obediently sat down on a rock by the mountainside, resting my chin on my hands and gazing blankly at the village below.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Bai walked up to me and waved his hand in front of my eyes.

"Young master, I was thinking that the girl from yesterday was so beautiful; she sounded like the village chief's daughter."

"Didn't Zhang Shuming say thank you to the village chief? She's the village chief's daughter. Why are you thinking about this?" Li Bai said.

"We live in this village, so we should try to please her; it'll make things easier for us later."

"Stop thinking about crooked and unorthodox methods; we should focus on learning swordsmanship."

"Young Master, learning swordsmanship is the primary task, but it's not something that can be accomplished overnight; it's a long process. We don't know when we'll be able to finish learning and return home. We'll probably have to stay here on Shimen Mountain for several years," I said.

"Yuehua, are you scared?" Li Bai asked.

"What am I afraid of? I just want to get along well with the people around me so we can get along better in the future."

"You're overthinking it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and adapt to your circumstances. Don't you understand? Interpersonal relationships aren't that complicated," Li Bai said.

I glanced at Li Bai and said, "It's not complicated. Why do we always run into obstacles, young master? You're just too straightforward. Whether you like something or not, it's obvious from your face and your writing. You should be like a stone, smoothed out by the wind and rain."

"That's not true. I am who I am, the one and only Li Bai in the world. Enough with the nonsense, let's go back and have breakfast." After Li Bai finished speaking, he walked into the village, and I stood up and followed behind him.

By this time, it was already broad daylight, and some of the villagers were already working in the fields. Li Bai and I walked into the village, and when we were about to reach Zhang Shuming's house, we saw an old house with an antique charm hidden among the green trees across the way. The eaves, the gate, and the windows around it were all made of high-quality wood, and there was a pomegranate tree in front of the door, full of red flowers, which was extremely beautiful.

"Young master, look at that pomegranate tree over there, how beautifully the flowers are in bloom!"

Li Bai looked in the direction I was pointing and said, "That's a sea pomegranate tree, a rare variety of pomegranate tree. It blooms every May and June." Before he finished speaking, Li Bai stared intently at the second-floor window behind the pomegranate tree.

I followed Li Bai's gaze upwards. The second-floor window was open, and the girl from yesterday was sitting by the window, doing her hair in front of the mirror. Her long, flowing hair was wrapped in her slender hands, tied into a bun, and adorned with a flower hairpin. The girl looked at herself carefully in the mirror, a satisfied smile on her face. She stood up, walked to the window, leaned forward, and reached out to close the two windows, but saw Li Bai staring intently at her from across the way. She smiled sweetly at Li Bai and quickly closed the windows.

"Young master, everyone has closed the windows. What are you still looking at? Come on, let's go home for dinner."

I tugged at Li Bai's sleeve, and Li Bai suddenly snapped out of his reverie, shaking his head and saying, "Everyone has a love of beauty; I am but a mortal."

"Nobody said you're a god, let's go back," I said.

Back at the Zhang residence, after breakfast, Li Bai hurried towards his bedroom. Zhang Shuming and Han Zhun, finding this strange, stopped me and asked:

"What's wrong with Li Bai? Shouldn't he be at Baiyun Temple right now?"

"I don't know, let's go check."

We went into the bedroom and saw Li Bai sitting at a table by the window, writing furiously. The three of us didn't dare to disturb him, so we quietly sat down behind him.

After Li Bai finished writing, he stood up and handed the poem to Zhang Shuming, saying, "What do you think of the poem I wrote when I wasn't drinking?"

Zhang Shuming took the poem, and Han Zhun and I leaned in. Zhang Shuming read it softly: "Beneath the east window of the Lu maiden, the pomegranate is rare in the world. Coral reflected in the green water cannot compare to its brilliance. Its fragrance rises with the wind, and birds return at sunset. I wish I were a branch in the southeast, gently brushing against your silken robe. Unable to climb and pluck it together, I can only gaze longingly at the golden gate."

After reading it, Zhang Shuming exclaimed, "Truly worthy of Li Bai! In less than a quarter of an hour, he created a masterpiece that will last for eternity! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! The pomegranate will also be remembered for a thousand years along with it."

Han Zhun took the poem, marveling at it, and said, "I'd also like to get to know this beautiful woman."

Zhang Shuming said, "Actually, you already know this person. This is Shiliu, the village chief's daughter, who came to my house last night. They live right across the street. Li Bai must have been moved by what he saw when he passed by their window while practicing his sword this morning."

"Mr. Zhang, you are truly wise; everything is exactly as you said," I said.

Han Zhun said, "Brother Taibai, please give this poem a title."

After a moment's thought, Li Bai casually said, "Let's call it 'Ode to the Pomegranate by the East Window of the Neighboring Girl.'"

Everyone couldn't help but praise it again. I folded the poem neatly and put it in my bag, casually asking, "Young master, would you like to copy one and give it to Miss Pomegranate?"