Back at Mr. Ha's house, Yue Rong slowly entered her room. Her body felt weak as she lay down on the bed, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. The events at the market replayed in her mind over and over again.
She remembered the sharp pain, the terror that seized her heart when she thought she was losing her baby. She had never known how deeply she loved the child growing inside her until that moment. Until the pain struck and a warm liquid flowed down her legs.
That was when fear truly crushed her.
"I will protect you," she whispered, her hand gently rubbing her small, round stomach. "I will nurture you, no matter who your father is."
Her thoughts shifted in confused.
"And that boy who dragged me…" she murmured. "What did I ever do to him?"
She frowned slightly. "Why did his voice sound so familiar?" A chilling thought crossed her mind. Could he be the man of that night.?"
"The prince was so kind," she thought. "And the man called the prince brother."
Her brows knitted together. "Only someone close to the crown prince could behave the way he did today.
If he is truly the prince's brother… then he cannot be the man from that night."
Her thoughts tangled, as sleep gently pull her.
Before she realized it, sleep claimed her.
---
She found herself standing beside a clear, flowing stream. The air felt light, peaceful. Beside her stood a little boy, no more than three or four years old, his smile bright and warm.
He handed her flowers one by one. Each time, she placed them carefully on the ground. Slowly, the flowers formed a circle. Soon, the circle was full, vibrant and alive.
She laughed as she and the little boy played inside the ring of flowers, joy filling her chest.
Suddenly, small fingers tapped her arm.
"Why are you laughing?"
Yue Rong opened her eyes.
Ha Rin stood beside the bed, gently tapping her, her bright eyes filled with curiosity. "You were laughing in your sleep," she said, giggling, clearly amused.
Yue Rong stared at her for a moment, then smiled softly.
At that moment, Madam Hana entered Yue Rong's room.
"Mama, aunty was laughing in her sleep," Ha Rin said excitedly.
"Really?" Hana asked with a smile.
Yue Rong smiled shyly. "I had a sweet dream," she said softly.
"Oh?" Hana teased gently. "Will you share it with me?"
"I dreamed that a little boy was giving me many flowers," Yue Rong replied.
Hana nodded thoughtfully. "Flowers symbolize love. This baby will bring you great love and happiness. As for the little boy...sometimes when a woman is carrying a boy, she dreams of a girl. Other times, when she carries a girl, she dreams of a boy. And sometimes, the dream shows exactly what is growing inside a woman."
She placed a gentle hand over Yue Rong's. "Whatever this child is, you will love them with all your heart."
Yue Rong's smile deepened, warmth filling her chest.
Then her expression softened with worry. "Why did you leave me like that?" she asked gently, holding Ha Rin's small hand. "You scared me."
"I saw Mama," Ha Rin said quietly, lowering her head. "I was walking in the market when someone tapped my back. When I turned, it was Ha Rin. She said you were selling vegetables in the other side of the market."
Hana said as she sighed softly. "By the time I got there, you were already gone. I thought you had gone to look for Ha Rin."
"I won't do it again," Ha Rin promised quickly.
Hana smiled at her, then turned to Yue Rong. "Food is ready. Come and eat."
She helped Yue Rong sit up carefully on the bed gently.
-----
Back at Yunhai
Prince Rong Yuan sat alone in his private library, scrolls spread across the long wooden table before him. Reports from different regions lay open, yet his eyes moved over the words without truly seeing them. His thoughts had wandered far from table.
They had been back from the countryside for days now, and still, his younger brother had not been himself.
Xian Rong, once sharp-tongued, that was always quick to argue, had grown unusually quiet. Sometimes he stared into nothing, other times he drifted away mid-conversation, as though his body remained present while his mind was elsewhere. That was unlike him.
What exactly is going on between him and that girl? Rong Yuan wondered, his fingers tightening slightly around the edge of a scroll.
A knock sounded at the door, pulling him back to the present.
"Come in," he said calmly.
His most trusted assistant entered, bowing deeply. "Your Highness. I have gathered the information you asked me to investigate."
Rong Yuan straightened. "Speak."
"The lady's name is Yue Rong. She is from Xiyue, the only daughter of the General of Xiyue."
Rong Yuan's brows drew together. "The general's daughter?"
"Yes, Your Highness. According to witnesses, she was discovered sleeping with a man whose identity remains unknown. The incident became the talk of the city. Overwhelmed by shame, she fled Xiyue and later appeared in the countryside of Yunhai, where she has been living under the protection of Mr. Ha and his family."
Rong Yuan's gaze sharpened. "Do they know who the man was?"
"No, sir. All accounts describe him only as a 'traveler', a stranger."
Silence fell for a brief moment.
"Do you know where my brother was at that time?" Rong Yuan asked, his tone even but probing.
The assistant hesitated before answering. "Prince Xian Rong was not in the palace during that period. His whereabouts were… unaccounted for."
Rong Yuan lifted his eyes slowly.
"I have also confirmed," the assistant continued carefully, "that Your Highness left the palace disguised as a commoner around the same time, blood is thicker than water."
Rong Yuan shot him a sharp look.
The assistant immediately lowered his head. "Forgive me, Your Highness. A slip of the tongue."
Rong Yuan exhaled slowly. "That will be all, for now."
The assistant bowed and turned to leave. As he reached the door, he stepped aside and bowed again.
"Your highness."
Princess Moyin entered with a soft smile, watching the assistant leave before closing the door behind her. Without hesitation, she walked over and settled comfortably onto Rong Yuan's lap.
"And how is my little baby today?" Rong Yuan asked gently, his earlier tension easing as he rested a hand over her stomach.
"Your little baby is exhausting," Moyin replied, pouting slightly. "I'm certain it's a boy, stubborn and troublesome, just like his father."
Rong Yuan chuckled. "And where did that accusation come from?"
She rolled her eyes. "You have the nerve to ask? "
"What about a certain princess who ran away on her engagement day?" prince Rong Yuan teased, lifting his chin.
"That is not what we're discussing right now," Moyin said quickly, tapping his chest.
Rong Yuan raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. "If you want to ask something, why not simply say it?"
Before she could answer, he gently place her on the chair and pinned her back against the chair, his voice dropping making her face flushed instantly.
At that very moment a knock sounded at the door.
They both froze.
Rong Yuan sighed softly and loosened his hold. "Enter."