list of medicines to be sent to Reedbank. They exchanged brief comments on the amount of timber required to repair a damaged bridge and whether the medical hall could spare a healer to visit the village clinic.
Then Yan Cijin leaned her head against Bai Li's shoulder.
Bai Li turned a page.
Yan Cijin kissed her cheek.
Bai Li turned another page.
Yan Cijin rested a hand on Bai Li's knee and traced a small circle against the fabric of her robe.
Bai Li read the same paragraph three times. She had the sense to recognize what was happening, but no desire whatsoever to stop it. The report had survived for two days without being read. It could survive another five minutes.
Eventually, Yan Cijin lifted her face and looked at her. "My love, is something wrong?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Bai Li closed the report and set it on the table. "You."
Yan Cijin smiled as though she had just received a treasured gift. "I am doing nothing."
"That is precisely the problem."
