Chapter 1: A Dream

With only the fox fur coat wrapped around her inner clothes. Song Li Xue embraced the snow-laden landscape, the cool breeze and the contrasting red festive new year decorations around her. Whilst her eyes looked up to watch the falling snow from the moonlit sky. Embracing the loneliness of the moon that mirrored her hidden emotions. Only the cool white jade pendant held tightly in the palm of her hand could comfort her.

"You have only recently recovered. You should not be outside now." A familiar monotone voice called from the entrance.

His silver cloud patterned blue cloak. His refined scholarly aura. His willow brows. His stern and imposing eyes. Like the luminescent pearl, neither cold or warm. Only brightly shining in pure darkness.

Song Li Xue felt the mist over her eyes as she stared at his face. The person before her seeped into her heart like stones raining over her heart.

"Li Xue?" He walked towards her.

His approaching shadow, seeping into her heart.

'I have long forgotten his voice. But even in my dreams, this feels too real.'

Only until he reached his hand over her forehead, did she react and look up in mild shock.

'Can dreams make people feel real warmth?'

"You still have a small fever. Where is Yi Ting?" He coldly criticized her, but only she could see his concern in the glimmer of his eyes.

"Yi Ting is gone. Bo Lan is gone. Su mama is gone. And you... all of you left me alone in this world. How can I live in a world without you? I regret... I truly regret. I wish I listened to you back then." Her hot tears dripped onto his lapels as she rushed into her arms and cried.

Hearing her nonsensical words, he merely treated her words as confusion from her illness the past few days. His visit was also in concern with the reports from his servant that this sister of his crying during her slumber. He gently patted her back in comfort. Gathering that she had only been having unpleasant dreams whilst she has been sick.

"Simply a dream." He comforted her.

He felt her body stiffen as she pulled away and looked at him with her gentle eyes now redden from her effort in crying. The face of this little sister of his. It wasn't beautiful like the women in the inner palace, or even comparable to the selected female servants in the palace. But her eyes always contain a melancholy as their mother had. This melancholy can cause heartache to peoples' hearts. Now her eyes look to speak a thousand words, unable to grasp like sand. His emotions stirred in waves.

Li Xue pinched her arm and flinched in pain. Her brother reacted by pulling her wrist up to stop her.

"What are you doing?" He asked coldly.

"It hurts. It really hurts." Li Xue cried in surprise and happiness.

Before he could lecture this little sister of hers, she leaped towards him and wrapped her small arms around his neck for a hug. He quickly reacted the moment she jumped towards him.

"You-" He called but was interrupted by the wetness of her cheek on his neck.

"In the end. It was all a dream." She said with a tone of relief.

He did not continue what he wanted to say. It seems this illness has truly been hard on her.

In the morning, Song Li Xue was brought to the inner hall and ate her new year meal with her brother. Even the servants sensed the warmth between the two siblings through their non-verbal interactions. One would pick some meat to other's bowl. Another would fill a bowl of congee for the other. After watching Song Li Xue place the bowl of congee to him, he focused on eating another bowl of congee silently.

"Have a few bolts and accessories sent to Peaceful Dream Courtyard." His voice ordered just as he finished the congee.

Yi Ting, Bo Lan, and Su mama all felt happier for their young miss after hearing the order. Yun Fei obeyed the order and quietly left to follow his master's order.

"Brother treats me the best." Song Li Xue complimented with a heartfelt smile that brightened the atmosphere several times warmer.

Ever since being bed-ridden, Song Li Xue acted a little different from her past. However, other than becoming less timid the three servants could not put their fingers to what exactly is different.

Having fallen sick and experience the strange but life-like dream, Song Li Xue also felt a part of her has changed. Even if it was a long dream, it still felt like a fresh wound in her heart, overwhelming her mind and everyday actions.

On the study table. She slowly took a brush and write down the dream she had in her sickness with as many details as she could recall. As Yi Ting and Bo Lan could not read, they only assumed that their young miss wanted to practice calligraphy these days.

Having heard his sister practice calligraphy from the daily report, he felt surprised and reassured. Since he brought Li Xue back two years ago, she has not shown any knowledge or interest in the four arts. Neither had he considered to have her taught considering the trauma she experienced when they were separated. To him, it did not matter if his sister wanted to live a life of an idle recluse for the rest of his life.

He, Song Mu Chen can care for her for the rest of her life.

Having heard that she knows how to write, he headed to her courtyard in person to see it in person.

It so happens that today Li Xue was teaching Yi Ting and Bo Lan words. With a large and shallow sandbox, she taught the two step by step how to write each other's names with a thin bamboo branch.

"This servant greets master." Yi Ting and Bo Lan called in surprise.

They have never seen the master ever come to young miss' courtyard. This is the first time that he did so.

"Brother?" Li Xue called in surprise.

"Mn." He acknowledged the servants and walked towards the sandbox.

Mu Chen felt something strange about her writing. It could be seen from the way she wrote her name.

He could tell with a simple glance. Each character is written with clarity, strength, grace, and elegance. This was not simply handwriting from an untaught person.

"You've been taught to write?"

Li Xue was about to answer affirmatively. But all of a sudden, she understood why she Yi Ting, Bo Lan, and even Su mama's reactions.

How could she know how to write?

She was naturally taught by a teacher.

But she was only taught to write in her dream.

Can the experience of a dream turn into reality?

A revelation in her mind that opened the doors to a frightening truth.

"It was not a dream." She softly spoke.

Mu Chen did not hear what she had muttered. If she didn't want to bring it up. Then let it be.

"If you wish to. I will hire you a teacher to teach you calligraphy." He still suggested.

Li Xue nodded, despite not hearing the question. She did not even realize when her brother left. Li Xue only wakened from her thoughts when she saw the white jade pendant by her bedside after washing.

'To have dreamt a lifetime. To have experienced a lifetime. Then could this mean that the life I had in my dream is real?'

In the end, Li Xue could not sleep all night. In the morning Yi Ting was shocked at the tired face on Li Xue.

"Yi Ting. Has the bolts brother sent to me been made into clothes?" Li Xue asked as she looked at the tray of hairpins in front of her.

"Yes. Five new dresses have been made. I'll bring them now." Yi Ting happily left the moment she realized her young miss has finally become interested in dressing up.

Li Xue didn't correct the thoughts in Yi Ting's mind. Alone in front of the vanity, she simply watched the person the girl in the mirror touching her face.

The pair of limpid watery eyes stared at her. Almost taunting to remind her.

One day, these eyes will be the death of her.