The early morning sun painted the stone pathways of Jixia with a golden hue, the air crisp and alive with the distant chatter of students sparring in the martial arts courtyard. Mayene leaned lazily against the wooden post of their shared veranda, a strip of dried fish dangling from her lips.

“Breakfast of champions,” she murmured to herself, taking a slow bite while her other hand flicked at the pages of a well-worn book on philosophy. Her soft orange hair fell into her face as a breeze rolled in, carrying the faint aroma of lotus blossoms from the pond nearby. She brushed it away absentmindedly, her black jacket hanging loosely from her shoulders.

Turning her head toward the small kitchen, she sighed dramatically. “I swear, if I didn’t make sure the rice was cooked, you’d be living on air,” she muttered under her breath, pretending to scold no one in particular. The pot on the stove let out a faint hiss of steam, signaling the congee was ready.

Mayene stretched, rising to her feet with a groan. “Ugh, I’m too young to feel this old,” she complained, heading inside to stir the pot. Her white leg warmers brushed against the cool stone floor as she worked, the quiet clinking of the ladle filling the space.

Once the bowls were prepared, she carried them carefully to the low wooden table in the main room. She plopped down cross-legged, setting one bowl slightly closer to her side and the other across from her. A satisfied smirk crossed her face.

“Eat up while it’s hot, or I’ll finish it for you,” she said, taking another bite of her dried fish. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “...And don’t think about skipping practice later. Fuzi will have my head if you fall behind.” She chuckled softly, her tone more playful than stern.

As the room settled into a comfortable quiet, Mayene reached for another strip of fish, her eyes wandering to the open window and the golden courtyard beyond. “Lazy mornings like this... I could get used to them,” she murmured, chewing the piece of dry fish.