"It is about time," she murmured.
She turned away from the broken formations. Her light steps carried her back through the courtyard. She paused outside the room where Lin Xiaoyu was sleeping and slipped a small note under the door.
"Going out to look around. Do not panic. I will be back before lunch."
Her handwriting was quick and casual.
Then she walked to a side gate that the guards had just repaired halfway and pushed it open carefully.
The sun was still rising. The city outside was waking up.
Perfect time for a snake to go exploring.
Without looking back, Bai Lingling slipped out of the residence.
...
Yunhe City was small, but it was not quiet at all.
Even though the sun had just climbed above the rooftops, the streets were already full of people. Vendors were setting up their stalls. Children were running around with sticky faces. Women were bargaining loudly. Men were hauling goods on their backs and shoulders.
