Nearby, a gentle breeze rustled the bamboo chimes hanging from the pagoda beams, their soft tinkling mingling with the distant laughter of some maids.
For a brief, golden moment, everything in their world felt unbreakable, unshakeable, and eternal.
—
LU MANSION – STUDY ROOM
On the second floor, Lu Zi Zhen stood silently by the large bay window, his tall, slender frame silhouetted against the golden afternoon light.
The faint breeze drifting through the slightly ajar window ruffled his dark hair, revealing his sharp jawline and the faint scars of a boy forced to grow up too fast.
His long fingers rested lightly on the window ledge as he gazed down at the garden below.
His mother/auntie, Lu Wan Ruyi, stood among blooming roses and gardenias, her delicate shoulders shaking with soft laughter as she bent to pick a pink rosebud.
Beside her, Lu Zhi Hao watched her with quiet amusement, his eyes tender and protective as he brushed stray strands of hair from her glowing face.
