The first rays of morning slipped into Baoli Zong, scattering gold across the courtyard. Mei'yin stirred awake, her heart strangely light. For the first time in many days, her body didn't ache and her spirit felt unburdened. She slid out of her bedding, feet bare against the cool stone floor, and wandered outside humming softly.
There, she found Lingxi already practicing sword forms beneath a tall gingko tree. The blade shimmered with each strike, sharp and precise.
"You're grumpy even at sunrise, Sister Ling," Mei teased, folding her arms.
Lingxi didn't pause her movements, though a faint twitch pulled at the corner of her lips. "And you're noisy even before breakfast."
Mei laughed, spinning on her heel. "That's called balance. You frown, I laugh. That's how we keep harmony."
Just then, Xiao appeared carrying a tray with tea, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "Harmony or headache? Hard to tell with you two." She set the tray down, pouring them each a cup.
Mei clutched hers dramatically. "Since I nearly died last time, I've decided to live like the wind. Carefree and free-spirited! I'll even fly again—higher than the bird sister Ling caught!"
Lingxi rolled her eyes, but Xiao burst into laughter, nearly spilling her tea. The tension that had lingered between the sisters for days seemed to dissolve with the rising sun.
"Planning to conquer the skies, are we?"
The familiar sly voice belonged to Mo Yuming, who strolled into the courtyard with her arms crossed, mischief written all over her face.
"Perfect timing!" Mei declared, grabbing Yuming's hand and pulling her into their circle.
Lingxi arched a brow, wary as ever, but Yuming's grin widened. "Relax, Lady Lingxi. I came unarmed. Well—except for my tongue."
The remark drew a reluctant twitch from Lingxi's lips, which Mei instantly caught. She clapped her hands. "See? Even Lingxi laughs when Yuming is around!"
"I did not laugh," Lingxi muttered, sipping her tea. But the faint pink on her cheeks betrayed her.
Mei leaned back, satisfied. "Good. The day is blessed already."
"Even in a cage," Mei whispered, "wings remember how to fly."
The others joined her, their eyes following the bird until it disappeared into the sky.
Mei clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Let the storm come," she said, her voice firm but filled with light. "We'll meet it together."
While the teacher was lecturing, Mei couldn't help but feel that something was off. With no men around, the atmosphere felt different. What unsettled her more were the glances — sharp, lingering stares from the other girls. Most of all, from Yuming.
Her gaze shifted restlessly, darting from Wu Ziyi, to Bai Linyan, to Yuming, and even to her own sister Ling.
"Is there something I don't know?" she wondered.
Her eyes drifted again, and this time landed on the teacher — who was staring directly at her.
"Are you even listening, Lady Feng Mei'yin?" the teacher asked.
Mei smiled and nodded rapidly, like a child caught daydreaming.
When class ended, Mei'yin immediately grabbed Yuming by the wrist and dragged her outside.
"Ow, Mei'yin, slow down!" Yuming protested, yanking her hand free.
Mei glanced around first before speaking. "You're hiding something from me."
"Huh? You never asked! You should've asked if you wanted to know," Yuming shot back.
Mei narrowed her eyes. "Then why are they all looking at you like that? At me too? Even at Sister Ling? What happened while I was gone?!"
Yuming's face grew serious. "Something did happen. But it doesn't matter anymore. Forget about it."
"How can I forget when I don't even know what it is?" Mei retorted sarcastically.
"You're seriously asking for a punch, you know that? Ever since you came back, it's been noisy again!" Yuming grumbled.
"Then just tell me already!" Mei insisted.
With no choice, Yuming sighed and pulled Mei along, leading her to a quiet corner. There, she explained everything that had happened at Baoli Zhong while Mei had been away.
When she finished, Mei's face was a storm of frustration and sadness.
"They're awful! How could you just let them treat you that way? Good thing Sister Ling stood up for you," Mei said angrily.
"I don't pay attention to useless things, Mei'yin," Yuming replied calmly.
"They're nothing but judgmental fools! Don't they see how important your friendship with the Qins is? Idiots, the lot of them! They think just because a man speaks to a woman, it automatically means he desires her? Nonsense!" Mei huffed.
Yuming couldn't help but smile as she watched Mei rant — never in her life had she expected to have a friend like her.
"Don't you dare smile! There's nothing funny about this!" Mei snapped.
