Wang Zheng handed the flowers she had received to one of her attendants, who quickly took them away. The queen rarely walked unattended; there was always someone nearby. Her staff constantly communicated to ensure her safety, as the queen could not be exposed to risks.
It was evident that without Wang Zheng, the country would face significant instability.
The royal family was limited to Wang Zheng, which posed a major problem for the royal councils. There was constant tension over the possibility of something happening to the queen and leaving the throne completely vacant.
Around a king, there were countless individuals willing to betray him in pursuit of their ambitions. It was well-known that many families would fight fiercely to seize the throne from the Wang family.
Wang's country had extremist factions supporting rival families for the succession, as well as groups advocating for a democratic system.
A few years ago, a global movement established several countries amidst democracies. However, in subsequent years, many revolts occurred, and monarchies reasserted their power. Continents shifted, and cultures increasingly intertwined; it had been less than half a century since Europe and Asia united to form Eurasia.
Wang's country had experienced numerous uprisings from neighboring countries and endured decades of tension and looming war. Wang Zheng's government had been the most stable and peaceful in fifty years, but threats still persisted and were not ignored.
Yen Bai was the representative of Wang's country's most important military ally. A marriage between the Yen and Wang families would mark a significant advancement in the armies and arms trade of both nations.
Although Yen Bai could not inherit the throne, he was a key political leader who controlled the parliament and royal councils of his country.
Wang Zheng watched her attendant carry her flowers away and turned to Yen Bai. They walked side by side, engaging in polite conversation.
After a few steps, they reached the massive circus tent, and soon entered the grand structure. The area was purposely dimly lit to heighten anticipation, with a large spotlight focused on the expansive open space.
Surrounding the spotlight were rows of completely empty seats. It was an exclusive show for the two of them.
The smell of popcorn mixed with caramel enhanced the experience.
Yen Bai smiled inwardly, sensing that the queen had not yet eaten. He planned to use this opportunity to showcase the wide variety of food stalls available.
"Would you like some popcorn? We have everything available here…"
He smiled warmly, and she agreed. She was hungry, and the aroma of food was making her stomach rumble.
Outside the circus, there was a small fair with several stalls. The idea of entering a completely empty circus was a bit unsettling; Wang Zheng felt a twinge of nervousness.
Though she loved horror movies, she had no desire to be part of one and went to great lengths to avoid imagining herself surrounded by killer clowns.
After grabbing some popcorn, candy, and soft drinks, they returned to their seats. Moments later, the bright light that had illuminated the arena was extinguished.
Footsteps could be heard.
Gradually, a play of lights began to color the center of the arena. A tall, elegant man holding a microphone stepped forward.
As he spoke, performers and animals emerged in a line, taking center stage.
"Well, well, well… Rousselle's Circus has arrived, and we are ready to make your day unforgettable. We have daring women and lions that are as docile as house cats… Some play with fire, and others love heights… We have something for everyone: motorcycles, cars, and horses. Oh…"
A clown appeared, munching on the queen's popcorn and playfully tugging at her hair. "… But be careful, some performers might bring the show to you and really get you out of your mind…"
A man, illuminated by the spotlight, began juggling flaming torches as the lively music grew louder and more intense.
Trapeze artists soared through the air, appearing to fly. Contortionists twisted and bent gracefully with the help of flowing fabrics.
A large piece of cloth was set on fire, but within seconds, the flames were extinguished, and doves fluttered into the air.
"Things seem to be heating up around here..." The lights went out again, plunging the space into darkness.
Footsteps grew louder as they approached where the queen was seated. A strong light illuminated next to Wang Zheng, and the presenter, now seated beside her, spoke. "So, let's start the show. Please don't mind me; I'm just a humble presenter who occasionally plays with cards, doves, and rabbits... Your Majesty, I will be your humble servant." The man took Wang Zheng's hand and kissed it with an elegant flourish.
The show lasted a few hours, and although Yen Bai was somewhat regretful for his repeated attempts to touch the queen as though they were lovers, he still tried to be cordial and entertaining.
He seemed like a good man, but he didn't impress Wang Zheng. She found herself continually thinking about Liu Wei.
Unlike their first date, Wang Zheng managed to stay until the end. The day turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable, and when Yen Bai acted naturally, he seemed kinder and more amiable.
As the first hints of dusk appeared, the sky began to darken.
The queen's car was waiting for her, already running and ready to return to the palace.
Yen Bai accompanied Wang Zheng to the car, and they chatted enthusiastically about the attractions they had just experienced.
"I hope you enjoyed the show, Your Majesty."
She nodded, satisfied. It had been a pleasant day. "It was truly enjoyable. I hope I can see that circus again."
