Chapter 3 — The Unseen Threads
Days passed quietly in the mountainside hut. Su Yanyue's body grew stronger, though the ache in her head lingered like a dull echo. The air smelled of pine and smoke, a comforting change from the sterile hospitals she once knew.
The triplets—Xiao Yu, Xiao Ming, and Xiao Jun—were constant companions, their boundless energy both exhausting and heartwarming. They followed her around like shadows, demanding lessons in everything from cooking to swordplay.
One afternoon, Su Yanyue sat by the hearth, carefully mixing herbs she'd found in the forest. The pungent scent filled the small room as the triplets watched intently.
"Why do you do that, Mother?" Xiao Ming asked, tilting his head.
"To heal," she replied softly. "Medicine can fix wounds and soothe pain."
Xiao Yu frowned. "Can it fix broken hearts?"
A smile flickered across Su Yanyue's lips. "Sometimes, yes."
Outside, Yu Shenli watched from the shade of a pine tree, arms crossed. He noticed how her eyes flickered with resilience and quiet strength, how she commanded the children's attention without force.
He had not yet revealed his true identity, nor did he intend to—for now, he preferred the simplicity of these quiet days.
Yet beneath the calm surface, unseen threads of fate and duty were weaving them closer together.
The empire beyond the mountains was restless. Whispers of rebellion and betrayal tickled the edges of memory. And soon, the past that Yu Shenli buried deep would rise again.
But for today, there was only the firelight, the soft laughter of children, and the steady heartbeat of a new beginning.