The children of Mohist City all called Su the slow-witted boy from beyond the mountains. He was slow to eat, s…
The children of Mohist City all called Su the slow-witted boy from beyond the mountains. He was slow to eat, slow to walk, and slow even to get a word out.
"Why have you not grasped it yet?" The master at the village school often sighed at him. His voice wavered, as though he had begun to doubt his own ability to teach.
Su would simply scratch his head and offer a slow, sheepish smile. "Sorry..."
But every time Su apologized like that, Mi would grow angry. Mi would jab Su in the shoulder. "It is not your fault, so why are you apologizing? Master Raven said you are just a late bloomer, not a blockhead!"
Su would nod, then shake his head, clearly understanding none of it. Finally, he would give that same awkward smile. "Sorry... Mi."
Mi would stamp his feet in frustration, powerless to change him. In the end, he would simply drag Su off to find Xue for a game of hide-and-seek.
Most children liked being the seeker in the game. Su did not.
He was terrible at seeking, but when it came to hiding, no one could match him. He never hid beneath beds or behind doors, as those places were far too obvious.
Su could squeeze into spaces no one would ever think to check. A giant pickling vat. The dry well behind the school. Or even the empty water tank behind the privy.
One time, everyone searched for nearly an hour without finding him.
Dusk was settling over the village. Mi had grown frantic, shouting his name everywhere. Then, he heard a faint rustling coming from the water tank behind the privy.
Holding his breath against the smell, Mi carefully peered inside. The tank was completely dry. There lay Su, curled into a tiny ball like a little bean, fast asleep with the faintest smile on his face.
Xue poked his cheek. "How did you manage to fall asleep in a place like this?"
Su rubbed his eyes, his voice slow and drowsy. "It is dark here. And quiet. I dreamed about what Master Raven said. How seeds rest beneath the earth just like this, waiting for the day they sprout."
"What else did you dream?" Mi asked.
"I dreamed we grew millet. Giant grains of millet, taller than a person. It was all golden and shining. When the wind blew, it rustled like it was singing." His eyes lit up as he waved his hands excitedly. "I gathered as much as I could carry to show Master Raven."
"Wow. Then what happened?" Xue leaned in eagerly.
"Well..." Su paused, his voice fading. "Then I woke up."
Hearing this, Mi could only stamp his feet in frustration once again.
...
Because of this, when Mi asked if he would go to Jadestream Valley to help protect Master Raven's seeds, Su gave a rare, immediate answer. "Yes."
There were no questions. No stammering. Only a firm, heavy nod.
He thought to himself that he had to get there early this time. He would take the back trails, find Master Raven's seeds, and hide them even better than he had ever hidden himself. No villains were going to get their hands on them.
Master Raven had once told him he was not slow-witted. He carried those words close to his heart.