Jun Nee took a deep breath. She could hear Choi Jingyi in her room, talking to the servants. She breathed out and knocked gently on her door.

“Miss Choi?” Jun Nee said, gingerly entering the room. “Are you busy, Ma’am?”

There were three servant girls in the room. Two were focusing on Jingyi’s makeup, applying it to make her look pale. The other was digging through her wardrobe. Ever so often the servant would produce a beautiful gown that she placed along the bed, next to more elegant and beautiful gowns for Jingyi to choose.

Jingyi shooed the servants away from her face, so that she may turn around and look at the one who entered her room. She frowned when she saw Jun Nee. “Oh it’s you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jun Nee said, bowing. “It is me, Jun Nee.”

Jingyi narrowed her eyes at her. “I could not care less what your name is, Girlie.”

“Yes, sorry ma’am.” Jun Nee said.

Jingyi turned in her seat to look at herself in the mirror as the servant girls continued working. Jun Nee stood there for several minutes, until Jingyi addressed her, with an annoyed tone in her voice.

“What do you want, Girl?”

“Miss Choi, I came to apologise for what happened last night.” Jun Nee said. “Please, do not take those events as a reflection on Madam City Lord Tiang-ji Ling nor Master Wang Zen.”

“That is quite silly,” she said. “Why would the actions of some commoner girl reflect on the City Lord and her family.”

Jun Nee remained quiet, unsure what to say.

“The way you spoke to me last night, I thought perhaps you were part of the family. A sister, maybe a distant cousin,” she began. “you could not imagine my surprise to hear that you were some lowly commoner girl acting too big for her own good.” She turned around in her seat to look at Jun Nee with contempt. “You better learn your place girl, or soon, you will lose it.”

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Jun Nee frowned and looked at the ground.

“I’m talking to you, Girl.” She said. “Acknowledge that you understand what I am telling you.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am, I understand.” Jun Nee said, not looking up.

“Good,” Jingyi said, a smile touching her lips. She turned around again and signalled for the two servants to start working on her again, they did, delicately putting on the finishing touches to her makeup.

After several more minutes, she seemed to remember that Jun Nee was in the room. “You are still here?” she said, sounding annoyed. “Go away! It is a miracle you are still employed if you can afford to stand around doing nothing.”

Jun Nee bowed and left the room.

Zen was in the forgery, shaping some metal into more throwing knives. Shibi watched in the back, occasionally supplying fire to the forge.

“Master Wang, are you busy?” Ding Wu said.

“Ding Wu, no, not for you.” Zen said, stopping his work. “What’s up?”

“There is a guest who has arrived,” Ding Wu began. “I think it warrants I warn you who it is.”

The two were walking down the hallway.

“So what do you think about this whole marriage thing, Ding Wu?”

“Well, I’d first like to congratulate Master Wang on the wonderful news…”

“Cut the act Ding Wu, my mom isn’t here.” Zen said. “I want to hear your honest opinion.”

Ding Wu kept quiet for a moment, thinking. “I think marriage is a wonderful thing. I’m thankful that I found someone I can partner with, someone who has my back while I have theirs, someone I can build with, someone who loves me as much as I love her.”

“Wait, you’re married?” Zen said.

“Yeah, it happened while you were away on your training mission.” Ding Wu said. “It is a special thing to have a partner who will be there for you no matter what.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure about that.”

“Of course you do, Master Wang.” Ding Wu said. “You already have that.”

Zen rolled his eyes. “If this is going to be a joke about me and Jun Nee…”

“No, I was talking about Shibi.”

“I… oh! Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Zen said.

“You two have a strong bond and it is a bond you both have chosen to build.” He said. “A bond like that would be hard to build if both parties are not interested in it, like you and Miss Choi.”

“Tell my mother that.” Zen said.

Ding Wu smirked, “As if I would dare. However, I think your mother really cares for you and she is doing this marriage out of your best interests. Though a bond like you have with Shibi might not come out of it, that doesn’t necessarily mean nothing good will come of it.”

“I… guess.” Zen said, deflating a bit.

“We’re here,” Ding Wu said.

Zen could already hear the voice of the man on the other side of the door. The voice sounded more jovial than Zen had heard in a while, talking to the Tiang-ji twins and joking with his mother and stepfather.

He opened the door and entered.

Everyone’s eyes fell on him.

Zen clasped his hands together and bowed, “Hello, Grandfather Jiao.”