By the time the two of them left the City Lord's Mansion, night had fully fallen. The moon hung above the rooftops to the east, spilling its clear light over the bluestone paving, stretching their shadows long before folding them together beneath their feet.
The street was almost deserted. The shops on either side had closed their doors, leaving only a few lanterns burning, their light faint and quiet.
The wind blew in from the city wall, carrying the chill peculiar to nighttime and the dry scent of the distant wilderness. It slipped into the gaps between the bluestone slabs, then slowly dispersed.
Shen Fei walked on the left, Xiao Ning'er on the right, with roughly half a step between them. The distance was no different from usual, neither close nor far, just enough for someone to slip through sideways.
Shen Fei's hands hung naturally at his sides. His right hand occasionally brushed the sword hilt at his waist, his fingertips lightly stroking the clasp on its sheath.
Xiao Ning'er walked beside him, her short sword hanging at her waist and her ponytail swaying gently behind her. Her pace was neither hurried nor slow, keeping time with Shen Fei's.
Neither of them spoke. They simply walked in silence.
The street was clean. The evening wind had swept away most of the footprints and wheel ruts left by the daytime traffic. Occasionally, a few dry leaves drifted out of an alley, spiraling down onto the road before the next gust carried them away.
As they passed the middle of the main street, Shen Fei's hand stirred at his side.
Even he had not quite figured out how it happened. His left hand rose from his side, his fingers reaching toward her, his palm open and his knuckles slightly bent. It simply