"Calm down, Mei'yin. It's over. Besides…" Yuming's eyes glinted as she leaned closer. "I have something I want to ask you."
"What?" Mei blinked.
"What exactly is going on between you and Yuxi?"
Mei instantly slapped her hands over Yuming's mouth.
"Don't say things like that! There's nothing between us!" she said, flustered.
"Fine, fine! But then why did you drink so much that night? Eww, Mei'yin, you're supposed to be like me, and I don't even do that! Gross!" Yuming teased, pulling a disgusted face.
"Hey, that's mean! I only drank because… because…" Mei trailed off, fidgeting while Yuming stared at her expectantly. "Because… ah, never mind! Just don't tease me about it!"
Yuming tilted her head, smirking. "Because…?"
"Because I saw him hugging someone else!" Mei blurted out at last, her tone childish yet wounded.
Yuming froze, then frowned. "Are you serious, Mei'yin? You drank over a guy? Really? Poor you. Whoever he is, he doesn't deserve it!"
Mei pouted and rolled her eyes. "It was Yuxi."
Yuming's eyes went wide. "Y–Yuxi?! Wait! You like Yuxi? Mei, I thought you were tougher than that! B–but… who was he hugging?" she asked in disbelief.
"That's what I want to know! What's going on between him and Bai Linyan? Do you know anything?" Mei pressed.
Yuming's playful expression hardened. "Bai Linyan? He hugged her?"
Mei nodded sadly.
"I didn't know about that," Yuming admitted.
Days and weeks passed, but nothing changed in Baoli Zong. Mei'yin was growing tired of the endless routine.
She slumped over the desk in her room, with Xiao and Ling beside her.
"I don't want to stay here anymore! I want to catch birds and fight wild beasts in the forest. Please let me, Sister Xiao," Mei'yin pleaded.
"That's forbidden here, Mei'yin. It's far too dangerous outside," Xiao replied.
"But I'm strong and brave!" Mei'yin insisted.
"Then you should have stayed in Fengming. Use that so-called strength and bravery there!" Ling cut in, earning herself a glare from Mei'yin.
"I want to see Brother Yang! Let's visit Fengming," she suggested, but both of her sisters shook their heads at once. Mei'yin only pouted, losing hope.
"Are you sure it's really Yang you want to see?" Ling teased, making Mei'yin squint her eyes at her.
She stood up, ready to storm out. "Where are you going?" Xiao asked.
"To Yuming!" Mei'yin answered.
"Yuming's not here. She left for Moya," Xiao said.
With heavy stomps, Mei'yin went straight to her bed and flopped down like a child who wasn't allowed to go out.
Her two sisters could only smile at her antics. "You'll get used to it next time, Mei. Silence has its beauty," Xiao said warmly.
After leaving Master Mo Xiang, Yuming sighed with relief. Finally, an excuse to escape the Pavilion for a while. With a list of supplies clutched in her hand, she wound her way through the crowded Moya market, bartering for herbs and paper, balancing jars in her satchel.
She was halfway down the street when a familiar voice spoke behind her.
"You're buying half the market, or just trying to carry more than you can handle?"
Yuming spun around — and there he was. Qin Yuxi. His posture as straight as ever, eyes calm and unreadable, yet a faint curve tugged at his lips.
"Yuxi?" she blurted, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you got lost. Again."
His brow twitched. "I don't get lost."
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Then why are you walking alone? I thought this was supposed to be a team mission. Or are you just too full of yourself to wait for the others?"
For a second, his composure cracked. He gave her a look — serious, but softened by the faintest smile. "Independence is not arrogance. Someone has to finish the job quickly."
She snorted. "Always the responsible one, hm? If you're not careful, people might start thinking you have no fun in you at all."
Yuxi tilted his head slightly, studying her. "And you think you know where to find fun?"
"Of course." She leaned closer just a little, teasing. "Unlike you, I actually live when I go outside."
Something flickered in his eyes — amusement, restrained but real. He didn't laugh, but the way his lips curved was enough to make Yuming's heart stumble.
"You're reckless," he said softly, almost fondly.
"And you're boring," she shot back with a grin.
They stood there a moment, caught in the flow of the crowd, her arms full of supplies, his gaze steady on her. For all his seriousness, there was something gentle in the way he looked at her — as if beneath his strict exterior, there was a warmth he didn't show to anyone else.
