That night, Yuan Yu returned home in silence. The streets had emptied, and the distant noise of the market had long faded. Yet the whispers he had heard earlier still lingered.
The mention of the Tiger Sect's leader rested quietly on his chest. He did not love that man. Even the thought unsettled him.
In his room, he lit a single lantern. Warm light spread across the wooden floor as he poured himself a cup of tea. He took a sip.
The taste felt dull.
He set the cup aside.
The servants had prepared fine dishes, but he had barely touched them these past days.
Food only felt meaningful when shared.
He lay down. His fingers found the white-beaded bracelet around his wrist. Among the beads, the same carving remained—two dragons, their noses touching.
He traced it slowly. A brief stillness followed. His fingers tightened slightly. A faint softness passed over his expression.
Without effort, his thoughts turned to Han Liang.
If I had arrived earlier…
The thought stopped there.
He exhaled and turned toward the open window. The night stretched wide and quiet. The full moon hung high above, its pale light spilling across the courtyard.
"Is he looking at the same moon?"
The question lingered.
Han Liang's voice surfaced in his mind—calm, steady.
He remained still.
The warmth returned, subtle but persistent.
"Steady yourself, Yuan Yu," he murmured. "He is a man, just like you."
But the warmth did not fade. Sleep came slowly.
His thoughts drifted, forming quiet images—walking side by side beneath the peach trees at the foot of Ying Mountain, standing by the river in silence.
That place had always been his alone.
He wanted to show it to him. At last, his eyes grew heavy. As sleep finally took him, one thought remained.
Tomorrow… the thought lingered.