Xu Liang paced beneath the lanterns, their soft glow flickering in the evening breeze. The garden was peaceful, but his heart was heavy. 
It had been a week since the ill-fated meeting with the Ming family, and in that time, preparations for the forthcoming wedding had consumed the mansion. 
The servants bustled with excitement, and his mother, Lady Mei, oversaw every detail with precision. But Xu? He felt as though he were sinking into a well of despair, with no means of escape.
Seeking a moment of solace, Xu wandered into the garden, and he was surprised to see Lin. "What brings you here?" Xu asked, hiding his excitement. 
Lin Hua rose to his feet, his movements graceful, like the swaying of bamboo in the wind. He offered a respectful bow. "Lady Mei instructed me to tend to the mansion garden and bring her fresh lotus flowers, Master Xu. It is an honor to be in your presence again."
Xu's chest tightened as Lin Hua’s soft words reached his ears. He hadn't forgotten their brief meeting at the Lotus Garden days ago, and the memory of it had lingered in his thoughts, a quiet yearning he dared not voice. 
Now, seeing Lin Hua once more, his heart beat with an unfamiliar rhythm, both unsettling and magnetic.
Lin Hua, ever observant, noticed the weariness in Xu's eyes—the dark circles, the redness that betrayed nights of sleeplessness. "Master, you seem unwell. Your eyes—have you not rested?"
Xu turned his gaze away, hiding the truth behind a practiced mask. His nights had been long and restless, filled with sorrow and uncertainty. Each tear had soaked his pillow, but the burden he carried felt too great to share. "It is nothing," Xu replied, his voice a mere whisper, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue.
But Lin Hua saw through the facade. He stepped closer, his movements unhurried, and gently raised his hand to Xu's cheek. His touch was warm, tender, and the simple gesture sent a shiver down Xu’s spine. "You have been crying," Lin Hua said softly, his fingers brushing away the remnants of Xu’s silent suffering. "Why?"
Xu’s composure shattered under Lin Hua’s gaze. His heart raced, and for a fleeting moment, he allowed himself to feel the warmth of the other man’s touch. 
It was as if the world around them had vanished, leaving only the two of them standing beneath the moonlit sky. His mind swirled with emotions he could no longer suppress.
"You aren’t well, Master Xu," Lin Hua continued, his voice filled with gentle concern. "I had always thought someone of your stature, an heir of a noble family, was beyond such burdens. But it seems even you are not immune to sorrow."
The truth was laid bare, and hearing it spoken aloud made Xu feel exposed in a way he never had before. 
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, savoring the warmth of Lin Hua’s hand against his cheek, wishing he could linger in that feeling a little longer.
"They will hold the wedding in the Lotus Garden," Lin Hua said, his tone quieter now. "Lady Mei has ordered it so. It is said that the lake listens to wishes. Perhaps this union will bring you happiness, just as the lotus blooms when it feels the sun’s warmth."
Xu's breath caught in his throat. No. There would be no happiness, no fulfillment in this marriage. It was a cage, one he could not bear to be trapped in. 
Before he could think further, he seized Lin Hua’s wrist and pulled him into the shadowed cover of the mudan bushes, where no one would see them. 
His mother’s strict instructions echoed in his mind—no undue fraternization with commoners, especially not in broad daylight. But in that moment, none of it mattered.
"I do not want this marriage," Xu confessed, his voice low and trembling with raw emotion. "I am not happy. I have no joy in this union they are forcing upon me. Every day, I feel like I am losing myself more and more." 
He clenched his fists, his gaze faltering. "They may call me an heir, the future of my family, but in truth, I feel less fortunate than a beggar."
"Master Xu… what are you saying? Surely your family has only your best interests at heart."
Xu let out a hollow laugh. "Best interests? If they truly cared, they would see how I suffer. They would not force me into this… this prison." He paused, his chest tightening. 
He couldn’t bring himself to say the rest—not yet, not fully. But the words were on the tip of his tongue.
Lin Hua’s gaze was steady.
 "If I ask something of you—something that may seem selfish or improper—would you despise me for it?" Xu’s voice trembled as he met Lin’s eyes, searching for an answer in their depths.
"Master, I could never despise you," Lin Hua replied, his tone gentle yet firm.
Xu hesitated for only a second longer before closing the distance between them. His lips pressed against Lin Hua’s in a kiss so sudden, so full of pent-up longing, that Xu felt himself shatter with the force of it. 
Lin Hua’s lips were soft, warm, and for the briefest moment, the world fell away, leaving nothing but the two of them in a perfect, stolen moment.
When Xu pulled away, he was breathless, his heart racing. "Forgive me," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I did not mean to…"
Lin Hua stood frozen, his expression unreadable. The silence between them stretched on, heavy and suffocating. 
Xu’s chest tightened with regret as he turned away, his emotions unraveling. What had he done? What foolishness had he allowed to overtake him? His truth, his secret, was now exposed, laid bare before Lin Hua, and there was no taking it back.
Without a word, Lin Hua stepped back into the open garden, leaving Xu behind, hidden in the shadows of the mudan. 
Alone once more, Xu sank to the ground, his heart heavy with both the weight of his desires and the shame that followed. 
His tears came again, but this time, they fell not just for the marriage he dreaded, but for the love he could never fully claim.
The garden was quiet once more, but in the depths of his soul, Xu knew that nothing would ever be the same.