When Monica came back with a delighted expression on her face and showed him a butterfly perched on her finger, a creature as common as could be in the jungle, as if presenting him with a precious treasure, Ji Chen couldn't resist asking, "Monica, have you never seen a place like this before?"
Monica gently shook her head. With a wave of her hand, she released the butterfly and placed her hands behind her, looking around with a touch of melancholy. "I grew up within the palace, where my studies were filled with etiquette and various skills. My father protected me well, and I seldom ventured beyond the palace walls.
The only view I could see every day was the garden outside my window and the high walls that I couldn't climb.
I always stood on my tiptoes by the top-floor window, yearning to catch a glimpse of the world outside.
