Zhao Tian is sitting on the couch under the night sky, as the cold gust of wind brushes past the women sitting there.
Ling Xin and Chi Miya were sitting beside him, and Ling Chen was sitting on his lap as the movie began to play.
At this time, Fei Ziyu and Fei Lingxi came there to give popcorn and drinks to everyone.
Zhao Tian had his arm around Chi Miya's shoulder as both of them were reading through the article on her mobile released by the government about the peaceful negotiations.
Reading through that, Zhao Tian raised an eyebrow "I am surprised they actually said everything without hiding anything."
"Considering it's the government, I thought they would try to hide some things."
Chi Miya pecked his lips and nodded her head "Hmm... they should also know that they are in a tough situation right now and shouldn't lie to people."
"And they must be afraid of you too..."
Hearing this, Zhao Tian gave a nod and Chi Miya again kissed his lips "Tian..."
Zhao Tian also reciprocated the kiss, gently sucking on her lips before letting them go.
Ning Zhilian who was sitting beside Ning Xue on the couch gently moved forward to take a glimpse at Zhao Tian, however, as Ning Xue turned her head to her... she averted her gaze
Seeing this, Ning Xue laughed in her mind and leaned to her, whispering "By the way... sister, what were you taking with Tian a while ago?"
Ning Zhilian panicked upon hearing this and smiled dryly "N-Nothing big... just talking about the High Stars and uh."
"By the way... Little Xue, you didn't say you were going to dissolve the royal family," she asked trying to divert the topic.
Ning Xue raised an eyebrow "So, he was talking about that?"
"Yeah, yeah... about that."
"You know, Sister," Ning Xue continued, her voice barely above a whisper...
"Dissolving the royal family isn't just about stepping away from the throne. It's about letting go of all the burdens that come with it—political alliances, expectations, the weight of generations before us."
She paused, looking at Ning Zhilian more seriously. "We have carried that burden long enough."
The blush on Ning Zhilian's face deepened, heavily embarrassed that her sister found out about this 'Was I that obvious?'
Ning Zhilian swallowed hard, feeling a surge of emotions. "A-Are you okay with it, Little Xue? W-Wouldn't it be awkward? I mean, you and the others... you're all so close to him. I wouldn't want to come between that."
Ning Xue shook her head with a chuckle "What are you saying, Big Sister? You have been staying with us for days now... There's no competition here. We're all close to Tian because he has earned our love and respect in different ways."
"If you choose to be with him, it's not like you are stepping on anyone's toes. It's just finding happiness in a life that we're all building together."
She paused and gave Zhilian a meaningful look. "And I've seen the way he looks at you. You already have a place here, Big Sister."
Ning Zhilian's gaze trembled and she smiled in her heart 'He has already confessed to me... but Little Xue doesn't know that.'
Letting out a soft breath, "I just... I never imagined it would be like this," Ning Zhilian admitted softly, her voice barely audible under the sound of the movie playing in the background.
"I always thought I'd have to give up on finding love for the sake of duty. And now... things are changing so fast."
"They are," Ning Xue agreed, her hand still resting on Zhilian's arm.
"But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. And besides, you deserve to be happy too. You've spent so long putting others first, Big Sister. Maybe it's time to think about what you want."
Upon hearing this, Ning Zhilian stayed silent and Ning Xue didn't disturb her, giving her time to think.
As moments passed, she muttered "Maybe it's really time I stop holding myself back."
As the movie played, Ning Zhilian glanced over at Zhao Tian who was teasing Ling Chen.
The idea of being with him, being a part of his life in the way Ning Xue and the others were... it didn't seem as impossible now as it had before.
Perhaps, just maybe, she could find a place there too.
With that thought lingering in her mind, Ning Zhilian leaned back against the couch, her heart a little lighter as the wind continued to sweep across the beach.
'I won't hold back... but it will be fun to tease him.'
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I hope you guys liked this chapter!