The sun had begun to dip behind the tiled roofs when the merchant's carriage rolled away from The Whisper Bowl. The rattle of the wheels faded into the murmur of evening, leaving behind the scent of ink, parchment, and roasted sesame.
For a heartbeat, the world stood still.
Then —
"We did it!"
Both women shouted at once.
Yao Qing threw her arms around Lian An, and the Empress laughed — loud, free, and unguarded — a sound she had not made in years. The twins, startled from their drowsy sweeping, peeked from behind the counter to see their two mistresses spinning in circles like children who had stolen the stars themselves.
"It's only been one month!" Yao Qing gasped between laughs. "One month since we reopened, and look at us! We've already bought the three shops next door — and tomorrow, the merchant comes again to talk about opening outlets all across the kingdom!"
