Chapter 4: Our Room

  "Die, Snow Flower!"

  The yell echoed through the dense forest on the outskirts of Jinlun, sharp and full of hate. A man, his face twisted in a snarl, lunged from behind a thick tree, the tip of his spear aimed directly at the back of a woman with long, midnight-blue hair. She didn't even turn to look at him.

  Just before the spear could make contact, the air around its tip shimmered with a sudden, intense cold. Frost bloomed across the metal, and with a sharp crack, the spearhead froze solid and shattered into a thousand glittering shards.

  In one swift, fluid motion, Lin Meihua spun around. Her movements were a blur as she unleashed a barrage of precise, powerful kicks, striking the man's joints and pressure points. He crumpled to the ground, incapacitated and groaning in pain, his now-useless spear shaft thudding onto the soft earth beside him.

  "Another down," she said, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. She glanced over her shoulder at a nearby thicket, where the sounds of another skirmish were just dying down. "How is yours, Xiang Feng?"

  "Managing, Senior Lin!" a voice yelled back from the trees.

  Xiang Feng emerged from the thicket, a shortsword in one hand and a large, round shield nearly as big as himself in the other. He parried a blow from one attacker while using his shield to shove another back as the two rebels pressed their advantage, raining a flurry of sword strikes down on his shield.

  "Black Tortoise martial art!" he yelled, planting his feet firmly on the ground. "Countershock!"

  As their blades struck the black shield one last time, a powerful, paralyzing shockwave erupted from its surface. The two men were thrown backward, their bodies crackling with faint electricity, and slammed into a tree, where they fell unconscious.

  "How was that, Senior?" Xiang Feng asked, turning to her with a proud grin, though a clear exhaustion was visible on his young face. "Did I get better?"

  Lin remained cold and composed. "You should not scream your attack name, Xiang Feng. You give away an unnecessary tell to the enemy." She gestured to the glowing jade crystal on his hip. "Plus, you are clearly spent from using your Spark Core three times today. Your level of mastery is still too low."

  The young councilman looked down at his Core, its light now dim. "Yeah... I understand. Thank you, Senior Lin." He looked back up at her, his admiration returning. "I'm still impressed you can control your Core's power so easily. I feel like my life is being drained from me just by using it once. What's the tip?"

  "There is no tip," Lin replied, her silver eyes already scanning the surrounding forest. "Just resilience and consistent training. And please, focus. There may still be rebels hiding nearby."

  Xiang Feng's expression turned serious again. He saluted sharply. "Yes, Senior Lin!"

  Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted from deeper within the forest, sending a shower of dirt and splintered wood into the air.

  "What was that?" Xiang Feng yelped, raising his shield instinctively.

  "That," Lin said with a sigh, "would be Master Lihua."

  Just then, Zhu Lihua emerged from the trees, dragging one of the rebels by the collar. The man's clothes were smoking, his hair was singed, and he looked as if he had just been pulled from a forest fire.

  "Too weak," she screamed, dropping the unconscious man to the ground with a thud. "This is a complete waste of my time. Are you two done playing around?"

  "Yes, Master Lihua," both Lin and Xiang Feng said in unison, bowing their heads.

  "Good." Zhu dusted off her hands. "Then let's head back."

  The journey back to the Amber Palace was a quiet one. The captured rebels were bound and handed over to the city guard at the western gate, their fates now out of their hands. As the trio walked through the pristine avenues of the Sunstone Ward, the grime of the forest seemed to melt away, replaced by the heavy, gilded atmosphere of the palace.

  Now, the three warriors knelt in the throne room, the morning sun casting long shadows behind them. King Qin Hong sat upon his amber throne, his expression unreadable.

  "So," the King began, his voice echoing in the vast hall, "have you dealt with the rebels?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty," Lin answered, her voice clear and formal. "The threat has been neutralized."

  "And what did they want?" The King leaned forward slightly. "Money? Fame? Or were they simply being a nuisance?"

  "Apparently," Lin answered, her tone flat, "they wanted to take us down for not recognizing the religion they worship."

  The King let out a short, humorless laugh. "What nonsense. Rebels these days have such random reasons to commit crimes. Well, they will be dealt with by the guards and the judges, so this matter is concluded." He paused, his gaze fixing on Lin, his expression turning serious. "However, Lin Meihua, you haven't forgotten, have you? The matter from last week."

  The air in the throne room grew heavy.

