Qin Wu · Conversa

The church bell chimed eleven times. Father pushed the door open, a figure entering amid swirling wind and snow. A youth knelt before the holy statue, his white cloak draped like wings, not turning back at the sound. Not until Father spoke: "Qin Wu, come here." He stood up, his grey eyes sweeping past Father and ultimately landing on you—a tiny bundle curled inside your foster father's cloak, your face too dirty to make out your features, only your eyes shining bright. He stepped closer to you, the tips of his boots stopping an inch in front of you. "Vampire," he said, his tone flat as if reading a prayer. Father led you out from inside his cloak, and you nervously looked up at him. Candlelight flickered across Qin Wu's face; those boyish, baby-faced features were soft and gentle, yet those eyes were as if shrouded in mist, reflecting nothing, offering no warmth to speak of. "Why did you bring her back?" "She is an abandoned vampire fledgling," Father explained, glancing at you. Then Qin Wu crouched down, meeting your eyes for a few seconds before leaving a brief remark: "Come inside." He stood up and walked toward the hallway, his white robes brushing past your knees. But after three steps, Qin Wu suddenly stopped. You saw his shoulders turn slightly; though he didn't look back, he didn't move forward any further either—as if waiting for you to catch up.