Hangzhou is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China and from the month of July to August, they celebrate the West Lake Lotus Flower Festival; hence, the Zhang family is there to witness this.

Riding a traditional wooden punt with a wooden canopy on the famous West Lake, Yixing together with his parents and younger sister, marveled the scenic area which includes historical pagodas, temples, cultural sites, as well as the natural beauty of the lake and hills.

The tour came to an end in evening twilight so they made their way to the He Fang Street where the night view with plenty of people made it so charmingly lively.

After a delightful meal with the whole family, they wandered among the temples and traditional pagodas, one which held a bell tower on top. The bell clanged and its sound reverberated across the town. Outside the pagodas's gate lies a stone tablet stating the significance of the bell ringing every 8 in the evening.

Yixing gazed distantly on the pathway that leads to a walkway into a pavilion. Having the moon as its only source of light, he saw an illuminated white female figure with long black hair and white flowing gown, unmoving, staring into the lake.

Curious, Yixing made a step forward to get a clearer view when his family called him so they could go. When he looked back to the pavilion, the female figure was not there anymore.

The street is full of art hawkers, candy sculptors, pillow shops, caricaturists, old-fashioned movie players, storytellers, bonsai shops, teahouses, an array of small eateries, and various kinds of souvenir shops among others.

Yixing's younger sister went to play fishing with paper nets. He crouched to guide her how to catch when a breath of wind blew his way carrying a sweet floral scent. He turned his head and saw a girl walk past him whiffing the same scent.

Looking from behind, she wore a cream flowy dress showing her slender shoulders and arms that looked pale from the flourescent stall lights, a contrast from her long black wavy hair.

Enticed by such mystery, he felt the urge to follow her but was dragged instead by his sister, "gege, let's go to that stall."

They stopped on a stall selling variety of masks. Looking uninterested, his mind fleeted towards the girl he saw a while ago. He turned his head on the right and saw the girl walk towards them.

She didn't seem to notice that someone was staring at her as she walked past in front of Yixing, leaving a trace of her scent.

Yixing got a closer look and thought how such beauty could unfathomably exist. She had oval-shaped face, almond-shaped eyes, straight nose, slightly fuller lips and smooth jawline. Such beauty arouses adoration from every human beings.

She stopped on a stall next to them selling hair ornaments. The saleslady picked and showed her a vintaged style fancy floral gold-tone teeth hair comb that are topped with vintage ruby and flower embellishment, "this will suit such a beautiful young lady like you."

'Beautiful is not enough word to describe her,' Yixing thoughtfully disagreed at the saleslady.

She smiled beautifully with enthusiasm that is contagious. She ran it through her hair and looked satisfied when the saleslady told her the price, "that would be 155 Yuan."

Her smile dropped, took the comb off her hair and gave it back to the saleslady apologetically, "I'm sorry but I don't have such money."

"Such a waste," the saleslady disappointedly muttered as the girl took off.

Unconsciously, Yixing followed her until a salesboy offered her a grilled mutton on a stick. She once again declined.

Yixing could not take it anymore so he paid the salesboy, took the mutton and gave it to her.

She was apprehensive at his gesture, "I am thankful but I don't have anything in return."

Yixing waved his hand, "Nah, it’s okay. I'm Yixing. Would you mind if I ask for your name?"

She delightedly expressed, "I go by myriad of names, but tonight, you can call me Xiaolian."

Upon affirming her name, Yixing couldn't help but wonder about the way she dressed, “are you one of the contestants of Miss West Lake Lotus Photo Model Competition?”

She chuckled at his assumption, "I'm afraid not."

Yixing continuously inquired, "Are you from here?"

She glanced, “I came from there,” pointing towards the West Lake.

Yixing followed her gaze and wondered if she has company, "Do you have someone with you? Is this your first time?"

She bleakly responded, "The time hasn't come yet."

Yixing was puzzled, not sure if she answered his question. Then, she uttered a confounding thought, “Decades passed... The small town is now a city. Too many places to go, but indecisive to proceed. Not familiar with the changes, forgotten how to enjoy such festivity."

Yixing was lost in her words once again. What he is sure of is the word enjoy, so he asked her, "Would you mind if I invite you to join me explore the rest of the town?"

Xiaolian warmly smiled at him, "No. That would be a great idea."

That night, they enjoyed each others presence as they visited a shrine, checked out every stalls and shops, tried different snacks and even listened to traditional music play on the street, to which colored paper lanterns hung above in every corner.

After an hour of exploration, they decided to distance themselves from the bustling street and found a reclused boardwalk facing the lotus lake which had concrete block bench for seating.

They sat and silently stared into the invisible horizon when Yixing noticed, "the moon is so big and bright tonight." It reflected it's brightness on the lake, illuminating the lotuses in different colors.

There was silence, as if there was no one with him. He looked to check if Xiaolian was still there.

She was still staring ahead and Yixing ended up gazing at her again. There was something in her stillness that made her so graceful.

She looked peaceful but her eyes were sad; eyes searching beyond the lake, eyes that is longing for someone.

Admiring her from afar is like staring at the stars; beautiful to look at, yet too hard to reach.

She began to talk, "White lotus means purity and innocence. Red lotus represents love and compassion."

Yixing didn't expect that, "Um, I think I read that in a book."

