He stood and greeted his father, "Greetings, father. What brings you here?" As he bowed, he tried to hide his bleeding hand, but Lord Xu noticed the cut and realized his son had injured himself while cleaning the glass.

You hurt yourself to keep the broken glass hidden from me, Han'er?

Then Lord Xu began, "Han'er, I'm here to let you know that I will be away for a few days on a business trip."

"Oh, I understand father," Xu Hanyu nodded in response.

"And I—" Lord Xu began, but Xu Hanyu interrupted.

"You want to remind me to stay at the residence, father. I understand," he replied firmly.

There was a brief silence as Lord Xu acknowledged that his son was right.

“…”

As the moment of silence wrapped around them, Lord Xu let out a quiet sigh and continued, "I’ll be back before the Lantern Festival. Also,” he paused as he took a deep breath, “your brother Xu Rong will return that night."

Xu Hanyu froze, his mind whirling. The name hit him like a sudden gust of wind, sharp and unexpected.

Brother Xu Rong? Is returning…?

"Don't worry, he won’t hurt you. He must have changed." His father’s reassurances barely reached him through the ringing in his ears

Despite his father's words, Xu Hanyu couldn't shake his anxiety. He stood frozen in place, while Lord Xu turned to leave.

Before exiting, he added, "I will send Xu Lian to take care of your hands."

This caught his attention as he realized that his father had discovered the cut.

After speaking to the young man, Lord Xu exited the room and shut the door, leaving him alone in the room.

As Xu Hanyu stood still, he realized his relationship with his father had changed, though he couldn't identify when. They had once shared a close bond, but since that day at the lake, a gap had formed between them. Lighthearted chats had dwindled to brief exchanges, leaving him unsure of how to restore their connection.

What happened to us, father?

He flopped back onto his bed, shielding his eyes with an arm as he let out a deep sigh. The room was still, with just the wind outside rattling the room.

A few moments later, a worried knock sounded at the door, followed by a voice calling out, “Hanyu'er!” His brows furrowed.

Xu Lian… that was quick.

“Come in!” he called out, sitting up slightly.

The door opened slowly, and his older sister appeared, carrying a basket of bandages. She was usually calm and collected, but her eyes widened in concern as they landed on his injured hand.

"Hanyu'er, what happened to your hand?" she slowly moved closer to him, obviously looking worried.

"You know I don't like seeing you in pain,"

“It’s nothing, really. Just a small accident.” He raised his hand, palm up, showing the shallow cut across it.

“Nothing? This doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ to me.”

She reached out and took his hand gently. Then, she got a small jar of ointment and put some on the cut, blowing softly to ease the sting.

"Ah—!" Xu Hanyu jumped in sudden pain. He tried to pull back, but she held his hand steady, focused on him as she cared for him.

“Don’t move. I’ll wrap it with a bandage,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Sis, it’s just a scratch. You don’t have to—”

“Scratches can still get infected, you know? Plus, You’re wincing, and you call that a scratch?”

Then Xu Hanyu chuckled, shaking his head, saying, “Fine, fine. I surrender.”

With that, Xu Lian wrapped the bandage carefully, and the room fell into a comfortable silence.

She noticed Xu Hanyu’s tired expression, she couldn’t help but feel concerned. He looked worn out from constant training, as if he hadn’t had a moment to relax.

Finally, she began, “By the way, did father tell you he’ll be away for a few days?”

Xu Hanyu gave a small nod. “Hm.”

“What else did he say?”

He leaned back slightly, letting out a breath. “Not much. Just mentioned he’s leaving and… that Xu Rong is returning on the night of the Lantern Festival.”

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Xu Lian paused, her hands stilling for a moment. “That’s all?”

He nodded again, though slower this time. “Well… he reminds me to stay in the residence while he’s gone.” A faint smile tugged at his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “As if I’d even think of stepping out.”

With a quiet sigh, Xu Lian felt the weight of her thoughts settle in. She thought about how much Xu Hanyu might want to escape the dullness of his daily routine.

A sly grin crossed her lips as a thought struck her—sneaking out. It was the best way to give him the break he truly deserved.

“You? Stay put for days on end? I’ll believe it when it’s real.”

“Come on, I’m not that reckless.”

But Xu Lian’s sly smile didn’t stop.

“What?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

She leaned in, her voice lowering to a playful whisper. “I was just thinking… Since Father’s away, why not slip out for a day? Just the two of us. We’ll come back before anyone notices.”

Xu Hanyu’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Sneak out? Are you serious?”

Then Xu Lian nodded, “Hm, completely.”

He was speechless for a moment just thinking of that idea. Sneaking out? He had never done this before. Suddenly, his father's stern face and warnings echoed in his mind. Sneaking isn’t proper behavior… What if father finds out?