The young prince laughed. Getting that circus out of his country was quite a feat. "They are famous in my country for performing exclusively for the royal family. The circus has been stationed in the same location for over 15 years."
"Really? I didn't know that."
In fact, one of the crown princes and Yen Bai's brother had been kidnapped as a child during a circus visit, but a clown had intervened and prevented a major tragedy.
"Ever since a clown saved one of my brothers' lives, the circus has become a cherished place for performers to live and showcase their talents."
"That's really interesting."
As they approached the car, Yen Bai reached out and grabbed the door handle.
"Your Majesty, let me open the door for you."
She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, and good luck with the next stage."
"I'll make sure to surprise you."
The queen entered her car, which then sped off. The beta quickly disappeared from her view.
It wasn't long before her eyes grew heavy as she vaguely admired the passing landscape.
The queen fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Liu Wei anxiously watched as the sky darkened and the route became increasingly difficult to follow.
Liu Wei had been following Chun Lei faithfully; they had been walking for at least thirty minutes, and it seemed like they were getting nowhere.
"Leilei, are you sure this is the right way?" she asked, confused.
The princess found it somewhat daring to rely on a little girl she had known for just over an hour, but she was desperate and needed guidance.
Chun Lei nodded confidently. "Yes, this is a shortcut. To get there by the main road, you would need to cross the city and navigate through the mountains, which is a bit tricky. My mom said this place was the Queen's old home; I always like to come here and play."
Liu Wei's heart raced. What kind of place would the queen's former home be?
After another ten minutes of walking, they reached a small stream and some rubble.
Liu Wei was puzzled. It didn't look like a house, but the closer she got, the more she realized that half of the house had collapsed and nature had overtaken most of the space.
It was beautiful and unique; the scenery was truly breathtaking.
Liu Wei was ecstatic. "Leilei, I think you've brought me to the best place in the world!"
The small child agreed. "Who do you want to bring here?"
"The queen, of course!"
Chun Lei, like the vast majority of subjects, had immense admiration for the queen. Her eyes gleamed with wonder; she still hadn't had the opportunity to see Wang Zheng in person.
"Have you seen the queen? She's so pretty."
"She is."
Liu Wei smiled proudly; the queen was indeed gorgeous, wasn't she? It was her that Liu Wei liked.
Chun Lei couldn't hide her flushed cheeks; she was feeling shy.
"Do you think she would let me come and play with her?"
"I can talk to her and ask."
"Okay!"
They were amidst the ruins of the house and several trees.
Liu Wei could clearly see a large apple tree that looked perfect for an afternoon picnic.
She was determined to have her date there, but Liu Wei would need to do a lot of cleaning and maintenance. She needed to return and talk to Anna urgently.
Chun Lei followed Liu Wei, and they chatted excitedly about what the princess should cook for the queen. They were in a lively discussion about which would be better: strawberry cake or blueberry pie.
Liu Wei wasn't really paying attention to where she was stepping and ended up tripping over some tree roots scattered around. She completely lost her balance and felt her foot twist.
The pain was excruciating. Her vision blurred.
Chun Lei was so worried and scared that she started crying in fear, and Liu Wei tried to comfort her despite her own pain. "Don't cry, it doesn't hurt anymore..."
"It doesn't hurt?"
"No. But can you help me get home?"
"I'll help."
The girl sniffled and, with all her strength, helped Liu Wei to her feet. Liu Wei was limping and panting; the way back would be long.
Wang Zheng woke up from her nap when she felt the car come to a stop. She opened her eyes and saw the facade of the familiar building—finally home.
The car door opened, and Huan Yang was faithfully waiting for her.
She stretched her muscles and felt some of the daily fatigue slip away after the brief rest.
She felt relaxed and light.
"Your Majesty, would you like anything?"
She thought briefly and simply said, "A shower. I'm having dinner in my room tonight..."
"Certainly, Your Majesty. I'll arrange it."
The queen took two steps forward and stopped abruptly when she noticed a person... Liu Wei's maid was anxiously pacing in front of the palace door, looking unusually nervous.
She approached her secretary and spoke in a whisper.
"Why is Liu Wei's maid out here?"
Huan Yang sighed with concern. "Miss Liu Wei went out and hasn't returned yet."
Wang Zheng's sleepiness vanished instantly. Where could the princess be?!
"Did she go out with anyone?"
"No. Completely alone..."
The queen touched her hair a bit abruptly; she didn't like her guests disregarding her recommendations. She sighed heavily and composed herself. It was no longer about whether the girl had followed her advice or not; the important thing now was to find Liu Wei.