She looked at him with such forlorn eyes, "Have you ever woke up longing for someone so much it aches?"

To someone like him who has never felt such emotion before, "Um, no. I have never..."

Xiaolian revealed, "There is someone I'm longing to see."

It made him disheartened, but acknowledged the thought that someone had already seized and owned her heart.

She looked at him, "Yixing, will you hear out my story?"

She wasn't able to continue when Yixing's phone rang. He stood up and distanced himself to take the call from his mother telling him to return to the hostel.

When he returned, Xiaolian asked him curiously, "what is that thing you're holding?" pointing at the phone on his hand.

He held it out, "You don't know what this is? It's a cellphone. You can call someone even if they are far away."

She perceived its usefulness, "How convenient that thing is. To be able to reach someone no matter how far the distance is."

Dissatisfied, Yixing told her, "my mom wants me to go back." He was hesitant to part with her and expectantly asked, "will I see you again tomorrow?"

Xiaolian smiled and reassured him, "If you desire to. I'll be here same time you saw me earlier."

Yixing didn't understand so Xiaolian clarified, "I'll meet you at 8."

Yixing comprehended and waved at her, which she did the same. He started to walk back and turned his head to check on her, but she was no longer there.
. . .
Yixing woke up rather late but was enthusiastic realizing he'll be able to see Xiaolian again in the evening. His mother called for him so they could dine in one of the best restaurants in town.

As they got back to the hostel late afternoon, the family was able to appreciate the traditional decorated hostel which is only a few seconds walk to their best known attraction, the West Lake. They have a nice inner courtyard and an open balcony with lake-view for public use, so Yixing decided to spend the rest of the afternoon there.

Yixing's sister cheerfully ran towards him carrying a red lotus flower. When he touched the flower, a soft breeze blew carrying a familiar scent and immediately thought of Xiaolian. He asked her, "where did you get this?"

"I found it on your bed, gege," she honestly answered.

He got up and trailed off to the lake where Xiaolian promised to meet up. Even though the sky was still bright, he waited in the hopes that Xiaolian decides to show up early.

An old man riding a bicycle stopped and noticed the lotus flower he was holding, "that's a rare lotus flower you got there boy," the old man said.

Yixing wondered and looked at the flower in his hand, "really?"

The old man continued, "red lotus are special and has a mystery."

'A goddess came down from heaven to visit the land. A fisherman saw her came down from the sky. He followed her and that they became friends. Eventually, the two of them fell in love with each other. The father of the goddess was so against their love so he ordered the goddess to go back to the heavens. The goddess obeyed leaving the fisherman heartbroken but promised to come back. He would often set sail on his little boat on the lake to wait for the goddess to come down. The god who was watching the fisherman was so despised at him that he made a storm. The fisherman fell on the lake and being unable to go back up the surface, the goddess was so devastated that her lover died. Due to her undying love, the goddess went down to the sky and joined her lover down the lake. They never surfaced back and what replaced was large leaves with 2 tall stalks and 2 buds, one was white and the other was red. The bud opened at exactly 8 in the evening and from there, the spirit of the fisherman flew from the white lotus while the goddess from the red lotus.'

Worried, he asked, “Will I get in trouble if I have this?"

The old man just laughed, "It's not a problem boy. It's just a myth. You can pluck any flower you like. Well then, I'll be going."

He waited until hours ticked by as twilight loomed in the horizon; still no sign of Xiaolian.

The bell tower pounded and the ringing echoed through the town, signalling that it is now 8 in the evening. At the same time, a soft breeze blew that familiar scent.

Ahead, in the middle of the lake, a silhouette began to form into a familiar figure on top of the water and the lotus flower Yixing was holding began to disappear.

Yixing began to walk towards where she stood when she hollered, “Stop! Be careful, you’re on the edge.”

Yixing only realized as he looked down, he was only one step away from falling down the lake.

Xiaolian fleeted down towards him and with a warm smile, she said, "Yixing, thank you for the company last night. I enjoyed every moment of it. I have never experienced that in such a long time."

Yixing didn't seem to comprehend everything that had happened, "what do you mean? What are you?"

Xiaolian began to explain, "Every 10 years when the moon is at it's peak and brightest, a red and white lotus blooms carrying my soul and my beloved."

Yixing wondered, "I thought that story was just a myth."

She enlightened, "A story becomes reality if you believe in it." She continued, "a red lotus bloomed yesterday but my other half didn't. It was too soon for him so I took the chance of mingling among humans."

In that moment, a white lotus flower bloomed at it's fullest and mysteriously, a white male figure came out of it. As it held it's gaze upon Xiaolian, it extended its hand towards her.

She smiled with contempt at the figure and looked back at Yixing, "The moment we've waited for has finally arrived. At long last, love has arrived."

She came closer to Yixing and his cheeks, "Though my stay here was brief, I enjoyed it."

Even though she was only a spirit, he felt her warmth and authenticity. The mask she presents to the outside world is the same as her innermost heart.

"Live well Yixing," as she slowly climbed towards the male figure waiting for her embrace. Together, they ascended towards the sky until they faded into nothingness.

A soft breeze blew and the red lotus appeared back on Yixing's hand along with a voice, "soulmates are said to be two souls destined to be together, designed to recognize each other across time and space. I pray that you may find yours as the string of fate find its way from her to you."