“Teddy, give me back my shoes!” Khanyi ran a few steps barefoot, bending down to tug at the shoes. The little creature let out a low “woof” sound, biting down hard and refusing to let go. Khanyi raised her arm, about to gently tap its mouth, when suddenly it released its grip, turned around, and barked a few times at the glass window, wagging its tail, before darting out through the door.
“Wait, come back, Teddy!” Khanyi hurriedly slipped on her shoes, opened the back door, and chased after it, only to see the little dog sprinting into the woods.
In the blink of an eye, the little creature had disappeared from sight, and Khanyi felt a bit anxious. The backyard of the house was a neatly trimmed lawn, and further in was a dense forest. She had never ventured into those woods alone; she had only walked beside them one evening with him, and because of that guy’s inappropriate request, she had ended up leaving one shoe there, which he had to carry back for her. That place led to the upstream of the river that flowed behind the house, where the bend of the lake was.
She ran, slightly out of breath, and finally found “Teddy” under a large tree by the riverbank, where the little creature was playing with a black-tailed butterfly.
“You little rascal! You’re too mischievous!” Teddy didn’t hear Khanyi’s scolding at all and continued to chase the butterfly, which fluttered its beautiful wings higher. The puppy barked anxiously at it, and Khanyi couldn’t help but laugh at its antics. The forest was beautiful, making one want to linger. The dappled light filtered through the trees, reflecting on the lake’s surface like a layer of fine gold, dazzling her eyes. Khanyi recalled a sunny afternoon in early spring this year by the Isar River in the southern empire, where there had been a splendid performance of grand ballroom dancing.
“Gianna, is that you?” A gentle call brought her back from her sweet memories to the present.
“Ah—!” She gasped, turning around abruptly to see a man sitting on a branch of the large tree behind her.
“Don’t be afraid, it’s me. I hope I didn’t scare you!” He first gently lowered a backpack from the tree, then slid down a couple of steps and jumped down from the branch with a graceful motion, like a hunting leopard.
“Marcus! What are you doing here?” Khanyi recognized his face; he was a very handsome man, not wearing a blue trench coat but dressed like a field soldier in a jacket full of pockets.
“I’m photographing wildlife, look.” He fiddled with the camera in his hands, demonstrating to her. “This is my new treasure, an Exakta SLR camera, with a Zeiss lens.”
“It can take color photos, right?”
“Yes, it’s in color. I didn’t expect you to be such an expert!” He smiled, “This equipment isn’t cheap.”
She looked at the camera in his hand, “I don’t understand this. Do you enjoy photography?”
“I have many hobbies; photography is just one of them. This time, my goal is to capture a series of photos of swans.”
“There are many swans in the lake nearby! In the morning, when I look out the window, I can see some white birds on the distant lake, but they’re too far away to see clearly.”
“Then, would you like to come with me to take a look?” He seized the opportunity to invite her.
“Now?” Khanyi looked down at her outfit. She had rushed out and was still wearing a white tulle ballet dress, which, although knee-length, was clearly not suitable for outdoor activities.
“Yes, right now. Don’t worry, no walking or climbing,” he said, leading her a few steps to a small boat docked by the riverbank. “We’ll take the boat and row upstream; that’s where we can get closest to the swans.”
Before she could agree, he was already on the boat, reaching out his hand to her. She didn’t take his hand, “Thank you, but I can manage on my own.” Just as Khanyi stepped onto the small boat, her balance was so good that she struggled to keep herself steady. “Oh my, this little boat rocks so much.”
Suddenly, his strong, powerful hand grasped her small one. His palm was warm and solid, and he steadied her, helping her sit down on the boat.
“Thank you.” The boat still swayed a bit, and Khanyi, not being a strong swimmer, felt a bit dizzy on the bright lake surface.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
She slightly blushed, sitting at one end of the small boat, gathering her white tulle dress. Teddy stood up, its front paws resting on the edge of the boat, curiously looking down at the lake. He gently paddled, and the boat gradually moved upstream, going slowly as he had to row while clearing the hanging vines and branches on either side for her.
“Ah, over there, look! There are a few swans on the grass by the riverbank!” Khanyi exclaimed.
He quickly took out his camera and snapped a few photos. Khanyi couldn’t help but exclaim, “So beautiful!”
“The swans we see often only show their beauty, but we often overlook that they are a symbol of fidelity. When faced with danger, the male swan protects its mate and offspring. Males and females pair for life, and if one unfortunately dies, the other will live in solitude until old age. Because of this trait, people use swans to symbolize pure love, and those poets who excel in praising love.”
