Being weak was a flaw

Zhang Wang woke from his rest. It was still dark and he knew that he couldn't have been sleeping for long. And yet despite the clawing itch of fatigue in his flesh, he found that he couldn't sleep.

Not even Yu Yanlin's warmth pressed up against his back could rouse the tiredness that he sorely needed.

After a moment too long he began to feel restless and when sleep was nothing more than a distant dream, Zhang Wang slowly but surely wiggled out of Yu Yanlin's hold and quietly crept out the room.

There was a fire across the small courtyard, where he could see someone stroking the hearth meant for cooking. Twilight was yet in the sky but Zhang Wang felt that it was near. It had to be.

"It's a bit early for breakfast, don't you think?" He hummed, watching Juhua steam some yam. 

The girl shrugged, "It's never too late or early for food." If she had noticed his approach earlier, she made no note of it.