The door opened without haste.
Elder Mi stepped in.
His presence alone seemed to settle the air—calm, measured, composed. His robes, deep brown lined with muted gold, fell heavily around him, each fold precise despite the long day. There was no dust on him now; somewhere between the chaos, he had made sure to restore his appearance.
Only his eyes betrayed anything.
They moved first—
And settled on Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei had already stood up.
Straight.
Respectful.
Though confusion still lingered clearly across his face.
"Elder Mi," he greeted.
His voice was steady, polite.
Behind him, Zhang Lie gave a short nod. "He doesn't remember."
Elder Mi's gaze flickered once, then he inclined his head slightly.
"I see."
A brief pause.
Then—
"You two may leave."
Zhang Lie frowned faintly. "Elder—"
"I wish to speak with him alone."
The tone wasn't harsh.
But it was final.
Zhang Lie's jaw tightened slightly, his eyes flicking once toward Zhang Wei before he turned. Zhang Lin followed without protest, though his steps were slower, more reluctant.
The door closed behind them with a soft click.
—
Silence settled.
Zhang Wei stood where he was, hands loosely at his sides, posture straight but not stiff. His orange robe caught the lantern light, soft folds shifting faintly with his breathing.
Elder Mi studied him for a moment.
Then spoke.
"From this day forward," he began, his voice low but firm, "you are not to be on your own."
Zhang Wei blinked.
The words landed—
But didn't fully settle.
"You will remain within sight of others at all times," Elder Mi continued. "And you will begin learning how to protect yourself."
Zhang Wei tilted his head slightly.
Confusion deepened.
Is this another lecture…?
The thought passed through him almost lazily—
And before he could stop himself—
He yawned.
Soft.
Unintentional.
Elder Mi paused.
Only for a fraction of a second.
Then continued as if nothing had happened.
"Your abilities must be hidden."
That—
That caught Zhang Wei's attention.
Fully.
"In fact," Elder Mi added, "you are not to use them at all."
Zhang Wei straightened slightly now, his brows knitting together.
The faint chill that always lingered at the edges of his control—the thing he barely understood himself—came to mind.
The ice.
It wasn't something he commanded.
It came.
It went.
Like emotion.
Unpredictable.
So the restriction—
Wasn't difficult.
But still—
"…Elder Mi… why?"
The question came quietly.
Honest.
Elder Mi paused.
Just long enough for the weight of the answer to form.
Then—
He sighed.
A controlled breath.
"…Such abilities are dangerous," he said. "They strain the body."
His gaze held steady.
"And over time… they can shorten one's lifespan."
The lie was smooth.
Measured.
Delivered without hesitation.
But behind it—
Calculation.
He had not known Zhang Wei long.
But long enough.
The boy was stubborn.
Carefree in ways that could not be reasoned with directly.
But one thing—
Was clear.
He valued his life.
Deeply.
And that—
Could be used.
Zhang Wei's reaction was immediate.
His expression shifted completely—shock, genuine and unguarded, flashing across his face.
"…Shorten… my lifespan?"
He repeated it softly.
His fingers curled slightly at his sides.
That—
That he understood.
That he believed.
His life had only just begun to feel… better.
He wasn't willing to lose it.
Not now.
Not like that.
His hesitation lasted only a moment.
Then—
He nodded.
Firmly.
"I promise."
The words carried weight.
More than anything else he had said so far.
Elder Mi watched him for a moment longer.
Then reached into his sleeve.
"Wear this."
He brought out a coat.
Black.
But not plain.
Strange symbols were woven subtly into the fabric—dark patterns that only revealed themselves when the light shifted across them. They were intricate, almost beautiful, yet unfamiliar in design.
Zhang Wei hesitated for only a second before taking it.
The fabric felt… different.
Cool.
Light.
Not heavy like the one before.
He slipped it on.
The coat settled over him naturally, the inner lining smooth against his skin, instantly soothing the faint irritation that still lingered from earlier.
No heat.
No discomfort.
Only a quiet, steady coolness.
Zhang Wei blinked slightly.
"…This is better."
Elder Mi gave a small nod.
"It will not irritate your skin."
A brief pause.
Then, almost casually—
"Your sister Fei Fei brought it for you."
Zhang Wei frowned slightly.
He knew.
Somewhere.
That wasn't true.
The timing.
The preparation.
It didn't match.
But—
He didn't ask.
Because he understood something else just as clearly.
The more you know—
The more trouble follows.
"…Alright," he murmured instead.
He adjusted the coat slightly, pulling the upper layer over his shoulders. The hood rested loosely at the back, but when he lifted it, it framed his face just enough—shadowing his hair, softening his features.
Only his face remained visible.
Small.
Quiet.
Contained.
"…It's nice."
Elder Mi didn't respond.
"Stay here," he said instead. "We are preparing to depart. When it is time, you will be informed."
Zhang Wei nodded without argument.
There was nothing to argue.
Elder Mi turned.
And left.
The door closing softly behind him.
—
The room fell quiet again.
Zhang Wei remained standing for a moment longer.
Then slowly—
He sat.
Upright.
Hands resting on his knees.
The black coat settled around him, its coolness lingering gently against his skin.
His expression softened slightly.
A faint flush touched his cheeks.
Not from heat this time.
But from something else.
Unfamiliar.
"…They're… worrying too much," he muttered under his breath.
Yet—
He didn't remove the coat.
He didn't move from where he sat.
He didn't question further.
Because for now—
Waiting was something he could do.
And outside that room—
Everything was already moving.