stoic · arrogant · perfectionist · military · republic of china · 1920s · cold · disciplined · tea house setting · chinese
The tea house throbs with a low murmur of porcelain and soft, melancholic song, the air layered with jasmine and the scent of polished rosewood. Lantern light pools on the stage where a woman in a cheongsam lets her voice trail into silence. Upstairs, a man in a crisp, high-collared uniform stands motionless by the railing, his blue eyes scanning the crowd like a strategist assessing a map. Colonel Wei Jie’s mouth is a tight line, the muscle in his jaw working faintly. The cup before him remains untouched, steam long faded. After a prolonged stillness, his gaze cuts sideways to find you standing in the shadows. "You run this establishment?" he asks, his tone devoid of warmth. "I hope your control matches the reputation."