The First Crack in His Calm

Rain poured endlessly across the palace pathways, turning the stone roads silver beneath the lantern light.

Servants rushed everywhere in panic, trying to shield themselves from the sudden storm. Guards hurried to close palace gates while maids carried silk robes above their heads uselessly.

But beneath the heavy rain, Zhang Wei remained perfectly still.

Water slid down his dark hair and white robes while his calm gaze rested quietly on Lin Meiyue.

Meanwhile, Meiyue stood frozen beneath the robe draped around her shoulders.

Warm.

It was unexpectedly warm.

She slowly tightened her fingers around the soft fabric while staring at him.

“Aren’t you coming?” she finally asked.

“I will escort you to your carriage first.”

“What about you?”

“The observatory is nearby.”

Meiyue frowned slightly.

“You’ll walk back in this rain?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll get sick.”

“I rarely do.”

She stared at him suspiciously.

“Do you ever answer normally?”

“Yes.”

“That was also strange.”

For the first time, the corner of Zhang Wei’s lips moved almost invisibly.

Almost a smile.

Meiyue immediately pointed at him dramatically.

“You smiled!”

“I did not.”

“You did!”

“You imagined it.”

“You’re lying.”

Without warning, Meiyue stepped closer through the rain until only a small distance remained between them.

Then she narrowed her eyes carefully at his face as though inspecting evidence.

Zhang Wei stayed motionless.

“Lady Lin,” he said calmly, “what are you doing?”

“Investigating.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“You definitely smiled.”

Rain fell heavily around them while lanterns flickered softly nearby.

For reasons neither understood, the world suddenly felt very quiet.

Then—

“MEIYUE!”

The loud shout shattered the moment instantly.

Minister Lin’s servants finally arrived carrying umbrellas in complete panic.

“There you are! We’ve been searching everywhere!”

Meiyue sighed dramatically and stepped back.

“You ruined my investigation.”

The servants quickly surrounded her with umbrellas while bowing repeatedly toward Zhang Wei.

“Thank you for protecting our young miss, Master Zhang.”

Zhang Wei gave a small nod.

Before leaving, Meiyue suddenly turned back toward him.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“What?”

“My answer.”

“What answer?”

She grinned brightly despite the rain.

“You still haven’t told me whether you’re happy about this marriage.”

The servants collectively stopped breathing.

Who asked such questions directly?

Especially to Zhang Wei?

The rain continued falling between them.

For a moment, Zhang Wei said nothing.

Then slowly, very slowly, he walked closer to her.

Close enough for only her to hear.

“I do not dislike it.”

Meiyue’s eyes widened slightly.

Before she could react, he stepped away calmly again.

“Return safely, Lady Lin.”

And with that, Zhang Wei turned gracefully and disappeared into the rain.

Leaving Lin Meiyue standing speechless beneath his robe.

For the first time in years, her mischievous smile faded into something softer.

Meanwhile, back at the Celestial Observatory, Zhang Wei quietly entered his chambers drenched from the storm.

His assistant Shen Yu nearly jumped in shock.

“Master! You’re soaked!”

“It is raining.”

“That is not the important part!”

Shen Yu hurried forward with towels before suddenly stopping.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“…Where is your outer robe?”

Silence.

Zhang Wei calmly removed his wet gloves.

“I lent it to someone.”

Shen Yu nearly dropped the towel.

Someone.

Someone?!

The emotionless astrologer had willingly given his personal robe to another person?

Shen Yu stared at him like the heavens themselves had collapsed.

Then slowly, a dangerous grin spread across his face.

“Oh… this is becoming interesting.”

Zhang Wei ignored him and walked toward the observatory window.

Outside, rain still fell across the capital.

His gaze lifted toward the hidden stars beyond the storm clouds.

For years, the heavens had always been clear to him.

Predictable.

Orderly.

Calm.

But ever since Lin Meiyue appeared, everything had begun changing.

His peaceful routines.

His thoughts.

Even the silence he once treasured.

Zhang Wei lowered his eyes slightly.

Then he realized something troubling.

When he had smiled earlier…

It had happened naturally.

Because of her.

At that exact moment, back inside Minister Lin’s residence, Meiyue sat near her bedroom window wrapped in Zhang Wei’s white robe.

Her maids stared at her in disbelief.

Their young miss had been unusually quiet ever since returning home.

One maid carefully whispered,

“Miss… should we return Master Zhang’s robe tomorrow?”

Meiyue touched the edge of the sleeve gently.

Then slowly, a mischievous smile returned to her lips.

“No,” she answered softly.

“I think I’ll keep bothering him a little longer.”

Outside, thunder faded into the distance while the hidden stars slowly emerged once more.

And somewhere between heaven and earth, fate quietly smile.

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