After the woman vanished from the warehouse, Han Liang remained hidden among the shadows for several moments. The room stood empty. No footsteps. No sound. No sign of how she had escaped.
His frown deepened.
Whoever she was, she had prepared her escape long before they arrived.
At last, Han Liang left the warehouse and made his way through the streets. Most of the market lanterns had already been extinguished, leaving only scattered pools of light along the stone roads.
Not far from the eastern gate, he finally spotted the Second Commander emerging from the darkness between two buildings.
One look at the man's expression told him everything he needed to know.
"You lost him."
The Second Commander nodded.
"The man knew what he was doing."
Han Liang waited.
"He headed toward the forest road outside town. I followed from a distance."
"And then?"
The commander folded his arms.
"He entered a grove of trees."
Han Liang remained silent.
"I saw him go in."
"And?"
"I reached the grove moments later."
The Second Commander paused.
"But he wasn't there."
Han Liang frowned.
"Not there?"
"I searched the entire area."
The commander shook his head.
"No tracks. No broken branches. No movement."
The woman had vanished.
The masked man had vanished.
And neither had left a single trace behind.
Together, they began walking back through the sleeping town. Lanterns swayed gently overhead, casting pale light across the empty streets. The deeper they investigated, the less sense everything seemed to make.
By the time they reached home, the night had settled completely over Ying Town. The garden stood quiet beneath the moonlight, and only the sound of cicadas drifted through the air. Han Liang poured himself a cup of wine and sat beneath the veranda while the Second Commander settled nearby.
For a long while, neither spoke.
At last, Han Liang set down his cup.
"Leave it for now."
The Second Commander glanced toward him.
Han Liang's gaze drifted across the dark garden.
"Some things reveal themselves only when you stop chasing them."
The commander gave a small nod.
Soon after, they retired to their rooms.
Yet even as Han Liang lay beneath the familiar wooden ceiling, the events of the day lingered in his mind.
The woman with violet eyes.
The masked man.
The warehouse.
None of it made sense yet.
Sooner or later, he would uncover the truth.Sleep came at last.
At dawn, as the first light fell across the garden, a familiar voice echoed through the courtyard.
"Liang!"
Startled, Han Liang pushed himself upright and opened the door. His hair was slightly disheveled, and sleep still lingered in his eyes.
At the garden gate stood Gu Feng.
Simple robes. A basket in one hand. A warm smile visible beneath the veil covering part of his face.
The tension in Han Liang's chest eased slightly.
"You're here."
Gu Feng's eyes curved slightly.
"I promised, didn't I?"
Han Liang found himself smiling.
"Come in."
Gu Feng stepped through the gate and lifted the basket slightly.
"I brought breakfast."
Han Liang washed, changed clothes, and stepped back into the courtyard. Gu Feng was already seated beneath the peach tree, his hat resting beside him on the table.
The Second Commander joined them, and they shared breakfast beneath the shade of the trees.
Conversation flowed easily, free from hidden merchants, missing suspects, and unanswered questions.
As they ate, Han Liang noticed the bracelet resting against Gu Feng's wrist.
The twin dragons touched nose to nose, gleaming softly beneath the morning sun.
A quiet warmth settled in his chest.
Gu Feng had kept it.
For a while, it almost felt as though Ying Town held no secrets at all.
The rest of the morning passed peacefully.
The day slipped by almost unnoticed as they cooked, talked, laughed, and enjoyed the rare peace of the house.
As evening arrived, they shared a simple dinner on the veranda. Later, Han Liang brought out a small jar of plum wine and poured them each a single cup.
The sweetness softened the atmosphere further.
Their conversation drifted from one subject to another. Han Liang spoke of distant border towns and old journeys. Gu Feng listened quietly, offering stories of his own while carefully avoiding certain truths.
Neither seemed eager for the night to end.
Eventually, Han Liang showed him the guest room.
"The peach trees are visible from the window," he said.
Gu Feng glanced outside and smiled.
"It is beautiful."
They continued talking long after they should have gone to sleep.
At some point, Gu Feng's voice grew quieter. His eyelids began to droop. Eventually, he leaned against the edge of the bed and drifted into sleep mid-conversation.
Han Liang watched him for a moment before carefully pulling the blanket higher.
He should leave.
The guest room was not his, and his own bed waited only a few steps away. Yet he remained where he was, unable to bring himself to move.
Slowly, he lay down beside Gu Feng.
For a long moment, he simply watched him sleep. The soft rise and fall of his breathing. The delicate line of his lashes. The peaceful expression that appeared only when he believed nobody was watching.
Even now, Han Liang thought he was beautiful.
Without thinking, he brushed a loose strand of hair away from Gu Feng's face.
A quiet warmth spread through his chest.
For the first time in many days, the constant weight of unanswered questions seemed distant. The warehouse, the woman with violet eyes, the masked man—none of them felt quite so important in that moment.
Not long after, Han Liang closed his eyes as well.
Outside, a gentle breeze stirred the peach blossoms, carrying their fragrance through the open window.
And for the first time since arriving in Ying Town, Han Liang found himself content to leave tomorrow's questions for tomorrow.