Fragrance Tea House was packed with all sorts of guests as usual.
Shen Yao stepped inside, the familiar scent of brewing tea and sandalwood washing over him as he glanced around the place noticing all the familiar faces he knew around the room.
And maybe because of the powerful air around him as he stood there motionlessly, his presence immediately attracted the young waiter who stood near the entrance, head bowed, hands folded. The main hall was almost filled with a few patrons scattered at tables, random pairs of merchants discussing in low voices near the window and not far off an old man dozing over a cold cup of tea in the corner.
Being guided toward the second floor, he chose a table away from the stairs and windows but close enough to give him a full view of the downstairs area.
The wooden floor creaked softly under his boots as he crossed the room and took his seat. Not long after a servant appeared, and he ordered a pot of plain tea.
When it arrived, steam curling into the cool air, he poured himself a cup and let it cool, his hands resting on the table. The porcelain was warm against his palms. His gaze drifted toward the wall—plain, unadorned, a faint crack running through the plaster as his fingers lightly drummed against the surface of the table.
Since threads were no longer separate
He wondered how he could approach this situation considering he still had to watch out for the emperor.
He took a slow sip of tea. It was bitter, but warm.
How I'm I expected to go about this?
He set down the cup. The soft clink echoed in the quiet.
Thinking about this the real question wasn't whether these things were connected. The question was why *he* was at the center of everything.
---
Shen Yao sat with his head bent lost in his thoughts for a while.
He heard footsteps, followed by the faint scent of sandalwood drifting through the corridor. Completely different from the tea house's own incense this one felt sharper and clean in a familiar way that made his fingers still.
Shen Yao looked up.
Not far away, Guo Yun stood outside the room opposite Shen Yao's.
He seemed to be alone. No attendants, no guards, no fan in his hand. His white robes were simple, unadorned, and his pale blue eyes wandered curiously around the tea shop interior before settling on Shen Yao across the hall.
He smiled slightly and walked toward Shen Yao's. His footsteps were quiet on the wooden floor as he slowly made his way towards Shen Yao's.
Shen Yao did not stand. He did not greet him. He simply watched as Guo Yun entered his room.
Shen Yao sighed
Of course, this happens
Luckily, he was here alone and had told Xi Shu to go run his own errands.
"We meet again, Young Master Shen," Guo Yun said. "Hope I'm not bothering you."
Shen Yao's expression did not change. "You followed me."
"Yes and No." Guo Yun merely shrugged though his smile did not waver.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just got bored and came out to eat, see what Ming offers, and just so happened to meet you here."
Guo Yun then gestured to the empty seat across from Shen Yao. A faint draft from the window stirred the edge of his sleeve.
"May I?"
Shen Yao quietly studied him for a long moment before he nodded.
"Suit yourself"
Guo Yun on the other hand seemed unbothered with the earlier awkwardness and just sat down.
---
After the time it took for a candle to burn out, a waiter brought another cup—porcelain, thin, warm. Guo Yun poured himself tea, took a slow sip, and set the cup down with a soft click.
"You seem dazed," he said.
"I'm just curious" Shen Yao said taking a sip of his tea.
Guo Yun nodded "Curious? Of what?"
Shen Yao didn't reply immediately but glanced at Guo Yun, his eyes narrowed. He knew what exactly he was talking about.
Guo Yun's smile widened slightly. "You seem very cautious of me."
"Don't you"
"I am."
He reached into his sleeve and drew out a scroll. It was blank. It's main purpose for storing information.
"If you have any questions, you can ask away?"
Guo Yun smiled.
A shadow flickered beside him, handed him a charcoal strip, and disappeared."
Shen Yao's pulse quickened, but his face remained still.
"You?"
"It's just a protective measure," Guo Yun said.
"I'm sure Young Master Shen should be aware of that."
Shen Yao's eyes narrowed dangerously before he lowered his gaze.
"I am."
Guo Yun rolled his sleeves back slightly before focusing on what he was doing. The charcoal scratched softly against the paper, the sound filling the quiet room.
"Does Shen Yao—" Shen Yao shut his mouth immediately
He caught himself just in time, the words dying in his throat having noticed the blunder he almost made.
Guo Yun glanced up at him. His expression a bit strange.
Why would someone refer to themselves like that?
An awkward sort of silence filled the room again.
"I meant to ask. Is the Shen family related to you in any way?"
Shen Yao waited for a long while and just as he thought he wouldn't get any answers like how his conversations with Yu Xie always left him with unanswered questions.
"No"
The answer landed like a stone in still water.
Shen Yao did not move. He did not blink. But something in his chest tightened—a cold, familiar sensation.
"Then why-?"
Guo Yun's expression softened slightly.
"That is not a question, I should answer," he said quietly, "The rightful person to feed your curiosity is somewhere else."
Shen Yao frowned.
"What do you mean the rightful person? He asked his gaze filled with a kind of irritation that hadn't appeared since he was reborn. " Can't you just tell me? Why make things so difficult?"
He stood up feeling his blood boil, but he couldn't quite understand why he had such a sudden outburst.
Realizing he had lost control of his emotions, he took a deep breath and sat back down.
"My apologies, I don't understand why I reacted like that."
Guo Yun's smile widened not for anything else but that outburst alone.
For months all reports about his cousin classified him as a competent calm person no matter what situation he was in from court sessions, even during the assassination he has always been levelheaded which can be considered good and bad at once for them but for now those were problems for later.
"It's alright." Guo Yun said then he pushed the half-finished portrait he had been working on across the table. It slid smoothly, stopping just before Shen Yao's cup.
"What do you think?" He spoke.
Shen Yao felt a bit awkward having to face this man again especially after the earlier outburst, so he quickly turned his attention to the portrait in front of him but immediately paused like someone had frozen time itself.
On the table was a half-finished portrait of a man, from the lines of his face one could tell he was young maybe in his twenties, the curves on his face were profound and cold but one couldn't be sure because the painting wasn't finished yet.
As if possessed by something Shen Yao slowly reached out his hand and pulled the painting close to himself as if he wanted to see something in specific.
"Who's this?" the question came out like a trance.