The quiet stone path leading away from the grand landing platform was paved with smooth river pebbles, worn flat and cool by decades of gentle foot traffic.
High walls covered in climbing green ivy kept out the cold mountain drafts, leaving the air fresh, still, and fragrant with the scent of wet moss and blooming winter plums.
Haoran and Ye Hongyan walked side by side, their hands still loosely linked.
The hard, icy glare she had directed at the clan elders had melted away completely, replaced by a quiet, reflective calm that softened the sharp lines of her face.
As they moved deeper into the residential quarters of the estate, Ye Hongyan began pointing toward the courtyards and towers they passed, introducing places she remembered and how it had changed over the years.
