Chen Ruoxi sat alone in the wedding chamber, dressed in a heavy red wedding robe, quietly waiting for the crown prince who never came.

Time passed slowly… yet the door never opened.

Suddenly, the silence broke.

Creak—

The door opened, and a maid stepped inside.

“Your Highness… please forgive me for saying this,” she said softly, lowering her head. “The Crown Prince has ordered that you stay in the Cold Palace… He does not wish to see you.”

Chen Ruoxi lowered her head. Her small hands clenched into fists as tears gathered in her eyes.

“W-why does the Crown Prince… h-hate me…?” her voice trembled. “What did I do w-wrong…?”

The maid’s heart ached at the sight.

She had been with Chen Ruoxi since she was three years old. She knew her better than anyone—kind, gentle, and pure. Even as the daughter of a great general, she had never been arrogant. She treated everyone with warmth and sincerity.

Seeing her like this… broke her heart.

The maid stepped forward and gently hugged her.

“Shh… it’s alright. Don’t cry,” she whispered softly. “My little princess is strong.”

Chen Ruoxi looked up at her with teary eyes.

“Yan’er… y-you’re so n-nice to me…”

Yan’er’s chest tightened. She quickly wiped away her tears and carefully picked her up.

“Come,” she said gently. “We have to go to the Cold Palace. I’ll stay there with you.”

Chen Ruoxi’s eyes widened in surprise.

“R-really…? Yan’er will live with me?”

Yan’er nodded.

At once, Chen Ruoxi smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around Yan’er’s neck and burying her face into her shoulder.

“Yay… Yan’er will stay w-with me… I’m happy…”

When they arrived at the Cold Palace, the sight was heartbreaking.

Dust covered every surface. Spider webs hung in corners. The air felt cold and lifeless.

Yan’er’s eyes turned red again.

How could they let a child live in such a place?

She clenched her fists, anger rising in her heart.

But then—

She felt a small hand gently wiping her tears.

Chen Ruoxi looked at her and smiled softly.

“Don’t cry… Yan’er… we c-can clean it together…”

Her innocent voice made Yan’er’s heart ache even more.

“…Alright,” Yan’er whispered.

Together, they began cleaning.

With her tiny hands, Chen Ruoxi helped as much as she could. After several hours, the palace—though still simple—became clean and livable.

That night, Yan’er carefully tucked Chen Ruoxi into bed.

The little girl soon fell asleep, her breathing soft and peaceful.

Yan’er sat beside her, gently stroking her hair.

“She’s only six years old…” she murmured, her voice trembling. “Yet she was forced to marry…”

Her eyes filled with tears again.

After a while, Yan’er lay down beside her, staying close—protecting her in the quiet, lonely night.

Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince’s private study—

A loud crash echoed.

The wine bottle shattered against the wall.

“I can’t believe this…” he muttered coldly. “They forced me to marry a child.”

His fist slammed onto the table.

“They knew I love someone else… and yet they still did this.”

His jaw tightened, anger and frustration burning in his eyes.

A knock sounded at the door.

A servant entered and bowed deeply.

“Y-Your Highness… you s-shouldn’t treat the Crown Princess like this… She is still a child. If the Emperor finds out, he will be furious…”

The Crown Prince’s expression turned icy.

“He forced this marriage,” he said coldly. “Now what happens between me and my wife is none of your concern.”

The servant flinched but gathered courage to speak again.

“But Your Highness… she is General Chen’s daughter. He is loyal to the Emperor and holds great military power. If he learns of this, he will not stay silent. He loves his daughter dearly…”

“Enough.”

The Crown Prince cut him off sharply.

“Go and summon Princess Leng Yue.”

The servant left with a heavy heart.

Soon, he arrived at Han Yue Pavilion.

Leng Yue’s maid, Qiao Yun, greeted him with a faint, knowing smile.

“What brings Eunuch Gao Ming here?”

Suppressing his displeasure, he replied, “The Crown Prince requests the presence of Princess Leng Yue.”

The maid let out a soft, mocking laugh.

“How amusing… Even after marriage, His Highness still remembers our princess.”

