The evening air whipped against Yun Lintian's face as he strolled along the street.
Yun Ling, silent but ever-present at his side, couldn't help but steal worried glances at her young master.
"Young Master, do you really want to return to the clan now?" she finally ventured, her voice barely a whisper. "But surely, wouldn't it be…"
Yun Lintian chuckled softly, the sound strangely devoid of humor. "Suffocating? Unpleasant? Perhaps," he conceded, his gaze fixed on the bustling crowd ahead. "But necessary nonetheless."
Yun Ling frowned. "Necessary?"
"Indeed," Yun Lintian replied, a hint of steel creeping into his voice. "The whispers within the clan house may hold sway over others, but they hold no weight for me. Right now, I have more pressing matters at hand."