CHAPTER 45: 45. RETURN OF MEI FENG

IN A BIT

MEI SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:

The lanterns still glowed softly against the evening air, their golden light spilling across the quiet courtyard. The murmur of the wedding guests had faded to a distant hum, leaving only the soft rustle of silk and the faint fragrance of the flowers still woven into my hair. I sat there for a moment, letting it sink in. Lianwei stepped into the room, the hem of his formal robe whispering against the polished floor. His hair was still tied neatly from the ceremony, and the faint trace of incense clung to him, warm and familiar. Our eyes met. His expression softened immediately, like sunlight spilling over snow.

"We’re really married." I whispered, my voice trembling with something I couldn’t quite name.

He crossed the room in three unhurried steps, stopping in front of me. He took my hands gently in his, his thumbs stroking over my skin in slow, deliberate circles.

"In my heart." He said quietly. "We’ve been married far longer than today."

A shaky laugh escaped me, half joy, half disbelief.

"You always know how to say the things that make me melt."I said.

His mouth curved just slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Then maybe I should keep saying them... every day."He said and smiled.

Before I could answer, he leaned down, and I met him halfway. Our lips brushed, soft, searching and then deepened into something warmer, surer. The kiss tasted like promise, like a thread tying us together so tightly nothing could pull it apart. When we finally parted, my forehead rested against his. His breath mingled with mine, warm and steady.

"I promise." He murmured, the words sinking into me like an oath etched into stone. "To love you for the rest of my life. To protect you, to take care of you, no matter what storms come."

My fingers curled in his robe, clutching him as if I could anchor myself to that vow. My voice was barely a whisper.

"And I promise to stand by you, Lianwei. Always."I said and smiled.

He smiled then, not the amused, court perfect smile he wore before others, but the real one. The one that was just for me. He kissed me again, slower this time, lingering as though he wanted to seal the words between us. Somewhere deep inside, the faint hum of the system stirred, gentle and almost warm this time.

"Congratulations, Empress Mei Shen. Your bond with Emperor Lianwei has reached its highest harmony. May your union strengthen the kingdom’s heart."System said.

I couldn’t help the small laugh that slipped out at that, muffled against his lips.

"Even the heavens are congratulating us."I said.

"Then they’re only catching up to me." He said, pulling me into his arms fully. I settled against him, head resting against his chest, his heartbeat a steady, grounding rhythm.

We stayed like that for a long while, just breathing together, tangled in each other’s warmth. For the first time in so long, I didn’t feel like the world was pressing in. I felt safe. I felt at home. In a while the afternoon sun slanted through the carved lattice windows, scattering soft patterns across the floor. I sat by the low couch, one hand absently smoothing over the swell of my belly. The baby shifted inside me, a slow roll that made me catch my breath.

"Huan." I called softly.

My son padded into the room, his small steps quick but careful, as if he already understood the value of quiet in these walls. He carried his wooden horse tucked under one arm, the toy’s once bright paint worn away from years of adventures. His dark hair stuck up at the crown, no matter how many times I smoothed it down. He climbed up beside me without asking, warm and solid.

"Mommy, will the baby come soon?" He asked, his wide eyes glancing at my stomach.

"Not yet, little star." I murmured, tucking him under my arm. "But soon enough, you’ll be a big brother."

He considered this with a frown far too serious for a child.

"I’ll protect them. Like Papa protects you."He said.

My throat tightened unexpectedly.

"Yes." I whispered. "Exactly like that."

The baby kicked again, and Huan’s small palm flew to my belly, his gasp soft and delighted.

"They moved!"He shouted.

"They know you’re here." I told him, smiling despite the sudden sting behind my eyes.

He pressed closer, resting his head against me, listening as though he could hear the baby’s heartbeat. From somewhere deeper in the palace, a distant murmur of voices carried in, urgent, low, gone before I could make out the words. The air shifted, faint and strange, like the way the wind changes before a storm.