The eunuch’s expression darkened, but he said nothing.

Not long after, Leng Yue appeared.

She walked gracefully toward the Crown Prince’s study.

Inside the room, she stood at a distance, her expression cold and distant.

“So… Your Highness finally remembered me.”

The Crown Prince looked at her calmly.

“What is it?”

Leng Yue lowered her gaze, her voice trembling slightly.

“Is that all you have to say… after everything?”

He frowned and stepped closer.

“Speak clearly.”

Her eyes reddened, tears forming as she looked up at him.

“You promised me… that I would be the one by your side… that you would marry me.”

A tear slid down her cheek.

“But instead… you married someone else… a child.”

Her voice broke.

“Were your words to me… meaningless?”

The Crown Prince’s expression softened

slightly.

“No… it’s not like that,” he said firmly. “Father forced me into this marriage. I never wanted it… I swear, you are the only one I love.”

Leng Yue slowly lifted her gaze.

“R-really…? You’re not lying to me?”

“I would never lie to you.”

He paused briefly before continuing,

“Tomorrow, I will visit her family and meet my parents. I will speak to my father… and find a way to arrange our marriage.”

Leng Yue lowered her head.

“…I will trust you this time, Your Highness.”

For a brief moment, a faint smile appeared on her lips—

then disappeared as if it had never been there.

The candlelight flickered softly, shadows dancing across the walls.

Outside, the night grew colder.

And far away, in the silent Cold Palace…

A small girl slept peacefully, her face calm and unaware.

Unaware—

That she had already become the center of a quiet storm.

And that from this moment on…

her fate would begin to change.

Morning light filtered softly through the wooden window, gently waking the quiet room.

Yan’er stepped inside, carrying a towel and a basin of warm water.

“Good morning, Crown Princess. It’s time to wake up.”

Chen Ruoxi slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them with her small hands.

“Mmm… Yan’er…”

Yan’er smiled gently. “Come on, Princess. We have to get ready.”

Chen Ruoxi stretched her little arms and rubbed her eyes again before slowly sitting up. Yan’er carefully helped her out of bed, washing her face and hands with warm water before preparing her bath.

After bathing her, Yan’er dressed her in a soft, pale-colored hanfu, tying the ribbons neatly at her waist. She gently combed Chen Ruoxi’s long hair, arranging it simply so it wouldn’t feel heavy on her small head.

Chen Ruoxi sat quietly the whole time, blinking sleepily like a little kitten.

Suddenly—a knock at the door.

Yan’er frowned slightly and stepped outside to check. Chen Ruoxi followed closely behind her.

When Yan’er opened the door, she was startled to see a beautiful carriage waiting outside, surrounded by attendants. The servants immediately bowed in front of Chen Ruoxi.

Chen Ruoxi blinked, confused, tilting her head slightly, not understanding what was happening.

Then—the curtain of the carriage slowly lifted. Inside sat the Crown Prince. He looked handsome and distant, his sharp eyes meeting hers for the first time.

Chen Ruoxi quickly lowered her head and bowed clumsily.

“G-greetings… Your Highness…”

He looked at her silently for a moment, expression unreadable.

“You may rise.”

She slowly lifted her head. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, the world felt strangely quiet. His gaze lingered on her small figure—she looked even younger than he had imagined.

His expression hardened again.

“Get in the carriage,” he said coldly. “We have to go. I don’t have time.”

Chen Ruoxi hesitated, glancing at Yan’er. Yan’er gently nodded and whispered softly, “Princess, go. I’ll follow behind.”

“O-okay…” Chen Ruoxi murmured. She carefully stepped forward and climbed into the carriage, sitting opposite the Crown Prince.

The space between them felt distant and silent. An awkward stillness filled the carriage.

The Crown Prince sat calmly, reading a book, expression cold and indifferent. Chen Ruoxi’s small hands rested on her lap, but from time to time, she secretly lifted her gaze to him. Her eyes were full of curiosity and innocence, as if trying to understand the person in front of her.

But he did not notice. Or perhaps… he chose not to.

The only sound in the carriage was the soft turning of pages and the faint rumble of wheels against the road.

