Next Day
Xu Yuelan sat before her vanity mirror, the early morning light streaming through the silk curtains and bathing the room in a soft golden glow.
Her movements were graceful, elegant and unhurried as she clasped a jade earring onto her ear. The pale green stone shimmered faintly against her smooth skin.
Her lips curled into a faint smile as she admired her reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back at her was calm, poised and practiced.
Today was the second day of her marriage, and according to her family's traditions, she was to return to her ancestral home with her new husband.
The thought should have brought warmth to her heart, yet all she felt was numbness. After all, this wasn't a marriage borne out of love—but a calculated plan.
She smoothed the folds of her red silk hanfu, her eyes momentarily lingering on her reflection. In her eyes, there was a flicker of distance which lingered, like a shadow no one else could see.
The door creaked open behind her.
