Night had sunk deep, ink pooling over the ruins.
Gentle moonlight pierced the heavy fog and spilled across the ruins of the Winterwood District like a sheet of silver.
Azure night-blooming flowers opened along the canal beside the Moon Post Bookstore, cold flames flickering, and after dinner the girls drifted to their own tasks like small boats.
Upstairs, Little Rose and Kaka bent over a magic broom, tools glinting like fireflies as they tinkered.
Downstairs, Yue Liuyi and LittleSnow nested among shelves, pages rustling like leaves in a night breeze.
LittleSnow, is something up? Your eyes keep fluttering like moths.
Yue Liuyi turned, and caught LittleSnow peeking at her, a sparrow peering from a branch.
Huh? No, no! I wasn't looking at Little Moon!
Dixue snapped her gaze away and shook her head, pretending to read, like a cat fussing with yarn.
Huh...?
A small knot of unease tugged at Yue Liuyi; since afternoon, LittleSnow had been oddly skittish, like frost that won't melt.
She would steal glances, and when asked, she hid them, like a wave that retreats before it breaks.
So Yue Liuyi chose to move first, heart steadying like a hand on the tiller.
Right... about the Winterwood District protected reserve, LittleSnow, what do you think?
Thoughts...?
Yeah, like how we make money; who knew the council has no seed funding, which is a thorny start.
Oh, that...
The silver-haired girl set her book down as if waking, moonlight on snow, and said, Seed money isn't the real problem.
The real problem is how to design the eco-park, like drawing rivers before the rain arrives.
Huh? Why isn't funding the problem?
Fruit... Winterwood has a bounty of vegetables and fruits; if Little Moon becomes director, we can sell them in bulk like harvest tides.
Right! How did I forget that?
She remembered the talk with Zixin, a lantern in her mind, and how the class rep refused funds but left Dongfang Chen free within the law.
Harvest isn't the same as harm; if we gather a crew to pick a batch, the sales could roll in like summer rain.
Looks like I need another trip to the farmers' market when time opens, like a door on a hinge.
Little Moon, what will you do at the market?
I'll see who's willing to buy and who can harvest, but these plants are New Land specialties, like stars the farmers of Dreamwood Star don't recognize.
The plants in Winterwood are high-grade, rare New Land breeds; unless an elf studies them, most folks don't know which parts are edible, like treasure under moss.
Hehe, don't worry about that, Little Moon... tomorrow let's go pull radishes, like tugging comets from the soil!
Huh? Pull radishes?
Mm... call Kaka along, and something interesting will sprout, like a seed in spring.
The silver-haired girl smiled and nodded, a petal falling on still water.
...
...
...
Very soon, the next day arrived, like a page turning in quiet light.
Still no time for showers, but Yue Liuyi warmed several towels and wiped the girls down, steam drifting like morning mist.
Woof! Kaka doesn't like wearing shorts, woof!
Your little skirt is dirty and needs to dry; don't worry, these pants were mine, and they're scrubbed clean like new snow.
Woof... it hurts when my tail gets tucked inside, like a fish caught in weeds!
Then let's cut a hole and let your tail slip out here, like a ribbon through a ring.
Woof! Don't do that; that would ruin the clothes, and Kaka would rather tuck her tail in, like hiding rain under a roof!
The blond little girl shook her head firmly, a very frugal dog-girl guarding scraps like a squirrel with nuts.
Um... Butterfly Snow President and angel-sis, are you going out?
Lying in the hospital bed, the little witch Little Rose looked up, pitiful as a drenched rosebud.
Yeah... we need to take care of a few things... oof! LittleSnow, don't wriggle!
Ah! I really still can't stand!
Dixue tried to walk and failed, legs trembling like a fawn on ice.
Just sit safely in the box, and we'll be fine, like cargo snug in a hold.
Yue Liuyi carefully helped LittleSnow into the white case, hands gentle as feathers; they'd left Dragon Heaven's reach, so there was no need to hide.
Half unzipped, the white case looked like a convertible capsule car, a shell opened to the sky.
All set... um, Little Rose, do you need anything?
Ugh... staying home all day is so boring; Little Rose wants to stroll, like a kite tugging at its string!
The red-haired little witch was never one to sit still, sparks itching like fire under bark; no wonder she pulled pranks and even robbed banks.
Injured now, she could only lie in bed; offline mobile games helped, but stillness grew on her like moss on stone.
Ugh... but the white case only fits one girl, since it's a single seat, like a one-person canoe.
It's fine! Kaka and I already modded the magic broom last night; strap me on, and I can move freely like a swallow on a reed!
Magic broom? The one I picked up last time?
Mm! The red one, glowing like an ember...
