"Master, Lady Mei has requested your presence for dinner," Fen said respectfully from the doorway.
Xu Liang sat silently in his room, his fingers tracing the edges of a velvet lacquer box. It had been two days since he had kissed Lin Hua, and the memory of it lingered painfully. 
Lin Hua was still in the mansion, working in the garden, yet they had not exchanged a single word since that moment. The silence between them was as thick as the tension Xu carried in his heart.
He had acted out of impulse, out of confusion, and shame gnawed at him. He had crossed a boundary, one that could never be undone. He wondered if Lin Hua was thinking about it, too. Yet, Lin had said nothing. It was both a relief and a torment.
Xu turned his gaze to Fen, still waiting in the doorway. His servant’s patience only added to the weight on his chest.
"I am not hungry," Xu said, the words hollow as he continued to toy with the box in his hands.
"Master Shun wishes to speak with you," Fen added, a slight hesitation in his tone. "It is important."
Xu sighed heavily. His father always had "important" matters to discuss. He couldn’t avoid him forever. "Very well. I will see him."
However, he met them after the meal. His father, Shun Liang, sat at the head of the table, his face as composed and stern as ever. 
His mother, Lady Mei, was beside him, her usual sharpness softened by something he couldn’t quite place. His brother, Zhen, sat a short distance away. Xu’s stomach tightened. They knew something.
His father’s voice broke the silence. "How have you been, son?"
Xu stiffened at the question. It felt detached, almost formal. He could sense the true weight behind his father’s words, a thinly veiled inquiry into his behavior these past few days. 
Xu could lie, as he had always done—pretend everything was fine. But how could he? Not when everything was unraveling inside him.
"I am well," Xu said, forcing the words out. "The wedding preparations keep me busy."
Shun Liang’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if probing for the truth. Lady Mei exchanged a glance with her husband before speaking softly, "Xu, your father and I can see that something is troubling you."
Xu blinked in surprise. His mother’s voice was gentle, almost too gentle. Lady Mei was known for her strictness, yet here she was, speaking to him as though he were fragile.
"You’ve not been spending time with Jiao Ming," his father interjected. "The marriage is approaching, and you’ve locked yourself away. This union is of great importance—for the family, for your future. It is a moral obligation. Have you forgotten the teachings of Confucius? Filial duty is the foundation of society."
"I am well aware," Xu said, his tone clipped, but he quickly softened his voice. "I have not forgotten my responsibilities."
Lady Mei leaned closer. "Xu, we know the weight of duty can be overwhelming. You are the heir, and with that comes great expectation. But your actions reflect upon us all. The family’s honor is at stake, and you must be mindful of this. Failing in your duties will bring shame to our name."
Xu felt his throat tighten. "I understand, Mother," he whispered. "I do not take these responsibilities lightly."
"Then why have you been so distant? Honor demands that you follow through with your commitments. You are not only marrying for yourself, but for the family, for society. Confucius teaches that to govern oneself is to govern the world." 
Xu nodded, his heart heavy. "I know, Father. I will not bring dishonor to our family."
He glanced out the window, catching sight of Lin Hua tending to the flowers in the garden. The mere sight of him stirred emotions Xu could not express. He forced himself to look away.
Later that evening, Xu found himself wandering through the garden. The cool night air did little to calm his restless mind.  
He had been taught from a young age that a man’s honor was his most prized possession, that his actions must always reflect virtue, righteousness, and loyalty.
But his heart was divided.
He abruptly heard the familiar rustle of footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Lin Hua standing a few paces away, his face bathed in the pale light of the moon.
"Master Xu," Lin greeted, his voice as calm and steady as ever. "I thought you might be here."
Xu felt a pang in his chest. He had been avoiding Lin Hua, hoping that distance would help him forget what had happened. But now, seeing Lin so close, the memories flooded back.
"I…" Xu began, but the words faltered on his tongue. He didn’t know where to start. How could he explain the storm raging inside him?
Lin Hua took a step closer. "You’ve been avoiding me," he said simply.
Xu winced. "I didn’t mean to. It’s just… everything. I’ve been… troubled."
Lin’s eyes searched Xu’s face, but he said nothing, waiting for Xu to continue.
"I acted… improperly," Xu said at last, his voice barely above a whisper. "I crossed a line. I never should have kissed you."
Lin Hua remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
"I have brought shame upon myself, and I am deeply sorry," Xu continued, lowering his head. "It was selfish of me to act on my feelings. I have a duty—to my family, to Jiao Ming. I know that what happened was wrong."
"Wrong?" Lin Hua’s voice was soft, but there was a hint of something else in it—something Xu couldn’t quite place.
Xu nodded. "Yes. I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. It was not honorable."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them like the growing distance Xu had tried so hard to create.
Finally, Lin Hua spoke. "Master Xu, do you believe that following duty means forsaking what you feel?"
Xu frowned. "Is that not what is expected? A man must follow the path laid before him, regardless of his desires. The teachings of the sages tell us that personal feelings must yield to the greater good."
Lin Hua shook his head. "The sages also teach that to be virtuous is to be true to oneself. If your heart is conflicted, how can you act with righteousness?"
Xu felt a pang of confusion. "But how can I follow both? My duty is to marry Jiao Ming, to uphold my family’s honor. Yet my heart… my heart leads me in another direction."
Lin Hua stepped closer. "Master Xu, honor and duty are important. But if you betray your heart, you will live a life of regret. Duty without sincerity is like a flower that has no scent. It may be beautiful to the eye, but it lacks true value."
Xu stared at him, his mind swirling. "But the marriage… it is expected of me. I cannot turn away from it."
Lin Hua gave a small, sad smile. "I understand. But do not forget that you are more than just a son, more than just an heir. You are also a man with his own heart, his own desires. Confucius teaches that harmony comes not only from fulfilling one’s obligations but from living truthfully."
His entire life, he had been taught to place duty above all else. But now, standing here with Lin Hua, just a gardener, he realized that his heart had desires of its own, desires that could not be ignored.
"I don’t know how to balance it all," Xu admitted, his voice breaking with emotion. "I don’t know how to be both—the dutiful son and the man I truly am."
Lin Hua’s expression softened. "No one does, Master Xu. We are all walking a path we do not fully understand. But remember this—honor is not only in following duty, but in living with honesty and compassion. To deny your heart is to deny the very essence of who you are."
Xu felt a tear slip down his cheek. He had spent so long believing that duty meant forsaking his own desires. But here, under the moonlit sky, Lin Hua had shown him another way—a way that honored not just his family, but his own truth.
"I don’t want to lose myself," Xu whispered, his voice trembling.
Lin Hua smiled gently. "Then don’t. Be the man you were meant to be—not just for your family, but for yourself."
There's great silence between them... It was only their breath that mske sounds. 
"I merely wish to know… are you displeased with me?” finally he asked. 
A soft, knowing smile curved ok Lin Hua's lips. “Displeased with you, Master Xu? How could I be? To be mad over a kiss would be a folly of the highest order. You are on a journey to understand your own heart—there is no fault in that. My heart bears no grievance toward you.”
Tears welled in his eyes, and his voice cracked as he whispered, “Thank you, Lin Hua. Truly… thank you.”
Lin Hua’s smile remained gentle. “Tomorrow, I must return to the west, to the Lotus Garden. If ever your heart seeks peace, you may find me there.”
“I will come. I will see you at dusk when the lotuses are still in bloom.”
Lin Hua studied him. “The lotus bloom is fleeting, Master Xu,” he said softly-the impermanence.
“I understand, I will come.” he replied. 
Lin Hua gave a small nod. “Then I shall await you.”