The garden behind the Eastern Wing was silent, save for the faint rustle of leaves and the soft clinking of wind chimes. Moonlight bathed the cobblestones in silver, and the scent of plum blossoms lingered in the air.
Li Hua knelt before a small pond, dipping her fingers into the cool water. Her eyes reflected the moon's glow — eyes that had once held fire, now filled with conflict.
"I was so sure he betrayed me."
"But his eyes… they looked like they bled every time he saw me."
Behind her, a soft laugh broke the stillness.
"You really do like staring at water, don't you?"
She didn't have to turn around to recognize the voice.
"Rui Shen."
He stepped closer, balancing a tray of pastries on one arm like a juggler ready to fail.
"I brought snacks," he said proudly. "Didn't poison them. Probably."
She gave him a sideways glance, lips twitching. "Is this a bribe?"
"A peace offering," he said dramatically, plopping down beside her. "You're always so serious. I'm here to ruin that."
"…You succeed at that quite well."
Rui Shen grinned. "A skill, really."
They sat in silence for a moment, watching koi ripple through the water.
Then he asked, quietly, "Do you hate him?"
Her fingers paused.
"I thought I did," she admitted. "But now I wonder… if the one I should've hated all along was someone else."
Rui Shen tilted his head. "Like who?"
"…The one who made me believe a lie."
From behind a flowering tree, unseen, Jin Xuan Yue watched the scene — his breath caught at the vulnerable look on her face. His fists clenched at his side.
He had been trying to forget. But every time she spoke, her voice came back. Not just the sound, but the weight of it — like thunder veiled in silk.
---
Elsewhere in the palace, Zeița Lunii stood before a mirror of obsidian. Her hands hovered above a scroll glowing red.
"She grows uncertain," muttered the demon beside her. "Her heart still remembers him."
"She will fall into ruin if she forgets why she returned," the goddess said coldly. "Qing Yue was born to bring fire. She was never meant to forgive."
"But the seal," the demon urged. "It weakens faster. If her powers awaken too soon—"
"Then Jin Xuan Yue will know who she is before the blood moon rises," she finished. "And that… would ruin everything."
Her gaze darkened. "We must remind her."
---
Meanwhile, back in the garden...
Li Hua suddenly flinched, her hand shooting to her chest.
"Hey, are you alright?" Rui Shen asked, frowning.
Her body trembled. For a split second, golden light shimmered under her skin — a flicker, gone in an instant.
"No," she whispered. "Something's coming."