The earlier chaos had settled into something heavier, like the walls themselves were holding their breath.

A small fire cracked weakly in the corner, barely strong enough to keep the room warm. The owner of the house, Madam Xiao, like she introduced herself—moved slowly as she prepared the little food she had. Her hands trembled from exhaustion more than fear.

"You don’t have to go through all this trouble," Qingyue said again, her calm mask back in place.

Madam Xiao looked at her briefly. "I might not have much, but I’m not an ungrateful woman. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you didn’t come."

Lieyin was about to join the protest when her stomach grumbled. She immediately swallowed her words.

The provision they’d been given was already gone. As if someone could survive on only a loaf of bread. She hadn’t realized how stingy the women at the kitchen were.

"Letting us into your home is more than enough," Ru Yi replied. She’d pulled the little close and started to clean his wounds. "What’s your name?" she asked him.

Madam Xiao stopped stirring the pot briefly. "He won’t talk to you, hasn’t said a word since I rescued him from a bunch of bandits."

Now that Ru Yi looked clearly, there was no resemblance between him and Madam Xiao. It made her heart ache even more.

"There’s been a lot of attacks in the village. They come here and try to steal the children," Madam Xiao continued. "Found him tied up with other children. It’s a shame I was only able to get him out."

"Bandits taking children?" Qingyue asked, "how come I’ve never heard about it."

"Lets discuss after dinner," Madam Xiao replied. "You seem like travelers passing by. You have to be careful."

Madam Xiao proceeded to set out the bowls. She’d made thin porridge, watery, barely more than boiled grain.

A small dish of pickled vegetables sat in the center—clearly meant to be shared, even though it was scarce.

The boy hovered nearby, staring at the food with poorly hidden hunger. Ru Yi noticed it immediately.

She picked up her bowl, untouched, and held it out to him. "Here."

"Oh, don’t worry about him," Madam Xiao said. "I’ll get him something else to eat."

"It’s fine," Ru Yi replied. "I’m not that hungry."

That was a lie. Her stomach had been empty for too long. But the boy hesitated for only a moment before taking it, his small hands wrapping around the bowl like it might disappear.

Across the room Qingyue watched in silence, her gaze lingering more than usual. All three of them ate, or rather—endured the food, each trying not to throw it all up.

Madam Xiao put the bowls away when they were done. The boy had fallen asleep beside Ru Yi, his head resting against her lap. She smoothed his hair absentmindedly.

"You shouldn’t stay long," Madam Xiao said after they’d all settled down. "The bandits like to target travelers that are passing by. They come at night, but not too often."

"Can’t someone stop them?" Qingyue asked.

A hollow laugh escaped Madam Xiao’s lips. "Who would?"

"This village falls under imperial jurisdiction," Qingyue replied. "There should be guards, patrols, reports—"

"There are," the woman cut in.

That made Qingyue pause.

Madam Xiao looked up, her eyes too tired for someone her age. "There are reports, we’ve sent them over and over again. All we got in return was nothing. Pure silence."

"They say help will come, that it’s being investigated. That we must remain patient." Madam Xiao’s lips curved bitterly. "But patience does not bring back a stolen child."

Ru Yi’s chest tightened. "How many?" she asked softly.

A beat of silence.

"Too many. They took my neighbor’s daughter last winter. She was seven. They found her shoe near the forest days later."

Lieyin muttered something under her breath, a curse barely contained. Qingyue’s face had gone completely still.

"And livestock?" Yexue asked.

The woman nodded. "Goats. Chickens. Anything they can carry. But that’s not what the people fear anymore." Her voice cracked slightly. "We can replace animals but not children."

The little boy stirred faintly in his sleep, as if sensing the tension. Ru Yi’s hands tightened protectively around him.

"That was why..." Madam Xiao hesitated, glancing at them. "When you fought those men, I thought help had finally come."

Qingyue exhaled.

Matters like this were usually handled by Han Shuying, that was her department. This meant she had been falling behind in her duties. Going around flapping her tail for the Empress instead of protecting the people.

She’d have to think of a plan to help the village. She looked at her sisters who seemed to hold the same idea.

"If it’s okay we’d like to talk to the village head tomorrow. We’re travellers but we cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening. People have the right to feel safe in their homes." Qingyue looked at her sisters. "A little stop along the way won’t hurt."

"But for now you must get some sleep. The problem is I only have a spare room." Madam Xiao gestured to the room Ru Yi had been in earlier.

"It’s fine," Qingyue said. "Don’t worry about us."

Madam Xiao wanted to argue but she’d had a long day and there was nothing more she could offer the kind strangers.

She walked over to Ru Yi. "I’ll take him to bed now."

Ru Yi nodded and watched the woman carry the boy away. She turned to the triplets. "You can take the room, I’ll sleep here."

Yexue turned sharply to her. "It’s cold, you can’t be out here."

"I’ll manage."

"Ru Yi..." Yexue groaned.

"If she wants to be out in the cold, then let her be." Qingyue stood up. "We’ll go see the village head tomorrow and see what we can do. We all need our strength."

Yexue grabbed Ru Yi’s arm. "We’re all sleeping together. What if someone attacks again?"

Qingyue said nothing as she made her way into the room.

Madam Xiao had replaced the old candle and put new sheets on the floor. But there was only enough room for three.

Ru Yi gulped. She couldn’t imagine being in a small shared space like this with the triples. But Yexue didn’t let her overthink it.

She grabbed Ru Yi and led her to their makeshift bed. "Lie down."

Ru Yi obeyed. But how was she going to have a sound sleep with all three wolves pressed against her?