The door pushed open. Xuan Xi had prepared herself mentally, expecting to see an imposing old man or a very serious meeting hall. But to her surprise, behind the door was just a bright little sitting room, and on the sofa sat a woman.
She looked to be in her early thirties, silver hair loosely tied back, wearing a light blue home dress with delicate floral embroidery on the cuffs. Her features were seventy percent similar to SigrdrÃfa’s, but without Sige’s cold, distant aura—her eyes and brows were full of gentle smiles, like snowmelt in spring, flowing warmly and softly.
When she saw Xuan Xi, her eyes lit up.
“Ah.”
She put down the embroidery in her hand and stood up from the sofa, the hem of her skirt lightly brushing the carpet.
“Sige, is this the child you mentioned in your letter?”
SigrdrÃfa’s earlobes flushed slightly. She turned sideways, exposing Xuan Xi fully to her mother’s gaze.
“Mother, this is Xuan Xi, my roommate.”
Xuan Xi hugged her notebook tightly and bowed slightly.
“Hello, ma’am.”
Freya did not stand still waiting for her to finish her greeting. She walked over, her skirt swaying, bringing a faint scent of lily of the valley. She stopped in front of Xuan Xi, reached out, gently took Xuan Xi’s hands—along with the notebook—and held them in her warm embrace.
“Xuan Xi.”
She said, looking down at the hands she held, then raising her eyes to meet Xuan Xi’s gaze. Her smile spread from her lips all the way into her eyes.
“My name is Freya. Freya Edelstein.”
Her voice was not loud, but it carried a strangely reassuring power.
“Sige mentioned you in her letter, saying she had met a very, very special girl. I thought at the time, anyone who could make that child specially write home must be extraordinary.”
Freya released one hand and gently patted Xuan Xi’s hand.
“Seeing you today, I realize she didn’t praise you enough.”
Xuan Xi was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. The corners of her mouth moved, but all that came out was a hesitant smile.
Freya didn’t mind. She turned and linked her arm with SigrdrÃfa’s, then glanced back at Xuan Xi. That look was like seeing a long-awaited treasure finally in hand.
“You must be tired from the journey. I’ve already had a guest room prepared—the one in the East Tower, facing south. The afternoon sun is especially nice there.”
She walked further into the sitting room as she spoke, then stopped after two steps, tilting her head to look at Xuan Xi.
“Do you like flowers? The white roses on the windowsill were cut this morning. If you don’t like them, I’ll have someone change them for something else.”
“I… I like them.”
Xuan Xi finally found her voice.
Freya nodded with satisfaction, gestured for the two to sit on the sofa, and turned to pour tea. The silver teapot tilted steadily in her hand, and the tea streamed into the porcelain cup, producing a pleasant sound.
“Don’t be shy.”
She handed the first cup to Xuan Xi, her fingertips accidentally brushing Xuan Xi’s hand.
“Think of this place as your own home.”
SigrdrÃfa sat beside Xuan Xi, unusually silent. She picked up her teacup, using its rim to hide the corner of her mouth.
Xuan Xi held the teacup, warmth traveling up from her palm, through her wrist and arm, all the way to her heart. She looked up at Sige’s mother’s gentle smile and SigrdrÃfa’s quiet profile.
The tension that had been wound tight for so many days finally loosened a little in that afternoon, in front of that cup of tea.
“Rest for a while first.”
The mother patted Xuan Xi’s hand, her smile as warm as the March wind.
“I’ll have Sige call you when it’s time for dinner.”
Xuan Xi hugged her notebook and nodded, then went to her room.
Freya also stood up and walked into a small sitting room at the other end of the corridor. SigrdrÃfa had already arrived first. She stood with her back to the door, her silver-white hair falling to her waist. Hearing footsteps, she turned around, a rare hint of tension in her amethyst-colored eyes.
“Mother.”
“Sit.”
Freya pointed to the sofa, then settled into an armchair opposite, taking a sip of black tea.
“That girl, is she the Xuan Xi you mentioned in your letter?”
“Yes.”
“The once-in-a-century water-attribute female student?”
“Yes.”
The mother set down her teacup, the glass making a crisp sound against the coffee table. She looked at her daughter, her gaze calm yet carrying an insight that left no room for escape.
