Xiaoyun stepped cautiously into the grand hall outside her room, the cold stone floor chilling her bare feet through the thin soles of her shoes. Her mind churned with questions, but she held her head high, masking her confusion with the poise she was accustomed to. Arrogance was second nature to her, and if this truly was a dream, she would at least navigate it with some semblance of control.
The palace was larger and more ostentatious than she expected, though it bore none of the sleek modernity she was used to. Rich tapestries hung on the walls, depicting battles and celebrations she didn't recognize. Servants bustled past her, none sparing her more than a passing glance.
No one suspects a thing, she thought, relief mingling with irritation. Apparently, I'm meant to be a maid, yet everyone seems too busy to notice that I clearly don't belong here.
"Move faster!" snapped a stern voice behind her.
Xiaoyun turned to see the same rude woman from earlier glaring at her. She raised an eyebrow but kept her composure. "Do you expect me to run to the princess, or shall I maintain a dignified pace?" she replied smoothly, her words laced with condescension.
The woman blinked, then scowled. "Just get on with it."
Xiaoyun stepped out of the cramped servant's quarters into a maze of endless, identical corridors. The high ceilings and intricate carvings on the walls were clearly designed to impress, but they only added to her confusion. She glanced left, then right, her hands clenching the coarse fabric of her dress.
"Where on earth is this garden?" she muttered.
She rounded a corner sharply and collided head-on with a solid wall of warmth. Staggering back, she scowled, immediately snapping, "Do you not watch where you're going?"
The "wall" turned out to be a man—tall, broad-shouldered, and impeccably dressed in a crisp white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and dark trousers. His sharp jawline and piercing golden-brown eyes radiated authority.
"Me?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "You're the one storming around like you own the place."
"Maybe if you weren't standing in the middle of the hallway like a boulder, I wouldn't have bumped into you," she retorted, brushing off her dress as though he'd dirtied it.
He chuckled, folding his arms and leaning slightly forward as if studying her. "Well, someone's woken up with a bit of fire today."
Xiaoyun's glare deepened. "And someone clearly doesn't know when to apologize."
His lips twitched, the corners curling into a smirk. "Apologize? For what? Existing in a hallway?"
She crossed her arms and tilted her head, her tone dripping with mockery. "Yes, for being in my way. Isn't it obvious?"
The man leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as though considering her words. "Hmm. No, it's not obvious. But what is obvious is that you're not acting like yourself, Mei Lin."
Her heart skipped. He knew her—or rather, this body. But instead of showing weakness, she narrowed her eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Really?" His gaze swept over her, sharp but still amused.
"Really," she shot back, before he could respond—
"Lord Jinhai!" came a voice from further down the corridor, sharp and authoritative.
Xiaoyun's brow furrowed at the oddly familiar name, but before she could make sense of it, the man—Jinhai, apparently—gave her one last look. His lips curled into a confident smirk, and he stepped back, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "See you around, little maid," he said smoothly, turning to leave.
"Oh, and the princess is down that way." He gestured lazily behind him, pointing in the direction he had come from without looking back. "You seemed a little lost."
"I wasn't!" She yelled defiantly right before he turned a corner.