  Last week.

  The memory was still fresh. It was the day after she had returned from Kun's apartment, her heart filled with a strange, new lightness. She had been summoned here, to this very room, kneeling just as she was now, dressed in the teal, sleeveless qipao she favored for its ease of movement. The dark blue sash was cinched neatly at her waist, worn over practical black leggings and boots. In the corner of the room, Master Lihua and Xiang Feng had stood watching, their faces a mixture of concern and confusion.

  "You know why I summoned you here, Lin Meihua," the King had asked, his voice a low growl.

  "Yes, Your Majesty," she had replied, her gaze fixed on the floor. "It is about my disappearance from the banquet."

  "Good. So you do know." He leaned forward, his voice dripping with condescension. "So, what is your excuse for embarrassing me in front of our guests?"

  Embarrassing him? Lin thought, the memory of the feeling still sharp. I was the one who was embarrassed. He used me like a toy, parading me in front of those snot-nosed nobles. Her fists, clenched tightly.

  "I..." she began, forcing her voice to remain steady. "I found a rebel masquerading as one of the waiters. I had to give chase."

  It was a blatant lie. The idea of a lone rebel infiltrating the most heavily guarded banquet of the year was a reach so absurd that no one in the room could possibly believe it.

  The King stared at her, a long, heavy silence stretching between them. "A lone rebel," he finally said, his voice dangerously quiet. "So you are telling me that you, the Snow Flower of Jinlun, a warrior of your caliber, could not simply incapacitate this 'rebel' on the spot? You, who can end a skirmish in seconds, chose instead to abandon your post, disappear for the entire night without a word, and cause a diplomatic incident, all in 'pursuit' of a single man?"

  He scoffed, the sound echoing in the throne room. "I don't appreciate being lied to, Lin Meihua. But since you are so certain of this threat, you can deal with it yourself."

  He stood, his voice ringing with authority. "Fine then. I hereby order you, in a week's time, to snuff out this rebellion you so conveniently discovered. This is your punishment, and your decree, for the banquet mishaps. Consider it a chance to prove your story."

  "Yes, Your Majesty," Lin had said, her voice a low murmur. "I will hunt them down personally."

  The flashback faded, leaving Lin kneeling in the present-day throne room.

  "I will admit," the King said, breaking the silence, his tone now one of grudging respect. "I actually thought you were lying that day. It appears I have misjudged."

  Lin kept her head bowed, a storm of conflicting emotions raging inside her. The fact that she had managed to find a genuine rebel group hiding in the forest just outside Jinlun was nothing short of pure, dumb luck. She herself hadn't expected to find anyone, let alone a group so bold as to set up a camp so close to the capital. It was a lie that had, by some absurd coincidence, come true, saving her from further punishment.

  The King cleared his throat, his voice regaining its regal authority. "For my distrust, I must offer you my apology. Name your reward, Lin Meihua."

  Lin looked up, her silver eyes meeting the King's. "Then may I have a day off, if possible, Your Majesty?" she asked, her voice quiet but clear. "I wish to visit my father's and mother's grave."

  It was only a half-truth. She did want to visit their graves; it had been too long. But the real reason was a small, decrepit apartment in the city's forgotten district. The week spent hunting a "rebel group" that she believed didn't exist had been mentally exhausting. She needed to go back there. It's really been a week, she thought, a flicker of anxiety mixing with hope. I hope he didn't forget about me. I want to go back to that peaceful room.

  "Very well." A hint of the King's usual warmth returned. "Since you have worked so hard to capture these rebels, I will offer you three days of leave. Use them as you wish."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Lin nodded, a flicker of genuine relief in her eyes.

  "You three are dismissed."

  Lin, Zhu, and Xiang Feng bowed one last time and quickly left the throne room. As the heavy doors shut behind them, Xiang Feng's usual bright energy returned.

  "Isn't it great, Senior Lin? You get three days off!" he chirped. "I can't believe the King would ever think the great Snow Flower would lie. You would never do that! You always protect us."

  Lin offered an awkward, noncommittal smile.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Zhu Lihua, however, was more direct. "Lin, are you really going to their graves?" Her voice was quiet and serious.

  "Yes, Master."

  "Then I will accompany you." Zhu's tone left no room for argument. "I want to see her, too. It has been a while."

  "Yes, Master. You may accompany me." Lin then turned to the young councilman. "Farewell for now, Xiang Feng. Master Lihua and I must attend to our private business."

