Sitting up in the bed, Yuyan asked, "Where is the master?" Her voice was still groggy with sleep.
"He has gone to see the Emperor," Yixiao answered as she neatly folded a linen blanket. She glanced toward the washroom doors where another servant had already gone to prepare Yuyan's bath.
As the heavy wooden door closed behind the second maid, Yixiao walked closer, her voice dropping into a playful whisper. "How was your night, my lady?"
Yuyan rolled her eyes, muttering, "Nothing happened."
Yixiao's mouth dropped open in mock shock. "You mean he didn't touch you?"
Yuyan exhaled in sharp exasperation. "No, he held me, but nothing happened."
Yixiao opened her mouth to press further, but Yuyan narrowed her eyes. "Shut up."
Yixiao smirked, taking a respectful step back.
"Did Tian Yu say anything before leaving?" Yuyan asked, trying to keep her tone nonchalant.
Yixiao raised an eyebrow. "You mean your husband?"
The word sent a sudden chill through Yuyan's chest. Her heart skipped a beat. Husband... It still sounded foreign and strange, like a title belonging to someone else's story.
"He said you should eat your breakfast and not wait for him," Yixiao added casually. "He will be back late in the evening, but he will eat dinner with you."
Yuyan muttered under her breath, "Who wants to eat dinner with him..."
She rose from the bed and made her way toward the washroom.
Only Yixiao followed her inside. The air was warm, rich with the scent of warm oils and jasmine. Yuyan slowly stepped into the bath, sinking into the fragrant water with a low sigh.
Yixiao rolled up her sleeves and began gently helping her wash.
As she dipped the cloth into the warm water, she said lightly, "You know, Master Tian Yu is incredibly handsome."
Yuyan said nothing, just leaned her head back against the edge of the tub.
"Seriously," Yixiao continued. "His face... it is like the painters' drawings of the gods. That white skin, smooth like porcelain. Those eyes—sharp, calm... and that quiet way he moves... no wonder all the girls in the palace are going crazy."
Yuyan scoffed softly but said nothing.
Yixiao leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Even Lin tried to drop her scarf when he passed. Ping Ping spilled tea just to get his attention. I heard one of the noble daughters from the south even asked if he was available."
Yuyan turned slightly and narrowed her eyes. "Are you trying to make me jealous?"
"No," Yixiao grinned. "Just reminding you. If you keep avoiding him, you might accidentally push him into someone else's arms."
Yuyan looked away, her face unreadable.
"He's kind," Yixiao added softly, wringing a cloth. "And patient. Many men wouldn't have respected your space last night the way he did. But he just held you and let you sleep."
Yuyan's chest rose slowly with a deep breath.
"I'm not saying fall in love right now," Yixiao said, rinsing her lady's hair with a gentle touch. "But don't be too cold either. He already has too many admirers... don't let one of them take your place in his heart."
Yuyan didn't answer, but her fingers clenched lightly around the edge of the tub.
She wasn't sure how she felt. Only that something about him both frightened and confused her. She turned her face away and said quietly, "You don't understand, Yixiao... I have somebody I love."
Yixiao blinked, pausing mid-rinse. "You? Love someone?" She laughed. "Since when? I've never even seen you go close to any man."
Yuyan bit her bottom lip, avoiding Yixiao's gaze.
"Who could that be?" Yixiao asked again, tilting her head with growing curiosity.
Yuyan didn't answer. How could she explain that the man she loved wasn't someone from her real life—but a shadow from her dreams? A man whose voice echoed in her sleep, whose face appeared only behind her closed eyes, whose embrace made her heart race though she had never truly met him in the waking world.
So instead, she changed the subject.
"I don't know anything about him," she said, her voice heavy now. "Tian Yu... he has no family, no past. Even during our wedding, he came alone—like he just fell from the sky."
Yixiao frowned slightly, listening in silence.
"His eyes…" Yuyan whispered. "There's something different about them. Not just the color. The way they look at me. Like he knows something I don't."
Her chest rose and fell with a shaky breath.
"Is Father not supposed to ask where he came from? What kingdom he belongs to?" Her voice cracked slightly. "But he just gave me away like I was nothing. Like some piece to be moved in a game."
Yuyan's voice wavered, her eyes growing glassy. "I used to think they loved me so much. But now... I don't even know what to believe anymore."
And with that, the tears finally came. They fell silently at first—slow drops that slid down her cheeks and disappeared into the bathwater.
Yixiao moved quickly, kneeling beside the tub and gently holding Yuyan's wet hand. "Princess…" she said softly. "Don't cry, please."
Yuyan didn't look at her. Her gaze was distant, lost in thoughts she couldn't explain.
Yixiao squeezed her hand gently. "I know it's hard to understand right now. Everything happened so fast. But your parents love you. They always have. They didn't give you away because you meant nothing. They gave you away because they believe this is the best path for you. Maybe Master Tian Yu is not what he seems… but maybe, just maybe, that's not a bad thing."
Yuyan said nothing, but her trembling stopped slightly.
Yixiao smiled faintly. "And maybe you're not the only one hiding a secret, hmm? If he really came out of nowhere, then perhaps he's just as lost as you are."
Yuyan's lips parted, but no words came out.
Yixiao stood, her tone lightening. "You don't have to love him now. Just... try not to hate him." She reached for a silk robe and held it out gently. "Come on. Let's get you dressed before breakfast gets cold."