The queen glanced quickly at her wristwatch. They had about an hour before it would be completely dark.
"I see. Prepare the guards for a search in case she doesn't arrive within half an hour."
One of the fundamental duties of a monarch was to ensure the safety of their visitors. She would not allow anything to happen to the young princess.
"Yes, ma'am."
Huan Yang walked quickly into the palace with Anna, and the queen decided to stay in the same place and wait for Liu Wei. Wang Zheng had a strange urge to search for the young omega throughout the palace garden.
She felt heavy, and her chest was tight.
The queen walked in circles, not knowing exactly which direction to look. She was feeling impatient and anxious. But at one point, she turned and saw an extremely familiar face.
Liu Wei was finally here.
Wang Zheng couldn't contain herself and ran towards her.
Liu Wei could sense Chun Lei's trembling hands as she faced the queen for the first time. She laughed inwardly.
The queen was alarmed by the princess's condition; her clothes were dirty and torn.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Liu Wei leaned on Chun Lei, almost begging the small child not to let her fall.
"I just tripped and fell… Your Majesty, this is my new friend, Chun Lei."
The child smiled sweetly, and you could see one of the missing teeth in her mouth. So cute.
The queen briefly forgot her anger at seeing Liu Wei in that state and bent down to match the girl's height.
"Chun Lei? Where did you two go?"
The queen whispered as if she wanted to win Liu Wei's new friend over to her side. The younger omega found the scene amusing.
"I took Weiwei to the queen's old house!"
The little child spoke without thinking and widened her eyes, realizing she had revealed more than she should have… After all, it was supposed to be a surprise.
Liu Wei didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That was supposed to be a secret..."
"I'm sorry…"
The queen felt confused; that place was completely abandoned and in ruins. What was Liu Wei doing there?
"My old house? Did you go that far?"
Liu Wei looked at her with guilt-filled eyes.
She sighed inwardly.
The queen sensed Liu Wei's frustration and put on her best smile, releasing a bit of her pheromone to reassure Liu Wei.
"Did you enjoy yourselves?"
Chun Lei was a sweet and sensitive child; the queen's smile softened her heart, but she still couldn't help but feel guilty about Liu Wei getting hurt. "Yes, but she was injured…"
The queen touched the top of Chun Lei's head and patted her lightly to reassure her.
"I'll take care of her… You should go home; it's getting late, Chun Lei."
The girl was startled upon noticing how dark the sky had become. She needed to get home urgently or she would be grounded.
"I will. Goodbye, Your Majesty. Goodbye, Weiwei."
"Goodbye, Leilei..."
Liu Wei and Wang Zheng waved as they watched the girl run away.
The sweet pineapple scent in the air made the young omega dizzy. She was too afraid to irritate or upset the queen. She sighed deeply inwardly.
The queen couldn't deny her relief at seeing that Liu Wei was okay, but now they needed to attend to her injuries.
"Come with me..."
Liu Wei felt panicked. "No... Please don't worry about me, Your Majesty..."
Wang Zheng frowned and thought to herself: How can I tell this girl that it's impossible for me not to care about her?
"Of course I'm going to care. Hold onto my neck."
The queen saw Liu Wei's frightened look and decided not to wait for her cooperation. She placed her hands under the young omega's knees and arms and lifted her.
"Queen??"
"Just hold on."
Liu Wei clung to Wang Zheng's neck, and now they could feel each other's warmth. They were so close; the young princess was afraid of losing control of her pheromones, but her heart was beating so fast that anyone nearby could hear it.
The sweet pineapple scent began to envelop Liu Wei, and her only reaction was to bury her face close to the queen's neck.
They headed towards the palace infirmary, and Secretary Huan Yang soon appeared on the horizon.
He was a bit startled to encounter such a scene… Was the queen really carrying someone in her arms?!
Wang Zheng continued walking, followed only by the young alpha.
"Huan Yang, inform Miss Liu's maid that she has arrived and that I'm taking her to the palace infirmary. Show her the way."
"Right..."
"Also, tell her to prepare light clothes and a bath. Liu Wei should shower immediately after the initial care in the infirmary."
He nodded and walked away, noting that the queen had covered everything.
"Yes, Your Majesty..."
Was the Queen ever so kind to an outsider? He couldn't remember...
But he had already noticed the queen and Liu Wei's unusual relationship; they looked at and treated each other differently.
The queen with the young omega was patient, affectionate, kind, and curious... The little princess cared for and courted Wang Zheng like a true lover.
He was beginning to wonder if the queen had intentions of marrying another omega; it would be a bit problematic to explain this to the elders...
He sighed inwardly.