1 How it began...

Lily stepped out of her cottage and smiled at the sight of a perfect early afternoon.

The summer sun is up in the blue sky with not a single cloud in sight. The light breeze is caressing her cheeks and spreading the appetizing scent of blueberry muffins, which are freshly made for her grandmother Lilian and safely tucked in a woven basket.

Lily is proud; she made them herself. She is not much of a cook, but this recipe is something her grandmother taught her, and now that Lilian is not feeling well, Lily decided to whip up a batch, and she plans that the two of them can enjoy them with some English rose tea.

Lily's sight fell on the Spruce Thicket forest. It's a forest that provides a shortcut from Lily's cottage to her grandmother's house, but she usually avoids it because the stories are that unwelcoming creatures dwell in that place. However, on this beautiful day, the forest looks… inviting.

Lily straightened her red hooded coat, which is draped around her shoulders, and observed a small path before deciding to take it. She walked into the Spruce Thicket with a spring in her step while humming a tune.

With every step Lily took, the forest canopy was getting thicker. She was lost in the sight of occasional beams of sunlight that dripped between the leaves, and the colorful butterflies which danced around her at the sound of the birds chirping from their hideouts in the trees. A magical experience.

'Today nothing can go wrong…', Lily mused.

She just finished her thought, when her sight fell on a shadow which moved behind a thick tree.

Her steps halted, and she swallowed hard while wondering if that is a beast or a man and which one of those two would be scarier.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" Lily did her best to conceal panic in her voice.

To Lily's surprise, a handsome young man stepped out.

Lily reminded herself that no matter how attractive his features are, she needs to be wary of him. He is a stranger, in the middle of the woods, and no hunter got bewitched because forest nymphs are ugly.

"Don't be afraid.", he spoke in a deep voice.

"Is there a reason for me to be afraid?"

He chuckled and made a step toward her.

"Stay there!" Lily commanded. "Who are you?"

"I saw you first, so I get to ask questions. Who are you, and why are you passing through my forest?"

Lily wanted to argue. What kind of logic is that? She asked the question first; that should count and not who saw who first! But for some reason, she decided to answer: "My name is Lily and I am taking this path to visit my grandmother. She is not feeling well, and I made blueberry muffins to cheer her up."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Mmm… That is the scent…", he said and licked his lips slowly. "They would go great with some English rose tea."

"Yes! I have that in the basket as well!" Lily responded enthusiastically, and a second later, she cursed internally. Why is she dropping her guard in front of him? Is it his enchanting smile? Or his broad shoulders?

Lily composed herself and demanded sternly: "Your turn. Who are you?"

"People call me Jingren…", he responded with a deep voice which cast a spell on her. "You are visiting your grandmother. Why not pick some flowers for her? It will cheer her up. There are plenty next to the path…"

Lily was startled when she realized that he is only one step away from her. When did he get this close? She narrowed her eyes at him. "Wait a minute! I know this story. Me with a red cape in the forest carrying a basket of treats for my sick grandma, you trying to delay me… You are a wolf, and you want to eat my grandmother and me!"

Jingren looked at Lily in disbelief for a few seconds before bursting into a hearty laugh.

"What is funny?" Lily asked stiffly. She struggled to keep a stern face because even his laugher was seductive.

Jingren wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and smiled. "I admit that I am hungry, but I would rather enjoy your company and eat some of those muffins."

Lily cursed herself internally for being silly. Did she just accuse a man of cannibalism? And he wants to eat the muffins… "They are for my grandmother."

"I understand."

His smile was still on, but Lily saw the sadness in his eyes, and she wanted to say that he can have two muffins, but he spoke again: "I apologize for startling you. Here, take this as compensation."

Lily's gaze fell on his extended arm and she observed the beautiful bouquet of wildflowers.

"Is that for my grandmother?"

"No. That is for you. If you give it away, my feelings will be hurt."

Lily robotically accepted the flowers and watched his retreating back.

'Is he leaving? Just like that?', Lily wondered.

"Wait!" Lily called, and when he turned to face her, she was not sure why she did that. "Uhm… The muffins go good with the tea. And we can't brew any here. Do you want to join me? We can have muffins and tea… with my grandmother…" Lily ended awkwardly.

Jingren's lips curved into a smile. "I know a shortcut."

"How do you know where my grandmother lives?" Lily asked while she and Jingren walked down the path.

Jingren shrugged and said coolly: "I live here. I know many things…"

He will not admit that he is watching Lily for a very long time, but he was always too nervous to approach her (to the point of fainting). Even now, his heart is beating wildly, and he feels like he is walking on clouds, just because Lily is by his side. Finally.