One month and one week after Feng's first lesson, Wei Chen woke to find his parents standing in his doorway.
Both were smiling — genuine, warm expressions that made Wei Chen immediately suspicious. His parents didn't usually wake him. He woke himself, always early, always before dawn.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up.
"Nothing's wrong." His mother stepped forward, holding something wrapped in plain cloth. "We wanted to give you something."
Wei Chen sat up straighter, confused. "Why?"
"Because you're working yourself to exhaustion," his father said quietly. "And because we're proud of what you're accomplishing."
"Open it," his father said, that quiet firmness in his voice.
Wei Chen took the package, unwrapped it carefully.
Inside was a cloak. Dark gray, well-made, with subtle stitching along the edges and faint patterns woven into the fabric that seemed to shimmer when light hit them.
He felt the enchantment immediately — a gentle, supportive resonance. Recovery magic. Stamina regeneration.
"This is..." Wei Chen couldn't finish the sentence. Recovery enchantments were expensive. Even minor ones.
"We know you've been exhausted," his mother said softly. "Training at dawn with Instructor Feng. Temple lessons in the morning. Work with Merchant Liu in the afternoon. Barely sleeping. Barely resting." Her voice wavered. "We can't give you tutors or pay for academies like other families. But we can give you this. Something to help you survive."
"Today is Awakening Festival," his mother said. Tradition says we give you something to support your path."
His father nodded. "We wanted it to be useful. Something that helps with what you're doing."
Wei Chen stared at the cloak. At his parents. At the sacrifice they'd made for him.
"Thank you," he managed, voice thick. "I'll use it well. I promise."
His mother pulled him into a hug. "We know you will. We're so proud of you, Wei Chen. Even if we're terrified watching you push yourself so hard."
Wei Chen hugged her back, feeling the weight of everything. The cloak. Their sacrifice. The expectations he'd placed on himself.
His parents couldn't give him advantages. But they gave everything they could.
And somehow, that was enough.
Later that morning, Wei Chen stood at Merchant Liu's stall, counting copper.
Ten silver. Five weeks of work. Every spare afternoon and evening spent on deliveries, inventory, learning the trade.
He needed sixteen silver for his first payment to Feng — due in another month. At his current rate, he'd make it. Barely.
"You look thoughtful," Liu observed, arranging his display.
"Calculating. I need sixteen silver in three weeks."
"For the instructor?"
"Yes. First payment."
Liu stroked his chin. "I might have an opportunity. Interested?"
Wei Chen's attention sharpened. "Always."
"Estate auction next week. Large liquidation — minor noble family selling assets. I need advance intelligence." Liu pulled out a notice. "Your shadow magic gives you an edge. Attend the preview. Evaluate items. Report what's undervalued."
"Scout work."
"Exactly. Base fee: two silver. Bonus: five silver per tip that results in profit." Liu leaned forward. "Do this well, and you'll have your payment covered early. Maybe with extra."
Wei Chen calculated. Two silver guaranteed. One good tip made seven silver total. Combined with his ten, that was seventeen. Enough to pay Feng early and keep one silver reserve.
"I'll do it."
The estate preview was three days later.
Wei Chen arrived early, dressed plainly. Just another child with a merchant — unremarkable, forgettable.
The hall held forty people. Merchants examining items on long tables. Jewelry, weapons, tools, minor artifacts.
Wei Chen activated shadow concealment. Not invisibility, but enough to be overlooked, difficult to focus on.
He moved methodically, observing.
Most items were ordinary. Fake enchantments. Low quality. Nothing special.
Then he saw it.
A leather pouch. Simple brown, worn, sitting among belts and travel gear. But Wei Chen felt something — spatial magic, subtle and stable. He examined it without touching, noting the dimensional enchantment woven into the leather.
A dimensional pouch. Holds more than its size suggests. Useful for merchants, travelers, anyone who needed portable storage.
Two merchants had walked past it completely. They were looking for flashy items, obvious magic. This was practical. Easy to miss.
Wei Chen memorized its position and continued.
By preview's end, he'd identified three items: the pouch, a set of quality steel daggers (non-magical but excellent craft), and alchemical supplies that looked legitimate.
He reported to Liu that evening.
"The dimensional pouch is priority," Wei Chen explained. "Storage enchantment. Everyone ignored it because it looks ordinary."
Liu's eyes gleamed. "Dimensional items are always valuable. Merchants, adventurers, anyone who travels." He made notes. "Opening bid estimate?"
"Eight to ten silver. It's mixed with regular leather goods."
"Perfect."
The auction went as predicted.
The pouch came up early, listed as "travel pouch, minor enchantment." Opening bid: seven silver.
Liu bid nine. One competitor countered with ten. Liu went to twelve. The competitor dropped out.
"Sold. Twelve silver."
Liu also acquired the daggers for five silver. Passed on the alchemical supplies — price climbed too high.
Two days later, Liu sold the dimensional pouch to a traveling merchant for twenty-five silver. Thirteen silver profit on a twelve silver investment.
He paid Wei Chen the bonus: seven silver.
"Excellent work," Liu said, counting coins. "You saw what experienced merchants missed. That instinct is valuable."
Wei Chen pocketed the silver. "Thank you."
"No. Thank you. This is the partnership I hoped for." Liu leaned back. "Keep developing that eye. You have talent for this."
The next morning, Wei Chen approached Instructor Feng with a pouch of silver.
Feng was finishing his forms. When he stopped, Wei Chen held out the pouch.
"First payment. Sixteen silver. I know it's not due for another month, but I wanted to pay early."
Feng took it, counted, raised an eyebrow. "Early payment. Interesting."
"I had the money. Didn't see reason to wait."
"Most people delay payment as long as possible. You accelerate it." Feng pocketed the silver. "That says something about character."
Wei Chen felt warmth at the approval. Feng's respect was hard-earned, which made it valuable.
"Training continues as normal," Feng said. "But next week, I'll teach you a new technique. You've earned it."
That evening, Wei Chen tried on the recovery cloak his parents had given him.
It fit perfectly. The moment he fastened it, the enchantment activated. Gentle warmth spread through his body — not healing but sustaining. His exhausted muscles relaxed. His depleted core began refilling faster.
Not dramatic. Not game-changing. But noticeable.
With this, he could train longer. Recover faster. Push harder without breaking.
Wei Chen looked at himself in his mother's small mirror.
Six years old. Scarred from training. Wearing an enchanted cloak his parents had sacrificed for.
He looked different than a month ago. Harder. Leaner. More purposeful.
Training had changed him. Made him colder, maybe. But also stronger. More capable.
His parents had sacrificed for him. Feng believed in him. Liu saw his potential.
Wei Chen couldn't waste that.
Tomorrow, Feng promised a new technique. Tomorrow, he'd wear the cloak in combat training for the first time.
Tomorrow, he'd keep pushing forward.
Because he'd become someone worth their investment.
No matter what it took.