Chen Ruoxi slowly lowered her gaze again, gently swinging her small feet that could not reach the floor. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what. So she remained silent.

Suddenly—the carriage shook violently over a rough patch of road.

“Ah—!”

Chen Ruoxi lost her balance. Her small body tilted forward, about to fall.

Before she could hit the floor—a firm hand grabbed her wrist. In one swift movement, the Crown Prince pulled her toward him. She stumbled forward and lightly fell against him, landing awkwardly on his lap.

Her eyes widened in shock. For a moment, everything went still. She looked up at him with big, innocent eyes, startled and confused.

He frowned slightly, clearly not expecting this either.

“Sit properly,” he said coldly, though his grip on her wrist hadn’t loosened.

“S-sorry…”

Realizing their position, he quickly released her and gently pushed her back to her seat. The carriage continued moving as if nothing had happened—but the atmosphere inside had changed.

For the first time, he had touched her. And for the first time—he had truly looked at her.

Chen Ruoxi quickly lowered her gaze.

“T-thank you…”

The Crown Prince did not respond. As if nothing had happened, he picked up his book again, expression calm and distant.

The carriage moved forward in silence. Chen Ruoxi sat quietly, small hands folded in her lap, occasionally glancing at him—but he never looked up.

A few minutes later—the carriage slowly came to a stop.

The Crown Prince closed his book and stepped out first without a word. Servants immediately bowed.

Chen Ruoxi hesitated inside, unsure of what to do. Then—a hand appeared in front of her.

She blinked in surprise. The Crown Prince stood outside, one hand slightly extended toward her. His expression was still cold.

“Come down.”

For a second, she simply stared at his hand. Then, slowly… carefully… she placed her tiny hand into his. Her hand felt so small in his.

As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, he gently pulled his hand back. Without looking at her, he walked ahead.

Chen Ruoxi stood there for a second… then hurried to follow behind him with her small steps.

They entered the Imperial Palace Hall. Inside, the Emperor and Empress were already seated on their thrones. Golden sunlight reflected off the grand hall, filled with officials and servants standing at attention.

Chen Ruoxi instinctively slowed down, nervous. She had never been in such a majestic place before.

The Crown Prince stepped forward calmly and bowed.

“This son greets Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”

Chen Ruoxi quickly copied him, bowing clumsily.

“R-Ruoxi greets… Emperor and Empress…”

For a brief moment—the hall fell completely silent.

The Empress’s lips curved into a gentle smile. She walked gracefully toward Chen Ruoxi, cupping the little girl’s soft cheek and pressing a delicate kiss to her forehead.

“I’ve always wanted a daughter…” she whispered softly, eyes shimmering with warmth. “And now… I have you.”

Chen Ruoxi blinked, wide-eyed and surprised. Her small hands instinctively clasped together in shyness.

The Empress smiled again, heart full, while Chen Ruoxi felt a warmth spreading in her chest—a strange, comforting feeling she had never known.

The Emperor stepped forward and gently patted her hair, his large hand enveloping her small head.

“You’re a brave little one,” he said kindly, his deep voice soft and gentle.

Chen Ruoxi looked up at him with innocent eyes, feeling a strange sense of belonging—so different from the Crown Prince’s cold distance.

The Empress squeezed her hand gently, making Chen Ruoxi feel truly cherished… at least for this fleeting moment.

They talked softly for a while, the room filled with gentle laughter and words of comfort.

Finally, the Emperor’s gaze turned serious.

“Does the Crown Prince treat you well?” he asked, firm but kind.

Chen Ruoxi’s small hands fidgeted in her lap. She bit her lip, looking down.

“Y-yes, Your Majesty,” she whispered softly, voice barely audible. She didn’t dare speak of the coldness, the loneliness, or the harsh words.

The Emperor studied her, suspicion flickering in his eyes, but said nothing. Instead, he ruffled her hair gently, worry hidden behind a calm smile.

After the formalities ended, the carriage prepared to depart. Chen Ruoxi clutched the edge of her seat nervously.

The Crown Prince remained distant, eyes scanning the path ahead as he stepped down first. He offered his hand briefly; she hesitated, glancing at Yan’er for reassurance.

