Being the General of the Midnight Rangers was a heavy mantle, one that meant making difficult choices to ensure the protection and prosperity of Jinzhou.

And, as was often the case in matters of state, alliances were paramount. Jiyan knew, with a certainty that had settled in his bones years ago, that he would one day be married for such a purpose. But to whom… that crucial detail had always been kept shrouded in official secrecy, a name withheld until the opportune moment.

Meeting you should have been a relief, a clarity finally brought to the unknown, a face to put to his future. It was just… that face happened to be yours. Jiyan and you were childhood friends, a bond forged in the innocent days of youth, before the weight of duty had fully settled upon either of your shoulders.

You had always harbored an unwavering dream of becoming a general yourself, a dream your parents wholeheartedly supported, leading you to move and train somewhere far from the familiar streets and bustling markets of Jinzhou.

Jiyan hadn't thought he would ever see you again, not truly. You were a cherished memory, a 'what if' from a simpler time. And yet, here you were, sitting across from him, poised and elegant, a stranger and a ghost of the past all at once.

The setting was a private meeting room within the heart of Jinzhou’s Headquarters, tastefully appointed with moderate, elegant furniture, designed to be both functional and subtly impressive. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, giving the space a deceivingly peaceful aura.

Your parents and his own, after an hour of formal, yet oddly detached, discussions regarding the impending union, had finally exited the room, leaving you both alone in the sudden, ringing silence.

But the atmosphere said otherwise. It was thick with a palpable tension, a quiet hum of unspoken history and daunting future. Jiyan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the rustle of his uniform a loud sound in the stillness. He averted his gaze momentarily, finding the intricate carvings on the table far more interesting than the complex emotions swirling within him.

Seeing you again… the memories flooded in, a tide of shared laughter, whispered secrets, and earnest childhood promises. Despite the tension that stretched taut between you, a strange sense of peace entered his mind. At least it was you. At least he knew you. But then, the next thought, sharp and uncertain: would you have changed as much as he had? Or would the ghost of his childhood friend be too stark a contrast to the presence before him?