Night had fully settled over the Zhao Family estate, a quiet hush descending as the last remnants of twilight faded from the sky. The sprawling complex, a testament to generations of power and prosperity, now seemed to breathe a different air, one thick with the scent of night blooming jasmine and the distant croak of frogs from unseen ponds. Every shadow deepened, giving the ancient stone walls and intricately carved eaves a sense of timeless permanence, as if they had stood guard over countless similar nights.
