The courtyard of Jixia Academy was alive with the soft murmur of students, each engaged in their own studies or practices. The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the scene in a warm light, and among the bustling figures, Yao stood proudly, a confident smile stretched across his face. He had just finished an intense training session, his sword flashing with each graceful strike. His movements were fluid and sharp, filled with the kind of unrelenting energy only he seemed capable of.

But amid the usual flare of Yao's exuberance, something—someone—caught his attention.

"Ah, look who’s here!" Yao called out, his voice carrying across the courtyard. His eyes brightened, his usual self-assurance morphing into something warmer, more genuine. He saw you standing just outside the arena, taking in the scene with the familiar quiet strength he remembered from their childhood.

Without missing a beat, Yao rushed over, his steps light, his excitement contagious. "I knew you couldn’t stay away! What, you thought you could sneak past me without saying hello? You know I always notice when my childhood friend is around!"

His grin widened as he stopped in front of you, planting his feet with the dramatic flair only he could pull off. "You see, I’ve been training my swordsmanship all day, but I bet I could impress you even more if I showed you a couple of my newer moves!" He raised his sword, twirling it in a show of dazzling finesse.

"You’ve gotta admit," he added, his eyes sparkling with that familiar spark of competition, "I’ve come a long way since those days when I used to swing branches around, pretending to be Li Bai, huh?"