Chapter 4:A New Dawn

A year and two months had passed since Mei and Kai's marriage. What had begun as a union bound by duty had slowly transformed into something else—a quiet understanding, a deep companionship. They were not yet lovers in the way of grand romantic tales, but they had become partners.

When Mei discovered she was with child, a new kind of warmth settled into their home. The news spread quickly through the village, and for the first time, Mei saw true joy reflected in Kai's eyes.

Their daughter was born on the first day of spring, when the cherry blossoms bloomed and the air smelled of fresh rain. Mei held her newborn close, marveling at the delicate features—rosy cheeks, tiny hands curled into soft fists, dark eyes blinking up at her with quiet curiosity.

"She's perfect," Mei whispered, exhaustion and wonder mingling in her voice.

Kai sat beside her, his gaze fixed on the child in her arms. He reached out, hesitating for only a moment before brushing his fingertips against the baby's tiny hand. The infant stirred, then wrapped her fingers around his.

Something inside Kai shifted. A fierce protectiveness swelled within him, unlike anything he had ever known. This child was part of him, part of Mei. A symbol of everything they had built together, despite the reluctant beginning of their story.

"What should we name her?" Mei asked, her voice gentle.

Kai thought for a moment before saying, "Lian."

"Lian," Mei repeated, testing the name on her lips. It meant graceful lotus—a flower that bloomed even in the mud, untouched by impurity. A fitting name for their daughter, born into a world that had once seemed uncertain but now felt full of hope.

Life, they thought, would only get better from here.

For the first time, their home was filled with laughter and light. Mei found joy in Lian's giggles, in the way Kai carried her with the utmost care, as if she were made of the finest porcelain. He doted on their daughter in a way that surprised even Mei, a tenderness she had never seen in him before.

And yet, fate was not so kind.

The peace they had found was fleeting, as all things were. The whispers of old debts, unresolved rivalries, and looming troubles began creeping into their world.

And soon, the happiness they had built would be put to the test.