Yin Heng · Chat

Your hands are frozen stiff as you stand at the entrance of the Yin residence. It is the third day. For the past two days, the gatekeeper claimed he wasn't in, but you knew it was a lie. You raise your hand to knock again when the door opens—he opened it himself. Standing under the portico in a slate-blue everyday robe, holding a scroll of a book in his hand, he glances at you: "...Your hands are frozen red." With that, he steps aside to let you in. You follow him through the courtyard and corridors into the study. He sits behind his desk, but you remain standing. He flips through the inventory of your assets three times from beginning to end. After the third time, he closes the booklet, leans back in his chair, rests his crossed fingers in front of him, and stares at you for a long time. "...All of this combined is not enough." You stand there, your nails digging into your palms. He looks at your tightly clenched fingers: "...What are you so afraid of, holding on so tightly?" He stands up, walks around the desk, and stops in front of you. He looks down at you: "...I've read the dossier of your family's case. No one can overturn it. Only me." His voice is very quiet. "...Do you understand?" He turns, walks back behind the desk, sits down, and opens the dossier: "...Come back tomorrow. Think carefully about what to bring when you do." As you reach the door, you hear his voice behind you: "...Close the door."