And yet, a faint tug of curiosity stirred within him, battling the caution. But this could be my chance to finally see the outside world… To experience it, even if just for a day.

“You do realize father would kill us if he found out, right?”

“Only if he finds out,” she teased, standing up and giving him a wink. “Think about it, little brother. A bit of adventure won’t hurt.”

Xu Hanyu sighed and rubbed his neck, feeling torn. His heart wanted to say yes, but his head said no. He glanced at his sister who was full of excitement, then shook his head with a small smile.

“I’ll consider it…”

…

The first light of dawn stretched across the sky as Lord Xu prepared to leave. Clan members hurried to pack his things, but his mind was elsewhere.

“Lord Xu,” a voice called from behind.

He turned to see Elder Xu Ting, flanked by two elders and the other clan members.

“Elders,” he greeted.

Elder Xu Ting observed the preparations with a gentle smile. “It seems you’re ready.”

“Yes,” Lord Xu replied. “But why so early?”

“We wanted to see you off,” Elder Xu Ting said.

Lord Xu chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate that.”

“Ah, I almost forgot. A letter arrived two days ago from the Fu Clan.” Elder Xu Ting pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it over.

“A letter?” Could it be about the business negotiation?

“Yes.” Lord Xu tucked it into his sleeve. “Hm, thank you.”

Then a clan member called out, “Lord Xu, everything has been loaded.”

Lord Xu gave a small nod. “Hm.” His gaze returned to Elder Xu Ting. “It’s time.”

“Safe travels, Lord Xu,” Elder Xu Jia said.

“We will await your return.”

Lord Xu’s expression hardened. “I’ll be back before long.”

As he turned to enter the carriage, his gaze landed on Xu Hanyu and Xu Lian. “Take care of Xu Hanyu while I’m away.”

Elder Xu Bai scoffed quietly with arms crossed. “Hmph.”

“Rest assured.”

Without another word, Lord Xu climbed into the carriage, disappearing into the morning mist.

After he left, Elder Xu Jia spoke. “We should begin preparations for the banquet.” The two elders nodded.

“You’re dismissed,” Elder Xu Jia told the clan members.

“Yes…!” they replied before dispersing, leaving the area empty as Xu Hanyu and Xu Lian walked away.

…

As they strolled side by side, the morning light cast gentle shadows on the ground.

"Han’er, have you thought about what I mentioned?" Xu Lian's tone was playful.

"What?" Xu Hanyu raised an eyebrow.

She smiled mischievously. "Don’t play dumb. I’m saying we should slip away while Father’s out."

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sis, you know I’m not keen on making Father mad. Sneaking around isn’t my thing."

"Just one day. What’s the harm? A little adventure never hurts."

"The Elders are keeping an eye on me."

"You worry too much. They’ll be busy preparing for the banquet."

Xu Hanyu didn’t reply, lost in thought.

I hadn’t given it much thought since she last brought it up. It had seemed reckless then. It still did.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. The temptation lingered, but so did the consequences.

"I don’t know…" he murmured.

Xu Lian nudged him. “Oh, you’re no fun. Father’s gone, we’re stuck here, and you deserve a break.”

"I don’t need a break. I’m fine."

"Fine? You’ve been buried in training for days. One day won’t hurt."

"And what about you?" He raised an eyebrow. "Don’t drag me into your schemes."

"Please. I know you better than anyone. Deep down, you want to go. You just won’t admit it."

“...”

His steps slowed. The thought of escaping, even briefly, tugged at him. But he knew better.

“No.”

"Oh, come on. One little adventure won’t hurt. I’ll take full responsibility if we get caught."

He studied her for a moment. "You? Take responsibility? That’s a first."

"Trust me, little brother. I’ve got this under control." She grinned.

"I’m not leaving."

“Really?”

…

The word ‘really’ echoed in his mind, tempting him as he stood there.

At the end, Xu Hanyu found himself being dragged by Xu Lian outside the next day, surrounded by the bustling street. The lively chatter and vibrant energy of the market filled the air around him.

The Xu Clan resided in a small city called Tai Hua City, nestled between the sea and the mountains. This explained why the market air was thick with the distinct aroma of fresh fish.

When the young man saw the surroundings, he was surprised to see the market buzzing with life; vendors shouting prices, children weaving through stalls, and laughter filling the air.

Xu Hanyu blinked, momentarily still as he absorbed it all. This... felt like true freedom. Is this what it feels to be outside? This is what sister Xu Lian sees every time she’s out here?

For a moment, Xu Hanyu forgot the heavy pressure he’d felt back at the Xu Clan’s home. It seemed so distant now, like a memory from another time.

“Hanyu’er, let’s go over there!” Xu Lian pointed out, dragging him into a stall.