1462：雪落山庄，教育萧瑟

    雪落山庄。

    这是间相当破旧的山中客栈，客栈的生意很差，老板也不愿意花钱重新进行修整，以至于留不住住店的客人。

    只有偶尔路过打尖儿的人。

    吃饭的利润当然比不上住店，随着前段时间大雪封山...

    snowymountainside,theoldinnwasafarcryfromitsformerglory.Theoncebustlingplacehadseenbetterdays,withonlytheoccasionaltravelerpassingthroughtograbaquickbiteorwarmupbythefire.Theowner,Mr.Lin,hadlonggivenupontheideaofrevivingtheinn‘sfortunes,andinsteadchosetofocusonsurvival.Hewascontentwithmakingendsmeet,evenifitmeantsacrificinfortandamenities.

    Asthewintermonthsdraggedon,theinnbecameameagerhavenforthosewhoneededshelterfromthestorm.Thesnowfellthickandfast,castingaserenesilenceoverthelandscape.Butdespiteitsbeauty,theinnremainedahumbleplace,wherewarmthandhospitalityweresecondarytopracticality.

    Inside,thefirecrackledandspat,castingflickeringshadowsonthewalls.Theairwasthickwiththesmellofcookingoilandwoodsmoke,afamiliarscentthatfilledthenostrilsofthosewhohadgrownaccustomedtoit.Thepatronswerearoughbunch,huddledtogetheraroundthefire,theirfacesaglowwiththewarmth.

    AmongthemwasayoungmannamedYu,hiseyesred-rimmedfromlackofsleep.Hehadbeentravelingfordays,andtheinn‘sweewasjustwhatheneeded.Ashedevouredaheartystew,hecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasenseofreliefwashoverhim.Thesnowoutsideseemedtopressinonhim,areminderthathewasfarfromhome.

    Yuwasawanderingsoul,alwayslookingforthenextadventure.Hehadheardstoriesofthemountain‘shiddentreasures,andhiscuriositygotthebetterofhim.Butasthedaysturnedintoweeks,andtheweeksintomonths,hebegantorealizethatthejourneyitselfwastherealreward.Thesnow-coveredpeaks,thefrozenlakes,thewind-whippedvalleys?eachnewlandscapeatestamenttothebeautyofnature.

    Ashefinishedhismeal,Yunoticedanoldmansittinginthecorner,nursingacupoftea.Theman‘sfacewasetchedwithageandhardship,hiseyessunkendeepintotheirsockets.Heseemedoutofplaceamongtheotherpatrons,buttherewassomethingabouthimthatdrewYuin.

    Theoldmancaughthiseyeandnodded,asiftoacknowledgeasharedunderstanding.Yusmiled,feelingasenseofsolidaritywashoverhim.Hemadehiswayovertotheoldman‘stable,introducinghimselfwitharespectfulbow.

    “MynameisYu,“hesaid,takingaseatacrossfromtheoldman.“I‘vebeentravelingforweeks,andI‘mstartingtofeellikeI‘llneverfindwhatI‘mlookingfor.“

    Theoldmannoddedthoughtfully,hiseyesdriftingintothedistance.“Iknowwhatyoumean,“hesaid,hisvoicelowandgravelly.“Sometimes,it‘snotaboutfindingwhatwe‘relookingfor,butaboutlosingourselvesinthejourneyitself.“

    Yuwastakenabackbytheoldman‘swords.Hehadneverthoughtofitthatwaybefore.Astheytalked,thesnowcontinuedtofalloutside,castingaspellofquietovertheinn.Thefirecrackledandspat,andthepatronssettledinforthenight,theirfacesagloarmth.

    Inthatmoment,Yufeltasenseofconnectiontotheoldman,asiftheysharedasecretunderstandingthatwentbeyondwords.Itwasafeelinghecouldn‘tquiteexplain,butitwasonethatstayedwithhimlongafterhelefttheinnbehind,andcontinuedhisjourneythroughthesnowymountainside.