Yue Wenyu, Granny Qiu had called him.

When their eyes met, Hino had registered a brief flash of shock and recognition in the man’s expression, followed almost instantly by disbelief, and then resentful suspicion. She shrank back, unused to the sudden and unprovoked hostility. He was taller than she was, although she couldn’t be sure, with light brown hair pulled back into a simple topknot and fastened tightly with a ribbon.

“Another one?” he asked Granny Qiu, eyeing Hino warily. “With all due respect, Chief, you’ve gotta stop collecting these kids like this. What will the people say?”

“Who are you to lecture me, boy,” Granny Qiu sniffed. “Look at you, running wild in the jianghu to escape your responsibilities in the palace. You are the sole reason the emperor does not look favourably upon our sect. And you worry about my reputation, ha!”

Wenyu grinned boyishly. Any trace of resentment from before had melted off his face, revealing what seemed to be a cheerful disposition. His unfriendliness towards Hino was short-lived, or he’d forgotten about her presence momentarily

“So, who is she?” he asked, a second time.

Granny Qiu exchanged glances with Hino, who wasn’t entirely sure what was supposed to be communicated in that moment.

“Some of my disciples found her lying on the ground outside when they were on patrol,” Granny Qiu said carefully. “Out of goodwill, they brought her back to me. She is a girl without any memories of where she came from, or who she is.”

“So you took her in, just like that,” Wenyu said disapprovingly.

“The Three Rivers Alliance does not discriminate when someone needs our help.”

Wenyu’s expression softened. “You are truly selfless, Chief. But I keep telling you, Father would be more than happy to lend you his –”

“You of all people should understand jianghu customs,” Granny Qiu said, shaking her head firmly. “We do not take handouts, and we most certainly will not affiliate ourselves with the court or the members of the Imperial family.”

He frowned. "Then what about me?”

“Here,” Granny Qiu said, barely able to contain her smile, “You are not Prince Yue Wenyu, but Little Yu, and a disciple of my sect. We’ve watched you grow up here under my care, so I could care less about who your father is, where you come from, or even if you are an ex-convict.”

Wenyu turned to Hino suddenly. “Hey, kid – are you an ex-convict?”

Hino blinked, startled at being addressed so suddenly. “I don’t know.”

“I shouldn't have expected any other answer,” he said dryly. “You do not remember who you are or where you’re from? Do you remember your own name at least?”

It didn’t sound like he intended his words to be derisive, so Hino stood and offered her hand.

“For now, I am using the name, ‘Hino’,” she said. A handshake. A familiar custom, a remnant from her past life without the strings of memory attached to it. But Wenyu just stared at her blankly, looking slightly horrified.

“You are not from here,” he stated.

“No.”

He turned to Granny Qiu, his brow furrowing. “Chief, you named her Hino, after the Hino tree.”

She nodded.

“Chief, you are hiding something from me.”

Granny Qiu closed her eyes. “Little Yu, there are many things you would like to know, I am sure. There are many things I would like to know also. But think of this girl – there are more things she does not know than if we combine what we both know together. Do you think you can compare? If there is something I am not telling you, it is for good reason.”

Wenyu look at Hino, then back at Granny Qiu again. “I suppose I can’t argue with you on that.”