Yan’er whispered softly, “Go on, Princess… he’ll wait for you.”

Chen Ruoxi took a small step forward and placed her tiny hand in his. Their hands touched briefly—and the coldness in his grip was unmistakable. He pulled back immediately, walking ahead with long, decisive strides.

Chen Ruoxi followed quietly behind, small feet making soft sounds against the polished stone path. The sun dipped toward noon as they approached the General’s mansion.

The mansion loomed large, gates wide and guards stationed at attention. Chen Ruoxi’s heart pounded. This was her family… yet stepping inside felt like entering a world that wasn’t hers.

The Crown Prince led the way, and behind him, Chen Ruoxi trailed with small, careful steps. His cold gaze lingered over her, unreadable as ever.

His cold gaze lingered over her, unreadable as ever.

The gates of the General’s mansion slowly opened.

Rows of guards stood on both sides, their armor glinting under the afternoon sun. At the center of the courtyard stood General Chen, tall and imposing in his dark robes, his sharp eyes fixed on the approaching figures.

The moment his gaze fell on the small girl walking behind the Crown Prince—

His stern expression shattered.

“Ruoxi.”

He stepped forward without hesitation, forgetting formalities for a brief second.

Chen Ruoxi’s eyes widened.

“F-Father…?”

Her small voice trembled, and before anyone could stop her, she ran toward him with tiny, uneven steps.

The Crown Prince’s brows furrowed slightly.

General Chen caught her in his arms just in time, lifting her gently as if she were something fragile and precious.

“You’ve grown thinner,” he murmured, his deep voice softer than anyone had ever heard before.

Chen Ruoxi clung to his neck.

“F-Father… I missed you…”

The courtyard fell silent.

Even the servants lowered their heads.

After a moment, General Chen gently set her down and finally turned toward the Crown Prince, bowing properly.

“This minister greets Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince nodded faintly.

“General.”

Their eyes met.

One calm and cold.

One sharp and protective.

General Chen’s gaze subtly shifted to his daughter again. He noticed the way she stood slightly behind the Prince… the way her small fingers twisted nervously in her sleeves.

His voice lowered.

“Ruoxi… has Your Highness been treating you well?”

The air instantly grew heavier.

Chen Ruoxi froze.

Her lashes trembled.

She slowly lifted her head and forced a small smile.

“Y-yes, Father… H-He treats me well…”

The Crown Prince watched her carefully.

General Chen did not miss the slight hesitation in her voice.

For the first time—

A shadow crossed the General’s eyes.

And though he smiled calmly, something unspoken had already begun.

A quiet warning.

A father’s instinct.

And the beginning of a storm neither of them could yet see.

Just then, a woman's voice rang out from the entrance of the mansion.

"Ruoxi!"

Chen Ruoxi turned her head.

"M-Mother!"

A beautiful woman in elegant robes hurried over. The moment she saw her daughter, her eyes welled up with tears. regard forring about proper etiquette, she knelt and pulled Chen Ruoxiarmser's embrace.

"My precious daughter..."

Her voice trembled.

"Let Mother look at you."

She gently held Chen Ruoxi's face between her hands, carefully examining her.

Chen Ruoxi smiled sweetly.

"Mother, I missed you too."

The General's wife forced a smile, but her heart ached.

The child who used to laugh and run around the mansion now seemed quieter.

Too quiet.

She gently brushed a strand of hair behind Ruoxi's ear.

"Have they been feeding you properly?"

Chen Ruoxi nodded immediately.

"Y-yes."

The General and his wife exchanged a glance.

Neither of them believed her completely.

The Crown Prince stood silently nearby, his expression unchanged.

After a moment, General Chen stepped forward.

"Your Highness, the banquet has already been prepared."

The Crown Prince nodded.

"Then lead the way."

As everyone began walking toward the main hall, General Chen slowed his pace slightly until he was beside his daughter.

His large hand gently rested on her head.

No words were spoken.

Yet the warmth of that gesture made Chen Ruoxi's eyes sting.

For the first time since arriving at the Cold Palace...

She felt like she was home.