Fang Yuan, Lin Zhaoyue, Xiao Pei, and Du Juan gathered inside one of the quieter rooms of the estate.
Sunlight streamed through the wooden lattice windows, warming the floor.
At the center sat Doctor Mu, smiling as always, with a young child beside him.
The boy was quiet, observant, posture straight—too composed for his age.
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 comically at the boy's face.
Eyes? Nose? Chin?
He was very seriously attempting to determine which facial feature connected the boy to Fang Yuan.
Du Juan pretended not to notice his stupidity, 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."
