The room went silent except for the breathing of three people. The blind girl lay frozen on her bed, her bandaged chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow arcs. The mother stood near the door, her azure silk dress clinging to her sweat, her eyes wide and confused.
"Please, Ancestor," the mother whispered. She stepped forward, her hands clasped. "About my son. I beg you. Show mercy. I will do anything. I will pay any debt. Just spare his life."
The blind girl turned her head toward the sound.
"Should I leave, Ancestor?" she asked, her voice trembling. "If this is a private matter... I can go. I am only a disciple. I am nothing..."
"No," Tianlong said.
He sat up on the bed. His robe slid further open, the dense muscle of his chest catching the lamplight. His cock was thickening, the broad head lifting from his thigh, the shaft filling with blood. "Just sit there. Both of you. Close your eyes if you must, blind one. But do not leave."
The door was sealed.
