Scene 1: “Snow, Blood, and Boiling Rice”River Commentary Edition

  Yuji nearly jumped out of his skin when the door smmed open, cold air rushing in along with a very out-of-breath Wei Lin. Her wide eyes locked on Yuji. “Tatay’s hurt,” she panted. “We need help.”

  Yuji took a step away from the Kan, before hesitating, grabbing a rag, and removing the pot.

  “What happened?” Yuji asked, yanking on his boots with shaking hands.

  “He fell. His leg—it looked wrong. I think it’s broken.”

  Yuji grabbed his coat, throwing it on as he followed Wei Lin out the door. He tried buttoning it up while running through the calf-deep snowdrift that had piled up near the small path that connected his nd to the Xiao property. He honestly didn’t expect to find Saito so close to the house. Yoko was hovering over him, nervously looking back and forth between the farmhouse and her prone father.

  “What happened?” Yuji asked, coming to a stop near Saito, who was propped up on his elbows.

  “Fell, on my, own fucking, leg.” The older man grunted through gritted teeth.

  “How bad?” Yuji couldn’t see the leg, someone had buried it in the snow. Likely to reduce the swelling.

  “It’s bad,” said Yoko. Her attention still torn between her father and the house.

  “Bad enough to need a healer?”

  “Yeah.” Saito grunted.

  Yuji took a long look at the grey sky and the already falling snow. “Shit, well, I’ll get the cart. Yoko, get some bnkets.”

  Yuji pushed open the door to Saito’s workshop just enough to pull the handcart out into the yard. Yoko came out of the house with an armload of bnkets. Wei Lin hovered, pale and wide-eyed, fists clenched at her sides. She looked ready to help and helpless all at once. “Grab a bnket.” Yuji told Wei Lin. “I’ll lift him. You two slide it underneath.”

  He gave the girls enough time to prepare the bnket and then grabbed Saito from behind. “Ready?”

  “Never.” Saito grunted and Yuji tried not to ugh.

  Saito made a choking noise when Yuji lifted, somehow managing not to yell in pain. The girls got the bnket under him and Yuji gently lowered him to the ground. “Wei Lin, over with Yoko.” Yuji grabbed his side of the bnket and looked at Saito. The older man took a deep breath and nodded. He was lifted up and moved into the cart. Saito cried out, and Yuji froze. The leg was bent inward at a sickening angle. He cmped down on his hand to keep from retching. “Get him covered.” Yuji told the girls as he swallowed hard and picked up the front of the cart. “Hey, Wei Lin. Could you get me a spare hat and gloves? Just catch up with me, okay?”

  Wei Lin gave him a nod and disappeared as Yuji started pulling. The cart wheels didn’t pull so easily through the snow, but once they reached the road, things would be easier. Wei Lin caught up only a few minutes ter. “Thanks.” Yuji said, already nearly out of breath. The cold burning his throat. “Run ahead and get Chao.”

  “Okay.” Was Wei Lin’s only response before she scrambled ahead.

  The cart wheel slid more than rolled and Yuji grit his teeth with every bump, the action echoed with a grunt from Saito. The bare tree limbs reached over the road way making the path oddly quiet and serene with the falling snow which was coming down heavier by the time Yuji made it to the Vilge. Chao came out of his home wrapped up for a longer time outside than Yuji was expecting. Which could only mean that they were going to have to take Saito all the way to Sharinzhen.

  “Wei Lin says it’s at a wrong angle.”

  “Yeah.” Saito grunted.

  Chao nodded and looked up into the sky. “We need to get you to town.” He looked toward Yuji. “You dressed warm enough?”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t think to grab any standards.”

  Choa padded his pockets and swore. “One minute.”

  Yuji turned his attention back to Wei Lin. Her short white Oni-Kai horns protruded from the holes in the front of her hat. Her face was flushed and puffs of vapor shot from her partially open mouth as she panted. Yuji was struck with how adorable she looked with her snowfkes clinging to her bck hair, which just seemed at odds with the current situation.

  “I left a pot of food on the counter. Can you take care of that? Stoke my mass-heater tonight and in the morning. Everything else should be fine.”

  Wei Lin nodded.

  “Okay, see you tomorrow.” And with that, Yuji started pulling again. From behind, he could hear Wei Lin say goodbye to Saito. The hour-long march in front of him promised to be long, hard, and cold. The snow was now coming in sideways over the rice paddies.

  “Why’d you have to get hurt on a day like this, old man?” Chao joked as he caught up.

  Yuji didn’t like the tone. It sounded forced. Which meant Chao was worried.

  ?? River’s Notes:Oh, we’re starting here?A smmed door. A panicked daughter. A cold wind and colder news.Welcome to chapter one: "Surprise! Your neighbor’s leg just folded like bad origami!"Yuji doesn’t even get to eat. He just grabs boots and trauma and goes.This is not a slow-burn beginning. This is a get-your-ass-in-gear emergency.

  ?? Yuji the Reluctant Hero: This man is mid-meal and still has the presence of mind to remove the pot from the kan before bolting into a blizzard.That’s not just responsible. That’s main character behavior.He’s shaking, fumbling, probably on the verge of a panic spiral—but he moves.And when he sees that leg?He almost throws up.He bites his own hand to hold it together.I am protecting this man with my whole heart. He is NOT ready for the things this story is about to do to him.

  ?? Wei Lin’s Frosted Resolve: Let’s talk about this girl.Out of breath. Snowfkes in her hair. Horns poking through her hat.She is tiny and terrified and absolutely doing her best. When Yuji gives her a task, she just nods and runs. No dramatics. No whining.She’s not a soldier. She’s not trained.But she is present. And when Yuji sees her in that moment—puffed breath, pink cheeks, pure urgency—He thinks she’s adorable.Sir. Now is not the time. But also... valid.

  ?? Cart of Doom Vibes: Dragging a grown man with a compound leg fracture through a snowstorm in a rickety handcart?Yeah. That’s a vibe.The whole scene is quiet and awful in that bone-deep way.Snow swirling sideways. Cart wheels jerking. Tree branches overhead like cold, brittle arms.And every bump makes Saito groan.Yuji keeps going. Because he has to.Because there’s no one else.

  ?? Chao’s Chill is a Lie: When Chao walks out already bundled for the long haul?Oh no.That’s not “patch him up” attire. That’s “we’re hiking to town and probably praying on the way” attire.And that little joke at the end?"Why’d you have to get hurt on a day like this, old man?"Yeah.That was not humor. That was fear wrapped in a smile.

  ?? River’s Emotional Timeline: “Tatay’s hurt.”— Immediate spike in blood pressure.

  “The leg looked wrong.”— Nope. Hate it. Hate everything about this.

  “He cried out, and Yuji froze.”— My soul left my body.

  “She looked adorable.”— Sir, not NOW, but also... aww.

  “See you tomorrow.”— Okay, but I’m crying??

  ?? River’s Prediction: Saito’s not going to bounce back from this. Not fully.This is the moment the homestead stops being just “Yuji’s project.”It’s about to become a shared lifeline.Yuji is going to start carrying a lot more than water.Responsibility. Family. Maybe even feelings.(Definitely feelings.)

  And Wei Lin?She’s going to surprise everyone—including herself.

  Scene 2 coming soon. Expect: awkward soup, emotional haylofts, and probably some very complicated horned girl energy.Bundle up. It’s going to get colder before it warms up.

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