"System alert. Stability rating: 87% to 83%. Deviation trend detected."System said.

I smoothed my hand over Huan’s hair.

"It’s nothing," I told myself. I wanted to believe it. For this moment, at least, I could still believe it"I whispered.

Outside, the cicadas kept singing. Inside, I held my son, and waited for the world to stay kind a little longer. I had almost begun to believe in peace again.

"Madame Renée." I murmured without looking up as the head maid approached, her shadow stretching across the stones.

"My lady..." She hesitated, which in her meant something was wrong. Her voice dropped. "She has arrived."

The words chilled me before my mind caught up.

"Who?" I asked, though I already knew.

Madame Renée’s lips pressed together.

"Mei Feng."She said.

I froze. The name struck like a bell through my chest. My fingers tightened on the embroidery hoop in my lap until the silk threads bit into my skin. Slowly, I lifted my gaze toward the gate. There she was Mei Feng walked in as though she had never been gone, her silken robes flowing around her like ripples in a still pond. She was lovely in the way a blade is lovely, light catching along its edge. Her smile was sweet, but it didn’t reach her eyes. And beside her, as if fate were taunting me, strolled Zeyrith, the god whose bargain had given me this second life. It seems he returned to original lead side. How expected. His white hair caught the sun, his gaze unreadable as ever. I rose, my hands resting protectively on my belly.

"You." I said, my voice low. "Why are you here?"

Her smile deepened a fraction.

"Is that how you greet an old acquaintance, Mei Lin?" She asked.

The name, my old name fell between us like a poisoned drop. My pulse pounded in my ears. Huan looked up from his soldiers, sensing the shift in the air.

"Mama?" He asked softly, edging closer to my side.

I reached for him without taking my eyes off her.

"Go inside, Huan."I said.

"But-"He started.

"Now." I said, firmer.

He obeyed reluctantly, Madame Renée guiding him away with one quick glance over her shoulder.

When we were alone, I faced Mei Feng fully.

"You shouldn’t be here. This palace isn’t yours."I said.

Her expression flickered, just for an instant with something colder.

"Perhaps. But stories have a way of returning to their rightful course."She said.

Behind her, Zeyrith inclined his head slightly toward me, his lips curving in the barest hint of amusement. As if this were all some game he’d set in motion. And far away, though I could not see him, I felt it, Lianwei’s presence turning toward us, sharp and dangerous, like a hawk catching the scent of blood.

"Warning: Narrative disruption detected. Stability rating: 83% to 76%"System said.

My hands curled into fists. This was my life. My son. My unborn child. And I would burn the script itself before I let her take them from me. I squared my shoulders, meeting Mei Feng’s calm gaze with cold resolve.

"You don’t belong here. This place isn’t for the likes of you."I said.

Her smile only deepened, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

"Still as sharp as ever, Mei Lin. But sharpness alone won’t keep you safe."She said.

A flicker of anger warmed my chest.

"I’m not the one who needs protection." She took a step closer, voice soft but dangerous. "You think you’ve won? The story’s far from over."

I met her step, voice steady.

"Then stay out of my way."I said.

Without waiting for a reply, I turned and walked inside, the weight of my swollen belly grounding each step. The soft clatter of the door closing behind me was final.

AT THE SAME EVENING

EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:

The palace was quiet under the wash of twilight. I wandered the garden paths, drawn without knowing why until I found her, Mei Shen, standing near the window of the dining hall. Her silhouette was framed by the soft candlelight within, but she didn’t move to enter. Dinner sat untouched on the table behind her. She didn’t turn when I spoke.

"You should eat."I said.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I’m not hungry."She said.

I stepped closer, closing the distance between us.

"You’re carrying two lives now. You must take care of yourself."I advised.

Her eyes finally met mine, tired, stubborn, but unwavering.

"I will."She said.

I reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, the warmth of my touch a quiet promise in the growing dusk. I could tell something was wrong, and I needed to know it soon.