The woman paused for a moment before smiling, "Miss Ming, are you jealous?"
Ming Yu startled, flustered, "I... I am not."
"You're not?"
"No," Ming Yu insisted.
The woman looked at her and said, "Miss Ming, if you like someone, tell them. Otherwise, they won't know if you like them."
Ming Yu froze, "Who... who said I liked him?"
The woman smiled, "If I have spoken incorrectly, please do not mind, Miss Ming."
Ming Yu watched the woman leave, feeling a pang of confusion. Did she like Hua Yun Jin?
After much thought, she couldn't answer herself, so she decided to stop thinking about it.
The next day, Cheng Chang Xing could walk again, while Ming Xiu was exhausted.
At this time, Hua Yun Jin was invited to have tea by Shen Yun Xuan. Although it was called an invitation, Ming Yu knew it was unlikely to be a simple tea gathering; they were probably trying to pry information out of Hua Yun Jin.
While she was lost in her thoughts, Hua Yun Jin finally returned, but his complexion was pale. As she stepped forward to speak, he shook his head, "I am a bit tired."
Ming Yu was startled. Cheng Chang Xing, standing nearby, whispered, "I'll go see."
Ming Yu nodded.
This was the first time Hua Yun Jin had shut her out.
"Miss, don't overthink it. His Highness must be genuinely tired," Ming Xiu comforted her.
"I'm fine. I'm going back to my room." With that, she turned and left.
Cheng Chang Xing entered Hua Yun Jin's room. "Your Highness, what did Master Shen say to you?"
Hua Yun Jin looked up at him and asked, "How is your health?"
"This minister is no longer gravely ill," Cheng Chang Xing replied.
"That's good, but you still need to rest more."
Cheng Chang Xing was silent for a moment before asking, "Your Majesty, you..."
"Chang Xing, tell me, what was the point of me ascending to this throne?"
Cheng Chang Xing looked at him and said, "Your Highness, I don't know what Master Shen said to you, but I do know that since you ascended the throne, Hua Cheng has enjoyed peace and prosperity, and favorable weather. Without you, I don't know what kind of predicament Hua Cheng would be in, but with you here, these things have truly come to pass."
"Is that so?" Hua Yun Jin looked up at him.
Cheng Chang Xing nodded, "Yes."
"If... I'm just saying if, if I were to abdicate this throne..."
"Your Highness..." Cheng Chang Xing was stunned. He could hardly believe such words were coming from Hua Yun Jin's mouth.
"Don't misunderstand, I'm just speaking hypothetically..."
Cheng Chang Xing looked at him for a long time before slowly saying, "Then my aunt would be very sad. In those days, my aunt endured so much humiliation and hardship for Your Highness, all for you to control Hua Cheng. If you were to abdicate, my aunt would likely be the first to break."
Hua Yun Jin's body trembled. He had never considered that if he truly abdicated, his mother would be the first to disagree. He could be irresponsible to anyone else, but not to his mother.
He vaguely remembered how much his mother had endured in those years, all for him to one day hold the reins of Hua Cheng. If he were to suddenly abdicate, how could he face his mother? How could he face the mother who had forsaken all dignity for him?
"Your Highness, you..."
"Chang Xing, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might have made a grave mistake."
"Your Highness, you are too kind. Hua Cheng is fortunate to have you. You are a good monarch."
Hua Yun Jin's gaze lowered slightly. "Perhaps I can be the good monarch you speak of, but I can no longer be the person she desires."
Cheng Chang Xing was taken aback. "Your Highness, you..."
"It's nothing," Hua Yun Jin waved his hand. "You may go, I wish to be alone."
"Yes, Your Highness." Cheng Chang Xing retreated.
Hua Yun Jin gazed into the distance, his eyes dimming. "I'm sorry," he murmured in the darkness.
Ming Yu had a dream where Hua Yun Jin looked at her with cold indifference, a look she didn't recognize.
She tried to grasp his hand, but he shook her off and left without looking back.
When she woke up, she found herself covered in sweat. She sat up in bed, looking at the moonlight streaming through the window, her gaze deep.
"Miss, Miss..." Ming Xiu's voice suddenly called from outside the door.
She stood up, opened the door, and saw Ming Xiu. Seeing Ming Xiu's anxious face, she couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"His Highness..."
"What about him?" Ming Yu grabbed Ming Xiu's hand and asked.
Ming Xiu said, "His Highness is fine, but..."
"But what? Hurry and tell me, you're making me anxious." Ming Yu asked urgently.
Ming Xiu bit her lower lip and said, "His Highness favored the dancer sent by Master Shen."
Ming Yu stood there, stunned, and then her vision went black. Ming Xiu rushed forward, "Miss, what's wrong? You scared Ming Xiu."
"Miss."
"Miss Ming, what's happening to her?" Cheng Chang Xing also arrived and asked.
Ming Xiu shook her head, tears welling up, "I... I don't know."
"Why did Miss Ming suddenly faint?" Cheng Chang Xing asked.
Ming Xiu bit her lip and said, "I... told Miss that His Highness favored the dancer sent by Master Shen."
Cheng Chang Xing sighed, "No wonder."
"I didn't mean to, I just felt Miss should know."
"Miss Ming needed to know, but not at this moment," Cheng Chang Xing said.
"Brother Cheng, did I do something wrong?" Ming Xiu asked, biting her lip, her eyes full of tears.
Cheng Chang Xing couldn't bear to scold Ming Xiu. "Ming Xiu, this is not your fault. Miss Ming would have found out sooner or later."
"But..."
"Alright, don't think too much about it. What you need to do now is wait for Miss Ming to wake up."
When Ming Yu woke up, she felt weak. Ming Xiu rushed forward, "Miss, you're awake! I was so worried about you."
"Silly girl, I'm fine. I'm sorry I worried you."
Ming Xiu shook her head, biting her lip. "I'm fine."
"Ming Xiu, tell me, he..."
"Miss, please take care of your health first. Don't say anything else for now."
"Ming Xiu, tell me," Ming Yu said, looking at her, word by word.
Ming Xiu asked, "Miss, why are you putting yourself through this?"
"Ming Xiu, if Cheng Chang Xing had done that, would you want to know?"
Ming Xiu paused, looked at Ming Yu, and after a long moment said, "His Highness favored the dancer sent by Master Shen."
"Where is he now?" Ming Yu asked, sitting up.
Ming Xiu said, "He is..."
"Take me there," Ming Yu said.
"Miss Ming, I advise you not to go," Cheng Chang Xing said as he entered.
Ming Yu looked up at Cheng Chang Xing and asked, "Why?"
"Because you might see something you don't want to see."