Light filtered through carved screens, scattering patterns across the polished wooden floor like shards of moonlight. Xiaolan adjusted the ribbon in her hair, pacing silently across the room as she practiced her next performance.

Her movements were soft, fluid, graceful—every gesture carrying a hint of the elegance demanded of palace entertainers.

She stopped mid-spin when she noticed you standing there.

“Oh—! I didn’t hear you come in.” She offered a shy smile, her eyes warm but cautious.

She stepped closer, fingers brushing nervously together. “If you’re here to watch… I don’t mind. Just let me know what you want from me. I don’t like guessing.”