Evening at the Moon Pavilion was quiet as usual.
The staff moved in shadows. Dinner had been cleared. The cold had settled in the corridors.
Xu Meilin sat in the drawing room, quietly reading a book she had picked from the library upstairs, not that she could concentrate on a single word.
The black card still sat unopened on the side table, like a reminder she couldn't quite ignore.
Then came the knock.
Three soft raps on the front door, followed by hurried whispers among the maids.
She looked up just as the head butler entered and gave her a deep bow.
"Madam, Elder Madam Li is here."
Xu Meilin stood too quickly.
Elder Madam Li.
The matriarch of the Li family.
She hadn't expected to meet her so soon. In fact, part of her wondered if she'd ever meet her at all, after all, she had married into the family like a ghost, unseen even by her own husband.
She smoothed her hair and followed the butler to the entrance hall.
---
The old woman stood there like a monument, draped in a deep blue hanfu coat, pearls at her throat, and a carved cane in one hand. Her hair was neatly pinned, her eyes sharp with age but not softened by it.
Her gaze landed on Meilin.
And stayed there.
"You're thinner than I expected," Grandma Li said coolly. "But prettier."
Meilin bowed deeply. "Good evening, ma'am."
"Hmph," the old woman said, stepping forward. "Let's sit."
---
They sat in the smaller salon, facing each other across a low table. Tea was served, but neither touched it.
"I came for one reason," the old woman said. "To make expectations clear."
Meilin kept her posture straight, her hands folded.
"You've entered the Li family. Not by love, clearly, but you wear our name now. And that comes with rules."
The words were not cruel.
But they were heavy.
"You are to act like the lady of this house. No more working outside. No more public appearances without approval. The media has enough scandals. I won't have a Xu daughter stirring more."
Meilin blinked. "I'm still employed by—"
"You are no longer employed," Grandma Li said sharply. "You're a Li. Your place is here now. You'll learn our customs. Host charity events. Dress well. Smile better."
She leaned forward.
"And soon, you'll prepare for motherhood. That is your most important job."
Meilin felt her breath slow.
So this was it.
Not a house. A cage.
A golden one ,with chandeliers and private chefs and black cards.
But still a cage.
She lowered her eyes. "I understand."
But just as the old woman leaned back in satisfaction—
A new voice entered the room.
"I didn't know we were making retirement plans for her already."
Both women turned.
Li Zeyan stood in the doorway, freshly changed into a dark cashmere coat, the collar still damp from outside. He was calm. Hands in his pockets.
But his eyes were sharp.
"Zeyan," the old woman said, surprised. "You're home early."
"I live here."
He walked into the room slowly, then paused behind Meilin's chair, a silent gesture, but clear.
He was standing with her.
And the old woman noticed.
"I was explaining," she said carefully, "that your wife now represents this family. She must uphold the dignity of the Lis."
"Mm," he hummed, noncommittal. "And nothing says dignity like keeping someone locked up in a mansion."
Grandma Li narrowed her eyes. "This is how it's always been—"
"And maybe it's time it changed."
Silence fell.
Xu Meilin didn't look up. Her fingers had curled slightly into the folds of her skirt.
Grandma Li sighed. "Zeyan. You've always been difficult. I won't argue. But I trust you know what you're doing."
She rose.
"I only hope she doesn't embarrass you."
With that, she turned and left, the staff bowing as she walked past.
---
Meilin sat very still.
The air still buzzed with tension.
She finally turned her face upward, meeting his eyes. "You didn't have to say anything."
"I know."
He stepped past her, picking up the untouched teacup and drinking from it without expression.
"She wants me to stay home," she said quietly. "To host events. To smile for magazines."
"And do you want that?"
"No."
He set the cup down.
"Then don't."
She blinked. "But—"
"I'll arrange for your transfer," he said flatly, already pulling out his phone. "You'll work in the Public Relations division at Li Corporation. Quiet floor. Less noise."
Meilin stared at him.
"But… I thought you didn't want—"
"I don't want scandal. That's all."
But even he didn't sound convinced by his own excuse.
Still, he typed the message.
When he finished, he looked at her again, not quite gentle, but not cruel either.
"You said yesterday you didn't need much," he said. "But I've learned something about people like you."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "People like me?"
He nodded. "The ones who smile too much. They need everything."
And with that, he left.
Leaving her in silence, her heart pounding in a rhythm she didn't understand.
---
That night, Xu Meilin stood at the balcony again, wind biting at her sleeves.
She touched the black card.
And for the first time… it didn't feel like a leash.
It felt like a door.
A quiet chance to begin again.
Not as someone's bride.
Not as someone's puppet.
But maybe — just maybe — as herself.