At Blue Lotus Pavilion : Elder Devak Atriyaan's Courtyard
Arya followed Elder Devak Atriyaan down the shadowed corridor, the faint echo of their footsteps swallowed by the ancient stone walls. The place felt quieter than usual, as if the very air was holding its breath. They reached a small chamber, dimly lit by a single lantern flickering against the wall.
Atriyaan reached into the folds of his robe and produced a small, round locket. The deep blue surface shimmered faintly in the lantern light, studded with tiny gems that looked like stars scattered across a night sky, with a delicate crescent moon resting at its center.
He held it out with reverence, watching Arya's expression carefully. She took it without a word, turning the locket over in her palm, her eyes cold and unreadable.
"What is this?" Arya asked, voice flat but tinged with a hint of curiosity.
Elder Atriyaan's eyes softened, his voice low. "It's something connected to you. It was found with you when you first arrived at Vera."
Arya's face remained unreadable as he continued, "It's the only clue I found when I began trying to investigate your past. But… there hasn't been much to go on."
Her interest waned immediately. "What about my guardian? Have you found anything about her?"
Elder Atriyaan sighed. "I'm still working on it. But with the strict bans on the matter, and how deeply it's been buried, finding any information about the incident from seven years ago is nearly impossible."
Arya nodded once and turned away, slipping the locket into her pocket with practiced coolness.
Before she could leave, Elder Atriyaan spoke again, "That locket was taken from the archive room. I need to return it."
She glanced back, voice calm and unyielding. "It was found on me when I came to Vera. Technically, it's mine. I don't need permission to keep it."
With that, she walked off, leaving the elder standing alone, rubbing his forehead in quiet frustration.
How did he end up with such a stubborn student? he thought bitterly. Only because of that promise he'd made to her.
***
The bright midday sun filtered through the glass doors of HuainingPrivate Hospital, casting soft golden hues across the pristine marble floors. The waiting area was filled with soft murmurs, the beeping of machines, and the occasional chatter of nurses and patients moving through the corridors.
Among the mild bustle, two women exited from the gynecology department, their faces glowing with joy.
"You're glowing, sis-in-law," chirped Lian Xue, a vibrant young woman dressed in a lilac summer dress. Her smile was wide and teasing as she looped her arm around the woman next to her.
The woman in question—Ruan Meili, her sister-in-law—blushed slightly, one hand cradling the soft curve of her stomach. "I think it's just the hormones. And don't forget, I'm only four months in."
Lian Xue grinned, deliberately gasping. "Excuse me! Four months and you're already getting my brother wrapped around your little finger. Do you know what he said this morning? 'Make sure you don't let her carry even a tissue.' A tissue! Sister-in-law, he has gone mad."
Ruan Meili chuckled. "He is just worried."
"Worried?" Lian Xue scoffed dramatically. "He literally bribed me with a designer dress just so I would come with you today. I should get you pregnant more often!"
Ruan Meili gasped, playfully clutching her belly. "Wait—don't tell me you came just for the dress and not for your precious unborn niece or nephew?"
Lian Xue gave a shameless grin. "Well, I wouldn't say no to both."
She nudged Ruan Meili with a wink. "Honestly, seeing how profitable it is to accompany a pregnant sister-in-law... I should ask my brother to work harder and get you pregnant again in the future. Just think—dresses every few months!"
Ruan Meili burst into laughter, lightly swatting her. "Stop it! Don't say such nonsense in a hospital!"
Their laughter echoed lightly in the corridor as they walked toward the exit—until Lian Xue suddenly stopped.
Her smile faltered.
"Jie," she murmured, tone shifting, "wait here for a second. I... just remembered something urgent."
Ruan Meili blinked, confused. "What? Right now?"
But Lian Xue was already turning back, her heels clicking quietly on the polished floor. Her eyes were fixed ahead, not blinking. Her instincts buzzed beneath her skin.
She wasn't sure what she saw. A glimpse, a silhouette, perhaps. But something had caught her attention.
Silently, she trailed back into the hallway leading toward the internal care wing. She moved with practiced caution, approaching a door that was left slightly ajar.
Without a word, she leaned forward and eased it open just enough to peek through.
And then—
She froze.
Inside, on the hospital bed, was a face Lian Xue could never mistake.
Shen Fuyue.
Even if the world had tried to erase her presence behind blurred photos, silenced headlines, and hushed news clips—Lian Xue knew her. Everyone who moved in elite circles knew of her.
But that wasn't what sent a chill racing down Lian Xue's spine.
It was where she was.
Shen Fuyue—once the center of a storm that gripped the entire city—had disappeared without a trace. Not a single media outlet could pinpoint her whereabouts. Journalists had staked out hospitals, private clinics, even psychiatric institutions, all in vain. Government records were sealed. Online speculation was dismissed or swiftly buried.
And yet here she was.
Not in a high-security private facility. Not guarded by a team of lawyers or medics.
But here, in a quiet room at the inconspicuous Huaining Medical Pavilion—hidden in plain sight.
As if they'd tucked her away from the world like a secret too dangerous to reveal.
Lian Xue's eyes narrowed.
And what was Shen Yuri doing here?
The ever-composed, sharp-eyed cousin of the Shen family—feeding Shen Fuyue water like she was something fragile. Like she mattered.
Lian Xue pulled back from the door, letting it close with a near-silent click. A smirk curled on her lips, though her mind was racing.
So this was the game.
And if she had found her…
She took out her phone and dialed without hesitation.
"Yichen," she said, her voice silky with hidden excitement.
"Guess who I just saw."