"Let me carry those."
"What?" she blinked.
"The jars. Before you drop them." Without waiting for her answer, Yuxi took half of the load from her arms, his hands careful.
She rolled her eyes, though her cheeks warmed. "See? You're sweet when you try."
They walked a little further, weaving through the crowd. Yuming glanced at him sideways, mischief glinting in her eyes.
"So…" she began, stretching the word.
Yuxi gave her a wary look. "So what?"
"So," she repeated, voice lilting with amusement, "how's Lady Feng Mei'yin?"
Yuming tilted her head, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "I heard she's been asking about you. Quite a lot, actually."
"That's…" Yuxi cleared his throat, his usual composure slipping for a fraction of a second. "That's unnecessary gossip."
"Gossip?" Yuming smirked. "You carried her all the way back when she fainted. Stayed by her side, too. Don't tell me you didn't notice how red her face got when your name came up."
Yuxi's ears betrayed him with the faintest flush, though his expression stayed steady. "You have too much imagination."
"Do I?" Yuming leaned closer, eyes sparkling. "Or are you just pretending not to care?"
He stopped walking, turning his calm gaze on her. For a moment, the market noise seemed to fade. "If I cared, Mo Yuming," he said quietly, "you'd be the first to know."
Yuming blinked, caught off guard. Her heart skipped, and the mischievous smile faltered — replaced by something softer. She quickly looked away, masking it with a laugh. "Hmph. Always so serious. You ruin all my fun."
Yuxi started walking again, carrying her supplies as if nothing had happened.
Yuming bit her lip, grinning despite herself. He might not play along, but somehow… that made him even harder to ignore.
Yuming trailed beside him, hands clasped behind her back, eyes darting to him every now and then.
"Oh, I know," Yuming teased, tilting her head. "But I also know someone who seems to attract attention without even trying…"
Yuxi gave her a sidelong glance. "And who might that be?"
"You, of course." She smirked. "Especially with Bai Linyan. That hug of yours—mm, Mei almost exploded when she saw it."
That made him stop. His steady stride faltered, and for once, the serious Qin heir seemed caught off guard.
"…You heard about that."
"I did." Yuming's grin faded into a more sober look. "At first, I thought it was funny—Mei pouting and sulking like a child. But then I wondered…" She slowed her pace, her eyes fixed on him. "Why did you do it?"
The silence between them pressed heavier than the market noise.
Finally, Yuxi spoke, his voice calm but edged with something deeper.
"Because Linyan was breaking. She hides it well, but that day… she needed something human. Just comfort. Nothing more."
Yuming studied him carefully. His honesty was steady, unwavering, but his seriousness left no room for teasing.
"…And Mei?" she asked softly.
Yuxi's gaze shifted toward the crowd, avoiding hers. "She saw it, she misunderstood. Maybe… I should've realized she would."
They reached the storage area, and together they set down the last of the supplies exactly where they belonged. The clatter of crates hitting the wooden floor echoed softly, but in the quiet between them, a heavier tension lingered.
Yuming stepped back, hands still clasped behind her, her gaze fixed on the neatly stacked boxes. Her thoughts churned. Why didn't he tell me? She didn't speak, though—the words stuck behind her pride, leaving only the faint stiffness in her posture as a clue.
Yuxi's sharp eyes caught it immediately—the subtle shift of her shoulders, the tension in her jaw. He didn't ask directly. Instead, he took a measured breath and said simply, cutting to the heart of it.
"You're upset because I didn't tell you."
Yuming kept looking at the crates, refusing to acknowledge him.
Without hesitation, Yuxi stepped forward and wrapped her in a firm, platonic hug. No frills, no coddling—just steady, grounding, reassuring.
Pulling back slightly, Yuxi gave her a brief, direct look.
" I know how you feel. I see it."
Yuming exhaled softly, her posture relaxing just enough to let him know she appreciated the gesture. She didn't respond in words, but her eyes held the faintest softness.
When they finally pulled apart, Yuming gave him a small nudge, a playful spark returning to her expression.
"Don't think you can hide things from me again," she teased lightly.
Yuxi smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Take care."
"Mn… you too," she replied with a nod and a subtle grin.
He watched her walk away, her presence lingering in his thoughts as he turned back to the quiet streets of Moya.