"Y-yi..."
Birdsong drifted in from the empty mountains outside the window, and a little sunlight filtered through, spilling before the bed.
After Xie Jinhuan took a beating from Xian'er and Zisu, he sank into a muddled stupor. He was woken several times to take medicine, but soon fell unconscious again each time. He had no idea whether he had been possessed, either: the inexplicable dreams continued, with the wings of his household taking turns bullying him. Only after enduring humiliation and bearing his burden for who knew how long did his consciousness finally clear.
He opened his eyes and looked around. The room was plain and clean, soothing incense burned on the table, and his robes were folded neatly at the head of the bed.
The wild little girl with a head full of braids had probably grown tired from nursing him at his bedside and had fallen asleep slumped beside the bed.
Outside the window, an alchemical furnace had appeared in the little courtyard of the Daoist temple. Heat billowed from it; it looked as though medicine was being refined.
Sister Guo, dressed in red gauze, held a twig and was leisurely teaching introductory swordplay.
Zisu, dressed like a pampered young lady, held a wooden sword and earnestly imitated moves such as Swallow Turns Back. Though she had the bearing down, as a physician without a foundation in the martial Dao, she apparently still needed considerable honing before she could amount to anything.
After a brief look, Xie Jinhuan first turned his gaze to the bedside and raised a hand to pat her shoulder gently.
"Xian'er?"
"Mm..."
Half asleep, Jiang Xian's lashes stirred at the sound. She slowly opened her eyes and discovered that Xie Jinhuan was already awake, watching her with a smile. Her expression stiffened slightly before