Lotus Pond in Moonlight, Whose Jealousy Burns

No matter how anxious Serena Feng felt, this was neither the time nor place to show it—and certainly not to refuse outright.

Prince Terrence Valen of Lyndaria wants Serena Feng as his official side-consort—a formally recognized secondary wife, ranked just below the principal consort. By status and looks, Serena would be marrying up; any refusal on her part would only be seen as arrogance and self-importance.

At the same time, Serena's rejection would be a public blow to Terrence Valen's pride, humiliating him in front of everyone.

For men born to privilege and pride, having their dignity trampled so openly can drive them to unpredictable, even reckless extremes.

That’s why anyone else can step forward to block Serena’s marriage to Terrence as his side-consort—anyone except Serena herself. If she wants to act, it must be behind the scenes, never letting Terrence or outsiders catch on.

Serena understood the stakes. Before William Wang Jinling could say more, she reached up and pinched her own cheeks, trying to relax her tense expression.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine now.” Serena flashed a smile—brighter than the lanterns glowing behind her—but William could still see the sorrow in her eyes.

"It’ll be alright." William squeezed Serena’s hand and led her forward. They’d fallen far behind, and if they didn’t catch up soon, others would notice—which would only hurt Serena’s reputation.

Serena’s reputation was already damaged, but William was determined not to let it sink any lower. Since he couldn’t marry her or give her everything she wanted, he chose to care for her as a beloved sister. He would watch over Serena, hoping she’d find her own happiness—even if it was just self-comfort, it was the only way he could bear it.

Serena and William kept to themselves, quietly blending into the crowd as they walked toward the viewing terrace with the others.

The viewing terrace was close to where Serena had been earlier that day. Walking from the dining hall took nearly half an hour, and no one wasted a moment. What seemed like casual conversation was actually subtle probing, and before long, everyone had paired off.

William noticed Serena’s spirits lift a little and began chatting lightly, trying to distract her. With such beauty all around, he avoided any heavy talk of politics.

With flowers and moonlight as their backdrop, it was only fitting to talk about beautiful things. But soon the topic shifted to the guests ahead. William pointed out several key figures—each important in their own kingdom—and quietly said, "Serena, look: in this world, no one truly lives as they wish. Even someone as aloof as Ninth Royal Uncle Nolan is tied down by worldly affairs. The Crown Prince must put up with people he dislikes, and even a favored prince like Adrian doesn’t get everything he wants."

Serena followed William’s gaze, looking at each one, and nodded softly. "No one escapes the troubles of this world."

Su Wan tried several times to talk to Nolan, but he never replied—not even a word. After performing a one-woman show for ages, she finally settled into silence at his side.

Prince Quentin Northlyn attempted to make conversation with Princess Serenity, but she was uninterested. Still, under Prince Rowan’s orders, she forced herself to reply politely. With William nowhere to be found, Serenity could only deal with Quentin’s advances, her mood growing heavier.

But to Quentin, Serenity’s reluctance seemed like shy modesty. Seeing her petite and delicate—so different from Northlyn women—he grew even more pleased.

The Crown Prince and Terrence Valen started talking together. Terrence signaled Princess Yara to approach Nolan, but Yara was determined to ignore him. With Rowan stepping up, it was only natural that Yara ended up paired with him instead.

Terrence was displeased but kept it to himself. After all, Yara and Rowan rarely had a chance to meet, and Nolan seemed indifferent to Su Wan. So Terrence let Yara have this opportunity.

If Rowan could become Crown Prince within two years, Yara marrying him would still be acceptable for Lyndaria. Rowan liked Yara, but that would only make the Eastlyn Emperor more wary of her. Every advantage comes with a price; even now, Terrence preferred Yara to marry Nolan. And if Eastlyn’s emperor mastered the thunder-blast grenade formula, war with Southern Lyn and Lyndaria could erupt in three to five years.

Every advantage comes with its own risks. Right now, Terrence Valen would rather see Yara marry Ninth Royal Uncle Nolan. If the Eastlyn Emperor got the formula for thunder-blast grenades, he’d launch war against Southern Lyn and Lyndaria within three to five years.

Eastlyn was running out the clock for them.

Prince Adrian Dongling had wanted to see Serena ever since their last meeting, but he couldn’t find a good excuse. He’d sent invitations several times, but Serena never showed.

Pretending to be sick? Not a chance. As a titled prince, any illness had to be reported to the palace and treated by imperial physicians, with every diagnosis officially recorded. If he summoned Serena as his doctor, it would only bring her trouble.

He wasn’t like Prince Rowan, who could summon Serena by imperial order, nor like Prince Samuel Zhai, introduced by William and vouched for by Dominic Zhai. Plus, Serena no longer made house calls as an imperial physician.

But Dominic Zhai wouldn’t give Adrian the chance, dragging him into endless small talk. As Serena’s friend and William’s brother-in-arms, Dominic would never let this notorious womanizer bother her. Adrian had no principal wife, but his harem was so large you couldn’t count the women on both hands and feet.

"Most things in life don’t go our way, but I’m lucky to have met you." Serena’s brow finally relaxed. She took William’s hand and said, "Let’s go see the lotus flowers. I’ve never seen them at night—I bet it’s a whole new experience."

"Don’t worry, you won’t be disappointed. Nolan’s lotus pond is famous throughout the four kingdoms and nine cities—especially at night, when it’s like a dream." With William’s praise, Serena, who’d already admired it by day, was even more excited.

Just like at dinner, the only ones truly interested in the lotus were Serena and William. Maybe Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang were willing too, but they were just here to fill seats—none of this really mattered to them.

The viewing terrace was ablaze with light. Servants had laid out refreshments and tea, ice basins tucked away in the shadows. A cool breeze carried the scent of lotus flowers, and people couldn’t help but breathe deeply, wishing they could take all the fragrance home.

Thanks to William, Serena’s anticipation for the moonlit lotus pond only grew. She had just sat down when, with a sharp pop, all the terrace lights went out. Across the pond, soft candlelight glowed. Serena looked up, eager to see the dreamlike scene William had promised—but instead saw...

Su Wan’s head rested on Nolan’s shoulder. From Serena’s angle, the two looked just like an intimately leaning couple.

So she wasn’t special after all. The man who always hated women getting close—Nolan—didn’t reject a beautiful woman’s embrace.

Her eyes stung, and she felt tears welling up.

Serena parted her lips, forced a bitter smile, and turned away as if she’d seen nothing. But from that moment, the entire pond of lotus flowers faded from her view.