By the time they reached Xi'an, signs of spring were beginning to appear. Among the dead, yellowed grass from winter, patches of green were beginning to sprout here and there.

"Look, Ja-yeo. This is, uh... well, what was it again?"

Cheong leaned in close to a flowering quince tree against a wall, pointing to the budding light green leaves. Ja-yeo, cradled in her arms, looked at the buds with curiosity. To someone from Cheonghae, the flora of Zhongyuan was strange and fascinating, especially given her limited experiences with nature back home. Even the sheer number of trees was enough to …