Fang Yuan, Lin Zhaoyue, Xiao Pei, and Du Juan gathered inside one of the quieter rooms of the estate.
Sunlight streamed through the wooden windows, warming the floor.
At the center of the room sat Doctor Mu, smiling warmly with a young child beside him.
The boy was quiet and gentle as he turned his gaze wandering around the room.
Lin Zhaoyue fidgeted where she sat, hands clasped in her lap.
Her eyes kept darting toward the child, brimming with curiosity, but she forced herself to remain polite and composed beside Fang Yuan.
Xiao Pei, meanwhile, leaned forward, squinting at the boy's face.
Eyes? Nose? Chin? Ears? Or perhaps.. the lips?
He kept staring as if he was attempting to determine which facial feature connected the boy to Fang Yuan.
Du Juan was on the side, gently tending to a clay pot over a small flame, the soft sound of tea bubbling adding warmth to the room.
Fang Yuan placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly.
"Doctor Mu, it's good to see you again."
