Inside Mo Han's Stone House…
Jia Kai sat cross-legged across from Mo Han, her gaze fixed on him as he calmly polished the set of silver needles he had purchased the previous night. The glow of the luminous flame lamp painted his face half in shadow, half in gold.
"Mo Han," she finally broke the silence, her voice quiet but sharp with concern, "do you understand what you're doing?"
He didn't lift his head, only continued to run the cloth over the needles. "What am I doing?"
"Becoming the talk of the entire Golden Silk City in a single day," Jia Kai said bluntly. "Everyone is whispering about you. A man who heals with pleasure, a man whose touch makes even elders' servants moan. You think this popularity is only good? No—it's a double-edged sword. If some big fellow feels threatened, or worse, mocked, they won't tolerate you. They'll play games with you, and even your skill won't stop them if they decide to strike from the shadows."
