The night air was cool against Yao Yao's skin as she sat on the fountain's edge, her tiny hands braced against the cold stone.
Moonlight filtered through the towering trees, casting a pale glow over the forgotten fountain. She had stumbled upon it by chance, hidden deep within the vast garden, far beyond the well-manicured hedges and carefully tended flower beds.
Unlike the rest of the estate, this place had been abandoned, swallowed by time.
The fountain must have been beautiful once.
But now, vines coiled around its base, their tendrils creeping up the stone as if nature itself sought to reclaim it. The water had long since dried, leaving behind cracked marble and patches of moss.
Yet, even in its ruins, there was something solemn about it. Something about it pulled her in and she couldn't look away.
Her gaze drifted upward to the statue atop the fountain's center.
A woman, carved from pale stone, stood tall, her hands gently clasped together as if in prayer. There was something peaceful about her, yet unbearably lonely. Time had worn away the finer details of her face, but there was still a quiet grace in the way she stood.
Yao Yao frowned.
She felt like she had seen this woman before.
That's ridiculous, she thought.
She had never stepped foot here before. And yet, something about the statue tugged at her—like a memory she couldn't quite recall.
It was quiet, but for some reason, she didn't feel the slightest bit of danger here.
Well, if this place was cursed, she'd learn soon enough.
Swinging her legs over the fountain edge where water once flowed, the silence around her was peaceful, like the world itself had forgotten this place existed.
She tilted her head back, her pink eyes locked onto the statue's face.
Who are you?
The question formed in her mind before she could stop it.
The statue, of course, did not answer.
She had no idea how long she sat there, lost in the moment.
Then, a voice broke the silence.
"You've wandered far."
Yao Yao stiffened slightly, turning her head.
Stepping out from the shadows was Shang Jun.
Yao Yao nearly toppled off the fountain.
How did he know she was here?!
Shang Jun moved with quiet ease, his eyes catching the moonlight as he regarded her.
Yao Yao did her best to regain her composure, turning back to the fountain, swinging her legs slightly. "I was just looking."
Shang Jun stepped closer, his gaze drifting over the neglected structure before settling on the statue.
He studied it for a long moment before speaking.
"It used to flow with silver water." His voice was distant, as if recalling something long buried. "When I was younger, it was one of the most beautiful sights in the garden."
Yao Yao tilted her head. "What happened to it?"
A flicker of emotion crossed his face—nostalgia, maybe? Or something else.
"It was abandoned, like many things here. Some say... it was never meant to last."
Yao Yao let the words settle in her mind before looking back up at the statue.
"Who is she?"
Shang Jun's gaze lingered on the statue before he spoke again.
"Her name is Elisie. She was the divine goddess of the spirit world."
A goddess?
Her pink eyes traced the faded yet graceful features.
"Elisie… She was the bridge between the spirit and the human realm, the connection that held both worlds together." Shang Jun's voice was soft, but something about it felt heavy.
"Was she… special?"
She hadn't meant to ask it quite like that, but the way he spoke made her feel important.
Shang Jun's gaze remained fixed on the statue, his voice quieter this time.
"Once… she was."
A pause.
Yao Yao blinked.
"She was?"
Her eyes drifted to the dried, cracked basin beneath her, where only dust and time remained.
Even in its decay, this place once held power.
"What happened to her?" she pressed.
Shang Jun didn't answer right away. His eyes remained on the statue, his fingers tracing the edge of his sleeve—a subtle movement.
"Some say she sacrificed herself," he finally said. "Others say she chose to disappear."
Yao Yao frowned, feeling as though she had just been handed a puzzle missing half its pieces.
"So nobody knows?"
Then, just for a fraction of a second, she caught it—a fleeting expression crossed Shang Jun's face before vanishing just as quickly.
Then, his composure returned, as smooth and effortless as ever.
He lowered his gaze, letting it linger on the statue before finally meeting hers.
"Perhaps," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "She was meant to be forgotten."
The way he said it made Yao Yao's chest tighten—there was sorrow in his words, unmistakable.
But before she could question further, Shang Jun knelt before her, a gentle smile on his lips. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a small velvet box.
As he opened it, the soft glow of moonlight illuminated a delicate teardrop-shaped diamond set in fine silver.
"This is for you," he said, his voice quiet yet deliberate.
Yao Yao's heart skipped a beat.
She blinked, staring at the diamond, then at him, then back at the diamond.
What…?
Shang Jun watched her reaction with quiet amusement.
"Did you..did you only get this for me because of what Min Min said?" she asked, voice suspicious.
A faint chuckle escaped him. "No," he replied easily. "I promised you a gift before I left, didn't I?"
Wait. What?
Did he?
Yao Yao stared at him, her mind spinning.
Hold on.
Did the old Yao Yao and Shang Jun… share a bond? A bond she did not have with the rest of the family?
Her pink-hued eyes widened, locked on the diamond.
The way he spoke, the way he looked and smiled at her—it wasn't distant, wasn't indifferent. There was something there, something she couldn't quite understand.
And then the diamond, it was… beautiful.
Even in the dim moonlight, the pendant sparkled brilliantly, its teardrop shape delicate yet striking. The way it caught the light made it look almost alive, refracting an array of dazzling colors.
Her heart pounded.
A diamond. She had never owned one before—not in this life, not in the last. Not even when she could have bought one herself.
And now… this?
Given to her so casually?
"This diamond," he said, tilting the pendant slightly so it caught the light, "is infused with protection magic."
"It can protect you," he continued, his voice smooth, assured.
Before she could react, Shang Jun reached forward, his fingers effortlessly brushing aside strands of her hair as he fastened the necklace around her neck.
The cool chain settled against her skin, and for a moment, Yao Yao forgot to breathe. The diamond, small but radiant, rested just above her heart.
Yao Yao stared at him.
Doubt crossed her mind, lingering for just a second before it was replaced by a sudden warmth—an undeniable fondness for the man before her.
Her fingers instinctively brushed against the diamond resting at her chest.
For the first time since waking up in this world, Yao Yao felt a little less lonely.