The trouble started, as most trouble did, with Lan Yue deciding she knew better.
Zhao Lingxi had been explicit. Crystal clear. The kind of clear that left no room for creative interpretation.
"Do not go near Qin Wen's quarters tonight," she had said, standing in the doorway of their room with her arms folded and her eyes carrying the particular frost that meant she was not negotiating. "He has gone silent. Silent means unpredictable. Unpredictable means dangerous. You are not to approach his wing of the dormitory for any reason."
"I was just going to observe from a distance," Lan Yue had said.
"No."
"A very large distance. Practically a different building."
"No."
"What if I brought Mo Tian as backup?"
"Mo Tian's idea of stealth is wearing a slightly darker shade of gold. No."
"What if..."
