On the day I left Peachspring Village, Ah-Yao saw me off. She picked a branch of peach blossoms from this tree and tucked it into the back of my collar. I never imagined that it would be many years before I returned to Peachspring Village. Ah-Yao got married, Ah-Heng moved his entire family to the city, and Ah-Wang passed away... These names must be unfamiliar to you, right? Like me, they were all born and raised in Peachspring Village. Ah-Yao seemed quiet but was actually a wild girl, skilled at catching fish in river and climbing trees as fast as a monkey. Ah-Heng was the tallest and strongest, but not very bright, and whenever he was bullied, we had to stand up for him. Then there was Ah-Wang, the most mischievous among us, stealing eggs and letting cows loose, chased around by his father...
Later, an old gentleman who was said to have been a official came to the village, and everyone scrambled to send their children to study under him. My father traded two chickens for a study desk for me. From then on, I studied at the gentleman's house every day, watching Ah-Wang hiding outside the window. I longed to leave the desk and join them in fun, but I was afraid. The old gentleman never hit anyone, but I feared the way he looked at me whenever I got distracted, as if he had something to say but held back.
I don't know how old you are as you read this letter, but by the time you can understand it, you must be older than I was then. I wonder what kind of childhood you had and if it makes you nostalgic? The gentleman once said that when he was in Bianjing, he often climbed the tall tower by Jinming Pool, looking longingly towards his hometown. In the past, I didn't think much of it. But when I returned to Sanqing Mountain, facing the familiar things, I couldn't help but wonder if I could go back to the past, would I choose the same path?
Therefore, I want to leave you with a question: What kind of childhood do you long for? Perhaps you could carve your choice into the tree and then write it into this blank journal.