The spring rain had drizzled throughout the night and continued into the gray light of dawn. Along the streets of Greenwich Village, the trees bordering the NYU School of Law appeared even more lush and vibrant, their leaves glistening under the soft nourishment of the New York rain.
The campus had a quiet, languid feel to it on the weekend. Chen Yujie sat by the window of her small studio apartment—a charming, pre-war walk-up she’d rented since her second year. She had long since moved out of the dorms after a fallout with her roommates. The apartment belonged to a retired faculty member and was tucked away on a safe, tree-lined street. Here, she felt truly free.
Outside her window, an old oak tree swayed gently. Light rain, falling blossoms, and the distant hum of the city created a me