“I don’t care if she’s a girl.”
Freya spoke slowly, each word firmly in the air.
“The Edelstein family doesn’t need to rely on marriage to maintain its status right now. Who you like is your freedom.”
SigrdrÃfa didn’t relax, because she knew a “but” was coming.
“But your father.”
The mother sighed.
“You know how he is. Very old-fashioned. Title, bloodline, territory, attribute compatibility… He can list a long checklist, and only when every single box is ticked from start to finish will he nod in approval.”
“But Xuan Xi—”
“I know she’s good.”
The mother raised a hand to stop her.
“I could see it the moment you brought her through the door. That girl has clear eyes; she’s not after wealth and status. But your father doesn’t care about that.”
SigrdrÃfa lowered her eyes and was silent for a moment. Then she did something she hadn’t done since she became an adult. She rose from the sofa, walked over to her mother, crouched down, buried her face in her mother’s lap, and gently wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist.
“Mother.”
Her voice was muffled, carrying a childishness that only came out in front of close family.
“Help me. I really like Xuan Xi.”
Freya was taken aback. For so many years, her daughter had always been the cool, composed, impeccable eldest daughter of the Edelstein family. She never expected SigrdrÃfa to act spoiled—no, perhaps she had always known, but had never seen it before.
The mother’s hand landed on her daughter’s silver-white hair, gently stroking it.
“Your father will be back the day after tomorrow.”
The mother lowered her voice.
“In these few days, have that girl walk around you often, dress her presentably, at least in front of your father. Also…”
She paused, a slight smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
“Your father may be old-fashioned, but there’s one thing he’s easy to handle.”
SigrdrÃfa looked up.
“He dotes on you.”
The mother said.
“And on me.”
At six in the evening, the knock on the door came right on time.
Xuan Xi put down the borrowed notebook she was reading and went to open the door. SigrdrÃfa stood at the door, having changed into a different outfit—a dark gray long skirt, a silver dragon-shaped brooch pinned at the collar, her silver-white hair tied back with a hair ribbon of the same color, looking exceptionally beautiful.
“Dinner is ready, Xuan Xi.”
She said.
Xuan Xi followed her down the stairs. The wall lamps on both sides were already lit, and the corridor was filled with the aroma of food—a mix of spices, the charred scent of roasted meat, and some sweet smell she couldn’t name. Her stomach let out a faint growl, distinctly audible in the quiet hallway.
SigrdrÃfa’s steps didn’t stop, but her ears twitched. Xuan Xi’s face immediately burned.
“Hungry?”
SigrdrÃfa’s voice came from ahead, as flat as ever.
“…A little.”
“Then eat more later.”
As they walked down the stairs, the aroma grew stronger. They passed the second-floor corridor, walked down the spiral staircase, and passed the long gallery hung with portraits of successive family heads.
The dining room was at the other end of the gallery. The moment the door opened, Xuan Xi’s steps faltered.
The dining room was larger than she had imagined, but not empty. A long dark-wood table stretched from one end of the room to the other, covered with a snow-white tablecloth. Silver candlesticks stood every half meter, their flames flickering gently in the draft.
On the table were at least a dozen dishes. Silver platters held dishes she couldn’t name—some steaming hot, some sprinkled with gold leaf, some decorated with intricate patterns drawn in sauce. Next to each seat were three sets of cutlery—silver knives, forks, and spoons, arranged neatly. Xuan Xi didn’t know which to use first.
Back in the blacksmith’s shop in the border town, she had always managed with a single bowl and chopsticks. Later, at the academy, the cafeteria trays came with an extra spoon.
“Sit.”
SigrdrÃfa’s voice came from beside her, pulling out the chair to her right.
Xuan Xi sat down where she was directed. The chair was just the right height. Freya sat at the far end of the table, at the head seat. Her silver hair was tied up, she wore a light lilac dress, and a shawl draped over her shoulders.
“Hungry, I bet?”
Freya’s voice came from the other end of the table, not loud but clear.
“No need to wait for anyone. Sige’s father is still out. Let’s start.”
Xuan Xi picked up the fork closest to her and forked a piece of the dish closest to her. She didn’t know what kind of meat it was, but the sauce had a fragrance she had never tasted. She chewed a couple of times, and her eyes lit up.