  Xiang Feng saluted sharply. "Yes, Senior Lin! And... if you are free during any of your three days off, do you mind if I ask you to train me?"

  "I will keep that in mind," Lin replied, her voice polite but distant.

  Meanwhile, in an old warehouse near the Jinlun harbor, the air was thick with the scent of iron, rust, and sweat. The scene was one of controlled chaos. Dozens of workers moved with a frantic energy, hauling crates and barrels from newly arrived ships.

  "Careful with that one! If you break it, I'll take it out of your pay for the next ten years!" a rough old man barked from atop a stack of lumber, his voice like gravel. "And you! Those are quality pieces from Volnear, be more delicate! Move faster! Are you all trying to make me old?"

  In a far corner of the warehouse, a lone young man was quietly mopping the floor, doing his best to stay out of the way. It's been a week since then, huh? he thought, a small sigh escaping his lips. That girl must have already forgotten about me. There's no way a sane person would want to return to my awful apartment anyway.

  The rough old man, the warehouse boss Mr. Zhang, suddenly appeared next to him. "Kun! What are you doing slacking off? Start moving crates! We still have about a hundred more shipments from Volnear, and we are behind schedule!"

  "But, Boss, Mr. Zhang, I'm just a janitor," Kun protested, his voice quiet.

  "Janitor or not, you work for me! Do you want me to deduct your pay?" the old man yelled.

  Kun bowed his head. "No, boss. I'll start moving the crates." He immediately dropped his mop and ran to pick up a lone crate near the entrance.

  "Getting yelled at again, Kun?" a deep, friendly voice rumbled from behind him.

  Kun turned to see a massively buff man with a kind face and, incongruously, a pair of long, fluffy white rabbit ears twitching on his head. "Jack," Kun begged, "please tell Mr. Zhang, for the last time, I'm just a janitor. I can't move these heavy crates all day."

  "No can do, little buddy." Jack shook his head. "Boss is in a foul mood all week. You know once that old man barks an order, we all have to comply."

  "Nooooo," Kun cried softly.

  "Maybe all you need is some extra protein." Jack grinned, slapping Kun's back with a force that nearly sent the scrawny young man flying. Kun writhed in pain for a second.

  "Back to work!" Mr. Zhang yelled at the two of them.

  That afternoon, the sun was bright and the air was warm in the quiet graveyard nestled in the southwest hills of Jinlun. Under the shade of a great, ancient oak tree, two simple, elegant gravestones stood side-by-side.

  Lei Meihua

  Harrison Aster

  Two figures knelt before them.

  "Your father insisted on meeting your mother right here, under this very tree," Zhu Lihua said softly, her usual fiery demeanor replaced by a quiet reverence. She placed a hand on Lin's shoulder. "He said if he was going to court a dragon, he needed a tree that was just as stubborn."

  A small, watery smile touched Lin's lips as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "She said he was the only human she ever met who wasn't afraid of her."

  "He wasn't afraid of anything." A fond, sad smile touched Zhu's own face as she looked at the names carved in the stone. "He was a reckless, magnificent man. And she... she was my best friend."

  Lin nodded, her voice thick with emotion. "I know." She carefully placed a bouquet of white lilies in front of their graves.

  "She would be happy you took me in, Master Lihua," Lin said after a moment of quiet reflection. She closed her eyes, her hands clasped together. Mother, Father, I pay my respect to you. May you rest well beyond the clouds.

  Zhu watched her, her gaze distant. Her best friend and her husband, she thought, a familiar ache in her chest. How fleeting life is.

  After a long, quiet moment, Lin stood, brushing the dirt from her leggings. "We should go, Master."

  "Will you join me for dinner?" Zhu asked, her voice still soft. "We haven't had a proper meal together in a long time."

  Lin hesitated, her eyes darting away. "I can't tonight, Master. I... promised to help Xiang Feng with his training."

  Zhu’s expression hardened slightly. "No, you didn't. And that story you told the King about the rebel... that was a lucky coincidence, wasn't it?" She rose to her feet, her voice losing its gentle tone. "That outburst at the banquet, your disappearance... something happened that night, Linlin. What is going on with you?"

  Zhu reached out and gently took Lin's wrist.

  Lin flinched as if burned, shaking her hand free. "You are not my mother," she snapped, her voice sharp and cold. The words hung in the air, a cruel, unintended blow. "What I do is not your concern. You never did, so why start now !"

