Liang Chen did not move. He watched Ji Mingyuan—his lips stretched, his eyes brighter than ever, and his posture calm.
The man before him suddenly became normal, not the upright prince he was used to. And for a moment… for just a few hours, he too let himself go.
They walked, had small conversations, and ate snacks, but through it all, one thing was consistent. Ji Mingyuan's hand never let Liang Chen go; their hands remained entangled, and the warmth of it brought peace to Liang Chen.
As the day rounded up and celebrators began exiting and returning home filled with laughter and beaming smiles, the crown prince and his consort greeted a few well-wishers and walked back to the palace.
On the balcony of the consort's quarters facing the entrance, Eunuch Shen stood. His fingers tightened on the railing, and his face darkened as he spotted the couple.
