Yuyan and Tian Yu crossed the courtyard in silence, the cool evening breeze carrying the faint scent of night-blooming jasmine through the garden. Tian Yu's fingers were warm around hers, yet there was a faint tension in his grip, as though his thoughts had wandered far from the present.
Yuyan tilted her head, studying him from the corner of her eye. "Is something troubling you?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer at once. His gaze stayed fixed ahead, lips pressed into a thin line. When he finally looked at her, there was a shadow in his eyes that made her chest tighten.
" I'm fine," he said — gentle, but not convincing.
She slowed her steps, refusing to let it pass. "Tian Yu… don't tell me you're fine when your eyes say otherwise."
He hesitated, then gave her a faint smile — the kind that tried to hide more than it revealed. "Some things can't be said too quickly," he murmured. "But… as long as you're here, that all that matters" he said looking straight into her eyes.
Her heart gave an unexpected jolt at the sincerity in his tone. She didn't know what to say, so she let him lead her the rest of the way inside.
The servants prepared tea and serve them , the steam curling in the air. Tian Yu released her hand and moved toward the window, the last traces of daylight casting his profile in sharp relief.
Yuyan sat, fingers curling around the cup, her gaze never leaving him. He stood there for a long moment, as if weighing something in his mind. She wanted to press him again, but the air between them felt fragile, like a thread that might snap if pulled too hard.
Instead, she sipped her tea in silence.
Finally, he turned to her, his expression calmer but no less guarded. "There will be a time for explanations," he said quietly. "But today… just stay with me."
Her pulse skipped, and though she didn't understand, she nodded. For now, she would keep her questions close to her chest — but the worry in his eyes still linger in her thoughts.
When dinner arrived, the servants laid the dishes out in a fragrant bowls. Jasmine rice, delicate plates of stir-fried lotus root, glazed duck with honeyed skin, and steamed fish garnished with ginger and scallions. A pot of warm plum wine was placed at Tian Yu's side, its sweet aroma mingling with the meal.
As they ate, Yuyan found her mind drifting back to her father's words earlier that day — his quiet plea for her to live well with her husband, to trust that his intentions would one day make her happy. She studied Tian Yu across the table, the flicker of lamplight dancing across his features.
She wondered about the life he had before their marriage — his family, his past, and the secrets that seemed to live in the depths of his eyes. She still could not shake the question that had been in her heart since their wedding night:
Who was her husband, truly?
___
The day slipped quietly into night, the sun sinking behind the clouds as if making way for the stars to scatter across the darkened sky. In their chamber, Yuyan and Tian Yu lay side by side on the bed, the silence between them thick and unyielding, as though two strangers had been placed in the same room. Only the faint rustle of the curtains and the steady rhythm of their breathing filled the air.
After a while, Yuyan turned her head, studying him in the dim lantern light. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, expression unreadable. She hesitated, fingers fidgeting with the hem of the blanket, before finally breaking the quiet.
"What is your favorite food?" she asked softly.
He shifted, his voice calm as he named it. Then, a faint smile curved his lips as he leaned closer. "It seems we share the same taste."
She blinked in surprise. "Leng Yue must have told you," she murmured.
"Not really," he said, his tone carrying a quiet certainty. "I know you more than you think."
Her heart gave a small, involuntary flutter. "What about your mother?" she asked after a pause.
His voice dropped, shadowed by an old loneliness. "She died long ago."
Yuyan hesitated again, but curiosity—and something she didn't want to name—pushed her forward. "Have you ever… loved someone before?" Her heart thudded uncomfortably. She wished she could take the question back, but the words had already escaped.
Tian Yu's eyes turned to her, unreadable yet intense. For several long seconds, he said nothing. Then, slowly, he drew closer, his hand finding the curve of her waist. "Yes," he answered quietly. "She was the most beautiful, kind, and gentle person I had ever known."
Something sharp pricked at Yuyan's chest. She rolled to face him fully, her eyes searching his face, her breath mingling with his. "What happened? Why didn't you marry her?" she asked, almost in a whisper.
"An accident kept me away for many years," he said, his gaze locking on hers. "When I returned… she was no longer the person I knew. She didn't even remember me."
Her lips trembled as she asked, "What if she remembers one day, and comes back to you? Will you go to her?"
He studied her quietly. "Do you want me to?"
"You can… if you truly loved each other," she stammered, though the sadness in her voice betrayed her words.
Tian Yu's fingers tightened gently at her waist, pulling her closer. "You are already my world. I am not leaving."
"Is it because I'm a princess?" she asked softly.
His gaze didn't waver. "No. Because we are bound by fate."
The words settled between them like a vow. Yuyan's heart gave an unfamiliar ache as they held each other, the warmth of his body steady against hers. Outside, the stars kept their silent watch, and somewhere between the beating of their hearts, sleep finally claimed them.
As the night grew deep, the candles in the room had already burned out. The room was silent with only the soft breath of Yuyan and Tian Yu breaking the dead silence. But outside their room, a dark figure stood by their window.
Fang Leng watched as Yuyan and Tian Yu slept peacefully. A dark and wicked smirk then appeared on his lips.
"My nephew, this little boy, was able to survive the night blade. How interesting!. Xi Wang really got some tricks up her sleeve. " He said staring bitterly at them like he was studying them.
Just then, Ji woo flew towards him and stood beside him.
"They even found each other in the present. Such pathetic lovers!. But don't worry. Let them have thier sweet dreams for now. Because when we strike, there would only be nightmares. " She said and with that, they both disappeared into the thin air.