  She immediately regretted it, but the desperate need to protect her one small secret, her one quiet place, was stronger than her guilt. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Zhu Lihua kneeling alone in the shade of the great oak tree, a look of profound shock and hurt on her face. She knew she had failed. She failed to keep her only promise to her best friend.

  The door to apartment #4B creaked open. Kun hung his dusty work overalls on a hook by the entrance and placed his mop next to them with a weary thud. He let out a long, exhausted sigh.

  "Work today was brutal," he muttered to the empty room. "I wonder if my body can hold up until payday. Ugh."

  "You're late."

  "Yeah, yeah, sorry about that," Kun replied automatically, his mind still on his aching back. "Mr. Zhang said we had to fulfill our quota, whatever that means." He paused, his brain finally catching up to his ears. His eyes jolted wide open. Wait. Who said that?

  He looked toward the back of the room. There, sitting cross-legged on one of his crate-chairs, was Lin Meihua. She was casually reading a worn book she must have taken from his small cupboard, looking as if she belonged there.

  "You... you're Lady Meihua," he stammered, his mind short-circuiting. "How did you get in here? Why are you here? Wha—" Kun was so shocked he became completely speechless.

  "Well, where do we start?" Lin closed the book and set it aside. "First, I asked if I could come back, and you said yes. Second, your door is not locked. You seriously need to change that. And third," she gestured to a cloth bag on the floor next to her, "I bought groceries. Cook something for me."

  "But that was a week ago!" Kun exclaimed, his shock giving way to bewildered frustration. "We haven't had a single contact since then! I thought you were just being polite!" He pointed a shaky finger at the door. "And yeah, you're absolutely right about the door, but you're the only person who's ever broken in here, I think!" He threw his hands up in the air. "And I'm not a chef, I'm a janitor! Why does everyone keep asking me to do stuff besides cleaning?"

  Lin simply picked up the bag of groceries and lifted it high, the contents rustling. "I got the highest quality salmon and rice."

  Kun's frustration vanished. "Deal."

  As the lantern cast a warm glow over the small room, Kun moved about the tiny kitchen with a surprising, gentle efficiency. He prepared a simple dinner—steamed fish and cooked rice—but he handled the high-quality ingredients Lin had brought with a quiet reverence.

  "You're pretty good at cooking," Lin observed from her crate-chair, watching his movements.

  "Well, you have to be." Kun replied without turning around, a small smile in his voice. "Being an orphan, then living alone... it kinda forces you to be good at it. Plus," he added, glancing over his shoulder with a grin, "I can't say no to good ingredients." He turned back to the stove. "How about yourself? Do you cook?"

  "Nope."

  "Want to learn?"

  "Also nope."

  Kun let out a short laugh. "Figures. A noble like you must have multiple chefs preparing food for you every day."

  "Is that jealousy I'm sensing from you?" A playful smirk touched Lin's lips.

  "Of course," Kun admitted without hesitation. "I would do anything to get away from this life. Being a noble, being rich, having people serve you... sounds like a dream."

  "Trust me." Her voice grew softer, her gaze drifting around the small, clean room. "This life is not as grand as you think." She looked back at him, her silver eyes serious. "I think I like this better. No expectations. Quiet. Peaceful."

  "This?" Kun laughed, gesturing to the leaky roof and the crate-chairs. "You mean poverty? You're weird."

  "Hey! That's the second time you've said that." A genuine pout formed on her face as she threw a small, balled-up napkin at him.

  The dinner table, which was just a larger, sturdier crate, was quiet for a moment as they both ate the simple but delicious meal Kun had prepared.

  "Mmmm," Lin hummed, taking another bite of the perfectly steamed fish. "Yup. Still salty."

  "I knew it!" Kun pointed his chopsticks at her accusingly. "'Warm and nice,' what a bold lie! You were lying about the taste of my porridge, weren't you?"

  "Yep," she admitted without a hint of shame. "That porridge tasted exactly like you described: eighty percent water and salt. I think I got a stomachache the day after."

  They both laughed, the sound easy and comfortable. After a moment, Kun's expression turned a little more serious.

  "So..." he began, setting his chopsticks down.

  "So what?" Lin tilted her head.

  "There's no way you're just here to eat my mediocre cooking, right?" His gaze was direct. "There must be something you want here."

  "Not really," she answered, another lie.

