TIDES IN A TEACUP (2)

Before they could proceed to the third exercise of splitting the rock, a knocking sound echoed menacingly through the basement.

The three of them froze, their eyes fixed on the door at the top of the stairs. The knocking was on the main door, not the basement door, but the force of it was unsettling.

"A rowdy patient?" Marshall murmured, trying to mask his unease.

The door creaked open, and a moment of silence followed. Mrs. Mei called out from the main room, "What's going on?"

No answer came. Instead, heavy, purposeful steps thumped against the floorboards on the main floor.

Wyn's expression tensed as the footsteps grew louder. "The officials."

Marshall's eyes widened slightly. "Searching for me?"

Mei Lihua's face was the spitting image of worry. Her eyes darted around, looking for a place for them to hide.

"Excuse me, you can't just barge in here like that!" echoed Mrs. Mei's complaint from upstairs.

Without a moment to lose, Mei Lihua grabbed a dusty old blanket from a nearby shelf and quickly threw it over a set of storage cabinets. She gestured urgently for Marshall and Wyn to follow.

The two of them squeezed into the tight space between the cabinets, shifting and pushing each other as they settled into the cramped hiding spot. 

The blanket had a strong odor of old, forgotten items and stale herbs. And the blanket's coarse texture made Marshall's skin itch.

He winced as he adjusted his position, trying to find a more comfortable spot among the clutter.

"I forgot I'm a runaway criminal for a moment there," he whispered sardonically. "But... why are the officials here so late?"

Wyn shifted to look at him. "Back when we fought the scaled beast, the guards did not know you were a runaway criminal, so they allowed me carry you into the safe zone."

"You carried me?" Marshall felt oddly flustered at the thought.

"Did you think that you teleported to the infirmary?" Wyn murmured.

Mei Lihua huffed in frustration as she arranged the blanket, draping it over the cabinets in a way that would obscure any movement. 

"Hush, you two. Don't make a sound," she hissed at them, moving to stand by a nearby cabinet.

The footsteps grew closer, and the voices of the officials became clearer. Mrs. Mei's protests continued all the way until the basement door was yanked open.

The officials' voices carried down the stairs. "We have reason to believe there might be a fugitive here. We need to conduct a search."

Mei Lihua's heart raced. She tried to maintain her composure, her hands moving methodically as she pretended to sort herbs in the nearby cabinet.

Marshall and Wyn remained motionless, as if they weren't there at all.

One of the officials, a tall man with a commanding presence, peered into the basement from the top of the stairs. His gaze was sharp and probing. "Who is down there?"

Mrs. Mei's voice was strained but firm. "I assure you, there's no one here but me and my daughter."

The official's unrelenting footsteps thumped down the stairs.

Marshall glanced at Wyn, who sent a reassuring sideward glance back. Their shoulders pressed together tight, and a sense of calm washed over the disciple. He gazed at the calm snow deity, noticing his flawless side-profile. His features were sharp and attentive, but up close, Wyn looked soft and warm.

The officials' steps drew nearer, and Mei Lihua grew more anxious. Her hands trembled slightly as she continued to arrange herbs. Her heart pounded in her chest so loud that Marshall could've sword he could hear it.

Another official, shorter and more methodical in his movements, stopped near the storage cabinets. His eyes narrowed as he examined the area, his gaze drifting toward the blanket-covered cabinets.

The taller man continued his investigation, opening the larger drawers and checking behind items. He paused momentarily, his eyes following his comrade.

"Did you find something?" 

Marshall could see the shadow of a hand reaching over the blanket to pull it off. His breath hitched as he prepared himself for the worst.

Just as the shorter official's hand was about to lift the blanket, Mei Lihua panicked and yanked out a nearby drawer full of herbs. Feigning surprise, she stepped on the official's foot.

"Ah!" the official yelped in pain, stumbling backward.

The drawer slipped from Mei Lihua's grip, crashing to the floor and scattering herbs everywhere.

The basement filled with the sound of herbs rustling and hitting the floor, the aromatic scents of dried flowers swirling around.

Such mess served as the perfect diversion, especially since the herbs had also spilled over the official's boots, sticking to them like dried grass.

Mrs. Mei's voice rose in frustration, echoing through the basement. "Mei Lihua! Haven't I told you to be careful? Look at this mess! Do you have any idea how much those herbs cost?"

The officials glanced between the mess and Mrs. Mei's furious expression, discomfort on their faces as they watched Mei Lihua scramble to clean up the scattered herbs.

The tall official shook his head, looking toward his shorter counterpart. "There is no one here. We should keep going."

The shorter official, still rubbing his foot and glancing at the mess, nodded in agreement. "I second that. What is out next location?"

As the officials turned to leave, Mrs. Mei shouted over the stairs. "This is absolutely unacceptable, you men distracted her! What are you going to do about it? Look at all these herbs! They're ruined!"

The officials, their faces flushed with embarrassment, hastened up the stairs. The sound of their footsteps grew fainter as they exited the infirmary.

Once they were gone, Mei Lihua let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion. She pulled the blanket off Marshall and Wyn, her face still flushed with anxiety.

"That was too close," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought I was going to get arrested for stepping on that man's foot."

Marshall rose to his feet, giving Mei Lihua an awkward tap on the shoulder. "Sorry for putting you through that."

Wyn also emerged from the cramped hiding spot, brushing off the dust and adjusting his robe. "It was a quick thinking."

Mei Lihua offered a shaky smile, though her worry was still evident. "Well, I'm just glad it worked out. My mom's anger was a good distraction."

Marshall let out a quiet chuckle, glancing toward the scattered herbs and the chaotic aftermath. "Yeah, it definitely was."

Mrs. Mei, having made sure the officials left, stomped down the stairs, still grumbling about the wasted herbs.

"Good grief! Lihua! Was such waste necessary?" she chided, hands on her hips as she glared at everyone in the room.

Marshall and Wyn exchanged guilty glances, quickly crouching down to help clean the mess.

"I've had enough," Mrs. Mei grabbed the two by the backs of their collars, pulling them up like two stray cats that managed to slip into the house. "Get out. Leave. And don't come back."

"Mom!" Mei Lihua exclaimed, trying to pry her hands off their collars. 

"There's no reason for them to stay any longer," Mrs. Mei firmly retorted. "This is not an inn. If you're no longer injured, then scram. I don't need any trouble with the tower."