[After leaving the palace, you walked slowly along the long street.]
[Dusk in Heaven Dou City seemed to settle earlier than you remembered. The hour of the Rooster had barely passed, yet only a thin layer of gold and crimson remained on the horizon. The setting sun stretched your shadow long, dragging a dim trail across the pale gray flagstones.]
[The streets were deserted. The few shops that had yet to close had removed only half their door panels, letting out dim yellow candlelight that illuminated not a single figure.]
[You turned past two alley entrances and stopped before Dugu Manor.]
[The two stone lions outside the gates still crouched in their old places, though a thin layer of dust had gathered in their carved grooves. The wind had weathered the bronze bells beneath the eaves until their edges rusted, and their chimes sounded somewhat lower and hoarser than before.]
[You raised your hand and knocked with the door knocker. Before long, the vermilion gates opened inward a crack.]
["Who is it?"]
[A familiar face peered out from behind the gate. Purple hair, emerald eyes, a figure as graceful as ever-only her features bore a little more weariness than they had a few years ago.]
[Dugu Yan froze slightly when she saw who had come, then a light flickered in her eyes.]
["Xiao Yi?"]
[She pushed the gate a little wider, looked you up and down, and curved her lips into a smile. "What brings you here? Come in."]
[You followed her through the front courtyard and into the main hall.]
[The furnishings inside remained as before. The shelves holding bottles and jars still lined the walls neatly, though several compartments stood empty, exposing their dusty bases. A pot of tea sat on the table, long since cold, with the