Squeak— squeak— squeak—

A flurry of rabbit sprites bounced around Yue Liuyi, like dandelion tufts dancing in moon-breeze.

Newborn and soccer-ball small, they were sparks in fresh snow, all energy, no fear of this brand-new world.

These little ones are the first Little Yue Guard, she said, awakened by Little Yue’s energy, obeying her words like pollen clinging to silk.

Dixue poked her head out and watched, calm as a lake at dusk; unlike the light-green New Land kind, Dreamwood Star’s sprites were mostly gray, like river stones meant to vanish in mist.

They’ll listen to me?

Mm. Even if Little Yue said, Wash up, then hop into a boiling pot so I can eat you, they’d leap like raindrops into a kettle.

That’s too cruel! My heart tightened like a tied ribbon—they like me so much.

She’d always loved small animals, but poverty, a winter wind through thin walls, kept her from raising any.

Kidding. Better to have the rabbit sprites work; they know plants like bees know blossoms, so just ask them to gather.

Free labor, huh? Do we need to feed them, or will their bellies be moons on their own?

Sprites forage by themselves; if you feel bad, let your hand be warm sunlight and pat their heads.

Some were already nosing for food, soft rain seeking soil; born from fruit like giant carrots, they could chew wild grass and roots like crisp shadows.

Then I’ll pat their heads…

Yue Liuyi hugged a gray rabbit sprite, holding it like a warm ember, and touched its head.

Its fur was cloud-soft; her palm sank into down, and comfort spread like tea heat.

Right—LittleSnow, why do rabbit sprites grow in a kindergarten?

Like plants only sprout where the season fits, sprites bloom in the purest places, fresh as spring water.

School is the purest meadow; middle school can be good too, but pressure hangs like stormclouds, so sprites rarely show there.

So that’s how it is. Relief rose like sunrise—I get it.

Yue Liuyi nodded and looked at the kindergarten, a faded garden with laughter still dusting the swings.

It was simple, but toys lay ready like bright pebbles; you could see the children then, joy shining like morning dew.

Ah! Little angel, bad news, bad news!

Guiding her magic broom, the red-haired little witch dropped from the sky like a falling spark.

What is it, Little Rose?

I saw a group marching by, swagger fierce as a wolf pack; they felt like my old companions, rough as iron scent.

Your old companions?

Little Yue… what she means is, she saw bad people, said the voice, steady as cool rain.

Yes! By my gauge, their level’s at least five million, maybe nearing ten million—a tide of teeth and coin.

Ten million… what does that mean?

The silver-haired girl sighed, breath thin as mist, and explained: it’s Little Rose’s way to rate a crew’s might; five million means a 5-million cut after a job, ten million means 10.

So they’re here to rob us?

Likely, she said, worry fluttering like sparrow wings.

Not necessarily!

Compared to Little Rose’s panic, Dixue was a winter pine—calm and upright; maybe that’s a Rangers Lodge sub-branch president’s spine.

Bad guys have many aims; money is one, shadows are many; before they strike, we don’t startle the snake in the grass.

Should we call the cops? Then she winced—the Linluo Police would arrive not in this lifetime, like snow promised in summer.

These people aren’t locals of the Winterwood District; if they slipped in during the lockdown, their strength hides like knives under silk.

Woof! Bad guys? What do we do—should Kaka charge like thunder?

Kaka doesn’t need to move; everyone, stay in the kindergarten, quiet as moss beneath the eaves.

Butterfly Snow President, then we won’t get a cut of the stew…

Shh, Little Rose—don’t talk about cuts in front of Little Yue, her whisper a moth’s wing.

Got it, she whispered, voice small as a grain of rice.

What are you two whispering about?

Nothing, nothing!

Yue Dier and Little Rose shook their heads together, twin reeds swaying in the same breeze.

Hmm… sounded like something about soup…

Nope! You misheard, Little Yue. We hide in the kindergarten and watch their hands, like owls in the rafters.

Dixue nodded, righteous and firm, steel under moonlight, and set the plan in place like stones in a path.