In the Qu's Mansion, Duguyan stormed into the royal chambers with King Fie close behind. The air between them crackled with tension.
"My Lord, why would you do that?!" she snapped, whirling around to face him. "You just handed my rightful position to that low-life concubine! How could you?"
Fie closed the door behind him with a sigh and stepped forward, his expression calm, calculated.
"Come now, Duguyan," he said smoothly, "do you honestly believe I would give such authority to her? I only said that to manipulate that foolish girl into accepting the marriage. Once she's out of this house, I'll restore everything to you—your position, your influence. Trust me."
He gently pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a firm embrace.
Duguyan's breathing slowed. Her fingers clenched his robes for a moment before loosening. "I trust you, my Lord," she murmured. "You would never betray me."
"Never," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Everything I do is for us."
In the courtyard, the breeze danced gently through the trees as Xiotan sat on a swing, lost in her thoughts. Her delicate sandals brushed the grass beneath her feet as she swayed slowly, eyes closed, savoring the moment of peace.
Suddenly, two hands covered her eyes from behind.
"Take a guess who's behind you," a familiar voice said playfully.
Xiotan grinned. "Jinxin?!!"
"Yes, it's me! I'm back!" came the joyous reply.
Xiotan jumped up instantly and spun around. "Oh my gosh, Jinxin—it is you!" She threw her arms around her best friend. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you more, Princess," Jinxin said, hugging her tightly. "You've no idea."
The two girls walked arm-in-arm to Xiotan's room, where Xiotan wasted no time catching Jinxin up on the latest events.
"What the hell?!" Jinxin said in disbelief after hearing the news. "So your father's just marrying you off like that? Just to get rid of you? That's cruel."
Xiotan collapsed onto her bed, her face twisted in frustration. "I don't know what I did wrong. All he wants is to push me out of his way. I'm barely living. Getting married now means the end of everything I dreamed of. No freedom. No adventure. Just a cage with golden bars."
She hugged her knees, eyes distant. "Paner, who's younger than me, gets to do whatever she wants. Meanwhile, I'm to be auctioned off like property."
Jinxin sat beside her, rubbing her back. "Tan… I know it feels awful now, but maybe—just maybe—marriage won't be so bad."
"That's a fantasy, I'm not living in a Disneyland, Jinxin!" Xiotan snapped, her voice rising with emotion. "It's not like in those fairy tales where a prince saves the trapped princess. That's a lie! My reality is different. I don't even know the man they've chosen for me. What if he's old, or cruel, or worse? I have no say. No voice. No escape."
Her tears finally spilled, years of bottled pain crashing down like a wave.
Jinxin's eyes widened. She'd never seen Xiotan break like this.
But then, just as suddenly, Xiotan wiped her tears, straightened up, and flashed a mischievous grin that startled Jinxin.
"And that's why I have a plan," she said with gleaming eyes. "We're sneaking out. Tonight. You and me."
Jinxin blinked. "What?"
"I've already stolen some money from my father," Xiotan continued, her voice bubbling with suppressed laughter. "Now that you're here, we're going to have fun. Real fun. Before they chain me to some stranger forever."
Jinxin stared at her friend, caught between shock and admiration.
"You're mad," she whispered.
"I'm brilliant," Xiotan corrected, twirling dramatically. "Now come on—we've got one night left to live."