A Love Written In The Stars

"Brother Cheng, have you heard the rumors swirling about you and lady Meiying?"

Crown Prince Cheng stood on the balcony, his gaze fixed on the expanse of the night sky. It was an empty void, devoid of stars, with no moon to soften the oppressive darkness. The silence of the night reflected the heaviness in his chest, drawing his thoughts back to the brief encounter he had with Prince Xuan that morning.

It had been just after he'd left for the Fourth Palace, that Prince Xuan had appeared.

Cheng frowned. "What rumors?"

Xuan relayed what was being said, watching Cheng closely. "Is there any truth to these claims?" he asked carefully.

His encounter with Mei in the bathing chamber—a harmless misunderstanding twisted into scandal by wagging tongues.

He kept Xuan silent.

Cheng noticed Xuan observing him for a moment longer than usual, "these rumors may damage her reputation if not addressed."

He knew his brother's words made sense, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Had the rumors already reached her? If they had, how much harm might they have caused her? Would she distance herself from him once again? That always seemed to be her way of handling situations like this.

Mei ascended the narrow staircase, slowly, hoping the fresh air would help clear her mind.

When she stepped onto the rooftop, she stopped in her tracks. Cheng was already there.

He turned at the sound, and was surprised to see her.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them spoke. Mei considered retreating but continued forward in the awkward silence as she took a swig from the bottle in her hand.

"I heard rumors about us today," Cheng said finally.

Mei wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and nodded. "Yeah. So did I."

Cheng waited a moment, as if choosing his next words carefully. After a beat, he asked, "Are... are you okay?"

Mei exhaled a long sigh. "As okay as anyone can be, I suppose. At least the rumors have provided some entertainment for the bored souls."

Cheng let out a low chuckle, the sound warm and unguarded. "Indeed. It seems we've become the centerpiece of their wild imaginations."

"Who knows? By tomorrow, they might claim you threw me off this very rooftop in a fit of passion."

Her laugh rang out, light and melodic, a sound that lifted Cheng's spirit. "For all your charms," Cheng said, a faint smirk playing at his lips, "it's only fair we give them something even more entertaining."

Their eyes met, locking for a moment.

Mei arched a brow, a small smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, but before she could respond, Cheng reached out and took the bottle from her hand.

He moved with such confidence—neither asking permission nor leaving room for protest—that Mei could only watch, amused, as he raised it to his lips.

Cheng's pov:

Without a word, I reached for the bottle in her hand, my fingers grazing hers as I took it. There was no protest in her gaze, just curiosity. I didn't wait for her approval, perhaps I was tired of asking permission for everything. I raised the bottle to my lips, the sharp burn trailing down my throat.

"Mm... Baijiu," I muttered, savoring the heat as it spread through me, blurring the jagged corners of my thoughts. Mei's eyes never left mine, watching intently as I took another drink. I knew what she was thinking before she said it.

"I thought you couldn't handle alcohol," she teased gently, her tone light, but filled with concern. She reached for the bottle, reclaiming it as if to protect me from myself.

She wasn't wrong. I couldn't handle it, not the way others could, but tonight, it didn't matter.

"True," I admitted, looking away. "I cannot."

She frowned a little, looking confused or maybe worried. But I needed her to understand, even if I didn't fully understand it myself.

"I need some now."

She smiled at me, that same warm, patient smile she always gave, the kind that made me feel both seen and sheltered. Her hand found its way to my hair, her fingers threading through it gently, and I leaned into her touch, craving that fleeting comfort.

"These days have been testing," I said, my voice wavered, barely holding under the feeling of it all. Testing. That was one way to put it.

Mei's fingers continued their soft strokes, and I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself sink into her presence, just for a heartbeat. Here, with her, I could pretend, pretend that I wasn't the crown prince, that the world wasn't closing in on me from every direction.

Mei's pov:

My hand found its way to his hair almost instinctively, seeking to offer comfort in the only way I knew.

"What would you do first when you become emperor?" I asked softly, driven more by curiosity than anything else.

He remained silent for a while, making me wonder if I had struck a nerve.

Cheng's pov:

"What would you do first when you become emperor?" The words resounded relentlessly in my mind, refusing to fade.

What would I do first as emperor? The question was deceptively simple, but the answer wasn't.

It should've been easy. I've been trained my whole life for this, drilled in duty, honor, and responsibility. But the truth was messier than that. I didn't want to admit how scared I was of failing, of becoming just another ruler too distant to understand his people's struggles.

