Night had already settled quietly over Yunhe City by the time Bai Lingling finally found herself alone again.
The courtyard outside had become much quieter than before. The servants had already withdrawn, the guards had changed shifts once, and even the warm little birthday liveliness from the morning had long since faded into the sort of soft stillness that only appeared in large residences after dark.
From time to time, the breeze would stir the bamboo shadows beyond the window, and the lantern hanging beneath the corridor would sway a little, causing the light in the room to move gently across the floor and walls. It was not cold, but it was not warm either. It was the kind of night that made hidden thoughts easier to hear.
Inside the room, Bai Lingling sat before the bronze mirror.
The mirror was polished well enough that it could clearly reflect a person's face under the lamplight, and that was exactly why Bai Lingling did not like looking at it for too long.
