CHAPTER 33: 33. OLD LOST MEMORIES

A WEEK LATER

EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:

The quiet of the study was heavy, too heavy. Mei Shen sat by the window, her eyes distant, fingers nervously twisting the edge of a worn book. It was like watching a flickering flame struggling in the wind fragile, almost ready to go out. I wanted to reach out, but I wasn’t sure how. The palace was a world away from the earth she once knew, and yet, this loneliness clung to her like a shadow from that other life.

"Do you want to talk?" I finally asked, my voice softer than I expected.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she glanced up, a flicker of pain crossing her face.

"It’s... hard to explain." She whispered. "Back on Earth, I never really had a mother. Or a family that made me feel like I belonged. It’s like I was just... left behind."

The words hit me harder than I thought. She wanted something I couldn’t give by title or palace walls, a family, real love, a place where she belonged. Before I could say anything, a familiar voice echoed lightly in my mind, Zeyrith, the god, always ready to tease.

"Missing your mother, little star? That ache runs deeper than any crown."Zeyrith grinned.

I sighed and pushed the god’s teasing away for now. Later, when she slipped away to be alone, I caught my mother and grandmother in the corner, their conversation soft but urgent.

"Mother." I began carefully." "Do you know anything about a woman named Rosalie?"

My mother’s fingers paused over her teacup. My grandmother’s eyes sharpened, recognizing the name immediately.

"Rosalie..." My grandmother breathed. "She was a traveler, much like Mei Shen. A rare soul who wandered between worlds. They say she was here, in this realm, long ago. It was like you once told us the dream of you from another world. It was way more realistic."

It seems my family still does not understand that I am also the same as Mei Shen, but for everybody’s sake it’s better to keep as a secret. My mother nodded, her voice quiet but certain.

"Not just a traveler. She carried something different,a kind of magic that let her slip between places others could not. A lonely path, but a brave one."She said.

A shiver ran down my spine. Mei Shen’s stories, the way she spoke of Rosalie with a mix of hope and heartbreak it all started to make sense. Then, almost as if summoned by the thought, Zeyrith’s voice echoed in my mind, smooth and thoughtful.

"Rosalie was here once, yes." He said. "A wanderer caught between worlds, like Mei Shen now. Perhaps that is why I chose her to bring that old magic back, to guide her where she cannot yet go alone."

I clenched my fists, determination sparking inside me.

"Zeyrith, how can we find her? How can we help Mei Shen find what she’s searching for?" I asked silently.

There was a pause, then his voice returned, softer than before.

"I will guide you. But it will take more than searching, it will take patience, trust, and a heart willing to see beyond the veils of this world."

I swallowed hard, nodding to myself. Mei Shen deserved that chance to find the family she never had, the belonging she’s dreamed of. And if Rosalie was the key, then I would do everything in my power to find her. For Mei Shen. For us.

The afternoon sun slanted through the palace windows as I gathered with my mother and grandmother in the quiet study. The air was thick with whispered speculation and cautious hope.

"We need to find out where Rosalie traveled to last time." My mother said, unfurling an ancient map dotted with strange symbols and markings. "If she was a traveler between worlds, there must be a trail, something she left behind."

My grandmother nodded, her eyes sharp.

"And we need to be careful. These paths are dangerous, not just for Mei Shen, but for anyone who dares follow."Grandmother said.

I stared at the map, my mind racing.

"Zeyrith said he’d guide us. We’ll need his magic, and... Mei Shen needs to be ready."I said.

Evening wrapped the palace in a quiet hush, the golden light fading behind the distant mountains. I found Mei Shen sitting in the garden, her fingers absently tracing patterns in the soft grass while little Huan played nearby, his laughter a bright contrast to the sinking sun. She looked calmer than she had all day, lighter somehow whenever Huan was near. I slipped beside her, careful not to startle her.

"Hey." I said softly, reaching for her hand.

Mei Shen glanced up, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Huan makes it easier to breathe." She admitted, her voice quieter than usual but steady.

I squeezed her hand gently.

"You don’t have to carry everything alone."I said.

She let out a slow breath, eyes searching mine.

"I’m scared, Lianwei. About finding my mother. About what we might discover."She said.

I nodded, understanding all too well. Then I took a breath and shared what I had learned from my mother and grandmother, how Rosalie was a traveler, like Mei Shen, someone who had crossed worlds and left little trace. How Zeyrith had offered to help us navigate the unknown paths ahead. Her eyes widened.

"You think this will work?"She asked.

I smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

"I do. And whatever happens, you won’t face it alone."I said.

Huan toddled over then, wrapping his arms around Mei Shen’s waist.

"Mommy!"Huan shouted.

Watching them, I felt a fierce protective warmth flood me. This was more than a quest for answers, it was about building a family, healing old wounds, and making new memories. And I would be damned if I let anything tear that apart.

AT THE LATE EVENING

MEI SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:

The soft glow of lantern light spilled into the room, casting warm pools of amber over the delicate china cups and the gentle rise and fall of Huan’s breathing as he slept. I sat quietly by the window, the cool evening breeze teasing loose strands of hair from my bun, but inside, my head throbbed fiercely, each pulse a sharp reminder of the fragile line I was walking.

"Ugh, not again." I muttered, pressing my palm to my forehead as another wave of pain crashed through me. The headache wasn’t like before, deeper, sharper, almost like something was clawing at the edges of my mind.

"Ah, the storm returns. Such intensity, little star. What secrets do you carry beneath that radiant surface?"Zeirith teased.

"Tracking Mei Shen’s vitals, headache severity rising. Initiating diagnostic scan. Recommend rest and monitoring."System added.

I closed my eyes, willing the pain to subside, but it lingered stubbornly. Suddenly, a sensation rippled through my senses. My breath hitched.

"They’re close." Zeyrith murmured. "I’m tracing it. Someone from your past, perhaps?"

The system confirmed with a series of rapid beeps.

"Presence detected. Signature matches ’Rosalie."System said.

My heart clenched painfully. Mother. The word hung in the air like a fragile promise and a painful question all at once. Zeyrith’s voice softened.

"This is why I chose you, Mei Shen. Because the threads of your past and present are entwined deeper than you know. Let me help you find her."God said.

"Please... don’t let me lose her again."I asked him.

The system’s voice was steady.

"Tracking continues. Estimated proximity: increasing. Initiating connection protocol."System said.

Rosalie was close, I couldn’t tell if she was my mother or belonged to Mei Sheng, but as long as I be able to see her, it will make me happier. I might not going to recognize her, but knowing she is close made me feel more hopeful about everything.