"I don't know," I finally said, staring off into the distance, where the horizon was swallowed by the night sky.

But that wasn't the truth, and she deserved more than that, "What I've always wanted to do." I corrected myself, forcing the words out,

"Give the people a chance to connect with their emperor."

Mei's eyes narrowed a little, showing her surprise. "And for what reasons exactly?"

I hesitated, feeling doubt creeping in. Would she think me foolish? Naive?

"So I would know them," I said slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. "So I could understand their needs, their fears. So they'd know they can count on me."

The words sounded noble, but they carried a deeper meaning—a deep longing to escape the unyielding walls of the palace. I wanted to be more than a figurehead, more than a title. I wanted to be real to them.

Mei chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Cheng, people tend to take advantage of opportunities like that."

I nodded. I knew she was right. There was always that risk. But wasn't it a risk worth taking?

"There's a reason the royals and their subjects maintain a certain boundary," she added gently.

"I know," I whispered, my frustration beginning to show. "But I've seen them, Mei. I've seen their struggles—how they survive on hope alone, even when those in power turn a blind eye."

I thought of the nights I had snuck out, disguised as common folks, just to feel like I was a part of something real. To see the world not as a prince, but as a man.

"I try to help where I can, but it never feels enough," I admitted. "If I'm going to be emperor, it has to be for them."

I expected her to laugh, or perhaps to tell me I was idealistic, but she didn't. Instead, she just listened, her eyes grew gentle as she absorbed my words. Maybe she saw something in me that I struggled to see in myself.

Mei's pov:

I stared at him, not entirely sure if I was surprised or concerned. A ruler who bridged the gap between royalty and the people... it was noble, yes, but dangerous too.

As he spoke, I realized something. His passion for his people wasn't just for show. I knew then that he wasn't like the others. He wasn't just a prince to the people, to the crown, or to his responsibilities. He was human, deeply so, and that realization frightened me as much as it touched me.

"Sometimes, Cheng," I murmured, "it helps not to raise your expectations too high." I rubbed his hair absentmindedly. His idealism, while admirable, felt... misplaced. How could a man so bound by duty think he could change centuries of tradition? Yet, looking at him, I realized—he truly believed he could.

Cheng's pov:

Her hand rested in my hair, her touch anchoring me. "I wonder how life would have been if you weren't born royal," she mused in a low tone.

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I'd thought about it before, late at night when the palace walls felt too close, too suffocating. But I never allowed myself to dwell on it. What would be the point? There was no escaping what I was born into.

"You know, Mei," I began, "I've always thought there was nothing else for me,"

"That my life was just about duty. That I was destined to live only for the thro...."

I didn't need to finish my words, she knew. Her eyes met mine, and I felt the words slip out before I could stop them. "Until I met you."

Her hand left my hair, and a rush of doubt hit me. Had I gone too far? Said too much? But it was too late to take it back, and honestly, I didn't want to.

Mei's eyes searched mine, and I could see the hesitation, the uncertainty written across her face. I didn't expect her to say anything. I just needed her to know.

Then she tapped my cheek lightly, breaking the silence. "You haven't even drunk much, and you're already spewing nonsense."

It wasn't the Baijiu talking, and it certainly didn't feel like nonsense to me. I meant every word, but now I wasn't sure if I should have said it out loud.

Cheng reached for the bottle, his fingers inches from its edge, but Mei quickly yanked it out of reach. She smirked at him, "I didn't bring this here for you," she said, holding the bottle high like a prize. "I need more of this to face whatever the days have in store for me, and you've already drank half."

"Just one more time," he pleaded, stepping closer. But Mei was quick to step back, her laughter rang out across the rooftop.

Cheng lunged again, but Mei spun away, staying just out of his reach. They circled each other, their movements turning into a playful game as Mei darted left and right, giggling as she eluded him. His frustration was half-hearted, the smile on his face revealing his true enjoyment of the chase.

Finally, with a swift motion, Cheng wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as her laughter rang out. He guided her gently to the edge of the balcony, pinning her there with her back against the cool stone. She stretched her arm, holding the bottle out of his reach, but Cheng's soft laughter blended with hers as he effortlessly plucked it from her grasp.

"Perhaps I should spread a rumor of my own," he said with a mischievous glint. "That you challenged me to a duel for tainting your honor, and left me limping away in defeat."

