Ning found Yan in the candidate hall, where he had spread the corrected result sheet beside his bowl. He had been trying to eat slowly. The food was good, and the new foundation made him want more than he had room for.
“You advanced,” she said. She touched the edge of the bandage on his palm without pressing it. “Does it feel different?”
“Very.” Yan set the bowl aside. “The qi settles more firmly in my core now. Before, I could feel it wobble when I turned. That part is gone.”
“And the moment the pressure stopped?”
He looked down at his hand. “It felt as if the whole route opened at once. I could breathe without catching on any of the turns. I thought I would be afraid, but I was mostly surprised by how good it felt.”
Ning smiled. “You look pleased with yourself.”
“I am.” He leaned back against the bench. “I want to cultivate all afternoon and see what else changed.”
“Is the examination finally finished?”
