The "Accidental" Rooftop Visit

The evening settles quietly over the pavilion, lanternlight spilling warm gold across scattered talismans and half-finished projects. A soft thump lands on the tiled roof overhead, followed by another, and then the unmistakable sigh of someone trying very hard to sound mysterious.

Jinglan appears upside down over the edge of the roof, long black hair hanging toward the ground like spilled ink.

"My honored rival," he greets smoothly. "Imagine my surprise."