By the time the sky darkened, Su Li finally came out of the woodshed.
The ether in his meridians was another layer thicker than it had been that afternoon. That full, swelling sensation left his whole body feeling much lighter. At this rate, the third tier was not far off.
The courtyard was quiet.
Silver was curled up asleep on the steps by the door, its little belly rising and falling. A full stomach really was the height of comfort.
Su Li crouched and poked the cat's belly with a finger. Silver rolled over without so much as lifting an eyelid.
It really had some nerve.
Voices suddenly drifted over from the front gate, drawing nearer.
"Can you walk faster? My arms are killing me!"
"You insisted on buying so much. Who else can you blame?"
Su Li stood and dusted off his hands.
The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Saina charged in first.
She was carrying a towering stack of cloth-wrapped bundles in both arms, piled all the way up to her chin. She was walking entirely by feel.
Elena followed behind, carrying two paper bags in her hands, her pace unhurried. The hem of her black velvet dress swayed in the twilight.
"You're back?" Su Li went over and casually took the bundles at the top of Saina's stack.
Freed of her burden, Saina let out a long breath and shook out both arms.
"I'm exhausted. That market in the eastern district was huge—we wandered around all afternoon until my legs went weak."
Elena set the paper bags on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, fanning herself with one hand.
"Mostly because someone had to touch everything at every stall three times before she was willing to leave."
"That's called shopping around!" Saina protested.