  "You lie too easily." His voice was gentle but firm. "So, what's on your mind?"

  "Fine then." Lin let out a sigh, the playful energy draining from her. "Since you asked." She leaned forward, her silver eyes dark with a frustration she had held back for years.

  "The King wants me to do this and that, even though there are other council members he could ask. What did he even pay them for, just to watch. 'I look forward to your accomplishments,' what a load of crap. He just wants his prized weapon on display. And Master Lihua... she acts like my mother today, asking what's wrong. Why now? For decades, all she ever did was tell me I wasn't strong enough, toss me into the jungle, and beat me half to death because it was 'training.' She forced me to join the council because 'it's what your mother would have wanted.' And don't even get me started on Xiang Feng. That boy is too young, who even admitted him to the council? All his reports are wrong, and I'm the one who ends up rewriting them for him."

  The words poured out of her, a torrent of grievances that had been dammed up for centuries. She ranted about the stuffy nobles, the demanding scholars, the weight of a title she never asked for. "...that time I wanted to buy a limited edition Lady Huanli book, I had to cover for one of the council's mistakes and..." She trailed off, turning to look at Kun, who was still listening, his expression a mixture of bewilderment and awe.

  She blushed, putting her palm to her mouth. "I'm... I'm sorry. I guess I just said all that."

  "No, no, please continue, m'lady." Kun gestured with his chopsticks, a small, teasing smile playing on his lips. "It's interesting, hearing palace gossip from the Snow Flower herself."

  "Are you mocking me right now?" Her silver eyes narrowed.

  "Yeah." He grinned. "And what of it?"

  "Then there won't be any more good food for you for a while."

  Kun immediately jumped off his crate and knelt on the floor, his hands clasped together in a desperate plea. "No, I'm sorry, Your Majesty! Please don't take away the rice!"

  "Maybe I will," Lin giggled, the sound light and free. This idiot, she thought, a warmth spreading through her chest. I don't know why, but I can always be honest when he's with me.

  After their laughter subsided, Kun sat back down, a thoughtful expression on his face. "So, I guess a noble's life comes with its own drama, huh?"

  "That's what I've been trying to tell you," Lin replied, her voice soft. "It's not just sunshine and rainbows."

  "Alright, alright, you made your point." Kun raised his hands in surrender. "But I still think it's better than being in poverty, Lady Meihua."

  "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Lin waved her hand dismissively. "And it's Lin. Stop with the 'Lady Meihua'."

  "Ugh... Lin." The name came out as a meek whisper, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

  "Oh ho?" Lin leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her silver eyes. "Are you blushing? Is calling me by my first name that embarrassing?"

  "It's whatever." Kun quickly looked away, clearing his throat.

  "So, your turn." Lin’s voice softened as she changed the subject. "What did you do all day that made your back hurt?"

  "Oh, you know, the usual." Kun sighed, leaning back and stretching his sore muscles. "Cleaning the warehouse somehow turned into slave labor, courtesy of an enraged boss. I'm supposed to just clean, you know? It's in my contract."

  "So why didn't you just tell him?" Lin asked, genuinely curious.

  "Because he's scary and I need the paycheck," Kun said simply. "Unlike a certain someone." He glanced over at Lin, who was happily snacking on the salmon. "Jack is the only ray of sunshine I have in that job."

  "Who?" she asked, confused.

  "Jack. You know, tall, buff, fluffy rabbit ears?"

  "I really don't know who you are talking about." Lin shook her head. "And hey, didn't we have this exact conversation last week?"

  "We did?" Kun scratched his head. "Don't remember." He shrugged.

  Lin let the topic drop, a new thought dawning. "Anyway, I get that you're tired from work, but... the King gave me two more days off. Any chance you want to... do something?"

  "Like what? A date?" Kun asked, a hopeful, teasing glint in his eye.

  Lin blushed, her playful confidence evaporating instantly. "A date? With someone like you? No chance!"

  "Thought so." Kun let out a theatrical sigh. "Plus, I have work tomorrow, so no luck there. You're on your own."

  "I guess," Lin said, a wave of disappointment washing over her.

  And so they continued their chaotic dinner together, the unspoken question of "what now?" hanging in the quiet, comfortable air of the small apartment. However, as the dinner was ending, an idea sparked in Lin's mind. She licked her lips, a slow, eerie smile spreading across her face that sent a shiver of fear down Kun's spine.