As Mei waited outside the bathroom, her thoughts wandered back to that day—the day Leng Yue had forced her to help bathe him, only to step out of the room completely bare.
The memory struck like a spark. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and her heart thudded wildly. Her knees weak as she clutched at her robe. I must leave before he comes out like that again. I… I don't know if I'll be able to resist him this time.
With that thought, she bolted for the door, moving so quickly she nearly collided with two maids entering with buckets of steaming water.
"Watch it!" one of the maids snapped, glaring as hot water sloshed dangerously close to the floor.
"I—I'm really sorry," Mimi said breathlessly, bowing her head. As she tried to hide her flushed face.
"Why is your face so red?" the second maid asked, raising a brow.
"I… I…" Mimi stammered, her gaze darting downward to the buckets they carried. "I already prepared his bathwater… h-he's bathing now."
"Oh, is that why you're blushing like a tomato?" the first maid said, her tone edged with sarcasm.
"Maybe she's trying to draw attention," the other muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. "I hope you're not one of those girls who tries to seduce men." Her voice carried a sharp, hidden sting.
Mimi bit her lip, too flustered to answer, and slipped past them in silence.
The two maids exchanged looks, their faces twisting with envy. One clenched her fists tight while the other stamped her foot.
"She's always first to attend to the prince!" one hissed.
"Always snatching every chance to catch his eye," the other added bitterly. "We'll deal with you, Mimi. Just wait."
Their voices faded as they carried the water away, but not before Leng Yue—listening quietly from behind the door—heard every word.
A low chuckle escaped his lips.
Leng Yue had just stepped out of the bathroom, droplets still clinging to his damp hair, as he try to dry it, when the voices of two maids drifted through the chamber entrance. At first, he meant to ignore them—idle gossip rarely interested him.
But then one of them asked, "Why is your face so red?"
He froze mid-step.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Her face is red… because of me. Because of how close I was to her, before I entered the bath. He thought as he giggle, obviously enjoying the show.
The thought stirred something warm and mischievous in his chest. Quietly, he moved closer to the door, careful not to make a sound. If Mimi was being questioned, then he wanted to hear every word of it.
And so, leaning lightly against the frame, Leng Yue listened in silence, his eyes glinting with amusement as the maids pressed her, and his little girl. Brush them off.
---
After dressing, Leng Yue went straight to the throne room. He found his father, the Emperor, in quiet conversation with Mei's father, he bowed deeply.
"Father. My lord," he greeted respectfully, his voice steady though his mind was elsewhere. After a few polite exchanges, he excused himself, claiming he had urgent matters to attend to.
His steps carried him straight to the visitor's chamber where Mei resided. Standing before her door, he knocked lightly.
"Come in," Mei called, her tone casual, expecting one of the maids.
Leng Yue pushed the door open and entered, and Mei nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw him.
"Y-your Highness!" she exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise.
Leng Yue smirked, deliberately putting on a dramatic tone.
"I, the Crown Prince of Lianhua, ordered you to wait for me. Yet you dared to defy my command?"
Mei gasped, quickly kneeling with exaggerated seriousness.
"I am so sorry, Your Highness. I don't deserve to live!" she said, playing along with his jest.
Leng Yue bent down to her level, his face so close their noses nearly touched. His scent, a mix of soap and perfumed oil, wrapped around her senses, making her heart flutter wildly.
"What did you just say?" His voice dropped low, laced with teasing danger. "That you don't deserve to live?"
The sound of his words sent shivers racing down her spine. Her cheeks burned, her lips trembled, and she swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze.
"I… I thought… you had something very important to tell me?" she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
His playful expression softened into something serious. Gently, he lifted her to her feet and guided her to sit on the edge of her bed, while he pulled a chair closer and sat opposite her. Taking her hands into his, his warm grip betrayed a faint tremor.
Mei's eyes widened—Leng Yue's hands were trembling. Whatever he was about to say weighed heavily on him.
"Mei…" he began quietly, his eyes fixed on hers. "There is something I have longed to tell you… something that frightens me more than anything else in this world. Something I have never dared share with my parents, or even my sister."
Her breath caught as he continued.
"You already know that I… see things." His voice grew heavier. "But it is more than visions. At night… my soul leaves my body."
Mei's brow relax, her lips closing in released "It is like that for everybody".
Before she could finish, Leng Yue pressed his hand gently over her mouth. His eyes burned with urgency.
"Please… let me finish. If I stop now, I may never have the courage to say it again."
His voice, so earnest and trembling, sent a chill through her heart
"I know you love me," he whispered, the words falling heavy in the quiet room. Mei's breath hitched, her face flooding red, as though her very heartbeat had been laid bare.
"And I want you to know…" His voice trembled, though his gaze never wavered. "I love you just as much. Or more. Whatever you feel for me, Mei… I feel it a thousand times over."
Her eyes glistened as he continued.
"My soul doesn't just leave me—it wanders. It travels far. I've been warned… that if I overstay in those dreams, I may never return. That I could die in my sleep, lost forever. And the worst is that, I don't have control over it."
His voice cracked, his hands squeezing hers tighter as if anchoring himself. His usual confidence, his playful façade, crumbled, revealing a man weighed by fear.
"Tell me, Mei…" He lowered his voice almost a whisper. "Do you want to marry a man who may close his eyes one night and never wake again? Do you want to be left a young widow?"
Tears welled in his eyes, slipping silently down his cheeks. "I could never bear it. I could never bear to see you grieve because of me. And yet… I cannot endure the thought of another man standing at your side, calling you his wife. That would destroy me."
Her chest tightened painfully, her tears finally spilling over. "Leng Yue…" she sobbed, clutching his hands.
"Behind my mischief and playfulness…" he whispered, his voice raw, "this is the heavy burden I carry every single day." He stroked her trembling hands, his tears still falling, though he fought to stay strong before her. "And this… is the truth of the man who loves you."