The scent of ginger and sweet scallions drifted through the courtyard, carried on the night wind. I sat cross-legged at the stone table, watching as Zhu Mingyu wrestled with the humble task of peeling carrots. I didn't care about my image, and he didn't correct me.
In fact, if I squinted just a bit, I might actually think that I was back home in the mountains.
I continued to watch as he struggled with the carrot, like it was a minister that was out to get him.
It was… painful… but I really couldn't stop the smile on my face from growning.
"You peeled too much," I said, resting my chin in my hand. "There's almost no carrot left to eat."
He didn't even flinch. "I'm trying. I can't say I've done this before."
His tone was dry, but not defensive. He placed the mangled strip of orange root into the bowl beside him and reached for another with that same stubborn precision I'd seen in battle strategies, not vegetable preparation.
