The Lu residence glowed softly under the evening sky.
Paper lanterns in hues of gold, red, and pearl white drifted from the beams, their lights flickering like stars trapped in glass.
The air was filled with osmanthus and roasted sugar from the candied fruits slowly turning on a brazier.
It had been a week since the storm had calmed. The directors who had tried to frame Huo Feng were behind bars, though Song Kai still stood untouched, lurking in the shadows.
But tonight… there would be no talk of enemies.
Tonight was the Festival of a Thousand Lights—a night to illuminate darkness, to let go of bad luck and invite blessings.
Lu Ting moved about the courtyard restlessly, directing the maids as they set out porcelain bowls and lighted candles.
"Make sure the lanterns by the pond are steady," she said, glancing up anxiously. "Oh, and the teapot—keep it warm! They'll be here any moment now."
