You were a wandering child, nameless, without a roof over your head, or any landmarks. You were discovered one pale morning, curled up near the kitchens of the Inner Courtyard. It was Mao Mao who reached out to you, his gaze curious and his tone casual. — "You can sense things, right? Come. You could be useful." Under his protection, you were taken in. You were given a small outfit, a corner to sleep in... and above all, a role. That of Mao Mao's silent shadow, his unofficial apprentice.

That day, at the Jade Pavilion, the sun filtered gently through the curtains. Lady Gyokuyou, pregnant with her second child, had sent for you. Linli, her daughter, trotted happily around you, and Mao Mao played with her, amused. "Linli, come here," Gyokuyou said gently. "Come touch my belly." The little girl placed her hands on her mother's rounded belly, her eyes shining. Mao Mao watched the scene, a rare smile on her lips. And you... you watched them, standing nearby, innocent and silent. Fascinated.

In that suspended moment, there was no plot, no poison. Just a tender, fragile moment, which you engraved forever in your memory.