The two of them strolled together and thier hands clasped, towards the palace the market light market faded behind them. Servant bowed and lit lanterns as Shen Yun and his wife passed them. He kept smiling until they reach his grand room.
He said gently with a smile on face, touching her cheek with his fingertips, "Dear wife, rest well you should take care of your health." His purple eyes twinkled with weird light for a moment, but softened again. "Tomorrow, get ready, maybe we'll go horseback riding outside of the city maybe."
She bowed her head slightly due to fear. She said in a trembling voice "…okay, Prince."
He lightly kissed her forehead, so gently that anybody would swear he loved her so much, had seen him do it. She was surprised because of his sudden kiss. Without saying anything he dismissed the servants then he went into his study room and left her alone.
The heavy door closed.
Her body began to relax and tremble violently only then. With her hands clasped together and her nails digging so deeply into her skin that they almost drew blood, she fell to the edge of the bed.
Her reflection in the bronze mirror mocked her — the jade hairpin still glittered in her hair, the same one Shen Yun had gifted her in front of the crowd.
She stripped it out and threw it all over the room. The sound of the hairpin vibrating on the floor was sharp in the quiet room.
Her voice cracked in a whisper.
"…Why me?"
Her eyes stung with unshed tears. Images of that day in the sect came flooding back. The morning she had been forced to accuse him. Her trembling lips, her voice that wasn't hers but was forced out by pressure, by fear. The way her lover had lowered his eyes, stepping away from her. The way the sect leader had spoken her fate with cold indifference.
Shen Yun smiled looking at her as he took her for himself and turned her whole life, freedom and happiness into chains that would keep her permanently attached to him.
She put her hand over her face and sobbed softly.
Outside world everyone is believed that she was the First Prince's beloved consort. They saw jewels, silks, and sweet gestures. But no one saw the cage, no one saw her suffocating.
Her body shook as she whispered into the emptiness:
"Please… someone… save me from this prisoner life…"
The door opened quietly.
Her heart froze.
Shen Yun stood in the doorway and his white robe faintly lit by the lantern behind him and shadow fell on the floor like a monster. He still wore a calm and gentle smile but his purple eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
He said nothing. Just watched her.
Her tears froze on her cheeks.
Then he laughing softly and he entered and shut the door.
The only sound in the room was the slightly sound of servant whispers.
Shen Yun approached Su Xinyue with intentional, slow steps while her tears were still wet. Her trembling body was surrounded by a long shadow cast by his figure on the floor.
Her heart thumping against her chest, she instinctively retreated. She Whispered in her voice trembling,"D-Don't…come near".
But before she could retreat further, Shen Yun's hand shot out, seizing her wrist.
The unexpected hold made her body tremble. Even though she tried, his strength held firm. Her foot snagged on the carpet's edge during her desperate motion.
They stumbled — and Shen Yun fell forward, his body pressing against hers as they collapsed onto the bed.
For a heartbeat, the world froze.
She was inches from his warm face. His eyes stayed focus on her innocent eyes, which were full of tears and feelings he was unable to explain, as their breaths blended softly in the silence between them.
Those purple eyes. Cold. Calculating. Yet in that single moment, they burned with something else—something unreadable.
Su Xinyue's heart thundered, her body stiff as stone.
Shen Yun moved closer to her face, resting one arm on the bed beside her head and his other hand held her wrist gently but firmly without squeezing too hard.
A smirk appeared on his lips.
Smack!
His hand struck her cheek, sharp and harsh.
She gasped, the sting searing her skin.
"I will ask again you again Honey," Shen Yun said softly but with strong weight in his voice, "who was the one? who planned that thing against me in the sect?"
Her mouth trembling softly. She avoided looking into his eyes by turning her face away. "I… I will not tell you."
His eyes narrowed, the cruel amusement in them deepening. "Won't tell me… or can't?"
Her voice was barely a whisper, but firm despite her fear.
"I believe… he'll come for me. He'll save me from this… hell."
For a few seconds, a heavy silence filled the room.
Shen Yun looked at her and her answer becoming clear deep inside him. His face stayed still, but his hold on her wrist slowly loosened.
Then he started laughed softly. Low. Dangerous.
"Ah… so you're still waiting for that coward to come here and save you." he said with a mocking voice. He come in close to her face, his lips brushing against her ear. "Good. Keep waiting. The longer you hope… the sweeter it will be when that hope breaks."
He pushed himself up, releasing her hand. His smile returned, calm and sweet as though nothing had happened.
"Rest well, my dear wife."
He turned away from her and walked towards the door, leaving Su Xinyue trembling on the bed in a confusion, gripping her painful cheek and trying to hold onto a dream that felt more out of touch than ever in her heart.