"Lan'er, what are you doing outside?!"
Father was the first to reach me, his voice tight with worry. I smiled at him, trying to ease the concern etched into his weathered face. But instead of relief, my smile only deepened the furrow of his brows.
"You don't even have any outer garments on," he muttered, already shrugging off his coat without waiting for an answer. Before I could protest, he was wrapping it around my thin shoulders, the rough fabric still warm from his body.
The coat practically swallowed me whole, but it was comforting in its weight. I caught the scent of sea brine and fish.
His hands, calloused from work, hovered briefly over my shoulders before pulling back, uncertain, gentle. "You should be in bed," he added.
Just as Father was making sure the coat was snug around me, the other three figures finally caught up. My brothers—Yaoting, Shanyuan, and Yubing—each had a woven basket strapped to their backs, filled with gathered herbs, dried twigs, and what looked like two small fish wrapped in leaves.
"Lan'er! You're out of bed?" Qin Shanyuan, the eldest at thirteen, blurted, his voice louder than intended. Concern coated his face. He immediately set down his basket and rushed to my side, eyes darting over me as if checking for signs that I might suddenly collapse on him.
"I'm fine," I said, keeping my smile on. "I just wanted to see the sky."
"The sky?" Yaoting, the middle one, frowned. "You've been sick for nearly two weeks, and the first thing you do when you can walk is look at the sky?"
"It's been a while," I murmured, turning my gaze up at the pale-blue canvas above. The chill wind nipped at my cheeks, but the moment felt real.
Yubing, the youngest, only eleven, came up to me with a dried apple he'd probably been saving. He tugged gently on the oversized sleeve of Father's coat wrapped around me. "Here, Lan'er. You can eat this. It's sweet," he said, voice quiet but hopeful.
I took it with both hands, "Thank you, Gege."
He grinned. "You're getting better, right? You're not gonna scare us like that again?"
I nodded slowly, unsure how else to answer such an innocent question. I am yet again reminded that I am younger than this person I call brother.
Father clapped his hands together gently, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, enough chatter out here. The sun's dipping low. Let's head inside before it gets too cold."
One by one, my brothers picked their baskets back up, and began walking As we moved, I could feel their lingering glances, checking to make sure I wasn't swaying or collapsing. And deep in my mind, Green stirred again, watching everything, silent but ever present.
With one clean motion, my father lifted me into his arms. "Wife! We're home," he called out as he stepped into the house. My brothers trailed behind, each carrying a heavy basket strapped to their backs.
Now that I was perched higher, I could clearly see the contents of their baskets. Alongside bundles of wild vegetables, a large fish caught my attention. I leaned in closer, expecting to recognize its species. But to my surprise, I couldn't identify it at all.
Its long, sleek body was covered in dark, iridescent scales that shimmered blue and green under the light. The eyes were large and slightly bulbous, almost giving it a strange sentient appearance. Its fins were narrow and curved like blades. It honestly doesn't look like an edible fish.
My mother emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a threadbare cloth. When she saw Father carrying me, her face softened, though a flicker of concern passed through her eyes.
"You brought Lan'er outside?" she asked, voice gentle but questioning.
"She was already out there," my father replied. "Didn't even wear anything warm." He glanced at me, half-scolding, half-worried. "The wind's sharp today."
"I was careful," I said quickly, snuggling against him. "I just wanted to see the sky."
Mother sighed but said no more. She reached out and brushed my messy hair back with tender fingers. "Dinner's almost done. Set her near the fire. She's still recovering."
Father obeyed, lowering me onto a worn cushion beside the hearth. The warmth was immediate and comforting. My brothers busied themselves unloading the baskets. Qin Shanyuan was grinning ear to ear, pride glowing on his face.
"That big fish," he pointed out, "I caught it!"
Mother bent to examine it closely. Her brows furrowed slightly. "I've never seen this kind of fish before, maybe it swam down from the mountain stream."
I bit my lip. Another unfamiliar creature.
"We'll stew the smaller fish with herbs," Mother said after a pause. "But this big one... I think I'll dry it. Could be useful later."
As she and the boys moved about preparing the meal, I leaned my head back against the hay cushion and exhaled slowly. The fire crackled, the scent of herbs wafted through the air, and the soft murmur of family surrounded me.
"Husband, come drink some water," my mother said, handing a cup to my father with a soft smile. "It's unusually fresh today," she added with a little laugh, as if trying to lift the weariness from his shoulders.
Father took the cup, sniffed it once, and then drank deeply. His eyes widened slightly. "You're right. Tastes different, cleaner." He gave a low hum of approval and passed the cup to Qin Shanyuan so he could pour another.
My brothers didn't need much prompting. They eagerly filled their own cups from the large jar, gulping it down with the careless enthusiasm only young boys had. Qin Yaoting let out a surprised whistle. "It tastes better than usual. Sweeter, even!"
Qin Yubing nodded, still drinking. "It's weird, but really good."
I watched silently, watching the color return to their faces, watching their shoulders relax just a little.
"Lan'er, you want a drink too?" Qin Shanyuan asked, holding out a freshly poured cup with both hands.
I smiled faintly and shook my head. "I've had mine already. Thank you."
Mother was humming a soft tune now, stirring the pot over the fire as steam curled into the air. The scent of cooking fish and wild vegetables filled the room, mingling with the gentle warmth of home.
Green's voice whispered inside my mind, soft and pleased, "They are starting to absorb the Qi, Master. It will strengthen them over time."
That's good, I thought. Quietly. Calmly.