Mei chuckled, slipping from his grasp. She ducked under his arm and climbed onto the balcony, gripping the rail. The moonlight bathed her in a soft glow as she leaned slightly over, teasing the precarious drop below.

"The court would never believe their precious prince bested by a girl,"

"No, we must concoct something more believable. Like how you professed your undying love for me, only for me to turn you down, deeming you unworthy."

Cheng let out a mock gasp, placing a hand over his heart. "Unworthy? I'll have you know many maidens have swooned at my charm. You wound me, my lady."

As their laughter faded, it became silent again, filled with a closeness neither of them dared to fully acknowledge.

Mei reached out, her hand finding his hair once more, her fingers gently running through it as before. Cheng's heart seemed to both slow and race at the same time as he watched her.

"Thank you."

Mei blinked, her hand stilling in his hair. "For what?"

"For saving my life, Mei."

Mei frowned, looking confused, her lips parting as if to ask more, but Cheng spoke before she could.

"Do you recall an event from many moons ago? An assassination attempt, when you saved a stranger's life?"

Mei stared at him, trying to think back. "I've been involved in many events over the years." she replied, her tone cautious. "Of which event do you speak?"

Cheng smiled, the memory clear in his mind. "It was at Golden lotus square. An arrow—one aimed at a young man. You pushed him out of the way, saving him before it was too late."

"Th—that was you?" she whispered, shock evident in her voice.

Cheng smiled softly; he had never forgotten that day, the look in her eyes beneath the veil, or how she had moved quickly to save someone she didn't even know.

Mei stared at him in astonishment. How had she not realized it was him? Why didn't she remember? The veil she wore that day had hidden her face, so how did he know it was her?

Cheng seemed to recall something and turned to her. "Are you missing anything from that day?"

Mei paused for a moment, thinking. "I don't think so… oh wait, yes, my dagger! I lost it that day."

Cheng nodded. "Right. I have it. I've kept it since then."

"Thank you, Cheng. I've searched everywhere for that dagger."

"You'll get it back soon," he replied with a smile.

Cheng's pov:

Mei's playful tap on my head drew a smirk from my lips, but her touch was like a tether pulling me back from the fog that had started to settle in.

"Good boy," she teased, and a flush of heat spread through my body. Without thinking, I gently took her hand and pulled her away from the edge of the balcony, where the drop below felt like an invitation to death.

I moved slowly, deliberately, trying to cling to the last shred of control, but I couldn't stop myself from stepping closer.

I cornered her, placing a hand on either side of the railing, unintentionally trapping her. We stood there, neither of us moving.

We were so close I could feel the gentle rise and fall of her breath and see the subtle flutter of her eyelashes.

She drew in a sharp breath, and the space between us seemed to shrink, charged with an unspoken electricity. Her eyes searched mine, and I couldn't help but wonder what she saw in them.

What was going through that mind of hers?

Soon, I felt my heartbeat begin to slow and the lightness in my head, courtesy of the drink, wasn't helping.

Everything began to feel like a dream.

I stared deeply at her lips... Then brushed a finger against them, their softness arresting me completely. My vision blurred, whether from the baijiu or the sheer intoxication of her presence, I couldn't tell. All I knew was her.

I struggled for control, trying to calm my body's response. I couldn't let the darkness within me steal this moment. Yet her scent—sweet, soft, and impossibly alluring—wrapped around me, mingling with the haze of alcohol already clouding my senses, making resistance feel futile.

For a split second, I almost let go. I could hear the reckless thought—just kiss her. Just once. But as I hovered there, so close, the sharp pull of reality sliced through the haze.

We were on a balcony, exposed. Anyone could see us. I shouldn't risk it. I stopped, pulling myself back from the edge.

"Don't you have any fear?" I murmured, attempting to break the tension, my voice sounding weaker than I intended.

Her eyes gleamed with that familiar defiance, and she lifted her chin, a challenge in her gaze. "For you, or the balcony?"

Her boldness was a fire I couldn't resist, a challenge I couldn't ignore.

Time and again, she had shown me that whatever I did, however hard I tried, it had little to no power over her. Fearless. she reveled in her ability to unnerve me, to throw me off balance.

But tonight, i would make her feel something she couldn't escape-something that would shake her to her core.

Without a moment's thought, I closed the distance between us in one decisive step, capturing her lips in a kiss that was of pure hunger. She gasped, her resistance a fleeting thing, a mere hesitation before I took control. She tried to pull back, but I didn't allow it. My hand cupped her face and I deepened the kiss, invading her mouth, drowning in the intoxicating sweetness of her lips.

