"Snow Lotus, if it were only these things, I would have nothing to fear. But don't forget, there's also Xue Chang'an."
Snow Lotus paused and said, "Your Highness, are you suggesting..."
"Now is the best time for Xue Chang'an to make a move. She won't miss such a good opportunity."
"Your Highness, does that mean Princess Chang'an might kidnap young Master Sun?"
"If it were just young Master Sun, it wouldn't matter. A grown man enduring some hardship is one thing, but Xue Changyi is different. She is of royal blood," Xue Zining said.
Snow Lotus nodded. "Should I go and remind young Master Sun?"
"Not yet. We still don't know what Xue Chang'an truly wants," Xue Zining replied.
Xue Changyi sat on a chair and asked Sun Zihan, "Zihan, why don't you stay at the Sun Manor? Why insist on staying in an inn?"
Sun Zihan glanced at Yun Yan. Yun Yan shook her head, signaling that no one was around.
Sun Zihan took out a golden hairpin, broken in half, from his sleeve and placed it before Xue Changyi. Upon seeing it, Xue Changyi's face turned pale. She looked at Sun Zihan and asked, "You... what do you mean by this?" Bringing her a broken hairpin?
Seeing Xue Changyi's slightly reddened eyes, Sun Zihan was taken aback. He hadn't done anything, so why was Xue Changyi so sad? Yun Yan, unable to bear it any longer, looked at the broken hairpin. She then pried open the part near the head of the hairpin, revealing a small strip of paper. She placed the paper on the table.
Xue Changyi leaned closer. The paper only contained a few words: "Stay away from the Sun Manor."
"This is..."
"I don't know when this broken golden hairpin appeared at my waist," Sun Zihan said. He couldn't recall it at all, nor could he believe that someone could place it on him so silently.
"Zihan, you moved into an inn based on these four words?" Xue Changyi asked incredulously.
Sun Zihan nodded. "Ever since I arrived here, I've had a peculiar feeling. I can't quite describe it, but I feel that since he could place this item on me so mysteriously, he is likely not an enemy."
"Are you saying he wants to help us but cannot reveal himself, hence this action?" Xue Changyi asked.
Sun Zihan nodded. "I don't know why, but upon seeing the handwriting on the paper, I believed it. Xue Changyi, if it were just me, it would be fine. But now you are here, and I cannot risk your safety. I cannot afford to lose."
Hearing this, Xue Changyi felt a warmth spread through her heart. The last bit of her dissatisfaction vanished like smoke.
"Fuma Ye, may I have this golden hairpin?" Yun Yan said.
Sun Zihan nodded. "Take it. Although it's broken in half, it is indeed real gold."
Yun Yan giggled and carefully tucked the golden hairpin away.
"Zihan, where did you go earlier?" Xue Changyi remembered Sun Zihan leaving her by the roadside and quickly asked.
Sun Zihan was startled and said with a wry smile, "I thought I saw an old acquaintance, but I was mistaken. An old acquaintance wouldn't be here."
Xue Changyi paused, then slowly raised her head after a moment and asked, "Was it Miss Feng?"
Sun Zihan trembled all over and instinctively looked up. He saw that her eyes were very bright, so bright that he couldn't lie to her. He nodded. "Yes."
"Zihan, you... still..."
"Your Highness, you've misunderstood. I have no relationship with her; we were just childhood playmates," Sun Zihan lowered his gaze. She had returned to being Princess Changning, and everything was a new beginning.
He wanted to ask her where she had gone before.
Seeing this, Xue Changyi reached out and gently grasped his hand, saying, "Zihan, if fate brings us together from a thousand miles away, it's fate that keeps us apart even when we are face to face."
"I know," Sun Zihan said.
"Zihan, I will stay by your side."
Sun Zihan looked at her and smiled. "Naturally, because you are my wife."
Xue Changyi trembled all over. The last bit of sediment in her heart vanished. What was she still afraid of? He was her husband, her spouse, and nothing would change that.
She would not allow anyone to change it either.
The next day, Xue Zining and Snow Lotus were eating in their room when there was a knock at the door.
Snow Lotus opened the door and asked the visitor with some confusion, "Are you..."
"I am Yun Yan. You've met me before," Yun Yan said with a smile.
Xue Zining suddenly remembered. "You are Yun Yan, Princess Xue Changyi's attendant?"
Yun Yan smiled. "You have a good memory, Your Highness."
"Did you follow Xue Changyi here?" Xue Zining asked.
Yun Yan nodded. "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Does anyone else know about me?"
Yun Yan shook her head. "I haven't told young Master Sun. I thought I'd see Your Highness and await your instructions."
"Yun Yan, what does this mean?"
"My Princess said that she is eternally grateful for Princess Changning's great kindness. If my Princess ever needs anything, she will readily assist."
"It's not necessary to be readily assist. I merely thought that as sisters of the same country, any grudges are fleeting and should never be brought into the open. Clearly, Xue Chang'an does not want this marriage to succeed. I was simply doing what an elder sister should do. Tell your Princess not to worry about thanking me; it's all as it should be. After all, Changyi is marrying into the Sun family, which further connects her to me. My actions are only natural. Even for the sake of the Sun family, I would readily do so."
"My Princess asked me to express her deepest gratitude to Your Highness," Yun Yan said, kneeling and bowing.
With a look from Xue Zining, Snow Lotus quickly helped Yun Yan up. "Yun Yan, please don't do that. My Princess acted this way purely out of familial affection."
"It is precisely because of familial affection that it is so precious. If it were like Princess Chang'an, my Princess would probably..."
Yun Yan dared not continue.
"Don't worry, Miss Yun Yan. With my Princess here, your Princess will be safe."
"Yun Yan, you're back," Xue Changyi said, relieved to see Yun Yan.
Yun Yan stepped forward and said, "I have seen Princess Changning."
Xue Changyi was stunned. "It really was my Imperial Sister who helped me."
Yun Yan nodded. "Yes, Princess Changning also said that Your Highness need not be concerned, as you are all family and there is no need for politeness."
Xue Changyi sighed. "Indeed, as Mother Consort said, by marrying into the Sun family, the Empress and Princess Changning are both on our side, which is nothing but beneficial for my Imperial Brother."
"Your Highness should be happy, why the sigh?" Yun Yan did not understand why her Princess was sighing.
"It's just that sometimes one truly needs to accept their fate. Resisting is truly futile. If I hadn't listened to Mother Consort's words and chosen the Sun family, I don't know where I would be right now."