“Delicious.”
She said, not loudly, but clearly in the quiet dining room.
SigrdrÃfa, sitting to her right, also forked a piece of the same meat, mirroring Xuan Xi’s action exactly.
“Mm.”
She said.
Freya’s gaze drifted from the far end of the table, landing lightly on the two of them. A faint curl formed at the corner of her mouth. She said nothing, picked up the glass in front of her, and took a sip of wine, leaving a faint trace of crimson on her lips.
Xuan Xi tried another dish. It was fish—she didn’t know what kind. The fish was as tender as tofu, melting in her mouth. It was drizzled with a light gold sauce that carried a hint of lemon fragrance. Her fork unconsciously reached for it again.
“Eat slowly.”
SigrdrÃfa’s voice came from beside her.
“Mm.”
Xuan Xi nodded, but her fork didn’t stop.
Freya set down her glass, propped her chin on one hand, and watched the two at the other end of the table. SigrdrÃfa was pushing the fish dish toward Xuan Xi’s direction, her movements very light, as if afraid of being noticed. Meanwhile, Xuan Xi was struggling with a piece of meat—her fork slipped, and she frowned. SigrdrÃfa glanced at her, reached over, and used her own fork to hold the piece in place until Xuan Xi could spear it.
Not a word was exchanged.
“Xuan Xi.”
Freya’s voice came from the far end.
“That fish was shipped from the North Sea this morning. Eat it while it’s hot.”
Xuan Xi looked up, a dab of light gold sauce still at the corner of her mouth.
“Thank you, ma’am. It’s very good.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Freya took another sip from her glass.
“Come often in the future. I’ll have the kitchen make it for you every day.”
SigrdrÃfa’s fork paused for a moment, then she continued cutting her meat.
In the latter half of the dinner, several empty plates had piled up beside Xuan Xi’s plate. She had eaten much more than she did at the academy cafeteria, not because she was greedy, but because every dish here was delicious, and SigrdrÃfa kept serving her—pushing the fish in front of her, pushing the meat, pushing the soup she couldn’t name.
Though the movements were subtle, Xuan Xi noticed one thing—her elbow kept touching SigrdrÃfa’s elbow. Despite more than a dozen empty seats, the two of them were squeezed together at one end of the table, shoulders touching, looking very close.
Freya put down her knife and fork, picked up her napkin, and lightly dabbed the corners of her mouth.
“I’m done. Enjoy your meal.”
She stood up, her skirt brushing the carpet without a sound. When she reached the dining room door, she paused, turned her head, and glanced at SigrdrÃfa.
SigrdrÃfa watched her mother’s retreating back, pressed her lips together, and didn’t say thank you, but when she lowered her head to pick up food, her eyelashes fluttered several times.
After Freya left, only the two remained in the dining room. The candle flames on the silver candlesticks flickered gently in the breeze, and the light spots from the crystal chandelier slowly shifted on the table.
“Your mother is really nice.”
Xuan Xi said.
SigrdrÃfa didn’t reply, but she placed the last piece of meat onto Xuan Xi’s plate.
“I really can’t eat anymore, Sige.”
Xuan Xi looked at the last piece of meat on her plate, a hint of pleading in her voice.
SigrdrÃfa said nothing, her amethyst eyes fixed on her, her gaze stubborn as if saying, “You said you were hungry earlier.”
Xuan Xi sighed, picked up her fork, but instead of putting the meat into her own mouth, she speared it, gently divided it on the plate into two halves—one large, one small. The larger half she pushed to SigrdrÃfa’s side, the smaller half she kept for herself.
“Half and half.”
Xuan Xi said.
“You need to eat too.”
SigrdrÃfa looked down at the larger half of meat, then up at the smaller piece on Xuan Xi’s plate. Without a word, she picked up her fork, put the larger piece into her mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed.
Xuan Xi also ate her smaller piece. The two sat facing each other, neither speaking. Maybe because they were too full.
A very faint sound came from the dining room entrance, like fabric brushing against the doorframe. Xuan Xi looked up and caught a glimpse of a light lilac skirt disappearing into the corridor, along with a barely audible, smiling remark.
“This child.”