I pulled her closer, my hand sliding down her waist, my body drawn to hers like I'd been starving for this. Her body pressed against mine, and every inch of me reacted to the pleasure of it, my senses were ablaze. I tried to force my body to remain still, to keep control, but I knew it was futile. There was no controlling this.

The darkness within me began to rise, a warning pulsing through my veins to let go. But letting go now would be a torment beyond anything Lokian Shén could ever inflict.

Then, just as I thought I might consume her completely. Mei broke free from my grasp, stepping back and leaving me breathless, a fire still raging in the space where she had been.

Mei's pov:

Cheng suddenly captured my lips in a kiss, and everything I had been holding back shattered. I gasped, trying to pull away, but his hand was already on my face, keeping me there, anchored to him, forcing me to feel everything.

His kiss was fierce, demanding, as if he needed to claim me in that very moment, and I couldn't breathe.

Every part of me wanted to give in, even though my mind screamed at me to stop. I couldn't, he felt too good. My body responded before my mind could catch up, a rush of heat and need flooding me, drowning out every rational thought.

But then, like a cold splash of water, the thought of his engagement to the princess hit me. Reality crashed down, and I remembered what this kiss meant-and what it couldn't mean. We were both trapped in this illusion. The consequences would destroy us both, and I knew I couldn't keep doing this.

But before I could pull away, Cheng's hand slid around my waist.

The moment he pulled me against him, the heat of his body surged through me, every inch of me alight, burning with a desire that was impossible to ignore. He held me like I was his, his fingers digging into my skin as he crushed me closer, the pressure of his body against mine driving all sense of time, reason, and restraint from my mind.

But then, as the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us, I wrenched myself away from him.

I stepped back, my chest heaving, my body still shaking with the aftershock of the kiss, but my mind. my heart, were finally clear. The space between us felt like miles, and every second of it was pure agony. I couldn't stay. I couldn't let this pull me under again.

"It's getting too late,"

Cheng's pov:

As quickly as the moment had begun, it came to an end. I watched as her eyes turned away from me.

She stepped back and it felt like the distance between us was so much more than just a few inches. "It's getting too late," she said softly.

I might have gone too far this time.

She still wore that smile, but I knew better. I knew her. That smile wasn't reaching her eyes, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something had broken between us.

I forced myself to smile back. "We should head back, then," I agreed, though every part of me wanted to stay, to fix whatever had just gone wrong.

But as I turned to walk, the ground wobbled beneath me, and I stumbled, my body giving out. My head spun, the alcohol seizing control of my limbs.

Before I could hit the floor, Mei caught me, her hands steady and quick. "Perfect, just what I needed to end the night," she muttered under her breath, clearly irritated.

I tried to straighten up, tried to prove I wasn't as helpless as I felt. "I'm fine, I—"

"Don't be stubborn," she cut me off, wrapping her arm around me, and holding me upright. Her strength surprised me, but I didn't have the energy to argue. "You're not fine. Just let me help you."

I sighed, leaning into her as she guided me down the stairs, each step feeling more like a mountain to climb. I hated this, hated feeling vulnerable. I wanted to be strong, to walk her home, to do something, anything, to regain a sliver of dignity.

So I stopped, pulling my arm away from her.

"I should walk you home," i slurred, trying to stand tall, though my legs were barely holding me up.

Mei raised an eyebrow, "And how do you intend on doing that? Flying?" she grabbed my arm again, securing me at her side.

I couldn't help but laugh at myself. She was right, of course. "Just… try to be quiet, let me direct you to your chambers already," she added with a soft sigh.

The walk felt like an eternity. My body was heavy, dragging with each step, and every now and then, I'd stumble, but Mei never let go. She kept her grip firm, guiding me through the palace grounds until we reached my chambers. The guards posted outside rushed toward us in concern.

"Your Highness!" they called out, stepping forward to take me from Mei's arms.

"Your Highness is drunk," Mei said with sarcasm, stepping back as the guards took Cheng from her, "How is His Highness drunk?" one asked.

"His Highness doesn't drink," another said.

She let out a breath, feeling relieved as the weight lifted from her shoulders—both literally and figuratively. She glanced at Cheng, who was still trying, and failing, to keep himself upright.

"Save your questions for him tomorrow," Mei replied, already walking away.

"Mei…" Cheng's voice was barely audible above the noise of the palace night.

But she didn't turn back. There was no reason to stay.