The Silent Introduction
白如月(Bái Rú Yuè)
The crisp air of the immortal realm wrapped around me as I stepped out of the ornate palace doors. The sky above glimmered in hues of gold and lavender, the colors shifting and swirling like a living tapestry. My breath hitched as the breeze carried the faint, familiar hum of magic—an energy that seemed to seep into every fiber of my being. I had barely grown accustomed to the vibrancy of this place, and yet today it felt... different. Charged. Expectant.
As I descended the marble steps into the courtyard, my eyes fell on the figure waiting for me. For a moment, the world seemed to tilt.
There he was.
冯泽熙 stood tall, his broad shoulders draped in a dark, tailored suit that gleamed faintly under the ethereal light. Gold embroidery traced the edges of his jacket, subtle yet elegant, a stark contrast to the quiet intensity in his eyes. His dark hair was neatly combed back, exposing the sharp lines of his face. One arm was tucked behind his back, while the other was extended toward me, his hand open as if beckoning me to take it.
I froze, unsure of what to do. The last time we had seen each other, everything had been left unresolved, a tangle of emotions too complicated to unravel. And now, here he was, looking like a prince out of a fairy tale, standing in my path as though the universe itself had orchestrated this meeting.
His arm faltered when I didn’t move. Slowly, he lowered it, his expression flickering with a hint of something I couldn’t quite place. Disappointment? Regret?
“如月,” he said finally, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of emotion.
“There’s someone I think you should meet.”
His words caught me off guard. I blinked, confused. Before I could respond, he stepped aside, and my breath caught in my throat.
Clutching his hand was a small girl.
She couldn’t have been older than ten. Her dark hair was tied in a simple braid, and her wide, almond-shaped eyes darted between us nervously. She wore a delicate white dress that seemed almost too pristine for her small, fragile frame. She clung to 泽熙’s hand as though it were a lifeline, her tiny fingers gripping his much larger ones.
“Your niece,” 泽熙 said quietly.
The words hit me like a physical blow. My niece. The child my sister, 恒言, had left behind. I had spent so long wondering if I’d ever find her, and now, here she was, standing before me, as real and tangible as the ground beneath my feet.
She didn’t say a word, her gaze flickering from 泽熙 to me and back again. There was no recognition in her eyes, only a cautious wariness. But even so, there was something achingly familiar about her. The shape of her face, the way her lips pressed together when she was nervous—it was as if a piece of 恒言 had come back to life.
I tore my eyes away from the child and turned to 泽熙. My voice was barely above a whisper.
“How much does she know about 恒言?”
泽熙’s jaw tightened. He looked down at the girl for a moment before meeting my gaze.
“Not much,” he admitted.
“恒言… she didn’t have the chance to be with her. She made sure the child would be safe, but she couldn’t stay. The crown wouldn’t allow it.”
His words sent a pang through my chest.
“What happened?” I asked, my voice trembling.
He hesitated, the weight of the past evident in his expression. “恒言 met 熠衡 when she first arrived in the demon realm. They were drawn to each other almost immediately. It was… something I’d never seen before. A bond so strong, it seemed unbreakable. But then…”
He paused, swallowing hard.
“She discovered she was pregnant. She gave birth in secret, and almost immediately after, she had to leave.”
“Why?” I demanded, my hands curling into fists.
“Why couldn’t she stay?”
“The crown claimed her,” he said simply.
“The darkness within it consumed her. She became the queen of the demons, and with that title came responsibilities she couldn’t escape. The day after she left her daughter with 熠衡, she was gone. Her immortal self.”
I felt a lump rise in my throat. My sister had sacrificed everything for her child, only to lose herself in the process. And now, her daughter was here, caught between two worlds she couldn’t possibly understand.
I crouched down to the girl’s level, softening my expression.
“Hey there,” I said gently.
“I’m your 阿姨. I know we haven’t met before, but I promise, I’m going to be here for you.”
She didn’t respond, but after a moment, she reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Hesitantly, she held it out to me.
I took it from her, unfolding it carefully. The handwriting was small and neat, and as I read, my heart ached.
Hello, my name is 冯夏雨. I’m not very good at talking to people, especially new ones. I guess I’ve always been a little shy. My mom isn’t around anymore, and my dad tries to tell me stories about her. They’re all I have left of her, but sometimes, they don’t feel real. It’s hard to imagine her, even though I know I should. I don’t know much about my family. My dad says I’m special, but I don’t always feel that way. Sometimes, I feel like I’m stuck between two worlds—one that doesn’t make sense and another that’s always out of reach. Maybe one day, I’ll understand it all. For now, I’m just trying to find my place, and maybe meeting you is the first step.
By the time I finished reading, tears were threatening to spill over. I blinked rapidly, willing them away, and folded the note back up. I glanced at 泽熙, who was watching me intently, his expression unreadable.
“She’s been through a lot,” he said quietly.
“More than any child should have to endure.”
I nodded, unable to find the words to respond. Instead, I turned back to 夏雨 and smiled, though my heart felt heavy.
“Thank you for sharing this with me,” I said.
“It means a lot.”
She didn’t say anything, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes. Trust, perhaps. Or maybe hope. It was enough to make me believe that, somehow, we would find a way to bridge the gap between us.
Before I could say anything else, a familiar voice broke the silence.
“You shouldn’t keep dwelling on the past,” 白长泽 said as he approached, his tone both gentle and firm.
I turned to see him striding across the courtyard, his white robes billowing behind him. He carried an air of calm authority, but there was warmth in his gaze as he looked at me and then at 夏雨.
“Take a look at this,” I murmured, handing him the note.
He read it quickly, his expression softening.
“She’s strong,” he said simply.
“Just like her mother.”
I smiled faintly, though my heart still ached. Turning back to 泽熙 I met his gaze.
“Why did you bring her here?” I asked.
“What do you want from me?”
泽熙’s expression hardened slightly.
“I brought her here because she deserves to know her family. And because I thought you deserved the chance to be part of her life. As for what I want...”
He hesitated, then sighed.
“I want you to stop running from your past.”
His words stung, but I couldn’t deny the truth in them. I had spent so long trying to bury the pain of losing 恒言 that I had forgotten what it meant to truly face it. Now, standing here with 夏雨 and 泽熙, I realized that maybe it was time to stop hiding.
Taking a deep breath, I crouched down once more and extended my hand to 夏雨.
“Would you like to walk with me?” I asked, my voice soft but steady.
She hesitated, glancing up at 泽熙 for reassurance. When he nodded, she reached out tentatively, her small fingers curling around mine. Her grip was light, but it was enough to fill me with a sense of purpose I hadn’t felt in years.
Together, we began to walk across the courtyard, leaving the past behind us. Or perhaps, for the first time, learning how to carry it forward.
